A Little Cabinet, Section 1 – Section 13
Of God the Father.
GOD is a Spirit, having his being in himſelf, and giving being to all things, Ioh. 4. 24. Exod. 3. 14.
In a word, he is,
1. Without compoſition.
2. Infinite, Pſa. 147. 5. & 145. 3. Exod. 3. 14.
3. He is eternall, Pro. 8. 20, 22, 23. Rom. 16. 26.
4. Incomprehenſible, Exod. 33. 22, 23. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Iſa. 66. 1.
5. Unchangable, Jam. 1. 17. Mal. 3. 6.
He comprehends all things, and is comprehended of nothing. He is without beginning and end, for by him, and in him all things begin and end, Act. 17. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; he is preſent in all places, at all times, beholding and ſeeing all things, Prov. 15. 3. Pſal. 139. 4. Job 9. 11. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Jer. 23. 23, 24.
Two things in God.
1. There is ſomething incommunicable, as infiniteneſs, immenſity, eternity, 1 Kin. 8. 27. & 1 Tim. 1. 17.
2. There is ſomething in God communicable, as love and mercy, Exod. 34. 6. Wiſdom and Power, Job 36. 9.
Perfection, glory, and bleſſedneſs, this God is to be known in the firſt Adam; and in the ſecond Adam in his ordinances, and in his Saints: Now we muſt know God, otherwiſe we cannot.
1. Deſire him, Joh. 4. 10.
2. If we know him not, how can we obey him.
3. If we know him not, how can we have communion and fellowſhip with him, 1 Joh. 1. 5, 6, 7. All nature is not able to teach us what God is in himſelf, neither can man in nature comprehend him, Job 36. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Yet may he be known by his properties and actions, God is a ſpirituall ſubſtance, having his being of himſelf, infinite, great and good, Ioh. 4. 24. & 8. 58. Exod. 3. 14. & 34. 6, 7. Pſal. 145. 3, 8, 9.
Of the Son.
THE Father, Son and Spirit, are but one eſſence or ſubſtance, although diſtinguiſhed, into Father, Son, and Holy-Ghoſt, 1 Ioh. 5. 7.
In Chriſt two things are to be conſidered,
1. His Perſon.
2. His Offices.
1. In his Perſon conſider the two natures, Divine and humane, 1 Tim. 2. 5. & Mat. 1. 13.
He was to be God, becauſe the greatneſs of the evill could not be taken away but by himſelf; the wrath of God being infinite, it could not be taken away by any finite thing.
Again it muſt be finite, for it could not ſtand with Gods juſtice to puniſh Chriſt for our ſins, if he had not our nature, neither could it have been ſatisfaction for us, if it had not been in our nature and ſtead; ſo that Jeſus Chriſt is very God, and very man, of the very ſubſtance of the Virgin Mary, begotten by the Holy-Ghoſt. The unity of the two natures in Chriſt, is not the confounding of them, for the Godhead remaineth infinite, inviſible, incomprehenſible, the Body finite and viſible, Acts 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 26, 28, 29.
As God is in Chriſt, ſo he is infinite, eternall, Almighty, wiſdom, goodneſs, mercy, truth, Juſtice, equall with the Father, in being, majeſty and glory, in whom the Father delights from all eternity; his own, and his only begotten Son, promiſed before to Adam, preached to Abraham and the Patriarchs, typified in the Legall Sacrifices, and propheſied of by Moſes and all the Prophets, pointed at by Iohn, manifeſted in the fleſh, Juſtified in the ſpirit, ſeen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Let us get a diſtinct knowledge of this Chriſt without us, and a ſenſible feeling of his vertues in us.
Of the Holy Ghoſt.
THE Father ſent forth the Son, and the Son ſent forth the Holy-Ghoſt, yet Father, Son, and Holy-Ghoſt was never ſeparated one from the other. As there is one God Father of all, and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt redeemer of the world, ſo there is one ſanctifying Spirit of grace: and as it is the office of the Father to elect, and the office of the Son to redeem, ſo it is the office of the Holy-ghoſt to ſanctifie thoſe, and only thoſe, whom the Father hath elected, and the Son redeemed: and as the Father doth love freely, and the Son manifeſt that love, ſo the ſpirit doth evidence that love to, and in the ſouls of the Saints: the Father loves a Chriſtian as redeemed by Chriſt, Chriſt looks upon him, and loves him as given by the Father for him to redeem: the Holy-Ghoſt ſeeing the love of the Father, in chooſing him, and the love of the Son in redeeming him, he alſo ſets his love upon him, and manifeſts it unto him.
