Theological Rules to Guide Us in the Understanding and Practice of Scripture, Book 2 · Question 337 – Question 415
AEnig. 379.
How may one worship the true God, yet be an outward Idolater?
Resolution.
Outward Idolatry how many waies.First, if the true God be worshipped in a strange manner, by a worship not commanded in his word, as Papists. Secondly, if the true God bee worshipped out of Christ, or not by, or with Christ, as the Iewes and Turks do worship him. Thirdly, when men are present at Idoll-seruice, and yet reserue their hearts for God, as neuters and time-seruers doe.
AEnig. 380.
How may one be both a Vassall and an Emperour at once?
Resolution.
If a worldly Prince be a slaue to his owne passions and lusts,Sinners be slaues. he is at once both a Vassall of sinne, and Emperor of men. Also eueryevery godly person reigning as emperour ouer his affections, confesseth himselfe a vassall and seruant to do all homage vntounto Christ his Redeemer.
AEnig. 381.
What vice is that, that maketh men likest the deuill, and vnlikest to Christ, and how this may be?
Resolution.
It is the vice of enuy and pride,Enuy a Diabolicall vice. wherby men most resemble Satan, who out of most deep pride against God, and enuy against man, ouerthrew himselfe and all mankinde.
AEnig. 382.
What fountaine is that, that sendeth forth both sweet waters and sowre, and how this may be?
Resolution.
A wicked tongue.It is a malicious and blasphemous tongue, which at once blesseth God, and curseth man. Iam: 3.9.10.
AEnig. 383.
How is ignorance a sinne, yet one may be ignorant without sinne?
Resolution.
How farre ignor…nce is a sinne.Ignorance of some truth which we may know, and are bound to know, is a sin against the first Commandement: yet one may be (without sinne) ignorant of many things which be vnpossible to be knowne, and vnbehoofefull; such is the ignorance of Christ and of the Angel touching the last day; and of man touching the same and all other secrets of God, which his word doth not teach.
AEnig. 384.
What is that, that maketh some mens best works their greatest sinnes, and how this may be?
Resolution.
It is a false heart, or an euill vnbeleeuing heart mockinge God with shewes,An euill heart mars cheife workes. and men with apparances of pietie and vertue, when all is rotten, and vnsound within at the bottome, Esay 1. and Esay 66.
AEnig. 385. 386.
How may one sinne necessarily, yet not certainely and compulsarily?
How is there a necessity of sinning where there is a liberty of willing?
Resolution.
All wicked men sinne necessarilie,Wicked men sinne freely yet cannot chuse but sinne. being seruants and bond-men to sin so as they can doe nothing but sinne: yet their will sinning freely by election they sinne without compulsion, as Christ saith of the Iewes Iohn. 8. they would do the lust of Sathan their father, yet addeth that they were bound, necessity and liberty may well meete together; a thing may be freely done which is yet necessarily done, howbeit liberty & compulsion cannot stand and agree in one man: the will of men is neuer compelled, yet is it in seruitude to lust.
AEnig. 387.
How may one at one time in respect of one thing both see and not see?
Resolution.
Idle knowledge.An euill man may see a truth speculatiuely, to koow it, yet not so see the same truth as to practise it.
AEnig. 388.
How may one denie him, whom he professeth?
Resolution.
Deniall of God.If he denie him in deedes whom he professeth in words.
AEnig. 389.
How may God iustly not hinder sinne when hee may, yet it were a fault in vsus so to doe?
Resolution.
God is most free, men are bound to his law.Men must hinder sin in others else they sinne. Also it is a part of iustice in God not to hinder sinne, when thereby former sinnes are to bee finished, lastly sometime this not hindering of sinne prooues occasion of many and great good, as in Adams fall, in Dauids and Salomons sinne, in Peters deniall.
AEnig. 390.
How are we commanded to contend for the faith, and yet contention is forbid as a fruite of the flesh?
Resolution.
There is a holy and necessarie contention when according to our vocation we striue for the feare and worship of God,What is strife is wicked. for vpholding the doctrine of faith with desire not to ouercome men but the errours vntounto Gods glorie, and profit of the Church: but priuate contention with bitternesse in our owne quarrels, or publike needlesse and godlesse contentions be fruits of the flesh.
AEnig 391.
How may one doe many good things yet himselfe an euill man?
Resolution.
