proportioned in the outward Elements and inward Graces Q. How doe the outward Elements teach the outward man A. Either in themselues or their vses Q. How in themselues A. Both for substance and qualitie Q. How for substance A. As the bread is the staffe of life and as the wine glads the heart of man Q. How in their qualities A. As they are common and sensible sensible to the eye and cares feeling smelling tasting Q. How in their vse A. Either as they are handled by the minister or by the receiuers Q. How by the Minister A. First in setting them apart Secondly in blessing of them Thirdly in breaking of the bread powring forth of the wine Fourthly in deliuering them to the Communicants Q. How by the receiuers A. First by taking the bread and drinking the wine Secondly by digesting of them first in the stomacke then in the liuer lastly in euery part whereby they are made powerfull to humane duties Q. How doth all this teach the inward man in respect of grace A. In proportioning them to Christ both in himselfe and in his vse Q. How in himselfe A. Both in his nature and qualitie Q. How in his nature A. As his body is the bread of life whereof whosoeuer tasteth shall neuer hunger and his bloud is drinke indeede that for euer makes glad the heart and soule Q. How in the qualitie A. As his bodie and bloud were common with ours in all things sinne onely excepted and that he is made sensible both to the eare bored by the Spirit the eye anointed with eye-salue and to the feeling of the sanctified affection also to the smelling of ioy and tasting of the hungry soule Q. How in the vse A. Either as he is appointed of the Father or receiued of vs. Q. How of God A. First as he is called to this worke Secondly indued with grace Thirdly as his body is crucified for vs and his bloud powred out for the washing of our wounds Fourthly as he is deliuered and giuen to euery beleeuer Q. How receiued of vs A. First he is taken by the hand of faith and his bodie is fed on by meditation and his bloud spiritually drunken to wash our soules then he is digested first in the vnderstanding and then in the will and affections and lastly distributed to euery facultie both of body and soule by which wee are made able to euery good word and worke which is the happy life of euery Christian * ⎠* ERRATA Some faults escaped in Printing which I intreat thee courteous Reader to correct the materiall ones are these following PAge 2. line 33. weakened for wakened p. 6. l. 1. our for the pa. 7. l. 3. at for as p. 22. l. 8. our conuersion for our conuersation p. 43. l. 7. to it selfe for in themselues p. 64.7 most excellent for the most excellent p. 73. l. 36 deadly for dead p. 149. l. 32. as diaptron for as a diaptron p. 153. l. 34. flie for shie p. 189. l. 16. found for sound p. 200 l. 33. art for act p 223. l 3 take out othor p. 232. l. 3. require for acquire p. 256. l. 32. fit for vnfit p. 263. l. 2.9 embatement for embasement l. 34 rigorous for vigorous p. 262 13. receiued for reviewed p. 266. l. 12. authenticall Ierome for authenticall Ierome p. 268. l. 5. babes for bagges p. 292. l. 24. ouercome for ouercome it A MODELL OF DIVINITIE CATECHISTIcally Composed CHAPTER 1. Of Religion Question IS there any thing that is called Religion Answere Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law they hauing not the Law are a law vnto themselues which shew the effect of it written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing Let Pilate heare of a God and he will feare Ioh. 19.18 Felix of judgement and hee will tremble Act. 24.26 So powerfull is conscience to put backe the swellings of the proudest Iorden Iosh 3.19 And dare boldly tell euery man as that stout and resolute Tragedian told proud Pompey the time shall come wherein thou shalt fetch many a deepe and deadly sigh and sorrow desperately because thou sorrowedst no sooner It is the demand of Nature it selfe What shall we doe to haue eternall life and because Natures meanes are not able to resist the force and feare of death no people so sauage which hath not thought vpon some supernaturall helpe though ignorance haue cast them vpon superstition c. Oh that the miserable estate of others which wander in darkenesse and wote not whither they goe could giue vs vnderstanding hearts worthily to esteeme the riches of the mercy of God toward vs before whose eyes the doores of the kingdome of heauen are set wide open Should we offer violence vnto it it offereth violence vnto vs and we gather strength to withstand it It is the fault of corrupt nature and not the least that as she hath dimme eyes so they are for the most part euen in the best things exceedingly misplaced She lookes still either forward to the obiect she desireth or downeward to the meanes she vseth neuer turning her eyes either backward to see what she is or hath beene or vpward to view the true cause of her good Alas What a little sparke and poore peece of Adams old ingenuitie is left aliue in vs like one of Iobs messengers to beare witnes of our great losse and what diuine light is extinguished in vs It can bring vs to the obiect of our confusion vnable to shew vs the least glimpse of the obiect of our consolation O foolish reason how sharpe art thou to see thy mischiefe and yet how blunt how blind art thou to foresee it O poore remnant of pictie onely so much goodnesse left as to make vs languish in our owne euill How are we weakened how are we weakened by these relicks of right reason not to see our misery that wee may implore Gods mercy but despairing in both as if wee were banished from our right wits cast our selues more violently into the iawes of the Prince of hell O curst accursed wits that for ease teach the poore sinner either to drinke downe his damnation with a greedie swallow or else through horror to chocke himselfe with his owne morsels Conscience is not alwaies lowd and clamorous neither are the deadliest enemies euer vp in armes against vs yet with still murmurings and secret twitches it bewryes his mis-likes and for want of true peace euermore workes priuie and hidden vnquietnes in the heart There is a lamentable and odious disease called Ileos or misercre mei Deus Nature in expelling superfluities contracts and gathers it selfe from aboue downeward but being often and againe hindred by inflamation opilation and exulceration the fibres doe from below gather themselues vpwardes against nature and by a peristaltick motion sends backe with violence the excrements by the mouth So
to the fruits qualitie to the seeds temper to the seasons God therefore that can doe all is the best husbandman Man therefore that hath expired his first life must haue God to inspire him againe or else hee cannot liue And this will appeare in the very name wee giue our rule Religion is to tie againe Our loue to God like the new cords of Sampson was quickly snapt asunder God therfore that he might bind vs to himselfe by a stronger cord hath chosen the grace of faith to revnite vs againe to himselfe And so Religion hath his notation from the first part of our rule which is faith in God Or else may it take his denomination from the second part which is obedience towards God The law that was to be read by creation was obliterated and in a manner scraped our by corruption but now againe by religion is written in our hearts Ier. 31.33 and so is to be read againe Life consists in vnion and action now by faith wee haue the one and by the law we performe the other The rule of life is called Diuinitie in regard of God the end of it Theologie in regard of the subiect matter 1. Pet. 4.11 logia Theou words of God but of all names this comes neerest the forme of our Art which signifies either our tying againe to God or reading againe the things of God This bond is the surest Isa 54.10 Ier. 32.40 And this booke is the plainest Deut. 30.14 Rom. 10.8 For as faith binds vs to God so it giues and gaines such power from him as wee may walke acceptably before him Luke 1.74 And here we see how pittifull and plentiful a God we haue in raising of vs from corruption to greater perfection then ever we enioyed by creation This second bond is invincible for so it becomes the Almightie to proceed in his workes He that hath shewed man what he can doe for himselfe shall now see what God can doe for him And God were not faithfull if there were either finall or fatall Apostasie from a iustifying faith It is folly to imagine that God should goe from one imperfection to another Loue was for try-all faith is for trust God hath tried the weaknesse and wickednesse of our loue It is now for vs to trust him vpon the faith of our saluation Water cannot suddenly be cleared but with leisure and by degrees and some time must necessarily be required to beare and beate backe those abuses wherunto we haue a long time beene envred Time and industry will eate euen thorow Marbles Giue God credence and he will in his due time giue thee riddance of all the rubbish of thy sinnes But to this our owne safety our owne sedulitie is required for as it is in vaine Psal 127.1 for men to watch except God keepe the citie so will it be in vaine for God to keepe except wee watch The husbandman must not burne his Plough or the Marchant neglect his Trade because God hath said I will not forsake thee Father keepe them in thy name Ioh. 17.11 doth not intimate that wee should be carelesse to keepe our selues Indeed till the Lord inspire wee but lamely and blindly re-aspire to any good We liue groaping as the Sodomites after lifes doore and hauing wearied our selues goe away wanting the thing we both wished and waited for Take away the Sunne from the world and the soule from the body and earth becomes earth as it was at the first Gen. 1.2 So sever God from the soule and what is man but a dead carrion All the elements and elementaries lighten and darken coole and warme die and reviue as the Sunne presents or absents it selfe from them so wee liue or die feele or faint as the Sunne of righteousnesse parts or revnites himselfe vnto vs. Whereby we are taught that primarily and principally we liue by God as the soule of our soules and secondarily by faith as the Spirits The bond of soule and body here is that heat or heauenly breath that knitts God and man together in an indivisible and insoluble knott If the Lyons Dan. 6.16 ravenous beasts by nature and made keene with hunger adore the flesh of a faithfull man shall any worldly thing change his heart alter his affection or Gods to him Rom. 8. the earth shall sooner shake the pillars of the world tremble the countenance of heauen apale the Sunne loose his light the Moone her beautie the Starres their glory c. then a man knit to God by Religion be once seperated from him againe The fire hath proclaimed it selfe vnable so much as to singe an haire of the head of the godly Dan. 3.27 Thus then you see how Religion may put vs in minde of the wonderfull mercy of God Now heare how it remembers vs of our wofull misery we are found of God as rotten roots without any life or vertue as barren ground bringing forth no fruit but sinne shame and damnation As a dead body or decaying bough cut off from the tree perishing and withering to nothing yea wee are so much more miserable by how much wee were once more excellent and eminent The more vnnaturall any qualitie is the more extreame will it be a cold win de from the South is intollerable and the purest wine becomes the sharpest vineger The few sparkes of good that lie couered vnder heapes of cold ashes are no wayes able t kindle the fire of a godly life no not so much as to giue a glimmering light to lead to heauen The wisest Philosophers never so much as ghessed at this Art the doctrine of it never came within the fadome of their reason If they few any thing it was a farre off even as heauen it selfe vpon which they looked with desire and admiration knowing not the right way thither Natures skill is something in the end nothing in the meanes It hath taught without controlement that there is a blessednesse for man to seeke after but what or where was remoued from their Academie assuring vs that not Athens but Ierusalem must reach vs this lesson The wisest Ethnick doth but as S. Peter speaketh Mnoopazein see glimmeringly and vncertainly in this Theame 2. Pet. 1.9 And like Zebul in holy Story either take men for mountaines or mountaines for men Iudg. 9.36 and for inconstancy like Absolon and the Elders of Israel come off and on in their opinions and alwayes beleeues the worst Sometimes the counsell of Achitophell is approued and then presently the aduice of Hushai the Archite is a great deale better 2. Sam. 17.4.14 The Barbarians almost with one breath curse and blesse the Apostle Act. 28.6 Shall we therefore praise nature or trust it in this No wee prayse it not With what presumption hath it vndertaken to write bookes of the soules tranquilitie but that must needs be performed with much imperfection which is practised without a rule Sundry capricious fancies and fables are handsomly framed glued together by morall Philosophie
both of them before the holy Ghost Order requires that the begetter subsist before the begotten and the Spirants before the Spirit Ioh. 15.26 I will send from the father the Comferter even the spirit of truth As there is an order in subsisting so in working And here the well of life lies open before the godly though their eyes often like Agars are not open to see it whiles miserable worldlings haue neither water nor eyes And because to Christians there can be no comfort in their secret felicities seeing to be happy and not to know it is little aboue miferable let me here fell them some of that spirituall eye-salue which the Spirit commends to the Laodiceans that they may clearely see how well they are in the true apprehension of this order I know it to be vsuall with all men liuing that they doe not much more want that which they haue not then that which they doe not know they haue Assuredly there is nothing but a few scales of ignorance and infidelitie betwixt vs and our happinesse It lies in a narrow compasse but soundly trussed together for it is from the Father in the Sonne by the Spirit to Faith 2. Cor. 13.14 Loue from the Father as the beginner of our happinesse Grace from the Sonne as the dispenser of it And a blessed happy communion from the holy Ghost as the accomplisher or finisher of it Loue Grace and Communion are enough to passe the beleeuer from death to life The father cannot manifest his loue without the grace of his sonne neither can the spirit therein communicate with vs but as he is sent from both after both to manifest the loue of the one in beginning and the grace of the other in dispensing all things needfull for our saluation Thinke not much that this glasse of the word espies that in vs and for vs what our selues see not too much neerenesse oft-times hindereth sight and if for the spots of our owne faces wee trust others eyes and glasses why not this truth for our perfections wee are in heauen and know it not What greater happines then this to be made partakers of the purest Loue richest Grace and choicest Communion Eph. 1.13.15 Our election is begunne by the will counsell and decree of the Father dispensed by the complete and full redemption of the Sonne finished by the powerfull and effectuall application of the Spirit It is not without due consideration why in the beginning of the Apostolicall Epistles Grace and peace are wished from the Father and the Sonne without mention of the Spirit I may and will reine the question shorter then they doe that confound the persons in their workes The Spirit is sent from the Father and the Sonne to witnesse that grace and peace that wee haue from and with them both He that is from them both by inspiration is to them both with vs as lidger in execution When good things are wished from some persons it is requisite that there be some to carry newes of their will and pleasure therein The Church of God hath the glorious Gospell of life and saluation and therein is contained all grace and peace with God but how shall euery soule be certified that he is interessed in those good things except the Father and the Sonne send the Spirit as a witnesse and seale thereof vnto him in particular Therefore Paul in all his Epistles wishing grace and peace from Father and Sonne not mentioning the Spirit obserues the true order of personall subsisting and personall working And therefore peace purchased by grace whereby the Father is reconciled in his Sonne is wished to the Churches the fruition whereof followeth by the worke of the blessed Spirit in all that are ordained to be partakers thereof Q. What kind of properties are these A. Individuall and incommunicable and being giuen to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost make three distinct persons and therefore the Church of God hath done well so to name them though the word be not in all the Scripture for it is a Latine word and therefore cannot be found in the Originalls which are Greeke and Hebrew Thus far haue we freely dipped in this streame and not bin drowned pulled many fragrant roses and not pricked our fingers there is one thing more that may sting vs if godly discretion serue not to sever the good from the ill yet the former lessons well remembred are sufficient to them that are capable of observation and not carelesse of reposition to keepe them from danger but seeing remarkable consideration put into vs by others are as some loofe pearles which for want of filing vpon a string shake out of our pockets it shall be necessary both for the getting and keeping of the treasure of our vnderstanding to expresse it Q. Are then these properties qualities in the divine essence A. They are relatiue affections no inherent qualities for they doe no wayes change or alter the essence but leaue it still simply one I know naturall reason would here send forth distemper into our whole judgement The streame must needs runne like the fountaine and speeds well if at last by many changes of soile it can leaue an ill qualitie behind it so our judgement shall be well purged if by all these passages we can so farre master reason that the fardle of foolish fancies may here be vnloden and God may purely be apprehended as he is in himselfe But what can be expected from this age fitter to looke after Butter-flies or Birds nests or perhaps some gay coat of a Courtier then this sound and solide knowledge of Iehovah-Elohim Or if any trauell this way it is indeed like our yong travellers whose wealth is found to be in their tongues wherein they exceed and excell their parents parrats at home both for that they can speake more and know that they speake so our Aethiopian Christians white onely in the teeth euery where else cole blacke can speake well of God and godlinesse and that is all But God is not so learned for as among the three parts of the body there is one called Impetuous or impulsiue as the spirits which sets all on worke or as Physitians call the Arteries in the body Venas audaces or micantes from their continuall beating and working which running along with the other veines beate knock at euery gate and entrance for the members to take in provision saying as it were to euery part and portion here is meate and nourishment for you so true religion hauing put into vs the royall and celestiall Spirit of Faith calls vpon all powers and parts not to know and speake good things but to liue and practise them Papists teach that a man may and must both make and eate his God to his break-fast this hard meate wee leaue for their stronger mawes yet even here may wee begin with the spoone and offer nothing to our weaker stomackes but discourse of easie digestion Know God and liue by
