elements A probable opinion The fire for when it is said he set light in heauen which is a qualitie of the fire it is to be vnderstood of fire also which hath that qualitie What note you hereof 2 Cor. 4.6 The wonderfull worke of God not only making something of nothing but bringing light out of darknesse which is contrarie What is the second element The aire betweene the cloudes and the earth distinguishing betweene water and water and giueth breath of life to all things that breathe What is the third element The waters seuered from the masse called the earth the seas the floods the springs the lakes c. What is the fourth element The earth called the drie land which remaineth all other being sent of God to their proper places Hitherto of the simple bodies called the foure elements now followeth to speake of the mixt and compounded bodies made of the foure elements vnequally mingled together GEN. 1. vers 14. to the 25. 14 And God said let there be lights in the firmament of the heauen to separate the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and yeeres c. WHat is generall in the creation of the compound bodies First that prouision is made for his inhabitants of the earth ere they be made as grasse for the beasts and light for all liuing and mouing creatures and all for man What learne you from hence Not to be carking for the things of this life nor to surfet with the cares thereof seeing God prouided for the necessitie and comfort of the beasts ere hee would bring them into the world What is generall in all the earthly creatures That God proceedeth from the things that be more imperfect to those that are perfecter vntill hee come to the perfectest as from the trees corne herbs c. which haue but one life that is whereby they increase and are vegetatiue vnto the beasts which haue both an increasing and feeling or sensitiue life as fishes fowles beasts c. and from them to man which hath besides both them a reasonable soule What learne you from thence That wee should therein follow the example of the Lord to goe from good to better vntill we come to be perfect What else is generall To haue power and vertue giuen them to bring foorth the like vnto themselues for the continuance of their kinde is generally giuen to all those that are expressed in the creation here albeit there be creatures as stones and minerals that bring not forth the like And this blessing of multiplication is principall in the things that haue the life of sense beside the life of increase And therefore the Lord is brought in to speake to them in the second person which he did not to the grosse corne and trees Gen. 1.22 What learne you from hence That the chiefe and speciall cause of the continuance of euery kinde of creatures to the worlds end is this will word of God without the which they or sundrie of them would haue perished ere this by so many meanes as are to consume them What is the first creation of the compound bodies God hauing caused the waters to retire into their vessels the third night in the third day which followed that night hee clad the earth with grasse for the vse of beasts only corne and trees for the vse of man Seeing that the growth of these is from the influence of the heauenly bodies how commeth it to passe that he first maketh the grasse corne and trees ere hee made the heauenly bodies of the Sunne Moone and Starres To correct our error which tie the increase of these so to the influence of the heauenly bodies euen to the worshipping of them therein forgetting the Lord who hereby sheweth that all hangeth vpon him and not on them for as much as he made them when the heauenly bodies were not What else That the fruitfulnes of the earth standeth not so much in the labour of the husbandman as in the power which God hath giuen to the earth to bring foorth fruite What was made the fourth day Lights all which although they be great in themselues to the end they might giue light to the darke earth that is farre remoued from them yet are they distinguished into great Sunne Moone small the Stars which are as it were certeine vessels wherein the Lord did gather the light which before was scattered in the whole bodie of the heauens Why doth Moses call the Sunne and Moone the greatest lights when there are Starres that exceed the Moone by many degrees Because they are greatest first in their vse and vertue that they exercise vpon the terrestriall bodies Secondly for that they seeme so to vs it being the purpose of the holy Ghost by Moses to applie himselfe to the capacitie of the vnlearned What is the vse of them First to distinguish the times Spring Summer Autumne and Winter from whence their work and naturall effect vpon the earthly creatures is gathered also to distinguish the night from the day the day from the moneth the moneth from the yeere last of of all to giue light to the inhabitants of the earrh Haue they not operation also in the extraordinarie euents of singular things and persons for their good and euill estate No verely there is no such vse taught of them in the Scriptures What was the worke of the fifth day and night To create the Fishes and Birds What were the fishes made of Of all foure elements but more as seemeth of the waters then other liuing things VVhat were the birds made of Gen. 2.19 Of all foure elements yet haue more of the earth and therefore that they are so light and that their delight is in the aire it is so much the more maruellous What is the worke of the sixth night and day Probable In the night thereof he made the beasts of the earth going tame or home-beasts wilde or field-beasts creeping GEN. chap. 1. vers 26 27. and chap. 2. vers 7. 