AN EXPOSITION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION.  
BY THO: HOOKER.  
LONDON, Printed for R. DAWLMAN. 1645.   

AN EXPOSITION OF THE Principles of Religion.  

The first Principle, There is one God, Creator and Governor of all things, distinguished into three Persons, Father, Son, and holy Ghost.  
Here we must consider three things: 

1. That there is a God.  
2. His Works.  
3. That he is distinct.    
Quest. WHat is the reason that there is a God?  
Answ. 1. Because in every thing there is a first cause, (that is, infiniteness and power) which cannot not be attributed to any creature.  
2. Inregard that all things were made for man, man for an end, which end must needs be God.  
Q. But can we conceive of God as he is?  
A. No, because of the great distance between him and us; for when a man looketh upon the Sun, he cannot possibly endure it, because that is so glorious, and his eyes so feeble.  
Q. How may we conceive of God?  
Ans. 1. Cast down thyself before him, confessing thy unfitness to draw nigh him.  
2. Look how he is set forth in his Word, as a gracious, glorious, eternal being, without any mixture of infirmity or disability. Man hath with power, weakness; with mercy, cruelty; God hath not so.  
3. Go into the world, and view the height of its glory, and then conclude, If the Creature be thus excellent, what must the Creator be?  
Q. What is God?  
A. A Spirit that hath life and being of himself.  
Q. What is a Spirit?  
A. It is the finest and subtlest subsistence that can be.  
Q. Why bad God rather be a Spirit then a Creature?  
Ans. 1. Because that is the most pure and excellent essence.  
2. There is a great difference between God and us; we have a fleshly part, he is all spiritual; we borrow our being, but God hath life of himself, and gives being to every thing.  
3. That he is an infinite and Almighty God, the sole Creator and Governor of all things.  
Q. What is it to create?  
A. To make something of nothing.  
Q. Wherein do Man's works, and Gods differ?  
Ans. 1. Man must have something to work upon, God needeth not any thing; a word of his mouth is sufficient.  
2. Man is subject to be weary, but GOD cannot.  
Q. What is meant by Government?  
A. A seasonable succouring and guiding of the Creature. Such is the weakness of poor mortals, that as they were first made of nothing, so unless God upholds them, they will soon resolve to their first nothingness.  
Q. What are the particulars of this Government?  
A. Two: First, Sustentation, Secondly, Direction.  
Q. What is Sustentation?  
A. The good providence of God, whereby he protects and provides for his people.  
Q. What is Direction?  
H. A power of the Lord, whereby he order every thing to its right end.  
Q. How doth he direct the creature to its end?  
Ans. 1. God gives them direction whereby to work, and puts forth their ability into action.  
Q. What may we learn from hence?  
Ans. 1. Comfort to the Saints, seeing God is so great a Creator, and powerful a Governor; there is no people under heaven (that worship any other God) are so blessed as they are: Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord, neither are there any works like unto thy works. Psal. 86.8.  
2. This should teach us to mind Gods dealing with us in every passage of our lives, and to stand in awe of his Majesty.  
Q. How is God distinguished?  
A. Into three Persons.  
Q. What is meant by a Person?  
A. A Person is a manner of Divine being.  
Q. Why do you say a being?  
A. Because the Deity and the Person is all one.  
Q. Why do you say a manner?  
A. Because there be divers turn, that the Godhead puts upon itself.  
Q. How?  
A. The Godhead is full of wisdom and understanding: Now the Father's understanding casts it back again upon himself; for if he had understanding before the world; then there must needs be somewhat to be understood: but there was none but himself, therefore he casts it back upon himself.  
2. This being understood is the Son, the wisdom of the Father, and the third Person being willed is the Spirit, who notwithstanding are all one. As long as a man teacheth, he is a Master; but when he is taught, he is a Scholar: practice comes from teaching; after a man is taught he becomes a practitioner: here now be divers behaviours, yet all but one man. As a Sun beam falling upon a wall, casts back its heat; so doth the Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son.  
Quest. What is that which is common to all the Persons?  
A. The Godhead is common to them all; and whatever is proper to the Godhead, is proper to all the rest; with this difference, in regard of the particular relation that every one of them hath; the Father's property being to beget, the Son to be begotten, and the Spirit to proceed: none of them exceeding the other in time, but in order only.   

The second Principle: Man wholly corrupted by Adam's fall, became a slave of Satan, and heir of Damnation.  
Quest. HOw must we conceive of Adam's fall?  