Father had none to speake vnto but his Sonne let there be is that the word spoken might be done by the Spirit who finisheth what is spoken by both And here we see by what kind of motion the world was made by the least stirring for what is lesse then to effect all by a word And yet what greater then to effect by such a word and spirit Iob 26.13 The Spirit is said to garnish the worke of creation Ioh. 14.26 and 15.26 All that the word hath said or Father promised shall bee taught testified and remembred vnto vs by Gods spirit Rom. 8.10.11 13.14.15.16.26 c. A Spirit of life quickens those mortall bodies that are redeemed by Christ by whom they liue againe and are led in prayer as children of adoption c. 1. Cor. 12.11 All gifts and graces wee haue from the Spirit Rom. 8.9 1. Cor. 3.16 the Spirit is said to dwell for as the Father makes choice of his house and the sonne purchaseth it so the holy Ghost takes possession in casting out Satan and sinne and in keeping and holding the same in spite of all Satans assaults Act. 5.3 A lie against the truth is a speciall sinne against the holy Ghost whose proper worke is to testifie of the veritie he hath receiued from the Father and the Sonne And hence it comes to passe that sinning after the knowledge of the truth is most dangerous because it is opposite to the last act of God further then which he will not goe in the addition of any new supply of grace and goodnesse Q. What may wee learne for conclusion of all this A. That to him the worke is especially giuen in whom the manner of working doth most appeare as Creation to the Father Redemption to the Sonne and Sanctification to the holy Ghost This may a little be manifested vnto vs out of man who is said to doe all things by his wit will and power The first mouer of man to action is will then by wit and wisedome he proceeds and by his power concludes The will workes by wit and power wit workes from the will by power and the power workes from them both Will begins wit dispenseth and power doth finish the action Onely here is the difference that they are not alwayes able to worke inseparably for sometimes a man hath more wit then will Agrippa Act. 26.28 had more wit to be perswaded to be a Christian then will to imbrace so dangerous a profession Sometimes he hath more will then wit as Peter Mat. 16.22 Master spare thy selfe loue made him blind in seeing what was fit for Christ to doe Sometimes againe more will and wit then power as the Devill Mat. 4. in the temptation of our Sauiour he shewed all his wit and will to trap our Sauiour but he had not power thereunto somtimes also there appeares more power then eyther wit or will as in the Legion of vncleane Spirits Math. 8. who carried the whole Herd of Swine head long into the Sea By this wee may see the inseparable co-operation of the three persons as through a crevis or lettice a little glimmering light of their distinct manner of working The Father wills the thing to be done hence in Scripture will is oftner giuen to the Father then any other person Mat. 11.26 Ephes 1.11 Secondly the Sonne being the wisedome of the Father dispenseth what the Father hath willed And here wee vsually call the Sonne the wisedome of the Father and so indeed we finde him to be in our redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Thirdly the holy Ghost as the power of both doth finish and consummate their works and so the Scripture stiles him the power of the Highest Luk. 1.35 For as the Father did will that his Sonne should take vpon him our flesh and as it was proper to the second person to assume so the finishing of this worke in the last act of it was due to the Spirit for as there is a naturall spirit to vnite the body and soule together so is there a divine spirit equall to the worke to vnite the divinitie and the humanitie of Christ together God wills that his sonne assume and his sonne will not assume but by the worke of the Spirit To conclude nothing is done no not in their most distinct manner of working but they will all haue an hand in it what more proper to the sonne of God then to take our flesh and become our wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And yet he can doe none of this but from the will of his Father and by the power of his Spirit CHAPTER XII Of the Creation of things immediately made perfect Question HItherto of Gods efficiencie in generall what are the kinds Answere A. Two Creation and providence In the one we see the orderly production of the creatures in the other Gods carefull administration and preservation of them See for this Psalme 104. Of creation to the tenth verse of government to the 27. verse of preservation to the end Nehe. 9.6 Thou hast made the heauen with all their host c. Thou presoruest them all and they worship thee in regard of their Government Q. What is Creation A. It is the first part of Gods externall efficiencie whereby he made the world of nothing originally good Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God made Heb. 11.3 of things which did not appeare Gen. 1.3 and they were very good Psal 33.6.7.8.9 and 146.6 Ier. 10.11.12 Act. 17.24 All which places testifie of a Creator and his power wisedome and discretion in framing them so excellently and that minimo motu by his word and breath Q. What is here generally to be obserued A. That because things here originally had their beginning therefore the Fathers manner of working doth here pruicipally appeare to whom the originall of all things is giuen 1. Cor. 8.6 All are said to be of the Father so are they of the Sonne as God but as a person he is not the originall for in the same place it is said by the sonne And so in the Creed we giue all personally to the Father vntill wee come to the worke of redemption and here we are to learne that the Apostasie of Adam was especially against the Father and therefore could not he by way of satisfaction be our Redeemer for the person properly offended cannot satisfie himselfe by himselfe but by some other that must come betwixt the Father and vs and thus agrees it with the iustice of God that we should be reconciled by a second person Q. Did God make the world all at one instant A. No but in the space of sixe times 24. houres that wee might more distinctly consider all his workes And Aquinas giues a good rule Successiverum non simul est esse perfectio God could haue created all at once but in his wisedome he tooke daies for it Some glimps of reason hereof we may aime at thus as some creatures were to begin with the first instant
to make way for the Sea seemes to lie vpon the very waters and to be vpholden by them and so appeared by Gods commandement from vnder them and now to stand in them Q. How called God the waters beneath A. Iammim Seas Gen. 1.10 because there was the collection of many waters all rivers running into it Eccl. 1.7 We see many great rivers which at the first rising out of some hills-side might be covered with a Bushell which after many miles fill a very broad channell and drawing neere to the Sea doe even make a little Sea in their owne bankes Iam signifies the west because the Seas flow from that way c. CHAPTER XIIII Of the Elementaries Question VVE haue heard of the elements what are the elementaries Answere Whereby God made them of these foure elements by a mixture Gen. 1.11 Let the earth bring forth c. This was impossible without heat and moysture therefore other elements were in the composition as may appeare by the resolution of plants out of which water and spirit is to be distilled c. The mystery of this mixture may thus bee conceiued First water being of a running nature is stayed by earths drinesse Secondly earth being dry in the highest degree would destroy waters moysture being not answerable to his quality in the same degree therefore ayre comes in and takes part with water to moderate his excessiue drinesse Thirdly the coldnesse of water and earth together would easily extinguish the heat of the ayre except fire the greatest champion should step in and helpe the ayre against them both And those all foure being closed together fight it out vntill the quarrell be taken vp by euery one yeelding a little to another and remitting their forces vntill they all meete louingly together in the same elementary composition which is as a compound of them all But you will say this is rather Generation then Creation and therefore a foule confusion to bring it amongst divine precepts I answere The action of euery creature is but an imitable genesis or correspondent work-manship to Gods and therefore in euery thing the first course is extraordinary God shewing the creature his way of imitation Therefore all the elementaries were made of God though hee gaue commandement to the elements to bring them forth Q. How devide you these clementaries A. They are either animate or inanimate things with life or without life God shewing himselfe by his worke to be both life and being Now because God proceeds to perfection let vs first see the more imperfect elementaries Q. What are the inanimate elementaries A. Whereby they were made out of the elements without parts that is a body and a soule I confesse some dispute is about Mineralls which containe in them excellent spirits and are found very vivificall in cordialls but yet this is no proper life neither will it follow that they haue a vegetatiue life because they seeme to grow for that is onely by addition of matter and not a liuely extension of the same matter by a springing life increasing to his full perfection c. Q. How are they devided A. They are either Meteors or Mineralls for so it comes to passe that these things which haue onely a body and no soule are either of elements well ioyned together or else of such as hang very loosely together and are casily shaken asunder these things are passed over in silence by Moses and might well be left out of this Art saue onely that God doth wonderfully set forth his glory even by the weakest workes and those that are worst tyed together in their composition We will therefore stay a little in the handling of them for their knowledge shall be both pleasant and profitable Q. What are the Meteors A. All luch things as are mixed of the foure elements imperfectly Gen. 1.6 Of this kinde are the waters aboue Gen. 2.5 the raine that descends from them Psal 148. Clouds fire haile snow winde and vapours are called vpon to prayse the Lord because he created them What marvells doe we meete withall in this head of creatures the clouds the bottles of raine vessels as thin as the liquor which is contained in them there they hang and moue though weightie with their burden These the Lord maketh one while as some ayery Seas to hold water another while as some ayery Furnaces whence he scattereth his sudden fires vnto all the parts of the earth astonishing the world with the fearefull noyies of the thunders eruption out of the midst of the waters aboue he fetcheth fire and hard stones Another while hee makes the clouds as steele-glasses wherein the Sunne lookes and shewes his face in the varietie of colours which he hath not there are the streames of light blazing and falling Starres fires darted vp and downe in many formes hollow openings and as it were gulfes in the skie bright circles about the Moone and other Planets Snowes Haile c. Here might I discourse of a world of wonders to the astonishment of the readers but I must remember my Art which is to speake of Creation and not the generation of things for as the one belongs to Divinitie so the other to naturall Phylosophy And I take it that Meteors were rather generated of the foure elements then created though in all wee are to admire Gods hand though we cannot search out his action But if God lend life as I desire first to acquaint men more fully with the knowledge of Iehovah-Elohim so after with their workes And Creation according to Moses description will yeeld the exactest and divinest Phylosophie Q. What is the perfect mixture A. Whereby the bodies of things are more closely vnited and produced according to the predominant element not hanging by violence out of their proper elements but duely placed of God in their proper places whereby the first matter is filled and adorned God himselfe supplying that voyd and vnformed masse with foure formes and infinite varieties of creatures out of their composition and mixture They which lie the lowest and doe adorne the bowels of the earth wee call Mineralls and they are either Metalls or Stones the one hath water predominant in it the other earth and they are both precious and base purer or impurer And it is to be wondered at that man treading vpon these Mineralls should not learne to contemne them They lie furthest from heaven and the best of them are in India furthest from the Church It is as we haue said that which Midianitish Camels carry that Indian slaues get that servile Apprentises worke that greedy Iewes swallow worldlings admire and Ruffians spend and yet we cannot esteem of it as the meanest of Gods creatures far inferior to a spire of grasse Adam had them in the first Paradise Gen. 2.11.12 In the second we shall not need them Iob 28.1.2.3.5.6 c. There may you see how God hath placed them and how we come by them And so subiect to sinne as God
