A Golden Chain — William Perkins

A Golden Chain · William Perkins

And thus much for the meaning. Nowe follow the duties whereunto wee are mooued by this doctrine, of Gods omnipotencie.

First, whereas God the father is said to be almightie, we are taught true humiliation:…. P…t. 5.6. Humble your selues vnderunder the mightie hand of God, saith Peter: where he giueth an exhortation to humilitie, and alleadgeth the cause, because God is almightie. To make this more plaine. EueryEvery one of vsus was borne in sinne, & by nature we are most wretched in our selues: now what an one is God? Surely he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will, yea and more then he will, and is able to destroy such as rebell against him eueryevery moment. Therefore our dutie is, to cast downe our selues for our sinnes in his presence. This true humiliation was that which our Sauiour Christ would hauehave brought the younge man in the Gospell vntounto, when hee bade him goe sell all that he had and giuegive to the poore. Therefore whosoeuer thou art, take heed thou must: for if thou runne on in thy wickednesse, and still rebell against God, it is a thousand to one at length he will destroy thee. For he is an almightie God, and able to doe whatsoeuer hee will: his hand is mightie, it boots not a man to striue with him: for hee was neuer yet ouermastered, and for this cause wee must needs …ast down our selues vnderunder his hand. It is a fearefull thing (saith the holy Ghost) to fall into the hands of the liuing God:Heb. 10.32. therefore if wee would e…cape his heauie and terrible displeasure, the best way for vsus is, to abase our selues, and be ashamed to followe our sinnes. Christ biddeth vsus not to feare him that is able to kill the body, and can goe no further: but wee must feare him that is able to cast both bodie and soule into hell fire. Ma…. 10.28.Example of this we hauehave in Dauid, who when he was persecuted by his owne sonne Absolon, he said vntounto the Lord, If he thus say, I hauehave no delight in thee, behold here I am, let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies. 2. Sam. 15.26.But some will say, I will liue a little longer in my sinnes, in lying, pride, Sabbath breaking, in swearing, dicing, gaming, and wantonnesse: for God is mercifull, and in my old age I will repent. Ans. Well, soothe not thy selfe: but marke, vsually when God holds backe his hand for a season, he doth as it were fetch a more mightie blowe, for the greater confusion of a rebellious sinner; therefore humble, submit, and cast downe thy selfe before God, and doe not striue against him: his hand is mightie, and will ouerthrow thee. Though thou hadst all learning, wisdome, might, riches, &c. yet (as Christ said to the younge man) one thing is wanting, that thou shouldest bee humbled; and vntill thou bee humbled, nothing is to bee looked for but Gods iudgement for sinne,

Secondly seeing God is almightie; we must tremble and feare at all his iudgements, we must stand in awe, quake, and quiuer at them, as the poore childe doth, when he seeth his father come with the rod. Example of this we hauehave often in Gods word; as when the sonnes of Aaron offered straunge fire before the Lord, he sent fire from heauen, and burned them vp. And though Aaron was very sorry for his sonnes: yet when Moses told him, that the Lord would be glorified in all that came neere him, then the text saith, Aaron helde his peace. Lev. 10.….So also we read that the Apostles reprooued Peter, for preaching vntounto the Gentiles: but when Peter had expounded the things in order which he had seene, then they held their peace, and glorified God. Act. 11.18.As also Dauid saith: I held my tongue O Lord, because thou didst it. Isaiah saieth,Psal. 19.10. Isai. 50. In hope & silence is true fortitude. If a man be in trouble he must hope for deliuerance, and be quiet and patient at Gods iudgements. But the practise of the world is flat contrarie. For men are so farre from trembling at them, that they vse to pray to god that plagues, curses, and vengeance may light vponupon them, and vponupon their seruants and childrē. Nowe the Lord being a mighty God, often doth answerably bring his iudgements vponupon them. Againe, many caried with impatiencie wish themselues hanged or drowned: which euils they thinke shal neuer befall them: yet at the length God doth in his iustice bring such punishments vponupon them according as they wished. And (which is more) in all ages there hauehave bene some which hauehave scorned and mocked at Gods iudgements. Hereof we had not far hence a most fearefull example. One beeing with his companion in a house drinking on the Lords day, when he was readie to depart thence, there was great lightening and thunder: whereupon his fellow requested him to stay, but the man mocking and iesting at the thunder and lightning, said (as report was) it was nothing but a knaue cooper knocking on his tubbes, Anno 1592. in Cambridge shiere.come what woulde, hee would goe; and so went on his iourney: but before hee came halfe a mile from the house, the same hand of the Lord which before he had mocked, in a crack of thunder stroke him about the girdlestead, that he fell downe starke deade. Which example is worthy our remembrance, to put vsus in mind of Gods heauy wrath against those which scorne his iudgements: for our dutie is to tremble and feare: and it were greatly to be wished, that wee coulde with open eye beholde the terriblenesse and fearefulnesse of Gods iudgements: it would make a man to quake and to leaue off sinne. If a man passe by some high and daungerous place in the night when hee cannot see, hee is not affraide; but if yee bring him backe againe in the day, and let him see what a steepe and dangerous way hee came, hee will not be perswaded to passe the same way againe for any thing: so it is in sinning: for men liuing in ignorance and blindenesse, practise any wickednesse, and doe not care for Gods iudgements: but when God of his goodnesse bringeth them backe, and openeth their eies to see the downfall to the pit of hell, and the iudgements of God due to their sinnes: then (they say) they will neuer sinne as they hauehave done, but become new men, and walke in the way to eternall life.

Thirdly, we are taught by the Apostle Paul, that if wee be to doe any duty to our brethren, as to releeue them, wee must doe it with chearfulnesse: for he laboureth to perswade the Corinthians to cheerefull liberalitie; and the reason of his perswasion is, because God is able to make all grace to abound towardes them. 1. Cor 9.7,8.Where also this dutie is taught vsus, that seeing God is omnipotent, and therefore able to make vsus abound, therefore wee must giuegive cheerefully to our poore brethren which want.

Fourthly, whereas there are many in eueryevery place, which hauehave liued long in their sinnes, euen from their cradle; some in wantonnes, some in drunkennes, some in swearing, some in idlenesse, and such like: out of this place to all such there is a good lesson, namely that eueryevery one of them doe nowe become new men, and repent of all their sinnes, for all their life past. For marke what Paul saith of the Iewes which are cutte off from Christ through vnbeleefe, and hauehave so continued in hardnesse of heart, and desperat malice against him, almost 16. hundreth yeares:Rom. 11.…3. If (saith he) they abide not still in vnbeleefe, they may bee grafted into their oliue againe: and his reason is this, because God is able to graft them in againe. Euen so though wee hauehave liued many yeares in sinne, (and sure it is a daungerous and fearefull case for a man to liue 20.30. or 40. yeares vnderunder the power of the diuell;) yet wee must knowe that if wee will nowe liue a newe life, forsake all our sinnes and turne to God, wee may be receiued to grace, and be made a branch of the true oliue, though we hauehave borne the fruits of the wilde oliue all our life long. But some will obiect, that they hauehave no hope of Gods fauour, because they hauehave beene so grieuous sinners, and continued in them so long. Ans. But knowe it, whosoeuer thou art, God is able to graft thee in; and if thou repent, he will receiue thee to his louelove and fauour. This must be obserued of all, but especially of such as are olde in yeares, and yet remaine ignorant without knowledge; they must turne to the Lord by repentance: otherwise, if they continue still profane and impenitent, they must knowe this, that their damnation comes post hast to meete them, and they to it.

And thus much for the duties. Nowe followe the consolations which Gods Church reape from this, that God the father is omnipotent. First, the wonderfull power of God serueth to strengthen vsus in praier vntounto God; for hee that will pray truely, must onelyonly pray for those things for which he hath warrant in Gods word: all our prayers must bee made in faith, and for a man to praie in faith, it is hard: therefore a speciall meanes to strengthen vsus herein, is the mightie power of God. This was the ground and stay of the leper whom our Sauiour Christ clensed:Mat. …. Lord (saith he) if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane. And in the Lords praier, when our Sauiour Christ hath taught vsus to make sixe petitions; in the end he giueth vsus a reason, or motiue to induce vsus to stand vponupon, and to waite for the benefits before craued, in these wordes: Thine is the kingdome, thine is the power, &c.

Secondly, hence wee learne this comfort, that all the gates of hell shall neuer bee able to preuaile against the least member of Christ. I doe not say they shall neuer be able to assault, or tempt them, for that may be: but they shal neuer ouercome them. How (will some say) may we be resolued of this? I aunswer, By reason of faith: for if a Christian man do beleeue that God the father, and in Christ his father, is almightie, no enemie shall euer be able to preuaile against him.…. Ioh. ….…. So S. Iohn reasoneth: Litle children, ye are of God, & hauehave ouercome them, that is, all false teachers, because greater is he that is in you, that is, Christ Iesus by his holy spirit, who is God, and therefore almightie, then he that is in the world, that is, the spirit of satan: therefore you neede not to feare. So Dauid compareth himselfe to a silly sheepe, and saith: Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death, Psal. 23.that is, as it were in the mouth of the lyon, yet I will feare none euill: why so? because the Lord is with him: thy rodde (saith he) and thy staffe comfort me.