A. Look into the height of happiness he once enjoyed, and the depth of misery his sin produced.  
Q. Were any else in this estate?  
A. No.  
Q. How then came all creatures to have their being?  
A. The stamps of God's Attributes were no farther upon them, then to put virtues into every one.  
Q. Where may we conceive this virtue consisteth?  
A. In the soul and body of man.  
Q. How in his soul?  
Answ. 1. In the understanding, Adam by that was full of knowledge and capable of Gods will. Secondly, in the will consisting in holiness and righteousness, God putting an aptness into Adam to love him above all, and his Neighbour as himself.  
Q. How is God's Image seen in the affections of men?  
A. In regard of that sweet Harmony and agreement which the affection hath with the will.  
Quest. How is God's Image seen in the parts of the body?  
Answ. When they are subject to the reasonable will and understanding in such things as God commands.  
Quest. What is the Covenant God made with Adam?  
Ans. That which was of works, was, Do this and live; by living is meant a promise which God made unto Adam, that if he kept God's Commandments he would preserve him for ever.  
Quest. Had only Adam this?  
Answ. It reacheth not to him only, but to the good of all his posterity.  
Q. What are the signs of this Covenant?  
A. 1. The Tree of life, which was a sign and scale whereby God assured Adam, as sure as he saw the Tree, if he obeyed his command, he should live for ever.  
2. The tree of knowledge which persuaded him, that if he obeyed God, he should certainly know good and evil.  
Qu. Did Adam fall from this estate?  
A. Yes, by the allurement of Satan in 3. respects:  
1. By propounding his temptations unto him.  
2. In pursuing of him.  
3. In obtaining his desire.  
Q. How by propounding?  
A. He came to Eve, changing himself into a Serpent; Satan being now fall'n from God, grudged the happy estate that Adam was in, and thought much that he should not be in the same condition with himself, whereupon he tempted him.  
Q. What was Eves answer?  
A. Of any tree of the Garden we may eate, but not of this, lest peradventure we die; now he took advantage of this, when she began to doubt of God's providence.  
Q. How else did they fall?  
A. By their own free will attending to, and parlying with Satan, in two respects:  
1. In a light esteem of God's command.  
2. In their delusion,  
1. Saying the fruit was good, when God said the contrary:  
2. Harkening to Satan, who told them it would be the cause of their good, and not evil, when as God told them when they eat thereof they should die the death.  
Q. What is the third cause of their fall?  
A. The holy and blessed Law of God may after a measure be said to have some influence therein.  
Q. What came to Adam after this?  
A. He was made guilty and liable unto the Law and Curse.  
Q. What followeth upon this guiltiness?  
A. Punishment.  
Q. What was that?  
A. Original and actual sin.  
Q. What is original sin?  
A. A natural depravation of the whole man.  
Q. What is actual sin?  
A. A transgression of the Law in the least particular.  
Q. Why did God punish them so severely?  
Ans. 1. Because they sinned against an extraordinary Majesty, loving Satan more than God.  
2. Because they broke all the Commandments at once, which were included in these two, Love the Lord with all thy heart, and thy Neighbour as thyself.  
Q. Did Adam this only to himself?  
A. No, but to his posterity.  
Q. How cometh it so?  
A. We did then what ever he did, for we were in his loins, it was equal with God to appoint it so, because that if he had done well we should have been saved; now consequently it must follow, that because he sinned, we must also be punished.  
Q. How did Adam's sin become ours?  
A. By imputation.  
Q. What is imputation?  
A. That whereby the fault of one man is put upon another.  
Q. How came we to have original sin?  
A. By propagation in regard that Adam sent his nature into us, and we become like him.   

The third Principle. Concerning redemption by Christ.  
Quest. WAs our Redemption necessary?  
A. Yes, because God determined an end of his Creation, now man because fallen, if he should be destroyed, the end would be frustrate. Secondly, God had ordained the glorification of his mercy in man; now had there been no Redemption, where would the glory of his mercy appear? Thirdly, the Elect fallen without this could have had no comfort.  
Q. Who is this Redeemer?  
A. Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity, he only can subdue our enemies, and satisfy his Father's wrath.  
Q. Wherefore was Christ the fittest person in the Trinity?  
Ans. 1. Because he could most prevail with God, being his Son. Secondly, God being he who was fully offended, it was not justice that he should pay himself.  
Q. Why did Christ take the nature of man upon him?  
A. 1. Because it was man that sinned. Secondly, there must be a suffering as well as a satisfaction.  
Q. Did Christ take upon him the person or nature of man?  
A. The nature only, for else there should have been two persons, which cannot be.  
Q. How did Christ take man's nature upon him?  
A. The Holy Ghost sanctified it, and then Christ took the same.  
Q. What are those things observable in this nature?  
A. His union, and the manner of his conception.  
Q. How is his union?  
A. Inseparable, for our nature could not be separated from him; the eternal Son of God so took the nature of man, that when it met with him, it was not changed, but remained the same forever.  
