CERTAINE QVESTIONS AND Answeres, concerning the knowledge of God.

Whereunto are adioyned some Questions and Answeres, concer­ning the right vse of the law of God.

Taught publikely by way of Catechising.

By William Burton, Minister and Preacher of the worde of God in the Cittie of Bristoll.

Ioh. 17.13.

And this is eternall life, that they know thee to be the only very God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ.

AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet for Tobie Cooke. 1591.

Faults escaped.

FOlio 9. a. line 27. read the euerlasting sonne, &c.

Fol. 11. b. l. 33. for speaying, reade speaking. f. 12. a. l. 12 for name, read naming, f. 16. a. l. 2. left out, and of the sonne speaking in the new testament. f. 19. a. l. 16. for criptures, read scriptures. f. 21. b. l. 23. that, read that is. f. 24. a. l. 13. for his good pleasure, read the good pleasure l. 18. b. for or sufferings, read & sufferings. f. 32. a. l. 26. for all thing, read all things. f. 33. b. l. 22. for Alethios, read Alethinos. f. 36. b. l. 6. read by deliuering him to, &c. f. 38. b. l. 12. for therin, read them f. 43. a. l. 17. the cōma which is after will, set is after properlie. f. 49. a. l. vlt. for boldly, read bodilie. f. 51. a. l. 32. for thing, read things. in the same line for second, read secondly. f. 55. b. l. 27. put out for. f. 57. a. l. 26. for dy, read by. f. 58. a. l. vlt. read. of how many sorts, &c. f. 62. b. l. 9. for, as father, read, as a father. f. [...]9. b. l. 19. for was, read we.

TO THE RIGHT reuerend Father in God, Ri­chard, by Gods permission Bishoppe of Bristoll, W. B. wisheth the continuance of the grace of God, with the in­crease of all heauenlie felicitie.

NOt in vaine doth our Sa­uiour Christ cal his father an husband­man: Iohn 15.1 For when he per­ceiueth, that his trees doe not beare fruite kind­lie in one place; he translateth thē [Page] to see if they may be more fruitfull in another, Verse 2. as a husbandman doth. Some he purgeth, saith Christ, (al­though they beare fruite) that they may bring foorth more fruite, as a husbandman doeth: And some he supplanteth also, as doeth the hus­bandman: some for euer, some for a while; for what causes, it is best knowen to his vnspeakeable Maie­stie: sometime for their owne vn­fruitfulnes, Mat. 3.7. Mat. 21.43. sometime for the bar­rennesse, and for the vnworthinesse of the ground where they grewe: and sometime for neither, but for some other secrete cause, best kno­wen to himselfe in his infinite wis­dome. As the man in the Gospell was made blinde, Iohn 9.3. neither for his owne sinnes, nor for the sinnes of his Parents, but that the workes of God might be shewed vpon him.

The trueth whereof doeth suffi­ciently appeare by the late, and yet [Page] daylie experience, both of my selfe, and some others of my brethren. But to speake onely of my selfe (of all the most vnprofitable) when as the lord might vtterly, and yet iust­lie haue supplanted me, he hath in mercie onely remooued me, that I might hereafter labour, which haue as yet but loytered in his haruest. The Lorde in mercie laye not my negligence to my charge.

Now, when as by your Lord­ships meanes and appointment, I was placed where I am, for the buil­ding vp of the Church of God in this Citie: I thought it most conue­nient, first, to lay this foundation of the knowledge of God, that so the rest of the building might goe the better forward. The which (as my first fruites) I haue presumed to pre­sent vnto your Lordship, for two especiall causes: First, that hereby I might witnes my thankfull mind to [Page] your L. for the exercise of my mini­stery, & the ministery of my brethrē in our places, which we enioy vnder your L. gouernment. And besides that (which I may in no wise for­get) that fauour which you shewed me: which, as it was altogether vn­deserued, and vnlooked for, so it was not (as some haue vntruely re­ported) conditionall; but only, with desire that I might employe my en­deuour to the Lords greatest aduā ­tage in feeding his people, cōmitted to your care & ouer sight, with doc­trine most necessary for that people.

Secondly, that your Lo. might rest satisfied concerning some com­plaintes which haue beene offered (by certain vnderminers) touching the confirmation of some pointes herein conteined.

And thus leauing my present endeuours to your Lordships due consideration, I humblie take my [Page] leaue. The Lord almightie graunt encrease and continuance of your godlie care ouer that people, which Iesus Christ, the great Shepheard of the flock, hath bought with his blood, and committed to your charge: so that in the great day of account, you may be free from all their bloods, & receiue that crown of righteousnesse, and immortall ioy, which shall then be giuen to all that haue fought a good fight, and haue kept the faith in a good conscience vn­to the end. Amen.

Your Lordships alwaies to commaund in the Lord: William Burton.

To his beloued, and Christi­an Auditors, and all other in the ci­tie of Bristoll, which desire the true knowledge of God. W. Burton wisheth the en­crease of all true godlinesse in this life, and eternall felicitie in the life to come.

IF you doe well consider (beloued Christians) that the ignorance of God, (the mother of Popish deuoti­on) is the foun­taine of all impietie, and the authour of eternall confusion. Then I hope you will easily confesse, that the publishing of these fewe questions and answeres, concerning the knowledge of God, is no needles thing. By the ignorance of God, I meane either not to know that there is a God at all, or els not to know what is the nature of this God whom we ought to serue. Most men will confesse that there is a God, but what maner of God he is, they cannot tell. And [Page] therefore while they frame vnto them­selues a God after their owne blinde af­fections: they make an idoll of the true God, & according to that conceipt which they haue of him, they lead al their whole life. That the ignorance of God and his nature; is the principall cause of all vn­godlinesse in this life, and of euerlasting condemnation after this life: it doth ma­nifestly appeare, not onely by the testimo­ny of the holie scriptures, but also by the light of nature it selfe.

The scriptures are plaine in this case. First, Psal. 10.4. the Prophet Dauid, painting out a notorious wicked man, saith this of him. The wicked is so proude that hee seeketh not for God: he thinketh alwaies, there is no God: now marke his life, in the se­uenth verse. His mouth is full of cur­sing, deceipt and fraud, vnder his tongue is mischiefe and iniquitie. 8. He lieth in the villages: in the se­cret places doth he murther the in­nocent: his eies are bent against the [Page] poore, &c. Read the 11.12.13. and 14. verses to shew the fruites of such as think there is no God. Again in the 50. Psalm, from the 16. verse to the ende of the 20. noting the hipocrisie, the obstinacie, the impudencie, the theftes, the whoredoms, the filthie mouthes, and vnnaturall af­fections of the wicked, in the 21. verse he sets down the cause of al, to be this. Thou thoughtest (saith God) that I was like thy selfe: to let vs see, the fruites of such as know not the nature of God, but make an idoll of him, and thinke him to be as a man and a good fellow like vnto them­selues. When the Prophet Esai wold shew the cause of the Iewes idolatrie, Esai. 40.18.19.20, 21.22. he saith, that the ignorance of God is the cause therof: and therfore labouring to draw them from their idolatrie, he doth it by describing vnto them the true God. Read from the 18. verse to the ende of the chapter. When the lord shewed Eze­chiel the abhominations of the auncients of Israel, he vsed these words: Sonne of [Page] man, hast thou seene what the aun­cientes of the house of Israel do in the darke, euerie one in the cham­ber of his imagerie, for they say, The The Lord seeth vs not, The Lord hath forsaken the earth: to shew that the cause of their iniquitie, was their false perswasion, and ignorance of God, for although they knew that there was a God, yet they tooke him to bee but as a man, that could not see them in the dark, and that he was in heauen idly not med­ling with the things vpon earth. Thus you heare how the Prophets with one consent do crie out and tel vs if the igno­rance of God is the cause of all impietie, and vngodlinesse. And that it bringeth eternall damnation in the end, is plainly testified by the Apostle S. Paul: who saith in 2. Thes. 1.7.8. That the Lorde Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels, in flaming fire, ren­dring vengeance vnto them that do not know God, and obey not the gospell of our [Page] Lord Iesus Christ. Where the Apostle sheweth that disobedience to the gospell, floweth from the ignorance of God, be­cause we cannot obey him whom we know not, and the reward of both is the iust vengeance of God.

As this is plainly proued by the scrip­tures, so it is no lesse euident by the light of naturall reason. For when such a con­ceipt shal once come into our minds, that God is as man, and hath no more power then a man, no more wisedome then a man, no more iustice, no more mercie, no more truth, no more goodnesse then a man hath, we are far inough of from the true feare and seruice of God. For then we feare him as a man, & wee serue him as a man, then the which nothing can be more blasphemous, nor intollerable. For as an idle scholler lookes on his booke on­ly when his maisters eye is vpon him, so the wicked onelye feare God (and that with a slauishe feare) when they perceiue sensibly by some plague that gods hand [Page] is vpon them. Whereas the godlie (who know what manner of God they serue) they feare to offend him at all times, and in all places, because they know him to be euerlasting and euery where▪ &c.

The Papists haue thought & do think God to be like a man, and so they picture him, and so they serue him, so they feare him, and so they loue him. And therfore in their temples they prouide for his eyes goodly sights, and glorious shewes of guil­ding and painting. &c. To delight his eares withall they haue curious piping and singing: for his smelling, they haue their censings and perfumes, and so is al their whole seruice of God in outward shewes onelye, as if god were a man in deede: which filthy doctrine of theirs, a­riseth of their grosse vnderstanding of the Scriptures, and word of God.

Then by this time (beloued Christians) I hope you see how needfull it was for me, and how necessarie it shalbe for you, to la­bour that wee maye bee instructed and [Page] builded vp in the true knowldge of God, that so we may be the better able to make straight steppes vnto Godlines. Other­wise, if we be not instructed in the waies of God, when we shalbe exhorted to serue him, we wilbe ready to answere with the wicked, of whom Iob speaketh, Iob. 21.15. Who is the almightie that we should serue him? and what profite should we haue, if we should pray vnto him?

Throughout my booke for the most part, I haue onelye quoted the places of scrip­ture, which I haue added for the profe of euery point, and not expressed the words of the places themselues: partely for the auoiding of tediousnes, but speciallye be­cause I would haue you take occasion by searching for them, to be better acquain­ted with the scriptures, then you haue bene hetherto.

And seeing as for your benefite (beloued bretheren in the Lord Iesus) and at the request of some of you which heard me, [Page] I haue aduētured to make these my poore labours publique to the viewe of all, and subiect to the censures of all: I beseeche you, that as at the first hearing of them, you were generally desirous of them, so now you would vouchsafe the reading of them, to your further profit and encrease in the true sauing knowledge of god. The lord almighty make our loue aboūd in all knowledge and iudgement, and the same God sanctifie our knowledge, and make our affections holye, that we may discerne things that differ, and that we may be sincere and without of­fence vnto the comming of the Lord Ie­sus, Phil. 1.9.10. that we may be filled with the fruites of righteousnes, which are by Iesus Christ, vnto the praise and glorye of GOD. Amen.

Your seruant for Christ his sake. W. Burton.

That there is a God.

Question. WHereof doth all diuinitie consist?

Answere. All Diuinitie consisteth of knowledge and practise.

Q. Whereof is all knowledge?

A. All knowledge is either of the Creator or Creature.

Q. How may the Creator be knowne?

A. That we may know the Creator, it is requi­site that we consider. First whether there be a God or no.

Q. Why is this question first?

A. Because the scripture saith, Heb. 11.6. he that cometh to God must beleeue that God is.

Q. Haue any called this into question at any time?

A. Yea, so saith the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 10.4. but hee sheweth also that it was, Psal. 14.1. by wicked, proud, and foolish men, whose liues were nothing els but ab­homination and corruption.

Q. But what say [you] to it? whether do [you] thinke that there is a God or no?

A. Yea I am out of doubt thereof, and that there is a God it may be proued many waies.

1 First by his worke of creation, Rom. 1.19.20. for who could make the heauens and the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, but God?

2. By the preseruing of thinges created, as for example, man is preserued by breade, &c. [Page] which is no better in it selfe then earth, and yet if he eate earth he dieth, the reason hereof is, be­cause God blesseth the one giuing it foison and power to nourish more then the other, and this makes me thinke that there is a God.

Psal, 104.24.3 If we shall obserue in Gods workes an infi­nite multitude, a wonderfull varietie, as amongst so manie millions of men, neuer a one like ano­ther in the compasse of the face, a most constant order, a seemely agreement, and an endlesse con­tinuance or pleasant intercourse of thinges co­ming and going, and what exceeding maiestie is in them, we must needes attribute these things vnto a God.

4 The opinion that man hath of God pro­ueth it: for man by nature doth desire to be ex­alted, and in respect of him selfe despiseth all o­ther creatures, as wood and stone: but when a peece of wood is framed out like a man and set in the temple, and man conceauing an opinion that it is a God, hee falleth downe and worship­peth it. Esa. 44.15.17.

5 The terror of conscience stricken into the mindes of the wicked after sinne cometh vpon them from a Iudge who detesteth dishonest thinges, and exerciseth iudgement vpon the minde: Rom. 2.15. But in all the wicked is this torment, therefore there is some Iudge, Esa. 57.20.21. who is God, be­cause this punishment can not come but from God. Esa 66.24.

6 The punishment of the wicked (besides the terror of their conscience) with the rewardes of the godly, do proue that there is a God: and this argument is vsed by the Prophet Dauid, when hee [Page 2] saith, The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance, Psal. 58.10.1 he shall wash his footsteps in the bloud of the vngodlie, so that a man shall say ve­rily there is a rewarde for the righteous, doubtles there is a God that iudgeth the earth.

Q. What is God?

A. There is but one definition of God in all the scriptures, Ioh. 4.24. and that is this. God is a Spirite.

Q. A spirite is limited and compassed with time and place, therefore if God be a spirite, he is so too, is he not?

A. In deed certaine heretiques called Gnostici, haue abused that place of Iohn to that effect: but when it is said that God is a spirit, the meaning is this: God is spirituall, that is, not to bee seene of carnall eies, but is inuisible: not otherwise.

Q. How is God to be considered?

A. Two waies. Either as he is in himself, or as he is vnto vs.

Q. Can God be knowne of vs as he is in him selfe?

A. No: All nature is not able to teach vs what God is, neither can man in nature comprehend him.

Q. How proue you that? Iob. 36.26.

A. I proue it two waies: 1. Tim. 6.16. first by plaine testimo­nie of scripture.

Secondly by common reason.

Q. How doth common reason proue it?

A. 1. That all nature is not able to teach vs what God is, I proue it thus. No worke is able perfectly to expresse the worker thereof: but all nature is a thing wrought by God: therefore it can not perfectlie teach vs what God is.

That man cannot cōprehēd him; I proue it thus.

[Page]2 The lesse can not comprehend the greater: but euery man is lesse then God, therefore no man can comprehend God.

3 We can not knowe the thinges created, much lesse can we know the Creator, as for ex­ample: wee know that euery man hath a soule▪ but who knoweth what maner of thing it is?

Againe wee know that there be Angels, and that they bee amongst vs, but what maner of thinges they be we know not.

4 The scripture saith, the iudgements of God are past finding out, therefore much more is God himselfe past finding out. Rom 11.33.

[...]. Cor. 2.9.And againe the ioies of heauen which God hath prepared for the godly, are vnspeakable, much more therefore is God himselfe vn­speakable.

Q. Is there no knowledge to be had of God?

Rom. 1.21.A. Yes, for Paule saith, the Gentiles knew God, but did not honour him as God, but euen as princes haue their secretes whereunto all their subiects are not made priuie, Simile. neither is it lawfull for them to search into them, and yet doe they so farre forth publish their commandements as is profitable for them to know. So the prince of all princes hath his secretes, vnto which wee are not priuie, and into which we may not search, yet he hath so farre reuealed himselfe vnto vs as is profitable for vs to know. Therefore hee saide to Moses, Exod. 33.18. My face thou canst not see, that is the glo­ry of my maiestie (hee doth not say thou maiest not, or thou shalt not, but thou canst not) but thou shalt see my backe partes, that is some small measure of my glory, so farre as thou art able to [Page 3] apprehend it.

Q. Where is this knowledge of God to be had?

A. In the scriptures: Psal. 119.14. for they beare witnesse of God. Ioh. 5.39. And therefore they are called his testimonies, because they testifie of God what he is, and how he will be serued of vs.

Q. May we not learne more of God then the scriptures do teach?

A. No: 1. Cor. 4.6. Rom. 15.4. for Paul saith, that no man must presume aboue that which is written: but so much as is written in the worde of God is written for our learning, and therefore wee (being prepared by true prayer, sanctified with faith, and seasoned with the spirit of sobrietie and humilitie) we may I say, safely learne so much as is reuealed in the scriptures for our profiting in the knowledge of God: Deut. 29.29. for Moses saith, Secret things belong to God, but things reuealed belong to vs and to our children.

Q. Which call you the scriptures?

A. The bookes of the old Testament which be­gin with Genesis and end with the Prophets: and the bookes of the new Testament, which begin at Matthew, & end with Reuelation of Iohn.

Q. These were written by men which were subiect to errors, and had their infirmities, & therfore why should we beleeue them?

A. Though they were men, 2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Pet. 1.21. yet they were holie men set apart by God for that worke, and spake as they were moued by the holie Ghost.

Q. When Ieremie brought the worde of God to the Iewes, Iere. 43.2.3. they said it was not the ward of the Lord, but hee spake as Baruch the sonne of Neriah prouoked him, and [Page] so some perhaps in our daies are so vngodly as to take the Iewes part against Ieremie, and all his fellowes, let me heare therfore some reasons to proue and make it ma­nifest that they spake and wrote the verie word of God?

A. That the bookes of the olde and new Testa­ment conteine the word of God, and were writ­ten by the direction of the holy Ghost, it may ap­peare by these twelue reasons following.

  • 1 Their antiquitie proueth it.
  • 2 Their faithfulnes without partialitie which appeareth by Iacobs dealing with Simeon and Leui his owne posteritie,
    Gen. 49.5. Num. 12.1.
    and by the dealing of Moses against Aaraon & Miriam his brother & sister.
  • 3 The miracles which did so often followe their doctrine.
  • 4 A continuance of wonderfull prophesies vttered long before, come to passe iust in their times,
    [...]ide Calu. Instit. lib. 1. cap. 8.
    marked with their circumstances, not doubtfull like Marlins prophesies, but such as ex­pressed the thinges and persons by their names, and therefore vnto what may we attribute them but to the inspiration of God?
  • 5 The heauenly doctrine in euerie place and nothing sauouring of earthlinesse, doth prooue them to be of God.
  • 6 The sweete agreement and consent of the scriptures doth proue it, for one of them do not confute another as mens writings do,
    Luke 24.44.
    & our Sa­uiour Christ confirmeth them all.
  • 7 By their lawes which are for the thoughts, and pearce the heart of man, it is euident that they are of God, for they require sacrifice, but they prefer obedience, they enioyne fasting, but [Page 4] it is also from sinne. They command circumcisi­on but it is of the heart. They forbid lusting, co­ueting, &c. which is not to be found in any lawes but in his that searcheth the heart.
  • 8 The doctrine of the scripture is such as could neuer breed in the braines of men: as three persons in one God: God to become man: Ma­ries conception without the seed of man, the ma­king of all things of nothing, the resurrection & such like.
  • 9 The litle loue that most men do beare vn­to them, do proue them to be of God, for if they were of flesh & bloud, then flesh & bloud would loue them, reade them, practise them, and euerie way regard them more then it doth, for the world loueth his owne,
    Ioh. 15.19.
    as our Sauiour Christ saith: but we (being but carnall & earthly) sauour not the things that are of God, as the Apostle Saint Paul saith:
    1. Cor. 2.14.
    And vntil the Lord open our harts we haue no regard of them. So likewise vntill we be borne againe of Gods spirit,
    1. Pet. 2.2,
    and become as new borne babes▪ we haue no desire vnto them.
  • 10 The argument of the scriptures proueth them to be of God for they entreat either of the noble actes of God or of Christ, or the saluation of mankinde.
  • 11 The sinceritie of those men which spake them, and wrote them, doth proue them to bee of God, for they alwayes came in the name of the Lorde, and spent their bloud in testimonie thereof.
  • 12 If the authour of the scriptures were not God, it must be some creature, If he were a crea­ture, he was either good or bad. If a bad creature, [Page] why forbids he euil so rigorously, and commands good so expresly, and makes his marke to ayme at nothing but Gods glorie and our good. If hee were a good creature, why doth he challenge to himselfe that which is proper to God onelie, as to make lawes for the heart, and to punish and reward eternally, &c? If it bee no creature good nor bad, it must needes be God.

Q. Are not the workes of God sufficient to teach vs what God is?

A. No: they may teach vs that there is a God and leaue vs without any excuse, but to know God rightly to our saluation, we cannot without the scriptures. Therefore Dauid hauing shewed how the heauens declare the glorie of God, &c. Hee presently maketh mention of his word, say­ing: The law of the Lorde is vndefiled conuer­ting soules, Psal. 19.7.8. &c.

Q. What doth the scripture teach vs concerning God?

A. That there is but one God. Deut. 6.4. Esay 44. Psal. 18.31. Esay 46.9. [...]. Cor. 8.4.

Q. How els may it be proued that God is but one?

A. By the light of our nature and of common reason.

Q. What bee your reasons drawen from the light of reason?

Psal. 144.15.A. There can be but one chiefe good, and God is the same chiefe good, therfore there is but one God.

Act. 17.28.2 There can be but one first cause of all things which is God: therefore there is but one God.

3 The whole course of the world tendeth to one ende, and to one vnitie, which is God.

[Page 5]Q. How can that bee when there bee so manie sundrie things of diuers kindes and conditions, and one contrarie to another?

A. That is true in deede, but yet they altogether serue one God.

Q. Is that possible? can you geue an instance hereof in some familiar resemblance?

A. Yea very well: In a field there are many bat­tels, diuers standerds, sundrie liueries, and yet all turne head with one sway at once: by which wee know that there is one generall of the field which commaunds them all.

Q. What is this to confirme your assertion, that there is but one God ouer so many diuers and contrarie things in the world?

A. Yes: for euen so in the worlde wee see diuers things, not one like another: for some are noble, some base; some hote, some colde; some wilde, some tame; yet all serue to the glorie of the ma­ker, and the benefite of man, and the accomplish­ment of the whole world.

Q. And what gather you by all this?

A. That there is but one God, which comman­deth them all, like the Generall of a field.

Q. If one God be the author of all, why are there so many poysons, and noysome beastes?

A. To this I answere three waies.

  • 1 They were not created noysome and hurt­full at the first,
    Gen. 3.17.18.
    but the sinne of Adam brought the curse vpon the creatures.
  • 2 Although God hath cursed the creatures for mans sinne, yet in his mercie he doeth so dis­pose and order them, that they are profitable for vs; for poysons, we vse them for physicke; and the [Page] skinnes of wilde beastes serue against the cold, &c
  • 3 The most hurtfull things that are, might be­nefite vs, if we knew how to vse them. And wher­as they annoy vs, it is not of their owne nature, so much as of our ignorance.

Q. And what doe you conclude by all this?

A. That they haue not two beginninges, one good, and another bad, as some would imagine: but one author thereof, which is God himselfe, alwaies most good and gratious.

Obiection. Many are called Gods in the Scriptures: as when Moses is called Pharoes god: Exod. 7.1. Psal. 82.6. and magistrates are called gods, therefore there be mo gods then one.

Answere. There is a double signification in this word god: for sometime it signifieth him, who is by nature God, and hath his being not from any thing but himselfe, and all other things are from him: such a God is but one only.

Q. Why then are Magistrates called gods?

A. For foure causes.

  • 1 First, to teach vs that such must be chosen to beare rule which excell others in godlinesse, like gods amongst men.
  • 2 To encourage them in their offices, and to teach them that they should not feare the faces of men, like gods, which feare nothing.
  • 3 To shewe how God doeth honour them, and how they must honour God againe: for when they remember how GOD hath inuested them with his owne name, it shoulde make them asha­med to serue the deuill, or the worlde, or their owne affections; but to execute iudgement iust­lie, [Page 6] as if God himselfe were there.
  • 4 To teach vs to obey them, as we would obey God him selfe; for he which contemneth them, contemneth God himselfe:
    Rom. 13.2.
    and we must not dis­honor those whom God doeth honor.