Thus much for the benefits. Now whereas it is said the first person is a Father, as also Almightie: ioyne these two togither, and hence will arise singular benefits and instructions. First, whereas we are taught to confesse, that the first person is a Father Almightie, we and eueryevery man must learne to hauehave experience in himselfe, of the mightie power of this almightie father. Why, will some say, that is nothing, for the deuill and all the damned soules feele the power of the Almightie? True indeede they feele the power of God, namely, as he is an almightie. Iudge condemning them; but they feele not the power of an almightie father: this is the point whereof we must indeauour to hauehave experience in our selues.Eph. 1.19. Paul prayeth that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glorie, would giuegive vntounto the Ephesians the spirit of wisedome, to see what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in them which beleeue, according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ. Which place must be considered: for here the Apostle would hauehave vsus hauehave such a speciall manifestation of Gods power in our selues, like to that which he did once shew forth in Christ. But how did Christ see and finde the power of God as he was man… Answer. Diuers waies: I. On the crosse he died the first death; which is the separation of bodie and soule: and he suffered the sorrowes of the second death. For in his soule he bare the whole wrath of God, and all the pangs of hell, and after was buried and laide in the graue, where death triumphed ouer him for the space of three daies. Nowe in this extremitie God did shewe his power, in that he raised Christ from death to life. And looke as his power was manifested in Christ the head: so must it be manifested in all his members: for eueryevery man hath his graue, which is naturall sinne and corruption, which we drawe from our first parents, and looke as a man lies dead in the graue, and can mooue neither hand nor foote: so eueryevery man by nature lyeth dead in sinne. Now as God did shew his power in raising Christ from death: so eueryevery one must labour to hauehave this knowledge and experience in himselfe of the mightie power of God, in raising him from the graue of sinne to newnesse of life. For thus Paul makes a speciall request, that he might know Christ, and the vertue of his resurrection, Phil. 3.10.that is, that he might feele in himselfe that power whereby Christ was raised from death to life, to raise him also from the bondage of his sinnes to a newe life more and more. Furthermore, when Christ was vponupon the crosse, and all the gates of hell were open against him, then did he vanquish Satan; he bruised the serpents head, and as Paul saith,Col. 2.15. he spoyled principalities and powers, and made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the crosse: he ouercame the deuill and all his angels by the power of his almightie father, and by his owne power as he is God. And euen so must Christian men labour to finde the same power in themselues of this almightie father by which Christ did triumph ouer Satan: that by it they may tread him vnderunder their feete, which men can neuer doe by any power in themselues. Againe, Christ praieth that that cup might passe from him: and yet hee saith:Luk. 22.42. Not my will, but thy will be fulfilled. For it was necessary that Christ should suffer. And this request was heard, not because he was freed from death, but because God his father Almightie gaue him power and strength in his manhood to beare the brunt of his indignation. Nowe looke as this power was effectuall in Christ Iesus the head, to make him able and sufficient to beare the pangs of hell: so the same power of God, is in some measure effectuall in al the members of Christ, to make them both patient, & of sufficient strength to beare any affliction, as Saint Paul saith:Coloss. ….11. beeing strengthened with all might through his glorious power vntounto all patience and long suffering with ioifulnesse. And this is a notable point which eueryevery one ought to learne: that whereas they confesse God to be their Almightie father, they should herewithall labour to feele and hauehave experience in themselues, that hee is almightie in the beginning and continuing of grace vntounto them, and in giuing them power and patience to suffer afflictions.Eph. 1.20,21. Further, Christ Iesus when the worke of our redemption was accomplished, was lifted vp into heauen, and set at the right hand of God in heauenly places, farre aboue all principalities and powers, &c. euen by the power of his father: well, as this power was made manifest in the head: so must it bee in the members thereof. EueryEvery childe of God shall hereafter see and feele in himselfe the same power, to translate him from this vale of misery in this life, to the kingdome of heauen. Wherefore to conclude, we hauehave great cause to bee thankefull and to praise God for this priuiledge, that hee sheweth his power in his childrē in regenerating thē, in making them die vntounto sin, and to stand against the gates of hel, and to suffer afflictions patiently: as also that he translates them from death to life. And eueryevery one should shew his thankefulnesse in labouring to hauehave experience of this power in himselfe, as Paul exhorteth vsus in his Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians: yea, read all his epistles, and we shal find he mentioneth no point so often as this, namely the mighty power of God, manifested first in Christ, and secondly in his members:Phil. 3.10 and he accounteth all things losse that he might knowe Christ, and the vertue of his resurrection. This point is the rather to be marked, because his power in the matter of grace is not to be seene with eye; and fewe there be in respect that hauehave felt the vertue thereof in themselues: for the diuell doth mightily shewe his contrary power in the greatest part of the world, in carrying them to sinne and wickednesse.

Rom. 8.28.Secondly, hence we learne that which Paul teacheth, namely to knowe that all thinges worke togither for the best vntounto them that louelove God. God is almightie, and therefore able to doe whatsoeuer he will: he is also a father, and therefore is willing to doe that which is for our good. But some will say, we are subiect to many crosses, yea to sinne: what? can our sinnes turne to our good? Ans. If God almightie be thy father, he will turne thine afflictions, yea thy sinnes which by nature are euil, beyond all expectation vntounto thy saluation. And thus much God will doe to all such as be obedient vntounto him: yet no man must hereupon presume to sinne.

Thirdly, whereas we beleeue that God is a mightie father, it serues to confirme gods children in the promises of mercy reuealed in his word. The chiefest whereof is, that if men will turne from their sinnes, and beleeue in Christ, they shall not perish but hauehave life euerlasting. I knowe some men will make it an easie thing to beleeue, especially those which neuer knewe what faith meant. But such persons neede no meanes of confirmation of faith: therefore let all those which hauehave tasted of the hardnes of attaining vntounto it, learne howe to establish their wauering hearts in the promises of God, by the consideration of these two points: God is a father, and therefore he is willing: he is also almightie, and therefore he is able to performe his promises. He that will bee truely resolued of Gods promises, must hauehave both these setled in his heart, and build on them as on two foundations.

It followeth, Creatour of heauen & earth] We hauehave spoken of the title of the first person, and of his attributes: nowe we come to speake of his effect, namely the creation: but before we come to it, we are to answer a certaine obiection which may be made. At the first it may seeme strange to some, that the worke of creation is ascribed to the first person in Trinitie the father: whereas in the Scripture it is common to them all three equally. And first that the father is Creatour, it was neuer doubted: as for the second person the Sonne, that hee is Creatour, it is euident: All things are made by it, Ioh. 1.3.that is, by the Sonne, who is the substantiall worde of the father, and without it was made nothing that was made. And againe it is saide, that God by his sonne made the worlde. Heb. 1.2.As for the holy Ghost, the worke of creation is also ascribed vntounto him: and therefore Moses saith,Gen. 1.2. The spirit mooued vponupon the waters: and Iob saieth, His spirit hath garnished the heauens. Howe then is this peculiar to the father, beeing common to all the three persons in trinitie? I answer, The actions of God are twofold: either inward, or outward. The inwarde actions are those, which one person doth exercise towards another: as the father doth beget the sonne, and this is an inward action peculiar to the father: and all inward actions are proper to the persons from whome they are. So the Sonne doth receiue the Godhead by communication from the Father: and the holy Ghost from them both: and these are inward actions peculiar to these persons. So likewise, for the father to send his sonne, it is an inward action proper to the father and cannot be communicated to the holy ghost: and the sonne to bee sent by the father onelyonly is a thing proper to the Sonne, and not common to the father, or to the holy Ghost. Now outward actions are the actions of the persons in the Trinitie to the creatures: as the worke of creation, the worke of preseruation, and of redemption. These and all such actions are common to al the three persons: the father createth, the sonne createth, and the holy Ghost createth: and so we may say of the works of gouernment, and of redemption, and of all outward actions of the persons to the creatures. But some againe may say, howe then can the worke of creation, beeing an outward action of God to the creature, be peculiar to the first person the father? I answere, the work of creatiō is not so proper to the first person the father, as that it cannot also be cōmon to the rest: for all the three persons ioyntly created all things of nothing; only they are distinguished in the maner of creating. For the father is the cause that beginneth the worke, the sonne puts it in execution, the holy ghost is the finisher of it. And againe, the father createth by the … cap. 16. … Colo…s. 1.16. …om. 11.…6.sonne; & by the holy ghost: the sonne createth by the holy ghost, and from the father: the holy ghost createth not by the father, nor by the sonne; but from the father & the sonne. And this is the reason why the worke of creation is ascribed here vntounto the father, because he alone createth after a peculiar manner, namely by the sonne, and by the holy Ghost: but the Sonne and the holy Ghost create not by the father but from him.

Thus hauing answered the obiection, we come to speake of the creation it selfe. In handling whereof, we must withall treat of the Counsell of God, as beeing the cause therof, and of the Gouernment of the creatures, as being a work of God whereby he continunes the creation. And the order which I will obserue, is first to speake of the Counsell of God, and secondly of the exequution of his Counsell, which hath two speciall branches, the first the creation, the second the preseruation or gouernment of things created.

The Counsell of God, is his eternall and vnchangeable decree, whereby he hath ordained all things either past, present, or to come, for his owne glorie. First I call it a decree, because God hath in it sette downe with himselfe and appointed as soueraigne Lord, what shall be, what shall not bee. I adde further, that all things whatsoeuer come vnderunder the compasse of this decree; as Paul saith, He worketh all things according to the counsell of his will. And our Sauiour Christ saith, that a sparrowe cannot fall on the ground without the heauenly father: Eph. 1.11. Math. 10.29.yea further, he tels his disciples, that the very haires of their heades are numbred, ver. 30.meaning that they are knowne and set downe in the counsell of God. And considering that God is King of heauen and earth; and that most wise, yea wisdome it selfe; and most mightie, yea might and power it selfe: it must needes bee that he hath determined how all things shall come to passe in his kingdome, with all their circumstances, time, place, causes, &c. in such particular manner, that the very least thing that may bee, is not left vnappointed and vndisposed.

The counsell of God, hath two properties, eternitie, and vnchaungeablenes. It is eternall, because it was set downe by God from euerlasting before all times, as Paul saith, God hath chosen the Ephesians to saluation before all worldes. Eph. 1.4. 2. Tim. 1.9.And he saith of himselfe, that hee was called according to the purpose of God, which was before all worldes. Againe, the same counsell once set downe, is vnchangeable.Mal. 3.6. Iam. 1.17. God saith, I am Iehouah, and I chaunge not. With God (saith S. Iames) there is no variablenesse, nor shadowe of chaunge. Nowe such as God is, such is his decree or counsell. And beeing vnchangeable, his counsels also are vnchangeable.