Q. How was Christ conceived?  
A. By the Holy Ghost, who at this time, and in this thing imitated the nature of man.  
Q. Of whom was Christ conceived?  
A. Of the Virgin Mary.  
Q. Why had not Christ a Father as well as a Mother?  
A. Then had he been liable to sin, which was principally imputed to man.  
Q. How did Christ suffer?  
A. By his Death, which was twofold, corporal and spiritual; corporal, whereby his body was separated from his soul; and spiritual, whereby he was separated from God.  
Q. What things are to be observed in the death of the soul?  
Ans. 1. The wrath of God and his anger against a man, of which Christ tasted: Secondly, the consequences which are desperation and continual punishments, from which Christ was most free.   

The fourth Principle. A sinner of an humble and contrite spirit apprehends Christ by faith, and so is justified and sanctified:  
Here are two things; 

1. A preparation.  
2. The Benefit.    
Quest. WHat is contrition?  
A. When a sinner is brought to such a sight of sin, that being enforced to feel the burden thereof, he comes to be sequestered from it.  
Q. How many things are here considerable?  
A. Three:  
1. A sinner must be brought to a sight of his sin.  
2. He must be enforced to feel it.  
3. He must come to be sequestered from it.  
Q. Why do you say, Brought to a sight of his sin?  
A. Because of himself he neither will nor can see his sin.  
Q. What do you mean by sight?  
A. A clear and convicting sight of sin.  
Q. What is it to have clear sight of sin.  
A. When a man sees sin as it is in its colours.  
Q. What is it to see sin convictingly?  
A. When a sinner is persuaded in his conscience that that sin which the Minister and the Word of God speaks of, is his own sin.  
Q. What is meant by sin?  
A. In sin there are two branches, the evil of it, and the punishment of it.  
Q. Which is worse of these two?  
A. The evil of sin, for  
1. that which deprives a man of the chiefest good, must needs be the greatest evil, but sin deprives the soul of God the chiefest good.  
2. We see Christ could suffer punishment, but not be sinful.  
3. And God is oft the Author of punishment, but not of sin.  
Q. What is the second thing in the definition?  
Answ. He is enforced to feel it, men would be flying off from the meditation of this sin.  
Q. How may a man feel his sin as he should do?  
Ans. By meditation and application.  
Q. How by meditation?  
Answ. 1. By considering what a GOD he hath offended, how great mercy abused, and justice provoked, not only in time of ignorance, but since we knew him: Secondly, A serious meditation of the vile and filthy nature of sin.  
Q. How doth the vileness of sin appear?  
A. It separates us from God's presence, and procureth eternal misery.  
Q. How by application?  
Answ.  
1. By convincing the heart of its loathsome conditon.  
2. By dogging the heart when there is any occasion of sin, and still telling it of God's judgement.  
Q. Can any man of himself do this?  
A. No, it must be God's humbling hand.  
Q. What do you mean by sequestered?  
Ans. When a man's hearts desire and hungering, is to get out of sin, though he cannot, saying with himself, there is no reason why I should be thus ruled by base lusts.  
Q. What is humiliation?  
Answ. When the heart of a poor sinner comes to despair of all hope and help, either in himself or any creature, and is contented to be at God's disposing.  
Q. How many things are to be considered in this definition?  
Answ. He despaireth of all hope in himself, or in the creatures, and is content to be at God's disposing.  
Q. When doth a man come to this despair?  
A. When he seeketh to the world for succour, and finds none.  
Q. When is a man content to be at Gods dispose?  
A. When he acknowledgeth he hath no good in himself, and confesses (if at any time God afflict him) that it is just with God so to do, resolving what ever trouble lies upon him, still to trust and call upon God. Contrition and humiliation are two graces which must be wrought in the soul before faith can enter in.  
1. Because every natural man hath sin to be his God, now there cannot be two Gods in any man's heart.  
2. Because by faith we go unto Christ to receive good at his hands; now one cannot go to Christ before he go out of himself; before we can get the pearl, we must sell all that we have; now Christ is the pearl; we must sell all our corruptions to enjoy him.  
Q. What is faith?  
A. A resting upon God, grounded upon knowledge, and assurance that God is my God in Christ.  
Q. How many things are included in this knowledge?  
A. A sight of sin, and a sense of it, which will produce three things:  
1. A prising and seeking for mercy.  
2. No content in any thing, till we have obtained mercy.  
3. The testimony of God's Spirit, which assureth God's children their sins are pardoned.  
Q. What is meant by resting upon God?  
A. It is discovered by two particulars:  
1. Casting ourselves upon the Promise.  
2. A persuasion that they shall be fulfilled to us.  
Q. What is justification?  
A. When a believing sinner is accounted just in God's sight, through Christ, according to the Law.  
Q. Why say you accounted?  
A. Because Justification puts nothing into us, nor finds nothing in us.  
Q. Doth God justify wicked men as they are in themselves?  
A. God provided another to be their surety, for whose sake he accepts them.  
Q. Can one man's wisdom, understanding and holiness be accounted to another?  
A. Yes, if one man's offence be imputed to another, then may one man's righteousness; but Adam's sin was imputed to us, Rom. 5. therefore Christ's Righteousness may be accounted ours. If the Law be, that the surety may be punished for the debt as well as the debtor, then may the sureties satisfaction be accounted to the debtor, both because the surety and the debtor took upon them the same thing, and subjected themselves to the same condition.  