So that as election to life is by God the Father, and redemption by God the Son, ſo juſtification, ſanctification, and reſtauration into the Image of God is by the Holy-Ghoſt.
So that in the unity of the God-head there be three of one ſubſtance, power and eternity; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy-Ghoſt; the Father is of none other, begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy-Ghoſt eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son: See Math. 3. 16, 17, & 28. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 1, 4. 1 Joh. 1. 14. And that the Holy-Ghoſt is God, will appear by theſe Scriptures, Act. 5. 3, 4. Peter reproving Annanias for lying, ſaid, he did lie to the Holy-Ghoſt, and ſo he lyed not to men but to God: ſo again, Iſa. 6. 9. I heard the Lord ſpeaking, which place Paul expounds of the Holy-Ghoſt, Act. 28. 25.
Of Gods Decrees.
WHatſoever God doth in time, that did he decree to do from all eternity.
So that Gods decree is that whereby he hath from all eternity ſet down with himſelf whatſoever ſhall come to paſs, Epheſ. 1. 11. If any ask what things are decreed by God; I anſwer, (1) all things, (2) with their cauſes, (3) with their effects, (4) circumſtances, and (5) manner of being, Act. 2. 23. & 4. 27, 28. Epheſ. 1. 11.
1. This decree is moſt wiſe, Rom. 11. 33.
2. Juſt, Rom. 9. 13, 14.
3. Eternall, Epheſ. 1. 4, 5. 1 Cor. 2. 7.
4. Unchangeable, Heb. 11. 17.
5. Moſt free, Rom. 9. 18.
6. The cauſe of all good, Iam. 1. 17.
Now the parts of this decree is two-fold; firſt, concerning Angels; Secondly, concerning man; and of this decree concerning man, there be two parts: Firſt Election. Secondly Reprobation: 1 Theſ. 5. 9. Iudg. 4. 5.
As concerning Angels, they alſo are of two ſorts.
Firſt good. Secondly bad.
Firſt good or excellent.
1. For their nature.
2. For their gifts.
3. For their offices.
4. For their eſtate.
Secondly, bad or evill Angels.
God from all eternity hath determined of all things, together with their cauſes, effects, circumſtances of place and time, means, manner and end, to the manifeſtation of his own glory, Pſal. 99. 4. Mat. 10. 29. Rom. 9. 20, 21. & 11. 36. Pro. 16. 4.
Of Election.
ELection is the decree of God, of his free love and grace, and mercy, chooſing ſome men to Faith, holineſs, and eternall life, for the praiſe of his glorious mercy, 1 Theſ. 1. 4. 2 Theſ. 2. 13. Epheſ. 1. 4, 5, 6. Rom. 8. 29, 30. The cauſes of election was none other, but his meer good will and pleaſure, Luk. 12. 32. Rom. 11. 5. & 9. 11. 16. Epheſ. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 9.
The end of election is the manifeſtation of the riches of his grace and mercy, Rom. 9. 23. Epheſ. 1. 6.
Queſt. Was not Chriſt, and faith, and holineſs, the cauſes of election?
Anſw. No, the ſending of Chriſt, faith, holineſs and eternall life are only the effects of Gods love, by which he manifeſteth the infinite riches of his grace: Ioh. 3. 16. 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Acts 13. 4. Titus 1. 1. Col. 1. 12. Rom. 6. 23.
God …eerly out of his good pleaſure, without the fore-fight of any good in the creature, according to his unlimited ſoveraignty, elected a certain number by name unto eternall ſalvation, and he hath decreed to effect all the wayes and means for them, and in them, to bring them thereto: ſee 2 Tim. 1. 9. & 1 Pet. 2. 8.
So ſome are elected unto life out of all ſorts of people: Mat. 20. 16. Rom▪ 9. 24. Rev. 7. 9.
That unto which God hath elected them is,
1. To the Adoption of Sons.
2. Sanctification of life here.
3. And eternall life hereafter.
The firſt and only moving cauſe of Election is the good pleaſure and love of God: Epheſ. 1. 5. Rom. 9. 18. Epheſ. 1. 11. So that Faith is not the cauſe, but the effect of election: Act. 13. 48.
God is no reſpecter of perſons, and yet he elected ſome, and left others, when he found no difference.