made a law to haue them purified before he would haue them vsed Num. 31.22.23 c. Hence it is abominable of these things to make Idoll gods Ezek. 16.17 Ioel. 3.5 Q. What are the elementaries with life A. Whereby they were created of a body and soule for life is nothing but the act of the soule vpon the body and the soule saue onely the reasonable is compounded of the foure elements and is nothing but the Spirits of them or that which is most formall and actiue in them Hence fire and ayre are most predominant in these spirits for as by extraction we haue the spirits of things taken from the masse and body by resolution of the composition so in the composition those spirits were as the soule of that liuing thing Wine is pressed from the grape which is the fruit of a vegetable plant and because it carries away with it the more formall elements and leaues the grosser and more materiall behind wee say it is generous and full of Spirits yea and out of this againe by Art are taken the Spirits of wine which are very liuely and of a quickning nature In all plants Ayre is most formall and therefore the vegetatiue life consists most in moysture and the spirit of it but in the Sensatiue and Motiue life fire and the spirit thereof is most predominant These Spirits which are the soules of Plants and Beasts are but the band or tye of the reasonable soule and body hence death in man is nothing but the extinguishing or consuming of these Spirits for as this claspe vnlooseth or knot vntieth so body and soule separate asunder Agues they consume and backe these Spirits within our bodies and so consequently kill vs colds and watery distempers doe not so much wast as weary and tyre them and at last extinguish them as a brand in a puddle of water Gen. 1.20.21.24.28 c. we read of life and Gen. 7.22 wee heare how God extinguished the same againe Q. What are the kinds A. Either such as liue a single life or a compound life Some creatures haue their Spirits or Soules from some one element formally others from more As for example all Plants liue most by the Spirit and moysture of the ayre Starres of the fire men and beasts by both They grow by the one haue sense and motion by the other Q. What is this single life A. Whereby he made some creatures to line by the formall and act itâ—e Spirits of some one element Q. What are their kinds A. Plants and lights the one with a growing and springing life the other with a stirring or mouing life Gen. 1.11 with 14. The first being more imperfect as ayre is lesse formall then fire is first handled Q. What is the Creation of the Plants A. Whereby the earth brought them forth with aspringing life onely Gen. 1.11.12.13 They were compounded of the foure elements but the earth doth predominate or beare rule in the body as ayre doth in the Soule and euery thing is placed in that element which beares greatest sway in the body or materiall substance of it Q. How were they created A. According to their kinds yeelding seed both the lesser and greater the lesser as grasse herbes flowers shrubbes the greater fruitfull trees and the rest without fruit All which the earth brought forth by the commandement of God and as it is the mother and breeder of them so is it the Nurse and foster-mother of them ever after Gen. 1.14 The act of the soule in plants is vegitation and they haue as it were a mouth to draw nourishment and prepare it for the stomacke and a kind of liuer and heart for concoction Now this facultie to nourish hath foure companions to waite on it First Attraction the Spirits drawing a portion to euery part Secondly Retention whereby the part keepes and holds what it hath gotten Thirdly Concoction to digest and convert what it hath gotten into it selfe Fourthly Expulsion whereby it reiecteth and electeth whatsoeuer is superfluous Now the seed is an excrement of the last concoction and therefore is from the assimulation of the nourishment which makes it like euery part Hence from simular parts it begets simular parts and out of so little a part being full of Spirits are begotten all other creatures In seed and food consists all vegitable life and a hurt in either is dangerous and often deadly From nutrition proceed augmentation and generation the one for extension of the same thing the other for preservation of it in others Extention is by heat hence females are lesse then males because their heat is lesse though often they haue more moysture Generation is by seed which receiues from plants and all other things the soule and substance of euery part Hence is it able to giue the kind that yeelds it And therefore the Lord sayes euery Plant yeelding seed after his kind Gen. 1.12 Teaching vs thereby that the seed vertually and potentially answeres the creature in euery part and member of it Q. When were these made A. The same day wherein the waters and earth were created Gen. 1.13 And so by succession of an evening and morning was there a third day or 24. houres In creation of the elements God began in the top of the matter but in the elementaries he began in the bottome first creating the Mineralls and then the Plants For God is a God of order and so passeth on in his worke from imperfection to perfection I meane where there is a succession of parts otherwise God begins with the best first For the Lord did not in the vniverse as men doe in building rake first in the earth to lay the foundation and adde the roofe last but he first laid on the roofe and last of all came to the foundation First heaven then fire next ayre and last of all water and earth Yet being the God of Art followed an exact methode in all for being come to the earth hee first makes things spring then moue after spring moue and walke by sense Lastly as an Epitome of all the rest he comes to man which growes moues walkes and aboue all the rest liues by reason Q. What is the Creation of the lights A. Whereby he made them in the element of fire with a motiue life to runne round carrying the same side still forward that they may bring light vpon the earth and separate betweene day and night and be for fignes and seasons dayes and yeeres Gen. 1.14.15 Iob 38.31.32.33 Psal 8.2.4 Psal 19.2.3.4.5.6.7 and 136.7.8.9 Ier. 31.35 Amos. 5.8 c. False and fabulous Phylosophie makes this doctrine a wonder and they that bring Moses to Aristotle laugh at this lesson Starres to liue is against reason for they are not nourished neither doe they increase or generate c. I may reply againe vpon Divines from Moses by a probable argument they were created after liuing things therefore they haue life c. Aristotles obiection is easily answered
which is a kind of feeling for both must haue their obiects present Now it is made by the passing down of the sensitiue spirit from the brain to the tongue c. Sight is made by conveiance of sensitiue spirits to the eyes where they are met with the light without that first comes to the watery humor which is as lead to a looking glasse that stayes the light then it comes to the glassie humor and there is gathered together then it comes to the crystaline or clearest humor and is carried vp vnto the braine by the sensitiue spirit that meetes it Hence Hippocrates saies that these sensitiue Spirits are a drie brightnesse and that is because fire is here predominant as wee may see by a blow vpon the eye the Spirits redoubled are made visible as fire Those that haue the brightest eyes as Catts c. see better in darkenesse then other creatures and worse in the light because the greater light darkens the lesser Hearing is a fourth sense and meets with the noyse in the eares there it centers for noyse is made by a circle in the ayre not much vnlike vnto that which wee see in the water when wee cast a stone into it Hence it comes to passe as many as stand within the circle or circumference of the sound made in the ayre heare it and the reason is because any point or center within the circle of the sound is potentially in euery part of it one point is enough to bring it to our eares yet we cannot see so for when we but looke at a thing that is round wee cannot see it all at once But I must not play the Phylosopher too much it is my desire that God for his workes may haue the due glory Smelling is the last sense and serues wonderfully to refresh the braine The inward senses that looke through these outward are fancie cogitation and memory and they are a little resemblance of reason which comes in the last place For fancie hath in it a kind of invention cogitation of iudgement and memory of methode And this is the sensatiue life wherein God shewes his owne act more eminently Q. How many sorts of creatures liue by sense A. Two either such as liue by it onely or haue beside all these a reasonable life This onely passeth Elements both formall and materiall yet the finest Spirits serue to knit it with the rest and so wee handle that life amongst Elementaries otherwise it is angelicall and purely of nothing by the power of the Creator Q. How many kinds haue we of the first life A. Either fishes and foules or beasts All which were made according to their kinds and were mightily to increase through Gods blessing and to fill their places with daily of-spring Q. What is the creation of the fishes A. Whereby the Lord caused the waters to bring them forth in abundance wherein also they increase and multiplie and replenish the waters Gen. 1.20.21.22 Iob 40.20 41.1 Q. What is the creation of the fowles A. Whereby he made them to flie in the ayre and to multiplie vpon the earth Gen. 1.20 Q. When were the fish and fowle made A. In the sift day or 24. houres Gen 1.23 These were more imperfect then the beasts of the field and therefore conclude a dayes worke by themselues God willing vs to take notice how exact he was in ascending vp to mans perfection Q. What is the creation of the beasts A. Whereby he caused the earth to bring them forth after their kinds and they are either walkers or creepers walkers cattell and beasts that is wild and tame creatures Gen. 1.24.25 Thus God formed and filled that first matter and prepared it as an habitation for man who though hee came naked out of the wombe of the earth was even then so rich that all things were his heaven was his roofe earth his floare the Sea his pond the Sunne Moone his torches all creatures his vassalls They that looke into some great Pond may see the bankes full though they see not the severall springs whence the water riseth so wee may eye the world but can never come to see the excellencie of it much more of the maker himselfe Kings erect not cottages but set forth their magnificence in sumptuous buildings so God hath made a world to shew his admirable glory And if the lowest pauement of that third heaven be so glorious what shall wee finde within Who would thinke that all these should be made for one and that one well-neere the least of all Sure I am the last with him therefore let vs conclude this worke of Creation CHAPTER XV. Of Mans Creation Question VVHat is the creation of things with a reasonable life Answere Whereby he made them of a body and soule immortall Gen. 1.26 Other creatures were made by a simple command Man not without a divine consultation Others at once Man he did first forme then inspire others in severall shapes like to none but themselues Man after his owne image others with qualities fit for seruice Man for dominion His bodie and soule are both immortall for death is an enemie 1. Cor. 15.26 And therefore no consequent of nature but a companion of sinne yet this is true that euery elementary is corruptible and resoluble and so is the body of man being taken out of the dust but as it was made a companion of an immortall soule immediately made of nothing so is it fit that it should be aboue its own nature elevated to be one though not per vim contactus yet per vnionem personae immortall and eternall Almighty God after he had drawne the large and reall map of the world abridged it into this little table of Man as Dioptron Microcosmicum which alone consists of heaven and earth soule and body In his soule is the nature of Angels though not so extensiue and actiue as wee may see in a little and great man c. In his bodie are the foure elements the Meteors and Mineralls as may appeare both by vapours and fumes and spirits He liues the life of a Plant he hath the senses of beasts and aboue all the addition of reason His body is more exquisitely made then any other as may appeare by the nakednesse of it For others that are clothed with feathers and haires c. shew that they are fuller of excrements The Lord brought him vpon the stage fully prepared that he might be both an actor and a spectator He had a body with hands for action and an head for contemplation Q. How did God create him A. In his owne likenesse and image Gen. 1.26 Colos 3.10 And it is so called because man was furnished in euery point to resemble the wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse of God not onely in this frame and perfection of body and soule but also by his actions and government of the creatures and this was naturall vnto man The Papists thinke that this image was supernaturall
their instruments There are the liuing glasses placed in the midst of his visage which bring obiects a farre off to the minde and because they are too tender opticke peeces slie of the most soft and lawny touches they are mightily defended and fenced with hollow bones and with prominent browes and lips And least they should be too much bent on what they ought not they haue peculiar nerues to pull them vpward to God as also to the seat of their rest What a tongue hath God giuen him the instrument not of taste onely but of speech also How sweet and excellent voyces are formed by that loose filme of flesh What an incredible strength is giuen to the weake bones of the iawes What a wonder of so few letters to make infinite words and giue them severall sounds with a distinct articulation and ready signification to the hearers The causes whereof in nature are these The lungs or lights breath to coole the heart and like a paire of bellows thrust out that ayre which they haue receiued and it goes and comes by the wind-pipe which is made rough as it were with ringes to stay the breath it goe not out altogether at the top thereof is a peece of flesh to cover the mouth of it Now in the pipe this noyse comes vp and lies in the almands and makes a resound and is turned vpon the tongue which strikes it against the pallet and teeth and makes an articulate sound cutting in peeces the whole sound either into a letter or clapping diverse together makes syllables and so words and then sentences This articulation is naturall but the appellation of things by names is artificiall and belonging to the Art of Grammar In Babels bablers to stop their proud attempt God meddles neither with hands nor feete but their tongues not pulling them out or loosing their strings or making them speechlesse but by teaching them to say too much A sound of letters befooles the workmen and spoiles the worke I beleeue this confusion was made in turning of letters when they intended to put such letters together God taught them to dispose them contrary as ab ba c. And now poore creatures how long doe wee stay vpon the shell of tongues before wee come to chew the sweet kernell of knowledge Division of tongues hinders any worke and is often a cause why our Sion riseth no faster and though it over-threw old Babel yet doth it build the new Onely I except the clouen and fiery tongues of the Apostles Act. 2.3 The Spirit teaching the Art of Grammar without meanes c. Againe that goodly proportion God set in the face how is it altered with passion as with ioy and sorrow Laughter ariseth from the extension of the heart which sends spirits apace from it selfe and because they are hot fly vpwards and so come to the face that is very full of muscles cold by nature and so contracted yet by the heat comming thither are extended which is the laughter in the face Onely this must further be added that the heat of the head and braine doth sympathize with other parts of the body And therefore the apprehension of a ridiculous obiect sends downe to the heart from the head then back againe to the face Teares arise cleane contrary for the head being stricken with the apprehension of some sorrowfull obiect the heart is smitten too and contracts it selfe and so sends vp those chrystaline humors that are to coole it and are squesed out by contraction of parts and so runne out at the eyes The head stands vpon a comely and tower-like necke most sinewie because smallest I might carry you downe to his feete but my purpose is not to play the Anatomist any further then to giue a little taste of a wonderfull worke All the inward vessels for all offices of life nourishment egestion generation c. no veine sinew artery c. are idle Yet this body compared to the soule what is it but as a clay-wall that encompasseth a treasure as the wooden box of a Ieweller or as a course case to a rich instrument or as a maske to a beautifull face let vs therefore come to his Soule Q. How was the soule created A. Immediately of nothing hence it dies not Man was made last because he was worthiest And the soule was last inspired because more noble then all the rest And the inspiration of it is by creating to infuse and by infusing to create Gen. 2.7 Zech. 12.1 The breath of life was formed within and not without man And though it be little yet is it of great value A little peece of gold containes many peeces of silver one Diamond is of more worth then many Quarries of Stone and one Load-stone hath more vertue then mountaines of earth Q. How then was the soule indued A. With most excellent faculties which either worke vpon the body by Spirits or themselues by reason As the soule works vpon the body by elementary spirits it is possible for man to die but as these by the blessing of God are cherished by wholesome food man againe might not die These spirits are either naturall as hauing ayre predominant in them and they serue for generation and augmentation and nutrition or animall hauing fire predominant in them and they serue for sense or motion now the motiue faculties are either for locall motion whereby the bodie is carried vp and downe or epithumeticall and internall motion whereby the soule is moued with desires or affections especially loue and hatred which are the primatiues of all others whether they be in the concupiscible or irascible facultie as ioy and sorrow in respect of present obiects hope and feare in regard of absent c. Beside these separable faculties and not practised without the bodie the soule hath more eminent and excellent powers and abilities which it is able to vse being separated from the body and they are reasonable whereby he might be the free beginner of his owne action that is a cause by counsell Gen. 2.10 and these faculties are vnderstanding and will And thus you see how God hath giuen vs a Soule to informe our bodies senses to informe our soule faculties to furnish that soule vnderstanding the great surveyer of the secrets of nature and grace by this man seeth what God hath done by this he can admire his works and adore him in what he seeth Here is fancie and invention the master of great workes Memory the great keeper or master of the Rolles of the Soule a power that can make amends for the speed of time and make him leaue his Monuments and Chronicles behind him There is will the Lord-paramount keeping state in the Soule commander of all actions and the elector of all our resolutions Iudgement sits by as the great counsellour of the will affections follow as good servants of both And for the good thereof hath God giuen a body fit to execute his charge so wonderfully disposed as
