The Grounds of Divinity, Treatise (1 of 4)
THE GROVNDS Of Diuinitie.
The prime and chiefeſt place of Diuinity is concerning God, Heb. 11.6.Hee that commeth to God, muſt beleeue that God is, and that hee is a rewarder of them which ſeeke him: and this is life eternall, Iohn 17.3.that they know thee the onelyonly very God, and him whom thou haſt ſent IESVS CHRIST.
QVESTION.
HOw may we come to the ſound knowledge of God?
Anſ. The beſt meanes to attaine ſuch knowledge is by the holy Scriptures.Eſay 8.20. Iohn 5.39.
Explication. The knowledge of God is either Naturall or Reuealed: That which is Naturall is either by the notions imprinted in eueryevery mans minde, whereby the conſcience is conuinced; or by the conſideration of the creatures: which naturall knowledge is vnſufficient to ſaluation,Rom. 1.19 20. though ſufficient to leaue vsus without excuſe: The Reuealed Knowledge is that which is attained by the word of God; who, though he dwell in the Light, which none can attaine vntounto,1. Tim. 6.16. yet hath therein reuealed himſelfe ſo farre as he ſaw fit for vsus to vnderſtand: This knowledge, beyond compariſon, is far more excellent then the naturall,1. Cor. 8.1. & is ſufficient to ſaluation in regard of Knowledge, but not in regard of working or effecting it, which onelyonly is by the holy Spirit, making this knowledge effectual; to ſyncere faith, louelove, feare, obedience, &c.
Queſt. What are the holy Scriptures?
Anſ. The holy Scriptures are all thoſe bookes of the old and new Teſtament, by the direction and inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, written, or approued by the Prophets and Apoſtles.
Explic. Theſe are the writings of the Prophets which are contained in the Hebrew Canon of the old Teſtament: Thoſe the writings of the Apoſtles, which are contained in the Greeke Canon of the New. But all thoſe bookes vſually contained in our Bibles, from the end of the ſmall Prophets to the Goſpell of Saint Matthew, together with the prayer of Manaſſes, are called Apocrypha, that is hidden, which though they containe many wholeſome things, and for many ages hauehave béene read in the Church; yet are to be diſtinguiſhed from the other, being neither equall in authority, nor of any more credit, then as they agrée with them.
They are called the Scriptures, that is the Writings, in regard of their ſupereminent excellency, being vntounto all other Writings, as the Sunne vntounto the leſſer Starres: both in regard of their péereleſſe worth, and alſo, becauſe that all other bookes obtaine a degrée of worthineſſe, according as they more or leſſe accord with them: They are called Holy,Rom 1.2. becauſe of the Authour, which is God;2. Tim. 3.16 becauſe of the Pen-men,2. Pet. 1.21. which were holy Men; becauſe of the matter, which is the holy Will and Counſell of God;Act. 20.27. becauſe of the vſe to make vsus holy and perfect in all good workes.2. Tim. 3.17.
It pleaſed God that the heauenly doctrine ſhold he written, both that it might be the better conueied vntounto ſuccéeding poſterities, and alſo that it might bee the ſafer preſerued from corruption, there beeing an infallible ſtandeth for the examining and determining of all doctrines and opinions which ſhould ariſe: If the worſhip of God, and the doctrine of ſaluation hath béene meruailouſly depraued, now it is written; what, think wée, would it hauehave béene, if it neuer had béene written.
Vſe Whoſoeuer then deſires the true and ſound knowledge of God, are to bée admoniſhed to procure themſelues Bibles, and diligently to reade in them, or if they cannot reade, to heare others; that they may fetch euen from the Fountaine it ſelfe the doctrine of ſaluation: and alſo that they may euen diſcerne the bookes wherein the ſame is infallibly contained. For though it be poſſible for a man to bee ſaued (holding the ſumme of the heauenly doctrine) without the diſtinct knowledge of the ſeuerall bookes: yet it is the duety of all Chriſtian men and women, ſo farre as they hauehave meanes, and are capable of it, to endeuour to attaine to the Hiſtoricall knowledge of the Bible, and bookes Canonicall therein contained: Firſt, that they may with all thankfulneſſe, honour the holy Scriptures aboue all other Writings: Secondly, that they may make the beſt profite of the Preaching of the Word, which they cannot doe, who, when Authorities are alleaged, and places quoted, are not able to diſtinguiſh the worth of the authority, as whether it bee Diuine or Humane: Thirdly, for the more certainty of their faith, when they can themſelues find and examine by the holy Scriptures thoſe things which are Preached: In which regard the men of Berea are commended as an example vntounto vsus.Act 17.10.11. For all doctrines of men are to bee examined by the Scriptures, and no further to be credited then they hauehave warrant from the ſame: This condemnes them which are negligent this way, which negligence is (by too well knowne experience) found to bée the cauſe that after long Preaching, many remaine very groſly ignorant.
Q. What doe you meane by this word Teſtament?
Anſ. By Teſtament I vnderſtand the vnchangeable Couenant betweene God and man, Gen. 17.1.2.7.9. Ier. 31.1.31.32.2. Cor. 6.18concerning the mercy of God by Chriſt to man; and mans obedience to God.
Q You ſay that the holy Scriptures, are the Bookes of the Old and New Testament: Are there then two Teſtaments?
Anſ. I beleeue that the Teſtament or Couenant of God, is but one in regard of Subſtance; though in regard of Circumſtance it be ſaid, Gal. 4.24.that there are two.
Expli. The Doctrine of Grace offering to men, in the name of God, ſaluation, and binding man to obedience and thankefulneſſe to God, is called, in regard of the forme of conuention & agréement betwéene God and man, a Couenant, and in regard of the maner of confirming it, a Teſtament; being in many things like a Teſtament: For, firſt, as in a Teſtament or laſt Will, the Teſtators minde is declared; ſo is the will of God in his word: Secondly, as in a Will, ſo héere is a Teſtator, which is Chriſt: a Legacie, which is eternall life: Heires, which are the Elect: an inſtrument and Writing, which are the Scriptures: and Seales, which are the Sacraments: Thirdly and principally, as a Teſtament is in force by the death of the Teſtator; Heb. 9.16.17.ſo the Couenant of God is ratified by the death of Chriſt.
This Couenant is, and hath béene alwaies one and the ſame; to Abraham and the Elect before Chriſt,Rom. 4.23 24. the ſame that it is to vsus, for all are ſaued by Chriſt; they by him to come, wée by him come in the fleſh:Acts 15.11 But becauſe God in his manifold wiſedome, otherwiſe propounded it to the Fathers, otherwiſe to vsus: Euen as a Phyſition adminiſtreth after one manner to a child, after an other to a man growne, for the diuerſitie of their age and temperament: therefore it is ſaid to be double: God bringing them and vsus after a diuers manner to the knowledge of ſaluation by his Sonne Chriſt: For before the comming of Chriſt, the manner of the Couenant, to the Fathers, was darke, burdenſome and coſtly; they being gouerned and tutored by the miniſtery of the Law, a ſeuere Schoole-maiſter, Gal. 3, 24.vnderunder hard conditions, as the yoake of many & diners Ceremonies to be aboliſhed,Heb. 15.10 Gal. 3.10. and the burden of the Curſe: and hence it is called Old: but vntounto vsus all things are after a more plaine, eaſie and frée manner, without the ſame ſtrict exaction of the law of obedience to be performed in our owne perſons:Act. 13.38.39. the grieuous burden of ye Curſe, and the intollerable yoake of Ceremonies being remoued from our neckes by the preaching of the Goſpell: and for this it is called New: Therefore Saint Auguſtine ſaid, that the new Teſtament was hidden in the Old, and the Old manifeſted in the New: Wherefore when you read in the Scriptures, that the old Teſtament was but for a tune,Heb. 8.6.7.8.9.10.11. and to be aboliſhed, &c. and that the new is better, and ſuch like; vnderſtand this oppoſition and abolition, not in the bookes: for the bookes of the old Teſtament are the word of God, which abideth foreuer, nor in the ſubſtance or matter, but in regard of circumſtances afore ſpoken.
Notwithſtanding this, the Law it ſelfe, or Decalogue, which by a figure is ſometimes called the Couenant, muſt be holden to be a diuers kinde of doctrine from the Goſpell, and bringing forth (in reſpect of vsus) contrary effects:2. Cor. 3.7.8.9. and the Goſpell not to bee a new Law, differing from the old, onelyonly by a further degrée of perfection, or by addition of Councels, as the Papiſts teach.
Vſe 1. Remember, that to be in couenant with God, is the fountaine of all thy happineſſe: which Couenant the Law is not: but it is the Copy (as it were) of the Articles & points agréed vponupon betwéene God and thy ſelfe; declaring not why God is thy God, but what he requireth of thée: nor why thou art receiued to grace, but what thou promiſeſt to do. As then when thou ſealeſt to Couenants or Indentures, which are for thy great aduantage, thou laboureſt well to vnderſtand what thou ſealeſt to, and art careful to kéepe conditions on thy part: ſo this requireth that thou ſhouldeſt know the law of thy God, with the particular points thereof; and (if thou expecteſt the aduantage of the couenant) that thou ſhouldeſt preciſely kéepe ye conditions on thy part; which if thou doeſt not, but tranſgreſſeſt, it is as if thou ſhouldeſt deny thine owne hand and ſeale.
Vſe 2. Remember alſo, that the Scriptures are Chriſts Teſtament, wherein thou haſt a rich bequeathment of eternall life. As men neglect not to hauehave the Copies of their fathers wils, wherein the inheritance is giuen them, and aſke counſel, and are very conuerſant in them, that they may vnderſtand eueryevery tittle in them:Iohn. 5.39. Col. 3.16. ſo ſhouldeſt thou be diligently conuerſant in the word of God.