Q. What do we learn out of these words, according to the Law?  
A. No man can be just, except he be in some measure answerable to the rule of justice.  
Q. What did the Law require?  
A. Two things:  
1. Dying for sin.  
2. Doing that we may live.  
Q. Was our sin made Christ's by commission?  
A. No, only by imputation, for when Christ died to save us, did we die also? no, only his death was imputed to us.  
Q. What doth Christ receive from us?  
A. Gild and punishment.  
Q. What do we receive from Christ?  
A. His merits and obedience.  
Q. Doth faith itself justify a man?  
A. We are not justified by faith, for it's but an instrument whereby we lay hold upon Christ, and so are justified.  
Q. Must justification be joined to sanctification?  
A. Yes, for justification goeth, before, and sanctification follows after.  
Q. Wherein lieth the difference?  
A. justification putteth nothing into a man, nor findeth any thing in a man: Sanctification puts a new frame of heart into us.  
Q. But doth not God put grace into a justified sinner?  
A. Yes, but he doth it by sanctification, not by justification. We receive justification all at once, and that neither admits of increase, or decrease, but holiness is usually increased, and decreaseth many times.  
Q. What is sanctification?  
A. It's the restoring of a justified man into the image of God wherein he was created: Not a making new faculties in the soul, but putting them into right order; as when a clock falls in pieces (the wheels being not broken) the clock hath not new wheels set into it, but they are new made again.  
Q. How many things be there in sanctification?  
A. Two: Mortification and Vivification.  
Q. What is mortification?  
A. The first part of sanctification whereby sin is killed in us by the power of Christ's death applied unto us.  
Q. Can sin be wholly subdued in a man?  
A. No, but it may be lessened and filled away.  
Q. Wherein lies the difference between sin in a wicked, and a godly man?  
A. There is the nearest union that may be, between sin, and the soul of a wicked man: Sin beareth greatest rule here, and the soul yields greatest subjection unto it: He hath a secret resolution to sin in spite of God and his Ordinances.  
But in a godly man the power of sin is loosened, and the union broken, sin is not in him as a King, though it may be as a Tyrant.  
Q. Can mortification and vivification be severed?  
A. No, where God bestows Mortification, there he likewise bestows vivification.  
Q. Which goeth first?  
A. Mortification, for before we can receive Christ, we must make room for him by casting out all wickedness.  
Q. What is meant by this word vivification?  
A. It is that part of sanctification whereby we are quickened to newness of life by Christ his Resurrection applied unto us.  
Q. How is this wrought by Christ's Resurrection?  
A. In sin we must conceive there is.  
1. The guilt.  
2. The punishment.  
3. The power of it; the guilt and punishment Christ by his Death removed.  
Q. But how did he take away the power of them?  
A. We having sinned, Christ died, and risen again for us, whereas sin and Satan would have kept him in still if they could, but he came out by force.   

The fift Principle: Faith cometh by hearing, and is strengthened by the Word and Prayer.  
Means to get and increase Faith.  
Quest. How may we get faith?  
Answ. By the hearing of the Word preached.  
Q. Why is Faith wrought by the Word?  
A. Because God hath promised a special blessing thereunto, and the holy Spirit accompanies the same for this purpose.  
Q. Why by the Word preached?  
A. Because the Word preached doth evidently reveal truths to the soul, and works more effectually upon a man's heart.  
Q. How is Faith increased?  
A. By the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer. The Word addeth fuel unto Faith, provoking a man to come to Christ, by showing  
1. the need we have of him, by reason of our daily wants and infirmities:  
2. The all-sufficiency of Christ to supply us:  
3. And his willingness to receive all comers.  
Q. When is Faith strong?  
Ans.  
1. When it grasps as it were a whole handful of Christ; a little child can grasp but a little of any thing.  
2. When it holdeth firmly that it catcheth hold upon.  
Q. How do the Sacraments strengthen faith?  
A.  