Gods counsell hath two parts: his foreknoweledge, and his wil or pleasure. His foreknowledge, whereby he did foresee all thinges which were to come. His will, whereby in a generall manner he wills and ordaines whatsoeuer is to come to passe: and therefore such things as God altogither nilleth, cannot come to passe. Now these two-parts of the counsell of God must be ioyned together, and not seuered. Will without knowledge is impotent, and foreknowledge without will is idle. And therefore such as holde that God doeth barely foresee sundrie things to come, no manner of way either willing or decreeing the issue and euent of them, doe bring in little better then Atheisme. For if we say that any thing comes to passe either against Gods will, or God not knowing of it, or not regarding it, we shall make him either impotent or carelesse, and rase the very foundation of Gods prouidence.

And this decree of God must be conceiued of vsus as the most generall cause of all things subsisting: being first in order hauing all other causes vnderunder it, and most principall, ouerruling all, ouerruled by none.

Thus wee see what is to be held touching Gods counsell: nowe for the better clearing of the trueth, three obiections of some difficultie are to be answered. First may some man say, if God decree and ordaine all things whatsoeuer, then he decreeth and ordaineth sinne: but God decrees not sinne in as much as it is against his will: and therefore he decrees not all things. Ans. Wee vse not to say that God doth simply will or decree sinne, but onelyonly in part, adding withall these caueats: I. That God willeth and decreeth sinne, not properly as it is sin, but as it hath in it sundry regards and respects of goodnes, so farforth as it is a punishment, or chastisement, or triall, or action, oraQuatenus habet rationem entis, non quatenus hab…t rationem de…e…us. hath any existence in nature. II. God can so vse euil instruments, that the work done by them beeing a sinne, shall neuerthelesse in him bee a good worke: because hee knowes howe to vse euill instruments well. If it be further alleadged, that God willeth no wickednesse, Psal. 5.5. we must knowe, that Gods will is two-folde, generall, and speciall. Generall, whereby God willeth and decreeth that a thing shall bee: and by this kinde of will he may be saide to will sinne; and that without sinne. For though he decree it thus, yet doth he not instill wickednesse into the heart of any sinner, and his decree is onelyonly for a most excellent ende. For in regard of God which decreeth, it bBonum est vt f… malum. Aug. …uchir. ad Laur. c. 10….is good that there should be euill. To this purpose Augustine saith excellently, By an vnspeakeable manner it comes to passe, that that which is against Gods will, is not without his will. cVoluntate permi…i…a vul… app oba… tiua non vuit.Nowe the speciall will of God is that whereby he willeth any thing in such manner, that he approoueth it, and delighteth in it. And thus indeede we cannot say without blasphemie, that god willeth sinne. Thus then we see in what manner and how farforth God may be said to decree sinne, that is, to will and appoint the permission of it.

Againe it may be obiected thus. If all things be determined by the vnchangeable decree of God, then all things come to passe by an vnchangeable necessitie: and men in their actions hauehave no freewill at all, or libertie in doing any thing. Answer. This must be learned as a certaine rule, that the necessarie decree of God, doth not abolish the nature of the second causes, and impose necessitie vponupon the will of man, but onelyonly order and incline it without any constraint, to one part. As for example: when a people is gathered togither to heare gods word, there is none of them but they knowe that they come thither by Gods prouidence (& In that respect necessarily) yet before they come, they had all freedome and libertie in themselues to come or not to come: and Gods eternall counsell did not hinder the libertie of our wills, in comming or not comming, nor take away the same: but onelyonly incline and turne them to the choice of one part. An other example hereof we may hauehave in our Sauiour Christ, whose state and condition of bodie, if we regard, he might hauehave liued longer: yet by the eternall counsell of God, he must die at that place, at that time, at that houre where and when he died. Whereby we may see, that Gods counsell doth not hinder the will of man; but only order and dispose it. Which answer being well marked, we shall see these two will stand togither: the necessarie and vnchangeable counsell of God, and the free will of man. And againe, that the same action may be both necessarie and contingent: necessarie in regard of the highest cause, the counsell of God; not necessarie but contingent in respect of the second causes, as among the rest, the will of man.

Thirdly, some will yet obiect against this doctrine, that if all things come to passe according to Gods vnchangeable decree, then what needes the vsing of any meanes? what needs the preaching of the word, and receiuing of the Sacraments? what needes any lawes, Princes, Magistrates, or gouernment? what needes walking in mens ordinarie callings? all is to no ende: for let men play or worke, sleepe, or wake; let them doe what they will: all is one: for Gods eternall counsell must needes come to passe: therefore it may seeme in vaine for men to busie themselues about such things. Answ. But we must know, that as God hath appointed all things to come to passe in his eternall and vnchangeable counsell; so in the same decree, he hath together set downe the meanes and waies whereby he will hauehave the same things brought to passe: for these two must neuer be seuered; the thing to be done, and the meanes whereby it is done. We may read in the Acts in Pauls dangerous voyage towardes Rome, and Angel of the Lord tolde Paul,Act. ….…. that God had giuen him all that sailed with him in the shippe: now the soldiers and marriners hearing this, might reason thus with themselues: Seeing God hath decreed to saue vsus all, we may do what we will, there is no danger, for we shall all come to land aliue: but marke what Paul saith,vers. 31. except these abide in the shippe, ye can not be safe: where we see, that as it was the eternall counsell of God to saue Paul, and all that were with him: so he decreed to saue all by this particular meanes of their aboad in the shippe. King Ezechias was restored to his health,2. King. 20. and receiued from God a promise that he should hauehave 15. yeares added to his daies, and the promise was confirmed by signe: now, what doth he? cast off all meanes? no: but as he was prescribed, so he applieth a bunch of drie figges to his sore, and vseth still his ordinarie diet. Therefore it is grosse ignorance and madnesse in men to reason so against Gods decree; God in his vnchangeable counsell, hath decreed and set downe all things how they shall be; therefore I will vse no meanes, but liue as I list: nay rather we must say the contrarie; because God hath decreed this thing or that to be done: therefore I will vse the meanes which God hath appointed to bring the same to passe.

Now follows the Creation, which is nothing else but a worke of the blessed Trinitie, forming and framing his creatures which were not before, and that of nothing. The points to be knowne concerning the creation are many. The first is, the thing by which God did beginne and finish the creation. And we must vnderstand, that at the first God made all things, without any instrumēt or meanes, and not as men doe which bring to passe their busines by seruants and helps; but onelyonly by his word and commandement: as the Psalmist saith, He commanded, and all things were made. Psal. 148.…. Gen. 13.In the beginning God saide, Let there be light, and there was light: and by the same meanes was the creation of eueryevery creature following. The very power of the word &commandement of God was such, as by it that thing was made and had a beeing, which before was not. It may be demaunded, what word this was by which God is saide to make all things. Answ. The word of God in Scripture is taken three waies: for the substantiall word, for the sounding or written word, for the operatiue or powerfull word. The substantiall word, is the second person begotten of the substance of the father. Now howsoeuer it be true, that God the father did create all things by his word, that is, by his Sonne: yet doth it not seeme to be true that by these words [God said, let there be, this or that] that the Sonne is meant. For that word which God gaue out in the creation was in time, whereas the Sonne is the word of the father before all times: and againe, it is a word common to the three persons equally, whereas the Sonne is the word of the father onelyonly. Furthermore, it is not like that it was any sounding word standing of letters and syllables, and vttered to the creatures after the vsuall manner of men, that was the cause of them:Hebr. 1.3. it remaines therfore that all things were made by the operatiue word, which is nothing but the pleasure, will, and appointment of God, and is more powerfull to bring a thing to passe then all the meanes in the world beside. For Gods willing of any thing is his effecting and doing of it. And this is prooued by Dauid, when he saith, He spake the word, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created. Hence we must take out a speciall lesson, needfull to be learned of eueryevery man. Looke what power God vsed and shewed in making the creatures when they were not, the same power he both can and will shew forth in recreating and redeeming sinnefull men by the pretious blood of Christ.Psal. 51.10. By his word he created mans heart when it was not; and he can and will as easily create in vsus all new hearts, specially when we vse the good meanes appointed for that ende. As, when Christ said to dead Lazarus,Ioh. 11.44… Lazarus come forth, he arose and came forth of his graue, though boūd hand & foot: so when the Lord speaks to our dead hearts by his word and spirit, we shall rise forth of the graues of our sins &corruptions. In the creation of the great world, God saide let there be light, and presently darknes gaue place: and the same he can do to the little world, that is, to man. We are by nature darknes, and let God but speake to our blind vnderstandings, our ignorance shall depart, and we shall be inlightened with the knowledge of the true God and of his will: as Paul saith,1. Cor. 4.6… God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, is he which hath shined in our hearts to giuegive the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ.

Secondly, God made all creatures, without motion, labour, or defatigation: for his very bidding of the worke to be done, was the doing of it. And this thing no creature can doe, but God onelyonly, though vntounto Adam labour was without paine before the fall.

Thirdly, the matter and the first beginning of all creatures was nothing, that is, all things were made, when as there was nothing whereof they might be made, as Paul saith,Rom. 4.17…. God calleth those things which be not, as though they were. And indeede in the first creation, all things must be made either of the essence of God or of nothing: but a creature can not be made of the essence of God, for it hath no parts, it is not diuisible: and therefore God made all things that were made out of himselfe or his owne essence: the conclusion then is, that the framing of the creatures in the beginning, was not of any matter, but of nothing, because before the creation, out of God there was nothing. This must teach vsus to humble our selues. Many there be that stand vponupon their ancestours: but let them here looke whence they came first, namely, as Abraham saith of himselfe, of dust and ashes. And what was this dust and ashes made of? surely of nothing: wherefore eueryevery mans first beginning is of nothing. Well then, such men as are caried away with their pedigree and descent, if they look well into it, they shall finde small cause to boast or bragge. And this consideration of our first beginning must mooue vsus to true humiliation in our selues.