Q. Of what authority are the holy Scriptures?
An. I beleeue that they are of a diuine Authority, whereby we are infallibly certaine of the Doctrine contained in them, Pſal. 119.9 Eſay 8.20. Gal. 6.16. Phil. 3.16. 2. Tim. 3.16. 2 Pet. 1.19and neceſſarily bound to beleeue and obey the ſame. Being therefore called the word of God, and the perfect and onelyonly Canon of our faith and life.
Expl. The Scriptures are two waies taken, eſſentially for the doctrine contained in them; and accidentally for the writings wherein ſuch Doctrine is expreſſed: now in both theſe they are Diuine, but Canonicall properly the firſt way. The whole Scripture is the rule, but not the whole of the Scripture: as in a Carpenters Rule, eueryevery thing that is of the Rule, is not the Rule.
The Scriptures are Diuine and infallible, becauſe God is the Author, who can neither be deceiued, nor deceiue by word, ſigne or writing. They are Canonical,2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Pet. 1.20 21. Eſay 8.20. Rom. 15.4. 1. Tim. 3.14.15. Ioh. 20.31 becauſe written to this end; namely, to be the rule of our Faith and Life. And of this authority they are in themſelues, though all the world ſhould contradict it, or be ignorant of it: As the ſunne was the meaſure of the day & night, before either man or beaſt were made to behold it. That they are diuine, it muſt néeds be,Deut. 5.32. Eze. 20.29 2. Tim. 3.16. becauſe of God the Author: and Canonicall they muſt nées be, becauſe diuine: which two agrée together, as the cauſe and the effect.
Vſe 1. Hence wée learne, that by the Scriptures, as by a ſupreme Iudge, all controuerſies in Religion are to be decided. Euen as all difference and ſtrife about weight, is ended by an euen and iuſt ballance: ſo all diſſention in the faith, is by the vnpartiall beame of the Sanctuary, which is the Scriptures, eaſily & certainly compounded: Yea, we attribute this power onelyonly to the Scriptures: and therefore we muſt exclude all vnwritten Traditions, or Decrées of men, though neuer ſo holy and learned, from being this Rule, or any part thereof. Therefore we are forbidden to adde,Deut. 4.2. Reu. 22.18 19. or take from the written word of God. Beléeueſt thou the Scriptures? They ſay, thou ſhalt not adde to them. And therefore Tertullian ſaith: When we beléeue, wée beléeue this firſt, that there is nothing more which we ought to beléeue.
Vſe 2. This bindeth all to all reuerence in reading,Prou. 1.7. Pſa. 25.14. 1. Pet. 4.11 ſpeaking, hearing of the word, becauſe of the Author, which is God, and to all care to know, vnderſtand, beléeue and obey the ſame, becauſe to this purpoſe it is giuen vsus as a moſt perfect Rule, by God himſelfe.
Q. The holy Scriptures are Diuine and Canonicall in themſelues; Eſay 8.20. Deut. 5.32 Ioh. 5.39. 2. Pet. 1.19 Gal. 6.16. 2. Iohn. 10 Iohn. 7.17 1. Cor. 2.10.11.12. 1. Ioh. 2.27 & 5.10.but how do we know that they be ſo?
Anſ. We know that they are ſo, both by the teſtimony of themſelues: (for ſo the old Teſtament teſtifieth of it ſelfe; the new of the old, and of it ſelfe;) and alſo by the witneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt in our hearts.
Expli. There are two principall arguments of the Diuinity of the Scriptures to vsus:2. Sam. 23 2. Luk. 1.70. 2 Tim. 3.16 2. Pet. 1.21 1. Cor. 2.13 the firſt is their owne voyce, witneſſing that they are of God; as often this is repeated in the Prophets, Thus ſaith the Lord. And this is the chiefeſt Argument, euen the very voice of God himſelfe: of which we may ſafely collect thus: If the Scriptures be true, when they ſpeake of things to come; then alſo when they ſpeake of things preſent. The ſecond argument is like vntounto the firſt, and it is the teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt; which as it inſpired the holy men to write, ſo alſo it teacheth the children of God to beléeue the Scriptures:2. Pet. 1.21 1. Cor. 2.10 for if faith be the gift of God, as it is, then alſo to beléeue the Scriptures to be the word of God. The firſt of theſe is to perſwade others and our ſelues: the other chiefly to ſatiſfie our our ſelues: which alſo is alwaies agréeable to the Scriptures, and is to be examined by the ſame. VntoUnto theſe two you may adde alſo, their miraculous preſeruation, notwithſtanding the rage of all Iulians, and Diuels: the diuine vocation, miſſion and life of the Writers, the Maieſty of the ſtile, the purity of the Doctrine, their power vponupon the conſcience, for the confounding and breaking of the ſtubborne, and for the raiſing, conuerting, and comforting of the broken, and ſuch like.
Vſe. This ſerues to confute ye Papiſts, who hold, that the only & chiefe argument whereby we are perſwaded of ye authority of the Scriptures, is the teſtimony of the Church: we willingly acknowledge, that the Church is a meanes whereby wee come to the knowledge of ye Scriptures; but not that for the which only we beléeue them to be diuine. The Scriptures are a Rule,1. Tim. 3.15. the office of the Church is to keep & to vſe this Rule. Now as the worke-man which vſeth a Rule, giues not that power to it, wherby it iudgeth ye dimenſions, but it hath it of its owne nature, by an inward eſſentiall property as it is a Rule: ſo alſo the Scriptures hauehave not this power of ye Church, though the Church hauehave power & ſkill to vſe the ſame. And therfore our Sauiour when queſtion was whether he were ye Meſſiah or no, reſteth not on ye witneſſe of Iohn, Iohn. 5.36 Ibid. Verſ. 37. Verſe 39.but vponupon greater and better witneſſe, & this witneſſe was, his workes, the witneſſe of his Father, and of the holy Scriptures. So when the Teſſalonians receiued the preaching of Paul as the word of God,1. Theſ. 2.13. it was not the teſtimony of any Church, nor the worthineſſe of Paul, a meane & poore man, but the very force of ye word it ſelfe, which bowed their hearts. The teſtimony of the Church is to be reuerenced, & is good, but not infallible. The teſtimony of the Scriptures themſelues is better, and infallible. The Church is to be proued by the Scriptures, not ye ſcriptures only by ye Church. Yea, the Papiſts to proue the infallibility of the Church, flie to the Scriptures. And vniuerſally,Mat. 16.18 1. Tim. 3.15. the authority prouing, is greater, more certaine, & more knowne then the concluſion proued by the ſame. Yea, if we ſhould belieue the Scriptures onelyonly for the authority of the Church, which is in concluſion the Pope & his Prelates: then firſt, they ſhould be Iudges in their own cauſe, which is vnequall. Secondly, there could be no certainty of Faith or Religion, becauſe the Church hath varied diuerſly in her iudgement of the Canon. Thirdly, why may not the Turkes perſwade themſelues, that their teſtimony of their Alcoran is as ſufficient as ours of the Scriptures. Fourthly, this is to ſubiect the Word of God to the will of Man: yea, God to man: ſo that God ſhall not be beleeued to ſpeake to vsus, nor we beleeue him when he ſpeaks, vnleſſe it pleaſe the Church; that is, the Pope and his Prelates: yea, there ſhal be no more difference betweene God & the Diuel, truth & lying, the ſacred and diuine Scriptures, and the Alcoran of the Turkes, then the Church ſhall thinke fit, which is moſt horrible blaſphemy: The Lord open the eies of our Aduerſaries (the Papiſts) to conſider it.
Q. How do theſe holy Scriptures ſet forth and deſcribe God? or what do you beleeue God to be according to the Scriptures?
Anſ. I beleeue by the Scriptures, that God is a Spirit, being of himſelfe, and giuing being to all things, Infinite, Eternall, Almighty, Knowing all things, &c. Wiſedome, Goodneſſe, Mercy, Truth, Iuſtice it ſelfe, &c. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt: The Creator, and Preſeruer of all things: The Redeemer and Sanctifier of his Church.
Expl. None muſt imagine, that I hauehave ſet downe all that can be ſaid of God, for there are many other particulars in the holy Scriptures; but theſe are the heads: neither can the knowledge of Men & Angels expreſſe fully the amplitude of his eſſence and glory. Though that ſo much as is auaileable for vsus to know, himſelfe hath reuealed in his word: for it is moſt true, that a learned man ſaid:Ramus. God cannot be defined without his owne logicke: This is not a Definition, but a Deſcription, taken out of the Scriptures, conſiſting of thrée parts, firſt of Attributes: ſecondly, of Relations and proprieties of perſons: Thirdly, of Actions and Effects, which are generall, as Creation & Prouidence: ſpeciall, belonging only to his Church, which are principally two, Redemption, and Sanctification. Of theſe I purpoſe (according as God enableth) to enquire in order, according to the Scriptures: and firſt, I will briefly expound the Atributes as they are alleaged.
We beleeue that God is a Spirit.Ioh. 4.24. Now this word Spirit is taken many wayes, but when it is attributed to the Godhead, it is either eſſentially taken, or perſonally: here not perſonally, for ſo it is onelyonly attributed to the third perſon; but eſſentially, and ſo the meaning is, that God is moſt ſimple, without compoſition, merely incorporeall, neither to be perceiued by any bodily ſence,Luk. 24.39 according as you read that Chriſt diſtinguiſheth.