26. Furthermore God saide Let vs make man in our image according to our likenesse and let them rule ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the foule of the heauen and ouer the beasts and ouer all the earth and ouer euery thing that creepeth and mooueth on the earth 27 Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female WHat was made the sixth day Man in both sexes that is both man and woman Why was he made last of all First because hee is the end of all vnreasonable creatures and therefore that hee might glorifie God for all Secondly for that hee would haue him first prouided for ere hee brought him into the world and if he had care of him before he was how much more now he is What note you thereof That man hath not to boast of his antiquitie all the creatures being made
corruption that cleaueth vnto the best of our good workes be taken away But when our sanctification here begun shall bee perfected in the world to come shall we not then bee iustified by an inherent righteousnesse No but by the imputed righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ which being once giuen vs is neuer taken from vs. How is this pollution conueied into the good workes which God worketh in vs There is beside the worke of his owne hand through the operation of his holy spirit a pollution in vs and an infection of ours which commeth from the sin that dwelleth in vs as cleere water put into an vncleane vessell or running thorow a filthie channell receiueth some euill qualitie thereof Wherein doe our good workes faile of Gods Iustice Partly in the instrumentall causes from which they proceed and partly in the finall cause or end whereunto they aime What are the instrumentall causes hindering the perfection of our workes First our vnderstanding in that the worke is not done with knowledge absolute and throughly perfect Secondly in that our remembrance is infeebled and doth not so fully retaine that which the vnderstanding conceiued Thirdly in that the will and affections are short of their dutie Last of all in that the body is not so apt and nimble for the execution of good things as is required Expresse this by a similitude We are in the Instrumentall causes like to a common labourer which being hired by the day worketh with one hand whereas both are required or worketh a piece of the day being hired for the whole What is the finall end wherein good workes faile In that we haue not a direct eye to Gods glory or the good of our neighbour as is required but looke a squint as it were at those duties which are enioyned to vs like to such artificers as prefer their owne credit in their skill before their masters profit If then it be so that sinne cleaneth to our best workes are not our good workes sinne and are not all euill workes equall No doubtlesse bee it farre from vs to thinke it for their imperfection is sinfull but the good worke is not a sinne and euen in bad actions as hath been said some are lesse euill then other How is this pollution taken away Exod. 28.36.37.38 By the intercession of our Sauiour Christ through which our good workes are of account before God VVhat doctrine is here to be gathered A doctrine of great comfort to the children of God to stirre them vp to abound in good workes sith they are acceptable to God in Christ Iesus for where men know any thing to bee delightsome to their Prince they will with all endeauour striue for it Matth. 12. how much more ought we to be pricked forward to the seruice of God who quencheth not the smoking flax nor breaketh the bruised reed yea Matth. 