Q. If there be but one onely God, 2. Cor. 4.4. why is the deuill cal­led the God of this world?

A. Because of the great power and soueraintie which is geuen him ouer the wicked whom God hath not chosen out of this world.

Q. Why is the bellie called a God? Philip. 3.9

A. Because some make more thereof, then of God, and his worshippe: for all that they can doe and get, is little inough for their bellies: & when they should serue God, they serue their bellies & beastlie appetites.

Q. Why are Idoles called gods?

A. Not because they are so indeed, but because Idolaters haue such an opinion of them.

Q. What other thing doe the Scriptures teach vs of God?

A. That in this one God are three persons, or beings: for Mathew saith; that Iohn Baptists sawe the holy Ghost descending like a Doue vpon Christ, Mat. 3.16.17. there is one person: he heard a voice from heauen, saying; this is my beloued sonne, there is another person: and he sawe Christ going out of the water, there is a third person.

And Paul saith thus; God saued vs by the wa­shing of the newe birth, Tit. 3.5. and renewing of the ho­lie Ghost, which he shed on vs aboundantlie tho­rough Iesus Christ our Sauiour: Here be three authors of our saluation.

Q. How proue you that these three are but one God?

[Page]A. I proue it by the wordes of Saint Iohn; there are three that beare witnes in heauen, 1. Iohn 5.7. the Fa­ther, the word, and the holie Ghost: And these three are one.

Q. What resemblances can you shewe me of the Tri­nitie, in some thinges which be commonly knowen a­mongst vs?

Resemblances of the Trinity in the sunne.A. The sunne begetteth his owne beames, and from thence proceede both light and heate: and yet is not one of them before another, otherwise then in consideration of order and relation, that is to say, in respect that the sunne beames are be­gotten, and the light proceeding, which is an ap­parant image and resemblance of the three per­sons in one God.

Againe, in waters, there is the well head, the spring boyling out of it, Waters. and the streame flowing from them both, and all these are but one water: and so there are three persons in one Godhead, and yet but one God.

Againe, from one flame of fire proceede both light and heate, Fire. and yet but one fire: So in God be three persons or beings, and yet but one God.

Q. How do these three persons differ one from another?

A. Two wayes. First according to their names: Secondly, according to their actions.

Q. What is the name of the first person?

Mat. 11. [...]7.A. The first person is called the Father, and that in two respects. First, in respect of his naturall Sonne Iesus Christ, begotten of his owne nature and substance.

Ephes. 3.14.Secondly, in respect of vs, his adopted sonnes.

Q. Adopted sonnes! What meane you by that?

[Page 7]A. I meane those whome he hath chosen to bee heires of heauen, Iohn 1.12. Rom. 8.14. through the mediation of his naturall sonne Iesus Christ.

Q. What is the second person called?

A. The second person is called the sonne of god, because he is begotten of his fathers nature and substance, Note. not because hee was begotten of the substance of God, for so in respecte of substance they be all one, but in respect of the father, he is called the sonne.

Q. Where finde you that he is called the sonne?

A. In Pro. 30.4. What is his name, and what is his sonnes name?

Q. What is the third person called?

A. The thirde person is called the holy spirite.

Q. Why is he called a spirite?

A. For two causes. First, because he is spiritual, without bodie, Luke 24.39. flesh, bloud or bones: for a spirite hath no such matter, as our Sauiour Christ saith.

Secondly, because he is, as it were, the breath of grace, which the father & the sonne breatheth out vpon the Saints. Iohn 20.22.

Q. Why is he called holie spirite?

A. For two causes. First, because he is holie by nature. Secondly, because hee is the sanctifier of the Saints.

Q. Now shewe mee how they differ according to their actions.

A. The father begetteth. Psal. 2.7. 1. Iohn 5.1. Iohn 15.26.

The sonne is begotten.

The holie Ghost proceedeth.

Q. How was the sonne of God begotten of his Father?

A. For the better vnderstanding of this point, we must consider that there are two manners of [Page] begetting. One is carnall and outward, and this is subiect to corruption, alteration and time.

The other is spirituall and inwarde, as was the begetting of the sonne of God, in whose genera­tion there is neither corruption, alteration, nor time.

Q. Declare then after what manner this spiritual ge­neration of she sonne of God was, and yet in sobrietie, ac­cording to the scriptures.

A. For the better finding out of this mysterie, we must consider in God two thinges: First that in God there is an vnderstanding. Psal. 139.2. Se­condly, we must consider how this vnderstanding is occupied in God.

Q. Declare after what manner it is in God.

A. This vnderstanding is his verie being, and is euerlastingly, and most perfectly occupied in God.

Q Whereupon doth Gods vnderstanding worke?

A. Vpon nothing but it selfe, and that I proue by reason, for God being infinite and all in all, it cannot meet with any thing but himselfe.

Q. What worke doth this vnderstanding in God ef­fect?

A. It doth vnderstand and conceiue it selfe, for as in a glasse a man doth conceiue, and beget a perfect image of his owne face, so God in behol­ding and minding of himselfe, doth in himselfe beget a most perfect and a most liuely image of himselfe, which is that in the Trinitie which wee call the sonne of God.

Q. Where do you find that the sonne is called the per­fect image of God?

A. Yes, he is called the brightnesse of his glory, [Page] and the ingrauen forme of his person, which is all one. Heb. 1.3▪

Q. What meane you by ingraued forme?

A. That as waxe vpon a seale hath the ingra­ued forme of the seale, so the sonne of God which his father hath begotten of his owne vnderstan­ding, is the verie forme of his fathers vnderstan­ding, so that when the one is seene, the other is seene also.

Q. Why then he is vnderstanding it selfe: for so is his father?

A. Yea, he is so, and he saith so of himself. I haue counsaile and wisedome, Prou. 8.14. I am vnderstanding.

Q. But where finde you that he was begotten?

A. He saith so himselfe in the name of wisdome in these wordes: When there was no depthes, then was I begotten. Prou. 8.24.25. Before the mountaines and hils were setled, was I begotten.

Q. Yea, he was made the sonne of God, when hee was borne of the virgine Marie, was he not?

A. He was in deed then the sonne of God, but he was not then made the sonne of God.

Q. When was he made the sonne of God?

A. He was neuer made in time, for he was be­gotten of the substance of his Father, from all e­ternitie, without beginning or ending.

Q. How proue you that the sonne of God was not made, but begottē eternally of the substāce of his father?

A. I proue it first by scripture: for he saith no lesse himselfe. Prou. 8.23. I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning, and before the earth. And there­fore he prayed that he might be glorified of his father, Iohn. 17.5. with the glory which he had with his fa­ther before the world.

[Page]Secondlie, I proue it by reason, for Gods vn­derstanding is euerlasting, therefore the second person which it begetteth is so too: for the father in his vnderstanding did not conceiue any thing lesse then himselfe nor greater then him selfe, but equall to him selfe.

Q. Although the Sonne of God be euerlasting, yet hee is not all one with the Father, is he?

A. Yes, that he is: and yet not ioyned with his Father in heauen as two iudges that sit together on a bench, or as the seale and the waxe, as some do grosly imagine, but they are both Iohn. 10.30. one with­out parting or mingling, whereupon I conclude that whatsoeuer the Father is, the Sonne is the same, and so consequently that they bee coeter­nall, coequall, and coessentiall.

Q. What meane you, when you say that they be coe­ternall, coequall, and coessentiall?

A. By being coeternall, I meane that they be of one selfe same euerlasting continuance. By coe­qual I meane that they be of one state, condition and degree. By coessential I meane that they be of one selfe same substance or being.

Q. What difference then is there betweene the three persons?

A. Truely none but by way of relation and or­der: that is, the Father is called the Father, in re­spect of the Sonne, and the Sonne in respect of the Father, and the holy Ghost in respect that he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne, but the one is not the other as the fountaine is not the streame, nor the streame the fountaine, but are so called one in respect of another, and yet al but one water.

[Page 9]Q. Men by reason do conceiue, and beget reason: what difference is there betweene the cōceiuing of vnderstan­ding in men, & the conceiuing of vnderstāding in God?

A. There is great difference, for first this con­ceiuing in men, proceedeth of sence, or outwarde imagination, which is an outward thing for rea­son to worke vpon, as wood is to fire. But God the Father of him selfe begetteth & conceiueth him selfe, Iohn. 1.18. and still in him self. As Iohn saith: That onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father.

Secondly, in men the thing which is vnder­standed and the vnderstanding it selfe is not all one, but in God it is all one.

Q. What reason haue you for this?

A. The reason is, because onely God is altoge­ther life, and his life is altogether vndertanding, and his vnderstanding is the highest degree of life: And therefore he hath his conceiuing, and begetting most inwarde of all.

Q. What meane you when you say most inwarde of al?

A. I meane that the Father conceiueth in him selfe, and of himselfe, and his conceiuing is a be­getting, and his begetting abideth still in him selfe, because his vnderstanding can no where meete with anie thing but that which hee him selfe is: And that is the second being in the Trinitie, The holy Ghost [...] which we call euerlasting Son of God.

Q. Now let me heare what the holy Ghost is, and how he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne.

A. For the vnderstanding of this matter wee must cōsider two things. First that in the essence of God besides his vnderstanding there is a Esa. 46.10. wil: secōdly, what be the properties of this wil in God.

[Page]Q. What are the properties of gods will?

A. First, it applyeth his power when, where, and how hee thinkes good according to his owne minde. Secondly, it worketh euerlastinglie vpon it selfe, as his vnderstanding doth.

Q. What do you gather by this?

A. That because it hath no other thing to worke vpon but it selfe, it doth delight it selfe in the infinite good which it knoweth in it selfe, for the action of the will is delight and liking.

Q. And what of that?

A. That delight which God or his will hath in his owne infinite goodnes, doth bring forth a third person or being in God, which we call the holy Ghost.

Q. What is that same third being in God?

A. The mutuall kindnes and louingnes of the Father and the Sonne.

Q. What meane you by this mutuall louingnesse and kindnesse?

A. The Father taketh ioy and delight in the Sonne, Prou. 8.3. or his owne image conceiued by his vn­derstanding, and the Sonne likewise reioyceth in his Father, as he saith himselfe, and the reason hereof is this, the action of the will (when it is fulfilled) is loue and liking.

Q. What resemblance can you shew hereof in some thing that is commonly vsed amongst vs?

A. When a man looketh in a glasse, if hee smile, his image smileth too, and if hee taketh delight in it, it taketh the same delight in him, for they are both one.

Q. If they be all one, then there are not three beings?

A. The face is one being, the image of the face [Page 10] in the glasse is another being, and the smiling of them both together is a third being, and yet all are in one face, and all are of one face, and all are but one face.

Q. And is it so in God?

A. Yea, for euen so the vnderstanding which is in God, is one being, the reflection, or And yet the image of the face in the glasse, is but a resemblāce onely, & not the face in deed: but the image of Gods vnderstan­ding, is more then abare i­mage or resem­blance, for the Sonne of God which is called the image of his Fathers nature, substance, and glory, is also of the same nature, substance, and glory with the Father, and is that vnderstan­ding it selfe whereof it is also an image or per­fect resemblance. image of his vnderstanding which hee beholdeth in him selfe, as in a glasse, is a second being: And the loue and liking of them both together by reason of the will fulfiled, is a third being in God, and yet al are but of one God, all are in one God, and all are but one God.

VVhich of these three beings is fast?

A. There is neither first nor last, going afore nor coming after in the essence of God, but all these, as they are euerlasting, so they are all at once, and at one instant, euen as in a glasse, the face and the image of the face when they smile, they smile together, and not one before nor after an other.

Q. VVhat is the conclusion of all?

A. As wee haue the Sonne of the Father, by the euerlasting inworking of his vnderstan­ding, so also wee haue the holy Ghost of the loue of them both by the ioint working of the vnderstanding, and will together: whereupon we conclude three distinct persons, or inbeings (which wee call the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost) in one spirituall, yet vn­speakable substance, which is verie God him selfe.

Q. But what if some will be yet more curious to know how the sonne of God should be begotten, & how the holy [Page] Ghost should proceede from the Father and the Sonne, how may we satisfy them?

A. Well enough, for if anie will be too curious about this point, we may answere them thus; Let them shew vs how themselues are bred & begottē: & then let thē aske vs how the son of God is be­gotten: and let them tel vs the nature of the spirit that beateth in their pulses, & then let them be inquisitiue at our hands for the proceeding of the holy Ghost.

Q. And what if they can not giue vs a reason for the manner of their owne being, may they not be inqui­sitiue for the manner of Gods being?

A. No: for if they must be constrained to bee ignorant in so common matters which they daily see and feele in them selues, let them giue vs leaue to be ignorant not onely in this, but in manie thinges moe, which are such as no eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor wit of man can conceiue.

How the 3. persons agree together.

Q. How do the three persons of the Trinitie agree one with another?

A. They agree fiue waies.

  • 1 In deitie.
  • 2 In dignitie.
  • 3 In time or eternitie.
  • 4 In operation.
  • 5 In will.

Q. What meane you by agreeing in Deitie?

A. Their substance is the same, and all are one God.

Q. How proue you that the Father is God?

Eph. 1.3.A. S. Paule saith, Blessed be God the Father of [Page 11] our Lord Iesus Christ.

Q. How proue you that the Sonne is God?

A. Three waies.

  • First, by plaine testimonies of scriptures.
  • 2. By the workes which hee did and doth.
  • 3. By comparing the olde Testa­ment and the new together.

Q. By what testimonies of scripture do you proue it?

A. In 1. Ioh. 5.20. Heb. 1.8. Rom. 9.5. Esai. 9.6.

Q. How do you proue it by his worke?

A. His workes were such as none could do but God: for,

  • 1 He made the world which none could doe but God.
    Heb. 1.2.
  • 2 He forgaue sins which none could doe but God.
    Math. 9.2.
  • 3 He giueth the holy Ghost,
    Ioh. 15.26.
    which none can doe but God.
  • 4 Hee maintaineth his Church which hee could not doe if he were not God.
    Ephe. 4.11.12.

Q. How doe you proue the Sonne to be God by com­paring the olde Testament and the new?

A. Looke what the olde Testament speakes of Iehouah which is God, that the new Testament applyeth to Christ, Ergo. he is God.

Q. What proues can you shew of this?

A. 1 Dauid saith: Psal. 68.18. Ephe. 4.8. Psal, 95. [...]. 1. Cor. 10.9. Esai. 41.4. Apoc. 21.6. Iehouah went vp on high, and led captiuity captiue. Paule applieth it to Christ.

2 Againe, the Psalmist saith, Iehouah was tempted, which Paule applieth to Christ.

3 Againe▪ Esai saith▪ Iehouah is the first and the last: this is also applyed to Christ.

4 Againe: Esay saith, Iehouah wil not giue his [Page] glorie to any other then to himselfe, Esa. 42, 8. Heb. 1.6. but it is gi­uen to Christ, therfore Christ is Iehouah.

Q. How proue you the holy ghost to be God?

1. Cor. 3, 17. 2. Cor. 6.16.A. Paule calleth vs Gods temples, because the holy ghoste dwelleth in vs, therfore he is God▪ and this reason is also vsed by S. Augustine in his 66. Epistle to Maximinus.

Q. How doth he vse it?

A. He saith it is a cleare argument of his God­head, if we were commaunded to make him a Temple but of tymber and stone, because that woorship is due to God only: Therfore now we must much more think that he is God, because we are not commaunded to make him a Tem­ple, but to be a temple for him our selues.

Q. What other reason haue you out of the Scrip­ture?

A. Peter reprouing Ananias for lying to the holy ghost, Act. 5.3.4. said that the lyed not to men, but to God.

Q. Haue you any more reasons from the Scriptures?

A. Yea two more, one from Paule, and an­other. from S. Paule and Esay together.

Q. What is your reason from S. Paule?

1. Cor. 12.11.A. When he sheweth how many sundrye giftes are giuen to men, he saith, that one and the self­same spirit is the distributer of them all, therfore he is God, for none can distribute those giftes which Paule speakes of, but God.

Q. What is your reason from Esay and S. Paule together?

Act. 28.25.A. Esay saith in chap. 6.9. I heard the lord speaying, which place Paule expoundeth of the holy ghoste.

[Page 12]Q. Which is the second way, that they are all one?

A. They agree not onely in deitie, but also in dignitie.

Q. What meane you by that?

A. I mean that the one hath as great excellen­cie and maiestie euery way as the other. Ioh. 5.23. Apo. 5.12.13. And therfore their honor and worship is equall and a like, and one of them hath not more honor then an other.

Q. If the honor of the Father and the Sonne be e­quall, then what say you to them that giue external ho­nor to the name of Iesus, more then the name of Christ, and of Iehouah, and of God, and of the holy ghost?

A. I see not what reason they haue so to doo.

Of the bowing to the name of Iesus.

Q. Why? Philip. 2.10. is it not said that at the name of Iesus e­uery knee shall bow, &c.

A. It is true, if it be rightly vnderstood▪ for as a learned man saith, the bowing of the knee at the sound of the name of Iesus (as it is vsed in po­perie) is not commaunded nor prophiced in that place, but it meaneth that all creatures shalbe subiect to the iudgement of Christ, when not onely Turks and Iewes, which now yeeld no ho­nor to Iesus, but euen the Deuils themselues shalbe constrained to acknowledge that he is their Iudge.

Q. What hurt is there in bowing or worshipping at the name of Iesus.?

A. To this question I answere with that reuerēd man, that capping and kneeling at the name of [Page] Iesus, is of it selfe an indifferent thing, and ther­fore may be abused superstitiouslie, as in Pope­rye, where the people stoope at the sound of the name of Iesus when it is read, not vnderstanding what it meaneth, or what is said concerning him: Also in bowing onlie at the name of Iesus, and not at the names of Christ, Emanuel, God the fa­ther, the sonne and the holie Ghost, there is su­perstition committed; it may bee vsed well also when the minde is free from superstition in signe of remembraunce of his maiestie, and as in a matter, in which Christian libertie ought to haue place, for due reuerence may be yeelded to our Sauiour without any such outward ceremonie of kneeling or capping. D. Fulke annota. in Rhe. Test. in Philip 2.10. Concerning [...] or diuine worship it is not due to the sillables and letters of the bare name of Iesus or of Christ, but to Iesus Christ himselfe, and to his lawes and sta­tutes prescribed in his holie word, and that ac­cording to his word.

Q. Haue anie committed such idolatrie?

A. Yea the Papists who thought and do thinke that the verie letters of the name of Iesus is able to saue them from the diuel and from ill; As al­so ignorant people amongst vs, which standes scraping and capping at the bare name of Iesus, and that onlie when the Gospell is read, not knowing what they do.

Q. Is not the diuell afraide of the name of Iesus, and will not the sounde and sight thereof make him flie from vs?

Luke 4.41. Act. 19.15.A. No: for then they would neuer haue na­med, and confessed him themselues, as it ap­peareth [Page 13] they did, besides that, if the diuell were afraide at the name of Iesus, why durst hee so boldlie come to tempt Christ himselfe in the wildernesse? Therefore the diuell is no more afraide of the name of Iesus, Matth. 4. then he was to see the Crosse, when he did helpe the Iewes to make it, and to set it vp, and to hange Christ vpon it, much lesse is he afraid of the sign of the crosse.

Q. But we reade that Paule draue an euil spirit out of a Maide, by the name of Iesus.

A. Act. 1 [...].18. That was by the vertue and power of Christs spirite, which Paule had giuen vnto him, and not by the name only of Iesus, Act. 3.16. as the cripple was healed by faith in the name of Iesus.

Q. Can you shew me example of any that could not preuaile as Paule did, by the bare sound of the name of Iesus.

A. Yea, In Act. 19.13.14.15.16. We read of cer­taine men, which tooke vpon them to driue out Diuels by naming of Iesus, but they got nothing by it, as the storie sheweth.

Of ioyning Christ and the Masse together.

Q If the Father and the Sonne be of equall honor, what say you to the ioyning of Christ and the masse to­gether in one woord, to keep his birth and incarnation in remembrance.

A. The Scripture forbiddeth vs not onelye to keep the idols, and worship of idolaters, but also to keepe any of their names in remembrance, or to make mention of their names with our lips, Exo. 23.13. Psa. 16.4▪ and this we are forbidden both in the precept of God, and the practise of his seruant Dauid.

[Page]Q. If the Sonne of God must be honoured, as his Fa­ther is honoured, then how must the natiuitie of the Sonne of God be kept, and celebrated?

A. With such solemnitie and reioycing as be­seemeth the maiestie, dignitie, and nature of the sonne of God, euen as we keepe the day of our Princes Coronation, with such solemnitie as beseemeth the maiestie and state of a Prince.

Q. What solemnitie must that be?

A. Diuine, heauenlie, and spirituall, because he is such to whose honour we do it.

Q. What then must bee our exercises at that time?

A, Hearing the word of God reade and prea­ched, to knowe Christ Iesus, giuing of thankes to God for our redemption by Christ Iesus, re­ioycing with spirituall songes and Psalmes to the praise of God for Christ Iesus, and be­wayling our sinnes, Phil. 2.6.7.8. which caused the sonne of God so to abase himselfe for our sakes, and to praie for grace that we may walke worthie so great a benefite.

Q. What saye you then to vaine pastimes, as Lord of misrule, stage players, carding and dicing and such like, which tende to lewde and vnchast behaui­our, with surfetting, and rioting, &c. In which and such like exercises commonly the time is spent.

A. They are not beseeming the dignitie and maiestie of the sonne of God, nor the profes­sion of Christians, but they are rather for suche as knowe not GOD, nor his Sonne Christ, and are such as walke altogither in the vanities of their mindes, but as the A­postle saith) wee haue not so learned Christ, if [Page 14] we haue learned him in deede and in truth. Eph. 4.17. &c. See Ephes. 4. from the 17, verse, to the ende of the Chapter.

Q. Although they be vnlawfull at other times, yet at this time they are lawfull: for wherefore was this time appointed els, but to laugh and be mery in?

A. Not honest recreation, but excesse of riot, is at all times vnlawfull, but especiallie at this time: for this time is appointed to the Church, to haue the birth and natiuitie of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, kept in a holy, ioyfull and thankfull remembrance: and not to be spent as though hel were broken loose in al manner of licentiousnes.

Q. What? is it not lawfull to reioyce then, and to eate and drinke, and to be merie one with another?

A. Yes: if it be done in the feare of God, to the mainteining of holy loue, to the releeuing of the poore and needie, and to the glorie and praise of the sonne of God, Iesus Christ: in whome, by whom, and for whose sake, wee enioy all the bles­sings that we haue.

Q. Wherein els doe the three persons agree?

A. In time or eternitie.

Q. What meane you by that?

A. I meane that one of them hath beene of as long continuance as another, and all of them haue beene and shalbe for euer.

Q. How proue you this?

A. By the Scriptures. Heb. 13.8. Heb. 13.8. Iesus Christ ye­sterday, to daie, and the same for euer. Iohn 1.1. Ioh. 1.1. Gen. 1.26. Gen. 1.26. Let vs &c. which was spoken to the iij. [Page] persons in the trinitie. viz. Father &c.

Q. How els are they all one?

1 Ioh. 5.17. [...] Gen. 1.26.A. In operation: that is, they all worke one and the same thing together, as appeareth by these places.

To this doctrine do the learned also giue te­stimonie: for one saieth, Opera trinitatis sunt inse­perabilia: idest, the workes of the trinitie be in­seperable: which he explaneth by this similitude. Quum dicimus solem nutrire, & illuminare terram, non excipimus eius ardorem, Musc. com. pla. pag. 21. neque splendorem, sine quibus non nutri [...], nec illuminat: that is, when wee say that sunne doth nourish, & lighten the earth, we do not except his heate, nor his brightnesse: euen so of the workes of the trinitie.