the body into his due course See how the first sinne put all out of ioynt and displaced the whole image of God First man neglected his ordinary calling when carelesly he suffered the Serpent to enter Secondly heabused his eare standing betwixt God and the Devill when he left God and listned vnto his enemy Ever since which time he hath beene dull of hearing Gods word They are not made more deafe of hearing that dwell by the fall of Nilus then Adam and all his posteritie of harkning what God sayes Thirdly his eye wandered when he saw that to be desired which was so plainely forbidden Fourthly his feeling was perverted touching where it was sure to be tainted Fiftly he tasted with delight that which he should haue spit out as bitter and poysonfull Sixtly his smelling which is set over the mouth to giue intelligence to it whether our meat be sweet or no was here trecherous to the palate in suffering it to swallow downe so stincking a morsell Thus the fiue senses were as Cinque-ports for temptations where sinne began first to trafficke and at length Satan became Lieutenant of them all and by them not long after gained custome-tribute of Soules From all these wheeles running wrong Satan creepes neerer the Soule and gots possession of all the interior senses While the Crocodile sleepes with open mouth the Indian Ratt shoots himselfe into his belly and gnawes his gutts in sunder so entred mischiefe at the open gates of this securitie A watchfull providence would haue prevented this eminent danger Now the fancy begins plausible inventions here is a tree for wisedome the cogitation takes it for a truth and the memory hath forgotten both the loue and law of God Vnderstanding thus blinded with sense never calls this sophistry to her tribunall but taking one argument for another teacheth the will to conclude amisse and so the Devill is imbraced for God and man being thus subverted sinned being condemned of himselfe Tit. 3.11 And by this disobedience are we all made sinners both actually and originally Rom. 5.19 Q. What is originall sinne A. An exorbitation or swarning of the whole man both inwardly in himselfe and outwardly in the government of the creatures Psal 51.5 Rom. 3.10 and 5.12.18.19 and 7.24 and 8.5 Eph. 4.17.18 1 Cor. 2.14 Col. 3.9 Tit. 1.15 Heb. 12.1 Gen. 6.5 and 8.21 Isa 57.20 First originall sinne is not the wheele or man himselfe but the exorbitation or swaruing of it Secondly it is come in the place of originall righteousnesse and so is a privation of that and an evill habite in the Soule Thirdly It is not a sleeping habite but an inward act ever stirring in man as doth the first act of the soule which is never quiet Fourthly in this inward motion it hath alwayes an inclination to evill Fiftly It most especially possesseth the will and therefore by the auncients is called concupiscence which is the wills motion where now all sinne beginnes and by a kinde of imperious command drawes all other wheeles about with it By this sinne the whole man is in evill and whole evill is in man as the Chaos had the seeds of all creatures onely wanted the spirits motion to bring forth so this wants nothing but Satans heat to hatch even Cockatrices and such like poysoned monsters Q. What note we from hence A. That mans wit and will are exorbitant and therefore he hath no freedome of will to any good that is that may be pleasing vnto God but wholly is carryed vnto evill Ioh. 8.34.35 Rom. 3.11 2 Pet. 3.5 Heb. 11.6 Gen. 6.5 Ier. 8.21 and 13.10.23 and 17.9 Psal 14.1.3 Math. 7.18 and 12.34 Iob. 3.3 and 6.44 and 12.39 Rom. 7.18 Without the principle of life it is impossible to liue therefore originall sinne being in the place of originall righteousnesse and now no new principle of faith as yet infused man is euery wayes dis-inabled to liue well liue he may and that freely but it must be in sinning The Chariot of the soule is cleane carried out of the way of holinesse and man runnes quite beside the line of the law It is left to God to worke both that which is first to will and that which is last to worke Phil. 2.13 To will and to runne is mine but without God I can doe neither well Without mee sayes Christ you can doe nothing no not thinke any thing sayth Paul Alas what can they doe that are not lame but dead in sinnes Eph. 2.1 The first bond is broken and therefore God and man are parted as really and truely in regard of spirituall life as when the naturall spirits are extinguisht body and soule flie asunder By the influence of Gods Spirit alone must a new life be created in vs that was not and not some former life excited yea further wee are not pre-disposed and prepared of our selues for the receiuing of it As there is no vacuitie in nature no more is there spiritually Euery vessell is full if not of liquor yet of ayre and so is the heart of man though by nature it is empty of grace yet it is full of hypocrisie and iniquitie neither can it be filled with grace except it be emptied of these evill qualities and as in a vessell so much water as goes in so much ayre goes out so in the narrow mouth'd vessell of the heart so much grace as comes in by drops so much sinne is expelled and the first expulsion is violent man not co-working at all for he is imformed as it were with sinne and is contrary to the worke of grace the very wisedome of his flesh is enmitie not secret but publicke in resistance neither doth nor can subiect it selfe Rom. 8.7 One hupotassetai ou dunatai two words that cut the very throat of our free-will It subiects not there is resistance and where there is resistance there is contrarietie and contraries suffer violence of one another And the corrupt will is turned againe to God by violence I say not the will for that is a subiect of both and passiue in conversion suffering grace by violence to cast out sinne As farre as it opposeth by corruption so farre is it constrained to yeeld by grace and in the first motion will not-subiect nay because of sinne cannot but the wheele once turned againe by grace is as ready to doe well as ever it was to doe evill Onely Lord I know that by reason of this opposition my soule will take a long time to emptie and fill and that the best vessell cannot be quite full while it is in the body because there will be still these remainders of corruption Though I must not be impatient of Gods delay yet will I never rest cōtent with any measure of grace in this world but will euery day endevour to haue one drop or another added to my small quantitie so shall my last day fill vp my vessell to the brim Q. What is actuall sinne A. The continuall iarring of man vpon outward
be crept into clouts which are the ensignes of shame Our finenesse is our filthinesse and our neatnesse our nastinesse if we grow proud of what should humble vs. Againe such a maiesty was in man that the very bruit beasts should haue reverēced it which now being covered they contemne and dispise Onely some reliques of it remaine to testifie what was once in man the very Lyons will winke to looke man in the face and the Crocodile with a kind of remorse will wash the face of man with his teares whom he hath apprehended And now we cover not our faces and hands because they are as yet the greatest seats of mans maiestie Furthermore for comelinesse what deformities are in the fairest Absolons ill qualities shewed his temper was not absolute In beautiful faces all hold not proportion and it were no sinfull mixture if there were an absolute symetrie of all parts And for sanitie it is well seene by the infinite diseases of the body what a dyscrasie is in the whole A horse hath not so many infirmities as a man Aristotle thought it came from the worke of nature being more curious in man then any other creature Hence an error more dangerous and by consent of parts inlarged but Aristotle was a pegge too low seeing the whole distemper came from sinne c. Q. What else A. Subiection to the miseries which come by the losse of externall good things as first of such things wherewith the life of man was honoured as the losse of friendship honour rule over the creatures eiection or casting out of paradise with an interdiction or forbidding of vs to enter by the Cherubius Secondly of things necessary for the maintenance of this life as of food which though he laboured vntill he sweat againe yet should the earth bring forth briers thorns thistles Also of raiment and clothing without which he should suffer extreame cold nakednes And lastly in all his possessions and goods continuall calamitie and losse Gen. 3.17.18.19.23.24 Deut. 28.29.30 c. Sorrow for losse of friends disgrace in the creatures turning out of Paradise like some base borne brood vnworthy of such a princely palace if he might haue left it like a tenant or sold it like an owner it had bin some credit vnto him but to be cast out for a wrangler haue the good Angels turne against him which were created as his guard must needs much perplex his mind could be no les then foerūners of his end Add to this his food with famine faintnes his corne with cockle his sweat to drinesse of body drines of graine the very earth being now become a mother of weedes and step mother of wheate his cloathing eyther clogging nature in keeping it too hot or over-little leauing it to the annoyance of the ayre and to starue as well with cleanlinesse of apparell as cleanenesse of teeth and lastly euery calling subiect to calamitie and goods least good when most need and we cannot but conclude that all these together were great hastners of his death but aboue all seeing now in stead of a blessing Gods curse was carried withall and could be no lesse then a devouring canker or wartwort in all his actions and possessions Sinne lockes vp a theefe in our counting-house which will carry away all and if we looke not vnto it the sooner our soules with it Q. What is the perfection and end thereof A. The going out of the Spirits whereby the Soule departeth from the body and the body afterwards is returned and resolved into the earth and other elements whence it was taken Gen. 3.19 Eccl. 12.7 Obserue that neither soule nor body die but onely the Spirits that hold them together they fall asunder by the extinction consumption or congelation of the Spirits that runne along in the bloud c. Here then is nothing but improvidence that addes terror vnto this death Let vs but thinke of it and wee shall not feare it Doe wee not see that even Beares and Tigres seeme not terrible to those that liue with them how may wee see their keepers sport with them when the beholders dare scarce trust their chaine Let vs then be acquainted with this death and we shall be the better able to looke vpon his grimme countenance I am ashamed of this weake resolution that we should extoll death in his absence and be so fearefull in his presence Often in our speculations haue wee freely discoursed of such a friend and now that hee is come to our beds side and hath drawne the Curtaines and takes vs by the hand and offers vs his service wee shrinke inward and by the palenesse of our faces and wildnesse of our eyes wee bewray an amazement at the presence of such a guest Doe we not see that there is no helpe to heale vs but by pulling all asunder Lord teach me while I liue to die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse that so when I shall die vnto nature I may liue vnto glory Our sinne hath made it bitter and thy mercy hath made it better then life Good Physitians when they apply their Leeches scoure them with salt and nettles and when their corrupt bloud is voyded imploy them to the health of their Patients This Esau in stead of frownes shall meet vs with kisses and although wee receiue a blow from his rough hand yet the very stripe and stroke shall be healing I will therefore never grieue to tread in the steps of my Sauiour to glory I know my last enemy by his goodnesse shall be my first friend in my passage to another world Q. What is the second death A. The subiection of man to the miseries of the world to come Rom. 2.5 An heaping of wrath against the day of wrath The little sparke of immortality and beame of Gods eternity through sinne of an inualuable blessing becomes an intollerable curse subiecting of vs to the miseries of another life Oh that we could feele this as well as the other and vpon the first groanes seeke for ease What mad man will purchase this crackling of thornes such is the worldlings ioy with eternall shrieking and torment But it is no marvaile seeing onely wise men seeke for remedies before their disease sensible patients when they begin to complaine as for fooles they will doe it too late Oh that wee could weepe on earth that wee might laugh in heauen Who would not be content to deferre his ioy a little that it may be perpetuall and infinite Better that wee should weepe with men and laugh with Angels then fleering with worldlings and iolly ones to gnash and howle with Devils Q. What are the beginnings thereof A. In this life as forerunners emptinesse of good things and fulnesse of evill as ignorance of minde terror of conscience and hence a flying from God and hiding of our selues rebellion of will inordinate affections finding the reines loose in their neckes and like wild horses carrying vs over hilles
had happinesse if he had stood so is it made obnoxious to all his miseries he falling By a rule in nature he begets children and by a rule in divinitie he begets them sinfull and yet both naturall It was in mans nature to doe well for himselfe and others and so by consequent to doe evill and convey the same to all his heires for as naturall spirits runne along in the bloud and are apt for generation so originall righteousnesse as a more divine spirit runnes along with the whole frame to frame it in others now that being lost a worse spirit of evill hauing taken vp the roome of the first formes men according to a sinfull image Gen. 5.3 Adam is said to beget in his owne likenesse and image Rom. 5.12.14 Q. By what right is sinne propagated A. By all kinds of right first by the law of Nations for Adam was a Prince of all his posteritie who covenanted with God for vs and for himselfe for the performance of obedience and therefore he breaking wee brake He was also as our Legate did lie as our Lidger or deputie with God and therefore wee may be said to doe whatsoeuer he did He went as a common suretie for vs all and on him was all our credite reposed and he was betrusted of God with the estate of vs all It is therefore a nationall equitie that wee comming all into one bond and obligation should all fare alike Secondly we haue it by the law of inheritance he was our father and we were his sonnes hee the roote and we the branches and therefore were to participate with him in all his estate Doe we not see how children are left in good or bad case by their parents and of meere relation they become their lawful heires and successors Thirdly by the law of divine Iustice the perfection whereof cannot pardon the least sinne without satisfaction to euery farthing as also by the infinitenesse of it that extends it selfe to euery guiltie person and by reason of the violation of the law and dishonour of the law-giuer deales most strictly and precisely with euery sinner One man may kindle such a fire as all the world cannot quench One plague sore may infect a whole kingdome and here we see how the infection of Adams evill is growne much worse then a personall act Satans subtiltie hath ever bin to begin withan head of evill knowing that the multitude as we say of Bees will follow their master Corah kindled a fire of rebellion two hundreth and fiftie Captaines readily bring stickes to it all Israel are content to warme their hands by it onely here the Incendiaries perish God distinguishing betwixt the heads of a faction and the traine but in this all are alike though we were all a sleepe in Adams loynes because the law was equally giuen for all our benefits and our prosperitie stood in the first well husbanding of the happie estate God yeelded vs in Paradise If any obiect Ezek. 18.20 the sonne shall not die for the fathers sinne The answere is when he is not guiltie of it either by propagation or transgression he himselfe according to his birth liuing and dying in it Heb. 7.9.10 It is sayd Leui payed tythes in Abrahams loynes so we in Adam were bound by law to stand to his reconing Q. After what manner is sinne propagated A. Neither from the body to the soule as comming from our vncleane parents As if the soule being purely created should fall into the body as a man in pure white rayment doth fall into a puddle of dirt and mire for the body is not the first subiect of sinne but the soule and