Herod and Iudas not hauing faith & a good conscience were ill men,An euill man can doe no good work. yet they did many things which for substance of the worke done were good, and good to others; yet in respect of the persons who did them, they were no good but euill workes, for an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruite.
AEnig. 392. 393.
How may two moue the same question yet the one offend the other not?
How may three laugh at one thing, and onelyonly one of them be without sinne?
Resolution.
Actions to be iudged of by the end and minde.If the one moue it curiously for strife sake, the other soberly for learning sake, to be better instructed: or if the one do it out of doubt, and distrust as Sarah about her sonne promised, the other out of faith as Abraham did who laughed for ioy because he beleeued the message touching a childe in his old age; but Sarah of vnbeleife was mooued to laugh, Ismaell in flouting manner, as a Scoffer, Gen. 21.
AEnig. 394.
How may one offend more by doing a good thing, then an other shall do, by doing an euill thing?
Resolution.
Sinning against conscience.He that doth a good thing against his conscience, whiles he iudgeth it euill, is more a trespasser then hee who doth some euill ignorantly not knowing it to be euill.Rom. 14.
AEnig. 395.
How may one without offence of God aske something of him which hee will not giuegive, yet another asking what he is willing to giuegive, shall offend?
Resolution.
A childe may aske the life of his father,Wicked praiers be sinnes. a wife of her husband, yet not offend, (though God be vnwilling to graunt it) being asked with condition of his will, the Isralites murmuring in distrustfull sort, asking meate which God was willing to giuegive, did sinne in their praier, Paul sinned not in crauing to hauehave that prick of the flesh remou'd though God ment to denie it, because he praied with submission to his will.
AEnig 396.
How may one be a looser at that time when he is a Winner?
Resolution.
Losse of soule the greatest losse.A couetous man may winne much worldly wealth and yet bee thereby a looser of his soule, also an euill preacher may be a looser of himselfe when he winnes others vntounto God; Lastely many a wicked man looseth his credit at what time hee gaines some commoditie.
AEnig. 397.
How is Vsury a sinne yet one may be an Vsurer without sinne?
Resolution.
Vsury committed without sinne. Lending being a worke of mercy must be free as Christ commandeth Luk. 6.Vsurie whereby wee encrease our stocke by compact, in respect of lending mony or other things to the hindrance of our neighbour, is a sinne, but to increase our spirituall graces by the due vse of them, is a Christian vsury and commendable.
AEnig. 398.
Seeing God alone is to be worshipped, how may we worship men without sinne?
Resolution.
Euill worship is no impeachment to religious worship.There is a religious diuine worship (which by our bodies and soules is to be performed to God, as to the searcher of the hart and Lord of all) wherof no part can bee giuen from him to any other without sinne Act. 10. 26. Math. 10. 4. Reuel. 19. 10. But a ciuill worship is due to magistrates and all our betters, in respect of their authoritie and giftes euen by the commandement of God which not to giuegive willingly is a sinne.
AEnig. 399.
How may the first be last and the last be first?
Resolution
This is fulfilled in the Iewes,Vocation of the Gentils and Gentiles, who being called after the Iewes were receiued into fauour and stand in grace, while the Iewes who were before them for outward vocation are now cast out for their vnbeleife & become the last, they were last in acceptation with God, who were foremost in his outward vocation, whereas the Gentiles being last by vocation, became first in acceptation.
AEnig. 400.
What is that, that was once mortall and twise immortall?
Resolution.
It was Adams body once mortall by sinne, twise immortall,Bodies immortall. once by creation, second time by glorification.
AEnig. 401.
How may death which is as the wages of sinne and porch of hell, bee yet the way and passage to heauen, or how may heauen and hell hauehave both one gate?
Resolution.
Death naturall is the gate and doore to let into the pallace of heauen,Death the gate of heauen & hell. such as fall a sleepe in Christ, and others that die in vnbeliefe and sinne into the dungeon of hell: this difference hapneth by the merit of Christ his death, sanctifying death to his members, to be a porch of paradice, and not to others, to whom it proues a part of their curse, a passage to the infernall lake.
AEnig. 402.
If Christ hath destroied death by his death how is it that the godly must die?
Resolution.