Another saith thus: Quia Deus est essentia vnus, hypostasi vero trinus, [...]anaeus phys. pag. 100. sic intelligitur, vt opus hoc crea­tionis sit illius trinitatis commune, quanquam in eodem opere sit▪ distincta cuiusque personae operatio. that is: Because God is one in essence, but three in substāce we must vnderstand that this work of our creatiō is a common worke of the trinitie, although in the same worke there is a distinct & diuers ope­ration of each person.

Q. How els are they all one?

A. In will: that is they will all one and the same thing without any crossing, contradiction, or va­rying in themselues: as the Sonne himselfe saith. I do alwaies those thinges that please him. Ioh. 8.29. viz: the father.

Q. These places before alleaged, do prooue the Father and the Sonne to be all one in deitie, dignitie, eternitie, &c. but What say you for the holy Ghost?

[Page 15]A. The holy ghost is sometime called the spi­rite of the father, as the Lord God and his spirite hath sent me, Esa. 48.16. sometime the spirit of the sonne, as: If any hath not the spirit of Christ &c. Rom. 8.9. Now if the spi­rite of a man in whome there is no perfection be all one with man, much more the spirit of the fa­ther is all one with the father, and the spirite of the sonne is all one with the sonne, and so the holy ghost with the father, and the sonne▪ is the same in deitie, dignitie, eternitie, operatiō & will.

The names of the 1. person.

Q. What names are giuen in the Scripture to the first person?

A. The father spake most commonly in the olde Testament (for in these last times he hath spoken by his sonne) and he is called by these names.

  • 1 Iehouah ▪ that is, I am that I am: without be­ginning or ending.
    Esa. 42.8.
  • 2 Elohim: that is mightie and strong.
  • 3 Adonay: that is iudge, or in whose iudge­ment we rest.
  • 4 Lorde of hostes:
    1. King. 19.14.
    because he hath both An­gels, and men, and all creatures at commaund to fight for him.
  • 5 The God of Iacob,
    Act. 3.13.
    or of Israel, because hee made a promise to Abraham that hee would be his God, and the God of his seede, & the Israelits were the seede of Abraham.
  • 6 The father of our Lord Iesus Christ: the reason why,
    Ephes. 1.3.
    is declared before.

The names of the 2. person.

Q. What names are giuen to the second person?

A. He hath some names as he is the son of God. He hath some names as he is man.

[Page]And he hath some names as hee is both God and man in one person.

Q. What names hath he as he is the sonne of God.

Ioh. 1.14.A. First, onely begotten Sonne of God: because he is onely begotten of the nature, and substaunce of the Father.

Rom. 8.29. Hebr. 1.6. Hebr. 1.3.Secondly, first begotten: not as though he be­gat any after, but because he begat none before.

Thirdlye, th'image, and brightnesse of the Fa­thers glorye, because the glorie of God which we cannot see in him, is by his effects expressed in his sonne.

Iohn. 1.1. Hebr. 1.1.Fourthly, the worde: because, euen as a man reuealeth the meaning of his harte by the worde of his mouth, so God reuealeth his will by his sonne.

Q. What names hath he as he is man?

Math. 26.24.A. 1. Sonne of man: because▪ he was of the na­ture of man according to the flesh.

Math. 9.27.2. Sonne of Dauid, because he sprange of the linage and stocke of Dauid.

Q. What names are giuen him as he is both God and man in one person?

Math. 1.21.A. 1. Iesus, that is a Sauiour: because he came to saue the people from their sinnes.

Math. 16.16.2. Christ, that is annointed: For he was annoin­ted of God to be a Prince, to rule his Church, a Prophet to teach his church, and a Priest to offer sacrifice for his Church.

3. Mediatour & aduocate: because he praieth, for vs to the Father▪ and pleadeth our cause be­fore his iudgement seate. 1. Tim. 2.5.

Q. What names are giuē to the holy ghost, the 3. person.

[Page 16]A. The holy ghost (who is the spirite of the Fa­ther) speaking in the old Testament, hath these names and properties.

  • 1. The good spirit,
    Psal. 143.10.
    because, he is the fountaine of goodnes.
  • 2. The spirit of God,
    1. Sam. 11.6.
    because he is good, and proceedeth from God.
  • 3. The finger of God,
    Luke 11.23.
    because God worketh by him, as a man by his hand.
  • 4. The comforter,
    Iohn. 10.26.
    because he strengtheneth the weake harts of his Saints.
  • 5. The spirit of Adoption,
    Rom. 8.15.
    because he assureth our harts that we be adopted the Saints of God.
  • 6. The spirit of loue,
    2 Tim. 1.7.6. Esa. 11.2.
    power, sobrietie, wisdome, &c. because it worketh all these things in vs.

God is incomprehensible.

Q. Of what nature is God?

A. First, by nature God is incomprehensible.

Q. What meane you by that?

A. I meane that God cannot be contained in a­ny compasse of place as is a man, or Angell, or a­ny other creature, but he is in all places, and fil­leth all places at once, 1. Kings. 8.27. Psal. 145 3. & is beyond all compasse of place that we can imagine, as appeareth by the testimonie of the Scriptures.

Q. Though the substance of God be incomprehensible, yet his power and wisedome are not so, are they?

A. Yes, Ioh. 11.7.8.9. Rom. 11.33. and whatsoeuer is in God is incompre­hensible, as may be prooued by the Scriptures.

Q. To what purpose and vse serueth this doctrine?

A. It serueth to driue all grosse and idolatrous conceipts of God out of our mindes. 2. It de­tecteth [Page] and bewraieth the impietie & blasphemie of the popish Church, or any other persons wher­soeuer, who either by making of pictures (as they thought) of God, or by maintaining of them being made, or by suffering of them to stand still (especially after it bee knowne) haue thereby denyed God to bee incomprehensible. For those pictures and resemblances of God which ignorant men haue forged in their owne braine, doe tell vs and say, that God may be com­prehended and contained within a place, yea in a small place, or in anie place as a man or other creatures, which is most high blasphemie against the maiestie of almightie God.

God is inuisible.

Q. What els is God by nature?

A. Inuisible, that is, he hath not bene seene with any mortall eye, neither can any man possibly see God.

Q. How proue you that?

A. Two waies, First by Scripture. 2. By reason. That no man hath seene God, It is plaine set downe in 1. Iohn 4.12.

That no man can see God, It is as plainlie proued in Exod. 33.20. 1. Tim. 6.16.

By reason, it is manifest, First we can not see our owne soules which are ten thousand times a more grosse substance then God, much lesse can we see God, which is a most pure and spirituall substance.

Q. We reade in Gen. 18.1. that God appeared to Abraham. And in Deut. 5.24. that he shewed himselfe [Page 17] to the Israelites, therefore he is not inuisible, how an­swere you this?

A. God gaue them in deede some outwarde sights, wherby they might be certaine of his pre­sence, and therefore it is said that the Lorde ap­peared vnto them, but his substaunce or es­sence they saw not: Iohn. 6.46. For to know God perfectly is proper to God onely.

Q. We reade in Gen. 1.26. that man was made accor­ding to the image of God, therefore God is visible, for man is visible, How answere you this?

A. The image of God consisteth not in the shape and figure of the bodye, but in the minde and integritie of nature, Coloss. 3.10. Eph. 4.24. or (as the scrip­ture saith) in wisedome, righteousnesse, and holinesse.

Q. To what vse serueth this doctrine?

A. For manie vses, but especially to driue a­way all grosse conceites of God out of our harts, and all pictures and similitudes of God out of our sight; for seeing that God was neuer seene, whereunto shall he be resembled? Deut. 4.12.15.16.17.18.19. Moses vrged this point hard and oftē to the Israelites, saying, Ye hard the voice, but saw no similitude: Take therefore good heede vnto your selues, marke how he saith not take heed, but take good heed. And therefore take good heed. For (saith hee a­gaine) yee sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb, &c.

Now he cometh to the thing that they must therefore take heed of. That ye corrupt not your selues, and make you a grauen image, or representation of anie figure, whether it be of male or female, &c.

[Page]Q. VVhat else is the nature of God?

A. By his nature hee is euerie where, that is in all places of heauen, Psal. 139.7. Iere. 23.24. and earth, and the sea, and hell and all at one time, and this is witnessed by the Scriptures as well as the rest.

Q. Is God euery where bodily?

A. No, for he hath no bodie.

Q Is God euerie where in speculation onely?

A. No. For he worketh in euerie thing which hee beholdeth.

Q. How then is he euerie where?

A. Hee is euerie were essentially: For his essence is not contained in any place, because hee is in­comprehensible.

Q. Is he not halfe in one halfe of the world, and halfe in the other halfe of the world?

A. No. But as the whole soule is wholy in euerie part of the bodie: so God is whole and wholy in euerie part of the world.

1 Obiection. If God be euerie where essentially, then he is in the most filthie sinke and puddle.

Answere. To this obiection I answere three wayes. First, it is no abasing of the glory of his maiestie, to say that hee is there, no more then it is to the Sunne, whose beames and light are there, or to a Phisitian to be amongst those that be sicke.

Secondly, all the creatures of God in them­selues are exceeding good, and when hee is in the most filthie sinke in the world, he is not in a more filthie place then our selues, whether wee bee sicke or sound.

Thirdly, they are his workmanship. And it is no [Page 18] abasement of the workemaister, to be amongst his workes.

2 Obiection. If God be euerie where: Psal. 2.4. why is it said he dwelleth in the heauens?

Answere. Because his glory and maiestie which is euery where alike, shineth most prosperous and visible in heauen.

3 Obiection. It is said in Num. 14.42. He is not amongst the wicked.

Answere. That is true. For hee is not amongst them with his grace and fauour, to protect and defend them: But otherwise by his power and prouidence hee is amongst them, to bridle their raging affecti­ons, to plague their furious obstinacie, and to dis­pose of their desperate attempts to his owne glo­rie, and the good of his people.

4 Obiection. If God bee euery where at the same instante of time, how is he said to be somtimes neerer, Esai. 56.6. somtimes further of?

Answere. God is said to be neare vnto vs, when by his word or any other meanes he offereth vs grace and fa­uour. And when he heareth and graunteth our praiers, as Moses saith, What nation is so great vn­to whom the Gods come so neere vnto them, as the Lord our God is neere vnto vs, Deut, 4.7. in all that wee call vnto him for.

5 Obiection. If God be in hel, thē al goodnes is there for he is al good­nes, & so cōsequētly there is no want of ioy in the dāned.

Answere. [Page] The damned in hell feele no part of his good­nesse, that is, of his mercie and louing fauour, but of his power and iustice, so that God is in hell, by his power, and in his wrath.

God is a liuing God.

Q. What else is God by nature?

A. A liuing God. For so is he called Heb. 10.31. in the Scrip­tures. Ier. 10.10. Hereof is that speach in the scrip­ture so often vsed. The Lord liueth Num. 14.21.. And hereof is that forme of taking an othe so common in the Scripture. As the Lord liueth. Both Rom. 14 11. God and 1. Sam. 19.6. man vsed it. And may bee vsed Ier▪ 4.2. when we may lawful­ly sweare, and not else.

Q. Why is God called a liuing God?

Iohn 5.26.A. For foure causes. 1 Because he onely hath life in himselfe, and of himselfe, and all other crea­tures haue life from him.

Acts 17.28.2 Because hee is the onely giuer of life vnto man. Gen. 2.7.

Matt 22.32.3 Because he is the God especially, not of the dead, but of the liuing.

Psal. 115.56.4 To distinguish him thereby from all the false Gods of heathen, which haue no life in them.

God is eternall.

Q VVhat else is God by nature?

Psal. 90.2. Esay 40.8.A. Eternal, that is he hath neither beginning, nor end of being, as the Scriptures testifie.

Q. VVhy is God called eternall in the Scriptures?

A: First in respect of vs his children, because hee hath promised to giue vs of his eternall good­nesse, [Page 19] and to haue a continuall care of vs through all eternitie, and will haue a kingdome in Angels and men, whereof shall be no end.

Q. Is it necessarie that we should know this?

A. Yea, that wee may here stay our selues with the certaine hope of eternall life, grounded vpon his eternitie.

Q. Howe may that hope bee grounded vpon his eter­nitie?

A. Verie well: Psal. 48.13. Psal. 103.17. For God being eternall, he can for euer preserue vs. And seeing he hath promised, he will for euer preserue vs.

Q. VVhy else is God said to be eternall?

A. That so hee might be discerned from all other things created, Esai▪ 40.18. Psal. 113.45. for nothing is like vnto God, if the scriptures speake truth.

Q. Is it necessarie we hold God to be eternall, that so he may be discerned from all things created?

A. Yea, and wee holde it in that respect for two causes.

  • 1. Because certaine heretikes haue thought ei­ther all the creatures, or some of the creatures at least,
    Vrsinus▪
    to be deriued from the verie nature and es­sence of God by propagation, as children from their mothers wombe.
  • 2 That all idolatrous cogitation of God may be excluded out of our mindes.

God is vnchangeable.

Q. VVhat else is the nature of God?

A. He is vnchangeable.

Q. VVhat meane you by that?

A. That is, hee will bee alwayes such as hee [Page] hath bene from all eternitie.

Q. Declare in particular how that is?

A. First his essence or substance cannot be augmented, nor deminished. Secondly, his nature and wil cannot be changed. Thirdly, he hath no need to transporte himselfe from place to place. This is witnessed by the Scriptures, and also con­firmed by the light of reason.

Q. By what Scripture do you proue that God is vn­changeable?

A: It is proued in Num. 23.19. Iames. 1.17. Psal. 33.11. Esa. 46.10.

Q. What light doth reason giue to this matter?

A. Whatsoeuer is changed, must needes be changed either to the worse, or to the better: or into a state equall with the former. But God can­not be changed from the better to the worse, for so he should become of perfect, imperfect.

And to exchange from the worse to the bet­ter it is impossible also: for then he should haue bene imperfect before, which to affirme is high blasphemye.

Q. But how proue you that God doth not remoue him­selfe from place to place?

A. Because he Psa. 139. filleth heauen and earth, and al places, therfore he can neither departe from any place, nor be absent from any place,

1 Obiection. If God cannot change his minde, why is it said he re­pented that he had made man?

Answere. The Scripture speaketh after our manner, in [Page 20] that, that we may better vnderstand what is the nature of God against sinne.

Q. Declare how that is.

A. When we are greeued with any thing, we doo then repent vs that euer we did that thing with which we are greeued: and so God is said to repent him that euer he made man, with whom he was angrie to shewe that he was vnfainedlye and highlye displeased with the euill waies of mankinde.

2 Obiection. It is said, Exod. 32.14. the Lord changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to do to his people.

Answere. That is still after the manner of men. For man because he is but man, cannot speake to God but as a man. And therefore God speakes againe to man like a man, because els man should not vn­derstand what God is, nor what is his will.

Q Shew me one example hereof in the Scripture.

A. When Moyses praied for the Israelites, he v­sed many reasons to perswade the Lord (but espe­cially to confirme his owne hope) At the last he said thus. Turn from thy fierce wrath, and change thy minde from this euill toward thy people: Thus did Moses speake to God, and if he had spo­ken to a mortal man▪ he could haue said no more nor no lesse: Vltra posse non est esse. For mans speech is according to his capacitie, and both are limited, and beyond him­selfe he cannot goe. Therefore when he sheweth what the Lord did, he saith, he changed his mind, which was as much as he could conceiue of God [Page] for that matter. Thus wee speake so well as wee can, yet in a broken & vnperfect speach to God, as litle childrē speak to their nurses. And almigh­tie God speakes in a broken and vnperfect lang­guage againe to vs, for our weaknes and vnder­standings sake, as the nurse doth to the child, for if the nurse should speake so perfectly to the child as she could to one of greater capacitie, Simile. the child woulde not vnderstand her; So if God shoulde speake vnto vs as he could and according to his owne nature, wee were neuer able to vnderstand him, nor conceaue his meaning.

Q. Did not God chaunge his minde, when he drowned the world?

A. No, but hee did then execute that, which from euerlasting he had decreed.

3. Obiection.

The promises and threatings of God, are not alwaies fulfilled, ergo, &c.

Answere.

His promises are made with a condition of faith and obedience, Deut. 28.12. and his threatninges with an exception of conuersion and repentance. Psal. 7.12.

Q. What vse may we make of this doctrine?

A. First it may make vs feare to offend him, because all his threatninges are vnchangeable, except we repent.

Secondly, it is the foundation of our hope and comfort in this life, for he dooth not now loue and now hare: but whom he loueth, to the end he loueth them. Joh. 13.1.

How God is omnipotent.

Q. Hath God any more attributes giuen him in [Page 21] the Scriptures?

A. Yea, Iob. 8.3. Iob. 11.7. the Scriptures doo call him omnipo­tent or almightie.

Q. What meane you when you say, that God is al­mightie?

A. I meane this, Psal. 135.6. Esay. 40.28. First, whatsoeuer he will he is able to performe.

2. Secondly, Psal. 33.9. Psa. 148.5. he can perfourme it without any labour or meanes.

3. I meane that all power is so in God onely, Act. 17.28. that no creature is able to doe any thing, but as he dooth continuallye receiue power from God to doo it. Esay. 40.29.

Q. What meane you when you say, all power is in God: It should seem by that speech, that there are more powers in God then one.

A. That we may rightly vnderstand what power is in God, it were very requisite that we did first consider how many waies this word Power is ta­ken in the Scriptures,

Q. Declare then how or in what sence it is taken in the Scriptures.

A. In the Scriptures this worde Power is ta­ken two waies, or in two sences, sometime for au­thoritie, which is grounded vpon lawe, by which authoritie one may doo this or that, if he be able to doo it.

Sometime it is taken for might and strength, or abilitie to doo a thing, if one hath authoritie to do it, and these are distinguished by two words amongst the Grecians and the Latines. For when the Grecians speake of power, as it sig­nifieth authoritie and right, Math. 28.18. Ph. 17.2. then it is called Exousia. When they take power for strength, then [Page] it is tearmed by them Dunamis: among the La­tines being takē the first way, it is called potestas: being taken the second way, that is, for might or strength, it is called potentia, and in English wee call them both Power.

Q. It seemeth by your speech, that they are not onely distinguished, but that they may be also separated the-one from the other.

A. It is true, for so they are, as for example. A King may haue great force and strength, and by his great power he may be able to ouerthrow and destroye a whole Countrey or kingdome, ouer which he hath no authoritie: Againe, some king hath power, that is, authoritie ouer his rebels, and yet hath not power, that is strength enough to subdue them: So some perhaps haue might and strength enough to gouern & rule another mans wife, another mans Children, or another mans seruants: ouer which he hath no power, that is authoritie. And againe, Fathers haue au­thoritie ouer their owne Children, all Husbands ouer their own wiues, and all maisters ouer their own seruants: and yet all haue not power, that strength and abilitie to rule them.

Q I perceiue by this which you haue saide, that in Creatures these two may be separated one from the other, and many times are: but what are they in God?

A. In God they are not deuided, but distingui­shed: for he hath all power, that is, all authority ouer all things: and he hath all power, that is, all strength, force, might, and abilitie, to doo all thinges with all thinges, at his good pleasure. And this power is not giuen him, but he hath [Page 22] it in himselfe, and of himselfe most perfectly, ab­solutely, and eternally.

Q. But of what power doe wee speake, when we saie that God is almightie, whether doe you meane his right & authoritie, or his strength and abilitie, or both?

A. Both are in God essentially: but when the scripture speaketh of Gods omnipotencie, it meaneth (& so do we,) his strength and abilitie, whereby he is able to do whatsoeuer he will, not excluding his right.

Gods power many waies considered.

Q. If all power or might be in God, tell me how mani­fold is this power, which is attributed to God in the scrip­tures?

A. To speake simply, the power of God, is but only one and a most simple & single thing, which is his essence & substance, yet for diuers respects it is said to be manifold, & it may be considered two waies. First, as it worketh alwaies, and can worke in God himselfe, for God in himselfe doth alwaies vnderstand, wil, loue, &c.

Seondly, as it worketh out of God himselfe, in the creatures, as when he created all things, & doth now worke in gouerning all things, and can worke if it please him infinite things. And of this working of Gods power, doe the scriptures pro­perly speake when they call God Almightie.

Q. How many waies may Gods power be considered as it worketh in himselfe?

A. 1 Two waies. First, as it is common to all the 3. persons in Trinitie, that is a power wherby God [Page] the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost doth vnderstand himselfe, loue himselfe, and worke in himselfe, And these actions doe not differ from the essence of God, for that in God there is no­thing which is not his substance.

2 The other working in God himselfe, is that by which the Father doth beget eternally a Son of his owne nature and substance, equal to him­selfe. And this power of begetting the Sonne of God, is proper onelie to the Father, and not to the Sonne, and holie Ghost.

Q How many waies do you consider the power of God working out of himselfe?

A. That power which hath relation or respect to things created, is two fold. The first is a power absolute, Absolute. whereby he is able to do whatsoeuer he will. The other is a power actuall, Actuall. whereby hee doth indeed whatsoeuer he will.

Q. Where doth the scripture speake of the absolute power of God, by which he can do more then hee doth if he would?

A. Yes. Of such a power speaketh our Saui­our Christ, when he saith, I could pray to my fa­ther, and he could giue me more then twelue le­gions of Angels, Matth. 26.53. but he would not aske it, and his father would not giue it.

Q. How doth the scripture speake of Gods actuall power?

A. Of this power the Prophets and Apostles make mention, when they ioyne his power and his promises togither, that is when they say, hee is not onely able to performe, but doth and will performe indeed whatsoeuer he hath promised.

And of this power Paul doth speake, when hee [Page 23] saith, That God will haue mercy vpon whom he will. And euerie where in the scriptures, we read that God hath done what hee would, giuen to whom he would, and all as he would, whereby we may see, that God could and can do more then he would or will.

Gods power is infinite.

Q. How great is this working or mighty power of God▪

A. It must needes be huge and verie great, for it is infinite and hath no ende.

Q. Declare how it is infinite?

A. It is infinite two waies: or in two respectes. First in it selfe, & of it selfe it is infinite. Second­ly as it is extended to the creatures (which may be called the obiect of Gods power) it is also in­finite,

Q. Why do you say it is infinite in it selfe, or of the owne nature?

A. Because the power of God is nothing els but his diuine essence, and the essence of God is of his owne nature, by it selfe, & of it self infinite.

Q. Shew how Gods power is infinite, as it is extended to the creatures?

A. Because the power of God doth extende it selfe to infinite things, therefore we say also that it is infinite.

Q. Declare how that is.

A. I meane the thinges which God can per­forme or bring to passe by his Power are infinit, and therefore his power is infinite: for God ne­uer made so many, nor so great things, but hee could haue made more and greater if hee would. As for example, hee adorned the firmament with [Page] an innumerable company of starres, and yet hee could haue decked it with moe, and to speake in a word: God can alwaies performe infinit things more then he doth, if he will: and therefore both in it selfe, and out of it selfe it is infinite.

Q. Whether can this Omnipotencie of God bee com­municated to any creature?

A. No, it cannot. For to bee truly and essenti­ally omnipotent, is proper to God onely, & om­nipotencie is Gods essence. And therefore who­soeuer is God, is omnipotent, and whosoeuer is omnipotent, must needes bee God, whose power is a chiefe power & infinit. And the power of any creature is not infinite, but finite, & so cōsequent­ly no creature can be omnipotēt, except we wold say that a creature or a thing created, can be both a creature and a God, or a Creator too: which is both absurd and blasphemous.

What God cannot do.

Obiection. If God can do all things, whether can he sin or no, as to lie or to be vnfaithfull in his promises, &c.

What God can­not do.A. God cannot sin, and yet for all that, hee is stil omnipotent. For to sin is no part or point of Omnipotencie, but of impotencie. For to sin is nothing els, but to leaue the right & perfect way, or to fall from a right and perfect action, which sheweth want of power to vphold himselfe that doth so, which power is not wanting in God, for he is omnipotent, & being omnipotent hee can­not goe from strength to weakenesse, and from [Page 24] perfection to imperfection, &c. And therefore he cannot sin.