That God is of himſelfe,Exo. 3.14. Rom. 11.36. & giueth being to all things, is proued. And this of all other attributes beſt ſetteth forth what God is, & is moſt peculiar to him, ſignified by the name Iehouah, which principally betokeneth two things: firſt, the Eternity and alwaies being of God: ſecondly, his cauſe of being to all other things, ſpecially his promiſes: and therefore was it that God told Moſes, that he was not knowne to Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob by his name Iehouah, Exod. 6.3.becauſe the promiſe of the Land of Canaan was not performed vntounto them: Hence alſo it is, that vſually in the Prophets, when either ſome ſpeciall mercy is promiſed, or ſome extraordinary iudgement threatned, the name of Iehouah is affixed; which is a name incommunicable vntounto any creature, and ineffable: not in reſpect of the letters (as thought the Iewes) but of that which is thereby ſignified, the Nature and Eſſence of God.
Infinite, is that which can neither be comprehended by any creature, nor contained, nor circumſcribed in any ſpace, or bounds, but being whole and the ſame eueryevery where, filleth Heauen and Earth, not onelyonly with his vertue and operation,1. King. 8.27. Ier. 23.24. but with the greatneſſe of his Eſſence. And thus is God infinite.
Eternall, is that which neither hath beginning nor end of his Being:Pſal. 90.2. and ſuch is God.
Almighty, is that which without any difficulty or labour, onelyonly by his will, can effect and bring to paſſe all things, which hée willeth, or which in his Nature,Gen. 17.1. Pſal. 115.3 Mat. 19.26 or Maieſty, hée can will, and that in an inſtant: And ſo we beléeue of God.
Omniſcience, or to know all things, when wée attribute to God; is meant, that God doth alwaies moſt perfectly vnderſtand, and in a wonderfull manner, vnknowne to vsus, ſée and behold himſelfe, and the whole order and purpoſe of his minde, reuealed in the nature of things, and in his Word: and whatſoeuer agréeth, or diſagréeth there with; and all the works, words, and thoughts of all men, and all creatures, paſt, preſent, and to come,Pſ. 147.5. Rom. 11.33 Heb. 4.13. with all the cauſes and circumſtances of all things: and this is proued.
For the reſt of the Attributes, as Wiſedome, Goodneſſe, Mercy, &c. they néed no Expoſition: OnelyOnly this is to bee remembred, that wée beléeue, not onelyonly, that God is Mercifull, Wiſe, True, &c. but Mercy, Wiſedome, Truth, becauſe they are his Eſſence, and Being; euen eueryevery one of them, being his whole Eſſence. In the Creatures theſe are Accidents, that is Qualities, which may bee changed, loſt, increaſed, or diminiſhed: but not ſo in the Creator, for nothing is Accidentall in him, but Eſſentiall: and therefore by ſuch forme of ſpéech is ſignified that God in alwaies the ſame, like himſelfe; Vnchangeable, either in regard of time, or the malice of the creature: As, in the creature the perſon, which hath life and wiſedome, is one thing, and the wiſedome and life in the creature another thing: but in God they are not diſtinct from his Eſſence, but his Life and Wiſedome are his Eſſence, and cannot bee changed in him as in the creature:Numb. 23.19. Math. 36. Pſal. 102.13. Iam. 1.17. When we ſay then that God is Mercy, wée meane an Eſſence, ſhewing Mercy, and ſo of the reſt: Theſe things are proued.
Vſe 1. That wée remember excéedingly to praiſe God, for his Word, whereby hée hath made himſelfe manifeſt, who otherwiſe could neuer hauehave béene comfortably knowne of vsus:1. Tim. 6.16. Ioh. 1.18. For as wée cannot ſée the Sunne without his owne light: ſo not God, if our Sunne of Righteouſneſſe had not reuealed him. A certaine Heathen Philoſopher, called Simonides, being aſked of Hiero, the King, what God was demanded a daies reſpite, then two daies, afterward thrée: and being aſked why he did ſo; anſwered, that the longer he thought what God ſhould bée, the leſſe he vnderſtood of him: What was the reaſon that ſo wiſe a man was to ſéeke héerein; becauſe hée wanted the word of God to direct and teach him.Plato. And therefore a wiſer then hée ſaid well: It is hard to finde God, but to vnderſtand him vnpoſſible: But now, to vnderſtand ſo much as his pleaſure is wée ſhould know, and is neceſſary to lift, is poſſible, through his infinite goodneſſe by his word: for the which to him be praiſe for euer.
Vſe 2. That wée ſuffer not our minds to roue beyond the rules of the word, but that wée ſtay all our thoughts and canceits of God therein. For the Scriptures muſt be the bounds of our thoughts and ſpéech of God; and withall wée are bound to know what therein is reuealed of him:Deut. 29.29. Gen. 32.29. There is a wonderfull and ſecret Name of God which hée will not hauehave knowne: And there is a wonderfull and excellent Name, which wée muſt know vponupon perill of our beſt liues.Pſal. 79.6. ler. 10.25. Ambroſe. Concerning which point one of the Ancients giueth notable counſell. Thoſe things (ſaith hée) which God will hauehave hidden, ſearch not: thoſe things which hee hath made manifeſt deny not: leaſt in them, thou be vnlawfully curious, in theſe damnably vngratefull.
Vſe 3. God is Almighty, knowing all things, Mercy, Iuſtice, Truth, &c. The knowledge of theſe things auailes not without application: Many can ſay, and proue by Scriptures, that God is Iuſt; but they feare him not; and Mercifull, but féele him not; and True, but glorifie him not: As a ſword in a ſcabberd, or in the hand of a child, ſo is the knowledge of theſe things without application: Therefore wée muſt labor to know theſe things in all wiſedome and vnderſtanding:Col. 1.9. Otherwiſe wee are no better then the deuill, who knowes more Hiſtorically, then all the Diuines in the world: but it is to his greater condemnation: as Salomon ſaith: I hauehave ſeene riches reſerued to the hurt of the owner: Eccl. 5.12.So euen knowledge, without wiſe application and vſe, is hurtfull to them that are endued therewith: Knoweſt thou that God is Juſt? feare him; that Mercifull? louelove him; that preſent eueryevery where, and knowing all things? walke vprightly; Beware of hypocriſy; be afraid of that in ſecret, and in the darke, which thou wouldſt bée aſhamed of atnoone day. Againe: Is God iuſtice, and Truth it ſelfe? then woe to the wicked; for if God be himſelfe, they ſhall ſurely be damned without repentance: Is God Mercy and Truth it ſelfe? then be comforted thou which art penitent: For though a woman ſhould forget the child of her wombe, Eſa. 49.15.yet the Lord will not forget thee: Yea,Eſa. 54.10. the Mountaines ſhall remoue, and the Hils fall downe; but my mercy ſhall not faile, nor my couenant of peace fall away, ſaith Ichouah, who hath compaſſion.
Thus much of Diuine Attributes,Mat. 3.16.17. & 28.19. 1. Ioh. 5.7. Deut. 6.4. Eſay 44.4. 1. Cor. 8.6. Eph. 4.5. 1. Tim. 2.5. now of relation of Perſons.
Q. You ſaid that God is the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt: are there not then three Gods?
Anſ. No: Theſe are three Perſons, ſubſiſting in the Diuine Eſſence: I beleeue there is but one God: Ex. That there is one God & 3 Perſons, is a Myſtery propoūded in ye Scriptures to our faith to beléeue, not to our reaſon to diſpute, and diſcuſſe: Wée know it is ſo, becauſe God hath ſo reuealed, but the reaſon of it, wée are not capable of; and therefore wée muſt bée wiſe vntounto ſobriety, admiring with humble acknowledgement this great Miſtery: Wée may not bée ignorant of it, nor curious in inquiring into that which is not manifeſted: both are very hurtful. This then muſt bée holden, that the God-head, or Eſſence of God is one vndiuided; the Perſons onelyonly diſtinguiſhed, not Eſſentially, for eueryevery one hath the whole Eſſence of the God-head, and is that onelyonly true God; nor onelyonly rationally, but really, and yet, in a manner, incomprehenſible, & vnknown of vsus. The Father is that God, ſo is ye Son, ſo is the Holy Ghoſt; Not thrée Gods, nor thrée Eternals, but One: As Athanaſius excellently in his Créed: Neither aforencr after other: And yet the Father is not the Sonne, nor the Sonne the Father, neither of theſe the Holy Ghoſt, nor the Holy Ghoſt either of them, but really diſtinguiſht one from another in regard of their Perſons: So that the Father is another Perſon from the Sonne, not another thing, or another God, &c. Wée muſt beléue the Eſſence to bée one, the perſons to bée three, neither confounding the Perſons, nor diuiding the Subſtance.
Vſe Bee exceeding carefull rightly to vnderſtand theſe things: For, as Auguſt. wee cannot liue well, vnleſſe wee beleeue well of God: And againe, Errour is no where more dangerous; ſeeking and ſtudy no where more painefull; Finding no where more profitable. If we conceiue amiſſe heere, to whom are our prayers directed? to whom our Worſhip? Not to the true God, but to the frame of our owne braines: When wee pray therefore, ſometimes naming the Father, ſometimes the Sonne, ſometimes the Holy Ghoſt; wee direct our prayers to the Diuine Eſſence, and together to the three Perſons: Becauſe we beleeue and profeſſe, not onelyonly that the three Perſons are the true God, but that eueryevery Perſon is (not a part of that one Diuine Eſſence, but) the whole Diuine Eſſence, that is the onelyonly true God, beſides whom there is no other: They that call vponupon one of the Perſons, as ſeparate from the reſt, erre from the true God, according to that of our Sauiour: The Lord eulighten vsus.Ioh. 5.23.
Q. What meane you by theſe words Eſſence and Perſon?
Anſ. Eſſence is the Nature common to the three Perſons, being the ſame, vndiuided and whole in eueryevery of them, ſubſiſting by it ſelfe: A Perſon is a Subſiſtance in the Diuine Nature, or that one Eſſence; which being referred to the other Perſons, is diſtinguiſhed from them by an incommunicable Property. And this is the ſacred and ſecret myſtery of the Trinity in Vnity, and Vnity in Trinity, for euer to be adored.