Christ hath destroied and so taken away the sting of death,All men must die. as it shall not hurt the godly, but help them rather; yet they die, first to fulfill Gods decree, secondly to obey his will and ordinance, thirdly to be ioyned immediately and fully vntounto Christ, their head hauing in their death put of sinnes with their bodies.
AEng. 402.
How hath Christ ouercome death by his passion, yet death is the last enemie, that shall be destroied?
Resolution.
Death the last enemy must be destroyed.Christ in his passion got a victory ouer death in part, at the last resurrection hee shall hauehave a full conquest; before the curse was remoued, but at the iudgement the thing it selfe shall be quite done away, to hauehave no power ouer faithfull persons.
AEnig. 404.
How is it appointed for men once to die, yet there are many that shall not die?
Resolution.
Ordinarily men die once by vertue of Gods appointment;Some onelyonly changed. whereas some dead were raised, and other at the great iudgement shall only be changed, this is extraordinarie, howbeit that change is a kinde of death.
AEnig. 405.
How can a body which is dead and rotten yet liue at the same time that it is dead?
Resolution.
The bodies of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, Certainety of resurrection.(and so of other Saints) At what time they are dead and rotten in the graues, they are … to God (to whom all liue) who hath made a Couenant of life with the bodies of the elect, as well as with their soules, and is fully purposed to raise them at the last day, therefore to him they are as if they were already quickned to life, Math. 22. 23.
AEnig. 406.
How may it be that dust shall be made to liue?
Resolution.
By the power of Christ.At the resurrection bodies mouldred to dust, by the mightie power of Christ, shall be restored to life, being ioyned to their owne soules, 1. Cor. 15. 22.
AEnig. 407.
How is it that all shall rise from death, and yet the resurrection is called the resurrection of the iust?
Resolution.
Of men & women.All men and women shall rise (for resurrection shall bee of iust and vniust) but because the benifit of the resurrection appertaines to the iust, who shall then be glorified in their bodies, thence is it called the resurrection of the iust.
AEnig. 408.
How may bodies bee spirituall and yet remaine bodies?
Resolution.
At the resurrection the bodies of the Saints being the same in substance as before,Spirituall bodies after their resurrection. yet because they shall bee susteined and preserued by the immediate workeing of the spirit, without naturall meanes of Phisicke meat &c. hence are they called spiritual, though they stil be bodies, 1. Cor. 15.44.
AEnig. 409.
How is Christ iudge of quicke & dead, yet it is written that he came not to iudge the world?
Resolution.
Christ his comming in infirmitie,Last iudgment. it was to bee iudged and condemned for sinne, that he might purchase redemption by the price of himselfe, but his second comming in glory will bee to iudge the world, by rendring eueryevery man according to his workes
AEnig. 410. 411.
If Christ bee the onelyonly iudge of the world how is it written that the Saintes shall iudge the world?
How may it bee that the Saints shall iudge the Angels?
Resolutions.
Christ the Iudge.Christ shall iudge the world (that is, the inhabitants, angels, and men) as his fathers lieutenant, by his commission and authoritie gathering all before him, inquiring into them, pronouncing a righteous vnreuocable sentence, which presently and mightily shall bee executed, thus Christ alone shall iudge: the Saints shall iudge as his assistants, giuing consent and approbation to his sentence,How Saints shall iudge. 1. Cor. 6. 2. 3. thus also shall they bee iudged euen of Diuels who are Angels of the bottomlesse pit.
AEnig. 412.
How is it that the vngodly shall not stand in iudgement, and God will not enter into iudgement with the righteous, yet both quicke & dead shall stand before him (that sitteth on the white throne) to bee iudged?
Resolution.
All iudged yet with differences.The righteous shall not come into iudgement of condemnation, nor the wicked into iudgement of absolu…ion, but all shall come to the iudgement of inquisition and examination, Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 10.
AEnig. 413
What is that, that burneth and consumeth not, is changed and perisheth, and yet abideth still, and how?
Resolution.
The Bush which Moises saw,The world but altered in qualitie not aboleshed. Exod. 3. also the heauens, elements, and earth, shall bee burned at last day, yet their substance not consumed to nothing, but purified in that fire, like mettall refined in a furnace, that they may abide in an immortall and glorious estate, being for our sinne in bondage to corruption. Rom. 8. 21.
AEnig. 414.
What country is that wherein is all day and no night, and how?
Resolution.
It is the country which we looke for in heauen,Heauen. where shall be an euerlasting most glorious light without any the least darke…esse.