Q. By what scripture can you proue this that you say?

A. The Apostle Paul is of that minde, that God cannot do all things, 2. Tim. 2.13. his words be these. If we be­leeue not, yet abideth he faithfull, he cannot deny him­selfe: hee doth not say, He will not deny himselfe, but, he cannot deny himselfe. And his reason is be­cause (as hee saith himselfe) God is faithfull, not onely in his will, but also by his nature. And therefore sith God is faithfull by nature, he can­not but stand to his promises, which hee made according to his good pleasure of his will. And by nature he is omnipotent, therefore he cannot be impotent. By nature he is good, and the chiefe good therfore he cānot become euil, nor do euil.

Q. But whether can God be moued, or bee subiect to passions or sufferings, or no?

A. He cannot. For the power wherof we speake (when we say that God is omipotent) is altogi­ther actiue & not passiue, neither can any passiue power be in God. And to this effect speaketh S. Augustine when hee saith, August. de ciuit. dei, lib. 5. cap. 10. Dicitur deus omnipotens faciendo quod vult, nō patiendo quod non vult: that is, God is called Omnipotent, in doing what hee will, not in suffering what he will not.

Q. Some say that God can sin but he wil not, and that he can be subiect to passions, but he will not. And that he can do whatsoeuer can be imagined or thought, but he will not, what say you to those?

A. Of them I say nothing, but their opinion is both foolish and vngodlie. For God can­not doe anie thyng, whiche disagreeth from his nature, and therefore hee can not sinne, [Page] &c. not because his will is against it, 1. Ioh. 1.5. Deut. 32.4. Heb. 1.13. Rom. 9.14. Aug. de spiritu & litera. but be­cause it is against his nature and natural good­nes, therfore do the Scriptures deny any iniqui­tie to be in God, and Saint Augustine saith to that effect, Deus iniusta facere non potest, quia ipse est summa iustitia, that is, God cannot be vniust, be­cause he is most iust, and righteousnes it selfe.

Obiection.

But yet for all this, God doth in some sort will sinnes for he doth not permit it against his will. And besides that hee commaunded some things which were sinnes, Gen. 22.2. 2. Sam. 15.5. as Abraham to kil his innocent sonne, and Shimei to curse Dauid, did he not?

Answere. To farre forth as God doth command, or will, or worke anie thing, that thing is not sinne in God. For he both willeth & worketh in great wisdome▪ and according to his most holy will. And therfore no action can bee sinne in God, but euerie action of God is most holy and good, and so sayeth the Scripture. Psal. 145.17.

The vse of Gods omnipotencie.

Q. To what vse serueth the doctrine of Gods omni­potencie?

A. The vses of this doctrine are many. It ser­ueth,

  • 1 To sustaine and strengthen our faith in Gods promises, that we should not doubt of our saluation, because God can do and hee will do what he hath promised. And hee hath promised eternall life to the faithfull. This did strengthen Abraham his faith greatly. For Paul saith thus of [Page 25] him, hee did not doubt of the promise of God, through vnbeleefe, but was strengthned in the faith, and gaue glorie to God.
    Rom. 4.20.21.
    Being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it.
  • 2 To stirre vs vp to pray, and to call for those things which God hath promised without anie doubting. For in our praiers we ought alwayes to haue before our eyes the promises of God, & the almightinesse of God.
    Matt. 8.2.
    The leper was perswaded onely of Christs power, he knew not his will; and therfore he said: Lord, if thou wilt, thou cāst make me cleane, and he was made cleane: how much more shal we obtaine those things which we aske if we be perswaded of his power, and doubt not of his promises.
  • 3 To make vs vndergo the crosse with pacience and cheerfulnes, & to hope for helpe in the midst of death, because he which hath promised to hear and helpe vs,
    Psal. 50. Iohn 10.29.
    is able also to do it, though wee see not how: For he is omnipotent.
  • 4 To keepe vs from dispairing of any mans sal­uation, although he seeme to be reiected of God, & to make vs walke in faith & feare, because god is able to raise him vp that is down, and to cast vs downe that stand.
    Rom. 11.23.25.
    And so Paul doth reason from Gods omnipotencie about the reiection and elec­tion of the Iewes and Gentiles.
  • 5 It serueth to confirme all the articles of our Christian faith, the summe wherof are conteined in the Apostles Creede.

Of God his wisdome or knowledge.

Q What is the next thing that is attributed to God af­ter his omnipotencie.

[Page]A. That is knowledge or wisdome.

Q. Why is this next?

A. In verie good order it followeth. For if God can do all things, then he must needes knowe all things most perfecty, wherupon it commeth that such knowledge is called wisedome.

Q. What is that knowledge which is in God?

A. For the better vnderstanding of this attribute, we must consider that the wisdome of God is two fold. Heb. 4.13. Psal. 94.11. First it is absolute, and we doe so tearme it, because by it God can and doth simply and ab­solutely know all things from all eternitie.

Secondly, it is speciall, wherby he doth not on­ly know his elect childrē, as he knoweth al things else, 2. Tim. 2.19. Rom. 11.2. Matt. 7.23. but also doth acknowledge them for his owne, and doth discerne them from others, and loue them before others.

Q. Of which do the Scriptures properly speake, when they attribute wisedome to God?

A. They speake then of his absolute knowledge, whereby hee doth not onely knowe alwayes and most perfectly himselfe, and the whole order of his mind: but also vnderstandeth and knoweth all his workes, and the workes of all his creatures, past, present, and to come, with all the causes and circumstances of all.

Q. Howe doe the Scriptures speake of this absolute knowledge?

A. The Scriptures speak of it two wayes, either of the knowledge it selfe, or else of the thinges knowne. And so they shewe 1 What, and what maner of thing it is: and 2 What thinges are knowne of God.

Q. Now tell me what knowledge is in God, and what [Page 26] wisedome doth best agree to his diuine nature?

A. The best way to find out that is first to cōsider what wisedome and knowledge doth not agree with his nature and essence: for his knowledge and wisedome are infinitely greater then any we can affirme to be in God.

Q. How shall wee finde what knowledge is not agreeing with his diuine nature?

A. This is the best way, we must consider and set before vs all the kindes of knowledge, and all the wayes and meanes whereby any knowledge is to be attained vnto amongst men and angels. Then shall we see that the wisedome and knowledge of God are farre more excellent euerie way, then the most excellent that can bee found or thought vpon, amongst men and angels.

Q. Declare then by what wayes and meanes [wee] know a thing?

A. By two wayes or meanes, wee doe knowe all that wee doe knowe. One way is, by our sences, videlicet, by hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting. An other way is by our vnderstan­ding.

Gods knowledge is not like mans knowledge.

Q. Whether doth God know any thing by sences, or no?

A. No. He can not, because he is not as a man, but is a spirite, and bodilesse, and therefore hath no sences.

Q. Why then doe the Scriptures speake of the eyes and eares, &c. of God.

[Page]A. Although the Scriptures do attribute eyes to God, whereby he beholdeth all things, and eares whereby he heareth all things, &c. yet indeed he hath none of all these, but these bee figuratiue speaches vsed for our capacitie, and vnderstan­ding, signifying that nothing is hidden from the Lorde.

Q. Whether then doth God knowe things by vnder­standing, or no?

A. Yea, but not as we do.

Q. Why? what maner of knowledge is that which we haue by our vnderstanding?

A. It is either an opinion, ora beleefe: or a skill and learning.

Q. What is an opinion?

A. An opinion is no certaine and euident know­ledge of a thing, but is still doubtfull what to af­firme or denie, and therefore such a knowledge is not in God: for he knoweth certainly.

Q. What maner of thing is beleefe or faith?

A. It is a certaine, but not an euident knowledge; for looke what we beleeue onely, that we do not see nor knowe by the light of naturall vnderstan­ding, therefore it is no euident knowledge, but it is a certaine and true knowledge, because hee is most true which reuealed it vnto vs. For faith or beleefe is a most certain knowledge grounded vpon the report of another.

Q. Whether doth this kinde of knowing things, agree with the nature of God, or no?

A. No. For God knoweth all things in himselfe, and of himselfe, but not by the report of an o­ther.

Q What say you to skill and learning, that is both a [Page 27] certaine and an euident knowledge of things, doth not that agree with the nature of God?

A. Such knowledge doth not agree with his nature.

Q. VVhy so?

A. Because it commeth by knowledge that went before, and it is gotten by reasoning and deba­ting of things, by defining and deuiding and sear­ching out the causes of things. But in God is nei­ther before nor after, first nor last, and God hath no knowledge after such a sort.

Mans knowledge is imperfect.

Againe our knowledge which way soeuer it be considered, whether it be a habite in vs, or an ac­tion in vs, 1. Cor. 8.2. 1. Cor. 13.9. is imperfect. For we know not al things, and those things which we do knowe, we knowe not all at once, but one thing after another, and yet still but in part.

How God knoweth all things.

Q. Declare then in a worde howe God doth knowe all things?

A. God doth most perfectly know and vnderstand all things at one instant, without any conceit of minde, altering this way or that way.

Q. Al our knowledge is a thing distinguished from our minde and vnderstanding, is it so in God?

A. No: For the knowledge or wisdome of God is a most simple and perfect essence▪ yea it is his very essence and substance, and God is all knowledge, all wisdome, and al vnderstanding, infinitely more then all men and Angels can conceiue.

[Page]Q. Doth God know and vnderstand euery thing par­ticularly?

A. Yea, he knoweth the natures and properties of euery particular thing.

Q. How proue you that?

A. By the Scripture and by reason, for the scrip­ture saith, Gen. 1. that God sawe euerye thing that he made, that it was good: this is not spoken gene­rally of all, but specially of euerye one creature. Againe, reason makes it manifest by three exam­ples in the Scriptures.

Gen. 2.20.First, Adam gaue to euery liuing thing a pro­per name, according to his proper nature, wher­by it appeareth that Adam had a distinct and a particular knowledge of euery thing. How much more then had God this especiall knowledge of euery particular thing, who gaue to Adam what­soeuer wisdome and knowledge he had!

Secondly, Salomons wisedome was so great, that he was able to dispute, and did thereby di­spute of the nature of all trees, plants, fishes, foules, Kings. 4.33. wormes, beastes, and all naturall thinges, as one that was most skilfull in them. How much more then doth God know all things and their natures particularly, who gaue such wise­dome to Salomon.

Thirdly, our Sauiour Christ saith of the Fa­ther, that all our haires be numbred by by him, and that a Sparrow falleth not vpon the ground without the will of our heauenly Father, Mat. 10.29.30. if not without his will, then not without his know­ledge.

Q. Whether doth God know all the motions of our willes, and our thoughts?

[Page 28]A. Yea, God doth certainly know the motions of the wil, & the thoughts of the hart in all men and the issue of them all, which is manifest by these places of Scripture following. Gen. 6.5. Psa. 94.11. Pro. 21.1. Ier. 17.9.10. Hereof it is that we cite him to be a witnes of our harts, when wee sweare by him.

Q. Whether hath God the knowledge of all euils or no?

A. God knoweth all euils and sinnes, which lye lurking in all mens harts, and this is manifest by these places of Scripture following. Gen. 6.5. Psa. 69.6. Iob. 11.11. Psa. 90.8.9.

Q. What if he did not know all these euils?

A. It is not possible but he must know them, for two causes.

  • 1 First, if he did not, his knowledge were im­perfect.
  • 2 Secondly, if he did not know them, he could not be a iust iudge, neither could he reward eue­rye one according to his workes and thoughts: which two to affirme were vngodly and blasphe­mous.

Obiection.

That which is nothing, cannot be knowen: but sinne and euill is nothing (for it is nothing els, but a taking away or failing of the good, and it is a meere corruption) therfore sinne and euill cannot be knowen of God.

Answere.

We know what is euill, and we know euill thinges, and we doe discerne them from good thinges, but wee knowe euill onely by his con­trarie [Page] that is, good: as we know nothing by some thing, darkenes by light, death by life, sicknes by health, vice by vertue. Thus by the knowledge of good, euill is knowen euen to vs: and therefore seeing as God (who is the cheefe good) doth by himself know all good things, he must of neces­sitie, also know and vnderstand all the euill that is in all good things.

God knoweth those things which are not.

Q. Whether may God know those thinges which are not?

Rom. 4.17. [...]er. 1.5.A. God knoweth the things which are not, and he doth also truelye knowe the thinges which shall neuer come to passe.

Q. What reason can you yeeld for this?

A. The reason is, because he knoweth al things by his essence, therfore he knoweth all thinges which are subiect to his diuine essence and pow­er, and therfore also are possible, but shall neuer come to passe.

Q. But doth hee knowe them eternallye, or in time?

A. He knoweth them all eternally, that is, for euer and for euer he knew them, and doth know them, Eph. 1.4. as the Scripture doth testifie.

2. Tim. 2.19.Q. Can you make this manifest by any earthly com­parison?

A. Yea, a builder by vertue of his arte doth con­ceiue in his minde the forme of a house, which house he wil neuer builde: how much more can God doo the same? for God can make more worldes, and he knoweth that he can, and yet he [Page 29] doth it not.

Againe, although there were neuer an Eagle in the Cittie, yet we can conceiue in our mindes what an Eagle is, much more doth God know all thinges which are not in act, and which neuer shalbe.

Obiection.

This is something which you say, but your last simili­tude of the Eagle doth not holde: for therefore we keep the knowledge of an Eagle in our mindes, though all be gone, because the similitude of the Eagle, which was sometime in the Cittie, doth remaine still in our mindes and vnderstandings. But what similitude can there be in the minde of God of those thinges which are not, which neuer were, and which neuer shalbe.

Answere.

Yes, the very essence and being of God, is a si­militude of all those things which may be, if he will: which hee must needes knowe, for he doth most perfectlye know him selfe. And thus if wee consider his power or almighty essence, al things should be done which he can doo, and doth know.

Q. Then whether is his knowledge and power the cause of all thinges which are, which haue beene, and which shalbe?

A. The onelye foreknowledge of God alone, which the Grecians call Theoretica Scientia, that is a knowledge beholding all things, is not the cause of things: But his foreknowledge with his will, which the Grecians call Practica Scientia, that is a working knowledge, that is the cause of thinges.

[Page]Q. Whether may the knowledge or wisdom of God faile or be deceiued at any time, or no?

A. The knowledge of God is most certaine, and cannot any way be deceiued, for all thinges are knowen of God as they are, and all thinges are as they are known of God: Heb. 4.13. and therfore his know­ledge cannot any way be deceiued.

Obiection.

But thinges doo often change and alter, and therefore they are not alwaies as they are knowen.

Answere.

A. Although thinges be changed and altered, yet God doth know thereof, and although they change and alter, yet his knowledge doth neuer alter nor change, neither is it vncertaine.

The knowledge of God is alwaies the same.

Q. Whether may the knowledge which God hath, be encreased, diminished or altered?

A. No, it cannot, it is alwaies the same, firme and constant, and can by no means be encreased, de­minished nor altered, for he neither forgetteth a­ny thing, Heb. 4.13. nor is ignorant of any thing, neither is any thing new vnto him: for the Scripture saith, that all thinges are alwaies manifest in his sight. Saint Iames saith, Iam. 1.17. With God is no change nor shadowe of change, therfore his knowledge is al­waies one and the same. Pro. 19.12. And Salomon saith, Many deuises are in a mans hart, but the counsell of the Lord shall stand.

[Page 30]Q. But if his knowledge be alwaies one and the same, why doth the scripture say that the Lord will forget our sinnes, and blot them out of his remembrance, and re­member them no more?

A. These and such like phrases of speech are not to be vnderstood of the simple knowledge of God, as though he should know them no more, but of his iudiciall knowledge vnto punishment. For although he doth know and remember our sins alwaies most perfectly, yet hee wil not know them nor remember them to bring them into iudgement, and so to punish vs for them, when we do truly repent: that is, they shalbe no more iudged or punished, or laide to our charge, if we be in Christ, then if he had quite and cleane for­gotten them, & neuer did remember them. And these speeches serue to arme vs against dispaire & doubting of our saluatiō, being truly in christ.

Q. Where is the wisedome of God specially of vs to be considered?

A. The wisedome of God shineth vnto vs most clearely in his workes of creation and preserua­tion in the world, Eccles. 3.11. Psal. 104.24. and not onely in his workes, but also in his Gospell, whereby he calleth and gathereth his Church out of the world, to be sa­ued by his Sonne our mediator, 1. Cor. 1.21. Iesus Christ.

Q. Was this sauing wisedome of God knowne to the philosophers and naturall wise men of the world?

A. No it was not, but only to the elect children of God.

Q. Is the wisdom of God to be perfectly cōceiued of vs? Matth. 11.2 [...].

A. No. Neither is it communicated to any crea­ture, neither can be. For it is vncōceiuable as the [Page] very essence of God himself is vncōceiuable, and vnspeakeable as it is: and his wisdom (as we haue heard before) is his verie essence, that is his verie Godhead or God himselfe, Psal. 14.7.5. Rom. 11.33. and that it is vncon­ceiuable, the scriptures doe testifie.

The vse of Gods wisedome.

Q. What vse may we make of this doctrine?

A. First, by this doctrine of Gods vnspeakeable knowledge and wisedome, the true God is discer­ned from all false gods, & from all things made. For that is no God which hath not this diuine knowledge and wisedome, which the scriptures do attribute to God.

2 Secondly, seeing our God is such a God as knoweth all thinges that are done, saide, or thought, and seeth into the most hidden corners and thoughts of our hearts: We must studie and learne hereby to driue all hypocrisie and dissem­bling from vs, and to open our hearts to God of our own accord, and to beseech him in his sons name to cleanse vs from our secret faults.

3 Thirdly, it must make vs to walke alwaies before the Lord according to his will reuealed in his word, with great feare and reuerence, as men alwaies in his sight and knowledge.

4 Fourthly, It serueth to cōfirm our faith & trust in the prouidence of God. For although we know not what to do, nor how to do, nor what shift to make in dangers and necessities▪ yet God doth, and hee hath knowledge inough for vs though wee be ignorant, and his wisedome shall suc­cour [Page 31] our foolishnesse, Psal. 103.13.14. if we do truly and faithful­ly serue him.

5 Fiftly, this should be our cōsolation against the feare of hell & dispaire, and should vphold in vs the certaintie of our saluation, because this knowledge and wisedome of God, ioyned with his will to saue vs, is firme and constant, and hee knowing all his elect, 2. Tim. 2.19. Ioh. 10.27.28..29. wil not loose one of them that are in Christ his sonne. Ioh. 17.12.

God is Truth.

Q. What is attributed to God after his wisedome?

A. As God is wisedome, and knowledge, So is he true, and Truth it selfe.

Q. What is the Truth of God?

A. For the better finding out of this matter, we must first consider the diuers significations of this word, Truth.

Q. Declare then what you meane by Truth?

A. It cannot better appeare then by his con­traries. For

  • 1 True is contrarie to false, and truth is con­trarie to a lie.
  • 2 It is put for sinceritie and simplicitie, the cōtrarie wherof is counterfeiting & dissembling.
  • 3 It is vsed sometime for iust and equall dea­ling, and is contrarie to wrongfull & vniust dea­ling, as in Deut. 32.4.
  • 4 Truth is taken for faithfulnesse and con­stancie in keeping promises, and then it is oppo­sed to wauering and double dealing.

Q. But how is it taken when we speake of it as it is in God?

[Page]A Which way so euer it be taken, and whatso­euer it signifieth it doth most properly agree with the nature of God. For

  • 1 In God is no falshood nor lying.
  • 2 In God is no counterfeiting nor dissem­bling, so pure is he.
  • Deut. 32.4.
    3 In God is no iniust dealing, for he is most iust and righteous.
  • 4 In God is no inconstancie, for hee is most faithfull in his promises.

And yet these are not vertues which differ from his essence and nature, but they are his ve­rie essence and nature, and therefore he is rightly called not onely true, but Truth it selfe.

Truth diuersly considered.

Q. Well: you haue satisfied mee for the diuers mea­nings of the word, now shewe mee how many waies the thing it selfe (that is truth it selfe) may be considered.

A. Truth it selfe is two fold, or may be confide­red two waies.

The first kinde of truth is that, which is set downe by the morall Philosophers, and is recko­ned by them amongst morall vertues.

The second kinde of truth is that, which is de­scribed by the naturall philosophers & deuines.

Q. Declare first what vertue Truth is, as it is consi­dered by the morall philosophers?

A. It is a vertue, which is a meane between ar­rogancie and dissembling.

Q. Shew what difference there is amongst them all three?

A. Arrogancie doth boast of more & challenge [Page 32] more to himselfe then he hath indeed, dissimula­tion or faining doth make men beleeue that hee hath lesse of euerie thing, or any thing, then hee knoweth that hee hath: but truth doth not faine more nor lesse then he knoweth in himselfe. So that this morall truth is a vertue which makes men readie to heare and speake true things, and will not suffer men to speake either more or lesse (when they do speak) of themselues or of others then they know.

Q. And is God such a Truth?

A. Yea, such a kinde of truth doth most pro­perly agree with the nature of God. For he neuer reported more of himselfe then he hath in him­selfe, and he neuer promised more then he is able to performe.

Q. What way, or after what sort do the natural phi­losophers and deuines consider of truth?

A. Three waies. First, as it is in the minde or vnderstanding, whether it be of God, or men, or Angels. 2. As it is in things themselues. 3. As it is in wordes, whether deuine or humane, whe­ther they be spoken or written.

Q. What call you Truth as it is in the mind of God?

A. It is nothing els, but a perfect and an eter­nall knowledge, which God hath of all thing, ac­cording to which all things are made and done, and in God it doth not proceede from things, but is the cause of things.

Q. What is that truth which is in things?

A. All things are called true things so far forth as they agree with the forme and patterne set downe in the minde, which forme and patterne in God is nothing els, but his diuine foreknow­ledge and eternall decree.

[Page]Q. Make it plaine by some familiar example.

A. The Carpenter which buildeth a house, first conceiueth the plot & forme therof in his mind, and hee calleth that a true house which is built according to the forme first conceiued in his minde: So, those things are true thinges, which agree with the minde and will of God.

Q. What is truth as it is in wordes spoken or writ­ten?

A. We say that words are true, or there is truth in wordes, so farre forth as they are conforma­ble or agreeable to the knowledge which went before in the minde: that is when wee speake as we knowe and thinke, or when the minde and the tongue agree together. For to speake otherwise then we thinke, is to lie. Wherevpon Saint Augu­stine sayth: Mentiri, est contra mentem ire: that is, to lie, is to go against our owne knowledge, as Ana­nias did. Acts 5.3.

How many wayes God is called truth.

Q. You haue declared howe many significations there are of the worde Truth, and howe many kinds of truth there are. Now shew how God is called Truth?

A. God is Truth in himselfe, in his workes, and in his words.

Q. What meane you when you say that he is Truth in himselfe?

A. I meane that he is most truly that, which he seeth and knoweth himselfe to be, that is a most perfect, pure and eternall essence, from whence all other things haue their being.

Q. Declare this by a contrarie?

[Page 33]A. That which seemeth to be, and is not that in­deed which it seemeth to be, is not a true thing, nor a truth, but a false thing: as a face in a glasse is a false face, and those Idols which were called Gods, were false Gods, because they were not that, which they seemed to be: therefore God is truth it selfe, because he is by himselfe, and hath his being of himselfe, and is his owne essence.

And therfore because God is truth, whatsoeuer he doth say, concerning himselfe, that he doth truelye speake of himselfe: and he is indeed such a God, as the Scriptures doo shewe him to be: that is to say, he is truelye God, he is truely om­nipotent, he is truelye wise, and truelye iust, and truly mercifull. &c.

Q. How is God truth in his workes.

A. God is truth in all his workes, aswell in his ordinarie workes of creating and gouerning the worlde; as in his extraordinary workes of mira­cles, &c. For first all his workes are true workes, wherein is no colouring nor counterfeiting.