Expl. Theſe words, Eſſence, Perſon, as alſo Trinity, Vnity, are not all in the Scriptures, but the things ſignified by them are: which tearmes the Church hath béene driuen by a neceſſity of ſpeaking to finde out, and to vſe; to auoyde the ſnares of Heretickes, who vnderunder the words of the Church in time paſt, hidde their hereticall prauities, and ſo by their likely ſpéech, conueyed their poyſon to ye vnſkilfull. As the Church acknowledged God to be one; ſo the Heretickes: but in a diuers ſence. The Church, one in Eſſence; the Heretickes not ſo: but one in conſent and will, &c. And therefore the Church, out of the common & vſuall maner of ſpeaking, vponupon this neceſſitie; borrowed certaine tearmes to defeat the Heretickes: which tearmes it hath taken, not as though theſe or any other, could fully expreſſe this myſtery, but, that it might not wholy be concealed: of the which an Emperour ſpake well and modeſtly;Gratian to Ambr. We ſpeake of theſe things, not as we ought, but as we can.
Neither doth the Church vſe theſe tearmes Eſſence, Perſon, in their common and vſuall meaning wholly; as namely: The Eſſence of man, is a thing communicable; but it is an vniuerſall Name, which truely exſiſteth not by it ſelfe, but is onelyonly a collection of the minde, and therein conceiued. But Eſſence Diuine as it is communicable, ſo alſo it truely is and ſubſiſteth, and is not an imaginary thing as the former; nor an vniuerſall name, as the Philoſophers ſpeake of the humane Eſſence; but the Diuine nature, ſubſiſting indéede, being common to the thrée Perſons, and whole in eueryevery one. So alſo of the word Perſon. In men, what a perſon is we vnderſtand: as Peter, Iohn and Paul, are 3. perſons, to whom is common one humane nature: So, Father, Sonne, and Holy-ghoſt, are thrée Perſons, to whom is common the Diuine nature; but here is wonderfull difference. Firſt, the Diuine nature common to the thrée Perſons, truly ſubſiſteth, ſo doth not the humane. Secondly, The thrée Diuine Perſons differ not in ſubſtance; but the thrée humane Perſons doe ſubſtantially differ, ſo that one whole, is wholy diſtinct from an other. Thirdly, In the humane Perſons, there is a difference betwéene them, in time: as one yonger then another. In dignity; one more worthy then another: In will; one contradicteth another: In works one laboureth more then another, but there is none of theſe things in the Diuine Perſons: Fourthly, In humane Perſons it followeth not,Iohn 14.10 where one is, that there the other ſhould be; Paul is at Rome, Peter at Antioch: but in the Diuine it is otherwiſe;Iohn 8.29. where one is, there are all, for their common and vndiuided Eſſence. Theſe things are after an vnſpeakeable manner.
Vſe. That as wee reuerently thinke of this wonderfull myſtery, ſo that wee wiſely ſpeake of it, not taking to our ſelues, liberty to vſe new formes of ſpeaking, or to ſwarue from the receiued cuſtome approued by the Church according to the Scriptures: but that as duetifull children wee tie our ſelues to her wholeſome language. For as Saint Hierome ſaid; Hereſie breedeth out of words improperly vttered. And Saint Auguſtines caueat is ſingular, If thou canſt not find what God is, yet take heede to thinke of God that which he is not. This doctrine of the true God, one in Eſſence, three in Perſons, is moſt religiouſly to be learned, kept, profeſſed, maintained, and taught in the Church, both for the glorie of the True God, and alſo to diſtinguiſh vsus from Iewes, Turkes, and Infidells; and for our owne comfort and ſaluation,1. Ioh. 2.23 as it is ſaid: He which denieth the Sonne, hath not the Father. And, He that honoureth not the Son, Iohn 5.28.the ſame honoreth not the Father which hath ſent him. And, No man can ſay that Ieſus is the Lord, 1. Cor. 12.3but by the Holy-ghoſt. Therefore we conclude that the doctrine of the Trinitie ought in ſome meaſure to be knowne and beleeued, and that ſuch faith is neceſſary to ſaluation.
Q. What is the Father?
Anſ. The Father is the firſt Perſon in the Trinity: 1. Iohn 5.7.that onelyonly true God: not begotten nor proceeding, 1. Cor. 8.5.6. Iohn 1.14. Mat. 10.20. Rom. 8.11.but being of none, and from euerlaſting begetting the Sonne; and ſending forth the Holy-ghoſt.
Q. What is the Sonne?
Anſ. The Sonne is the ſecond Perſon in the holy Trinitie, 1. Iohn 5.7 Iere. 23.6. Iohn 1.1. Rom. 9.5. 1. Ioh. 5.20 Prou. 8.22 &c. Iohn 1.14. Galat. 4.6. Rom. 8.9. 1. Pet. 1.1. Iohn 5.7. Acts 5.3, 4. 1. Cor. 3.16 Ex. 4.11, 12 2. Pet. 1.21 Ioh. 15.26. Ioh. 16.15. Ioh. 17.3. Rom. 16.27 1. Tim. 6.16that only true God, not created but begotten from euerlaſting of the Father; with the Father ſending forth the Holy-Ghoſt.
Q. What is the Holy-Ghost?
Anſ. The Holy-Ghoſt is the third Perſon in the holy Trinity, that only true God, compared with, not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding from the Father and the Sonne, compared with.
Expli. The Father is God onelyonly, ſo are the Sonne and Holy-ghoſt, and therefore when you reade in the Scriptures, that the Father is the onelyonly true God, and onelyonly wiſe, and onelyonly hath Iunnortality, and ſuch like; remember to vnderſtand, that it is ſpoken excluſiuely, not in regard of the other Perſons, but in regard of Idoles, and the Creatures. The Father is the firſt perſon, the Sonne the ſecond, the Holy-ghoſt the third: not in time and dignity, but in order: all equall in all attributes and workes, though in regard of vsus, Creation be attributed to the Father, Redemption to the Sonne, and Sanctification to the Holie-ghoſt, without excluding the other perſons: for one & the ſame God doth all theſe things, according to a common ſaying; The workes of the Trinitie out of it ſelfe are vndiuided. So theſe perſons are two wayes diſtinguiſhed, firſt by their common outward operations, which with a common efficacie they worke in, and toward the creatures; ſauing alwayes this order of the perſons, that the Father worketh of himſelfe by the Sonne and the Holy-ghoſt; the Sonne and the Holy-ghoſt, not of themſelues, but by themſelues. Secondly, they are diſtinguiſhed by perſonall proprieties, and inward actions which they hauehave towardes themſelues. The proprietie of the Father to beget, and to be of none. The propriety of the Sonne, to be begotten of the Father. The propriety of the Holy-ghoſt, to proceed from the Father and the Son. Where we muſt obſerue, that wee may not ſay the Godhead begetteth, or is begotten, or proceedeth; but the perſon. The Sonne and the Holy-ghoſt being of themſelues, as they are God: of the Father as perſons: The eſſence of the Son and Holy-ghoſt wanting beginning: their perſons hauing the Father for their beginning from euerlaſting. For the Eſſence of the Deitie is to be diſtinguiſhed from the maner of ſubſiſting in the ſame.
If any ſhall deſire to know what is the meaning of the generation of the Sonne, and proceeding of the Holy-ghoſt, and how they differ: let this ſuffice to the ſober; that by generation and proceeding, is meant a receiuing of an Eſſence from another: yet with two cautions. Firſt, that we conceiue no ſuperiority or inferiority, betweene that which giueth and that which receiueth. Secondly, that we thinke of no priority or poſteriority in time or dignity betweene that which is begotten, and that which proceedeth. And for the diſtinguiſhing of theſe, I know no other Art but this, that the Sonne is begotten and proceeds not, and the Holy-ghoſt proceedes, and is not begotten: For that which is not written, is not to be ſpoken or thought. There is a difference betweene them, but I am not able to vnfold it, faith Saint Auguſtine, becauſe both the generation of the Sonne, and the proceſſion of the Holy-ghoſt are ineffable. And yet the ſame S. Auguſtine goeth thus farre, ſaying, that that which is begotten, proceedeth, but that which proceedeth, is not begotten: The firſt part of which ſpeach, being vnderſtood of the inward workes (as they are called) of the Deity, I dare not auow; becauſe theſe are ſpeciall proprieties of perſons, admitting no ſuch communication. To conclude this whole point, let vsus heare Nazianzene, who being preſſed of one, to ſhew the difference betweene proceeding and being begotten. Doe thou tel me (ſaith Nazianzene) what is Generation, and I will tell thee what is Proceſſion, that we may both runne madde, in ſearching into the vnreuealed ſecrets of God.
Vſe. Wouldſt thou vnderſtand theſe high and reuerend Miſteries? Repent then of thy ſinnes,Wiſd. 1.4. For ſuch wiſedome entreth not into a defiled ſoule, and ſinne blindeth the eyes of ye Seer:Iohn 9.39. Ioh. 12.40 Straggle not out of the bounds of the Word, for that is giuen to be thy Rule.Galat. 6.16. Deſire not to know that which is not reuealed, neither be inquiſitiue after ſuch things,Acts 1.7. for that is dangerous, vanity, and pride. Bring to the ſtudy of this Myſtery, and humble, and a teachable minde:Pſal. 25.9. for ſuch ſhall vnderſtand the ſecrets of God. Captiuate thy reaſon,2. Cor. 10.5. and aduance thy Faith, for héere Reaſon is dazeled with the brightneſſe, which Faith apprehends.Hebt. 11.3. Vſe frequent and feruent prayer, for prayer is the key of heauen, and ſuch receiue the Spirit, which teacheth,Luke 11.13 and leadeth vntounto all truth.Iohn 16.13 Obſerue theſe things, and thou ſhalt vnderſtand and finde the knowledge of God.Prou. 2.5. The Lord giuegive vsus vnderſtanding in all things which it is our duety to know, and without the knowledge whereof wee cannot be ſaued. Amen.