Fourthly, God in framing his creatures, in the beginning made them good; yea very good. Now the goodnes of the creature is nothing else, but the perfect estate of the creature, whereby it was conformable to the will and minde of the Creator allowing and approouing of it when he had made it: for a creature is not first good, and then approoued of God: but because it is approoued of God, therefore it is good. But wherein, will some say, stands this goodnes of the creature? I an…wer, in three things: I. in the comelines, beautie, and glorie of eueryevery worke in his kind both in forme and constitution of the matter. II. In the excellencie of the vertue which God hath giuen to it: for as he hath appointed eueryevery creature for some especiall ende, so he hath fitted and furnished it with sufficient power and vertue for the accomplishing of the same ende. III. In the exceeding benefit and profitablenesse that came by them to man. But since the fall of man this goodnes of the creature is partly corrupted and partly diminished. Therefore when we see any want, defect, or deformitie in any of them, we must hauehave recourse backe againe to the apostasie of our first parents, and remember our fall in them, and say with a sorrowfull heart, this comes to passe by reason of mans most wretched sinne, which hath defiled heauen and earth, and drawne a curse not onelyonly vponupon himselfe, but vponupon the rest of the creatures for his sake, whereby there goodnes is much defaced.

Fifthly, the ende of creation, is the glorie of God, as Salomon saith,Prov. 16.4. God made all things for his owne sake, yea euen the wicked for the day of euill. And God propounds this principall ende to himselfe, not as though he wanted glorie, and would purchase it vntounto himselfe by the creation; for he is most glorious in himselfe, and his honour and praise beeing infinite, can neither be increased nor decreased: but rather that he might communicate and make manifest his glorie to his creatures, and giuegive them occasion to magnifie the same. For the reasonable creatures of God beholding his glorie in the creation, are mooued to testifie and declare the same among men.

The sixth shall be touching the time of the beginning of the world which is betweene fiue thousand and sixe thousand yeares agoe. For Moses hath set downe exactly the computation of time from the making of the world to his owne daies: and the Prophets after him hauehave with like diligence set downe the continuance of the same to the very birth of Christ. But for the exact account of yeares Chronologers are not all of one minde. Some say there be 3929. from the creation to Christs birth, as Beroaldus: some 3952. as Hierome and Bede: some 3960. as Luther and …o. Lucidus: some 3963. as Melancthon in his Chronicle and Functius: some 3970. as Bullinger and Tremellius: some towards 4000. as Buntingus. Now from the birth of Christ to this day are 1592. yeares, and adding these together, the whole time amounteth. And God would hauehave the very time of the beginning of the world to be reuealed, first that it might be knowne to the Church, when the couenant of grace was first giuen by God to man, and when it was afterward renewed, and how Christ came in the fulnesse of time, Gal. 4. secondly that we might know that the world was not made for the eternall and euerliuing God, but for man: thirdly that we might learne not to set our hearts on the world & on the things therein which hauehave beginning and ende, but seeke for things eternall in heauen. And before the time which I hauehave named began, there was nothing beside God, the world it selfe and all things else were vncreated. Some men vse to obiect and say, what did God all that while before the world was? how did he imploy himselfe? what was he idle? Ans. The Iewes to this badde question make as badde an answer. For they say he was continually occupied in making many little worlds, which he continually destroied as he made them, because none pleased him till he made this. But we must rather say, that some things are reuealed which God did then, as that he decreed what should come to passe when the world was:…rov. 8.30. & that then the blessed persons in Trinitie did take eternal delight each in other. If any man will needes know more, let him heare what Moses saith,… …9.22 Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but things reuealed to vsus and to our children for euer: and let them marke what one eluding the question, answered:…. con…e…t. c. 1…. namely, that God was making hell fire to burne all such curious persons as will needes know more of God then he hath reuealed to them: for where God hath not a mouth to speake, there we must not hauehave an eare to heare: therefore our dutie is, to let such curious questions passe.

Seuenthly, some may aske in what space of time did God make the world? I answer, God could hauehave made the world, and all things in it in one moment: but he began and finished the whole worke in sixe distinct daies.Gen. 1. In the first day he made the matter of all things and the light: in the second the heauens; in the third day he brought the sea into his compasse, and made the drie land appeare, and caused it to bring forth hearbs, plants, and trees: in the fourth he made the Sunne, the Moone, and the starres in heauen: in the fifth day he made the fishes of the sea, the foules of the heauen, and eueryevery cree…ing thing: in the sixth day he made the beasts of the field, and all cattell, and in the end of the sixth day he made man. Thus in sixe distinct spaces of time, the Lord did make all things: and that especially for three causes. I. To teach men that they ought to hauehave a distinct and serious consideration of eueryevery creature: for if God made the world in a moment, some might hauehave saide, this worke is so mysticall, that no man can speake of it. But for the preuenting of this cauill, it was his pleasure to make the world and all things therein in sixe daies: and the seuenth day he commanded it to be sanctified by men, that they might distinctly and seriously mediate vponupon eueryevery daies worke of the creation. II. God made the world, and eueryevery thing therein in sixe distinct daies, to teach vsus, what wonderfull power and libertie he had ouer all his creatures: for he made the light when there was neither Sunne nor Moone, nor starres: to shew, that in giuing light to the world, he is not bound to the Sunne, to any creature, or to any meanes: for the light was made the first day: but the sunne, the moone, and the starres were not created before the fourth day. Againe, trees and plants were created the third day: but yet the sunne, moone, and the starres, and raine which nourish and make hearbs, trees, and plants to grow were not created till after the third day: which shewes plainely, that God can make trees, plants, and hearbs to grow without the means of raine, and without the vertue and operation of the Sunne, the Moone, and the starres. III. He made the world in sixe distinct daies, and framed all things in this order, to teach vsus his wonderfull prouidence ouer all his creatures: for before man was created he prouided for him a dwelling place, and all things necessarie for his perpetuall preseruation, and perfect happines and felicitie. So also he created beasts and cattell: but not before he had made hearbs, plants, and grasse, and all meanes whereby they are preserued. And if God had this care ouer man when as yet he was not: much more will God hauehave care ouer him now when he is, and hath a beeing in nature.

And thus much concerning the points of doctrine touching the creation. The duties follow. And first by the worke of creation we may discerne the true Iehouah from all false gods and idols in the world. This Esaiah maketh plaine, bringing in the Lord reasoning thus: I am God, and there is none other God besides me. How is that prooued? thus: I forme the light, and create darkenesse, I make peace, and create euill: I the Lord doe all these things. Esa. 45.6,7.If a man aske thee how thou knowest the true God from all false gods: thou must answer, by the worke of creation: for he alone is the maker of heauen and earth, and all things in them. This propertie can not agree to any creature, to any man, Saint, or Angel: nay, not to all men and all Angels they can not giuegive beeing to a creature which before was nothing. Secondly, whereas God the father is Creator of all things, and hath giuen vntounto man reason, vnderstanding, and abilitie, more then to other creatures, we are taught to consider and meditate of the worke of Gods creation. This the wise man teacheth vsus, saying, Consider the worke of God. Eccles. 7.15.And indeede it is a speciall dutie of eueryevery man which professeth himselfe to be a member of Gods Church, as he acknowledgeth God to be the Creatour, so to looke vponupon his workemanship and viewe and consider all creatures. A skilfull workeman can hauehave no greater disgrace, then when he hath done some famous thing, to hauehave his friend passe by his worke, and not so much as looke vponupon it. If it be demaunded for what ende must we looke vponupon the worke of Gods creation? I answer, that in it we may see and discerne Gods power, wisdome, louelove, merciemercy, and prouidence, and all his attributes, and in all things his glorie. This is a most necessarie dutie to be learned of eueryevery man: we thinke nothing too much or too good to bestowe on vaine shewes, and plaies, idle sports and pastimes, which are the vanities of men, and we doe most willingly behold them: in the meane season vtterly neglecting and contemning the glorious worke of Gods creation. Well, the Lord God hath appointed his Sabbath to be sanctified not onelyonly by the publike ministerie of the word, and by priuate praier, but also by an especiall consideration and meditation of Gods creatures: and therefore the dutie of eueryevery man is this, distinctly and seriously to view and consider the creatures of God; and thereby take occasion to glorifie his name, by ascribing vntounto him the wisdome, glorie, power, and omnipotencie that is due vntounto him and appeares in the same.

Thirdly, we must giuegive God glorie in all his creatures, because he is the creator of them all. So in the Reuelation the foure and twentie Elders fall downe before him, and say,Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthie, O Lord, to receiue glorie and honour, and power: giuing this reason, for thou hast created all things, and for thy wills sake they are and hauehave beene created. Read the Psalmes 147. and 148. both which tende to this effect, that God must be praised, because he is the Creator of all things, to whome all glorie is due. We know, that when men behold any curious worke of a cunning and skilfull craftesman, straightway they will leaue the worke, and inquire after him that made it, that they may praise his skill. The same is our dutie in this case, when we come abroad, and behold eueryevery where in all the creatures the admirable and vnspeakable wisedome, goodnesse, and power of God, then we must make hast from the creature, and goe forward to the Creatour, to praise and glorifie him: and herein must we shew our selues to differ from bruit beasts, in that by the vse and viewe of Gods creatures, we doe returne due glorie, praise, and honour vntounto the Creatour.