Q. As how for example?

A. For example sake, the firmament, with the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres are indeede a true Firmament, a true Sunne, &c. Gold is truly Golde, men are men indeed: Againe, being iu­stified by Christ, we are truelye iust before God: being adopted to be his Sonnes, we haue more then the names of Sonnes, we are the true sonnes of God: faith being giuen of the holye Ghost, is true faith indeed, and so are all the rest of Gods workes and giftes.

Q. Can you make this more manifest by the contra­rye?

[Page]A. Yea, for on the contrary, the works of Sathan haue a shew of faith, but haue not truth in them: as for example, he seemeth sometimes to be an Angell of light, but is not: and all his miracles which he wrought in poperie by the Monks and Friers, and in Turkey by Mahomet, were not true miracles, but illusions and counterfeite things, wherwith their Legendes, which set forth the liues of their Saintes, are fraught full: and therfore Paule calleth them lying wonders, 2. Thes. 2.9. Apoc. 2.24. &c. Iohn calleth their doctrine & learning the deep­nes of Sathan, but he addeth (as they say) not as it is indeed, but as it seemed to be.

Q. How els is God truth in his workes?

A. Whatsoeuer he workes in vs, or performeth for vs, it is in truth and not in hipocrisie, and he neuer repenteth him of these workes.

Q. How is God truth in all his wordes?

H. Two waies, First in the word incarnate, for he is indeed the true sonne of God, and the true God, 1. Iohn. 5.20. Ioh. 14.6. a true Prophet, a true Priest, and a true King: whervpon he is called Aletheos Theos: that is, that verie and true God: and therefore Christ doth worthily call himselfe, the truth, not onlye because he was the accomplishment of all the promises, but also because he was the true God, and the true Sauiour.

Q. How els is God truth in his words?

A. God is also true and truth in his wordes, spo­ken and written by his Prophets and Apostles: Therfore Paule saith, that God is truth and iusti­fied in all his sayings: Rom. 3.4. Psa. 19.7. and Dauid saith, that the testimony of the Lord is sure or faithfull: that is, true and certaine, and full of credit.

[Page 34]Q. What is the summe of all?

A. Therefore I conclude, that God is not onely true, but truth it self in himself, in all his works, and in all his words.

Why God is called a God of truth.

Q. Declare breefely why God is called a God of truth?

A. He is called a God of truth in 5. respectes.

  • 1 Because he hath a true and certaine know­ledge of all things.
    Heb, 4.13.
  • 2 Because he faineth nothing,
    Rom. 3.4.
    but it is indeed his truth and his will which he openeth vnto vs.
  • 3 Because he neuer changeth his minde.
    Psa. 89.34.
  • 4 Because that doth euer come to passe which he speaketh.
    Mat, 24.35.
  • 5 Because he is the author and preseruer of truth,
    Pro. 12, 1 [...]
    and an enemye to all lyes and dissem­bling.

Truth is but one, and yet many.

Q. Whether is there any more truth then one, or no?

A. To this question I answere, that there is but one truth, and yet there are many truths, but in diuers respects, and in diuers considerations.

Q. Shew how there is but one, and yet many.

[Page]A. For the better vnderstanding of this poynte, we are to consider that there is truth in Gods vnderstanding, truth in mans vnderstanding, and truth in the things themselues which are vnder­stood and knowen.

In Gods vnderstanding is truth most proper­lye first of all and cheefelye, as the cause of all things.

In mans vnderstanding truth is also properly, but at the second hand, id est, it is conceiued by o­ther things.

In the things themselues, truth is saide to be, but yet improperlye: that is, as they are agreea­ble with the knowledge & vnderstanding which is in God, or as they are referred to the vnder­standing which man hath of them.

Q. What doe you gather of all this?

A. If therfore your question be of truth as it is in God and is God himselfe; then there is but one onely: but if your question be of truth as it is in mans vnderstanding, then there be many truthes, as there be many things which be vn­derstood, and many waies and meanes, whereby we doe come to the vnderstanding of them: but if you consider truth as it is in the things them­selues, then look how many things there be, so many truthes there be.

Q. But yet all these truthes are deriued from Gods truth, are they not?

A. Yes, all truthes are deriued from the firste truth which is God: and doe depend vpon it euen as one face looking in manye glasses at once, doe cause many faces, or similitudes of faces to appeare: all which are deriued from that one first [Page 35] face, Simile. for take away that face and take away all the rest which did appeare before, although the glasses remaine still in their places.

Q. I would gladlye see the truth of this point made manyfest by an other propertye, which is in God.

A. That may easilye be done by that goodnes which is in God, for there is but one cheef & first goodnes which is God himselfe, & of this one are al other goodnesses whatsoeuer. And yet whē we consider the things created, we cannot say there is one goodnes common to all, and of all alike: but there is one goodnes of one man, another hath his goodnes which is better then the first. There is one goodnes of bread, and another of wine, one of fire, and another of water, for all thinges haue not alike goodnes, neither are all things good for one thing. And yet that good­nes which is in euery one of thē, is deriued from Gods goodnes, which is the first, the cheefest, the highest, and one onely. And so we say of the truth which is in God, and God himselfe, and of the truth▪ which is in thinges created, and is deriued from Gods truth, or from God him­selfe.

Truth is eternall and not eternall.

Question.

Whether is truth eternall, or no?

Answere.

A. That trueth which is in God, and which is God, is eternall: but truth (as it is in men) is not eternall.

[Page]Q. What reason haue you for that?

A. That trueth, as it is in mans vnderstanding, is not eternall, I proue it by many reasons.

  • First, the things (whereof knowledge & trueth is bredde in mans minde) are created in time.
  • 2 The minde it selfe (wherein trueth hath his proper place) is created in time.
  • 3 Trueth it selfe is created and begotten in time.
  • 4 Lastly, the minde of man doeth not perceiue all things, or the truth of all things at one time: Therfore truth which is in the minde and vnder­standing of man (as it is in the minde of man) can­not be eternall.

Q. Why doe you say (as it is in the minde of man) it cannot be eternall?

A. Because the same trueth which is now in the vnderstanding of man, was from all eternitie in the vnderstanding of God. As for example, that God is good, iust, almightie, &c, is a trueth, which is now in the mind and vnderstanding of a godly man, but it was not alwaies in his minde: but in the knowledge and vnderstanding of God, it hath beene alwaies, and for euer.

Ephes. 3.5.Hereupon Paul writing of the calling of the Gentiles, saith; that it was a mysterie, or a secrete hidden in God: but afterwards in time was reue­led to men by his spirite: therefore trueth is in God eternall, but in men it is temporall, because it is reuealed in time.

Trueth spoken by contraries.

Q. And hath not God a time for to come by the trueth of things?

[Page 36]A. No. For God doeth know all things in one simple or single knowledge, in one act, and in e­ternitie it selfe, but so doe not wee: and besides that, one and the selfe same thing may be diuersly vnderstood of vs, and in respect of times and sea­sons, either past, present, or to come, may be both true and false.

Q. Declare how that can be by one example▪

A. I put for example the comming of Christ, af­ter this sort: To say that Christ shall come and take flesh vpon him, was a true saying in the time of our fathers, before the comming of Christ: but to say so now, is not a trueth, but a lie.

On the contrarie, to say that Christ is come in the flesh, is now a trueth, which before his com­ming, had been false.

Q. But what conclude you by this example.

A. By this we may see, that as men haue the trueth of thinges in time, and but for a time: So this trueth of things amongst men, doth alter ac­cording to circumstances of times: But in God these differences of times cannot be: for hee hath the true and certaine knowledge of all thinges at one instant, and from euerlasting.

Obiection.

If God be an enemie to all falshoode & dissembling, Ezec. 14.9. 1. Kings 22. why doeth he say, if a Prophet be deceiued, I haue de­ceiued him. And that he put a lying spirite into the mouth of Achabs Prophets.

Aunswere.

God did not deceiue them by putting lies into them: but in his iust iudgement he gaue the o­uer to be seduced by the deuill.

Q. But his will was that they should tell a false tale.

[Page]A. Yea. But he willed it to diuers ends, and not to deceaue.

Q. Shew vs how.

A. God fortold victorie to Achab by the con­trarie, thereby to punish him for not obeying the Lord, by deliuering to be seduced by the deuill. The false Prophets foretolde victorie to Achab to flatter him: the deuill to destroy him.

Q. Yet God spake by contraries, and is that truth?

A. Euery contrarie speech is not sinne. For sometime there is a figure vsed therein, which is called amongst the learned Ironia, and as Zan­chius saith; Omnis Ironia non est vitiosa: that is, e­uery ironicall, or contrarie speeche, is not vn­lawfull.

Q. When is it lawfull and good?

A. If it tende to instruction, and not to seduce & deceaue men, then it is good and may be vsed. Examples whereof wee haue in Gen. 3.22 God himselfe, and in Elias 1. King. 18.27 mocking the Priestes of Baal, and in the Apostle 1. Cor. 4.10. 2. Cor. 12.6. Paul, who when he would reproue the follie of such as did boast of such thinges as they had not, he did greatly abase himselfe, and aduance the Corinthians by such a kind of spea­king.

Of Gods will.

Q. After God his truth, what doe you consider next in God?

A. As there is truth in God, so he hath a will, which is also his very essence and being.

Q. Is there anie profite in the knowledge of God his will.

[Page 37]A. Yea, great profite. For to know what God will haue vs to doe, and what he wil doe with vs, and for vs, is a thing wherein standeth our salua­tion. Therefore we are willed by the Apostle, Rom. 12.2. to enquire diligently after the same.

Q. But the same Apostle in the Chapter before, saith; Who hath knowen the minde of the Lord? or who was his counseller? That is to say, none. Therfore it seemeth that the will of God cannot be knowen, and consequently, that it may not be sought after.

A. Indeede by that we learne not to search in­to the secrete counsels of God, which hee neuer reuealed in his worde, neither hath promised to reueale in this world: but after the reuealed will of God, Deu. 29.29 which he hath vouchsafed to make kno­wen in his word, we may and ought to enquire of God. Rom. 11.33 Psal. 36.7 As for the will and councell which hee hath kept to himselfe, we may admire and a­dore it with Paul and Dauid: but that wee may not search after it, is manifestly prooued by these places following. Acts 1.7. Exo. 33.18.19. Iob. 21.23

Q. Whether can Gods secrete will be knowen, or no?

A. If he doth reueale it, it may.

Q. How doth God reueale his secrete will?

A. Two waies. Sometimes by his Spirite: as when he shewed his prophets many of his iudge­ments that were to come.

Sometime by the thing it selfe which hee wil­leth, or by the effects of his will: as when a thing doth fall out which was before vnknowen. As for example: a man doth not know (before it come) whether he shalbe sicke or not, or of what disease, or when, or how long: but when all these things are come to passe, then it is manifest what [Page] was Gods will before concerning that matter.

Q. Shew me what is our duetie in respect of this secret will of God.

A. Our duetie is two-folde. First, we must not cu­riouslie search after the knowledge of it, but wor­ship & reuerence it. Secondly, before it be made manifest by the effectes, wee must generallie rest quietly in the same.

Q. Shew me how by an example.

A. Thus, A Christian must resolue with himselfe, whatsoeuer the Lord will doe with me, whether I liue or die, whether he make me rich or poor, &c. I rest content with his good will and pleasure.

Q. What must we do when his wil is reuealed vnto vs?

A. Then much more we must rest in it, and bee thankfull for it, as Iob was, who saide; The Lorde hath geuen, & taken, euen as it pleased the Lord. and so foorth.

Q. What call you the reuealed will of God?

A. The reuealed will of God is twofolde. The one is that which is properly reuealed in the law: that is, what God requireth to be done of vs, and therefore it is called the lawe. And after this we must enquire.

The other is in the Gospell, which sheweth Gods will towards vs, and what he hath decreed of vs in his eternall councell, as touching our sal­uation.

How God his wil is reuealed.

Q. God indeede by his Lawe hath made it knowen what his will is, that of vs must bee done and fulfilled. [Page 38] But hath he reuealed in his word, what is his will and pleasure towards vs?

A. Yea, he hath so, and that is proued by these places of scripture following. Ioh. 6.40. Ephe. 1.5. Matth. 3.17. Ioh. 5.39. And after the knowledge of this will of God, we must diligently enquire.

Q. But whether may this will of God be knowne of vs, or no?

A. Yes it may: For as it is reuealed in the scrip­tures, so it is also confirmed, & sealed before our eyes in the Sacraments, and the daily benefites which we receiue from the Lord.

Q. And is this sufficient to perswade vs to beleeue his will?

A. No, for except the lord doth persuade vs by his holy spirit; we shal neither belieue it, nor know it, as appeareth by these places of scripture. 1. Cor. 2.16. Matth. 11.25. But if we haue the spirit of God, there is no need to go vp into heauen, or to go be­yond the sea to know it: because the word is near vnto vs in our hearts, as Paul saith. Rom. 10.16. For touching the matter of our saluation, the wil of God is so clearly laid open, in the preaching of the gospel, that it needes not to be more cleare.

Q. If at any time wee cannot know nor vnderstand this will of God as touching our saluation, in whom is the fault?

A. The fault is in our selues, and the reason is, because we are carnall and naturall, and destitute of the spirit of Christ. 1. Cor. 2.14, For Paul saith, The carnall and naturall man cannot perceiue the things of God, but if the spirit of Christ doth come, & open our vnderstanding, and correct our affections, we can no longer doubt of his will. And therfore the [Page] Apostle immediatly after addeth and saith, But we haue the minde of Christ.

Gods will reuealed to the Elect.

Q. Whether is this will of God made knowne to eue­rie one of Gods children particularly, or no?

A. Yes it is, For Paul hauing the spirit of Christ, saith, Galat. 2.20. that this will of God was manifested vnto him, when hee saith, Christ loued mee and gaue himself for me. And to the Corinthians he saith, But God hath reuealed therein ( id est, the ioyes of heauen) to vs by his spirite.

Q. How doth this proue that wee can haue this know­ledge?

A. Verie well, For if all the elect are led by the same spirit that Paul had, it will also perswade them of this will of God, aswell as Paul.

Q. But how prooue you that they haue the same spi­rite?

A. That the same spirit is giuen to all the elect, I proue it out of the Prophet Esay, who saith thus, My word & my spirit shall not depart from thy mouth, Isay 59.21. nor from thy seede for euer: which is such a blessing, as no blessing can bee desired in this world greaters, more excellēt, nor more hea­uenly. For when wee are once armed with the knowledge of this will of God, wee shall passe through fire and water without anie danger, wee ouercome the world & death, and triumph ouer our enemies, Rom. 8.38.39. as Paul did.

How the will of God is but one.

[Page 39]Q. Whether are there more willes in God then one, or no?

A. The will of God in some respects is but one, and in some respects it is manifold.

Q. How is it but one?

A. For the better determining of this point, we must first consider how many significations there be of this word, Will, in God.

  • 1 It signifieth the facultie or abilitie of willing: and this facultie or abilitie of willing in God, is God himselfe, and the very essence of God, and so his will is but one.
  • 2 It signifieth the act it selfe of willing, and if it be so taken, it is also but one. For God doth in one, and that eternall act will whatsoeuer hee will.
  • 3 It signifieth the free decree of his wil con­cerning either the doing, or the suffering of anie thing to be done, if we take it in this sence, the will of God is still but one, and that eternall and immutable.

Q. May we call the decree of Gods will, the will of God?

A. Yea very well, as the Testament of one (that is deceased) is called the last will of the Testator, because it is the firme and last decree of the Te­stators will and minde, concerning the disposing of his goods. And the scriptures do make the wil of God and the counsell or decree of his wil, to be all one: as appeareth in these places follow­ing. Esay 46.10. Act. 4.27.28. Ioh. 6.40.

How the will of God is manifold.

[Page]Q. How is the will of God manifolde?

A. There be two respects cheeflie, for which re­spectes the will of God is said to be manifolde or more then one.

First, for the diuers kindes of thinges which God doth wil, & hereof it is that it is called some time the will of God, concerning vs; and some­time the will of God done by vs. The first is his fauour and loue towards vs in Christ Iesus, in which he willeth and decreeth, that we shalbe sa­ued through his Sonne: of this Christ speaketh Ioh. 6.40.

The other will which he will haue done of vs, is that which is expressed in his worde, and that is to beleeue in Christ, Psa. 143.10. and to walke in his lawes: of which Dauid saith thus; Teach me to doo thy will, Rom. 2.18. because thou art my God. And Paul saith, Thou knowest his will, that is his lawe.

Q. Which is the other respect, for which God is saide to haue many willes?

A. Secondly, the will of God is said to be mani­folde and diuers, for that those thinges which he doth will, he doth seeme to will them after diuers sortes, and not after one, and the same manner.

First, after one manner he doth will good things, and after another manner he doth will e­uill things.

Q. Shew how that is?

A. He willeth good thinges properlye and abso­lutely by themselues, and for themselues: he wil­leth euill things for another end, Rom. 12.2. and that is for good too, and the first is called the good will of God, and acceptable to himselfe: the latter is cal­led the permissiue will of God, or a voluntarie [Page] permission in God, because he is not constrained or compelled against his will, to will them.

Againe, some thinges he willeth simplye and absolutely, some things he seemeth to will condi­tionally, and some thinges he reuealeth at one time, some at another, and some thinges he doth for which he giueth a reason, for some of his doinges hee giueth no reason: and some things are secret to himselfe, onelye and for euer.

Q. Why then belike you graunt that there are in God many willes?

A. No, I deny that, for although in those aforesaid respects the wil of God is said to be manifold for our vnderstanding: yet for all that, in deed and in truth the will of God is but one only, and that most constant, eternall, and perpetuall.

As for example, he willed some thinges in the olde Testament, he hath willed other thinges in the new Testament: yet one and the same will in God decreed both. Againe his will was that some things in the old Testament should last for a time: that is, to the comming of Christ, or as th'apostle saith, to the time of correction: he willeth that the thinges of the new Testament shall last to the end of the worlde, and yet one will in God decreede both these, from euerla­sting.

Againe, although God seemeth to vs to will some thinges absolutelye and simplye, and some things conditionally: yet in truth to speake pro­perly, al things whatsoeuer God willeth, he wil­leth absolutely and simply.

[Page]And whereas hee is said to wil some things con­ditionally, that is to be referred to the manifesta­tion of his will, for there is not in God any con­ditional wil, but only in his law, which openeth his will in this and that sort, vpon this and that condition, for a conditional wil in God is against the nature of his eternall wisedome and know­ledge.

God his precepts are of two sortes.

Obiection. God commaundeth many thinges to be done, which are not done: so that there is one will declared in his worde, and there is another in himselfe, forbidding or hindering that, which hee commaunded in his lawe: and therefore there are in God many willes.

Answere. The things which God commandeth are of two sorts: Some are absolutelie commanded, without any condition expressed or concealed: as, that Moses should cause all thinges about the Taber­nacle to be made according to the paterne geuen him in the mount. Other some thinges are com­maunded and set down with condition, as when Christ said: If thou wilt inherite eternall life, keepe the commaundements. And the law saith, doe this and this, if thou wilt liue: and these are propounded conditionally to all, aswel the elect as reprobate.

God his absolute will is alwaies one and the same.

Q. And are they propounded to both after one sorte?

[Page 41]A. No, not so, for although they be giuen to the elect with condition, yet the wil of God in them is absolute, for Gods will simplye is, that all his elect shalbe saued, if not alwaies, yet at the last. And because of their owne strength they cannot doo the commaundementes of God, therefore God doth giue them strength by his spirite, and because by his strength they cannot do Gods will perfectlye, therfore it is fulfilled for them by Christ, which is made theirs by faith, and in whom God doth accept their broken and vn­perfect obedience, as if it were whole and per­fect.

But as for the wicked and reprobates, it is not so with them, for although God doth giue them a a law to obey, and doth promise them life, if they do obey it: yet his will to them is not so absolute, that they shall keepe them, neither shall they ob­taine the promise either in themselues, or in Christ.

Q. But doth not God mocke and delude the reprobate, when he willeth them in his lawe to doo this and that, which yet is not his will to be done?

A. No, he doth not delude them: for although he doth shew what he will absolutely haue done of them, (which is properly his wil indeed) yet by his law he doth teach what is their duetie, and the duetie of all men; adding moreouer, that whosoeuer shall neglect and faile in this their duetie, he sinneth greeuouslye against God, and is guiltie of death.

Q. Can you make this plaine by some instance or ex­ample, or any parable in the Scripture?

A. Yea, it is manifest in the parable of the kings [Page] Supper, Math. 22. and the bidden guestes. They which were first bidden and came not, were not delu­ded by the King, because he signified vnto them what he liked, & what was their dutie: but yet he did not commaund that they should be compel­led to come in, as the two sorts were which were bidden afterward. Where we see that the kings will was not a like in bidding the first, as it was in the second, for in calling the latter sorte; his will was absolute, that they should come indeede, and so caused that they did come: but to the first hee onely signified what he liked, if they had done it.

Q. How doo you apply this to the matter in que­stion?

A. I apply it thus, As it cannot be saide, that the first bidden guests were mocked by the King, al­though his will was not so absolute for their comming, as it was in calling and commaunding the second sorte of guests: so it cannot be saide, that God doth delude & mocke the reprobate in giuing them a law to obey, although it be not his absolute will that they should come and obeye the law; for it is sufficient to leaue them without excuse, that they know what is acceptable to god, and what is their dutye to God, who hath abso­lute authoritie and power ouer them, and ouer all.

Obiection.

God commaunded Pharao to let Israell goe, and yet his will was to the contrarye, therefore there were two [Page 42] contrarie willes in God, one reuealed, the other con­celead.

Answere.

It followeth not, for the will of God was one only, and most constant, and that was that Israell should not be sent away by Pharao. And so that was fulfilled.

As for the commaundement giuen to Pharao, it was a doctrine to teach Pharao what he must haue done, if he would auoide so many plagues, and yet shewed him his dutie, and what was iust and right to be done, but it was no testimonie of the absolute will of God.

Q. Whether doth God will euill, or sinne, or no?

A. Before we can answere to this question, we must consider of three things.

  • 1 How many waies sinne may be considered.
  • 2 How many things are to be considered in sinne.
  • 3 How many waies one may be saide to will a thing.

How many waies sinne is considered.

Q. Goe too then, shewe first how many waies sinne is to be considered.

A. Sinne is to be considered in three waies.

  • 1 As it is of it selfe sinne, and striuing against the law of God.
  • 2 As it is a punishment of sinne, that went be­fore: for God doth oftentimes punishe one sinne with another.
  • 3 As it is the cause of more sinne following,
    Rom. 1.26.
    [Page] for one sinne doth beget another, as one Deuill called 7. Deuils.
    2. Thes. 2.11.

Q. Now declare how many things you do consider in sinne?

A. In euery sinne there be 3. things.

1 The action, and that is either inward or out­ward.

The action which we call inward, is threefolde. either of the minde, as euill thoughts: or of the hart, as euill affections and desires: or of the will, as an euill choise, or consent to sinne. The actions which we call outward, are the actions or workes of the sences, fighting against the law of God.

The 2. thing in euerye sinne, is the deformitie or corruption of the action, that is, when the ac­tion doth decline from the rule of Gods law; and this properly is sinne, or the forme of sinne.

The third thing in euery sinne, is the offence or guiltines therof, wherby the partie offending is bound to vndergoe punishment. This guilti­nes and obligation (wherby we are bound to vn­dergoe the penaltie of sinne) hath his foundati­on in sinne it selfe, but it ariseth from the iustice of God, Rom. 6.23. who in his iustice rewardeth sinne with death, as iustice indeed giueth to euery one his due.