therefore cannot be the head and fountaine of propagation Neither is it from the soule to the body as begotten of our vncleane parents for then should it be as mortall as the body and spirits of it as also crosse God in his speciall relation of the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 He is a father of both Psal 139.14 Iob 10.10.11.12 But of the one by the parents of the other immediately by himself It therefore followes by iust consequent that it proceeds from the vnion of both into one man for though our parents as bruit beasts beget not soules yet they beget a more perfect creature in that they are the procreant causes of man vnited of his essentiall causes Gen. 4.1 I haue gotten a man from the Lord. Iehovah Adam and Eue were all about the composition of Cain his Soule was inspired pure and holy yet as soone as the vitall spirits laid hold of it It was in the compound a sonne of Adam The thing may well be explained by this similitude A skilfull Artificer makes a clocke of all his essentiall parts most accurately onely he leaues the putting of all parts together to his vnskilfull Apprentise who so iumbles together the severall ioynts that all fall a iarring and can keepe no time at all euery wheele running backward way so God most artificially still perfects both body and soule but our accursed parents put all out of frame and set euery part in a contrary course to Gods will Psal 51.5 Warmed in sinne is vnderstood of the preparation of the body as an instrument of evill which is not so actually till the soule come Q. What followes from hence A. A iust imputation of the first transgression as also of the fault guilt and punishment and that both in sinne and death Rom. 5.12 1 Cor. 15.21 Q. How is originall sinne propagated A. By our next parents and so ascending to Adam himselfe It is impossible to bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Gen. 5.3 Iob 14.4 Q. How is actuall sinne conveyed A. In the masse and lumpe other wise in kind euery mans actuall sinne is his owne Ezek 18.20 Q. How death A. Seed and food are the principles of our life in procreation and preservation the first we haue from our parents which is deadly as poysoned with sinne the other comes from our selues being ignorant of what should bee good for our bodies but beside the first death there is a conveyance of the second we being borne the children of wrath for Gods displeasure was kindled as well against Adams posteritie as Adam himselfe Eph. 2.3 Q. How is Eue made partaker of Adams punishment A. Besides her proper punishments as an instrument of evill shee participates with Adam in all we haue said for God made them both equally for an happie estate onely the wife was to inioy it by meanes of her husband first as shee was taken out of him Secondly as they were to hold together for better and worse in regard of their marriage Thirdly as she was a companion with him in the same sinne they did both eate sinne and see it at the same time Genesis 3.6.7 Q. Was propagation then from them both A. Yes immediately from them both as their children were begotten by the mutuall knowledge of the one the other Gen. 4.1 and 5.3
that the parts doe euer or at least should follow the nature and processe of the whole Our common Mother in and by whom we are all borne 〈◊〉 brought 〈◊〉 Christians challengeth our first seruice And because some of you as well as my selfe haue enioyed so excellent a Nurse and Foster mother cherishing and feeding vs with the purest and most pleasant liquor til we came to some full and perfect age wee should doe amisse if wee should forget her in the chiefest and noblest of our thoughts To you therefore I come as being sent from the brests of my Mother to giue you a taste of her milke Onely remember who it is that must giue the increase both to her in labouring and you in profiting Rebecca may Cooke the Venison but Isaack must giue the blessing We can but speake to the eare God must speake to the Conscience I wish we could condescend to the infancie of our Nurcelings and become all vnto all rather studying to make our people Schollers then to shew our selues Schollers vnto them When the Iewes heard Paul Act. 22.2 to speake in their mother tongue they both kept the more silence and gaue the better audidence Accept therefore the following Treatise as a due acknowledgement of my loue and thankefulnesse wishing not onely with Philosophers prosperitie Physitians health the common people ioy Romanes safetie S. Paul welfare but also with our blessed Sauiour Mar. 9.50 Peace powdred with pietie otherwise these congratulations of our ioy shall but aequalize a drunken Nabals Sheepe sheering or the fatting of some Epicurean hogges or the celebration of the festivall revels of the dissolute crue whose dyet and dainties are the Devils food Cleanse therefore the Augean stables of our drunken Tavernes and Tipling houses with all the blind vaults of professed filthinesse The Citie of Alexandria in Egypt nourished the great Bird Ibis to devoure the garbage and offall of it and to cleanse the streetes but he left of his owne filth and beastlinesse more noysome behinde him They are the Devils deputies not Gods who being set in their places like the Kites feed themselues with the offalls of the people I meane bribes to pervert the course of Iustice They who in reformation seeme to amend the exorbitances of their places and doe it not heartily imitate the Physitian who in an Hecticall body laboureth to kill the itch c. Rouze vp your spirits awaken your Christian courage and set your selues heartily against the crying sinnes of these times But I must take heed least I runne into the inconvenience obiected by that Spartane to the Athenians That wise men did consult and the ignorant giue sentence We may easily iudge our superiours consulting of remedies to be guilty of the increasing of the maladies and mischiefes of the State Drunkennesse and the nurseries of it vsurping Sobrieties kingdome as Adoniah did Salomons haue gotten so strong an head that they can hardly be resisted Onely let the Magistrate take to himselfe a firme forehead couragious heart busie hands and not partiall execute lawes with strictnesse and resolution and God shall blesse the same with happie successe If otherwise God will suffer wickednesse to punish it selfe and that no power can turne the streame because God will haue it carry the offenders headlong to their perpetuall ruine and his owne revenge yet must the good Magistrate even swimme against the tyde knowing that without conquest it is glorious to haue resisted in this alone he were an enemie if he should doe nothing because he sees so little good come of all his traveile Let but worthy Magistrates the endeuour be yours and you may with comfort leaue the successe to God and so I cease neuer ceasing to pray for you Yours in all Christian dutie and seruice IOHN YATES ⧠An advertisement to the READER THe truth and triall of this treatise carefull Reader may I hope the better be accepted without distrust or distaste because it hath passed thorow the fire fanne and furnace of two iudicious and learned Divines whom for honours sake I am bound to mention vnto thee The one is the Reverend and worshipfull Mr Tho Goad Dr of Divinitie by whose labour this worke is carefully corrected and iudiciously supplied where it might offend through want or weaknesse in any part or power of it his starres or his spits that I may vse Origens notes haue beene welcome to this my Tractate I expected his vnpartiall sentence and he hath done iustly to shut his friend out of doores while this worke was discussed Know therefore with me good Reader by whom thou hast profited and be thankfull The other is Mr Alexander Richardson now deceased to whom I haue done the office of a Christian brother in raysing vp seed to the dead to continue his name that his memory and worth might not be put out of Israel This skilfull Artist hath cast and coyned the heads and I would to God he had handled them before his death Some few specialties are vpon necessary cause altered but they are of so small moment that they make no great breach in the body neither in thy knowledge in viewing of the order and methode of Religion I know if the discourse as well as the heads had proceeded from the same hand they would haue beene more accurate and perfect A shaft shot by the hand of a Gyant and a childe differ much yet will I not in a fond admiration and apish imitation of any person make all his deeds and doctrines like the reflection of a looking glasse to frame all thoughts and things by his shadow This were but to catch Doterels and shew feats of actiuitie to deceiue the simple Againe if some little thing be censured in the first inventor I hope they that loue him will not thinke as good friends as they deale with him like Gnatts which after they haue made a sweete kinde of Musicke euermore sting before they depart I feare not thy profit in it if thou will submit both it and thy selfe to the true touch-stone I meane the sacred Scriptures otherwise with Perillus thou mayest perish in thy owne inventions and thine owne cunning at the last will fayle thee and leaue thee as Absolons Mule left his rebellious Master betweene heauen and earth Consider therefore what is said and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things that thou mayest be no lesse wise then good Amen ¶ The Table of Religion containing the Creed the ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Religion whose parts are Faith it selfe In God Which is euery mans owne I beleeve who is one in essence In three persons Father Almightie Maker of heauen earth Sonne who is by name Iesus Christ. that onely begotten our Lord. who humbled himselfe in Life by being both Conceived by the holy Ghost Borne of the Virgin Mary and by Suffering vnder Pontius Pilate being Crucified Death Dying and being buried descended into hell Exalted First by rising againe from the dead
haue good hearts which vndoubtedly are the worst for these two parts will euer goe together Divine Philosophie will teach vs to referre all our speculations to action yea our very affections Feare in Scripture is ever accompanied with seruice seeing God hath so wedded them together let no man presume vpon any condition to devorce them as Papists doe with a dead faith but their dispensation therein is the dissipation of the truth which will haue seruice and obedience the true probats of faith and feare And as Dalilah said to Sampson How canst thou say thou louest mee when thy heart is not with mee So how can they professe they loue God whose hearts obey him not In the new Testament Religion is distributed into faith and lone 2. Tim. 1.13 Keepe the paterne of wholesome words which thou hast receiued of me in faith and loue Loue springs from faith 1. Tim. 1.5 And faith workes by loue Gal. 5.6 and loue fulfils the law Rom. 13.10 not by action but intention for it is the end of the law 1. Tim. 1.5 God accepting sincere loue for perfect dutie By faith wee are spiritually glued and cimented to God that we may bee one spirituall body with him in which sense it is said He that is glued to the Lord is one spirit 1. Cor. 6.17 Cords will bind so will the cords of loue Hos 11.4 Zach. 11.7 But cords may be vnknitt Nailes will fasten and wee haue the words of the wise as nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies Eccl. 12.11 but yet nailes may slip or leaue a chinke onely the glew of faith ioynes all close together or rather both these parts will cause vs with full purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord Act. 11.23 The heat of faith and loue will digest this whole Art that it may be distributed into the veines of euery good word and worke These two will make vp a perfect paire of compasses that can truely take the latitude of this Art And first must wee haue faith as the one foote pitcht vpon the Center which is God whiles obedience as the other walkes about in a perfect circle of all good duties The fire of faith and light of life will evince against the gates of hell the vndoubted truth of Religion So that by these sweete and cordiall flames may the soule of euery Christian warme it selfe against all those cold despaires whereunto Satan tempteth Q. What is Faith A. The first part of Religion whereby from knowledge I beleeue in God the first act of faith is passiue in receiuing what God giueth And so layes hold of happinesse workes it not Faith makes iust as the hand makes rich that is filled with the wealth of another or as the Iewellers boxe base in it selfe is made precious for the pearles it containeth Here may wee iustly say it is a poorer and meaner act to beleeue then loue nay rather passion then action for we are first apprehended of God before we apprehend him againe Phil 3.12 This grace is most freely graced that it might the more frankely reflect all vpon God a gaine And because it is the roote of all the rest will teach humilitie exclude boasting like the ful eare of corn that hanges downe the head towards the originall or if any be so graciously exalted and freely favoured aboue his fellowes that his stalke is so stiffe that it beares him vp aboue the rest of his ridge then faith will make him looke vp to heauen aboue not in the thoughts of pride but in the humble vowes of thankefulnesse and say with Mary the Lord hath regarded the low estate of his servant Thus will faith rightly vnderstood teach vs to knead nature in the durt and dust and spoyle our free will of all her proud ragges loading her with reproches and giue all glory to him that sayes he will not giue it vnto another Papists being of late more ashamed then before doe confesse all is giuen but say they is it not all one to pay a summe and haue so much giuen mee as may pay it No doubt Faith receiues a full discharge makes it not We rather by Faith receiue an acquitance sealed in the blood of Christ then the blood of Christ to make our owne workes meritorious which we may offer to God in payment for our selues Eternall life Rom. 6.23 is both merit and mercie we take it as a gift Christ earnes it as wages Ephe. 2.8 Saluation through faith yet not of our selues Here lies the errour of the Papists euen in faith it selfe and euery other good grace of the spirit that our free will hath his intervention and operation betwixt Gods giuing and our taking so that if God will but beare halfe the charges by his co-operation man shall vnder-take to merit his owne glory and fulfill the royall law so abundantly that he shall haue something over and aboue to be very beneficiall and helpefull to his needie neighbours But the way of the law is longer then our pursey hearts and short legges can reach to the end and perfection of it As Constantine sayd to Acesius the Novatian Set vp ladders and climbe to heauen so I to Papists scale heauen by your workes as for vs we haue found another way and that is to ascend vpon Iacobs ladder Wee leaue tuggling and strugling that way to preuaile and fall with Iacob to wrestle with Christ for a blessing And though we goe lymping by our sinnes yet by our conquering Faith wee shall be Princes with God By this therefore the vaunt of Papists must needs avaunt yet further faith in another act will cut the very winde-pipe of our free-will and merit It is wittily sayd of one that faith in regard of his passiue act is rather a beggarly receiver then a deserving worker all our conversion is passiue but see faith in our actiue conversion and you shall see workes a forme too low to come in any such request as to iustifie For what is faith but as the hand of the soule and what is the dutie of the hand but eyther to hold or to worke This hand then holds in the first part of Divinitie and workes in the second Now without all question Iustification is to be taught in our first part and therefore goes before obedience and faith which is as an instrument or hand for to hold Christ to iustification is mightie and operatiue both for sanctification and new obedience Workes therefore are the effects of sanctification and sanctification is the effect of iustification hence is it impossible to be iustified by workes as causes as effects and fruits they may shew it If then the secret apprehension of the closed hand of faith hide what it holdeth see the hand of faith open to iustifie the cause by the evidence of the effects in this sense workes may iustifie and perfect faith as the second part of any Art doth the first Iam. 2.22.24 Papists against the whole order of