10. which forgetteth not a cup of cold water giuen in faith and for his sake VVhat other reasons are there to stirre vs vp to good workes We ought to remember Gods benefits bestowed vpon all his children as our Election Creation Redemption Calling Iustification Sanctification continuall Preseruation and then particularly such blessings as God hath seuerally bestowed vpon euery one of vs. Are not the iudgements of God also to bee thought vpon for furtherance to this dutie Yes verily to make vs feare to offend in our waies Remaineth there yet any more Good companie Psal 119.63 Pro. 13.20 which with Dauid wee must cleaue vnto not the noblest or of greatest account but the godliest for if we will auoid such a sinne we must auoid all company that delight therein which is no lesse dangerous then good companie is profitable VVhat gather you of this That whosoeuer maketh no choice of companie maketh no conscience of sinne as those that dare keepe companie familiarly with Papists thinking that they may keepe their conscience to themselues VVhat are the parts of sanctification Two first Mortification secondly viuification or a rising to righteousnes What is mortification Mortification is a continuall dying vnto sin slaying killing deadning of sinne proceeding from the vertue of Christ his death and buriall What is the sinne that must be mortified First our naturall corruption or old man called originall sinne which is a readinesse and pronenes to that that is euill and a frowardnes and backwardnes to that which is good called also flesh or the body of sinne Col. 3. Then the fruits thereof which are called the members of that body What is mortification of sinne further compared vnto Col. 3. It is set forth by the name of ragges and filthie stained clothes which wee are loath to looke on as it which we should cast off and lay aside What is Viuification or Quickening or rising to righteousnesse Rom. 6.4.5 It is a rising to newnesse of life proceeding from the power of Christ his resurrection Hitherto of Sanctification What is redemption It is the happie estate that the children of God shall haue in the last day 1. THES chap. 5. vers 19.20 19 Quench not the Spirit 20 Despise not prophecying BY what meanes doth God effect these things and how ruleth he till the last day By the meanes of his spirit and word ioyned together according as the words doe make mention What meane you by the spirit of God to this place That power of God which worketh in the hearts of men things which the naturall discourse of reason is notable to attaine vnto Being incomprehensible how may wee come to some vnderstanding and sense of it By the things whereunto it is compared first Acts 2. Heb. 1. Ioh. 4. Matth. 3. Acts â— to wind to shew the maruellous power of it in operation Secondly to oyle that is of a hote nature that pierceth and suppleth Thirdly to water that cooleth scoureth and cleanseth Fourthly to fire that seuereth drosse and good mettall How is the operation of it Diuers as softening and hardening enlightening and darkning which it worketh after a diuers maner by the word in the hearts of the elect and reprobate according to the good pleasure of God and secret will only and after that according to the good pleasure of his reuealed will and so the lawfull vse thereof is rewarded with a gratious encrease of blessing and the abuse punished with further hardnes to condemnation Is by the word prophecying onely meant the preaching of the word No but by a figuratiue speech all those outward meanes whereby God vseth to giue his holy spirit as are the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church ouer and aboue the preaching of the word which being principall of all is heere set downe for the rest Before we enter into this watter there are some difficulties to be auoided in these words and first I aske why the Apostle hath 〈…〉 spirit before the preaching of the word meaâ—â— by prophecie considering that by and after preaching of the word the Lord giueth his
There are indeed good yea excellent persons that thinke so which carrie so much more a misliking of vowes because they haue beene abused in Poperie howbeit it appeareth in this place that it is a constant and perpetuall seruice of God as shall appeare VVhat is the proper end and vse of a vow Gen. 28.10 Iudg. 11.32 1. Sam. 1.11 It is twofold first to strengthen our faith and secondly to testifie our thankfulnesse vnto God but no waies to merit any thing at Gods hand so that whereas the exercise of a fast is in aduersitie and as the feast in prosperity the vow may be in both VVho are the fit persons that may vow Numb 30.6 Such as haue knowledge iudgement and abilitie to discerne of a vow and of the dueties belonging to the performance of the same Are all such bound to vow Deu. 23.21.22 Numb 30.2 Numb 6.2 c. Not simplie all but those onely which either being in distresse feele a want of feeling of Gods assistance thereby to strengthen their faith for necessarie aide or they who being deliuered from some necessary euill or haue receiued some singular good where no vow hath gone before should witnes their thankfulnesse VVhat haue we heerein further to consider That the vow must bee of lawfull things else it is better not to pay the vow then to pay as Herod and the fortie mentioned in the Acts Act. 23.14 and as the Monks Friers and Nunnes vow wilfull pouertie and perpetuall abstinence from mariage and canonicall obedience and the people pilgrimages May we vow any thing which is lawfull to be done We may not vow any vile or