Q. Now come to your third point: and shew how ma­ny waies one is said to will a thing.

A. Wee are saide to will a thing two waies, either properly for it selfe, or improperly for an­other end.

Q. What meane you by a proper willing of a thing?

[Page 43]A. We do will a thing properlye for it selfe, or for it owne sake, when the thing which we will or desire, is of the owne nature to be wished and desired: as for the body, health, food, apparrell, and such like: or for the Soule, faith, repentance, pacience, &c. We doo will a thing improperlye, when the thing which we will, is not of it selfe to be wished: but yet we will haue it for some good that may come thereof, as for example: we will the cutting of some member of the bodye, not because of it selfe it is to be wished, but for the health of the body, which doth followe that cut­ting.

Q. What difference is there betweene these two willes?

A. There is great differēce, for those things which we wil, properly we loue & approue them, we in­cline vnto thē, and we delight in them: but that which is knowen of it selfe to be euill, our will is not carried vnto that with loue and liking, but doth decline from it: and wheras a man willeth a member of his bodye to be cut, or cut off; wee maye rather call it a permission, then a willing, and yet a willing permission.

Q. You haue shewed how many waies sinne is to be considered: how many things are to be considered in e­uery sinne, and how we are saide to will a thing: now let me heare what you say to the matter in questi­on, that is, whether God doth will sinne or no?

A. Before I answere directly to your question, I think it not amisse to shewe what euerye one must carefully take heed of in answering to this question: for in answering there is danger.

[Page]Q. Let me heare what dangers must be auoyded in an­swering.

A. There are two, and euerie one must auoyde them, and sayle betweene them, as between two dangerous rocks.

The first is this, wee must take heede, least we make God the authour of sinne, by affirming that he willeth sinne, as the Libertines doe, and as Adam did: Gen. 3.12. for that were the next way, not onely to put of our sinnes from our selues, and lay them vpon God; but also to cast of all con­science of sinne, and all feare of God: then the which nothing can be more blasphemous against God, or pernicious to our selues.

Question. What is the second thing to be auoyded?

Answere. The other is this, wee must take heede that wee affirme not any euill to be in the worlde, which God knoweth not of, or whether God will or no, for that were to denie Gods omnipotencie, and all knowledge.

Question. These are two dangerous rockes, and heresies indeede, but nowe Iexpect a direct answere to the question.

Answere. That cannot be at once, but by going from point to point; according to our former distincti­ons of sinne, and willing.

Quest. Very well. Then declare first of all, what thinges God doeth properlie wil, which of themselues are to be willed.

A. God doeth first and chieflie will himselfe, [Page 44] that is, his own glorie and maiestie, as the end for which all things are: and this hee is saide to will properly; that is, he loueth it, aduanceth it, and delighteth in it, & to this purpose serue all those Scriptures which commande vs to sanctifie his name, and to aduaunce his glorie, as in Esai, 48. 11. Pro. 16.4. Rom. 11.36. 1. Cor. 10.31.

Secondly, besides him selfe he doeth properlie will all other things which he made, and which he doth himselfe, in so much as he doth approue them, & loue them, as appeareth by these places following; Gen. 1.3. God sawe all that he made, and it was good: and therfore gaue a commandement, that one should preserue another by multiplying and in­creasing. Againe, Psal. 115.3 it is said, Whatsoeuer the Lord wil, that he doeth, therfore whatsoeuer he doth, that he will. And although hee hateth euill, yet he doth properly will and loue that good which commeth of euill: that is, his owne glorie, and the saluation of his people.

Q. Whether doeth God will punishments, or no?

A. Yea, his will is the first and efficient cause of all punishment, which is proued by this reason & argument; Euery good thing is of God. Euery punish­ment, being a worke of iustice, is a good thing: therfore euery punishment is of God, and hee doeth will it.

Q. What say you then to the words in Ezechiel, Ezech. 18.23.3 I will not the death of a sinner?

A. That place is to be vnderstood onely of the e­lect, for properly indeed God doth not will their death, & therfore to keep them from death, mea­ning eternal death, he geueth them repentance.

Q. Whether doeth God will sinne, as it is a punishment [Page] of sinne that went before.

A. Yes he doeth, and it is vsuall with God to pu­nish one sinne with another: as for example, the hardning of Pharaos heart, was a sinne in Pha­rao, and God brought it vpon him, not as a sinne, but as a punishment of his former sinnes.

God doth not properly will sinne.

Q. You saide that in euery sinne is an action or deede, which is either inward or outward, whether doeth God wil that, or no?

A. So farre foorth as it is an action onely, God doeth will it, Actes 17.28 but not the corruption and defor­mitie of the action: for in him we liue, moue, and haue our being.

Q. But whether doeth God will sinne properly as it is a transgression of the law, and a corruption in the action, or no?

A. No, he doeth not, neither can he, for it is a­gainst his nature: and to this effect serue these places of Scripture following, Psal. 5.5. Hab. 1.13. 1. Iohn 1.4. And reason doeth confirme it many wayes: Zach. 8.17 for looke what God doeth will properlie, he loueth, and alloweth it: but God hateth and damneth sinne, as the Scriptures witnes: & there­fore he doeth not will it properlie,

Againe, he hath sent his sonne to take away the sinnes of the world, and to destroy the works of the deuill: therefore hee doeth not will them.

Lastly, if God should properly will sinne, then he must be the author of sinne: Rom. 9.14 but he is not the author of sinne, for the Scriptures doe neuer at­tribute sinne vnto God, 1. Ioh. 2.16 but vnto the deuill, and vnto men.

[Page 45]Q. But although God doeth not properly will sinne, yet he doeth willingly permitte it, doeth he not?

A. Yes. But for the better vnderstanding how God doeth permitte sinne, we must consider how many waies, or in how many sences one is said to permitte a thing: and that is three waies.

1 To permit, is sometime of two good things to graunt that which is lesse good, as it were a­gainst our will: as for example, a man woulde bring vp his sonne in learning, rather then in warfare, or any occupation: but because his sonne hath more minde to an occupation then to lear­ning, and doeth craue of his father to go to some occupation, or to be a souldier rather then a Do­ctor: his father doeth graunt him his desire, but hee had rather haue him to be a scholer: and this is a kinde of permission or suffering.

But this permission ought rather to be called a will in deede: for that which is lesse good (yet because it is good) he doeth will it truely, and ap­prooue it, and it is the true obiect of his will, and it may be called a permission, in respecte of that wil, which had rather haue had the greater good.

Q. And is God said to permit sinne in this sence?

A. No, by no meanes: for sinne (as it is sinne) hath no shewe of good in it, which can be com­pared with a greater good.

Q. Which is your second way of permitting?

A. 2 Sometimes to permitte, is to graunt one euill to goe vnpunished, that many, and more grieuous euils may be preuented: as many times Princes and magistrates are woont to doe. And so some doe thinke that God hath graunted some sinne to bee done without daunger or threate­ning [Page] of punishment, least more and more hay­nous mischiefes should els ensue.

Q. And are not you of that minde?

A. No, God forbid I shoulde, for the Apostles rule is both generall, Rom. 3.8. and true: We must not doe euill, that good may come therof, lest we be dam­ned iustly: therefore no man may by the lawe of God, admitte one sinne (vnpunishable) to auoyde another.

Q. What is your third way of permitting?

A. 3 To permitte, doeth sometime signifie not to hinder and stoppe euill when one may: and so God is said to permitte sinne, because he coulde by his grace hinder & preuent sinnes, that none should be committed, and yet he doeth willingly permitte vs in our nature to sinne. That God doeth thus permitte sinne, it is euident by these places, Psal. 81.11.12. Acts 14.16. That hee doeth permitte them willingly, and not constrayned thereunto, these places doe shewe, Rom. 9.19. Esa. 46.10.

Q. For what cause doeth not God hinder sinne, but per­mitte it?

A. Not without cause, but that hee may vse our sinnes (which is his infinite goodnes & wisdome) to his owne glorie, Rom. 9.22.23 for hereby his iustice, in pu­nishing of sinne, and his mercie in pardoning of sinne, is made manifest and knowen, to the great glory and praise of his name.

Whether Gods will be mutable, or no.

Q. Whether doeth God alter his will as any time, or no?

A. For the better vnderstanding of this questi­on, we must consider of two things. 1 How ma­ny [Page 46] waies our will is changeable. 2 The causes that moue vs to change our willes.

Q. Very well, declare the first, how many waies our wils be changeable?

A. The wil of any man is changeable, two waies.

First, when we begin to will a thing which wee did not will before.

Secondly, when we leaue to will that, which we willed before.

Q. Now shew what be the causes hereof, and first why a man doth will that, which he willed not before?

A. The causes of this be two. First our ignorance, because wee do know that to be good afterward, which we knew not to be good before: and then we will that which we could not before, for, ignoti nulla Cupido; that is, of that which is vnknowne, there is no desire.

The second cause ariseth from the alteration of nature, as if that which was hurtfull to vs at one time, becommeth profitable to vs at another time: then wee will haue that at one time, which wee would not at another. As for example, In sommer our will is inclined to colde places, but in winter our will is altered, and doth affect or de­sire the warme.

Q. Whether is there anie such cause in God to make him change his will, or no?

A. No, neither of these causes can bee in God. Not the first: for that hee doeth most perfectly know al things from all eternitie. Not the second, for there is nothing in God, for the which anie thing may bee founde to bee profitable or hurt­full, hee is alwaies the same, hauyng neede [Page] of nothing: and therefore hee cannot will anie thing that is new to him, and consequently his will is vnchangeable.

Q. But what saye you to the 2. waie of changing our willes (that is) of leauing to will that which before wee had determined? whereof commeth that?

A For this there may be yelded two reasons.

First, we do change our willes of our owne ac­cord, because the latter thing doth seeme to bee better vnto vs, then the former.

Secondly, beeing constrained, or against our mindes we do oftentimes change our willes, be­cause our first counsaile was hindered by some crosse euent, that it could not haue his due effect.

Gods Will is immutable.

Q. Whether are any of these two causes in God, that for those he should change his will?

A. No, God doth neither of his owne accorde nor yet by constraint, change his will; but his de­crees are and alwaies haue bene, and alwaies shal be fulfilled, & none shall hinder the will of God: for it doth alwaies remaine one and the same, and this doctrine is most strongly garded and fenced with these places of scripture. Numb. 23.19. 1. Sam. 15.19. Mal. 3.6. Isa. 46.10. Rom. 11.29.

Obiection.

Paul saith, that God will that all men shalbe saued, and come to the knowledge of the truth: Tim. 2.4. and yet all are not saued, &c. Therefore Gods will is mutable.

Answere.

If this place be of Gods reuealed will, then the [Page 47] sence is this, that God doth call all men by the preaching of his word, to the knowledge of his truth, and to eternall saluation, if they wil beleeue in Christ.

But if it be vnderstood of the secret wil of God, the sence is three fold.

  • First, All men, that is of all sortes and degrees, he will saue some.
  • Secondly, so many as are saued, are all saued by the will of God.
  • Thirdly,
    Rom. 5.18. 1. Cor. 15.22.
    God will that all shalbe saued, that is al the elect: for in the scriptures this word All, is put sometimes for the elect, without the repro­bate.

Of the goodnesse of God.

Q. Why is God called in the Scriptures a good God?

A. The goodnesse of God is to bee considered two waies. First, either as he is in his own nature, of himselfe simply good, and goodnesse it selfe: id est, so perfect, and euerie way so absolute: as no­thing can be added vnto him. Secondly, or else as hee is good to others. Both waies God is in himselfe a good God, but especially for his good­nesse towardes vs, hee is called a good God, as a Prince is called a good Prince.

Q. Shew how that is?

A. Wee call him a good Prince that is good to his subiects: that is, if he be milde, gentle, liberall, iust, a defender of the godly, a punisher of the wicked, so that the good may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all honestie and goodnesse; for he may bee a good man if hee hurt no man and [Page] liueth honestly, &c. But hee is not called a good Prince, except he deale otherwise.

So the scriptures call God a good God, be­cause he is not onelie good in himselfe, and his essence is perfect, eternall, vnchangeable, most wise, &c. But also because he is good to others, that is milde, Psal. 34.9. gracious, mercifull, liberall, his na­ture is not cruell, sauadge, nor bloodie towardes vs, Psal. 16.11. but to vs most milde, pleasant, sweet, and such as may allure all men to trust in him, to loue him, to call vpon him, and to worship him.

Q. Is God onely himselfe truely good?

A. Yea: God is not only good, but goodnesse it selfe, [...]at. 19.17. and he onely is truely good. For whatsoeuer goodnes is in the creatures, it is of God the crea­tor, & they are so far forth good, as they are made good by God, & are made partakers of his good­nes, which appeareth to be true by the scriptures. [...] Cor. 4.7.

[...]m. 1.17.Againe, that goodnesse which is in the things created, whether it be naturall or supernaturall is imperfect and finite: but the goodnesse of God is most perfect & infinite, & therfore onely God is trulie good, and goodnesse it self: yea, he is Sum­mum bonum, that chiefe good of all to be desired.

Q. Is the goodnes of God extended vnto all creatures?

A. Yea it is so, & as this is knowne by daily ex­perience, so it is witnessed by these scriptures fol­lowing. Psal. 119.64. Psal. 145 15. Mat. 5.45.

Q Hath God shewed his goodnesse to all alike?

A. No: for the things created are of two sorts, either inuisible or visible. Inuisible as ange's, vnto whom the Lord hath giuen more excellent gifts then to the other.

Q. And was his goodnes parted equally amongst them?

[Page 48]A. No: for some hee suffered to fall into sin, for which they were thrust downe from heauen to hell, as Peter speaketh: 2. Pet. 2.4. others he hath preserued by his grace, that they shuld not fal away frō him.

Q. Is his goodnes alike to his visible creatures?

A. No: for of them some are indued with reason as mankind: some are void of reason, & therfore is man called a lord ouer the rest of the creatures.

Q. Is the goodnes of God alike to reasonable creatures?

A. No: for of them God hath chosen some to e­ternal life, whom he hath purposed to cal effectu­ally in his time, that they may be iustified & glo­rified by Christ. Others he hath (yet iustly) left to their sinnes without any effectuall calling, to pe­rish for euer.

That Gods goodnes is far greater to the elect then to the reprobate, it is manifest in the scrip­tures. For the Psalmist saith, Yet God is good: that is (singularly good) to Israel, Psal. 73.1. Psal. 51.10. Matth. 13.11 euen to the pure in heart: but God makes his elect onely to bee pure in heart, and Christ auoucheth no lesse.

Q. Doth the goodnes of God towards all men, turne to the good of all men?

A. No: for in the reprobate, gods goodnes is tur­ned into euill, and serueth to their destruction, as Paul teacheth: & that is through their own fault, for they doe contemne and altogither abuse the goodnes of God. 2. Cor. 2.15. Rom. 2.4. Psal. 106.13. And for all his goodnes bestow­ed vpon them continually, they neuer trust him, nor trust in him.

The vses of Gods goodnes.

Q. How may we vse the goodnes of God to our good, and to our saluation?

A. If we haue the goodnes of God in a true and [Page] worthie estimation, if we vse it with feare and re­uerence, and learne thereby to repent vs of our sinnes, and to repose all our trust and confidence in the Lord for his goodnes: Rom. 8.28. then shall all things, yea euen our sinnes, worke for our good.

Q. What vse must we make of Gods goodnes?

A. It serueth to many vses in the Church of God.

1 It teacheth vs that we haue and do serue a true God, for he is no true God that is not so good as our God is.

2 If our God be so good, we should be ashamed to offend him. As it is intollerable to hurt an in­fant, that is innocent and harmeles, so it is most intollerable to requite the Lordes goodnes with euill.

3 If God be so good, and goodnes it selfe, we must trust him, and trust in him: For wee will re­pose trust in a good man, and shall we not much more in our good God?

4 It teacheth vs neuer to lay the fault vppon God for any thing, nor to complaine of Gods dealing, for he is alwaies perfectly good.

5 Whereas the goodnesse of God is not to all a like, that is, to these endes.

[...]. Tim. 2.20.1 It serueth to the adorning and bewtifying of Gods Church.

2 It serueth to the maintenance of mutuall loue and societie amongst men. For if the good­nesse of God were to all a like, 1. Cor. 12.20. Ephe. 4.7.1 [...]. then one could not helpe another: and to this ende serue the va­rietie of gifts.

3 It maketh to the greater manifesting of the glory of the goodnesse of God: for if all had a like [Page 49] we would contemne this goodnes, thinking that he were bound to be good to vs of necessitie.

4. From the consideration of Gods speciall goodnes towards vs his electe by Christ, Tit. 3.3.4.5.5.7.8. to sal­uation: wee must arise to the studie of good works, whereby Gods goodnes may be glorified, as Paul teacheth.

Of the grace of God.

Q. When you speake of the grace of God, what meane you by grace?

A. This word Grace is vsed in the Scriptures, and hath 3. speciall significations.

Sometimes it is put for comelines, Luke. 2.5.2. stature, meekenes, or mildenes.

Sometimes for free fauour, Gen. 6.8. whereby one em­braceth another, pardoning former iniuries, and receiuing the partie offending into fauour again.

Thirdlye, Act. 2.23. Eph. 4.7. it is taken for all kinds of giftes and graces, which of this free fauour are bestowed, whether temporall or eternall.

Q. Whether is there grace in God according to the first signification of grace, or no?

A. Yea, for God is of his own nature most gra­cious, and grace it selfe: Luke 5.52. Psal. 45. which grace was in Christ Iesus from his infancie (as he was man) and did euery day more and more encrease, and amongst all thinges which were created, there was nothing endued with such grace as was the humane nature of Christ, Collo. 2.9. and that was by the fulnes of the godhead, which dwelt boldly in him.

[Page]Q. Whether is grace properly attributed to God in the 2. sence, or no?

A. Yea, most properly, for God doth iustifie vs, that is, he doth account vs for iust, through his sonne Iesus Christ, and that of his free grace and fauour, without any deserte of our partes, or any thing in vs, which appeareth to be true by these Scriptures. Ro. 3.20.24. Ro. 4.16.

Q. What be the causes of this grace or fauour of God?

A. Th'efficient cause is his goodnes and free will: the finall cause therof, is the saluation of his chosen children, and the glory of himselfe, and of his Sonne Christ Iesus.

The effects of Gods grace.

Q. What be the effects of Gods grace to vs ward?

A. In generall, the grace of God (wherof there is no cause in vs, Rom. 9. & 11. Eph. 1 4. Ioh. 3.16. Rom. 5.8. Gal. 1.16. Eph. 3.9. but onelye his owne goodnes and will) is the first cause, the middle cause, and the last cause, and the onelye cause of all the belon­geth to our saluation. And particularly it is the cause of our election, predestination, of our re­demptiō, of the sending of Christ into the world, of our calling, of the preaching of the Gospel, it was the cause why the Apostles were called to the preaching of the Gospell, 2. Tim. 1.9. Phil. 2.13. it is the cause of our faith, of the forgiuenes of our sinnes, of our whole iustification, of our regeneration, of our renouation, Ro. 12.6. of our loue to God and our neigh­bour, of the holy ghost in vs, of our good works, of our obedience, 1. Cor. 12.9. of our perseuerance, of the [Page 50] feare of God, Ro. 3.24. Tit. 3.5. 1. Iohn. 4.9. Eze. 36.27. Ier. 32, 40. and of eternall life, and of life it selfe: and in a word, the beginning, the continu­ance, and th'accomplishment of our whole salua­tion, doth depend wholy vpon the grace and fa­uour of God, and what good thing soeuer we haue, or haue had, or may haue, belonging ei­ther to this life or to the life to come, is to be at­tributed wholy to the grace and fauour of God.

Of the loue of God.

Q. What is meant by the loue of God in the Scrip­tures?

A. That we may the better know what the loue of God is, it will not be amisse first to consider what loue is in our selues.

Q. Very well, declare then what loue is?

A. It is a passion of the minde, wherby we are so affected toward the partie whome wee loue: that we are rather his then our owne, forgetting our selues to do him good whom we loue.

Q. And is loue such a thing in God?

A. No, the loue of God is not such as our loue is?

Q. What difference is there?

A. There is great difference two waies.

First in time, for loue was in God before it was in vs, Iohn. 17.23. or in any thing created, for he loued himselfe, and vs also, before the world was.

Secondly they differ in nature and qualitie, Rom. 9.13. for that loue which is in God is most perfect [Page] and pure, without any passion, but in vs it is imperfect, and matched with passions, with impure affections and greefes of the minde,

Q. After what manner doth the Scripture expresse the loue of God?

A. In the Scriptures God doth compare himself to a Father, and a mother louing their Children: to a Hen gathering her Chickens together vnder her winges: to a good Shepheard seeking vp his Sheepe, and to diuers other things.

Q And wherfore serue these comparisons?

A. They are for our profit two waies.

  • 1 To shew vs that Gods loue towardes vs, is most vehement and sincere.
  • 2 To make vs bolde in comming to him and calling vpon him.

So, for this loue Christ Iesus calleth vs by al the names of loue: as, his Seruants, his kinsemen, his frēds, his spouse, his bretheren, & by many names moe, to shew that he loueth vs with all loues, the fathers loue, the mothers loue, the maisters loue, the husbandes loue, the brothers loue, &c. & if al loues were put together, yet his loue exceedeth them al: for al could not do so much for vs as he alone hath done.

What the loue of God is.

Question.

If loue doth not signifie any affection or passion in [Page 51] God, as it doth in vs: what then doth is signifie?

Answere.

In God it signifieth three things most perfect.

  • 1 The eternall and good will of God towards some bodie: for the loue of God (suppose to­wards the elect) is his euerlasting good will, or his purpose and determination, to shewe them mercie, to do them good, and to saue them as in Rom. 9.11.13.
  • 2 The effects themselues of this loue or good will, whether they be temporall concerning this life: or eternall concerning the last life to come, as in 1. Iohn. 3.1.
  • 3 The pleasure or delight which he taketh in that, which he loueth, and so it is taken in Psa. 45.7.23.

Q. What things doth God loue besides himselfe?

A. Besides himselfe God loueth all thinges else whatsoeuer he made: but he loueth not sinne and iniquitie, 1. Iohn. 2.16. for he neuer made it, as S. Iohn saith. Againe he loueth his sonne, being manife­sted in the flesh, and he loueth his chosen Chil­dren for his sonnes sake, Mat. 3. last. with whom he is well pleased.

Obiection.

The Scripture saith, that God doth hate al that worke iniquitie, how then can God both hate and loue one and the same man?

Answere.

In euerye wicked man we must consider two thing. First his nature, second his sin: his nature is the worke of God, and that he loueth: but his iniquitie is not of God, and that he hateth.

[Page]Obiection.

God doeth afflict his children, therefore he doth not loue them.

Answere.

Pro. 3.12.Whom he loueth he correcteth: and therfore he correcteth them because he loueth them; euen as a Goldsmith trieth his gold in the fire, because he loueth it.

Whether God loueth all alike.

Q. Whether doeth God loue all alike, or no?

A. No: he preferreth mankinde before all his other creatures: for which cause God is called Philanthropos, that is, a louer of men. And this ap­peareth by three effects of his loue.

  • Gen. 1.26. Ephes. 4.24.
    1 He made him according to his owne image; that is, in righteousnes, and true holines.
  • 2 Hee made him Lorde ouer all his creatures Psal. 8.5.
  • 3 Hee gaue his owne sonne to death for his ransome.

Q. Doeth God loue all men alike?

A. No: for he loueth his elect better then the re­probate: for the elect he calleth effectually by his spirite in their hearts, when he calleth others but by the outwarde voice of the Gospell. &c.

Againe, amongst the elect themselues, some are actuallie wicked, and not yet reconciled nor called, as was Paul before his conuersion: but the [Page 52] rest are called, and alreadie made holy by faith in Christ, as Paul was after his conuersion. And of these hee loueth the latter sort with a greater measure of loue then the former, as the scripture testifieth in Pro. 8.17.

Q. What manner of loue doeth God beare to his elect?

A. It hath three adiuncts, or properties.

  • 1 It is free, without desert.
  • 2 It is great, without comparison.
  • 3 It is constant, without any ende.

Q. How is the loue of God said to be free?

A. It is free two waies. 1 Because nothing cau­sed God to loue vs but his owne goodnesse and grace, & therefore Saint Iohn saith, 1. Iohn 4.7 that his loue was before ours.