Our fourth dutie is set downe by the Prophet Amos, who moouing the people to meete God by repentance, addeth a reason taken from the creation: He that fourmeth the mountaines and createth the winds, which declareth vntounto man what is his thought, which maketh the morning darkenesse, &c. the Lord God of hosts is his name. Amos 4.13.The meaning of the Prophet is this: God is a terrible iudge, and we are as traytors & rebels against him: therfore the best way that we can take is this: he is comming to iudgement, let vsus therefore meete him and fal downe before him, and humble our selues vnderunder his mightie hand. And the holy Ghost by the Prophet would mooue the people to meete God by serious repentance, by a reason framed thus: If God who is their iudge, be able to create the winds, and to forme the mountaines, and to make the morning darknes: then he is also able to make an eternall iudgement for their confusion. And therfore all such as be impenitent sinners, let thē prepare thēselues to turne vntounto him: & surely if men had grace to lay this to their hearts; they would not liue so long in their sinnes without repentance as they doe: nay rather, they would prepare thēselues to meete him in the way before he come to iudgement, because he is a Creator, and therefore able to bring infinite punishments vponupon them at his pleasure, and to bring them to nothing as he made them of nothing. And let them know it, whosoeuer they be that go forward in their sinns, that God the creator whensoeuer he will, can open hell to deuoure them: and that he can shew himselfe as mightie in his iudgement to mens destruction, as he was mightie in the beginning in giuing vsus a beeing when we were nothing. Wherefore notable is the practise of Dauid, who inures himselfe to the feare of God by the consideration of his creation, saying, I am fearefully and wonderfully made, &c.Psal. 139.14.

Lastly, those which hauehave beene impenitent sinners through all their life past, must not onelyonly learne to repent for their sinnes; but also endeauour to performe obedience vntounto Gods word. God is a creator, and the thing created should in all respects be conformable to his will: for Dauid saith,Psal. 119.73. Thine hands hauehave fashioned me, and framed me, giuegive me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy commandements. And good reason: for there is no man of any trade, but he would faine hauehave all that he maketh and deuiseth to be vsed: but yet so as the vse thereof must be conformable to the will of the maker. For this cause Moses that faithful seruāt of God saith, that the people of Israel dealt wrongfully with the Lord: why? for he hath created them, and proportioned them, he is their father and be bought them: yet they hauehave dishonoured him by corrupting thē selues towards him by their vice. All creatures in heauen and in earth doe the will of the Creator, except man, and the deuill and his angels: for the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres, they keepe that course which God hath appointed them: but man though he be bound to doe the will of God, because God is his Creator, yet he rebells against him. The potter if in tempering his clay, he can not make and frame it according to his minde, at length he will dash it in pieces: so God, he createth man, not that he should doe his owne will, but Gods will: and therefore the Lord in his wrath will confound him eternally who soeuer he be that followeth the lusts of his owne wicked heart, and will not be brought to be conformable to Gods will, but goes on his rebellion without stay. For this cause it stands eueryevery man in hand to yeelde himselfe pliable vntounto Gods will, & to indeauour to obey it by keeping a good conscience before God and all men, and by walking faithfully in his calling, least the ende be confusion. If a man hauehave a trade and other men come into his shoppe, and vse such tooles and instruments as be there to wrong ends, he will in no wise brooke it, but take the abuse in great displeasure: now the world is as it were an opened shoppe in which God hath set forth vntounto vsus his glorie and maiestie: and the creatures of all kinds be instruments appointed for excellent vses, and specially man for the accomplishment of his will. And therefore when he rebells against the will of God, and by sinne puts the creatures to wrong ends, he can not but most grieuously offend God.

And thus much of the duties. Now in the third place follow the consolations vntounto Gods Church and people. First as S. Peter saith,…. Pet. 4.19. God is a creator, yea a faithfull creator. The properties of a faithfull creator are two: I. He will preserue his creature: no man is so tender ouer any worke as he that made it, for he cannot abide to see it any way abused. God therefore beeing a faithfull creator, tenderly loues all his creatures. So Iob reasoneth with God, that he will not cast him off,Iob 10.3. because he is the worke of his handes. II. God will beare with his creature, to see whether it will be brought to any good ende and vse before he will destroy it. And to vse the former comparison: the potter will turne and worke the clay eueryevery way to make a vessell vntounto his minde; but if it frame no way, then will he cast it away and dash it against the wall. And so God who created man, still preserueth him, and vseth all meanes to make him conformable to his wil, before he cast him off. The Lord did long striue with men in the old world, to turne them from their wickednesse: but when nothing would serue them, it is said, It repented the Lord that he made man on the earth. Gen. 6.3.6.And in like manner, if wee which are the creatures of God, shall rebell against this our creator, it may be, he will beare with vsus for a time: but if we continue therein, and do not turne to him by repentance, he will bring vponupon vsus a finall destruction both in bodie and soule. Yet I say, before he doe this, his manner is to trie all meanes to preserue vsus, and turne vsus vntounto him: and afterward if nothing will serue, then will he shewe forth his power in mens confusion: and therefore it standes vsus in hand to looke vntounto it betime.

Secondly, looke what power the Lord did manifest in the creation of all things, the same power he both can and will make manifest in the redemption of mankinde. In the beginning God made all things by his word; and so likewise he is able still to make by the power of his word, of a wicked man that is dead in sinne, a true and liuely member of Christ: which the Prophet Esay signifieth when he saith,Esay 45. 42.…. The Lord that created the heauens and spread them abroad, he that stretcheth forth the earth and the bodie thereof, &c. I the Lord hauehave called thee in righteousnesse. This must not incourage euil men in their wickednes, but it serueth to comfort the people of God, considering that the same God which once created them, is also as able to saue them: and will shew himselfe as mightie in their redemption, as he was in their creation of nothing.

And thus much of the creation in generall. Nowe it followeth that wee come to the handling of the parts thereof. For it is not said barely that God is a Creator; but particularly that he is a creatour of heauen and earth: of both which wee will speake in order: and first of the creation of heauen.

Heauen] in Gods worde signifieth all that is aboue the earth: for the ayre wherein we breath is called heauen. And according to this acceptation of the word, there are three heauens, as Paul saith, He was taken vp into the third heauen. 2. Cor. 1….2.The first of these heauens is that space, which is from the earth vpwarde vntounto the firmament, where the starrs are. Thus the birds which flie in the aire betweene the earth and the starres, are called the foules of the heauen: and when God sent the flood to drowne the olde world, Moses saith,Gen. 7.11… the windows of heauen were opened: meaning, that God powred downe raine from the cloudes aboundantly, for the making of a flood to drowne the world. The second heauen is that which containeth the Sunne, the Moone, and the starres: so Moses saith, that God in the beginning created the Sunne, the Moone, and the starrs, and placed them in the firmament of heauen. Gen. 5.14.Besides these two heauens, there is a third which is inuisible: and yet it is the worke of Gods handes: and it is that glorious place where Christ euen in his manhoode sitteth at the right hand of the father: and whither the soules of the faithfull departed are carried, and placed: and in which at the ende of the world shall all the elect both in body and soule, hauehave perfect ioy and blisse in the glorious sight and presence of God for euer. But for the better conceiuing the trueth, wee are to skanne and consider diligently three questions. First, whether this third heauen be a creature; for many hauehave thought it was neuer created, but was eternall with God himselfe: but it is a grosse errour contrarie to Gods word. For the Scripture saith,Heb. 11.10. Abraham looked for a cittie (meaning the heauenly Ierusalem, this third heauen) hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God. Further if it be eternall, it must either be? Creator or a creature: but it is no creator, for then it should be God: and therefore it must needs be a creature. But some will say, the Lord is eternall, and this third heauen hath alwaies beene the place of the Lordes aboade, and therefore it is also eternall. Answer. True it is indeede that God doth shewe his glorie and maiestie in the third heauen: but yet that cannot possibly containe his Godhead, as Salomon saith, Beholde the heauens, and the heauens of heauens are not able to containe thee. 1. King. 8.27.Wherefore though God doth manifest his eternall glorie in this third heauen, yet doth it not followe that therefore this place should bee eternall: for hee needes no habitation to dwell in: hee is eueryevery where filling all things with his presence, excluded from no place. The second question is, where this third heauen is? A…were. There are some protestants say, it is eueryevery where: and they holde this opinion to maintaine the reall presence of the Lordes bodie in or about the Sacrament. But if it were eueryevery where, then hell should be in heauen, which no man will say: but heauen indeede is aboue these visible heauens which wee see with our eies: so the Apostle saith,Eph. …7.10. Christ ascended on high farre aboue all heauens, &c. And againe it is said of Steuen, that beeing full of the holy Ghost, Hee looked vp steadfastly into the heauens, and sawe them open, and the sonne of man standing at the right hand of God. Acts. 7.55.56.Thirdly it may bee demaunded, why God created this third heauen? Answer. God made it for this cause, that there might bee a certaine place wherein he might make manifest his glorie and maiestie to his elect angels and men; for the which cause it was created a thousand fold more glorious then the two former heauens are,Luk. 23. and in this respect it is called Paradise, by reason of the ioy and pleasure arising from Gods glorious presence. And our Sauiour Christ calleth it the house of God his father;Ioh. 14.2. because into it must be gathered all gods children. It is called the kingdome of heauen, because God is the king thereof and ruleth there in perfect glorie. True it is, God hath his kingdome here on earth: but he ruleth not so fully and gloriouslie here, as he …hall in heauen: for this is the kingdome of grace, but that is the kingdome of his glorie, where he so raigneth, that he will be all in all, first in Christ, & then in the elect both angels and men.