Thus much of the Relations of Perſons, where of the doctrine of the Trinity; now follows the conſideration of the Actions aſcribed to God, and firſt of generall Creation and Prouidence.
Queſt. What is Creation?
Anſ. Creation is a worke proper onelyonly to God, Gen. 1. Iob. 9.8. Pſa. 146.6. Mat. 2.10. 1. Cor. 8.6. 1. Cor. 8.6. Heb. 1.2. Iohn 1.3. Col. 1.16. Heb. 1.2. Gen. 1.2. Pſal. 33.6. Pſ. 104.30. Gen. 1.1. Gen. 1. Ex. 20.11. Prou. 8.24. Rom. 4.17. Heb. 11.3. Gen. 2.1. Ex. 20.11. Col. 1.16. Pro. 16.4. Pſ. 8.6.7.8.vndiuidedly common to the Father, the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghoſt, whereby, in the beginning, and in the ſpace of ſixe daies, God made of nothing, the heauens and earth, and all the Hoſt of them viſible, and inuiſible, to the glory of his Name, and the vſe of Man.
Explication. The worke of Creation is common to the thrée Perſons, as is proued, though aſcribed to the Father in our Créed, as to the Fountaine, and Beginning, Originall, (not Temporall) of the Deity: And this Creation is two-fold. Simple, viz. Aproducing of things out of Nothing, negatiuely taken, or in Reſpect: viz. A producing of things out of matter prae-exiſtent vndiſpoſed. So that theſe words, Of Nothing, ſignifie both order, as if wee ſhould ſay when there was nothing; after, whatſoeuer it was made: and alſo a ſimple denying of the habitude and fitneſſe of the materiall cauſe. If any ſhall ſay, as of old ſome Heathen, that of Nothing, Nothing is made: wee may anſwere thus; It is true, of a Phyſicall, and Naturall generation and working: not true of a Diuine Creation.
Vſe 1. The worke of the Creation, is a manifeſt conuiction of the Athieſt,Rom. 1.20. Act. 14.17. the creatures being liuely, repreſentations, glaſſes, and witneſſes, of the infinite wiſedome and power of God. The greatneſſe of the world ſheweth his power: The forme and beautifull diſpoſition wherein one creature is ſubordinate to another, his Wiſedome: In the vſe his Goodneſſe: In the forme & conſtant order, his Truth is manifeſt. The heauens declare his glory, the firmament ſheweth his handy-worke: So doth the earth alſo, which is full of his Goodneſſe, and the wide ſea, wherein are things créeping innumerable, both ſmall and great beaſts. Conſider (not onelyonly Behemoth but) the ſmalleſt Flye: (not onelyonly the tall Cedars, but) the loweſt Shrub, and ſmalleſt hearhe or flower; yea thine owne body (the Epitome of all) with Dauid, Pſ. 139.14.and thou ſhalt finde, that all theſe with one voyce proclaime, and ſay: It is Hee, Pſa. 100.3.is it Hee, which hath made vsus: Euen as the work argueth the workman; ſo the creatures the Creator. Doſt thou ſay, who ſaw God? Thou Foole: who euer ſaw the winde? yet thou heareſt the noiſe of it, and féeleſt it. So the Inniſible God is manifeſt in his viſible workes; whom acknowledge, leaſt thou féele the ſtormy winde and tempeſt of his wrath.
Vſe 2. Conſider ſeriouſly the worke of the Creation, that thou maiſt learne, both the better to know God, & to celebrate his Goodneſſe, Wiſedom, & Power. There is not the leaſt Fly, but if ye faſhion, nimble actiuity, &c. nor ye moſt contēptible hearb, but if ye colour, ye qualities, &c. might giuegive vsus plentifull occaſion of praiſes to our God the Creator. Verely, the negligence of the moſt part of Chriſtians, is this way moſt apparant & feareful. For God hath ſo made his meruailous workes that they ought to be had in remembrance, which are ſought out of them that louelove them.Pſal. 111.2.4. Yea whereas ye Lord could hauehave made ye world in an inſtant, it pleaſed him to take ſixe daies to finiſh the heauen & the earth, with all ye hoſt of thē, to this end (we may well ſuppoſe) that we ſhould take good notice of the ſame. For this, was ye Saboath ordained, that we might preſerue ye memory of the Creation, & praiſe the Lord: though now a greater worke be added, which is Redemption by the bloud of Ieſus. This hath béen the practiſe of ye Saints,Pſal. 26.7. Pſal. 8. & 104. &c. as may appeare in the example of Dauid. Surely he is vnworthy of his creation and being, which finds nothing in, or out of himſelfe, whereby he may ſtirre vp his dulneſſe to praiſe God. Alaſſe, for the moſt part we conſider in the creatures nothing, but that which ſerues for our backes and bellies; whereas the right vſe conſiſteth not only in ye maintaing of life, but alſo in teaching vsus the inviſible things of God. If a cunning Painter ſhould bring vsus into his ſhop, to behold his curious pictures, beautifully ſet forth with much Art, would he not be offended if we ſhould not vouchſafe them the looking on, nor commend his Art? So perſwade thy ſelfe, whoſoeuer thou art, that readeſt theſe things, that the mighty Creator is offended with thee, when all his workes, euen vnſenſible creatures praiſe him, if thou béeeſt dumbe: how much more when they declare his glory, if thou by thy wickedneſſe bringeſt diſhonour to his name?
Q. The Hiſtory of the Creation is ſet downe in the firſt of Geneſis; but I finde no mention there of the Creation of Angels: what thinke you of that?
Anſ. I verily beleeue, that both good and euill Angels were in thoſe ſixe dayes created of nothing: all good at the firſt; but changeable: Spirituall ſubſtances, of ſingular wiſedome, power & nimbleneſſe; Gen. 2.…1. Col. 1.16. Pſa. 103.20but the very day and time exactly of their creation I know not, neither is it reuealed.
Q. What are the good Angels?
Anſ. They are all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for their ſakes which are heires to ſaluation.Heb. 1.14.
Q. What are the euill Angels?
Anſ. They are ſpirituall ſubſtances, which being created good in the beginning, ſtood not in the truth, Iohn 8.44. Iude 6.but of their own will fell from their happineſſe. Theſe wee call Diuels: but of the number of them that fell, and their ſinne, what certainly it was, and of the exact time of their fall, I profeſſe ignorance.
Expl. The Angels are the moſt noble of all the creatures; of whom many things are curiouſly enquired, of their degrées, language, knowledge, power, number, &c. But this ſhall ſuffice, that we know they were created of ſingular power, knowledge and wiſedome, yet finite: neither knowing all things; no not the heart of man, neither able to doe all things: for theſe are proper to God. We may confeſſe order amongſt them; but it were raſhneſſe to take vponupon vsus to declare it. This is certaine, they which abide in their goodneſſe, hauehave it from the grace of their Creator, néeding Chriſt as a Mediator to conſerue them in their happineſſe, though not to redéeme them. Alſo we are not to be ignorant, that though God néedeth not their miniſtery, yet it pleaſeth him to imploy them for the puniſhment of ſinners; chiefly for the good of his children: And yet not ſo, that eueryevery one hath aſſigned him at his birth, one good, and an other euill Angell, as ſome hauehave without warrant affirmed. And as for euill Angels, beſides that which hath béen ſpoken, we are to remember, that they are, in regard of their ſubſtances, the creatures of God, of whom we may acknowledge one chiefe, becauſe the Scripture ſpeaketh of the Prince of Diuels, and of the Diuell and his Angels. That they are of wonderfull knowledge and power, though limited: And that they are of excéeding malice toward Chriſt, his Goſpell,Iob 1.12 Math. 8.31 and his Church, as eueryevery where is manifeſt in the word, and by daily experience.
Vſe 1. Not to inuocate or worſhip good Angels, for they are creatures:Iudg. 13.16 Math. 4.10 Col. 2.18. Reu. 19.10 & 22.9. yet we deny not, but they ought to be honoured, by thinking reuerently and rightly of them, by louing them, initating them, & praiſing God for honoring vsus ſinfull men with the guard attendance, and miniſtry of his holy Angels.
Vſe 2. That we walke ſoberly, and in the feare of God, becauſe of the Angels, who as they note our behauiour,Luk. 15.10 ſo they reiuice at the conuerſion of ſinners.
Vſe 3. For euill Angels, remember firſt, to hate all ſinne, in aſmuch as the Diuell is an accuſer of vsus,2 Pet. 2.4.9 2. and a deadly enemy of our ſaluation, ſéeking as a roaring Lyon to deuoure vsus, endeauouring by all meanes, as Cyprian ſaith, being loſt himſelfe to make others the children of perdition: to put on the whole Armour of God, and to reſiſt him; and to kéep watch & ward againſt ſo ſubtill, malitious, watchfull, powerfull, and vnwearied enemy: and this with ſo much ye more aſſurance, becauſe the whole power of darkeneſſe is ouercome and vanquiſhed, by our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, to whom be praiſe for euer Amen.
Queſt. Well, you ſay the world was created in ſixe daies, with all that therein is. What did God create the firſt day?
Anſ. In the firſt day were created the Earth, Waters, and the Light.