AEnig. 415.
What country is that wherein is all night and no day, and how?
Resolution.
It is the region of hell where shall be a perpetuall darknes without any lightHell.
AEnig. 416. 417.
How may one liue, being vnderunder and in an eternall death?
How may one bee in hell that neuer came in hell?
Resolution.
Hell of conscience.The life of the wicked in hell, shall be a dying life, and a liuing death; one may be in the hell of conse…ence who neuer shall come in the hell of the damned.
AEnig. 418.
What reasonable creature is that which had a body, and neuer had soule?
Resolution.
Angels assumed bodies for a time.The Angels are reasonable creatures who assume bodies by Gods dispensation; when they were sent on messages to men, they a…red as men; but whence those bodies came, or whereinto they were dissolued, it is vnreuealeable, therfore vncertaine.
AEnig. 419.
What people bee they whose life it is at once both happy and miserable, bitter and sweete?
Resolution.
True Christians most blessed.They be true Christians, Gods faithfull children, who be happie and liue sweetely vnderunder the hope, reioycing of eternall glory, but because they are most troubled with sinne, assalted by Satan, hated and persecuted by the world, therefore their life is miserable and full of bitternesse.
AEnig. 420.
What soule us that which neuer was mixed with body?
Resolution.
God is the soule of the world, which is susteined and gouerned by his secret prouidence,God is the Soule of the world. as a body is quickned and ruled by the soule.
2 Also Faith is the Soule of our soule whereby it liueth to God.
3 Finally Christ is the Soule of the legall Ceremonies, whereof the truth and substance was in Christ.
AEnig. 421.
What grace is that which once had, is neuer last, yet is vtterly taken away?
Resolution.
A liuely faith is gone and vtterly taken away when wee die and inioy the things beleeued:Li…ely faith …aseth at our death. yet in this life it is neuer lost, being once had, by vertue of Christs prayer, Ioh. 17. and by Gods couenant, which is euerlasting. Ier. 32.
AEnig. 420.
What gift is that whereby we liue to God, yet it selfe shall dye when we liue?
Resolution.
No vse of it in heauen.We liue now by faith in the Sonne of God, Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 2. last: but when we shall liue by sigh… in heauen, then shall be no vse of faith.
AEnig. 421.
What rich man is he who made a great supper without meate?
Resolution.
Christ entertained by a faithfull soule.It is Christ Iesus when he cometh to suppe with a faithfull soule without earthly delicates.
AEnig. 422.
What fire is that which being once kindled, is neuer quenched and how this should be?
Resolution.
Hell fire vnquenchable.The fire of contention between the seede of the Serpent, and the seede of the woman, will neuer be extinct.
The fire of Gods vengeance in hell will burne for euer, so long as God indureth.
AEnig. 423.
Seeing all liuing creatures heere in earth be corruptible, how is there a worme that shall neuer dye?
Resolution.
It is that worme mentioned in the Gospel,Torment of the damned. euen horror of conscience for sinne, which shall gnaw the soule euerlastingly, euen as wood is eaten by the worme.
AEnig. 424.
How are we forbid to fashion our selues to this world, yet without sinne we may fashion our selues to the world?
Resolution.
We are forbid to fashion our selues to the world of the wicked,We must not follow the wicked. by imitating their vngodly customes and waies, but to follow the world of beleeuers, by liuing after their good example. this is a duty.
AEnig. 425.
How we may hauehave two mindes, and but one soule?
Resolution.
A regenerate man,Our minde renued in part. hauing but one soule, yet in the state of corruption had his minde wholy depraued, which by grace is wholy renewed, but not perfectly; whence it is that still, hee hath both a good minde and an euill.
AEnig. 426.
How may they waite for adoption, which be already adopted; and how this may be?
Resolution.
The full fruit of Adoption enioyed in Heauen.The adopted children of God, which be already sonnes, and hauehave the spirit of adoption, yet they doe want the full fruition of the heauenly inheritance, (being heare cloyed and clogged with sinnes and miseries) which they doe both earnestly and certainly waite for.
AEnig. 427.
Whether dumbe and deafe may be saued, seeing faith is by hearing, and onelyonly beleeuers are saued?
Resolution.
