Earth for the other or Hell accidently for eyther Heauen we call the highest World made for the Angels to inhabit As our f Mar. 12. 25. Sauiour Those that phantastically teach that Heauen is euery-where teacheth They are as the Angels in Heauen In Heauen g Mat. 18. 10. their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heauen This is it which the Scripture calleth h 1. King 8. 27. The Heauen of Heauens for the excellencie The i 2. Cor. 12. 2. third Heauen for the situation aboue the Ayre and the Skie both which haue the name of Heauen and k 2. Cor. 12. 4. Paradise for the pleasure being the place of the residence of Gods glory Earth is the middle World made for man Psal 115. 16 The Heauens are IEHOVAHS and the Earth which hee hath giuen vnto the sonnes of men Two things in it come to be considered the parts and the ornaments The parts I call the foure Elements l For the Philosophers agree that nothing giueth light but that which hath some fire in it wherefore from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light the Chaldees were wont to call Fire Oru◠whom they worshipped for their god Fire the vppermost Globe wherein was Light an adiunct and qualitie of the Fire Ayre or as Moses calleth it an m Following the Greekes who name it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent we improperly the Firmament comprehending all that voyd place betweene the Cloudes and the Earth which giueth breath of life to all things that breathe Water with all the Chanels thereof the Seas the Floudes the Lakes the Springs And Earth or the dry ground the Bottome and Center of the World for man to inhabit Ornaments are the things wherewith these Elements are garnished and set forth being all things necessary both for the vse and command of man For his vse were made the n Gen. 1. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. insensible things Grasse and Trees continually fructifying in the Earth the Sunne the Moone the Starres placed aboue the Cloudes in the highest Globe in or aboue the vppermost part of that extent which Moses calleth the o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent of Heauen that is to say that part of the extent which is neerest to the Heauens and furthest from the Earth where the Element of Fire is and these being the vessels that now receiue and send forth the Light which it seemeth most probable the Fire is it before for the Scripture speaketh of Light before the Sunne haue in that place of Moses a three-fold vse assigned to them First To distinguish Light from Darknesse that is to say the naturall Day from the Night Secondly To bee signes for the noting out of times and seasons A thing common to them all as appeareth Iob 9. 9. Where ARCTVRVS ORION PLEIADES and the Planets of the hidden South are vsed to note out the parts of the Yeere Autumne Winter the Spring and Summer But this neuerthelesse is proper to the Sunne and Moone that by the running of their compasse they after a speciall sort rule and gouerne the Sunne the Day and the Moone the Night and make the difference of ciuill Dayes Moneths and Yeeres Thirdly They serue not onely to enlighten the Earth but by their influence to refresh and giue growth to all earthly bodies For the command of men were made the dumbe and vnreasonable Creatures which yet haue a sensitiue life and feeling As in the Water Fishes in the Ayre Birds in the Earth Beasts both going and creeping all of them Male and Female for the propagation of their kind Hell is the lowest World a soule Those that teach also that Hell is no certayne nor locall place and fearefull place of punishment made for Angels and men that should transgresse Peter p 2. Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giueth it a name which signifieth asmuch as a place of terrible confused darkenesse whereof that which q Iob 10. 22. Iob speaketh touching the graue is much more to bee verified that there bee no orders there no alterations of times and seasons sometimes darke sometimes light but whatsoeuer shineth most is as the shaddow of death continuall night and a whole day as a man may say of darknesse for out of the Kingdome of Heauen there is no light at all Therefore are the heires of that Kingdome termed The r Luke 8. 31. sonnes of Light And contrariwise this place the ſ Mat. 8. 12. outer darknesse Luke t Luke 8. 31. calleth it The deepe or bottomlesse Gulfe placed beneath as a most deepe and darke Dungeon a foule and hideous Prison as Peter u 1. Pet. 3. 19. nameth it when hee saith that Christ by the power of his God-head in the Ministery of NOAH preached to the spirits now in Prison And againe x 2. Pet. 2. 