A man may come to know in time, that he was elected before time.
1. We come to apprehend this by Faith, 1 Theſ. 1. 4.
2. By our effectuall calling.
3. By our juſtification,
4. By our ſanctification, Rom. 8. 30.
5▪ By the teſtimony of Gods Spirit: Rom. 8. 9, 16, 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12. 2 Pet. 1. 2, 3. 2Cor. 1. 21, 23.
Of Reprobation.
REprobation is the wiſe, juſt and abſolute decree of God, paſſing by, and leaving ſome men unto themſelves, to ſuffer them to fall, and to enflict upon them eternall puniſhment, deſerved by their ſins, for the praiſe of his unſpeakable great juſtice, Rom. 9. 11, 13, 22. Iude 4. Ier. 6. 30.
The cauſes of this decree is the abſolute will and good pleaſure of God, Mat. 11. 26. Rom. 9. 13.
The end of this decree is not the condemnation of the creature, … …ifeſtation of Gods Juſtice: Rom. 9. 22. Yet election and reprobation, in a ſenſe, are not the cauſes of ſalvation and damnation, but Chriſt is the proper and meritorious cauſe of ſalvation, and ſin the proper and meritorious cauſe of damnation. Election and reprobation, they are but precedent acts or decrees, and the cauſes of ſalvation and damnation, they come in between the cauſes, and the execution thereof. It is the fore-appointment of certain Angels and men, unto everlaſting diſhonour. God of his own free will determining to paſs them by, refuſe, or caſt off, and for ſin to condemn and puniſh them with everlaſting death: Prov. 16. 4. Exod. 9. 16. Rom. 9. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 20. Mat. 25. 41.
Of the Creation.
ALthough God made man of the duſt of the earth, yet he could have made him of nothing, as he made all things elſe of nothing, in ſix daies, Heb. 11. 3. Exod. 20. 11.
1. In the firſt day, were created the heavens and the earth, and light, Gen. 1. 1, 2. Iob 38. 7.
2. In the next day was the out-ſpreading firmament or heavens, the diviſion of the waters above, from the waters beneath, Gen. 1. 6, 7.
3. In the third day there was a two-fold work, firſt a gathering of the waters in one place, ſecondly a bringing forth of hearbs, Gen. 1. 9, 10, 11, 12.
4. In the fourth day was made the Sun, Moon and Stars to give light on the earth, and to be for ſigns and ſeaſons, and for dayes and years, Gen. 1. 14, 15, 16, 17.
5. In the fift day, there was a twofold work, the creation of all ſorts of fiſh in the ſea, and fouls in the air, Gen. 1. 22, 23.
6. In the ſixth day, there was alſo a twofold work, the creation of all ſorts of beaſts upon the earth, and the creation of man, whom the Lord made in his own Image, Gen. 1. 24, 25, 26, 27.
7. The ſeventh day the Lord made a Sabboth of reſt, and bleſſed that day above all other dayes, and did alſo ſanctifie it.
The cauſes of this great work of creation, was firſt his love to man, and the ſhewing forth his own glory, and the fulfilling of his decree, to the end that God may be known and honored of his creatures, &c. his eternall power and God-head is ſeen in raiſing all things out of nothing.
By his word alone, Iſa. 40. 12. Rom. 1. 20. Ier. 10. 12. & 51. 15.
And his infinite wiſdom is made known by them, Pſal. 104. 24.
Of Angels.
ANgels are ſpiritual creatures, compleat and immortall, yet finite: Heb. 1. 13, 14. Col. 1. 16. Mat. 4. 11. & 26. 53. Pſal. 68. 17. Mat. 22. 30. Luke 20. 36. Heb. 1. 7. Pſal. 104. 4.
There be two ſorts of Angels, firſt good, ſecondly bad.
The good Angels they praiſe God, worſhip the Son, they are heavenly meſſengers from the Father to defend the faithfull, they have wreſtled, eaten, been received as ſtrangers, had their feet waſhed, they ſhall gather the elect from the four corners of the earth, they ſhall come with Chriſt to judgement, they be excellent creatures.