As likewise most absurde to hold one and the selfe same nature begotten vnbegotten for so there should be a first second and third nature as there is a first second and third person and so three Gods as well as three persons But this will better appeare by the sequele Oh the necessitie of this high knowledge which who attaines not may babble when he prayeth and bee superstitious when he worshippeth Onely here is our greater helpe that we haue the manhood of Christ as a Iacobs ladder to climbe vp to the God-head Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne of the Father as out of his bosome hath revealed him vnto vs. So that in this intricate way to the throne of grace it will not availe vs as we now stand except we take with vs the second person as a Mediator whose presence and merits must giue passage acceptance and vigour to our prayers Christians must therefore learne to ascend from earth to heauen and from one heaven to another CHAPTER IIII. Of Gods Essence Question VVHat is Gods Essence Answere It is that whereby be is the first and most absolute being Being is that whereby a thing is truely and really in essence or existence And it is either the first being or that which is from the first Now God is the first Isa 41.4 and 48.12 and therefore essentially one Isa 46.9 Deut. 6.4 Eth. 4.6 Furthermore God is absolute as being independent from any other There was a first man and a first in euery kinde of creature but no absolute first saue God Exed 3.14 Ioh. 8.58 If any aske me why wee define the essence of God seeing wee formerly sayd it was not knowne of vs our answere is wee define it relatiuely not simply to wit as it is a first and that absolute first being is knowne best in it selfe and so is God for there is nothing more intelligible then he yet of vs nothing is lesse knowne we come to him by seconds and the begins of other things Which proue necessarily a first and that absolutely for two will proue one to goe before and dependent beings will proue an independent The Sunne beames are more visible to our eyes when they are cast obliquely vpon their obiects then when they fall directly so wee must shew you God rather in the blessings we receiue from him then those excellencies which are in him It is the best and the longest lesson even thus to learne him and of surest vse which alone if wee take not out it were better not to haue liued Oh that we would often exercise to acquaint our nature and draw it into some familiaricie with God the very soule and being of it And though at first wee make but our fire of greene wood yet not to bee tyred with blowing vntill our devotions be set on flame If we endeuour God will helpe by enlightning our vnderstandings till we be wholly enflamed with a loue of him And as Moses by often talking with God had a glorious glistering set vpon his countenance so wee by our often frequenting conference with God in prayers and meditations shall finde in our selues though not suddenly yet in time a most heavenly change Q. What followes from hence A. The observation of the essentiall name of God as Lehovah Iah Eheie The first word delivers vnto vs such an essence as ever was is and shall be Rev. 3.14 Ie is a note of the Future tense Ho of the Present and Vah of the Preterperfect tense and so is well expounded Rev. 1.8 But ill expounded by those which by them would vnderstand the Trinitie giuing the present to the Father past to the sonne and to come to the Spirit Yet it is true the Father workes of himselfe and as the present begins time so he the action it is also true that the Sonne works from him and therefore passeth on the action as that which is past doth time Neyther can this be denyed but that the Spirit worketh from them both and so finisheth te action as the future doth the poynts and periods of time But this word is essentiall and not personall and therefore is giuen of God to expresse the essence not the persons Iah is contracted of Iehovah not to signifie a diminute God as if it were the diminutiue thereof but still for essence and present being Neither is it applyed to Christ humbled in the flesh as if that were the diminution of it but it is the denomination of one and thee selfe same glorious essence in all the persons Eheie is as much as I will be which no creature can peremptorily affirme Time changeth all things and there is none that hath the command of it but he alone that gaue it beginning and continuance and to whom the account of our very houres are due and best knowne But I must not lead you from Elins into the wildernesse and leauing the wells of water trouble you with the barrennesse of mans braine Take these Texts of Scripture for confirmation and further illustration Exod. 3.14 and 15.2.3 Psal 68.4 Isa 42.8 Happy are we that wee rest vpon such a being and may enioy all things in him and him in all things nothing in it selfe so shall our ioyes neyther change nor perish for how ever the things themselues may alter and fade yet he in whom they are ours is ever like himselfe constant and everlasting Q. What followes in the second place A. That God is free and voyd of all power either to be or be otherwise then he is And therefore faith rests vpon a most substantiall and immutable being Hee hath neither causes to over power him or accidents to change him and so he is aboue all substantiall and accidentall power Causes prevaile in euery creature but the Creator is voyde of them And hereupon God is from himselfe of himselfe through himselfe and or himselfe He that is Anâ—â—tios without causes is Autoon God of himselfe yea in vertue and power more then all causes to himselfe Goe then yee wise Idolatrous Parasites and erect Shrines and offer sacrifices to your God the world and seeke to please him with your base servile devotions it shall be long enough ere such religion shall make you happie you shall at last for sake those Altars emptie and sorrowfull for both you your God are beholding to a better being then your selues How ridiculous is it to plead for an Idollgod that hath all the causes put vpon him What fooles will be perswaded to resigne vp their owne eye-sight and to looke thorow such spectacles as very sottishnesse doth temper for them I will her presume to presse in with an easie determination although it seeme to me to be no other then a plaine quarrell betweene stomacke and discretion a small deale of wisedome might decide it especially considering that all things are from God and God alone from himselfe Blush ye Gentiles that vse a Smith and Carpenter so
it will be farre more easie to fill the belly of faith then the eye of reason That faith may therefore be as the elbow for a heauy Soule to leane on wee will vnder prop it with both these pillars I know that as the Sea receiueth all streames and yet hath proper water in farre greater abundance so in God there is a confluence of the perfections of all creatures and yet his owne perfection doth infinitely exceed them Wee are to meddle with the first with the presence whereof all the powers of the minde shall be filled all the senses of the body shall be satiated in so much as they shall neither in desire seeke nor in hope aspire nor in imagination faine any greater pleasure Q. What is God A. God is a spirit hauing life in himselfe or of himselfe He is as wee haue heard both being and Act Ioh. 4.24 With 5.26 2. Cor. 3.17 now wee see both in our definition not that hee is compounded of them but expressed by them In euery creature there is a composition of matter and forme out of which it hath his essence and action so in God spirit is as the matter life as the forme I say expressing not compounding his nature And the reason is liuely for God must be the most excellent nature and the most eminent act Spirit is the purest nature and life the quickest act Obserue but in nature and you shall find that much matter and little forme make things grosse and corporall much forme and little matter fine and spirituall Earth is more grosse then water water then ayre ayre then fire bodies then soules men then Angels Angels then God There is no creature free from matter for then should it be as spirituall as God He onely is without matter and therefore most spirituall and consequently most actiue as if he were all forme Hence he is stiled the liuing God Ier. 10.10 1. Tim. 4.10 Deut. 32.40 Iudg. 8.19 Ruth 3.13 Ezek. 33.11 Dan. 4.37 by whose life wee are to sweare as hauing most intelligence of the truth and greatest power to punish the liar Being a spirit hee must needs be strong and subtile to enter where he will being life it selfe he must needs quicken and quiet all desires and appetites Act. 17.28 Ioh. 1.4 And 5.21.26 Alas then how miserable are all those that want this God or haue prouoked him by their sinnes As one that floateth halfe choaked and wearied in the middest of the Sea ceaseth not to wrestle with the waues to cast forth his hands euery way although he graspeth nothing but thinne and weake water which continually deceiueth his paines so they that both swim and sinke in this depth of death shall alwayes striue and struggle therewith although they neither finde nor hope for any helpe O deadly life O immortall death if the paine were no greater then the stinging of Ants or of Fleas eternitie were enough to make it intolerable Ioh. 5.21.24 2 Cor. 4.11 Gal. 2.19.20 Lord quicken me from this death and make me by faith to passe from it vnto life purposed and promised in thine owne beloued Happie are all they that beleeue and in beleeuing serue this spirit of life in spirit and truth Ioh. 4.24 Luk. 1.75 all the dayes of their life Q. What are the attributes that shew vs who he is A. His essentiall properties And here the field is large for the describing of God Simonides being asked of Hiero the King what God was demanded a dayes respite then two dayes afterwards three and being asked the reason answered that the longer he thought what God should bee the lesse he vnderstood of him And another heathen said It is hard to find a God Plato but to vnderstand him impossible No wonder these men had but the light of Nature yet thus farre they aymed right Quò enim prius eo notius naturâ and shot neere that God the most intelligible was least vnderstood of vs and that the infinite vnderstanding was not within the compasse and fadome of the finite but in helping that default by their owne imaginations went themselues exceeding wide and came not neere the marke which I ascribe not to any defect of eye sight in those sharpe sighted Eagles of Nature but onely to the want of fixed contemplations in the book of the world and more especially their vtter ignorance of the word of God Wee therefore that enioy the sacred Scriptures may see farre further into this mystery Remembring alwayes that Divinitie as the Mistresse taketh vpon her to direct her hand-mayd and that the Bible is the best man of counsell for the greatest Clarke in the world containing more then all the Divines of the Heathen ever saw the shadow of All which will best appeare by the opening of this rich Cabinet of Gods Attributes and viewing the severall Iewels in it by this torch-light or rather Sunne of the little world And it should be a shame for Christians if it were not better knowne of them then Lipsius his Bee-hiue or Machiavels Spider-web about which many wits like a Dor end their flights in a Dung-hill Rom. 3.4 Exod. 23.19 Psal 46.1 With 70.5 Exod. 34.6 And here I might enter an ample harvest of properties affirmatiue negatiue proper and figuratiue absolute and Relatiue But here such properties are to be handled as appeare by themselues as no wayes flowing from the essence of the creatures as all negatiue figuratiue and relatiue properties doe Onely one thing I cannot but mention in admiration of Gods goodnesse vnto vs which is that God is content to take properties most improper as a body in respect of all the members of it head face eyes eye-lids apple of the eye mouth eares necke hand arme right hand fingers feete heart bowels c. Dan. 7.9 Exod. 33.20.23 2. Chron. 16.9 Psal 11.4 Deut. 32.10 Iosh 9.14 Psal 31.2 2. Sam. 22.9 Ier. 18.17 Act. 4.28 Exod. 6.6 and 15.6 and 31.18 Psal 110.1 1. Sam. 2.35 Ier. 31.20 So likewise a soule coupled with the body and members Isa 1.14 so the senses that rise from the vnion both inward and outward as memory forgetfulnesse hearing seeing smelling c. Psal 136.23 Isa 49.14 Psal 14.2 and 5.1.2 Gen. 8.21 In briefe he assumeth the very affections and passions of the soule as ioy sorrow anger zeale Ielousie c. Iudg. 9.13 Gen. 6.6 Rom. 1.18 Nay yet hee goes lower and by the wings of birds hornes of beasts the Sunne the light their very shadow the fire rockes and stones he speakes vnto vs. Psal 91.4.2 Sam. 22.3 Psal 84.11.1 Ioh. 1.5 Psal 91.1 Deut. 4.24 Psal 71.3 yea and to goe to the lowest by the works of mans hands as shields and bucklers c. Psal 2.3 and 144.2 yet we are to vnderstand that all these are attributed vnto God improperly and by way of his gracious condiscending vnto and sympathizing with mans nature because being literally taken they are derogatory vnto his
faith and wee shall haue him for our ever-lasting food CHAPTER X. Of their Distinction Question HOw are these Subsistences or persons to be distinguished Answere They are Father Sonne and holy Ghost or because Relatiues are but two into the relation of Father and Sonne to the spirit which is breathing or sending or of the Father to the Sonne which is begetting Spirantes spiritus Gignens genitus how easie were it to loose our selues in this Discourse How hard not to be over-whelmed with matter of wonder and to finde either beginning or end Loe with these words of relation we are happily waded out of those deepes whereof our conceits can finde no bottomes and now may wee more safely with Peter gird our coat about vs and cast our selues a little into this sea onely we must remember that as those which had wont to swim onely with bladders sinke when they come first to trust to their owne armes so wee may soone plunge our selues if we suffer our owne thoughts to carry vs along in this mystery If any wonder whether this discourse can tend let him consider that of Tertullian Ratio divina in medulla est non in superficie Divinitie is more in the marrow and roote then the rind and surface of things It cannot be doubted but as God is the best being so he is the best life and that the best life is reasonable God therefore is the best vnderstanding Suffer your selues with Abrahams Ramme to be perplexed a while in these bryers that you may be prepared to present your selues for liuing sacrifices holy and acceptable to this dreadfull Trinitie Singula verba plena sunt sensibus as Hierome sayd of the Booke of Iob. As being by nature so vnderstanding by counsell is able to conceiue and beget the image of it selfe and from the one to the other to send a mutuall loue liking onely in the creatures both these are imperfect for nature doth generate to preserue it selfe and vnderstanding conceiues to perfect it selfe No vnderstanding by nature conceiues it selfe and no being by counsell begets it selfe It is therefore the perfection of vnderstanding naturally to conceiue it selfe God doth both speake and worke in Parables as a Father sayth well but here needs nothing be fayned to fasten this truth vpon vs. It shall bee evinced by plaine demonstration The best being and best vnderstanding must needs conceiue the best image of it selfe now in conceiuing it begets it and being begotten by nature is no lesse then the begetter Man by nature begets no lesse then himselfe by counsell hee can conceiue that which is lesse or greater then himselfe so the father by nature can beget no lesse then himselfe though by counsell he conceiued and brought forth a whole world nothing comparable to himselfe in greatnesse or goodnesse Well then in one simple essence there is necessarily a begetter and a begotten and so we haue the subsistences of Father and Sonne He is out of the danger of folly whom a speedie advertisement leaveth wise It is but an holy prevention to be devout vnbidden and to serue God vpon our owne conceits Let vs then see how the second mystery will follow The father in begetting his owne image cannot but loue it naturally and the sonne in being begotten cannot but as naturally loue the begetter And hence proceeds mutuall loue and because it is naturall is no lesse in being then the begetter and begotten from whom it proceeds for the begetter and begotten loue themselues naturally and therefore the Spirit is God and a third subsistence in the divine nature If the persons were eyther greater or lesse one then another then would this absurditie insue vpon it that neither the father could directly conceiue himselfe or father sonne equally loue themselues consequently never inioy their owne happinesse which consists in the full fruition of themselues Heb. 1.3 Christ is said to be the expresse image of the fathers subsistence Some translate it substance or essence which will all come to one passe if substance be taken subiectiuely not causely for the divine essence hath eminently all the excellencies of creatures and therefore vnderstanding which is able to conceiue and in conceiuing to beget which begetting is a relatiue propertie and hence the Subsistence of the Father whereof the Sonne is the expresse image It were as we haue formerly said improper locution to call him the image of the essence for that begets not yet in that is the begetter c. Rom. 15.30 Gal. 5.22 Where loue is giuen to the Spirit not onely as hee worketh it in vs but as he is the mutuall loue both of Father and Sonne and so is sent from both of them to testifie of their loue to vs Rom. 5.5 O that these things in their true worth could affect vs but alas as in a Taverne where many Tables are seene replenished with guests halfe soaked and sowsed in wine all the house resoundeth with laughters cries whoopings and strange noise wherein the sweetest musicke in the world is both neglected and mocked so our age inchanted with rude and ridiculous pastimes gibeth at this holy and heauenly contemplation of the sacred and blessed Trinitie How many doth God suffer to liue and breath which make the Taverne their Temple Indian-smoake their incense Sacke their sacrifice and blasphemous oathes their daily prayers for the loue of this dreadfull Trinitie and the deare loue of your owne soules remember S. Pauls advise Rom. 6.22 Being made free from sinne haue your fruit in holinesse and the end thereof shall be ever-lasting life But I must make my course more speedie and hasten in the long way I haue to goe Hitherto we haue had many Reaches to fetch in our way and beene constrained to winde in by bourds but wee are gotten off the Maine onely the shore is still buttrest with rockes on euery hand the Currents swift the Shallowes many that wee cannot make so fresh a way as wee would Haue but the patience a while and we shall bring thee within the view of the end of our toylesome voyage The ship that hath beene long at Sea discouered many strange Continents and ryvers strugled through many hiddeous tempests escaped many rockes and quick-sands and at length made a rich returne cannot but forget her irkesome Travell and thinke shee is well apaid when shee commeth within the kenne of her owne Countrey and sees the Land lye faire before her So hee that coasts along these severall bankes and bounds of godlinesse and in the Ship of the Church is brought into the mouth of the haven of heaven cannot but with ioy remember all the troubles and afflictions he hath indured in this world In a word vnderstand this but as a letter of advertisement from the Coast whereby thou mayest with the greater ease reape the profit of them that haue travelled before thee Q. What is the relatiue propertie of the Father and the Sonne A. To breath or send forth