4. that the Angels which sinned are kept there in chaines of darkenesse or as y Iude verse 6. IVDE hath it with euerlasting bonds vnder darkenes as in a Gaole vnto the Iudgement of the great Day Wee haue done with the World made for these reasonable Creatures Come wee now to the reasonable Creatures themselues and first of the parts of reason come to them both vnderstanding and will The vnderstanding part in men for distinction sake and our better conceiuing of it we commonly terme the minde the will in them is properly called the soule although the reasonable soule comprehending both bee but one In the vnderstanding part two faculties are comprehended First Knowledge that teacheth what we ought to doe and is the Fountaine and beginning not onely of the other faculties but of all the Actions and Motions of our life Vnder this two other faculties are comprehended Iudgement or Wisdome which is the top and perfection of knowledge for discerning of things that differ and conscience which is a part of our vnderstanding determining of our particular actions eyther with them or against them called therefore Conscience as if you would say A knowing with or before God vpon a right examination of our wayes in his sight Secondly Memory to lay vp in our mindes the things which wee know and vnderstand The will is a facultie freely choosing whatsoeuer it selfe pleaseth and mouing vs to doe it and this hath the soueraigne command in euery one for therefore we doe a thing not because wee thinke it ought to bee done but because wee will doe it vnder the name of will I comprehend in this place aswell the desire onely which is before and without consent as that which most properly in common speech is onely termed the will when a settled and full consent is come And here affections are the same that conscience is in the mind Not seuerall or distinct faculties but parts or motions of the wil diuersly inclining it to this or that appearing good according to the diuersity of obiects that are offered
Apostle bearing witnesse that by faith onely wee vnderstand it for howsoeuer many of the Heathen who knew not God especially the wiser sort haue in a kinde acknowledged a Creation Neyther in truth can any bee so blockish as not to see it if he looke but vp to Heauen and the frame of this World which haue the name of their Workeman and Creatour written in their fore-head yet neuer was there any not so much as the wisest of them that could attaine to this How the World should bee made of nothing Heere therefore all reason of man must stoope and bee content to learne of him in whose Schoole it is better to bee Schollers then Teachers and Professors any where besides who not onely maketh men wiser then the beasts of the field as it is in the p Iob 35. 11. Booke of Iob but teacheth his wisedome aboue the wisedome of the wise and guideth them by pathes that no foote of vaine Philosophie is able for to walke Thirdly I note the order and manner how all this was effected First The Angels and their World the highest Heauens were without more adoe immediately made of nothing But for men and the World which here we see it was somewhat in another sort For touching the World it selfe First God minding to erect such a large and goodly Theater wherein hee would make full demonstration of his incomparable both Power Wisedome and Goodnesse q Gen. 1. 1 2. framed first an empty an vnshapen lumpe without fashion without forme called Waters for the vast hugenesse of it Darknesse for the confusion and lacke of forme and the Deepe for the emptinesse without bottome to rest vpon which lest it should vanish and come to nothing hauing no steaddinesse to vphold it the Spirit of God lay vpon it and ouer-spred it to keepe it from decay Secondly Out of this lumpe and vnformed confusion did God afterwards distinctly forme this World and all the parts of it First those foure Elements called the simple bodies by fetching one contrary out of another as Light out of Darknesse the Firmament out of emptinesse dry Earth out of Waters then the compound bodies out of the same Elements and for the most part of all foure vnequally mingled together euery one principally out of the same Element which they garnish or inhabit As Grasse and Trees out of the Earth The Sunne the Moone the Stars wholly or specially out of the r For it is plaine by Moses that the Heauens theÌ„selues and those celestiall bodies were made not of any fift essence as Aristotle and some other dreame but of elementary matter namely of the fire Whereupon the very substance and the whole frame and compasse of them all which wee call the Skye is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aether from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to burne for that al things there are fiery as Anaâ—agâ—r an old Philosopher did well deriue it Albeit Aristotle in his first Booke de Câ—lo reiect this Etymologie and preferres another rather from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is in perpetuall motion But that seemeth neither so naturall for the Word nor so apt for the matter fire as may not vnprobably be gathered Fishes out of the Waters Birds out of