Dumbe & deafe, how saued.Infants, idiots, dumbe and deafe, which be the children of faithfull parents, they be within the couenant, and hauehave the seale thereof, therefore charitie will hope well of their saluation. Secondly, though they lacke the ordinary meanes of engendring faith (to wit) hearing of the word preached: yet seeing this commeth to passe without their owne default, by defect of yeeres or senses, therefore God who is not tyed to the meanes necessarily may without them, and doth inspire faith into so many of them as be elect; the Spirit bloweth where he liste; if the Rauens call vponupon God, what letteth but Christian Infants may in their kind and degree? yea the Scripture doth attribute a kinde of invocation to them as Psal. 8. And how shall they call on him, whom they do not beleeue, therefore they may hauehave faith, as they hauehave reason, the facultie, without the vse.
AEnig. 428.
How is God found of such as seeke him not, seeing it is written, God is found of such as seeke him?
Resolution.
Elect sinners before they bee found of God and converted,Elect, found of God before they seeke him. they are found without their seeking: God rather seekes them as in the Parable of the lost sheep, Luk. 15. and of the Vineyard, Math. …. but being once found and co…ted, God mooueth them to seeke, by which seeking, they shall finde God more and more, and thus they finde when they do seeke.
AEnig. 429.
How can mens flesh or garments be vncleane, seeing they be the creatures of God, and all be good which he hath created?
Resolution.
They may be vncleane ceremonially, by touching of a Leper or dead corps,Vncleannes &c. Secondly, as creatures they be not vncleane but cleane, yet may bee and are defiled by contagion of sinne.
AEnig. 430.
How can God punish children with their parents, who sinne not as they sinned?
Resolution.
Originall sinne in Infants.Children doe not sinne by actuall transgressions, as their Parents doe, yet hauehave in them the selfe-same originall corruption, which they drew from their parents, and which will bring forth in time (in such as be left to their naturall sinne) the selfe-same fruits; therefore as men destroy young Wolues and Foxes, because they take the same pestilent nature and qualities with their dammes; so God is iust by smiting the parents vponupon the children, for they be guilty (by birth-sinne) of his wrath, and will tread in their parents steps.
AEnig. 431.
How Christ can be said to be only wise, seeing others (as Salomon) be wise also?
Resolution.
Christ his wisdome is essentiall to him; also most perfect,Man; wise but by participation of Christs wisdom. whereby hee (as God) knoweth himselfe and all things exactly, yea and he is the Author of all wisdome, both in Angels, and men, and thus hee is onelyonly wise, which word onelyonly excludeth not the persons of the Trinity, but creatures, who are wise but in part, and by participation of Christ his wisdome; and so as they cannot giuegive their wisdome to others.
AEnig. 432.
How can we giuegive any glory vntounto God, seeing hee can receiue no more than hee hath?
Resolution.
The glory which we giuegive vntounto God, is an acknowledgment and confession of Gods glorious properties,How men-giuegive glory to God. his wisdome, goodnesse and power before men, that they magnifie him with vsus, and not any addition to his most absolute glory, which he had with himselfe from euerlasting. Ioh. 17.4.
AEnigma 433.
How doth Christ say to his Apostles, you hauehave entred into other mens labours yet Paul denieth that hee built vponupon any other mans foundation?
Resolution.
How Paul built on no other mans foundationChrist meaneth the Prophets, and the labours which they take to instruct the Iewish Church, by their diuine writings: and Paul saith truly, that hee built on no mans foundation, because he preached to the Gentiles, which before had not heard of Christ, as he saith, Rom. 15.
AEnigma 334.
How is eueryevery man bound to please his neighbour, yet he that pleaseth man cannot be the seruant of Christ?
Resolution.
How one man must please another.We must please our weake neighbour in that which is good and profitable to aedi…ie him, Rom. 15. 1.2. but wicked and stubborne sinners in that which is against honestie and religion, we may not please, if we will approoue our selues the seruants of God: and thus Paul is to be vnderstood of pleasing Infidels, against Christian faith to their destruction, Gal. 1.10.
AEnig. 435.
How was the sound of the Apostles gone into the whole world then, when the Gospell was not eueryevery where preached?
Resolution.