1. They present Christ nearly and visibly to the soul.  
2. They show Christ's merits & obedience, inflaming our hearts with love to him.  
Q. What is Prayer?  
A. It is a going out of ourselves to God, craving things answerable to his will.  
Q. How a going to God?  
A. Not a bodily going, but the mind, affection, and understanding, stirting up themselves to present their suit to him.  
Q. Can a wicked man pray?  
A. No,  
1. Because true Prayer is from the Spirit, and a sanctified heart.  
2. These men oppose what they beg for.  
Q. How many parts be there in Prayer?  
A. Two: Petition, which is a craving of that we want; and Thanksgiving, which is a giving God thanks for that we have.  
Q. What is the pattern of Prayer?  
A. The Lord's Prayer, which Christ gave to his Disciples.  
Q. Into how many parts is it divided?  
A. Into three:  
1. A Preface,  
2. Six Petitions,  
3. A Thanksgiving.  
Q. What do you mean by Father?  
A. The first Person in the Trinity, who is the fountain from whence all we have floweth.  
Q. How is God said to be a Father?  
Ans.  
1. In regard of Christ,  
2. In regard of us.  
Q. How is God the Father of Christ?  
Ans.  
1. By natural generation:  
2. By personal union.  
Q. How is God a Father in regard of us?  
Ans.  
1. In regard of Creation, so the Angels are sons of God:  
2. In regard of Adoption, which is the taking one in stead of a child.  
Q. How may this word Father be a preparative to Prayer?  
Ans.  
1. If God be a Father, than he is bountiful, and we may receive what ever we ask.  
2. If God be a Father, he is merciful, ready to pardon all our sins.  
3. He will take in good part any service done in truth of heart, though never so small.  
Q. Why do we say Our Father?  
A. Our betokeneth a kind of propriety and interest; As we say, This is our house, we have a special interest therein: So here it showeth a special interest that God's people have in him.  
2. Community of God to all his servants, as the light is common to all; none can say it is My Sun.  
3. The fellow-feelingnesse that the godly have of one another's misery.  
Q. What preparations are there in this Word to Prayer?  
A. It causeth Reverence; A child cometh reverently to his Father, so must we.  
2. It teacheth us confidence in God, because he is our Father.  
Q. Is God only in heaven?  
A. No, he filleth every place.  
Q. Why is God said to be in heaven?  
Answ. 1. That we may take notice of his power; things above have advantage of things below.  
2. He is an holy God, for he is in heaven, where no unclean thing is.  
Q. What is the scope of the first Petition?  
A. That God's name might be honoured of all his creatures.  
Q. What is meant by name?  
A. That whereby God is made known.  
Q. How is God made known to us?  
Ans.  
1. By his titles and Attributes, as when God is said to be holy, gracious, etc.  
2. By his Word: and  
3. by his works, especially in the works of grace on the hearts of his children; there is God's name written as it were in great letters, as the Apostle Peter saith, They express the graces of him that hath called them; so that when a man looketh upon a child of God, he may say, Surely God is an holy God, because his children are so.  
Q. When do we honour Gods, name?  
A. When Gods name is to us as an holy thing; when we see the worth of it, and manifest it to others.  
Q. What is the scope of the second Petition?  
A. That God may rule over all, especially over his Church.  
Q. Why is it added to the former?  
A. Because when God beareth rule, than his name is honoured.  
Q. What doth this word Kingdom signify?  
A. That rule which he exerciseth over his servants.  
Q. How manifold is this Kingdom?  
A. Twofold; the Kingdom of grace, and the Kingdom of glory.  
Q. How doth God rule in the Kingdom of grace?  
A. By his Spirit in the Word he ruleth the hearts of his servants, and aweth the hearts of hypocrites.  
Q. How doth God rule in the Kingdom of glory?  
A. Immediately by himself, shining into their hearts, and filling them with his grace.  
Q. What do we mean by Thy Kingdom come?  
Ans.  
1. We desire that God would send his Gospel to such places, Nations, & Countries, as have not had it:  
2. That God would spread & enlarge his Gospel where it is:  
3. That God would confirm and establish his Gospel, and cause it to have better entertainment where it is spread.  
Q. What is the scope of the third Petition?  
A. That all humble subjection may be yielded unto God.  
Q. Why is this added unto the former?  
A. Because then God's Kingdom doth most of all come, when his will is done.  
Q. What is Gods will?  
A. Gods good pleasure touching the performance or bringing to pass of any thing.  
Q. What is God's secret will?  
A. That which God reserveth to himself in his own counsel.  
Q. What is Gods revealed will?  
A. That which he hath made known unto us in his Word.  
Q. How must we be like the Angels in obedience?  
Ans. 1. In readiness; they are they are said to have wings.  