Explic. Geneſ. 1.2, 3, 4, 5.Theſe thrée God created the firſt day; and that by his word: not a word ſpoken, or ſounding: but by his commaundement, or by his eſſentiall word. The Earth was without forme, and void, that is, not as it is now, dry, ſolide, appearing, fruitfull; diſtinguiſhed by hills, vallies, riuers, &c. The abſence of theſe, is vnderſtoode by thoſe words, without forme and void: Yea, it had not the name of Earth: for that name it had the third day, here ſo called by anticipation. It was not onelyonly empty and void, but drowned, as it were, in a moſt déepe gulfe of waters, and ſwimming in the ſame; being like vntounto a ſlimy or muddie ſubſtance; not appearing, vntill by the power of God it was compacted into a ſolide maſſe, and drawne out of the depth; and receiued the forme of the earth, which was the third day.
And darkeneſſe was vponupon the face of the déepe. Then God ſaid, Let there be Light, and it was ſo, &c. This darkneſſe vnderſtand not a ſubſtance created of God: but a priuatiue quality of the rude maſſe of earth, and water commingled: that is, a defect of light, or rather a méere negation, and nothing. And whereas the Scripture ſaith that God creates darkeneſſe, it is to be vnderſtood, by accident, becauſe he takes away the light.Eſay 42.16 and 45.7. This darkeneſſe was vponupon the face of that watry and muddy body, and beganne with the ſame.
The light ſpoken of, I thinke to be meant, not a thing altogether immateriall, or ſubſiſting without a ſubiect: but a lightſome quality ſparſed ouer the face of the déepe, whereby it was ſo illuſtrated, that it wholy might be diſcerned. The time of this firſt darkeneſſe, and the firſt continuance of the light following, made the firſt naturall day: The darkeneſſe being called Night, and the Light, Day: which Light went and returned by the wonderfull appointment of God, till the fourth day; when the order of day and night was to be diſpoſed by the Sunne.
Vſe 1. Firſt here, as in all other workes of the Creation, (to note it once for all) the wonderfull power, wiſedome, and goodneſſe of God is to be magnified, that of nothing hath made al theſe things.
Vſe 2. Here conſider that of Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 4.6.God that commaunded the light to ſhine out of darkeneſſe, hath ſhined in our hearts, to giuegive the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Ieſus Chriſt. Whereby we may note, that the worke of Grace in our hearts, whereby we know and behold God, in the amiable face of Ieſus Chriſt, is a worke equall to the firſt creation of light: and that, as the earth was without forme and voyd, partely in reſpect of the want of light: So a conſcience wanting the light of Grace, and the illumination of the ſpirit, is moſt miſerable and wretched: And as the light is pretious, & it is comfortable to the eies to behold the Sunne:Eccl. 11.7. So the comfort of comforts is this, when the conſcience ſéeeth, and by faith diſcerneth the countenance of God appeaſed and fauourable in Ieſus Chriſt.
Queſt. What did God create the ſecond day?
Anſ. I beleeue that on the ſecond day, God made the Heauens, and diuided the waters which were vnderunder the firmament, from the waters which are aboue the firmament.Gen. 1.6.7.8.
Expli. God (not of water) but of nothing, made the heauens, with their motion, together with that wonderful ſpace from the fact of the earth to the vtmoſt Heavens, called a ſpreading ouer:Eſay 40.22 & 42.5. Pſal. 104.2. called alſo the Firmament, not as though it were hard or ſolide, but being of a moſt pure matter, becauſe of the conſtant and enduring firmeneſſe of it, by the which it is not worne through the continuall motion, but remaineth ſuch as it was framed of God in the beginning: Which Heauens are by Philoſophers curiouſly diſtinguiſhed: In Scripture we reade of thrée heauens; The loweſt, which is the ayre. The ſecond, which are the Celeſtiall Orbs, or the Aſpectable Heauens. The third, the Heauen of the bleſſed; the Heauen of heauens; Paradiſe, into the which Paul was rapt, and Chriſt aſcended: The Houſe and Throne of God: his ſeate and habitation, not that God dwelleth there, and is contained therein, as in a houſe: but becauſe he ineffably ſhineth there in maieſty and glory, and communicates himſelfe to the bleſſed Angels, and men. Vnderſtand then, that theſe higheſt heauens are called the ſeate of God, by the manifeſting of his glorie: of Angels and men, by the comprehenſion of their natures.
The waters aboue the firmament, are the cloudes ouer our heads, in the middle Region of the Ayre, which God diuided from the waters which couered the face of the earth, that it might be a preparation for the Appearance of the Earth the third day. God diuided theſe waters, not by their Centre, as if one diuide an Apple into two equal parts: but in the middeſt, or betwéene the middeſt of the waters, orbicularly, or round about the whole compaſſe of the ſame, as in a ball of foure couers, if one ſhould take the two outmoſt round about, and ſtretching them to a larger concauity and hollowneſſe, ſhould ſo diuide them. So God did diuide, or make thinne and ſpread abroad the outmoſt halfe of the waters, that part of them ſhould be aboue the firmament: that is, not aboue all the heauens, but aboue that part of it, which is from the face of the earth, and ſea vntounto the cloudes, which is called Heauen, Verſe 20.
Vſe. Let all the Inhabitants of the Earth ſerue God, and feare before him, who is able eueryevery moment to let fall the clouds vponupon vsus, to drowne the world: For if theſe waters which hang ouer our heads, were not by the mighty commandement of God holden vp & ſurely bound in the clouds, they muſt néedes drowne vp all, as in Noahs floud; which cloudes he cauſeth at his pleaſure to powre forth water, eyther for puniſhment or mercy,Iob 36.31. and 37.13. either to iudge the people, or to giuegive meat aboundantly, as Elihu ſaith.
Queſt. What did God create the third day?
Anſ. The third day God gathered the waters vnderunder the firmament into one place, which hee called Sea, and made the Earth to appeare, and dried the ſame, Gene. 1.9, 10, 11, 12, 13and made all kindes of hearbs, and trees vponupon the face of the Earth.
Expli. God purpoſing to create many beaſts, and man alſo, now maketh ready the place where they muſt be, by commannding the waters which ſtill couered the face of the Earth, to gather together into one place,Pſal. 33.7. dilating the poares and paſſ ages of the earth, to receiue the ſame: that the Earth might be vncouered and appeare, and together with the ſea make one round body. Alſo in this commaundement is to be vnderſtood the continuall abiding of the Sea in the place it is, with the ebbing and flowing, and motions of the ſame. Whereas therefore the Philoſophers aſcribe the motion of the Sea, to the motion of the Heauens, or to the Influence of the Moone: though I deny not, but the quantity of the waters mouing, may be ruled by theſe cauſes; yet the motion it ſelfe is onelyonly from the commandement of God,Iob. 38.8.11. Ier. 5.22. Pſal. 114.9 who cauſed the waters to ebbe and flow before the Moone was made.
The waters being thus gathered, and the dry land appearing, the Lord by his commandement clotheth it with all manner of hearbs, flowers, trées, fruits, and ſéeds, not onelyonly to couer the nakedneſſe of it, but alſo to ſerue the vſe of man and beaſts after to be made. The Lord commanded the earth to bring forth theſe hearbs, &c. out of it ſelfe; not as out of the matter, but as out of the originall place of them. Now wheras there be only 3 kinds of plants named: the Budde, the Hearbe, the Trée: yet vnderunder theſe, all whatſoeuer are contained: Yea, it is very agréeable to thinke, that the very hurtfull and poyſonous hearbes were then created, though before the ſin of man they were not hurtfull, neither ſhould hauehave béene: euen as he created venemous beaſts, as the ſerpents, which began to be hurtfull onelyonly after the fall.
Here further we are vnderunder the commandement of God, to vnderſtand, the continuall fructifying of the Earth, by Roote or Séede, or otherwiſe, whereby there is a kinde of Immortality of the kindes of all Hearbes, Plants, and Trées, &c.
Vſe 1. Nothing is more fading, then flowers and hearbes; yet God hath giuen ſuch liuely ſéedes vntounto them, that they come vp againe, and are conſerued in their kinde: Hence note (euen by the direction of the Holy Ghoſt) firſt our Mortality, who flouriſh to day, and to morrow are in ye graue Secondly,Eſay 40.6. Pſal. 90.6. Ioh. 12.24 1. Cor. 15.36. the reſurrection of our bodies: for thus is both the reſurrection of Chriſt, and our reſurrection ſhadowed forth. While life laſteth, be humbled in remembrance of thy mortality: when life paſſeth, be comforred in hope of immortality.
Vſe 2. EueryEvery plant brings forth fruit according to his kind. Conſider this, & be aſhamed: faith, feare, louelove, obedience, patience, ſobriety, &c. are the fruits that thou according to thy kinde ſhouldeſt bring forth, both in regard of thy firſt and ſecond creation.Epheſ. 2 10 What then is Drunkenneſſe, Vncleanneſſe, Blaſphemy, Pride, Couetouſneſſe, &c. what fruits are theſe? Doth the Vine bring forth Thiſtles? No, it is not his kinde: euen ſo thou art contrary to kinde when thou ſinneſt, and bringeſt not forth good fruits,Ioh. 15.8. &c.
Q. What did God create on the fourth day?
Anſ. On the fourth day God created of nothing, the Sunne, the Moone and the Starres; appointing them to theſe ends: Firſt, to ſeparate the day and the night. Secondly, Gen. 1.14.15.16.17.18.19. Pſal. 33.6.to be for ſignes, ſeaſons, dayes and yeares. Thirdly, to enlighten the earth day and night.