base thing as if a wealthie man would vow to giue to the poore some small value farre vnder his abilitie for what either token of thankfulnesse can that be or what comfort in his troubles can hee take of the performance thereof What haue we secondly to consider That the vow must bee of such things as are in our choice to performe How many waies faile men against this Two waies first in vowing that wee are not able to performe secondly in vowing that which otherwise we are bound by the law of God to do Who be they which vow that they cannot performe They are they either whom strength doth faile through the common frailery of al men Numb 30.3.4 c. as those that vow perpetuall continencie whose lets come from themselues Or they which cannot performe it by reason of subiection vnto others as wiues vnto their husbands children to their parents seruants to their masters c. in whose power they are to performe their vowes or not to performe them VVhy may not a man vow such things as he is otherwise bound vnto For that they are due vnto God without the seruice of a vow and therefore it were a dalliance with God to make shew of some speciall and extraordinarie seruice where the common and ordinarie is onely performed as if a man would present as a gift vnto his Lord the rent of his house due for the occupation thereof What may we then lawfully vow Increase of Gods seruice as to pray more often euery day then ordinarily is vsed or to be more liberall to the poore with some straine of our ability building of Colledges Almes-houses c. What is the duely of those that haue vowed Eccles 5. First to haue a diligent care to performe their vowes for if it be a reprochfull thing to deale with God as with a man it is more reprochfull to deale worse with God then wee dare deale with many men Gen. 35.1 Secondly not to delay the performance of it for God corrected sharpely in Iacob the deferring of vowes first by his daughters deflouring secondly by the rage and murther committed by his sons Is the necessitie of performing vowes so great that they may no waies be omitted Ier. 35.9.10.11 Not so for to the performance of a greater dutie a man may omit his vow for a time and after a time returne and be not a vow-breaker as the Rechabites for safety of their liues came and dwelt in Ierusalem notwithstanding a former vow that they would not dwell in an house and yet God witnesseth that the vow was not broken thereby so to helpe our neighbours in some present necessitie we may cease from any vowed duety at that time and not sinne Wherein the Papists greatly faile who hauing vowed vnlawfully yet thinke they may not intermit their vowes If a man in vowing doe not consider sufficiently of the greatnesse of the matter may hee not breake that vow if he hath not so aduisedly made it No the vow being otherwise lawfull that rashnes is to be repented but the vow must be kept What haue we to learne of all this That we be aduised in that we doe and not to enquire after we haue vowed to find some starting hole whereat to get out but either not to vow at all Pro. 20.25 or if we vow to haue a good remembrance of it and a diligent care in the due time to performe it 2 PET. chap. 3. from the 3. vers to the 12. 3 This first vnderstand that there shal come in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lusts HAuing spoken at large of the gouernment of Christ in this world What followeth His gouernment in the day of Iudgement What is the day of Iudgement A generall assise of all persons that haue beene at any time in the world at which all must appeare personally before the great Iudge to receiue their finall sentence either of absolution or condemnation There be some that say that that Iudgement will neuer come because God delayeth it Yes it shall come most certainely and therefore to take away all doubt thereof out of our minds our Sauiour Christ hath not onely often told of it but hath also sworne it shall be What reason do they vse to prooue that godles opinion If there bee an end of the world Gen. 8.21 then it and the things therein should by little and little weare away and consume but they do not for that they remaine as they were from the beginning of the Creation therefore the world shall haue no end How must we meete with these errors and keepe our selues vndefiled of them In taking heed to the words of the Prophets and the commandement of the Apostles of the Lord our Sauiour as Peter teacheth here How doth the Apostle Peter confute them out of the Scripture First that the heauens and earth being created by the word and will of God in a small time may also in a small time be changed Secondly in denying that the world hath continued alwaies the same it was at the beginning of the creation inasmuch as the earth by water in the flood was couered in a short time and by the same reason may in a short time be consumed by fire But it seemeth that this promise of his comming