the Ayre Beasts out of the Earth But men and women as a piece of singular worke hee framed in a more artificiall sort The body of man by Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 7. whereunto Paul alludeth 1. Tim. 2 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forming and figuring it as a Potter doth his Vessels out of the Clay of the Earth And therefore heauy and lumpish dead of it selfe and without any sence or feeling Whereinto he breathed a soule not as a part of the Diuine Nature or of Gods owne essence which to thinke were impious and absurd but because it was made neyther of the Ayre nor of any other elementary matter but onely by his Word and the power of his Spirit and this hee knit vnto one person with the body to quicken and giue life vnto it and to make it a perfect man The woman hee framed and formed out of the Rib of man And all this Moses plainly expresseth Gen. 2. 4 5 6 7 * Finished in six dayes The fourth thing I obserue in the Creation is the time which it pleased GOD to take for the finishing of this worke in that he created not all at once and in a moment as he could haue done but tooke the space of sixe t Gen. 1. 31. 2. 1. 2. 3. dayes for it within which compasse Heauen the place of the blessed Angels together with the Angels themselues were made as Moses plainly teacheth Gen. 2. 1 2. Therefore the first day God made First Heauen and Hell For Hell it is probable to bee supposed hee did then make when Heauen the other part of the vnseene World was made And that Heauen was the first worke of all is easie to be gathered by the very order wich Moses u Gen. 1. 1. 2. 1. vseth Secondly The Angels those Creatures of x 2. Cor. 11. 4. Light the Tenants and Inhabitants of the highest Heauens who in Iob y Job 38. 7. are said to shoute and sing forth the prayses of God when those heauenly Bodies the Sunne the Moone the Starres were made as astonished at the excellency of their beautie And therefore themselues were before that time created Thirdly That vnfashioned lumpe Fourthly Fire The second Day he made the Ayre The third Day First Water Secondly Earth Thirdly Grasse and Trees The fourth Day the Sunne the Moone the Starres The fifth First Fishes Secondly Birds The last Day hee made First Beasts Secondly Man and Woman A fift and last thing to be obserued in the Creation is And was of euery Creature in excellency of perfection that all the Creatures were made exceeding good whether you consider them singly and apart or all of them together As from God that is goodnesse it selfe nothing can come but absolutely good For the further sealing vp of which Doctrine wee haue the testimony of God himselfe both in euery speciall God z Gen. 1. 4. saw the Light that it was good and so in the rest and in the generall conclusion of all God a Gen. 1. 31. looked vpon all that hee had made and behold it was exceeding good This goodnesse in the Creatures generally is the excellencie of perfection according to that their nature is capable of for goodnesse in that place is not to bee taken as opposite vnto vice and to that foule deformitie which is a breach of the righteous Law of God but it noteth that perfection and excellency of estate that euery Creature was framed in according as his nature was fit and able to receiue No weaknesse or infirmitie was then any where to be seene No corruption or decay nothing out of frame or ioynt so as now wee see the whole
1. Sam. 14. 7. Ionathan preuailed with his Armour-bearer when they two were set vpon a whole Garrison of the Philistims There is no let vnto IEHOVAH but that hee may saue with many or with few A proofe whereof is euident to bee seene 2. Chron. 24. 24. where notwithstanding the Armie of ARAM came against IOASH with a few men yet IEHOVAH deliuered into their hands an exceeding great Armie because they had forsaken IEHOVAH the God of their fathers That of f Amos 5. 9. Amos is very memorable He refresheth the distressed against the strong that distresse it selfe should be able to scale a Fort that is men so wonderfully spent and wasted as if weaknesse and calamitie were to be seene in their faces And g Ier. 37. 10. Ieremie biddeth the Iewes not to deceiue themselues as if all were well because the Caldeans did a little giue backe For though you should smite saith hee all the hoast of the Caldeans that fought against you so as there were left among them but men thrust thorow yet should they rise vp euery man in his Tent and burne the Citie with fire As to the same Caldeans afterwards h Ier. 50. 45. he threatneth that the very least of the flocke shall teare them in pieces And as he himselfe is able to worke by slender meanes so hee disappointeth the great and mightie meanes bloweth vpon it and maketh it vnprofitable Is it not saith the Prophet i Abac. 2. 13. ABACVCK from IEHOVAH of Hosts that the People labour in the fire and the Nations weary themselues for nothing And k Ps 33. 