1. For their nature, Iſaiah 6. 2. Daniel 9. 21. 2 Theſ. 1. 7.
2. For their gifts, 2 Sam. 14. 17. Mat. 6. 10. Luk. 15. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 1.
3. For their offices, Dan. 7. 10. Rev. 5. 11.
4. They be excellent for their eſtate, Mat. 18. 10.
5. They be wiſe and of great underſtanding: 2 Sam. 14. 20.
They were the firſt creatures that ever God made; there be alſo ſeverall orders of Angels, viz. Archangels, Cherubims and Seraphins; yet lay all theſe things together, it will appear that righteouſneſs of Angels is but the righteouſneſs of creatures; but the righteouſneſs that the Saints are cloathed with, is the very righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and in this reſpect the meaneſt Saint is more excellent, then the moſt glorious Angel in heaven: they are by God ſent forth for the good of his people, hence they are called miniſtring ſpirits, and they miniſter to the Saints many wayes.
In their life, by defending them from their enemies; the Angels of the Lord pitch their tents about them that fear him, Pſal. 34. 7.
An Angel it was that ſlew the army of the Aſſyrians. That delivered Peter out of priſon, as alſo preſerved Lot, Pſal. 91. 11. For he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes, Gen. 32. 5. An Angel encouraged Iacob, when he feared his brother Eſau, an Angel it was, Luke 1. 30. who bid Mary not to fear, and who ſtood by Paul and bid him be of good cheer, Act. 27. 24. By an Angel was the incarnation of Chriſt foretold to the Virgin, and by a multitude of Angels was it proclaimed; afterwards an Angel leads Philip to expound the Scripture to the Eunuch, ſets Peter at liberty to preach the Goſpel, bids Cornelius ſend for Peter to be inſtructed by him, and prayes Paul to come over to Macedonia to help them; none are ſo nobly attended as Saints, they have a lifeguard of Angels to encompaſs them about; Angels are as carefull of the faithfull, as a nurſe of her ſucking child, they bear them up in their arms, that they daſh not their feet againſt a ſtone.
Of Man.
ALL men by nature are equally made of one earth and blood, and every poor Chriſtian is as dear unto God as a mighty Prince. Man was wonderfully created, and more wonderfully redeemed: The Lord hath aſſigned his heart to wiſdom, the belly to avoidance, the breaſt to health, the liver to anger, the gall to bitterneſs, the ſpleen to laughter, the kidneys to craftyneſs, the loyns to ſtrength, the ribs to comelineſs: the Lord having finiſhed the excellent frame of heaven and earth; he cals a counſel, to build that excellent tabernacle Man, into whom he breathed the ſpirit of life; this man did far exceed all other creatures, that amongſt them all, not found any one fit, or meet to be a companion for him, or to have ſociety with him, and ſo the Lord made him a help meet for him; this man was the maſter-piece of all Gods works, to whom the Lord did give an unlimited prerogative over the beaſts of the field, the fouls of the air, and the fiſh of the ſea, but man by his diſobedience became inferiour to the moſt deſpiſed creatures; and we, all his poſterity are more miſerable, and fuller of vanity then any of the unreaſonable creatures: viz. other creatures by the benefit of nature can ſtand upon their legs, and ſeek after their food, when young, but man the Lord of them all muſt be ſwadled in clouts, being no way able to help himſelf; the young chickens as ſoon as ever they are hatched, can run after their dam, to ſeek for food, and have that wiſdom to hide themſelves under her wings at the fluttering of the Kite; the lambs, calves, and young coſts, ſtand ſuddenly upon their legs, to ſeek their dams teats. But man would periſh if his mother by her naturall affection did not bring the nipple of her breaſts to his mouth, and rock him upon her knees.
Of the Soul.
THE ſoul of man is a ſpirituall ſubſtance, immortall and inviſible, endued with memory, underſtanding and will; or the ſoul is a ſubſtance immortall, inviſible, united to the body, and endued with many admirable faculties, as life, ſenſe, and reaſon; to this end principally, that God might be truly honored, and duely worſhipped.
Or the ſoul is a ſpirituall, inviſible and immortall ſubſtance, endued with power to underſtand, and will: this ſoul is at one inſtant both created and united to the body, and by the power and faculties of the ſoul, man is capable of happineſs, or of the the cheif good, or greateſt miſery: or thus, the ſoul of the Saints is a ſpirituall and immortall ſubſtance, created after the Image of God, and renewed after the immortall Image of God in Chriſt: the ſoul is a real and very being as the body is, only of an higher kind; the body is of the earth, the ſoul is immediately from God.
Of Mans Fall.