Expl. What Ptolomie, and our latter Aſtronomers and Mathematitians obſerue, concerning the motions, aſpects, coniunctions, oppoſitions, influences, bigneſſe and quantity of the Starres both fixed and wandering, is wonderfull: as namely, that the leaſt fixed ſtarre, (which are diſtinguiſhed into ſixe magnitudes) ſhould be eighteene times bigger then the whole compaſſe of ye earth and ſea (whoſe globe is holden to be at the leaſt twenty thouſand miles about) and onelyonly thrée of the Planets to be leſſer, which are the Moone, Venus and Mercury. And of the Sunne (which God created to be the Chariot of light, one of his moſt wonderfull workes) they write that it is of a moſt maruellous (yea almoſt incredible) bigneſſe, not only in regard of his influences and effect, and lights, from whom the reſt of the Starres receiue their chiefeſt; but alſo in regard of his quantity and bigneſſe: namely, that it is about an hundred & three ſcore times bigger then the whole compaſſe of the earth and ſea, though to our ſence it appeare not ſo. Theſe things ye learned know very well, & Saint Ambroſe, a very learned Father,Li. 4. Hexam. cap. 6. by euident reaſon demonſtrateth the generall truth hereof: which I thought good to touch briefly, that all men vnderſtanding of theſe things, might be aſtoniſhed with admiration of his greatneſſe, which hath created them. But concerning the vſes of theſe beautiful creatures, they were ordained,
Firſt, to diuide the day and the night by their riſing and ſetting: the Sunne to rule the day, the Moone and Starres to gouerne the night.
Secondly, they were ordained for ſignes, (I vnderſtand not in regard of their ſcituation, as to make the ſignes in and out of the Zodiaque) but in regard of their vſe, portending and ſignifying many things by the diuine ordinance, which are neceſſary for the life of man. The ſignification of the ſtarres (otherwiſe called Prognoſtication) by their riſing, ſetting, &c. as by cauſes or ſignes, are three-fold: Firſt Naturall, as of the Eclipſes of the Sunne & Moone, Earth-quakes, Winde, Raine, Drought, &c. Secondly Ciuill, as the opportunity of many ciuill actions: as of fit time of Nauigation for Mariners, plowing and ſowing for Huſbandmen, hiring and letting of ground for houſholders, &c. Thirdly Spirituall,Eccleſ. 3. by their naturall and preternaturall affections: as of changes in Common-wealths, Warres, &c. which diuers times are by Ecclipſes, Blazing-ſtarres, &c. foreſhowne: Which though they hauehave, for the moſt part, & cauſe in Nature; yet by the will and appointment of God, doe fore-ſignifie ſuch things, as Fore-runners of the wrath of God, as experience hath obſerued, as the ſignes in the aire which Ioſephus mentioneth, immediately foregoing the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, and the horible ſignes foregoing the generall Iudgement. We acknowledge that the ſtarres hauehave great & ſtrong influences on the inferiour things: not on all; but only on ſuch which by the ordinary courſe of nature moue without deliberation: in which number, and account, are not to be reckoned the mindes and wils of men, & the actions proceeding from theſe beginnings. Therefore that part of Aſtrology concerning the calculations of mens Natiuities, and the Iudgement and Diuination of things to come, which are contingent, as the Nature, Qualities, Fortune, (as they call it) Succeſſe, Marriage, Children, with their Inclinations, kind, and time of death of men & women; we condemne as blaſphemous: The Lord hauing not ordained ye Stars to this vſe,Deut. 18.10.14. Eſay 8.18. Eſay 19.3.12. & 44.25 Ier. 10.2. & 27.9. & 29.8. Eſa. 47.13. as may appeare by diuers Scriptures, where ſuch practiſe is reproued. The deuils themſelues, who paſſe all men in ſuch knowledge, cannot certainely thus foretel, muchleſſe Aſtrologers, & cunning-mē, as they are called. And ſo vnderſtood ye Fathers & profeſſed, & the Imperiall Lawes: Aſtronomy is not, nor Mathematicks cō dēned, but this curious & damnable Aſtrology. The Stars were alſo ordained for times, daies, and yéeres: that is, that by their motion they ſhould bee the meaſure of time: according to whoſe motions time running ſhould bée reckoned and diſtinguiſhed into certaine parts: That one ſhould bée Time Paſt; another, Time Preſent; another time to come: one Time a Yeare, another a Month, another a Wéeke, another a Day, another an Houre, &c. Which wee could neither vnderſtand, nor diſtinguiſh, without the motion of theſe Celeſtiall Bodies: whereby, (as alſo by the two former vſes) appeares moſt ſingularly, the neceſſity of ſuch Motions, but chiefly the wiſedome and goodneſſe of God; who hath not onelyonly giuen to man the knowledge, and faculty of numbring: but alſo hath ſet ſuch markes in the heauens, whereby man ſhould meaſure Time, and the continuance of his life, and of other things; without the which, we ſhould be like vntounto children, which know not their age; or like to them which ſléep, which know not how Time paſſeth, becauſe they number not.
Laſtly, they were ordained to giuegive light to the earth, and to the creatures therein; without the which they could not diuide the day and the night, nor bee for ſignes and ſeaſons, &c.
Vſe 1. Hereby are condemned, not only al ſuch which practiſe Aſtrology, concerning diuining of things to come, and telling of things loſt, as before ſpoken of, but alſo all ſuch which reſort to ſuch for counſell, or help, as by the Scriptures in the expoſition appeareth.
Vſe 2. God appointed the Starres for the diuiding of the day and night: and this appointment ceaſeth not: Hence comfort thy ſelfe thus: If God bee conſtant and true in this, why not then in all his other promiſes? though Reaſon ſéeme to ſée, Sence to féele, and the whole world ſay the contrary, as the Lord himſelfe teſtifieth.Ier. 31.35.36.
Queſt. What did God create on the fifth day?
Anſ. On the fifth day, God created all manner of Fiſhes, and all manner of Birds; euen all creatures that liue, and moue in the Aire, and in the Waters, and appointed the Fiſhes to fill the waters, and the Birds to multiply themſelues on the Earth.Gen. 1.20.21.22.23.
Expl. God on the fifth day, (whereas before there was not ſo much as a Fly) created (not of water, but) of nothing; the Fiſhes and Birds of all ſorts and kind; and alſo appointed this Order, and gaue them this Faculty, that they ſhould bring forth their Like, for the continuance of their ſeuerall kinds, as wée ſée by daily experience: but the Fiſhes in greater aboundance thē ye Fowles; as ye word to the Fiſhes (Fill the water) and to the Birds onelyonly (Multiply yee) doth ſhew.
Vſe. That wée prouoke our ſelues to obedience by the nature of Birds:Ier. 8.7. and by remembring that the Water, a bruite creature, obeyed the voyce of God: how much more ſhould man heare and obey, which is endued with Sence and Reaſon?
Queſt. What did God Create on the ſixth day?
Anſ. On the ſixth day, God created, of Nothing, all Cattell and creeping things, and the beaſts of the earth, according to their Kings: alſo hee made man of the duſt of the earth.Gen. 1.24. to the end.
Expl. Firſt, of the Creation of the beaſts of ye Earth: They are here diſtinguiſhed, into 3. ranks or ſorts. Firſt, Cattell, whereby we vnderſtand all tame Beaſts, and Domeſticall, which are familiar and conuerſant with man: as Horſe, Kine, Shéep, Dogs, Cats, &c. Secondly créeping things, whereby are vnderſtood, thoſe that hauehave no féete, as Serpents; or thoſe which hauehave, but very ſhort, as Wormes, Ants, &c. Thirdly, Beaſts, whereby are vnderſtood all wilde Beaſts: As Lyons, Beares, Tigers, Wolues, Foxes, Hares, and all ſuch which are of wilde Nature. The leaſt of which creatures; either Fiſhes, Fowles, or Beaſts of the earth, is ſo great a worke; that all the world is not able to make the like: no not a Fly, not a Louſe.Ex. 8.18.
Vſe 1. If God abaſe himſelfe to make and preſerue the ſmalleſt liuing creatures, much more wil he prouide for them which feare him.Mat. 6.26.
Vſe 2. The Lord made all things good, and ſo approued of them; but through the ſinne of man, many creatures are become hurtfull, as Toads, Snakes, &c. As one ſaith: They were created Good, Eucherius.but to them that are euill they are become a ſcourge: Learne then by the rebellion of the creatures to thee, and the danger and feare thou art in by them, to bee humbled for thy finne the cauſe thereof.
Queſt. You ſaid that on the ſixth day, God alſo created Man, What thinke you of Mans Creation?
Anſ. I beleeue that on the ſixth day, God made Man, Male and Female, according to his Image and Likeneſſe; The Body of the Man, of the duſt of the earth, and his Soule of nothing; the Body of the woman of the rib of the Man, Gen. 1.26.27. & 2.7.21.22.and her Soule alſo of Nothing.
Expl. It is a great folly, and ouerſight, for a man to take vponupon him to know other things, and to bee ignorant of himſelfe; in whoſe Body and Soule there are ſuch euident marks of Gods wiſedome, power, and goodneſſe; that euen Heathen Philoſophers hauehave called Man: A little World; or a Map of the whole world.
Man conſiſts of a body and a Soule: wée will ſpeake firſt of his Body, noting briefly, only that which thereof is ſaid in ye Text. When God had finiſhed all his other workes, then he made Man: In whoſe Creation, he ſaith not as before, Let there be Man, or Let the earth bring forth Man; but as with Counſell, Let vsus make Man: Hereby noting more cléerely the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, in mans Creation, then in the creation of other things. Concerning Mans body; wée may conſider either the matter, or the Figure of it: The matter was the duſt of the earth: other things were made of nothing; onelyonly Man, and Womans body of matter praeexiſtent; thoough of it ſelfe hauing no diſpoſition to ſuch an effect: as what likeneſſe, hath duſt or red earth, to the fleſh, bloud and bones of mans body? Now for the Figure of it, it is wonderful, as Dauid obſerueth:Pſ. 139.14.15. God not onelyonly giuing the outward ſhape, and beautifull colour of the ſkinne, and outwardly diſtinguiſhing, & compacting in ſingular order and comelineſſe, the parts and lineaments of the body; but framing & giuing within, Bowels, Veines, Arteries, Nerues, Muſkles, and Bones, &c. moſt wonderfully. Now whether Ieſus Chriſt, by whom we beléeue all things were made, did in the ſhape of man (as he often ſo appeared to the Fathers) with his hands, frame and faſhion the body of man, as ſome affirme, I leaue it as vncertaine.