15 16 Dauid himselfe a King A King is not saued by the multitude of strength The mightie man is not deliuered by the multitude of power A Horse is a vaine thing to saue and cannot deliuer by the multitude of his strength After whom Salomon l Prou. 21. 31. his sonne a worthy graft of so noble a Stocke heire of his fathers Vertue aswell as of his Crowne led by the same Spirit speaketh in like sort The Horse is prepared against the day of battaile but saluation commeth from IEHOVAH Take for Example the m Psal 78. 9 10 children of EPHRAIM valiant and renowned Archers turning their backe in the day of battaile because they kept not the couenant of God but refused to walke in his Law n Eccles 9. 13. SALOMON by his owne experience confirmeth this I haue seene that not alwayes the swift getteth the course nor the strong preuaile in warre c. This is that Iudgement which threatneth o Leuit. 26. 26. in the Law I will breake the staffe of bread by taking from it all power and vertue of nourishment that in the middest of abundance they shall euen dye for famine And in the Prophet p Hosh 4. 10. HOSEA Though they eate yet they shall not bee filled though they commit fornication yet they shall not bee multiplyed Ouer and beside all this to haue it yet more manifest that the whole vertue is to bee looked for from him he dealeth sometimes vtterly without all meanes euen in famine q Psal 33. 17. it selfe preseruing his aliue So Moses r Deut. 8. 3. telleth the people that God in their hunger fed them with Manna which they nor their Ancestors neuer knew to make knowne vnto them that man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie thing that proceedeth out of the month of IEHOVAH that is which God by his Commandements giueth power vnto to nourish And Å¿ Esay 38. 16. EZECHIAS in his Prayer acknowledgeth no lesse O Lord by these things which thou speakest and doest men doe liue yea in euery one of these consisteth the life of my spirit by these thou makest mee whole and keepest mee aliue noting the miraculous deliuerance from his sicknesse onely by the word that proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord. Hence ariseth that most glorious reioycing of Faith resting vpon the Couenant and fauour of God in the middest of the want of all worldly helpes t Aba 13. 17 18 Though the Figge tree should not bud nor no increase be in the Vines the worke of the Oliue lye and none of the fields bring forth meate the enemie cut away the flocke from the Fold and no herd be of the Bullockes yet I will reioyce in IEHOVAH and ioy in the God of my saluation Agreeable whereunto is that of the u Psal 20. 8. Psalmist These remember Horses and they Chariots but wee will remember the Name of IEHOVAH our God Lastly hither doe belong his glorious and magnificent workes done as we say against the hayre and contrarie to all meanes yea to the very course of nature that all men may know that nature is nothing else but that order which God hath set in things and which he altereth and changeth at his pleasure x 2. Kings 20. 1 Ezechias sicknesse by course of nature was incurable for it is noted to haue beene deadly and the Prophet told him as from the Lord Thou canst not liue But his power ouer-mastred the strength of the disease He remooueth y Iob 9. 5 6. Mountaines so as men cannot discerne so much as a step of them when hee ouerturneth them in his wrath he shaketh the earth out of her place that the very Pillers thereof tremble z Esay 50. 2. At his rebuke he dryeth vp the Sea and maketh the flouds a Desart euen then when they are in their prime As hee did to a Iosh 3. 15. 16. Iordan in the full Spring-tide when his course was to ouerflow all the Bankes The Earth how ponderous an Element it is how grosse and heauie yet as if it were lighter then lightnesse it selfe and not so much as the weight of a Fether b Iob 26. 7. he stretcheth it vpon emptinesse and hangeth it vpon nothing Waters which naturally seeke downwards and the raging of the Sea his mightie word so bridleth that though it be farre higher then the Earth it cannot ouerflow it c Iob 38. 10. 11 onely because he hath set his decree as a barre and a double gate against it saying Hither shalt thou come and no further and heere shall the shore set it selfe against the pride of thy waues How doth the Prophet d Psal 19. 6. admire the excellencie of the Sunne which commeth forth as a Gyant to runne his course yet at his commandement it hath stood e Iosh 10. 13. still yea which is a wonder for to speake at the request of a mortall man he hath made it goe f 2. Kings 20. 10 11. backwards What more naturall then fire to burne which hee notwithstanding as the Lord of nature hath so changed that in a hot g Dan. 3. burning Furnace heated seuen times not so much as a hayre of his Seruants head was touched nor a thred of their Garments sindged when at the selfe-same time the vehemencie of