Nowe followe the duties whereunto we are mooued principally in consideration of the making of the third heauen. First, if God created it especially for the manifestion of his glory vntounto men, that at the ende of this worlde, by the fruition of Gods most glorious presence, there they might hauehave perfect ioy and felicitie: we hauehave occasion here to consider the wonderfull madnesse and forgetfulnesse that raigneth eueryevery where among men, which onelyonly hauehave regard to the estate of this life, and cast all their care on this worlde, and neuer so much as once dreame of the ioyfull and blessed estate which is prepared for Gods children in the highest heauen. If a man hauing two houses… one but a homely cottage, and the other a princely pallace, should leaue the better and take all the care and paines for the dressing vp of the first, would not eueryevery man say, he were a madde man? yes vndoubtedly. And yet this is the spirituall madnesse that takes place eueryevery where among men: for God hath prepared for vsus two houses, one is this our bodie which we beare about vsus, which is an house of clay, as Iob saith,Iob. 4.19. We dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is dust, which shalbe destroyed before the moth: & as Peter saith, a tabernacle or tent, 2. Pet. 1.14.which we must shortly take downe; and wherein we abide but as pilgrimes and straungers. 1. Pet. 2.10.Againe, the same God of his wonderfull goodnesse hath prouided for vsus a second house in the third heauen, wherein wee must not abide for a time and so depart: but for euermore enioy the blessed felicitie of his glorious presence. For all this marke a spirituall phrensie possessing the mindes of men; for they imploy all their care and industrie for the maintaining of this house of clay, whose foundation is but dust: but for the blessed estate of the second house, which is prepared for them in the kingdom of heauen, they hauehave little regard or care. They will both runne and ride from place to place day and night, both by sea and land: but for what? Is it for the preparing of a mansion place in the heauenly Ierusalem? Nothing lesse, for they will scarse goe forth of the doore to vse any meanes whereby they may come vntounto it: but all their studie is to patch vp the ruines and breaches of their earthly cabbine. Now let all men iudge in their owne consciences, whether as I hauehave said, this be not more then senselesse madnesse? Againe, the bodie is but a tabernacle wherein we must rest as it were for a night, as a straunger doth in an Inne, and so away: but the second house is eternall in the heauens, an euerlasting seate of all felicitie and happinesse. And therefore our dutie is aboue al things,Mat. 6.33. to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse, as Christ himselfe biddeth vsus. And if the Lord hauehave there prepared such a place for vsus, thē we must in this world vse all good meanes, whereby we may be made worthie the fruition of it; and also fitte and readie at the day of death to enter into it: which at the day of iudgement we shall fully possesse both in soule and bodie, and there raigne eternally in all happinesse with God Almightie our creatour, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost. But some may say, how shall a man so prepare himselfe, that hee may bee fitte for that place? Answere. This the holy Ghost teacheth vsus: for speaking of this heauenly Ierusalem, he saith,Revel. 22. There shall enter into it none vncleane thing, neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination or lies. The meanes then to make our selues fitte is, to seeke to bee reconciled to God in Christ for our sinnes past, and withall to endeauour to hauehave an assurance of the free remission and pardon of them all in the blood of Christ. And as touching that part of life which is to come, we must remember what Saint Iohn saith,1. Ioh. 3.3. EueryEvery one that hath this hope purifieth himselfe, meaning, that he which hath hope to raigne with Christ in heauen, vseth the meanes whereby he may purifie and keepe himselfe from sinne, as also he saith after,1. Ioh. 5.18. that he which is borne of God keepeth himselfe, and the wicked one toucheth him not. Signifying, that all such persons as are truely iustified and sanctified, carrie such a narrowe and straite watch ouer the whole course of their liues and conuersations that the deuill can neuer giuegive them deadly woundes, and wholly ouercome them. Nowe the man that i… resolued in his conscience of the pardon of his sinne for the time past, and hath a steadfast purpose in his heart to keepe himselfe vpright, &continually to walke in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of his life: this man, I say, is prepared and made fit to enter into the heauenly Ierusalem: come death when it will, he is readie. And howesoeuer he must not looke for heauen here vponupon earth, yet he is as it were in the suburbes of this heauenly cittie: and at the end of this life, the king thereof, the Lord Iesus will open the gates, and receiue him into his kingdome, for he is alreadie entred into the kingdome of grace. To conclude this point, let eueryevery man in the feare of god, be mooued hereby to set his heart to prepare himselfe; that when God shall call him hence, he may be fitte to enter into that glorie. Secondly, seeing God hath prepared the third heauen for vsus, it teacheth eueryevery man in this worlde to be content with the estate wherein God hath placed him, whether it bee high or lowe, rich or poore: why so? because here he is but a pilgrime, and liues in a cottage of clay, and in a tent wherein he must abide but a while, as a pilgrime doth, oftentimes carrying his house about with him; and we shall in better sort accept the afflictions which God sendes vsus in this life; if we remember that there is prepared for vsus a place of ioy, which must bee our resting place and perfect felicitie for euermore. This was the practise of the chidren of God, especially of Abraham: for when the Lord called him out of his own country, he obeyed, and by faith abode in the promised land, as in a straunge countrie, as one that dwelt in tents with Isaac and Iaakob, heires with him in the same promise: and the reason followeth,Heb. 11.9,10. for he looked for a cittie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God. They beleeued that these things which the Lord promised, were shaddowes of better things: and hereon staied themselues, beeing well content with that estate whereto God had called them. So Paul was cōtented to beare the afflictions which God had laid vponupon him, and his reason was,2. Cor. 4. end. Because (saith he) we looke not on things which are seene, but on things which are not seene: for the things which are seene are temporall, but the things which are not seene are eternall. And in the next chapter:… vers. 1.2. We knowe (saith he) that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed, we hauehave a dwelling giuen vsus of God, that is, an house not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. And for this cause his desire was rather to remooue out of this body, and to be with the Lord.

And thus much concerning heauen. Nowe followeth the second part of Gods creation in these wordes.

And earth] Earth signifieth the huge masse or body standing of sea and land, on which we liue, and all things that be in or vponupon the earth whatsoeuer: as Paul saith,Col. 1.16. For by him were created all things that are in heauen or in earth, &c. In other Creeds which were made since this of the Apostles, beeing expositiōs of that; there is added, maker of all things visible and invisible. Here we hauehave occasion to speake of all creatures, but that were infinite: therefore I will make choice of these two, good Angels and Men.

I. That Angels had a beginning it is no question: for Paul saith, that by God all things were created in heauen and earth,Col. 1.16. things visible and inuisible, whether thrones, principalities, or powers. And in respect of the creation, angels are called the sonnes of God. Iob. 33…7.But the time & day of their creatiō cannot be set down further thē this, that they were created in the cōpasse of the sixe daies. For Moses saith, Thus, namely in the compasse of the first sixe daies, the heauens and the earth were fashioned, and all the h…ast of them: that is, all varietie of creatures in heauen and earth seruing for the beauty and glory thereof: whereof no doubt the Angels are the principall.

II. Touching the nature of Angels, some hauehave thought that they are nothing but qualities and motions in the mindes of men, as the Sadduces and the Libertines of this time: but the truth is, that they are spirits, that is, spirituall and inuisible substances created by God, and really subsisting: for the Scripture ascribes vntounto them such kinde of actions which can not be performed by the creatures, saue onelyonly such as be substances: as to stande before the throne of God, to behold the face of the Father, to carie mens soules to heauen, &c. yet must we not imagine that they are bodily substances consisting of flesh and bone. And though they tooke vponupon them visible shapes and formes, and did eate and drinke in the companie of men, and thereupon are called Men in Scripture:Luk. 24.4. yet they did this by diuine dispensation for a time, that they might the better performe the actions and businesses among men, to which they were by God appointed. And the bodies of men which they assumed, were no parts of their natures vnited to them, as our bodies are to vsus; but rather they were as garments are to vsus, which they might put off and on at their pleasure. If any shall aske, whence they had these bodies, the answer is, that either they were created of nothing by the power of God, or framed of some other matter subsisting before. If againe it be asked what became of these bodies when they laid them downe, because they vsed them but for a time, the answer may be, that if they were made of nothing, they were againe resolued into nothing: if made of other creatures, that then they were resolued into the same bodies of which they were first made; though indeede we can define nothing certenly in this point.

III. Angels are reasonable creatures of excellent knowledge and vnderstanding, farre surpassing all men saue Christ. Their knowledge is threefold: naturall, reuealed, experimentall. Naturall, which they receiued from God in the creation. Reuealed, which God makes manifest to them in processe of time, whereas before they knew it not. Thus God reuealed to Gabriel the mysterie of the 70. weekes, Dan. 8, and 9. And in the Apocalyps many things are reuealed to the Angels that they might reueale thē to vsus. Experimentall knowledge, is that which they get by obseruing the dealings of God in the whole world, but specially in the Church. And thus Paul saith,Eph. 3 10. that to principalities and powers in heauenly places is knowne the manifolde wisedome of God by the Church.

IV. And as the knowledge, so also the power of the good Angels is exceeding great.Psal. 103.20. They are able to doe more then all men can. Therefore Paul calls them mightie Angels, 2. Thess. 1.7. Yea their power is farre superiour to the power of the wicked angels,Aug. de Trin. lib. 3. cap. 3. who since the fall are vnderunder them and can not preuaile against them.

V. The place of the aboad of Angels, is the highest heauen, vnlesse they be sent thence by the Lord, to doe some thing appointed by him. This our Sa…iour Christ teacheth when he saith, that the angels of litle ones doe alreadie behold the face of their father in heauen. And the wicked angels before their fall were placed in heauen, because they were cast thence.

VI. That there be certaine distinctions and diuersities of angels, it is very likely, because they are called thrones, and principalities, and powers, Ch…rubim and Seraphim. Col. 1.16.But what be the distinct degrees and orders of Angels, and whether they are to be distinguished by their natures, gifts, or offices, no man by scripture can determine.