2. In faithfulness; they obey God in every thing; so must we.  
3. Their obedience is constant, so should ours. Nothing should hinder our speedy and cheerful obedience.  
Q. What is the scope of the fourth Petition?  
A. We desire a comfortable supply of all things concerning this life.  
Q. Why is this put first?  
A. A man must have a being, before a well-being; nature before grace.  
Q. Why is bread put for all?  
Ans. 1. Because this is most necessary for subsistence; All our endeavours aim at this.  
2. We desire God would give us ability to use the means to attain it.  
3. That we may have a comfortable use thereof, with a blessing attending it  
Q. What do you mean by give?  
A. First, that God would give us what we want.  
Secondly, to continue and preserve still what we have.  
Thirdly, that God would give us an heart to make a right use thereof.  
Q. Why do you say us?  
Ans. Because we must have a fellow-feeling of the necessities of others, we desire God to give us, that we may help them.  
Q. Why do you say our daily bread?  
A. We desire here a right and title to these outward things: This title is twofold;  
1. Divine, in regard of God:  
2. Politic, in regard of men.  
Q. Why do you say this day?  
A. First, it showeth that we must take care for the time present. Secondly, we desire a moderation of these outward things. thirdly, we must daily pray and depend upon God for our bread.  
Q. What rules may we here learn for the ordering of our lives in the desire of outward things?  
Ans. 1. We must go to God for every mercy, and acknowledge we receive all from him.  
2. We must only look to the time present, not caring for the morrow.  
Q. What is the scope of the fifth Petition?  
A. justification, or the forgiveness of sin.  
Q. What is meant by debts?  
A. Sins.  
Q. Why is sin called a debt?  
A. Because it maketh us liable to God's judgements.  
Q. Can God forgive our sins without satisfaction?  
A. No, because it's against his justice.  
Q. How then is this a mercy that God doth forgive us our sins?  
A. God's mercy appears in that he follows the Law against our surety, so that he is made guilty and liable to punishment, and we cleared. Is it not a great mercy, that our sins may be removed from us, and Christ's righteousness imputed unto us?  
Q. How fare must a man forgive another?  
A. In the offence we must consider three things:  
1. The breach of the Law.  
2. The wrong done to us.  
3. The inflicting vengeance for it.  
Q. How fare may a man forgive the sin as a breach of the Law?  
A. Only thus fare he must desire that God would not lay it to their charge; so Christ prayed, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.  
Q. Must a man always forgive his enemy the wrongs and punishment done?  
A. No, when God's glory and Religion is disgraced thereby, and it may be for our brother's good.  
Q. Doth God forgive us, because we forgive others?  
A. No, He forgives us before we can forgive others on a right ground.  
1. Because all the mercy we have, we receive from him.  
2. All we have is but a drop in comparison of that Ocean which is in God.  
3. Our mercy is mixed with cruelty and many oppositions, but God is all compassion.  
Q. What is the scope of the sixth Petition?  
A. Sanctification.  
Q. What doth temptation properly signify?  
A. A proving of grace, so God tempted Abraham, and proved his love: Here by temptation is meant a solicitation to commit evil.  
Q. Why not tentation of trial?  
A. Because we ought rather to prav against this then against that.  
Q. What do you mean by deliver?  
Ans. 1. That God would give us a fore-fight of sin.  
2. That God would give us power, that we be not thereby overtaken.  
3 That God would recover us, being fall'n, and fortify us against sipne for time to come.  
Q. What do you mean by lead?  
Ans. 1. That God would let us have no occasion of evil.  
Secondly, if occasions be offered, that he would so assist, and strengthen, that they prevail not against us.  
Q. How hath God a hand in the sins of men?  
A. Whatsoever may be said in the Law and Word of God, may be said of God; now the Law may be said to have an hand in the sins of men: As when counsel and admonition comes, the heart swells immediately; as when a thing is put into a channel, or any other place, the water increaseth hugely, not because there is any water put into it, but by opposition.  
Q. What do you mean by evil?  
A. There is no kind of evil worse than the evil of sin and punishment: here is specially meant the evil of sin, and also punishment, so fare as it may hinder us in the ways of godliness.  
Q. Why do you say deliver us?  
A. Here we desire that God would provide means for others good, and make us instruments to deliver them.  
1 In watching over their conversation.  
2 In telling them of that which is amiss.  
3 To follow it, and never leave till we have convinced them of it.  
Q. What is meant by Kingdom?  
A. The right ruling over his servants. By power is meant, an ability and sufficiency to govern.  
And by Glory, is meant,  
1 The worship of God:  
2 The shining of God's glory.  
Q. Why do you say Thy?  
A. All this is in God: Secondly, all that men have in the world is from God, therefore they must render all to his glory.  
Q. What is Amen?  
A. The voice and word of faith. Q. What is here employed?  
A. Two things: 1 An earnest desire of what we beg; as a man when his friend goeth beyond sea, saith, The Lord be with you.  