telleth vs that Hee which vpon Adams fall began his Mediation had a Being long before and together with his Father and Holy Spirit weilded a greater Scepter being the Lord and Creatour of Adams selfe and of the whole World besides and the great King out of whose Throne proceed those euerlasting counsels that rule and moderate whatsoeuer is or shall be Thy Throne is established before any time thou art from euerlasting The other degree is in the tayming and bringing downe of the proud enemies of his Kingdome whose rage and furie hee compareth with the loud noyse of mightie waters when the Waues and Surges of the Sea arise Christs Dominion that sitteth aloft as Lord Paramount with the stilling and ouer-ruling of them Then followeth the second mayne Arme and Branch of his Kingdome in the Scepter of his Word Thy testimonies are exceeding true And lastly the euerlasting Righteousnesse which by the Spirit of Sanctification hee bestoweth vpon his Church In thy House is comely holinesse O IEHOVAH for euermore The first of these is properly called his Iudicature or Office of a Iudge the second is his Propheticall Office the third is wont by excellencie to be called The Kingdome All most glorious and noble effects of his Ascension into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God as the Apostle telleth vs Ephes 4. 8. Ascending on high he led captiuitie captiue whereby he meaneth the absolute power giuen vnto him for the gouernment of the World seene specially in the subduing of the proud enemies of the Church And gaue gifts vnto men which g Verse 10. by and by hee interpreteth to bee as much as to fill all things that is the whole bodie of his Church and all the parts of it with the varietie of his Graces Not that Christ had not this excellencie or did not raigne at all before his Ascension into Heauen for h Iohn 1. 49. Nathaniel telleth him Thou art the King of Israel And i Iohn 18. 37. hee himselfe when Pilate asked Art thou a King answereth Thou sayest true for I am a King But the full and reall manifestation of this Kingdome in his flesh or humane nature did then first beginne To prosecute now these parts in such order as wee One whereby he gouerneth all the World according to their owne nature since the fall did propound them The first is that which extendeth generally to all the World and to the whole gouernment and administration of it which hee himselfe is wont to call his Iudgeship or Office of iudging Iohn 5. 27. He hath giuen vnto him dignitie to execute iudgement as he is the Sonne of man And Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne where that it may appeare how large his Power in this behalfe extendeth hee calleth it all iudgement Agreeable whereunto is that of the Apostle Heb. 1. 3. where hee is said to sustayne all things by the power of his Word Therefore Iohn 5. 17. he makes this generall proclamation My Father worketh hitherto and I worke without restraint of time or place or of the subiect or persons towards whom it is wrought God therefore who before gouerned immediately and by himselfe hath euer since the fall of Adam appointed Christ his Vicegerent and Lieutenant generall in whose person he would afterwards rule the World Not that himself sitteth idle in heauen as Iosephs Master did when he had committed vnto Ioseph the Administration of his house but being in him and with him and working all things by and through Christ who againe vseth to that end beside his Spirit and the power of his Word the seruice also the ministery of his holy Angels all which is figured by many excellent and goodly Similitudes in the Vision of k Ezech. 1. Ezechiel where the foure liuing Creatures representing the innumerable company of Angels whose Ministerie extendeth vnto all the foure parts of the Earth haue vnder their feet foure wheeles noting the whole vncertaine course of this changeable and vnconstant world which moue when they moue and rest when they stand still And when the liuing creatures lift vp themselues from earth into heauen to receiue from God new Commandements the wheeles also as it were doe follow them and cease from wheeling to wait their direction Aboue which Angels is a Curtaine or Extent betweene God and them all of Christal cleare and transparent thorow the which as he beholdeth these inferior creatures so they both Angels and men according to their mediocritie are able to see him and the brightnesse of his glorie Ouer that Extent higher than the highest heauens is a most glorious Throne erect whereupon doth sit the likenesse of the Sonne of man Christ the blessed Lord of glorie God and man whom all obey and stoope at his command All this for the good of his Church and people for whose sake it was necessarie he should be armed with so great a Command and Power In this part of his Kingdome I note First The largenesse thereof in that it reacheth euery where and no place exempted from it I will giue the Nations l Ps 2. 