VII. The ministerie of angels to which the Lord hath set them apart is threefold, and it respecteth either God himselfe, or his church, or his enemies. The ministerie which they performe to God, it first of al, to adore, praise, and glorifie him continually. Thus the Cherubims in Esaies vision crie one to another,Isa. 6.2. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts: the world is full of his glory. And when they were to publish the birth of the Messias, they begin on this maner, Glory to God in the highest heauens, peace on earth. Luk. 1.14.And Iohn in his vision heard the angels about the throne, crying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lambe, &c. to receiue power, riches, and strength, wisdome, and honour, and glory, and praise. Apoc. 5.11.And indeede the highest ende of the ministerie of Angels is the manifestatiō of the glory of God. The second, is to stand in Gods presence, euermore readie to doe his commandements, as Dauid saith, Praise the Lord, yee his Angels that excell in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his word. And here is a good lesson for vsus.…sal. 10….…0. Wee pray daily, that we may doe the will of God as the Angels in heauen doe it: let vsus therefore be followers of the holy Angels in praising God and in doing his commandements as they doe.

Heb. 1.14.The ministerie of Angels concerning the Church, standes in this, that they are ministering sprits for the good of them which shall be heires of saluation. The good is threefold; in this life, in the ende of this life, and in the last iudgemēt: again, the good which they procure to the people of god in this life, is either in respect of body or soule. In respect of the body, in that they doe most carefully performe al maner of duties which do necessarily tend to preserue the temporall life of Gods children, euen from the beginning of their daies to the ende. Dauid saith,Psal. 54.8. Gen 16.7. that they pitch their tents about them that feare the Lord. When Agar was cast forth of Abrahams family, and wandered in the wildernesse, an angell comes vntounto her and giues her counsell to returne to her mistresse and humble her selfe. When Elias fled from Iesabel, he was both comforted, directed, and fed by an angel.1. King. 19. 2 King. 1. And an angel bidds the same Elia… be of good courage and without feare to goe to King Achazias & reproou… him.Gen. 19. Angels bring Lot and his family out of Sodom and Gomorrha, before they burne the citties with fire and brimstone. When Iacob feared his brother Esau, hee sawe angels comming vntounto him: and he plainely acknowledgeth that they were sent to be his protectours & his guides in his iourney.Gen. …2.1,…. Abraham beeing perswaded of the assistance of Gods angels in al his waies, said to his seruant,Gen. 24.7. The Lord God of heauen, who tooke me from my fathers house, &c. will send his angels before thee. The wise men that came to see Christ are admonished by angels to returne another way:Mat. 2.12,13. …od. 14.19. & 23.20. Dan. 3. & 6. and Ioseph by the directiō of an angel fled into Egypt, that he might preserue Christ from the hands of the cruel tyrant. The tents of the Israelites was garded by angels. The three children are deliuered from the fierie furnace: and Daniel out of the Lyons denne by angels. When Christ was in heauinesse they ministred vntounto him and comforted him:Mat. 4.11. Act. 12. and they brought Peter out of prison and set him at libertie.

Againe, the angels procure good vntounto the soules of the godly, in that they are maintainers and furtherers of the true worshippe of God, and of all good meanes, whereby we attaine to saluation. The lawe was deliuered in Mount Sina by angels:Act. 7. and a great part of the Reuelation of Iohn. They expound to Daniel the seuenty weekes They instruct the Apostles touching the returne of Christ to the last iudgement.Apoc. 5.2. An angel forbids Iohn to worship him,Apoc 19.2… but to worship God the creatour of heauen and earth. They fetch the Apostles out of prison,Act. 5.20 and bidde them teach in the temple. An angel bringes Philip to the Eunuch that he may expound the Scriptures to him. Lastly, they reueale the misteries and the will of God: as to Abraham that he should not kill his sonne Isaac,Luk. 1. to Mary and Elizabeth the natiuity of Iohn Baptist, & of Christ our Sauiour, and all this they doe according vntounto the will of God, Gal. 1.8. Beside all this,Luk. 15.7.10. angels reioice at the conuersion of sinners by the ministerie of the Gospel. And for the Churches sake, they protect not only particular men, but euen whole nations and kingdomes.

The ministerie of Angels in the end of this life, is to carrie the soules of the godly into Abrahams bosome as they did the soule of Lazarus.Luk. 16. Mat. 25.31. And in the day of iudgement to gather all the Elect that they may come before Christ, and enter into eternall fruition of glory both in body and soule.

The third and the last part of the ministerie of Angels, concernes Gods enemies; and it is to execute iudgements on all wicked persons and impenitent sinners.Exod. 1…. Ios. 5. Thus all the first borne of Egypt are slaine by an angell. When Iosua was about to sacke Ierico, an angel appeared vntounto him as a captaine, with a drawne sword to fight for Israel. When the hoste of Zenacherib came against Israel,2. King. 19.15. the angel of the Lord in one night slue an hundred eightie & fiue thousand. Because Herod gaue not glorie vntounto God, the angell of the Lord smote him so as he was eaten vp of lyce and died.

And thus we see what points we are to marke touching the good Angels. Now followeth the vse which we are to make in regard of their creation. First whereas they are Gods ministers to inflict punishments vponupon the wicked, here is a speciall point to be learned of vsus; that eueryevery man in the feare of God take heede howe he liueth and continueth in his sinnes, for the case is dangerous considering that God hath armies of Angels, which stande readie euerie where to execute Gods heauie iudgements vponupon them that liue thus. When the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord, Moses saith, they were naked, that is, open to al the iudgements of god; euē destitute of the guard of his good angels. Wretched Balaā that wizzard went to Balaac to curse the children of Israel: and as he went it is said, the Angel of the Lord stood in his way with a drawn sword: & if the asse had not bin wiser thē his master, the angel had slaine him. Wherby it appeares, that whē we rush on into the practise of any sin, we do as much as in vsus lieth to cause god to send down his iudgements vponupon vsus for our sinnes, and that by the ministerie of his angels. Secondly, we are taught another lesson by Christ himselfe: See (saith he) that you despise not one of these little ones:Matth 18.10. nowe marke his reason: for I say vntounto you, that in heauen their angels do alwaies behold the face of my father. By little ones he meaneth young infants which are within the couenant; or others which are like to young infants in simplicitie and innocency of life and humility. And Christ will not hauehave them to be despised. A duty very needfull to bee stood vponupon in these times. For nowe a daies if a man carrie but a shewe of humilitie, of good conscience… and of the feare of God, hee is accounted but a silly fellowe, hee is hated, mocked, and despised on eueryevery hand. But this should not be so. For him whome God honoureth with the protection of his good angels, why should any mortall man despise? And it stands mockers and scorners in hand to take heede whome they mocke. For though men for their parts put vp many abuses and iniuries, yet their angels may take iust reuenge by smiting them with plagues and punishments for their offences.

Thirdly, seeing angles are about vsus, and serue for the good of men, we must do whatsoeuer we do in reuerent and seemely maner, as Paul giues counsel to the Philippians, Brethren, saith he,Phil. 4.8. whatsoeuer things are true, whatsoeuer things are honest, iust, pure, & pertaine to louelove, of good report: if there be any vertue, if there be any praise, thinke on these things: many men doe all their affaires orderly for auoiding shame, but wee must doe the same vponupon a further ground, namely because Gods holy angels waite on vsus. And considering that men hauehave care to behaue themselues well when they are before men: what a shame is it for a man to behaue himselfe vnseemely either in open or in secret, he then beeing before the glorious angels. Paul saith,1. Cor. 11.10. that the woman ought to hauehave power on her head, because of the angels, that is, not onelyonly the ministers of the Church, but gods heauenly angels, which daily waite vponupon his children, and guard them in all their waies.

Fourthly, this must teach vsus modestie, and humility: for the angels of God are very notable and excellent creatures; and therefore they are called in the Psalmes Elohim, Psal. 8.5.gods: yet how excellent soeuer they be, they abase themselues to become guardians and keepers vntounto sinnefull men. Nowe if the Angels doe so abase themselues; then much more ought eueryevery man to abase and humble himselfe in modestie… and humilitie before God; and whatsoeuer our calling is, we must not be puffed vp but be content. This is a necessarie dutie for all, but especially for those which are in the schooles of the Prophets; whatsoeuer their gifts or birth be, they must not thinke themselues too good for the calling of the ministerie. And if god hauehave called vsus thereunto, we must be content to become seruants vntounto all in the matter of saluation: though the men whom we teach be neuer so base or simple; for no man doth so farre excell the basest person in the world, as the glorious Angels of God doe exceed the most excellent man that is; therefore seeing they vouchsafe to become seruants vntounto vsus, we must not thinke our selues too good to serue our poore brethren.

And thus much of the duties. Nowe followe the consolations that arise from this, that God hath giuen his glorious angels to serue for the protection and safegard of his church and people. If mens spirituall eies were open, they should see the deuil and his angels, and all the wicked of this world to fight against them: & if there were no means of comfort in this case, then our estate were most miserable. But marke; as Gods seruant hath all these wicked ones to bee his enimies: so he hath garrisons of angels that pitch their tents about him and defend him from them all. So Dauid saith,Psal. 91. He shall giuegive his Angels charge ouer thee, & they shall keepe thee in all thy waies, that thou dash not thy foote against a stone: where the angels of God are compared to nources, which carry little children in their armes, feed them, and are alwaies readie at hand, to saue them from fals and many other dangers. When the king of Syria sent his horses &chariots to take Elisha the Lords prophet, because he reuealed his counsell to the king of Israel: his seruant sawe them round about Dothan where he was, and he cried, Alas, master, vvhat shall wee doe? then Elisha answered, Feare not: for they that be with vsus, are more then they that be with them:2. King. 16 17. & he besought the Lord to open his seruants eyes, that he might see: and the Lord opened his eies, and he looked and beholde, the mountaines were full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. So likewise not many yeres agoe, our land was preserued from the inuasion of the Spaniards, whose huge Nauy lay vponupon our sea coasts; but how were we deliuered from them? surely by no strēgth nor power, nor cunning of man; but it was the Lord, no doubt, by his Angels that did keepe our coasts, and did scatter our enemies, and drowne them. Let enemies rage, and let them doe what they will, if a man keepe himselfe in the waies which God prescribeth, hee hath Gods Angels to guide and preserue him: which thing must mooue men to louelove and embrace the true religion, and to conforme themselues in all good conscience to the rule of Gods worde. For when a man doeth not so, all the Angels of God are his enemies, and at all times readie to execute Gods vengeance vponupon him: but when men carrie themselues as dutifull children to God, they hauehave this prerogatiue that Gods holy Angels doe watch about them, and defend them day and night from the power of their enemies, euen in common calamities and miseries. Before God sendes his iudgementes on Ierusalem,Ezech. 9.4. an angell is sent to marke them in the foreheades that mourne for the abominations of the people.Exod. 12.23. with 1. Cor. 5. 7. And this priuiledge none can hauehave but he whose heart is sprinckled with the bloode of Christ, and that man shall hauehave it vntounto the ende.