Life consisting in the moysture of ayre is to be nourished not in the spirit of fire Animall spirits if they were not generated of the vitall and daily restored by them they might liue by their fiery nature as well as starres Let this then be granted that all elementarie soules are either the formall spirits of the ayre or fire and then starres hauing the one and not the other may liue without nourishment The influences of the Starres are as vitall as the animall spirits in man and both comfort and beget life c. Againe their motion shewes they liue for nothing is moued from place to place without it If God and Moses may be heard Phylosophers shall easily haue their mouthes stopped Scripture euery where testifieth of the motion of the Starres Which must either be by counsell or nature or violence or fortune Not by counsell for their motion is regular and alwayes the same and this were sufficient to proue the cause next vnder God to be naturall But the opinion is they are moued by the externall force of Angels as a wheele by a dog or a Crane by walking men I reade indeed that the Angels are ministring spirits for the good of the elect but no where in Gods booke that they turne the wheeles of heaven And againe the light being common to good and bad the good Angels should minister daily as well for reprobates as Gods elect But to still all cackling in this cause let the Text cleare it selfe Gen. 1.14.15.16.17.18 That which God saw to be good answers Gods intention in his motion to his end Therefore the Starres had so much by their creation that they were able to devide giue light rule dayes and nights the which they were vnable to doe without motion God therefore gaue them a power to moue that they might obtaine these ends which if they should assume from any other then God would argue the imperfection of his owne worke It may well be thought they receiue this life in their centers as other things doe in the circumference For being round heat and spirit will most vnite themselues within as in a silver spoone turne the hollow side to the fire and it will be very hot But in plaine bodies heat is receiued in a cleane contrary fashion as in Andyrons where they be round are very cold but where they be plaine they be very hot and will burne soone Starres therefore are round like globes that heat may the better center in them and make them the more actiue and liuely in their motion Why they should neither ascend nor descend is their equall temper with the place where they stay Why they moue round is the actiue spirit and soule that will not suffer them to rest It is said of the Sunne Psal 19.4.5.6 that God hath set him a tabernacle or proper place out of which he cannot goe and yet he comes out of the chambers thereof and in the strength of his motiue spirit reioyceth to runne his race not tumble it as some dreame for running a brest in the fire hee pusheth and shoueth it from him that nothing can be hid from his heat light His circuit is from one end of heaven to another and by his quicke dispatch euery day either drawes a little nearer or goes a little farther off not that at any time he comes nearer the earth but by fleeting a little his chambers he comes sometime in the yeere to dwell more directly over our heads then other He devids night and day euery 24. houres with vs and by running from one point to another the whole yeere And it is as naturall to the Sunne to runne a circuit euery day as another in a whole yeere not that he is pulled contrary wayes by two diverse orbes but that which he doth euery day in part that hee doth wholly and completely in a yeare Now the part and the whole may agree in the same motion and euery dayes race is but a part of the whole yeeres course which the Sunne may as truely keepe in the whole as in the parts and that without all contrary motions But seeing euery man will fancie his owne fiction I leaue this without all further prosecution Q. How many sort of Starres haue we A. Two The greater and the lesser not for quantitie of bodie but qualitie of light for the originall word Meoroth is Makers of light Luminaries shiners And so the Sunne and Moone are greatest as giuing to the earth the greatest quantitie of light How great the Starres are is a coniecture and guesse at the iust proportion of any one yet they are very bigge and it is evident that the Sunne is bigger then the earth by the Eclipses and because it enlightneth more then halfe the earth at once Gen. 1.16 Q. What are the greater A. The Sunne and the Moone These two cast downe the greatest light vpon the face of the earth Genesis 1.16 Psal 104.19 Q. What is the Creation of the Sunne A. Whereby he made it to rule the day c. And it is called the greater light because it darkens all Starres by his shining yea and casts light in the face of them all hence the Moone which hath such a changeable light receiues her splendor from the Sunne according to that face which is opposite to the body of the Sunne for the one halfe of it is ever illuminated and illustrated by the same and in receiuing and casting downe that light seemes to haue spots in her face Gen. 1.16 Psal 19.5.6 Q What is the creation of the Moone A. Whereby it was made to rule the night Gen. 1.16 Yet shee hath the assistence of the Starres for her selfe is often absent in the night Q. What are the lesser lights A. The Starres Gen. 1.16 These carry downe a lesser quantitie of light yet if it were not for them our nights would be palpable darkenesse which is the greatest enemy to the eye for it is a comfortable thing to see the light Eccl. 11.7 Q. When were all these made A. In the fourth day euening and morning succeeding as before in the compasse of 24. houres Gen. 1.19 Q. What is the creation of things with a compound life A. Whereby they were made not onely with a growing and mouing life but also with sense externall and internall the one serving as glasse windowes for the other The first sense which is most necessary is our feeling and is dispersed through the whole body excepting the bones and sinewes Bones are the sustentacles of our bodies and therefore would be painfull to vs if they were tender of feeling The sinewes they are the organs and instruments and carry in them the sensitiue spirits and man is most ticklish where his skin is thinnest With the tips of the fingers Physitians feele their patients as being most sensible of the pulses motion The tangible obiects are heat cold drought and moysture principally secondarily the qualities that hence arise Tast is next
delicate dish finde other plaine dishes but vnpleasant so it fareth with all those which haue once tasted of heauenly things they cannot but contemne the best worldly pleasures As therefore some daintie guest knowing there is some pleasant fare to come will reserue his appetite for it so must not we suffer our selues to be cloyed with the course dyet of the world but keepe our desires for the ioyes to come And if worldlings find so much pleasure on earth as to thinke it worth the account of their heauen because they see such a Sunne to enlighten it such an heauen to wall it about such sweet fruits and flowers to adorne it such varietie of creatures for the commodious vse of it and yet onely provided for mortalitie and chiefely possessed by the makers enemies what then must heaven needs be that is provided for God himselfe and his best friends If the out side be so glorious what shall be within How can it be lesse in worth seeing God is aboue his creatures and Gods friends better then his enemies I will therefore not onely be content but desirous to be dissolved CHAPTER XXVI Of the Spirits application by Faith Question HItherto of the subiect of Application what are the parts Answere Preparation and the infusion of faith Such is the nature of man that before he can receiue a true iustifying faith hee must as it were be broken in peeces by the law Ier. 23.9 The word of God is both the hammer to breake our hard hearts and a fire to heat melt mollifie and dissolue them into the teares of godly sorrow A rocke may tremble and an iron vessell by violent stroakes may be broken in peeces and yet still retaine their hardnesse onely the sweet and pleasant fire of grace must soften them againe It is the bloud of the Lambe that must melt the Adamant and the Sunne-shine of Gods loue in Christ that must thaw the ice of our hearts Rom. 8.15 we are to be led from the feare of slaues through the feare of penitents to the feare of sonnes and indeed one of these makes way for another and though perfect loue thrust out feare yet must feare bring in that perfect loue as a Needle or Bristle drawes in the thred after it or as the potion brings health The compunction of feare saith Gregory fits the minde for the compunction of loue Psal 2.11 We are bidden to reioyce in God with trembling If Samuel had not made the people to quake at Gods thunder and raine hee should never haue brought them so to haue ioyed in the following Sunne-shine 1 Sam. 12.18.19 c. Hostile feare through the power of God may be initiall to the filiall And whereas that casts both the eyes vpon the punishment God can make it cast the one eye off the iudgement and fixe the other on the partie offended so Samuel teacheth Israel 1 Sam. 20.20 with 24. Feare not the thunder but feare him that sent it If ever wee will stoope the iudgements of God will bring vs on our knees Q. What is the preparation A. A fitting vs for our being in Christ for wee being branches of the wild Oliue must be made ready for our being in the true Oliue before wee can be grafted into it Rom. 11.17.24 Ioh. 15.5.6.7 The convexe or out-bowed side of a vessell will hold nothing it must be the hollow and depressed part that is capable of any liquor The broken contrite spirit makes way for Gods grace Psal 51.17 Sweetly Bernard God poures not the oyle of his mercy saue into a broken vessell for indeed whole vessels are full vessels and so this precious oyle would runne over and be spilt on the ground Oh if wee were so humbled with the varieties of Gods iudgements as wee ought how savory would his counsels be How precious and welcome would his feare be to our trembling hearts Whereas now our stubborne senselesnesse frustrates all the threatnings and executions of God Q. When is this done A. In the acceptable time and day of saluation in the which the Lord pleaseth to bring into act his purpose of salvation in gathering his owne out of the world and that sooner or later as it pleaseth him Wee may not mend the pace of God or spurre on his decree yet must we be diligent in the meanes vntill God blesse them for this end Every man hath power to goe to Church heare the word and be present at all outward seruices and the neglect of this hinders many in respect of better successe though not of Gods decree Wee therefore are guiltie of our owne time ill husbanded though God will not worke before his owne day Luk. 19.42 Rom. 13.11 2 Cor. 6.2 Q. What are the parts of this preparation A. First the cutting of vs as it were from the wild Oliue tree Secondly a paring and fitting of vs to be put into the true Oliue tree Rom. 11.24 The Gentiles were cut out of the Oliue tree which is wild by nature and contrary to nature grafted into a good Oliue tree c. Wee that grow wild in wickednesse want grace to seeke Christ and being contrary to his vertues are vnapt to ioyne with him without a great preparation Tell the prophane person in the midst of all his iollitie and revels of devotion pietie or iudgements and he will turne you off with the Athenian question What doth this babler say Tell the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. of the water of life and shee will mocke at it till Christ sit as iudge in her conscience and pinch her with that close imputation of adultery there is no sowing Ier. 4. till the hard and clottie fallow ground be subdued by the Plough the vnhumbled sinner is as vnfit for Gods instruction as an vnbroken Colt for the saddle Our Gallants cannot be stayed from their Gallop till God touch their Soules with some terrour cast their bodies on their beds of sicknes turne their fooles feathers into kerchiefes then when they see their faces grow pale their eyes sunke in their heads their hands shaking their breath short their flesh consumed you shall haue them easie to be talkt withall now or else never will they learne with old Eli to say speake Lord for thy servants heare Thus wee see it is good striking when the iron is hot there is no fishing so good as in these troubled waters Now it is good striking whom God hath stricken for conscience is a nice and sullen thing and if it be not taken at fit times and moodes there will be no medling with it Q. What meane you by this cutting of vs from the wild Oliue A. Two things first a violent pulling of vs out of the corruption of nature or a cutting as it were by the knife of the law of an vnregenerate man from his security wherin he sleepeth he not so much as dreaming of any such thing Psal 119.70 Their heart is as fat as grease but I delight in thy law Shewing