8. for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession m Zach. 9. 10. His dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer vnto the ends of the earth n Dan. 7. 14. And to him was giuen Dominion and a Glorie and a Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serue him o Ps 72. 8. 11. He shal beare rule from one Sea vnto another and from the floud as farre as the ends of the earth All Kings shall bow downe vnto him and all Nations shall serue him p Math. 28. 18 All power is giuen me in heauen and vpon the earth Secondly In this Kingdome Christ alone perfecteth all things not like to other Kings and Potentates who rule by deputies but here hee himselfe doth all for though there he vsed instruments yet all commeth from his strength and vertue and hee himselfe is euery-where present by his Spirit Whereupon his Kingdome is called q Esay 9. 6. Wonderfull because the effects and working of Gods Spirit are strange and marueilous Thirdly the vertues and properties of this our King arming and inabling him for the effecting of those great things are two Counsell to aduise of things wisely and Strength to put them in execution beeing both the stayes and props of a Kingdome as it were the two pillers Iacin and Bohas whereupon r 1. King 7. 21. Salomons Porch was built Therefore Rabshake to discourage Hezekias vanteth of these two as of the things whereon the hope if battaile standeth as if Hezekias were not in them to be compared to the King his Master Å¿ Esay 6. 5. Say yet they are but lip words that thou haue counsell and strength for the warre yet in whom doest thou trust And Salomon though hee preferre the one maketh
childrens bodies are not able to beare the other And here a three-fold Ceremonie is to bee obserued First The sprinkling secondly The lying as it were vnder the water thirdly The rising out of it all which the Apostle noteth Rom. 6. 3 4. The grace signified is our incorporating into Christ And therefore it is called i Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercie he hath saued vs by the Lauer of Regeneration The Lauer or Sacrament of Regeneration and thereupon wee are said in Baptisme k Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ to put on Christ Whereof followeth First That it is the first Sacrament of the Church as birth is the first beginning of our life Secondly Children of beleeuing Catabaptists that denie the baptisme of Children parents in that they are members of the Church and partakers of the Couenant cannot bee shut from Baptisme which is the Sacrament thereof no more than they might from Circumcision Wherefore our Sauiour l Mark 10. 14. saith Suffer little children to come vnto me for vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of God Thirdly that is to bee done The Donatists and Nouatians that hold Rebaptization The Papists teach that Baptisme hath onely force to purge sinnes past The Nouatians denie forgiuenesse of sinnes to them that fell after Baptisme but once only as men are borne but once yet it assureth vs of our vnion with Christ not once but all the dayes of our life and testifieth the forgiuenesse of all sinnes past present or to come And therefore is said to saue vs 1. Pet. 3. 2. Fourthly Hereupon wee are said to be baptized into the name of the m Math. 28. 29 Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost because by Baptisme we being consecrate to God are ioyned to him to beare his name as the wife beareth the name of her husband Fiftly It is a Sacrament also of our vniting into the Church Therefore n Gal. 3. 27. Paul after he had said As many of you as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ immediately addeth For all you are one in Christ Iesus Sixtly Being a seale of Regeneration consequently it sealeth vp the fruits thereof Iustification and Sanctification Hee hath saued vs saith o Tit. 3. 5 6 7. PAVL by the Lauer of Regeneration and of the renewing of the holy Spirit which hee hath shed forth vpon vs richly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour That beeing iustified by his grace wee might be made heires in hope of euerlasting life A seale it is of Iustification in this sort first Of the hiding and couering of sinnes by the couering of the childes face with water Secondly of Christs accomplishment of the Law making vs righteous by the water washing and making cleane the Bodie It is a seale of Sanctification thus First The water lying vpon the childes face declareth that the old Adam in the baptized person is buried with Christ our Sauiour Secondly As after the water shed from the Bodie the Bodie appeareth white and cleane so doe wee rise and appeare in newnesse of life and hereof it is called a p Mark 1. 3. Sacrament of Repentance Iohn baptized in the Wildernes and preached the baptisme of Repentance vnto the forgiuenesse of sinnes Matth. 3. 