THE devill himſelf being fallen, cometh to the garden in the form of a Serpent; Adam and Eve being in Paradiſe, and looking upon themſelves, as indeed they were, the moſt excellent piece of all the creation, bearing the Image of God their Creator; the Lord having left them a law, he leaves them to the fredom of their own will; the devil boards the woman thus: hath God ſaid ye ſhall not eat of ſuch a tree, it is a likely thing that the Lord cares what ye eat; what, do you think he ſtands upon an apple? this is the firſt aſſault, which the woman weakly reſiſteth, and anſwered doubtfully, we muſt not eat leſt we die: then the devil perceiving the woman to ſtagger, and the ground of her faith to ſhake, he plants all his pieces, and purpoſes for a ſecond ſtorm, and ſtands up, and ſaith to the woman, ye ſhall not die at all; can there be any hurt in an apple? Oh ſilly woman! God he affirmeth and faith, ye ſhall die; the woman ſaith I muſt not eat, leſt I die; the devil ſaith ye ſhall not die; upon this the woman did eat, and gave to her husband, and he did eat; and thus, through Satans temptations, our father and mother rebelled againſt our God: Oh father Adam what haſt thou done! For through it (waſt thou that didſt ſin) yet thou art not fallen alone; but we all that came of thee, as being then in thee, we are infected by thee, and ſo are become Satans conqueſt, out of whoſe hands there is no redemption, unleſs the Lord Jeſus Chriſt come down from heaven, and lead captivity captive, and open the priſon doors, and let the priſoners go free, all Adams poſterity are pertakers of his ſin and miſery.
Of Providence.
IF we look upon Gods providence in ſome few particulars only, we ſhall wonder, ſeeing Joſeph diſgraced and impriſoned, David perſecuted, Chriſt arraigned and condemned, Paul accounted one of the worſt of men, Innocent Naboth ſtoned, true Churches, as in Heſters time, ready to be ſwallowed up: Many things may fall out by Gods providence contrary to our deſires, that are not contrary to our good.
1. Conſider that God takes notice and knoweth all things.
2. He upholdeth and governeth, and diſpoſeth of the world, ſo as it pleaſeth him.
3. This providence reacheth to every thing, ſo that the ſmalleſt things are governed and upheld by him.
4. That of all creatures God hath moſt care and reſpect to man.
5. We are to conſider that the good or evil that befals a bad or good man or woman, is not without, but by Gods providence.
6. That God doth whatſoever pleaſeth him in heaven and earth.
7. God in his ordinary providence maketh uſe of means, and yet he is free to work without, above, and againſt them as he pleaſeth.
8. As the providence of God doth reach to all creatures in all things: ſo after a more ſpeciall manner he taketh care of his Church and people, and diſpoſeth all things to the good thereof.
God can look ſowrly, and chide bitterly, and ſtrike heavily, even when and where he loves dearly, Abraham, Job, Jacob, and David, Moſes, Ieremiah, Ionah, Ioſeph, Paul, and many others, met with many things that were contrary to their deſires and endeavours, that were not contrary to their good: God hath a continuall care over all his creatures once made, ſuſtaining and directing them, with all that belongeth to them, and effectually diſpoſeth of them all to good ends: Epheſ. 1. 11. Rom. 11. 36. Ier. 23. 23. Col. 3. 11. Pſal. 139. 2. & 119. 91.
Of Mans recovery.
GOD who at firſt made man in his own Image, and made him Lord of the creation, endued him with wiſdom, knowledge, and underſtanding above all other creatures, and made him for ſo noble an end, as to ſerve him here, and reign with him hereafter: man ſoon fell from his bleſſed ſtate, yet was not the love of God obliterated, but more abundantly manifeſted in ſending his dear Son to take our nature, and yield obedience to his righteous law; make ſatisfaction for our tranſgreſſion; and to bring in an everlaſting righteouſneſs, and to make proclamation to us that his Father ſo loved the world, that he gave him, his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believed in him, ſhould have everlaſting life, Iohn 3. 16. And whoſoever did come to him ſhould in no wiſe be caſt off, Iohn 6. 37. Adams righteouſneſs from which he fell, was but a righteouſneſs of the creature; but the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, is the righteouſneſs of the Creator. Adams righteouſneſs was a mutable righteouſneſs that might be loſt, a righteouſneſs that might be ſinned away; but the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is an everlaſting righteouſneſs, that cannot be ſinned away: Prov. 8. 18. Dan. 9. 24. Pſal. 119. 142.