Vſe. Did not God make mans body of nothing? nor of gold, or ſome heauenly and pretious matter, but of duſt? Remember then thy beginning and be humble, in as much as thou, nay Kings, & Quéenes are framed of no better ſtuffe then the duſt and dirt of ye earth; which themſelues, nay euen bruite beaſts tread vnderunder their féete: yea, wée are below the beaſts in this, that they were but brought out of ye earth, as out of their originall place: Man made of the earth, as of a baſe and brittle matter. Why art ye proud of a péece of dirt? & ſo prankeſt vp thy painted ſheath? Let thine owne boſome teach thée humility, for thou art duſt: and let it alſo teach thée thy frailty, that thou muſt die:Gen. 3.19. for to duſt thou ſhalt returne.
Queſt. What is the Soule of man, which you ſpake of?
Anſ. The Soule of man is a Spirituall ſubſtance, Ecc. 12.7. Heb. 12.7. Mat. 10.28. Pſa. 103.2. Zach. 12.1. Gen. 2.7. 1. Cor. 15.45.Immortall; endued with Vnderſtanding, Memory, Conſcience, and Will: Created in the Humane Body, to make the Perſon of Man, and to enable Man to know, and worſhippe his Creator.
Expl. EueryEvery man hath a Soule, the originall whereof is of nothing; and it is the better part of man, without the which, the body is a dead lump of the earth, the Immortality whereof is to be beléeued againſt all Epicures, or elſe all Religion & Piety vaniſheth. Though therefore the body die, yet the Soule exiſteth, being diſſolued from the body, being ſo farre from death, that it neuer falleth a ſléepe,Mat. 10.28 Mat. 22.32.33. Luk. 16.29 Phil. 1.23. &c. which is the image of death. The immortality of the Soule might be made manifeſt by reaſon: but Scriptures to proue it (for I write to Chriſtians.) are
When Moſes ſpeaketh of the creation of the Soule, and the infuſing of it into the body, hee ſaith: God breathed into his face the breath of life: Which muſt not bée vnderſtood, as though God had any mouth to breath, but that God by his omnipotent power made the man to breath, and yet héereby wée may perceiue, that that which was thus created is a Spirit, not drawne out of the matter, but immediatly procéeding, as out of the mouth of God.Pſa. 33.15. Zach. 12.1. Iob. 33.4. Ezech. 12.7. Heb. 12.9. And if any ſhall aſke how our ſoules are now created, and whether wée receiue them as our bodies, from our parents or no? The anſwere is, that we receiue onelyonly our bodies from our parents, our ſoules ſtill immediately from God. God is called the Father of the Spirits of men; becauſe, though hee bée the Authour of their bodies alſo: yet of theſe by meanes; of them immediately. And whereas ſome might thinke that héereby God might bée in danger to be made guilty of the ſinne of man, when hée putteth a ſoule into the body begotten by vnlawfull copulation: It is anſwered, that God is no more héereby guilty, then hée is pertaker of the fault of the Théefe, when hée cauſeth ſtollen corne to grow, as well as that which is truely bought. Theſe things being to bée conſidered not Morally, but Naturally in regard of their Being. And becauſe the guiltineſſe wée receiued from Adam, may ſéeme to approue that our Soules come from Adam alſo: elſe how ſhould they bée guilty? Wée are to vnderſtand, that the ſinne and guiltineſſe is not in the Soule alone, or in the Body alone, but in the whole Man, conſiſting of Body and Soule; ſo the Soule is infuſed of God voide of ſinne: Though euen then, when it is put into the Body, it bée guilty of owing, though not of doing: euen as the debt of the Father is to bée paid by the Heire, and hée lyable thereunto. Thus is the Soule ſubiect to guilt, ſo alſo is it faulty; not as it is created of God, for ſo it is pure; nor as it is reaſonable, but as it is ioyned to the Body, making the perſon of a Man, who hath not the Image of GOD which hee ſhould hauehave, but the corrupt image of Adam, which hée ſhould not hauehave. This Soule is the forme of Man, by the which wee Vnderſtand, Remember, Will, Diſcourſe; by the which wée differ from the beaſts; being wonderfully ioyned to the body: A Spirituall Eſſence to a Bodily, without any thing to hold the ſame, but the onelyonly commandement of God: Being, not in one part of the body in regard of the Eſſence, and in another in regard of the Faculties; but being after a wonderfull manner, wholy in eueryevery part: yea, all the Faculties of the Soule being wholly in eueryevery part, in regard of their originall, though not in regard of their proper ſubiect.
Vſe 1. Thou haſt a Soule, which is endued with Vnderſtanding and Will; the proper obiect of thy Vnderſtanding is Truth; of thy Will, Goodneſſe: If yu béeſt a man, then all thy labour ſhould bée to increaſe in ye knowledge of the Truth: and in the approbation, election, and practiſe of that which is Good.
Vſe. 2. Remember thou haſt an immortall part, which is thy Soule, bée carefull then ſo to adorne it with grace and vertue that thou maiſt liue immortally in ioy and happineſſe, and not in miſery and paine. Many will ſay they hauehave Soules to ſaue, ſo hauehave they Soules giuen them to know God, and to worſhip him according to his Word: But as the moſt part hauehave no care to glorifie God, in and with their Soules: ſo (whatſoeuer they ſay) they ſhew by their liues, they hauehave Soules to bée damned rather then ſaued: For as ſaluation is promiſed to them which beléeue and obey God; ſo to them which do not, is damnation denounced by the word of God.
Queſt. You ſaid that Conſcience is a Faculty of the Soule, declare further what Conſcience is.
Anſ. Conſcience is a Faculty of the Soule, taking notice of all that is in Man, Eccl. 7.24. 1. Cor. 2.11 Rom. 2.15.or that paſſeth through his whole life, and ſo determining thereof, accuſing or excuſing before God.
Ex. All men hauehave Conſcience, which is proper to eueryevery reaſonable creatures: yea, eueryevery ſeuerall man or woman, hath his, or her, owne ſeuerall Conſcience within them; which is a Naturall Faculty, or Created Quality in the Minde, borne with vsus: And whereas wée vſe to ſay, that ſome are men of no Conſcience, or hauehave no Conſcience; the meaning is not, that they hauehave no conſcience at all, but no good Conſcience.
Conſcience is diuerſly diſtinguiſhed: In regard of the light whereby it is informed, it is either a Naturall Conſcience, which hath onelyonly the light of Nature for direction; or it is a Chriſtian Conſcience, and better enlightened (as you may call it) which beſides Nature, hath the Holy Scriptures, more largely and diſtinctly, guiding and directing it.
In regard of this direction: Conſcience is either informed, or diſcerning; or not enformed and blinde: and this according to two degrées thereof, is either a Doubting Conſcience; when, for want of euident light to direct, wée cannot reſolue: or an Erring Conſcience; when a man miſtakes through ignorance, good for euill, or euill for good: or when out of knowne principles and true, we conclude and infer erroniouſly.
Againe, Conſcience is in regard of the quality thereof, either Good, or Bad: the Good Conſcience, is that which is ſprinkled with the bloud of Chriſt, and regenerate: and is according to a two-fold eſtate thereof; either a good quiet Conſcience, when vponupon good grounds wée truely beléeue, and vnfeignedly repent, enioying peace, and confidence, and boldneſſe before God: or a good troubled conſcience; when, though we beléeue and repent, yet through ſome ſin that we hauehave committed, or through our in-bred infidelity, we are troubled and in doubt: and this is called Good; not becauſe it is troubled, but becauſe of the true grace whereby it is renewed, with the which true grace, may and is oftentimes, yea for the moſt part, and that in the beſt men and women, trouble ioyned: as Dauids heart fainting him, and Pauls crying out: O wretched man! Bad conſcience is that which is not renewed: for eueryevery man till he bée in Chriſt, hath a bad conſcience: and this alſo, according to a two-fold eſtate thereof, is either an euill quiet conſcience, whereof there are two degrées: firſt, a ſlumbring conſcience, that ſtirres not but when death comes, or in ſome grieuous affliction:Gen. 42.21 as the brethren of Ioſeph. Secondly, a ſeared conſcience, which hath no more ſence and féeling then a ſtone, no not in death, as may appeare by ye example of Nabal. 1. Sam. 25.37.Or an euill troubled conſcience, which is two-fold: either a large conſcience, that makes no bones of ſmall ſinnes (as they are called) but ſtirres or ſtickes only at monſtrous ſins: as which trembles at murder, but makes nothing of anger, reuiling and reuenging, ſo it be not in bloud. Such is the conſcience alſo, which refraines from bloudy oathes; but as for Faith & Troth, Bread, Drinke, the light that ſhines, &c. neuer féeles or checkes for them: or a narrow conſcience: and this is, when the conſcience féeles not greater ſinnes, and yet is very ſenſible of ſmall things, or trifles: as the Phariſaicall conſcience, making great conſcience of tithing Mint and Annice,Mat. 23.24 but neglecting Mercy, Faith and Iudgement: or as the Popiſh conſcience, ſtreyning at a little fleſh on a Friday, but ſwallowing blaſphemies, whooredomes, and other grieuous ſinnes, without any trouble.