11. I baptize you with water vnto Repentance The forme whereof is thus or to this effect I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost All these vses both for Iustification and Sanctification and the distinct parts of euery one the Apostle notably setteth forth Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. Know yee not that all wee which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his Death Wee are buried then with him by Baptisme into his Death that like as Christ was raysed from the dead vnto the glorie of the Father so also wee should walke in newnesse of life For if wee bee grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him that the bodie of Sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue Sin The forme of Baptisme which the Minister is here to vse is this q Matth. 28. 19 I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The Lords Supper is a receyuing of Bread and Wine to assure our growing vp in Christ where the outward signe is double as before in Baptisme The Lords Supper is a feeding with Bread and Wine First The matter both r Matth. 26. 26 27. bread Papists by their Doctrine of Transubstantiation take away the signes in the Supper and wine of which Elements God made choyce because they are the chiefest meanes of nourishment And of them both to shew how plentifull and assured a Redemption we haue in Christ The kind of Bread must bee The Popish Wafer-cakes ordinarie Bread according as our Sauiour Christ tooke such as was vsed at the common table at that time Secondly The action which is the Ministers breaking of bread and powring forth The Superstition of the Papists which will haue it thrust into their mouthes of wine with his deliuering of them both and the peoples receyuing of them Matth. 26. 26 27. As they did eate Iesus tooke Bread and when he had blessed he brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and said Take eate c. Also he tooke the Cup and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to them saying Drinke c. And of this Wine all are to The sacriledge of Poperie robbing the people of the vse of the Cup. Their priuate and Corner-Masses drinke aswell the people as the Minister so expresly prouided Matth. 26. 27. Drinke yee all of this which is more than he said of the Bread The graces signified are our growing vp in Christ to assure our continuance in the Couenant wherein is noted our continuance in him with increase and consequently iustification and holinesse of life for in the elements themselues the Bread and Wine set before vs the Bodie and Bloud of Christ Matth. 26. 26 27 28. He brake the Bread and said Take eate this is my Bodie Also he tooke the Cup and said Drinke yee all of it for this is my bloud of the New Testament that is shed for many Their nourishing of our Bodies signifie his spirituall feeding of our Soules 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit we are all made to drink into one Spirit which quickneth and putteth life into vs. In the Actions the Bread broken before our eyes doth represent Passion and sufferings 1. Cor. 11. 24. ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Matth. 23. 38. Behold your house is left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto you desolate That is most certainely shall be left and that shortly He tooke
that haue alwayes troubled the Saints of God and held them as it were amazed Insomuch as comparing the happinesse of the wicked and the drunkennesse of their pleasures with their owne bitter potions they through the infirmitie of the flesh call many times in question the prouidence of God to say How should the mightie God know or how can there be any knowledge in the most High Behold these are the wicked ones and they prosper for euer and multiply riches but I am smittâ—n all the day long and my rebuke is euery Morning whereby they come almost to make a scoffe of the generation of GODS Children as in the seuentie three Psalme the Prophet Dauid sheweth in his owne person how these conflicts doe assault them from which he professeth there that hardly he could get out till he went into the Sanctuarie of GOD to the holy meetings and assemblies of the Church where he learned the the end of those men how the Lord had set them in slippery places c. The whole Psalme is very notable and full of many sweet and heauenly Meditations which are as the Wine and Apples spoken of in the c Cant. 2. 5. Canticles to stay and cheere vp the hearts of the faithfull that they faint not vnder this temptation Another an excellent man of God and a Prophet sanctified from his Mothers wombe is bold to dispute this question with God Why d Ier. 12. 