That in Paul his time the sound of the Gospel,Gospell, how preached to all the world. came into all places of the habitable, and inhabited world, is very cleare by Ro. 15.19. & Col. 1.6. & 23. & Rom. 11. according to the commission of Christ, Matth. 28. which no doubt the Apostles faithfully executed; howbeit now in our times many of those countries which first enioyed that light, hauehave through their vnthankfulnesse lost it, as Christ threatneth, Reuel. 2. Also some Countries might then lye drowned vnderunder water, (which are bared and dry since,) and some since found out which were then vnknowne.
AEnig. 436.
If God be rich towardes all, how be any reiected and left poore and naked of grace?
Resolution.
All saued how to be vnderstoodBy (all) is not ment eueryevery singular person, but it is put distributiuely here in Rom. 10. 11. to all (that is) whether Iewes or Gentiles, without distinction of Country as in time past, vnderunder the law: also restrictiuely with limitation, to all which beleeue and call vponupon him.
AEnig. 437.
How is it that the Prophet praieth to be taught to number his daies, yet eueryevery childe can do so much?
Resolution.
Numbring our daies.It is one thing to number our daies Arithmetically, to summe vp our yeeres which is soone done; it is another thing to number them Theologically, or Christianly to be led to wisedome and godlinesse, by consideration of their shortnesse and vncertainety, which is not done but by grace from God.
AEnig. 438.
How may one at once bee married and not maried, possesse riches and not possesse, vse the world and not vse it?
Resolution.
This is done by mortification and deniall of a mans selfe,Mortification. and contempt of the world, which causeth that they which are indeed maried and hauehave possessions, yet hauehave no hinderance thereby to godlinesse, and the kingdome of heauen, because they set not their hearts vponupon them.
AEnig. 439.
How the same persons may be at once both children and seruants to another?
Resolution.
As God is both a Lord and Father,A Child and a Seruant both at once. so the bel… may be at one time, though … respects, Seruants to the …, and Children to that Father.
AEnig. 440.
What ladder is that, which toucheth both heauen and earth; and how this may bee?
Resolution.
That ladder is Iesus the sonne of man,The ladder to heauen is Christ. Ioh. 1. …v.last. who toucheth heauen by his diuinitie, and earth by his humanitie; also his mediation hath made peace between heauen and earth, ioyning God and men together, who were enemies through sinne. Ephes. 2. and finally, by whom it is alone, that wee hauehave accesse to the kingdome of heauen, for he is scala Coeli, and the way and life.
AEnig. 442.
How may creatures descend and ascend vponupon a ladder which hath no stayers or steps?
Resolution.
VponUpon who the Angels ascend and descend.The Angels, those most noble creatures, by ministring to Christ their head, and for his sake and honour vntounto his members, do ascend and descend vponupon the Sonne of man, that mysticall and immateriall ladder.
AEnig. 443.
If God dwell in heauen, and heauen be a creature, how was God without a dwelling before the heauen was made?
Resolution.
The Heauens wherfore made.This I answer with Augustine, God neither needed house to dwel in, when there was no heauen made (for he was a heauen and a house to himselfe) neither the heauens being made, he did finde a seat as a stranger wearied with wandering: the heauens hauehave no glory whereby God is more blessed, but wherby Angels and men may be more happy, in beholding and enioying there the glory and maiestie of their good. Creator.
AEnig. 444.
How is it written, that wee know not what to aske, yet the Lord hath taught vsus in a praier what we should pray for?
Resolution.
We hauehave a prayer giuen to teach the matter of our petition:The Spirit it is that teacheth vsus how to pray. but the right manner of asking wee must bee taught by the Spirit, who also in extremities and perplexed cases, suggests motions and requests, such as we our selues know not of. Rom. 8.
AEnig. 445.
How may it be said, that the wicked know God, and yet the Scripture denieth that they know him?
Resolution.
They know him by a generall knowledge from the sight of the creation,The wicked how said to know God. but not by a speciall knowledge of faith: they know him as a God, but not as a Sauiour. Finally, they know him historically, not effectually to saluation.
AEnig. 446.
If the Spirit make intercession for vsus, how is Christ our only intercessor?
Resolution.
The spirit, how it praieth for vsus.The Spirit maketh intercession one way, by suggesting and prompting vsus, helping vsus to pray, Rom. 8. and Christ another way by merit of his death.
AEnig. 447.
If Christ be Lord of all, how is he called a seruant?
Resolution.
Christ; how called a Seruant.A seruant, in respect of his Father who sent him with commandement, to teach and redeeme his Church, Esay 53. in respect whereof he is Lord, hauing purchased it by his death, and now gouerning and preseruing it by his Spirit and power.