2 A repose of ourselves upon God, that he would grant our requests, who hath promised, whatever we ask in Christ's Name, we shall have it.   

The sixth Principle: All men shall rise with their bodies to judgement, the godly shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven, but reprobates and unbelievers shall be cast into hell fire with the Devil and his angels.  
Qu. WHat are we to observe out of this Principle?  
A. Two things;  
1. The judgement.  
2. The reward of every man: In the judgement we must observe two things:  
First, the preparation to this judgement, that is the resurrection.  
2. The judgement itself.  
Q. What is resurrection?  
A. It is the reuniting and knitting the soul and body together, that were separated by death.  
Q. Why is it necessary that there must be a resurrection?  
A. There are two grounds; one is taken from the justice, another from the mercy of God. Wicked men they have the happiness of this life, and therefore they must have misery in the life to come, else God were not just.  
Again, the godly are here in misery, and they that should be most respected, have the worst entertainment, therefore they must have a happiness in heaven. So the Author to the Heb. saith, God is just that he should not forget their labour of love. And the Apostle to the Thessaly. It is a righteous thing to render peace to you: it were unjust if they did not see some good days. Abraham tells Dives, Son, remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure, and Lazarus pains; therefore now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. It was the speech of Master Greenham, that wicked men have some good in them, therefore God gives them outward things, but they have an infinite evil, therefore they must perish eternally.  
Secondly, God's mercy hath promised heaven to his servants, therefore there must be a Resurrection; heaven is not here. There be two sorts of men that shall be judged: First, those that die; Secondly, those that live when Christ shall come.  
Q. How do the godly rise again?  
A. By Christ's Resurrection, because Christ was dead, and they are his members; Christ being their Surety: and whatsoever he doth, he doth it not for himself, but for them.  
Q. How shall it be with the godly when Christ shall come?  
A. They shall be freed from all sin and weakness of body.  
Q. Shall the same bodies arise?  
A. Yea the same; God shall gather together all the elect: He that is able to make all things of nothing, is able to raise men, and gather them out of the dust; for it is lesser to repair a thing of the matter that it is made of, then to make a thing of nothing.  
Q. But is there no change in regard of substance?  
A. Only this; The qualities & conditions of the body shall be altered, the body shall be incorruptible, immortal, whereas here we are subject to death and diseases.  
Secondly, the body shall be spiritual; that is, there shall be no dependence upon any outward comforts. Here we must use meat and drink for preservation of our lives; but there shall be no need of them. The Sadduces told Christ, Such an one had seven brethren, and they all married one woman one after another; now say they, In the Resurrection whose shall this wise be? and Christ said to them, Ye err not knowing the Scriptures; for in heaven they neither eate nor drink, marry, nor give in marriage, but are as the Angels; they need no meat nor apparel: So the godly shall be there.  
3. All imperfections and weaknesses shall then be taken away; If a man dies sick, he shall be whole when he rises again; If a man be lame, or if he were born blind, or if one died being a child, all these shall be taken away then.  
Object. But it seems it shall not be the same body; for if a man shall have every limb, and be perfect in every part, how can these things stand together?  
Ans. There is nothing added to the substance of the body, but only changed and increased; it is in the nature of many things to increase, when as nothing is added unto them: As may be observed in an Onion, take a great Onion, and hang it up in the house, and it will grow bigger and bigger; what is the cause of it? not because any thing is added, but because it spreads itself further; so then there shall be no new body, but the same substance enlarged and increased.  
Q. But how comes it to pass that there shall be a change?  
A. By the immediate and immutuable assistance of Gods upholding and supporting the body.  
Q. What change shall there be of the soul?  
A. The wicked shall be changed from evil to worse, there is sin in them here, but there is some restraining grace, either fear or profit prevails with them now, and keeps them from sin, but there shall be no restraining grace at all, but all sin then. 2. There God's wrath shall be poured in a fuller measure than now.  
1. But the godly souls shall be freed from all fin and corruption that is now in them. 2. They shall have eternal life, and possess God himself as it were fully.  
Use. How should this stir us up to thirst after the day of our resurrection I here we have sin and cannot do good, but there all sin shall be taken away.  
It should comfort God's servants, though it far ill with them in this life, yet they shall be freed from all afflictions and miseries one day.  
Paul saith, If a Christians hope were in this life only, he were of all men most miserable; for who are pursued, who are hated more than they?  
Now come we to speak of the last judgement, wherein observe;  
1. There must be a day of judgement.  
2. The persons that must come to judgement.  
3. The manner of judgement.  
4. Who shall proceed therein.  
1. It is called the day of judgement, as the time of the Gospel is the day of salvation, and the time of affliction the day of visitation: So here the particular time God hath appointed to judge all men, is called the day of judgement; It is called also the last day, because it shall be the last, and all others prepare to this; It is also called the General judgement, than all shall be judged, even those that judge others here.  