1 2 3. the way of the wicked prospereth why transgressours are at rest why they be planted and also rooted continue and bring forth fruit In whose mouth God is nigh but farre from their reines At length he satisfieth his owne soule by shewing first in himselfe the singular good that aduersitie bringeth to the godly For thou O IEHOVAH knowest me thou seest me therefore thou tryest my minde to cleaue vnto thee Afterwards the end of the prosperitie of the wicked who are fed and fatted vnto destruction Thou pullest these away as Sheepe vnto the Butchery and preparest them vnto the day of slaughter The Booke of Iob swarmeth with these complaints and Salomon the wise thought it fit to arme men against it If e Eccles 5. 7 8. thou see the oppression of the peere and the wresting of right and Iustice in place of Iudgement maruell not at this their will for the High aboue the High obserueth yea the most Highâ—nes the eternall Father Sonne and Holy Spirit aboue these Tenthly We are hereby made like to Christ and conformed to his Image Rom. 8. 29. Whom he hath foreknowne them hee hath predestinate to bee conformed to the Image of his Sonne And againe Verse 17. If wee suffer together with him Now f Col. 1. 24. doe I fulfill saith PAVL in my flesh the remainders of the sufferings of Christ who hauing before suffered in his owne person as the Head doth now suffer in the daily infirmities of his members which is it the Apostle calleth To g 1. Cor. 4. 10. carrie about vs alwayes in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus And this Argument Peter h 1. Pet. 4. 13. specially taketh vp to perswade vs not onely to heare but to reioyce in afflictions In as much as ye partake of the afflictions of Christ reioyce that when his glorie shall be reuealed ye may reioyce and be glad And the reason is great and singular for if as the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 10. to bring many children into Glorie it was necessary to consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions whereupon hee is not ashamed to call vs Brethren who is he that would sticke to goe thorow fire and water with such a Brother especially when it is to obtayne so great a Garland Eleuenthly God is able and will deliuer vs and send a gracious issue out of all whereof wee haue a promise Psal 50. 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee so shalt thou glorifie mee And 1. Cor. 10. 13. No temptation hath laid hold vpon you but that which befalleth vnto men Now God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tryed aboue that you are able but together with the temptation will make an issue that you may bee able for to beare For the Church of God howsoeuer it be in continuall floate tumbling and tossed with contrarie windes yet can neuer be sunke but is like to a i Exod. 3. 2. Bush burning in the fire but not consumed and to the k Zach. 1. 8. Mirrh Tree which though it grow in a bottome in a place that lyeth open to all kind of tempestuous weather yet is euer greene and flourishing full of fruit sweete and edoriferous God so tempering their afflictions that euen l Esay 42. 25. then when hee is angry with vs for our sinnes yet hee doth but sprinkle vpon vs a few drops and letteth out a small quillet of his wrath that hee might not waste vs with the extremitie of the heate as he doth his m Esay 66. 15. foes but disple vs with the shaking of his Rod to bring vs home vnto himselfe Whereupon the Apostle saith n 2. Cor. 4. 8 9. In all things we are pressed but not distressed doubting but not despayring persecuted but not forsaken in it cast downe but perish not This is it which maketh so large a difference betweene Gods Children and the vngodly that whereas a little trouble amazeth the one that their heart with o 1. Sam. 25 37 Nabal is as heauie as a stone and readie to dye within them the other ioyfully vndergoe whatsoeuer affliction because come life come death come what will else they know it is from God who is able and will set them free The Psalmist noteth that diuersitie when he saith p Psal 34. 20 22 Many are the afflictions of the iust but IEHOVAH deliuereth them out of all but one affliction killeth the wicked man Againe q Psal 32. 7. Great and many are the sorrowes of the wicked man but he that trusteth in IEHOVAH kindnesse shall compasse him about And Salomon in his Prouerbs Though r Pro. 24. 16. the righteous man fall seuen times yet hee riseth vp againe but the wicked at one euill fall down-right Å¿ Esay 40. 30 31 Children saith the Prophet ESAY faint and are wearied and young men fall downe flat that is whosoeuer either through childishnesse as Babes seeke not vnto GOD or in a iollitie and vaine confidence of their owne strength as lustie Youths care not for him but they that wait vpon IEHOVAH renew their strength they flye vp with the wing as an Eagle which in swiftnesse of flying vpwards passeth all other Birds so they speedily get out and passe ouer all affliction trusting in the loue and fauour of God They runne and are not wearied they goe forward and doe not faint Twelfthly Christ himselfe is our supporter and ministreth strength vnto vs Philip. 4. 13. I am able