2 It is free because God in louing vs, regarded nothing that belonged to his owne commoditie: for as Dauid saith, Psal. 16.2. he hath no need of our goods, but onely to our owne saluation he loued vs.

Q. Wherein doeth the greatnes of Gods loue appeare to his elect?

A. It appeareth two waies. 1 By the meanes which God vsed to saue vs by, that is, the death of his sonne: Iohn 3.16 and so Saint Iohn setteth foorth his loue, when he saith, Outo, Sic: that is, so: as if he should say, so vehemently, so ardentlie, so earne­stly, so wonderfullie did he loue vs: that for our saluation he spared not his owne onlie begotten sonne, but gaue him to the death of the crosse for our saluation.

Q. What els doeth set foorth the greatnes of Gods loue vnto vs.

Answere.

The consideratiō of our own selues, for he did not [Page] onely geue his onlie Sonne to death for vs, but it was for vs being his enemies. And this circum­stance is vsed by the Apostle to expresse the same. Rom. 5.7.8

Q. Where finde you it written that Gods loue is con­stant, and perpetuall?

A. That is manifestly shewed in these scriptures following: Hose. 11.9. Iohn 13.1. Rom. 11.29. For as God is vnchangeable in his essence and nature, so is he vnchangeable in his loue, which is his es­sence and nature, and therefore is God called loue in the Scripture. 1. Iohn 4.8

The vses of Gods loue.

Q. What vse must we make of Gods loue?

A. 1 It filleth our hearts with gladnes, when we vnderstand that our God is so louing, & loue it selfe: and what is this but the beginning of e­ternall life? Iohn 17.3 If eternall life consiste in the true knowledge of God, as our Sauiour Christ saith.

2 Out of the knowledge of this loue, as out of a fountaine, springeth the loue of God and our neighbour. For S. Iohn saith, he that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is loue.

3 When wee consider that God loueth all his creatures which he made, it should teache vs not to abuse any of the creatures to serue our lustes, and beastly affections: For God will punish them which abuse his beloued, as he punished the riche glutton, Luke 16 which abused the creatures of God.

4 We are taught to loue all the creatures, e­uen the basest of all, seeing that God loueth thē; [Page 53] and for the loue he beareth to vs, he made them: and we must (if we loue them for Gods sake) vse them sparingly, moderatelie, and equally or iust­lie. To this ende are wee commanded to let our cattle rest vpon the Saboth day, as well as our selues. To this ende we are forbidden to kill the damme vpon her neste. And to this ende are we forbidden to mussel the oxes mouth which trea­deth out the corne.

5 We are taught from hence to loue mankind better then all other creatures, because God doth so: and therfore we must not spare any thing that we haue, that may make for the safetie of his bo­die, and the saluation of his soule: and for this cause are we commanded to loue our enemies, & to doe them good, be cause our good God doth so.

6 From Gods loue we learne to preferre the godly brethren, and those which professe sincere­lie the same religion that wee professe, before o­ther men: because Gods loue is greater to his e­lect then to the reprobate. Gal. 6.10. And this doeth the A­postle teach vs.

7 Whereas Gods loue is freely bestowed vpon vs, it teacheth vs to be humble, and to attribute no part of our saluation to our selues, but only to the free loue of God.

8 From hence ariseth the certaintie of our saluation: for if Gods loue was so free and great when we were his enemies: much more will it be so, and constant also to vs, being reconciled to God by Iesus Christ.

Of the mercie of God.

Q. What do the Scriptures vnderstande by the mercie of God?

[Page]A. It is his minde and will, alwaies most ready to succour and helpe him that is in miserie.

Q. Some say that mercie is a griefe and sorowe of the minde, conceiued at anothers miseries, and therfore that mercie cannot properly be attributed to God, because in God are no passions nor griefes.

A. Indeed in vs it may be such a thing, but not in God, and mercie was first in God, and from him was deriued to vs, and therfore God is called the father of mercies: 2. Cor. 1.3. and when it came to vs, it was matched with many infirmities and passions, but it is improperly attributed to God frō our selues as though it were first in vs.

Q. Declare then briefly what things of perfection are signified by this word [mercie] in God.

A. By the name of [mercie] two things are pro­perly signified in God.

  • 1 The minde and wil, readie to help and suc­cour.
  • 2 The helpe and succour, or pitie it selfe, that is shewed.

Q. Where, in the Scriptures is mercie taken the firste way?

A. Those places of Scriptures are so to bee vn­derstoode, wherein God doeth call himselfe mer­cifull, and saith that he is of much mercie: that is, he is of such a nature as is most readie to free vs from our euils.

Of [mercie] in the other sence, (that is, being put for the effects of mercie) mention is made in Rom. 9.15. where it is said, Rom. 9.15. that God wil haue mer­cie on whom he will haue mercie: that is, he will call whome hee will, he will iustifie whom hee will, hee will pardon whom hee will, and he [Page 54] will deliuer and saue from all their miseries and euils whom hee will, and these be the effectes of Gods mercie. Againe in Exod. 20.6. it is so taken.

Q. From whence springeth this mercie of God?

A. The essence and being of God is most simple without any mixture or composition, & therfore in him there are not diuers qualities, and vertues as there be in vs; wherof one dependeth vpon a­nother, or one differ from another: but for our ca­pacitie and vnderstanding, the scripture speaketh of God as though it were so, that so wee may the better perceiue what maner of God, & how good our God is.

What is the cause of mercie in God.

Q. Wel then seeing the scriptures do speake so for our vnderstanding, let vs heare whereof this mercie com­meth?

A. The cause is not in vs, but onely in God him selfe, and mercie in God doth spring out of his free loue towardes vs.

Q. Why do you saie out of the free loue of God? are there more loues in God then one?

A. There are two kindes of loue in God, one is where with the father loueth the son, and the son the father, & which the holie Ghost beareth to­wards both the father and the son; and this loue I call the natural loue of God, so that the one can­not but loue the other: but the loue wherwith he loueth vs, is voluntarie, not being constrained thereunto, and therefore is called the free loue of God.

And heereof it commeth also, Note. that mercie [Page] is wholy free, that is without reward, or hope of recompence, and excludeth all merit.

Q. How proue you that the mercie of God ariseth out of his loue?

A. That the loue of God is the cause of his mer­cie it is manifest in the scriptures, 1. Tim. 1.2. Paul saluteth Timothie in this order. [...]. Tim. 1.2. Grace, mer­cie and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ; to shew that that peace which the world cannot giue, the mercy of God is the cause of it: & the cause of his mercy, is his grace, and his grace is nothing els but his free fauour & loue towards vs.

The same order doth Paul obserue in Tit. 3.4. 5. where he saith, Tit. 3.4.5. When the goodnesse and loue of God our Sauiour towards man appeared, not by the workes of righteousnesse, which wee had done: but according to his mercy he saued vs, &c. First, hee sets downe the goodnes of God as the cause of his loue. 2. His loue as the cause of his mercy. And 3. his mercy as the cause of our salua­tion, & our saluation as the effect of all. And ther­fore there is nothing in vs which may moue the Lord to shew mercy vpon vs, but only because he is goodnes it selfe by nature. And to this doth the Psalmist beare witnesse, Psal. 100.5. saying: That the Lord is good, his mercy is euerlasting, and his truth is from generation to generation.

Q. Towardes whom is the mercie of God extended or shewed?

A. For the opening of this point, we are to con­sider that the mercie of God is two folde. First, generall. 2. speciall. God as a God doth shewe mercie generallie vpon all his creatures, Psal. 1.104. being in [Page 55] miserie, Psal. 147. and chiefly to men whether they be iust or vniust, and so doth succour them either imme­diatly by himselfe, or els mediatly by creatures, as by Angels, or men, by the heauens, by the ele­ments, and by other liuing creatures. And this generall mercie of God is not extended to the eternall saluation of all, although it be but tem­porarie and for a while. Luke 6.36. Of this reade in Luke. 6.36.

Q. What saie you of the speciall mercie of God?

A. That I call the speciall mercy of God, which God as a most free God hath shewed to whome he would, and denied to whome hee would. And this perteineth onelie to the elect, and those which feare him, Psal. 103.11. for hee sheweth mercie vpon them to their eternall saluation, and that most constantlie, while he doth effectuallie call them vnto himselfe, while hee doth trulie and freelie pardon their sinnes, & iustifie them in the blood of the Lambe Iesus Christ, while hee doth sanc­tifie them to his owne glorie, and doth glorifie them onelie in eternall life: and of this speciall mercie we may reade in Eph. 2.4.5.6.

Q. How great is the mercie of God?

A. It is so great that it cannot be expressed nor conceiued of vs: & that is proued by these scrip­tures following. Psal. 145.9. Iam. 2.13. 1. Cor. 11.32. Psal. 57.10.

Q. How long doeth the mercie of God continue to­wardes vs?

A. Although the mercie of God bee great and infinite in Christ, yet for that mercie which par­doneth our sinnes, and calleth vs to faith and re­pentance by the Gospell: &c. there is no place [Page] after death, but onlie while we liue in this world: which is warranted by these places ensuing. Gal. 6.10. Let vs doe good whiles wee haue time, to shew that a time will come when wee shall not be able to do good.

Apo. 7.17. Bee faithfull vnto death, and I wil giue thee a crowne of life: to shew that the time which is giuen vnto death, is a time of repen­tance, and of exercising of faith and of workes: but after death, there is no time but to receiue either an immortall crowne, if we haue bin faith­full, or euerlasting shame if we haue beene vn­faithfull. Besides these, see Apoca. 14.13. Marke 9.45. Esaie vlt. 24. Luke 16.24.25.26. Matth. 25.11.12. Ioh. 9.4.

The vses of Gods mercie.

Q. What vses may we make of Gods mercie?

A. First it serueth to humble vs: for the greater mercie is in God, the greater miserie is in vs.

2 We must attribute our whole saluation to his mercie,

3 Wee must flie to God in all our troubles, with most sure confidence.

4 Wee must not abuse it to the libertie of the flesh in sinne, for although wee might finde mercie with God after death, for the mercie of God perteineth especiallie to those that feare him. Psal. 103.11.

5 The meditation of Gods mercie towardes vs, should make vs to loue God. Psal. 116.1. Luke 7.47.

2 To feare God. Psal. 130.4.

[Page 56]3 To praise God for his mercies. Psal. 103.2.3.4.

6 It must make vs mercifull one to another, Luke 6.36. Matth. 18.32.33.

Of the iustice or righteousnes of God.

Q. What is meant in the scripture by the righteous­nesse or iustice of God?

A. There bee foure principall significations of the word Iustice.

Sometime it is taken for absolute goodnesse, or for a vertue which conteineth al other vertues in it, in full perfection, wanting nothing that they should haue in euerie part and dutie. And so it is taken in 1. Tim. 1.9. where Paul saith. The law is not giuen to a righteous man. For what law shal­be made for him that is without sinne, and is fil­led with all vertues, both in himselfe, & towardes all men. Such a one is God, who is most perfect­lie good, and goodnesse it selfe, both in himselfe and of himselfe, and towards others also, & there­fore iustice is rightly attributed vnto God in the scriptures.

Q. What els is meant by iustice?

A. Secondlie, it is put onelie for that honestie, sinceritie and vprightnesse, which is requried of euery man according to his place, state and con­dition, wherein he is. And so a man may be good and iust in his office, and vnreproueable also and yet may offend in other things.

Q. Make your meaning manifest by some example.

A. A man may be called a iust & a good husband, which doth not faile in anie point of his duetie [Page] towards his wife, and yet the same man may bee an vniust father, because hee faileth in his dutie to his children.

Or a man may be a iust magistrate, and yet but a bad Christian.

Q. And may it be attributed to God as a vertue which declareth one to be iust according to the state and con­dition wherein he liueth?

A. Yea verie well, and most properly, for no man doth beare himselfe more iustly and vprightly in his office, then God doth in his gouernment, ac­cording to the diuers persons which he doth re­present: for he hath taken vpon himselfe the per­son of a iudge, of a father, of a teacher, of a spouse, &c. In all which, and in the rest, God doth shewe himselfe in such a sort, as no creature can behaue himselfe. And therefore hee is worthelie called in the Scriptures, not onely a righteous god, but also a righteous Lord, a righteous iudge, a righteous father, a righteous king, and Saui­our, &c.

Q. For what els is iustice taken?

A. Thirdly, this worde Iustice, or Righteousnes, is restrained to a speciall vertue, which is called particular iustice, and it is either distributiue or correctiue: and in one worde it giueth to euerye one his right, of which Paule speaketh Rom. 13.7 and in this sence it is most properly attributed to God also.

Q. What els is signified by the name of Iustice?

A. Fourthly and lastly, by iustice is vnderstoode truth it selfe, and faithfulnes in words and pro­mises: and he is said to be iust of his word, which performeth so much as he promiseth, in which [Page 57] [...] sence it is to be taken in 1. Iohn. 1.9. and in Psal. 31.1. Deliuer me in thy righteousnes, that is in thy faithfulnes, or as thou hast promised.

And in this sence it is most properlye attribu­ted to God also, for none is so iust and faithfull, as he is who loueth righteousnes and hateth vn­righteousnes: as the Psalmist saith in Psal. 11.5.7. And who only is true when all men are liers, as it is: Rom. 3.4.

How many waies one is iust.

Q. Is this sufficient to shewe how God is properlye cal­led a iust God?

A. No, but besides this that hath bene spoken, we must consider, that one may be iust or righte­ous (in what sence soeuer iustice be taken) 3. mā ­ner of waies, viz. either by nature, by grace, or by yeelding willing and perfect obedience to God and his law.

Q. How may one be righteous by nature?

A. Two waies, either by himselfe, and of him­selfe, in his own essence & being, or else dy the be­nefit of another, to be either made righteous, or borne iust.

Q. Who is iust by nature in himselfe, and of himselfe?

A. None but God onely, as Christ saide; none is good but God onely.

Q. Who is made iust by nature?

A. That was Adam in the beginning, because he [Page] was [...] iust, and in [...] whole nature was righteous and good.

Q. Who do you call iust by grace?

A. All the elect which are redeemed by the death of Christ, and that two waies.

  • 1. Because the righteousnes of Christ, is impu­ted vnto them, and so by grace and fauour in Christ their head, they are iust before God.
  • 2. Because of grace and fauour they are rege­nerated by the holy Ghost, by the vertue of whose inherent righteousnesse and holinesse, they are made holie and iuste, and whatsoeuer they doe by it, is accepted as iust for Christs sake.

Q. Whome do you call iust and righteous, by yeelding willing and perfect obedience to God and his law.

A. No man in this world after the fall of Adam, as he was man, euer was, or can be iust after that manner.

How the elect and Christ are iust.

Q. Why then are so many called iust in the scriptures, as Dauid, Iob, Zacharie, Elizabeth, &c, of whō it is said they walked in the waies of the Lord, and were iust men?

A. They might be called iust and righteous foure waies.

  • 1 In respects of their willes and endeuours, because their study and endeuour was to be righ­teous.
  • 2 In respect of the wicked, by way of compa­rison.
  • 1. Sam. 12.3.45.
    3 In the sight and iudgement of men, because the worlde could not charge thē with vniust dea­ling, as was Samuell.
  • [Page 58]4 They are called iust, because they were ac­compted iust, and their imperfect obedience, (as also of all the elect) is accepted with GOD for most perfect righteousnes, for Christ his sake.

Q. What say you of Christ how was he iust?

A. Our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is most perfectly iust and righteous, euery māner of way.

1 As he is God, he is in his own essence, of him selfe, and by himselfe, most iust; euen as the Fa­ther is: and eternall righteousnes it selfe.

2 As he was man, he was iust by nature, be­cause he was conceiued without sinne, and so was borne iust and righteous.

3 By vertue of his vnion with his diuine na­ture, which is eternall righteousnes it selfe, he is most iust.

4 By receiuing the giftes of the holye Ghost, without measure, Psal. 45 7. he is most iust. Lastly, he did most perfectlye obey the law of God, and most absolutely did keepe the lawe of God, therefore that way also he is most iust and righteous.

Q. What conclude you vpon all this?

A. I conclude, that forasmuch as God only is in his owne essence and nature, by himselfe and of himselfe, eternall iustice and righteousnes: ther­fore this attribute of iustice or righteousnes, doth most properly agree to God.

The iustice of God is fourefolde.

Q. Well, you haue shewed how many thinges iustice is put for, as also how many wayes our wayes bee sayde to be iust: now declare how manye sortes [Page] Gods iustice is, or how many waies he is iust and righte­ous?

H. Although indeed the iustice of God be but one and his verie essence, yet in diuers respectes it may be said to be fourefold, or it may be [...]oure waies considered.

Q, Which is the first way that God is iust and righ­teous?

A. First; as the Lord of all things hauing most free authoritie, and not bound to any, he woor­keth some things, and those things are most iust and righteous.

Q. What things are those?

A. They are these and such like.

1▪ He decreed from all eternitie to create all things.

2 Of his own free will, and according to his eternall purpose, he suffered all men to fall into sinne and death.

3. He decreed eternally to choose some of thē to eternall life, and in his time appointed to free them from their sinnes and death eternall by Ie­sus Christ.

4, He determined to cast the rest into euerla­sting torments, and that most iustly, because his will cānot be vniust: and God himselfe is iustice and righteousnes it selfe.

5. He doth an infinite number of things in his secret will or counsaile, whereof we can giue no reason, but only because it so pleased him: as to harden some, and to soften other some; to elect some, & to reiect others: al which he may by the right of a creator and Lord ouer all things, and yet remaineth in them all, most iust & righteous, [Page 59] which also is ratified by these places following. Psal. 145.17. Ro. 9.14.15. Math. 20.15. Rom. 9.21.

God is a iust iudge and yet most free.

Q. What is the rule of Gods iustice?

A. His own free will and nothing els, for God doth not alwaies a thing because it is iust, but therefore any thing is iust that is iust, because God will haue it so, and yet his will is euer ioy­ned with high wisdome, as for example: Abra­ham did iudge it a most iust and righteous thing to kill his innocent Sonne; not by the Lawe, for that did forbid him, but only because he did vn­derstand that it was the speciall will of God, and he knew that the will of God was not onlye iust, but also the rule of all righteousnes.

Q. Which is your second waie that you saye God is iust?

A. Secondlye: God doth infinite things, as he is the God of all, as well of the reprobate as of the elect; and all these his workes are most iust and righteous.

Q. What workes or things are those?

A. As to create all thinges, to conserue all things, to gouerne all things, to cause his Sunne to shine, and his raine to fall vpon all, both good and bad, and to doo good vnto all: for, that God is the God of all, is nothing els but to be the ma­ker of all, preseruer of all, the gouernour & ru­ler of all, and a benefactor to all: So God is set forth in Esay. 46.4. 1. Tim. 4.10. And this righ­teousnes [Page] of God, is his great and infinite good­nesse: for it is of his infinite goodnes, that hee maketh all, gouerneth all, and doeth good to all.

Qu. Which is the thirde way that God is iust and righ­teous?

An. Thirdly, God doeth some thinges as hee is the God of the elect onely, and that is after a more speciall manner then to be the God of all: and for this cause is he called the God of Abra­ham, and of his seede; that is, of the elect. And when he speaketh of the elect, he calleth himselfe not onely their God, but also their father, their sauiour, their husband, and their spouse; to shewe, that after a most excellent sort, he is their God, more then he is of other men. And therfore he is called their righteous father.

Iohn 17.25Q. What is this speciall iustice which hee sheweth to his elect?

A. 1 It is his speciall goodnes and mercie, from whence, as from a fountaine, springeth our elec­tion, calling, iustification, and glorification by Christ.

2 It is his speciall trueth, it is the accomplish­ment and fulfilling of all his promises made to Abraham, and to other of our forfathers, wherby he bound himselfe to saue vs in Christ.

Q. Which is the fourth respect for which God is called iust and righteous?

A. Fourthly, we holde that God doth something as a Iudge, who geueth to euery one according to his works, and so we cal God a iust God, & a most righteous iudge. And that God is a iudge of all, and righteous in all his iudgements, it appeareth [Page 60] by these testimonies of the Scripture. Psal. 7.8.11. Psal. 50.4.6. 2. Tim. 4.8.

Q. Haue you any more to say concerning this last iu­stice, or righteousnes of God?

A. Yea: concerning this iustice of God, we must note two things.

  • 1 That it is vpright and perfect.
  • 2 That it is free.

Q. What meane you when you say, it is perfect or vp­right?

A. I meane first, that God as a most iust Iudge, doeth not onely iustifie and acquite the righte­ous, & condemne the vnrighteous: but also doth loue righteousnes, and hate iniquitie: Psal. 5.5.7.

2 As it is the propertie of a iust Iudge to geue to euerie one his due, setting all couetousnes, and all respect of persons aside; and chieflie to the poore and afflicted: so the Lord doeth and hath promised to heare the poore and desolate, when they crie vnto him, if they cannot gette iustice amongst men vpon earth: and this he doth with­out rewarde, and without respect of persons, as it is in Deut. 10.17.18. Exod. 22.27.

Question. What meane you by saying that it is free?

Answere. I meane that he is not as a Iudge that is sworne; but as a Lorde most free, whose will is iustice and righteousnes it selfe, and so may at his pleasure, either absolue besides the lawe, or pu­nish a fault more gently, then the greatnes of the fault doeth require.

Question.

But why doeth God spare some, and punish some [Page] more lightly then their sinne deserueth, if he be an vp­right and a iust Iudge?

A. Because he is a most mercifull God, whose mercie exceedeth his iudgement. And to be mer­cifull is proper to God, not as he is a Iudge, but as he is a God.

Q. But why doeth he deferre their punishments?

A. Not to let the wicked goe vnpunished: but, as he is slowe to anger; so he wil pay home, and in­crease the punishment when it doeth come. A­gaine, there is one certaine day (and that is the last day) appointed, wherein God shall take iuste punishment of al the wicked and vngodly, which goe to their graue without repentance.

Q. But seeing that all men haue sinned, why is not euer­lasting death awarded to all, but to some euerlasting life?

A. Euerlasting death is not due to all, because some are freed from their sinne by the death of Christ, in whome God hath punished all their sinnes.

Q. If life be due to them, shew by what right they shal haue it.

A. It is due to them being iustified in Christ, and made the children of God: they are also become heires of the kingdome: and God, in geuing them eternall life, doeth shew himselfe, not only merci­full: but also iust of his promise.

Q. If God be iust and righteous in all his waies, why did hee will the Israelites to take away the Egyptians goods, and yet forbiddeth vs such things in his law?

A. These things are contrarie to his law, if they be done by men onely; but if God doeth them, they are most iust, and most agreeable to his will: for creatures are bound one to another, but God [Page 61] is bound to none.

Q. If God be iust in all his waies, why doeth he reward the wicked, and punish the godly?

A. In the wickedest be some good things, and in the godliest be some euill things: and God hath promised to rewarde vertue, and to punish sinne wheresoeuer he findeth it. Therfore, he rewardeth the good (yet his owne good) in the wicked with temporall blessings: and punisheth sinne in the godly (but their owne sinne) with temporall pu­nishments: but eternall torments are reserued in hell for the wicked; and eternall blessings are re­serued in heauen for the godlie.

Q. Why doeth God so vnequally punish the sinne of the wicked, and reward the vertue of the godly; punish­ing the one with infinite punishment, and rewarding the other with infinite happines: when as the sinne is finite, and the vertue is finite likewise.

A. Hee dealeth not vnequallie with them, for their sinne is infinite, and therefore their infinite punishment is proportionable to their sinne.

Q. How prooue you that their sinne is infinite?

A. It shall appeare if we consider in sinne three things.

  • 1 The obiect, against whom it is commit­ted; and that is God, whose maiestie and good­nes is infinite.
  • 2 The subiect in which sinne is, and that is the soule, which is infinite.
  • 3 The minde, wherewith sinne is commit­ted, would of it selfe neuer cease, and so infi­nite. The punishment therfore of this sinne must needes be infinite.