3.16 The Prophet sheweth how his peace was wrought out of trouble Psal 126.5 Wee must sow in teares before wee can reape in ioy And wee care not if wee may haue a dry harvest after a wet seed time And thus farre haue wee shewed the preparation now let vs see the composition of grace Q. What is the infusion of faith A. It is a worke of the Spirit who infuseth faith into Infants immediately by his sole operation into men of riper yeares also by the externall ministery of the Word by which it receiueth further increase and augmentation for the word 1 Pet. 1.23 and 2.2 is both seed and food that as it serues to beget faith so it nourisheth the same Luk. 1.44 The babe leaped in the wombe of Elizabeth for ioy This motion was not naturall but spirituall and therefore Iohn was sanctified in his mothers wombe and did really reioyce at the presence of Christ in the Virgin Now sanctification presupposeth iustification and iustification faith yea this ioy was a true effect of faith in the Messias And therefore Infants are capable of faith and may be saued though they die in their mothers wombe As for the others faith it is out of doubt Rom. 10.17 Eph. 2.18.19 And here we are to take notice where that faith which is the first part of Divinitie is wrought in vs to wit in the application of the Spirit after preparation Faith in the rule is generall particular to euery one in the application Furthermore faith wrought by the Word hath two degrees the first is as a graine of mustard seed the second a Plerophorie or full perswasion Wee are at our first but as reeds feeble plants tossed and bowed with euery wind and with much agitation bruised loe yet we are in tender hands that never brake any whom their sinnes bruised never bruised any whom temptations haue bowed Wee are but flax and our best is not a flame but an obscure smoake of grace loe yet here is the Spirit as a soft winde not as cold water he will kindle never quench our little faith others are better growne and stand like strong Oakes vnshaken vnremoued Luk. 13.19 and 17.6 Rom. 4.18.19.20.21 Q. What followes from hence A. Either the insition grafting and sciencing of the prepared into Christ or else his vnion and coalition with Christ First the Spirit infuseth faith by that faith we are put into Christ being put into Christ we haue vnion and communion with him and by receiuing vertue from his fulnesse wee grow vp with him Ioh. 15.2.5 The branch abiding in Christ bringeth forth fruit Not such as are tyed to Christ by an outward threed of profession but such as haue this vitall ligament of faith to couple them with Christ Q. What is this insition A. When being cut off from the wild Oliue the Spirit of God by faith graffeth and scienceth vs into the true Oliue which is the Lord Christ If wee were left as we are cut off by the law wee should wither away and perish and therefore we are set in Christ that in him wee may grow Rom. 6.5 Wee are said to be planted into his life and death Q. How are wee put into Christ A. By our effectuall vocation when the voyce of God soundeth in our eares and in our hearts come and we answere againe as by a liuely Echo Lord we come Hence it is that all such as are prepared by the law are called by the Gospell to come vnto Christ Psal 40.7 Isa 55.1 Math. 11.28 Rom. 8.28 2 Tim. 2.9 Q. What are the degrees of our effectuall vocation A. First a meditation of the mercies of God in Christ and from hence that our sinnes are pardonable and that we haue need of the same mercy then of the meanes how wee may obtaine the same as deepe sighs to God for mercy 2 Sam. 12.13 Psal 52.5 Rom. 8.26 Heb. 4.16 Often praying by our selues and others Hos 14.2.3 Luk. 15.21 Act. 8.22 As also diligent hearing of the word of God read and preached and often frequenting of the Ministers and others for comfort All these further the meditations of the mercies of God to sinners The second degree is Gods gracious perforation or boaring of our eares that the comfortable invitation of comming to Christ the onely Physitian of our Soules may sound and ring in our eares and hearts Zech. 13.9 and wee resound againe we come Lord at thy call and so comming it pleaseth the Father to bestow his Sonne on vs and vs againe vpon his Sonne Psal 27.8 Isa 9.6 Ioh. 10.29 and 17.2.7 Rom. 8.37 And thus sanctified trouble at the last establisheth our peace and the shaking of the former windes makes the trees of Gods Eden take the deeper rooting Surely after the most toylesome labour is the sweetest sleepe and after the greatest tempestes the stillest calmes It is the blessed Lambe of God that carries all our sinnes into a wildernes of oblivion quite out of the remembrance of his Father And if Devils rend and rage in our Soules he presently by a word of his mouth can cast them out Never did Ionas so whist the waues of the Sea being cast into it as Christ cures the wounds of conscience being thereunto applied Here all our throbbing sores receiue their ease by breaking and even Sinai it selfe covered with clouds of Gods displeasure presently by his Gospell of peace is enlightened and the trembling Soule that stands at the foote of it comforted Thus it pleaseth the Father from Ebal the mount of curses to bring vs to Gerizzim the mount of blessings Deut. 27.12.13 And this wee shall finde most true that as in the Sea the lower the ebbe the higher the tide so the deeper we descend in humiliation the higher shall wee ascend in consolation c. Q. What is our vnion with Christ A. It is that whereby wee being graffed into Christ are made one with Christ our head and the Church his body There is no science put into a stocke but if it shall thriue it must first be vnited and become one with the stocke and then grow with it so it is with vs branches of the wilde Oliue wee must become one with Christ if wee desire to thriue in him Ioh. 17.21 with Ioh. 15.1.2 Eph. 2.20.22 and 5.30 Colos 2.7 Isa 61.3 Loe here is a growing temple in which whosoever is planted shall flourish in the Courts of God Psal 92.13 Gods house and the furniture thereof is built of greene growing timber Our bed is greene of liuing stones Cant. 1.16 1 Pet. 2.5 A spirituall house not onely inhabited but animated that shee may be the house of the liuing God 1 Tim. 3.15 Q. What followes from hence A. Our iustification Papists count it absurd for one man to be iust by another mans iustice or wise by another mans wisedome wherein they shew their grosse ignorance in this point of Divinitie for Christ and man being one haue all things in common our sinnes and punishments are
hope of better in reversion and shall we sticke at any worldly pelfe for the gaining of heaven Fie on such children as with Esau would sell this birth-right for a messe of this worlds pottage Lord make mee one of thy heires and I will be content to waite thy leisure for my pleasure in inioying Q. Hitherto of our being in Christ what is our coalition or growing vp with him A. It is our daily putting off of the old man with his corruptions and the putting on of the new man with his daily renewing in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.22.23.24 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 2.20 and 5.24 They that are in Christ cannot but be new creatures and such as are daily crucifiers of sinne Q. What are the parts or rather degrees of this our coalition A. Regeneration and glorification Being adopted of the Father it is fit wee should come forth as his children therefore it pleaseth the Father of his owne will to beget vs with the word of truth Iam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 First there is a divine conception of the adopted Sonnes of God and secondly a bringing forth of that worke Christ was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin by the worke of the Spirit so must his brethren be conceiued in the wombe of the Church by the same Spirit Psal 110.3 Christ told Nicodemus that he was to be re-borne or else hee should never see glory Ioh. 3.3 Regeneration is as the conception Glorification as the nativitie or happy birth day The passion dayes of the Martyrs were called of old Natalitiasalutis the birth dayes of their salvation and that as well for festivitie as the nativitie it selfe Thus from an obscure conception we come to a glorious birth 1 Ioh. 3.2 Q. What is Regeneration A. It is as it were a new conception of vs in the wombe of the Church by the spirit of God and that of the incorruptible seed of the Word whereby our corrupt nature is begotten againe or restored to the image of God 1 Pet. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.4 Tit. 3.5 Gal. 4.6 2 Cor. 3.17 Colos 5.9.10 Eph. 4.23 Which is of the whole man and in this life is perfect in the parts though imperfect in the degrees as a child is a perfect man before he come to his full age And this may be called our sanctification whereby of vnholy wee are renewed by the holy Spirit to the image of our heauenly Father And here we are to consider two degrees of our sanctification the first is the inchoation or beginning of it the second is the processe or passing forward to greater perfection hence Rom. 8.30 our glorification followes our iustification sanctification being no other thing then a degree thereof still proceeding profiting and perfiting in true holinesse which is the greatest reward of godlinesse for as to doe ill and continue therein is the greatest misery so to doe well and persevere therein is the greatest felicitie Glory is the reward of vertue and God cannot crowne his servants better then with an increase of grace Now this progresse is orderly and begins in the Soule even in the very marrow and spirit thereof and so proceeds to the outward man and the actions thereof Ier. 4.14 Eph. 4.23.25.26.27.28 First conversion then conversation And here alas how many set the Cart before the Horse and beginne to change their liues before their lusts their hands before their hearts to purge the channell when the fountaine is corrupt and apply remedies to the head when the paine is caused from the impuritie of the stomacke What is this but to loppe off the boughes and never lay the Axe to the roote of the tree to prune the Vine that it may sprout the more Miserable experience shewes how such disordered beginnings come to miserable endings Many seeme to abstaine from sinnes which they never abhorre and leaue some evils which they loath not and so like swine wallow in them againe or like dogs follow their former vomit she wing plainly they did never inwardly distast those sinnes which for a time outwardly they neglected Againe as wee are to obserue order so wee are to labour for a thorow change 1 Thess 5.23 Holinesse as a dram of Muske perfumes the whole boxe of oyntment or is placed in the Soule as the heart in the body for the conveying of life to all the parts Some turne from one sinne to another others like Aethiopians are white onely in the teeth that is in verball profession else-where cole blacke in conversation they speake well and that 's all Others thinke it is well if they turne their mindes from error though they never change their wills from evill as a reformed Papist but an vnreformed Protestant as wanton in truth as ever he was wilde in error others againe thinke they haue done God good service if they giue halfe the turne as prostrating their bodies to Idoles when God shall haue their hearts or on the contrary when God hath their bodies they suffer the Devill to haue their Soules When mens bodies are in Sacello their hearts as Augustine complaineth are at home in saccellis suis Many by their looke and language out-face the congregation whiles their hearts are running and roving after covetousnesse If wee will beleeue eyther Phylosophy or experience wee shall finde our hearts where they loue not where they liue Lastly others resolue to giue all to God yet haue a leering eye and a squint respect vnto some of their sinnes with Lots wife casting a longing looke after their old Sodome Know the rule of the Schoole to be most certaine that as vertues so vices are coupled together and though in conversion to temporall good they looke diverse wayes yet in regard of aversion from eternall good they beare all one face Yet this must be added for the comfort of the weake that vnperfect sanctification if it be vnpartiall is accepted of God Onely let vs as the aire from darke to light in the dawning of the day proceed by degrees to our noone in grace or as the water from cold to luke-warme and then to heat so let vs haue our soules benummed with sinne warmed with grace and then further heated with true zeale and ferveneie Q. What are the affections or properties of Regeneration A. They are either from the death of Christ our mortification of sinne or his resurrection our vivification in righteousnesse and from hence our spirituall warre betweene corruption dying in vs and righteousnesse rising and growing in vs. Mortification is a daily dying to sinne by applying Christs death to our selues 2 King 13.21 The dead body no sooner touched the bones of Elisha but it was revived againe so wee no sooner touch Christ but he crucifies sinne in vs and reviues vs in the spirit Rom. 6.2.11 and. 7.4 Colos 3.3 Rom. 6.6 Vivification is a dally rising to newnesse of life by the vertue of Christs resurrection Ioh. 5.11 Eph. 2.4.5 The spirituall battell is waged betweene the part corrupted and
precept could not be so generall for the making of an image of God is morally a sinne I meane in the very nature of the thing it selfe and admits no dispensation nay God himselfe though he tooke libertie in his worship to expresse it by images yet never did fie goe about to paint out himselfe in any similitude Deut. 4.12 Yee heard the voyee of words but saw no similitude onely yee heard a voyce this is the way to shew his nature which no other image can doe And therefore I may conclude that Christ as he is to be adored so he is not to be painted c. The third question is whether things indifferent abused may againe be vsed in the worship of God especially if their first institution haue beene superstitious I answere they may Iudg. 6.25.26 Baals bullock with Baals wood is sacrificed to God by Gideon His Altar is throwne downe first will God haue him cut the very throat of Idolatry and when once Gods detestation and their danger is ceased then may the good creatures of God prophened to Idolatry be imployed to the holy service of their makes Ioh. 2.6 The fixe water pots were superstitiously abused for private purification whereas God had onely inioyned it for the Temple yet our Sauiour vsed both the pots and water see the holy working of a miracle c. yet this rule must ever be obserued that things indifferent when they become scandalous and offensiue are to be foreborne The Iewish Ceremonies were retained in the Church of God as things in different after the dissolution of their necessary vse But when they became hurtfull and offensiue to Gods Church they were reiected by the Apostles Methinkes these foure propositions should quiet any man conscience in this subiect which hath in all times caused such trouble to Gods Church First that the Church of God hath power to retaine things indifferent Secondly that the same Church as it ought hath power to remoue them when they proue scand aloua and offensiue Thirdly that this power is to be exercised by our Governours and not by private men Fourthly that private men sinne not in the retaining of them they cannot be taxed or touched with that which is none of theirs for God requires reformation of none but such as haue receiued iniunctions from him Q. What is the Law concerning the right vsage of Gods worship A. It either hath respect to reverence in doing it or diligence in learning it As wee are to avoyd all contempt of the glorious name of God so are wee to neglect no time to learne his will Wee are to worship him with all reverence especially vpon his owne solemne day To whom is the account of our dayes either more due or better knowne then to God All the dayes are his who gaue time a beginning continuance yet some he hath made ours not to command but to vse In none may wee forget him in some wee must forget all besides him Isa 56.2.4.6 and 58.13 Q. What is the precept concerning the reverent worship of God A. The third Commandement Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. By name we are to vnderstand any thing by which Almightie God is made knowne vnto vs as his nature attributes word and workes Q. What is here commanded A. All reuerence possible to be shewed in the worship of God or in speaking of God and his holinesse Isa 48.11 Ier. 4.2 Q. What is here forbidden A. All kind of prophanenesse and light esteeme of God and goodnesse Hos 4.2 The Iewes haue a conceit that the sinne of that Israelite which was stoned for blasphemy was onely this that he named that ineffable name of foure letters Iehovah Shall their feare keepe them from once mentioning the dreadfull name of God and shall not our feare keepe vs from abusing it Durst wee so boldly sinne God in the face if wee feared him Surely if any feare of him stood before our eyes wee durst not dally with his name or at our pleasure teare him in peeces Wee must needs despise his person whose name we contemne Q. What is the law of our diligent learning to worship God A. The fourth Commandement Exod. 20. S. 9.10.11 Remember the Sabboth day to keepe it holy Q. What is here commanded A. The setting apart of the seventh day to the service of God as like wife all diligence in learning to know his will He that will needs be his owne Scholler hath commonly a foole to his Master It is dangerous medling with the things of God according to our owne appoiatments How perplext and in how manifolde mindes are men as those that are encountred with diverse wayes and know not which to take in this poynt of the Sabboth It shall be well if some change not their master as they seeme to haue changed their livery in their service on this day All our thoughts and vitall spirits are too little in remembring the sanctification of it True it is that the substance of the Sabboth consisteth not in houres but in holinesse not in a naturall day but the sanctification of it and therefore the alteration of the time is no mutation or change in the essence of the fourth Commandement but onely in the accident of it Time as other naturall things is separate and set apart for holy vse All time is Gods by creation and waites vpon the creature and his actions but the seventh part of time is to be his by the holy observation of it And here a iourney to Damascus were happily vnder-taken to meet with some good Annanias that might cause to fall those scales of ignorance where with wee are blinded in a fallacie of composition and division thinking the Sabboth to be abrogated because the time is changed from a seventh day to a first day Truth is great and prevaileth for I see no greater change in this then if the Sacrament should bee celebrated with one kinde of water or bread and not with another For naturall things in both are elevated aboue themselues to supernaturall ends Time therefore is as morall in the fourth Commandement as bread wine or water evangelicall in the Sacraments First the distribution of time proues the seventh part consecrated to God Exod. 20.9 And let him take heed that sacrilegiously sleales it from God I am resolved like Surgeans and Physitians rather to force a bitter pill or smarting salue then suffer a patient to perish With what face canst thou say O wretched Soule not sixe dayes will I labour but also play and please my selfe vpon the seventh Secondly the order and succession of parts will proue either the first or seventh part of time to be Gods The whole is seven and of these God must haue a part and if it be neither the first nor the last it will be in two weekes for either from the first to the last is a seventh day or from the last to the first and