AEnig. 448.
Rom. 9.1.How may Paul sweare, yet breake not the precept, which saith, sweare not at all?
Resolution.
Swearing; how forbidden.The precept forbids rash swearing, and swearing by creatures, as appeares in the place of Mat. 5. Paul sware aduisedly in a waighty cause by the name of God only.
AEnig. 449.
How can he be said to returne to vsus, who is euer with vsus?
Euer with vsus by presence generall, by essence and power; yet returnes by his grace and benefit, when God restoreth them to such as were in part, and for a time without them.
AEnig. 450.
How can hee be said to differ or long to put off, who doth all things in due time?
Resolution.
In respect of vsus who iudge of God as we would do of men,How a thing may be said to be prolonged yet done in due time. or because he commeth not when wee would; yet when it may be best for our good, and that is due time.
AEnig. 451.
How can Christ be of the seede of Dauid, seeing he came not of Ioseph?
Resolution.
His mother Mary was of Dauids stocke, and linage,How Christ is said to be the sonne of Dauid. and that is enough to make Christ the sonne of Dauid after the flesh, Rom. 1. 5.
AEnig. 452.
Seeing the Godhead did not arise, how was Christ declared God at his resurrection?
Resolution.
The raising of his dead body by his owne power was an argument of his godhead,The raising of Christs body an argument of his godhead which though it rose not, yet witnessed it selfe in quickening and raising of his dead body.
AEnig. 453.
If eueryevery man be a lier, how is not he a lier who spake and wrote this?
Resolution.
How all men are liers.Not in speaking and writing, a lier, because he was inspired of God, and preserued from error in his doctrine, and writing, yet naturally a lier as other men be all without exception.
AEnig. 454.
How can Paul say no man is iustified by the workes of the law, and againe the doers of the law are iustified, and say truly?
Resolution.
The works of the law iustifie not and why.He saith truly in both if wee vnderstand him to speake of the workes of the law, in one place as they be performed of vsus vnperfitly so they iustifie not; and in the other place as they be commanded of God, in al perfection, so they are able to iustifie: in that they do not, the cause is in vsus who fulfill them not, Rom. 8. 3.
AEnig. 455.
Abraham beleeued and it was accounted to him for righteousnes, and Phineas did a worke which was reckoned to him for righteousnes, how doth this agree?
Resolution.
Very well, if by righteousnes in the one place yee meane forgiuenesse of sinnes,Of Faith and works imputation of righteousnesse by the obedience of Christ; and a righteous act or dutie in the other place: for workes iustifie declaratiuely though not effectiuely.
AEnig. 456.
How is patience both the cause and effect of experience?
Resolution.
The cause by working experience and trying Gods goodnes,Of patience and power, vponupon which followeth increase of patience, as an effect of that experience, Rom. 5. 6.
AEnig. 457.
How is that iustification doth not abound towards all, seeing condemnation came vponupon all?
Resolution.
Because all be not in Christ by faith as all were in Adam by creation.Of iustification and condemnation. Christ is iustification to all his, as Adam is condemnation to all th… come of him Rom. 5.
AEnig. 458.
Seeing all men were Gods owne, how was it that he bought them?
Wee were bought with a price.He bought vsus with a price in asmuch, as we were by Gods righteous iudgement for sinne inthralled to Sathan who was Lord ouer vsus, till Christ by the ransome of his life redemed vsus?
AEnig. 459.
Seeing Baptisme is a Sacrament of repentance and mortification, and infants cannot repent and mortifie sinne, how is it that they are Baptized?
Baptisme of infants.Baptisme is giuen Infants by the right of the couenant to which they belong, and therefore ought to hauehave the seale which is a lesser thing; also the grace of repentance is both sealed and furthered in Infants by this Sacrament, also the effect of Baptisme follows long time atfer the act of baptism.
AEnig. 460.
How is it that any were damned, seeing the Apostle saith, he that is dead is freed from sinne, and where no sinne is, there is no damnation?
Resolution.
Dying to sinne.They which bee ciuilly dead, sinne not by outw…d actuall sin, as theiues strangled steale no more, all such as be spiritually dead are freed from the dominion and power of sinne.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Wilson, Theological Rules to Guide Us in the Understanding and Practice of Scripture (1615)