[Page]Question.

Why then doe not the godlie suffer infinite punish­ment also, for their sinne is infinite as well as the others?

Answere.

Christ hath suffered it for them, and therefore they are quitte by Christ.

How Christes death was equall to eternall death.

Q. The sufferings of Christ were not eternall, for hee suffered that, which he did suffer but a while vppon the earth, in the garden, and vpon the crosse; hee lay three dayes in the graue, and rose againe the thirde day, & is now in heauen: how then did he suffer eternall punish­ment for the faithfull?

A. Although his torments were not eternal, yet they were equiualent, or equall to eternall tor­ments. For as much as neither man, nor Angell did suffer them, but the eternall Sonne of God in our nature; his person, maiestie, deitie, good­nes, iustice, righteousnes, being euery way infi­nite, and eternall; made that which hee suffered, of no lesse force and value then eternall tor­mentes vpon others, yea, vpon all the worlde besides. For euen as the death of a Prince, (be­ing but a man, and a sinfull man) is of more reckoning then the death of an armie of other men, because hee is the Prince: much more shall the death and sufferinges of the Sonne of [Page 62] God, the Prince of all Princes, not finite, but e­uerie way infinite and without sin, much more I saie, shall that be of more reckoning with his fa­ther, then the sufferings of all the world: and the time of his sufferings of more value (for the wor­thinesse of his person) then if all the worlde be­sides had suffered for euer. And therefore blessed be his name for euer and euer. Amen.

Of the anger of God.

Q. When the scriptures doe attribute anger to God, what must we vnderstand by anger?

A. Not any passion, perturbation, or trouble of the minde, as it is in vs: but this word Anger, when it is attributed to God in the scriptures, it signifieth three things.

  • 1 It signifieth a most certaine and iust decree in God, to punish and reuenge such iniuries as are offered to himselfe, and to his Church, and so it is vnderstood in Ioh. 3.36. Rom. 1.18.
  • 2 It is put in the scriptures for the threatnings of those punishments and reuenges. As in Psal. 6. 1. Hose 11.9. Iona. 2.9.
  • 3 It is taken in the scriptures for the punish­ments themselues, which God doth execute vp­on vngodlie men: and these are the effectes of Gods anger, or of his decree to punish them, and so it is taken in Rom. 2.5. Mat. 3.7. Eph. 5.6.

Q. How long doth the anger of God endure?

A. The anger of God is threefold: general, tem­porall, & eternall. Of the first Paul speaketh, Eph. 5.6. The second is such as lasteth for a time in this [Page] world, and is common both to the godly and vn­godly. The third is proper onely to the reprobate in hell, & due also to all men by nature, for weare all called by nature the children of wrath: but the elect are freed from the euerlasting wrath of god, by their mediatour and redeemer Iesus Christ.

Q. Is God angry with all alike?

A. No: for with his children he is angrie but as father; but with the reprobate hee is angrie as a reuenging iudge: as appeareth in Exod. 32.12. Psal. 103.13.

Q. How do the scriptures speake of the eternall anger of God?

A. It is called the wrath to come in 1. Thess. 1. vlt. and not in vaine, for when it is come, it is stil to come, and neuer at an ende, but the beginning of it is in this life, Ioh. 3.36.

Q. Is there not a day appointed for it?

A. Yes, & it is called the day of wrath, in Ro. 2.5. And they which shall haue it bestowed vpon them, are called vessels of wrath. Rom. 9.22. to shew that the vngodly men of this world (liuing & dying without repentance) shall then bee emp­tied of all their pleasures, and shall be filled with torments, as a vessell is filled with water.

What sins soonest kindle Gods anger.

Q. What sinnes doe most especially kindle the wrath of God against a land or a kingdome?

A. All sinnes do prouoke Gods wrath, but some [Page 63] more specially then some, and they are both a­gainst the first and second Table.

Q. What sinnes against the first Table?

A. 1 Idolatrie, Rom. 1.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30. Deut. 32.21.22. 1. Cor. 10.5.7.14.

2 Tempting of God. 1. Cor. 10.9. Psal. 78.17. 18.19. Psal. 106.14.15.

3 Murmuring against God, his workes and will, 1. Cor. 10.10.

4 Rebellion against God his lawes and ordi­nances. Psal. 2.3.4.5.9. Psal. 106.16.17. Numb. 14.9.11.12. Numb. 16.1.2.3.29.30.31 32.33.41.45.49.

5 Blasphemie against God Hebr. 6.6.

6 Prophaning the Sabboth. Nehemi. 13.18.

Q. What sinnes against the second Table.

1 Contempt of parents & gouernors. Exod. 21.15. Prou. 30.17. Deut. 27.16.

2 Neglect of Iustice, and abusing the place of Iustice, by those which God hath placed there. Psal. 82.6.7. Amos 6.12.

3 Shedding of innocent blood. Gen. 4.10. For as a father cannot abide to see his children murthered before his face, no more can God.

4 Oppression of the poore. Exod. 22.22.23. Amos 2.3.6.7.8. Mal. 3.5.

5 Filthie and vnbrideled lust. Gen. 19.4.5.7. 8.9.24. Ezech. 16.49.50.

Lastlie, all sinnes, or anie sinne is matter suf­ficient to kindle the wrath of God, and to make it to flame out against a lande: how much more then shall it be kindled, when all these are put to­gither?

Q. Whether may the wrath of God be foreseene and preuented, or no?

[Page]A. The eternall wrath of God which the repro­bate shall feele, shall neuer bee preuented nor quenched.

Q. What saie you to the temporall wrath of God?

A. It may bee foreseene three maner of waies, First, by the Oracles of the Prophets, and by rea­sons drawne from the lawe. Secondly, by signes in the heauens, in the earth, and in the sea. Third­ly, one lighter punishment doth often foreshew a greater to come.

When the wrath of God is thus foreseene, there is no way to preuent it from comming, or to quench it when it is kindled, Psal 2.12. but by true repen­tance, and a liuely faith.

Q. What vse may we make of the anger of God?

A. The vse of this attribute is three folde.

1 It teacheth vs that anger of it selfe is not simply euill, for it is most properlie attributed to God.

Q. When is our anger good?

A. When it is such as the scripture attributeth to God, and commendeth to men, when it saith be angrie, Ephes. 4.25. but sin not.

How we sin in our anger.

Q. How manie waies is sinne committed in our an­ger?

A. Three waies, first when we are angrie for no cause, or for a light cause. 2. When wee are an­grie with sinnes, as they are iniuries offered to our selues, but not as they are against God.

[Page 64]3. When wee turne our anger against our bre­thren & the persons of men, which is due against their sinnes.

Q. What is the second vse that wee must make of it?

A. Secondlie: Gods anger serueth to raise vs vp from securitie.

Q. What is your third vse?

A. Thirdlie: we must not be slouthfull when we see the signes of Gods anger and his wrath com­ming, but vse ordinarie meanes to preuent it.

Of the hatred of God.

Q. Whether may hatred bee properly attributed to God, or no?

A. Yes, it may: for the scriptures do saie of God that he hateth iniquitie. Psal. 5.5.

Obiection.

If loue bee properlie attributed to God; then is hatred improperlie attributed to him: for hatred is con­trarie to loue, and besides that, hatred is an euill passi­on of the minde: and therefore it cannot be properly at­tributed to God?

A. For the vnderstanding of this question, we must note, that hatred which is attributed to God, may be considered two waies.

  • 1. As it is such as is in vs, and so it is in­deede verie improperly attributed to GOD. For in vs it is a passion, and a griefe of the mind, but in God is no passion.
  • 2. It is to bee considered, as the scriptures doe teach it to be in God: and in that sense in which [Page] they doo attribute it to him, and if we take ha­tred in that sence, then it is properly attributed to God.

Three things vnderstood by Gods hatred.

Q. Declare then in what sence or signification the Scriptures doo speake of hatred as it is attributed to God?

A. In the Scriptures the hatred of God hath 3. significations.

1 It signifieth his deniall of good will, and mercie, to eternall saluation: I haue hated Esau, that is, Rom. 9.13 I haue reiected him, and haue not vouch­safed him that fauor & grace, which I haue shew­ed vpon Iacob.

And we also are said to hate those thinges which we neglect, and vpon which we wil bestow no benefite, nor credite: but do put them besides other things: and therefore it is saide, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, & wife, and children, &c. he cannot be my disciple: that is, he that doeth not put all these thinges behinde mee, and neglect them for mee: so that the loue that he beareth to them, must seeme to be hatred in comparison of that loue, which he must shew to me. And in this sense it is properly attributed to God.

Q. What is the second thing that is vnderstood by the hatred of God?

A. Secondly, it signifieth the decree of Gods wil, to punish sinne, and the iust punishment it selfe, which he hath decreed: as in Psal. 5.6. and in Iob. [Page] 30.21. Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against mee, and art enemy vnto me with the strength of thy hand, that is, thou doost so sore chastice me, as if thou didst hate me.

And in this sence also it is properly attributed to God, for it is proper to God, to take punish­ment of sinners, and it is a parte of his iustice.

Q. What is the third signification of this word?

A. Thirdlye, it is put for Gods displeasure, for those things which we hate, do displease vs: and in this sence also it is properly attributed to God, for it is the propertie of a most iust iudge to dis­alowe and to detest euill, aswell as to allow and like that which is good.

And this may be confirmed by two reasons.

  • 1 It is the propertie of him that loueth, to hate & detest that which is contrarie to himselfe, and to that which he loueth: for loue cānot be with­out his contrarie of hatred, and therefore as the loue of good things doth properly agree to God: so doth also the hatred of euill things,
    Psa. 139.21.22.
    as they are euill.
  • 2 It is manifest by Dauid, that it is no lesse vertue to hate the euill, then it is to loue the good. And this hatred of sinne (as it is a vertue and a perfect hatred) cannot be in vs but by the grace of God:
    Ia. 1.37
    For euery good gift is from aboue, &c. And there can be no good thing in vs: but it is first in God after a more perfect manner then it is in vs.

Whom God doth hate, and whom not.

Q. Now shew vs against whome or what this hatred [Page] of God is bent, and against whom it is not?

A. God is said in the Scriptures to haue hated three things.

  • 1 The reprobate before they were created.
  • 2 The same reprobate when they are become wicked and vngodly.
  • 3 Wickednes it selfe.

Q. How is it means that God should hate the repro­bate before they were created?

A. He is said to hate them (euen before the worlde was) not simplye, but in comparison of the elect, for as he is saide to haue loued th'elect because he would their euerlasting happines: so he is saide to haue hated the reprobate, because he would not vouchsafe them the same happines, but did reiect them to eternall woe, and that in his iust iudgement, although hidden from vs.

Q. How is God saide to hate them, when they are crea­ted and become wicked men?

A. Two waies.

First, so farre foorth as he detesteth them for their iniquitie and hatred against God; for he ha­teth not their nature which he made himself, but the sinne which cleaueth and dwelleth in their nature: so God doth hate and abhorre the wic­ked themselues, not as they are men, but as they are wicked and rebellious, for euery one both in soule and bodie is good, as hee is created of God.

Secondly, God is said to hate the wicked men, when he doth punish their impietie and hatred against his Maiestie, with many plagues both spirituall and corporall, both temporal and eter­nall. Therefore the Psalmist after he had saide: [Page] Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie; pre­sentlie he addeth in the next verse: Psa. 5.5.6. Thou shalt destroy them that speake lyes, the Lord will ab­horre the bloudy and deceitfull man: to shewe that for God to inflict punishment vpon the re­probate and vngodlye, is to hate them: and to hate them, is to destroy them.

Q. How may it appeare that God hateth iniquitie?

A. That is most cleer, for he doth destroye it in the reprobate by eternall condemnation, and he doth take it from the elect by iustification, yea he doth so hate sinne, that to take it away from his elect and chosen Children, he hath laide it vpon his owne Sonne Iesus Christ, and hath condem­ned it in his flesh, as Esay saith: Esay, 53.5.4. whereby God hath shewed not only vnspeakeable loue towards his elect, but also a most holy and perfect hatred against sinne.

Q. Doth God neuer hate and detest his elect and chosen?

A. Indeed he is often angry with them as a lo­uing Father, and doth oftentimes seuerelye cha­stice them, but he neuer hateth them.

Q. How proue you that he neuer hateth them?

A. I proue it by good reason, for his loue to­wards them is perpetuall and constant: therefore it cannot be that he should hate them at any time.

Againe, he doth neuer deny them his mercye, but doth shew mercie vnto them, after they haue sinned; for he doth endue them with faith and re­pentance, and so doth pardon their sinnes: ther­fore he doth not hate them.

Q. If he doth not hate them, why doth he so seuerlye [Page] afflict them.

A. Hee doth that of his loue which he beareth towards them, for the Scripture saith, whom he loueth he correcteth, [...]o. 3.11. Heb. 12.6. Cor. 11.32. and therfore he correcteth them because he loueth them, that they might not be dāned with the wicked world. See 2. Sam. 7.14.15. and Psal. 89.30.31.32.33.34.

The vses of Gods hatred.

Q. What is the vse of all this doctrine?

A. First wee learne hereby that it is a great vertue, and acceptable to God to hate wicked­nes, and wicked men themselues: not as they are men, but as they are wicked and vngodly, as Da­vid did. Psa. 139.21.22. And we are no lesse bound to hate the e­nemies of God (as they are his enemies) then to loue God and those that loue him: and if we doe so, then we must also flye their companye, and haue no frendship or fellowship with them.

Secondly, we are taught hereby, that we must distinguish between mens persons and their sins, and not to hate the persons of men, because they are the good creatures of God, but their sinnes we must hate euery day more and more. And this we are taught by the Apostles precept, in 2. Thes. 3.6.14.15.

Certain questions and answeres, decla­ring the right vse of the Law.

Question.

HAuing alreadie spoken of the ceremoniall and iu­diciall partes of Gods law. It remaineth now that we consider of the morall part of Gods law, viz. the ten Commandements.

But before we come to the true sence and meaning of euerie commandement: I would haue you to shewe mee why the law of God, that is, the ten commandements must be rightly vnderstood of vs?

A. It is necessarie that we should vnderstand eue­rie point of the law of God, that so we may know Christ Iesus to be a Sauiour indeed vnto vs, and▪ that so wee maye perceiue the length, bredth, and depth of his mercies, and, that so wee may be brought to embrace them accordingly.

Q. And cannot that be without the speciall knowledge of the law?

A. No; for the greatnes of our sin, and corrupti­on discouereth the riches of his mercy & fauour towards vs.

Q. And shall wee see how great our sin and corruption is, by opening the meaning of euerie commandement?

A. Yea: & then we shall also see that our affection is an vtter enemie to the obedience required in the same.

Q. And what shall we be the better?

A. We may (if God giue grace) be the better for it, two waies.

  • 1 When we see so much rebellion and iniqui­tie as it were bleeding in euery part of vs, euen to death; it will make vs with speede seeke to Iesus Christ the onely Phisition of our soules.
  • [Page]2 When we shall see & consider how many, and how dangerous wounds he doth cure in vs, we wil neuer forget, nor smally account his death, but al­alwaies worthely magnifie the greatnesse of his grace and mercie towards vs.

Q. Why, we all knowe that wee are sicke and disea­sed of sinne, is not that sufficient to make vs seeke to Christ?

A. No: it is not inough to know that we are dis­eased, and not well, but we must know a number of diseases to be growing vpon vs; euery one of which doeth threaten present death, before wee can be so carefull as wee ought, in seeking to Christ.

Q. Then belike it is not inough to say wee are all sin­ners.

A. No: but we must know how many parts be in­fected, and how dangerous the infection is.

Q. What meane you by that?

A. I meane that sinne must be vncased, and vn­foulded in vs, and all the branches of sinne must be laid open to our consciences, by opening the lawe.

Q. Doth the law only shew the greatnes of our sinne?

A. No: but it wil shew vs also the eternal wrath of God, flaming out against vs: and euen hel it selfe, readie to receaue vs for our transgression; so dan­gerous is our infection, and so necessarie is the vnderstanding of the law.

Q. What? is it not inough to see the greatnes of our sinnes?

A. No: but we must also see the infinite punish­ment of our sinnes.

Q. Why, this is inough to driue men to despaire, Is it not?

[Page 68]A. Not the sight of our sinnes, but the want of faith in the merits of Christs death, breedeth de­spaire.

Q. VVhether must the law be taught alone, or no?

A. No: not the lawe onelie, for then wee shalbe left comfortlesse: nor the Gospell only, for then we will waxe too presumptuous: but both must goe together, the one to humble vs, and cast vs downe; and the other to comfort vs, and to rayse vs vp againe by Iesus Christ: for whosoeuer will goe to heauen, must goe by hell.

Q. Can we not be truely humbled without the knowledge of the lawe, and of our sinnes by the law?

A. No, for it is with vs as it is with some notable malefactor.

Q. How is that?

A. For example: A theefe being charged with his theft, at the first he will stande to iustifie him selfe, and will aske no fauour of any; but when e­uidence and iust proofe come in against him, and he seeth by the law nothing but death: then will he humble himselfe, crie for mercie, and sue for a pardon.

Q. And is it so with vs by nature?

A. By nature euery one is geuen to flatter him­selfe, and to qualifie his owne faults, and to haue a confidence in his owne works: but when we see our owne miserable estate by the lawe, wee will then geue ouer our holde, and betake our selues wholie to the mercie of God, in Christ Iesus.

Q It should seem by your speech, that we are not hum­bled by nature?

A. No: For by nature we all like well of our selues, [Page] and (which God doth most abhorre) wee waxe proude of those good things, which God worketh in vs, and by vs.

Q. How prooue you this that you say?

A. That it is true it appeareth: first, by the con­fession of the Apostle Paul himselfe. [...]. Cor. 12.7.

Secondly, by the Romishe Church, which fighteth so stoutly in defence of mans merites.

Q. And what conclude you by these two examples?

A. I conclude, that this doctrine of humbling, and submitting our selues vnto God, will not so easilie enter into flesh and bloud, and therefore we must haue the law of God opened, to humble vs▪ and so to driue vs vnto Christ Iesus.

Q. Is there any vse of the lawe after we be driuen vnto Chist?

A. Yea, for when we see what an infinite number of sinnes he hath cured in vs, from what infinite torments hee hath freed vs, and vnto what infi­nite happines hee hath brought vs by his death and passion: we wil then labor to shew our selues thankefull for so great benefites.

Question. How must we shewe our selues thankful for his death?

Answere. We must decree to walke in duetifull obedience to his will: and the law will stande vs in good steade to quicken vs thereunto.

Q. How can that be?

A. When by the law of God wee see the num­ber of things that are to be done of vs, and how backwarde we are in doing of them, it will make vs to be more painefull and carefull in the same.

Q Is there any more vse of the law after we be come to Christ?

A. Yea, the knowledge and meditation of the law [Page 69] of God, wil help vs forward to true Christianitie.

Q. Shew me how.

A. It will teach vs, not onely what to doe, but how to doe it, in al our dealings between God & our neighbour.

Q. Why? is it not inough to meane well in seruing God, or to serue God by our good intents, & good meanings?

A. No: but we must be carefull to approoue our doinges by the lawes and statutes appointed for the same.

Q. How prooue you this that you say?

A. It is prooued two waies.

  • 1. By plaine testimonies of Scripture.
  • 2. By Gods iudgement shewed vpon some that presumed to serue God otherwise then they were commanded by his worde.

Q. By what testimonies can you prooue it?

A. By two. One is of God himselfe, in Esai l. 11.12. The other is of Christ, the sonne of God him­selfe, in Mat. 15.9.

Q. What doth God say in Esay?

A. What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices, who required these thinges at your hands?

Q. How doeth this prooue that God will not be serued with our good intents, and good meanings, excepts they be directed by his lawes and commandements.

A. Very well; For if God could not abide the sa­crifices and offerings of the Iewes, which he him selfe commanded (though they were neuer so de­uout in their seruice) because their liues were wicked: much lesse will God abide that seruice which he himselfe neuer cōmanded, although we mean neuer so wel in it.

[Page]Q. What saith our Sauiour Christ to the matter?

A. He saith, In vaine they worship me, teaching for doctrines, mens preceptes.

Q. How doth this proue it?

A. Verie well. For if mens precepts were a vaine seruice of God, when they agreed not with Gods preceptes: then much more are mens intents and meanings in vaine, from whence such preceptes did arise.

Q. What are these two iudgements which you spake of before?

A. The one was fire from heauen vpon Nadab, and Abihu, for offering other fire then God had appointed, Leuit. 10.1.2.

The other was present death vpon Vzzah, for holding vp the Ark from falling, which was more then God commanded him. 2. Sam. 6.6.7.

Q. Why was the law giuen in such maiestie, & with such fearefull sightes, as was read of in Exod. 19.16.18.19.

A. For two causes: First, because wee are giuen to make but small reckoning thereof, and lightly to regard the authoritie therof. Secondly, to shew that the neglect of the word, is the contempt of Gods maiestie and honour.

Q. But the Gospell came not with such maiestie, did it?

A. Yes, although not after the same maner, for first it was preached by the Lorde Iesus himselfe, then it was afterward confirmed by signes, won­ders and miracles.

Q Why was this?

A. To shew that to neglect the gouernment of the word: is to treade vnder feete the maiestie of the Lord. Hebr. 2.1.2.3.

[Page 70]Q. Why doth Moses say that God spake? It should seeme that God had a mouth and was like a man?

A. God is said to speake 5. waies in the scriptures.

  • 1 By secret inspiration to the harts of his peo­ple, Psal. 85.8.
  • 2 By his workes. Psal. 19.1.
  • 3 When hee will haue any thing done, hee is said to speake. Gen. 1.3.
  • 4 When he vseth the ministrie of Angels and men, he is said to speake. Hebr. 1.1.
  • 5 He is said to speake when he vttered a voice or caused a sounde, which the people might vn­derstand.

Q. And could he do that without a mouth?

A. Yea, for although man could not, nor can­not, yet God can, who made al things of nothing, to whom nothing is impossible.

Q. Why is the law called Gods law?

A. Because God was the author and giuer of it.

Q. Why is it called Moses law. Mal. 4.4.

A. Because Moses was the minister and publi­sher of it.

Q. Why is it called the Iewes law, in Ioh. 8.

A. Because it was first ordeined for the Iewes.

Q. Why doth God begin with these words, I am the Lord thy God?

A. To assure vs of all mercie and happines from himselfe alone, both in this life, and in the life to come.

Q. Then if we haue any blessings either temporall or spirituall, is it because the Lord is our God?

A. Yea.

Q. How proue you that.

A. In Psal. 144.15. Hebr. 8.10.12. Ezech. 36.26.

[Page]Q. Why doth he say, which brought thee out of &c.

A. To put them in minde of that experience which they had of his goodnesse, wherein hee did manifestly declare himself to be their God. Deut. 7.8.9.

Q. Why doth God put them in minde of this experi­ence?

A. To make them the more willing to yeeld o­bedience to his lawes and commandements.

Q. What are we taught by this?

A. Wee are taught alwaies to haue in memorie Gods benefites, especially such as do proue him to loue vs as his children.

Q. To what purpose should we do so?

A. Because the remembrance of them wil make vs do our dutie to God with a free heart, & wil­ling minde.

Q. Then I perceiue, that Gods benefites may not bee passed ouer without consideration.

A. No: for they do greatly perswade vs to obe­dience.

Q. Haue any vsed this helpe?

A. Yea, Iosua did vse it, as appeareth in Iosua 24.

Q. Why did Iosua rehearse so many benefites bestowed vpon the Israelites?

A. To reclaime them from sin, and to stir them vp to a willing and a free seruing of the Lord.

Q. And did it any thing perswade the people?

A. Yea: For in the same chapter the people also alledged Gods benefits receiued, as a reason why they might not, nor wold not refuse to obey him.

Q. Where are wee commanded to consider of Gods be­nefites, that we might serue him?

A. In 1. Sam. 12.24.

FINIS.

LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet for Tobie Cooke, 1591.

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