And thus much of the creation of Angels. Now it followes to speake of the creation of Man: wherein we must consider two things: I. the points of doctrine: II. the vses. For the points of doctrine. First, Man was created and framed hy the hand of God, and made after the image of God: for Moses bringes in the Lord speaking thus,Gen. 1.26. Let vsus make man in our image, &c. in the image of God created he them, which also must be vnderstood of Angels. The image of God, is nothing els but a conformitie of man vntounto God, whereby man is holy as God is holy: for Paul saith,Eph. 2.24… Put on the newe man which after God, that is, in Gods image, is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse. Nowe I reason thus: wherein the renuing of the image of God in man doth stand, therein was it at the first: but the renuing of Gods image in man doth stand in righteousnesse and holinesse: therefore Gods image wherein man was created at the beginning, was a conformitie to God in righteousnes and holines. Now whether Gods image doth further consist in the substance of mans bodie and soule, or in the faculties of both, the Scripture speaketh nothing. This Image of God hath two principall parts: I. wisdome: II. holinesse. Concerning wisdome Paul saith,Colos. 3.10. Put ye on the new man which is created in knowledge, after the image of him which created him. This wisdome consisteth in three points: I. in that he knew God his creator perfectly: for Adam in his innocencie knewe God so farre forth as it was conuenient for a creature to know his creatour. II. He knewe Gods will so farre forth as it was conuenient for him, to shewe his obedience thereunto. III. He knewe the wisdome and will of his creatour touching the particular creatures: for after Adam was created, the Lord brought eueryevery creature vntounto him, presenting them vntounto him as beeing lord and king ouer them, that he might giuegive names vntounto them. Whereby it appeares that Adam in his innocencie did know the nature of all creatures, and the wisdome of God in creating them, else he could not hauehave giuen them fitte names: and when God brought Eue vntounto Adam, he knew her at the first, and said,Ge…. 2.23. This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, shee shall be called woman, &c. The second part of Gods image in man, is holines and righteousnes; which is nothing els but a conformity of the wil & affections, and of the whole disposition of man both in bodie & soule, to the will of God his creator. Yet we must remember that Adam in his innocencie had a changeable will, so as he could either will good or euill: he was created with such libertie of will, as that he could indifferently will either. And we must not thinke that the will of the creature was made vnchangeably good: for that is peculiar to the will of God, and hereby is the Creatour distinguished from the creature.

And here two things offer themselues to be considered. The first, why the man is called the image of God, 1. Co…. 11.7.and not the woman. Ans. He is so called, not because holinesse and righteousnesse is peculiar to him which is common to both: but because God hath placed more outward excellencie and dignitie in the person of a man then of a woman. The second, how Christ should be called the image of God. Ans. Col. ….16.He is so called for two speciall causes. First, because he is of the same substance with the father; and therefore is his most absolute image, and as the author of the Hebrewes saith,Heb. 1.3. the brightnesse of his glorie and the ingraued forme of his person. Secondly, because God beeing inuisible doth manifest himselfe in Christ; in whome as in a glasse we may behold the wisdome, goodnes, the iustice and merciemercy of God.

The second point to be considered in the creation of man is the dignitie of his person: for Dauid saith,… 8.5. Thou hast made man little inferiour to the Angels, and crowned him with glorie, and worship. This dignitie stands in foure points. I. A blessed communion with the true God: for Paul speaking of the Gentiles which were not called,Eph. 4.…3. saith they were straungers from the life of God. Where by the contrarie we may gather, that our first parents in their innocencie liued the life of God, which is nothing else but to lead such a life here on earth, as that the creature shall hauehave a blessed and immediate fellowship with God, which stands in this, that before the fall of man, God reuealed himselfe in a speciall manner vntounto him, so as his very bodie and soule was a temple and dwelling place of the Creatour. This fellowship betweene God and man in his innocencie, was made manifest in the familiar conference which God vouchsafed to man: but since the fall, this communion is lost: for man can not abide the presence of God. And therfore when Peter had fished all night, and caught nothing, our Sauiour bad him cast downe his net to make a draught,…uk. 5.8. who did so; but when he saw the great multitude of fishes that were taken, at this sight beholding but as it were some sparkes of the glorious maiestie of God in Christ, he fell downe at his feete, saying, Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinner. The second point wherein mans dignitie consisteth, is, that man was made lord and king ouer all creatures, as Dauid saith,Psal. 8.6. Thou hast made him to hauehave dominion in the workes of thy handes: and therefore God hauing created him in his image, biddeth him rule ouer the fishes of the sea, ouer the fowles of the heauen, and ouer eueryevery beast that mooueth vponupon the earth: Gen. 1.2….& afterward he brought them all to him, as to a soueraigne lord and king to be named by him: and answerably eueryevery creature in his kind gaue reuerence and subiection vntounto man before his fall, as vntounto their lord and king. Where by the way we must remē ber, that when we see any creature that is hurtfull and noysome vntounto man, and would rather deuoure then obey him; it must put vsus in minde of our sinne: for by creation we were made lords and kings ouer all creatures, and they durst not but reuerence and obey vsus: but the rebellion of man vntounto God is the cause of the rebellion of the creatures vntounto vsus. The third part of mans dignitie by creation is, that before his fall he had a wonderfull beautie and maiestie aboue all creatures in his bodie: whereupon Dauid saith, the Lord hath crowned him with glorie and worship. Psal. 8.And in the renuing of the couenant with Noe, God saith,Psal. 9.2. that the dread and feare of man shall be vponupon all creatures: which nowe though it be but small, yet doth it plainely shewe what was the glorie and maiestie of mans person at the first. The fourth dignitie of mans estate in innocencie is, that his labour was without paine or wearinesse: if he had neuer fallen he should hauehave laboured in the garden; but so as he should neuer hauehave beene wearied therewith. For when Adam was fallen, God said, In the s…eate of thy face, shalt thou eate thy bread: now if the paine in labour come after as a curse vponupon man for his transgression, then before his fall man felt no paine in his affaires. And in these foure things consisteth mans dignitie which he had in the creation.

Now in the third followeth mans calling before his fall: which is twofold: I. particular: II. generall. Mans particular calling was to come into the garden of Eden, to keepe it, and to dresse the trees and fruits thereof. This shewes vntounto vsus a good lesson, that eueryevery man must hauehave a particular calling wherein he ought to walke: and therefore such as spende their time idlely in gaming and vaine delights, hauehave much to answer to God at the day of iudgement. This will not excuse a man to say thē, that he had land & liuing to maintaine himselfe, and therefore was to liue as he list, for euen Adam in his innocencie had all things at his will, & wanted nothing; yet euen then God imploied him in a calling: therfore none must be exempted, eueryevery man both high & low must walke in his proper calling. Adās general calling, was to worship his Creatour, to which he was bound by the right of creation, considering the morall law was written in his heart by nature. Which is signified in the Decalogue; where the Lord requires worship and obedience of his people, because he is Iehouah, Exod. 10.2.that is, one which hath beeing in himselfe, and giues beeing to all men by creation. For the better vnderstanding of this point, we are to consider three things. I. The place where Adam did worshippe. II. The time. III. The sacraments. For the first, God euer since the beginning had a place where he would be worshipped, and it is called Gods house, which then was the garden of Eden.Gen. 28.17. For it was vntounto Adam a place appointed by God for his worship, as Church-assemblies are vntounto vsus: where also the Lord at some time did in a speciall manner shew himselfe vntounto his creature. Touching the time of Gods worship, it was the seuenth day from the beginning of the creation, the Sabbath day. And here we must note, that the keeping of the Sabbath is morall. Some indeede doe pleade that it is but a ceremonie; yet falsly: for it was ordained before the fall of man, at which time Ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place. Nay marke further: Adam in his innocencie was not clogged with sinne as we are; and yet then he had a set Sabbath to worship God his creatour: and therefore much more neede hath eueryevery one of vsus of a sabbath day, wherein we may seuer our selues from the workes of our callings, and the workes of sinne, to the worship of God in the exercise of religion, and godly meditation of our creation. This point must be learned of vsus, for when no occasion is offered of busines, then men will formally seeme to keepe the sabbath: but if there come occasion of breaking the sabbath, as traffike, gaming, and vaine shewes, then Sabbath farewell, men will hauehave their pleasures, let them worship God that will. But let vsus remember in the feare of God, that whosoeuer continueth in the breach of this law beeing moral, God will no lesse powre forth his punishments vponupon them, then for the breach of any other commaundement: the consideration whereof, must mooue eueryevery man to a reuerent sanctifying of the Lords day.

Now for Adams sacraments they were two: the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and euill: these did serue to exercise Adam in obedience vntounto God. The tree of life was to signifie assurance of life for euer, if he did keepe Gods commandements: the tree of knowledge of good and euill, was a sacrament to shew vntounto him, that if he did transgresse Gods cōmandements, he should die: and it was so called, because it did signifie that if he transgressed this law, he should hauehave experience both of good and euill in himselfe.

A Golden Chain, Text 1 (2 of 13)