Q. Why is it necessary there must be a judgement? it seems there need not be a judgement, for the godly are now acquitted, and wicked men are condemned already in their own consciences, that fly in their faces; why therefore must there be a judgement?  
A. God doth it for these two reasons;  
1. That his glory might he more manifest, even the glory of his justice; for what a great glory is it, which all shall confess, even the devils and damned, that God is just in all his proceed against them?  
2. That Christ's glory might be made manifest; here he was judged, but then he shall be Judge.  
Q. When shall the day of judgement come? what shall be the time of it?  
A. For the particular time no man knows; only we must conceive thus much,  
1. That Antichrist must be destroyed before.  
2. The Jews must embrace the truth, and both jews and Gentiles must profess the truth; after this there must be an universal declining; as Christ saith, As it was in the days of Noah, so now at Christ's coming there shall be a wonderful and fearful declining, than it will be time for God to come.  
Q. What use may we make of this?  
A. It is a ground of patience to the godly, let the wicked judge as they will, there will be another judgement, saith Paul, I pass not to be judged of you: So we when we are wronged and trod upon should lift up our eyes and call to mind the last judgement, than our causes shall be heard, and we shall be righted.  
Q. Who must be judged?  
A. Every man, high and low, rich or poor, all are liable.  
1. God that created every man, and hath given them several talents, may justly call them to an account for the same.  
2. God is only wise, knowing how to do it, and able to bring all men to judgement; how should this awe us from sin, as God saith, Rejoice and take thy pleasure, but remember for all these things thou shalt come to judgement.  
Q. But for what shall we be called to an account?  
A. The Apostle Paul saith, for what ever is done in the flesh; Those that dishonour God, he will punish; and those which honour him, he will recompense.  
Q. By what rule must every one be judged?  
A. By the Law, not by the Gospel, because all men have the Law given them, Rom. 1. 24. the Law is engraven in our hearts, that we may be without excuse; but every one hath not heard the Gospel; many Nations and people have not heard of Christ, therefore they can make their plea, when God shall say, Why did you not belceve in Christ and the Gospel? Why Lord, say they, we never heard of Christ. 2. This judgement will be clear and open. When as wicked men shall be condemned by their works, God can then say, Have you not done thus and thus, committed these and these sins? Have I not seen you? As Elisha said to his servant Gehasi, Hath not my heart gone with thee? So God may say, Did not I see you do such a thing? Then will hypocrites be made known; God's justice will much appear when the ungodly shall see their own ways have ruined them.  
Object. If this be so, than no man shall have a reward of glory.  
A. There is a difference between justification and glorification, a man must be justified and sanctified before he can perform any thing which God accepts. Now justification is by Christ, but glorification by works. There is a twofold obedience, Legal and Evangelicall, legally not man can obey God, (that is) in every point we cannot serve him so absolutely and exactly as the Law requires.  
Q. What is the difference between Legal and Evangelicall obedience?  
Ans. 1. The Law layeth hold on a man, and binds him to perfect and personal obedience.  
2. If a man can obey the Law, he may merit salvation; had Adam but obeyed the Lord in every point, as the Law required, he might have challenged heaven, for that saith, Do, and live.  
But now the Gospel  
1. takes away the rigour of the Law;  
2. It doth not require exact obedience, but sincerity; the will and endeavour, which is taken for the deed.  
3 A Christian obeyeth God in his Surety;  
4. By way of thankfulness, not to merit: he that merits must bring something in himself, but we have nothing.  
1. This is a ground of exceeding comfort to God's people; though their abilities be not great, yet if they are sincere in heart, they may be comforted. It matters not how the world judgeth us, we stand not, nor fall to men, but to God: and therefore David being slandered by his malicious enemies, saith, judge me according to my righteousness; he was slandered as an Hypocrite, yet he desireth God that he would look upon him according to the sincerity of his heart. This comforted Hezekiah upon his deathbed, Remember, saith he, O Lord, how I have walked before thee with an upright heart.  
2. It serves for terror to all dissemblers, seeing God will judge them according to their works, there's no tricks to be used then: Here they labour to blear the eyes of men, and to carry fair weather before them, that none can say black is their eye: But God sha●l unbowel all; and say, This is the man who had such cunning devises that men might not take notice of him, that had secret corners to commit sin in, etc. 3. It should teach us to abound in holy duties, because we shall be judged by them; set somewhat every day upon the score, not to labour for profit, but to abound in godliness. It is better to abound in duty then commodity; for a man shall be rewarded, not for that a man saith, but for that which a man hath done in the flesh; labour then to abound in piety, that so your reward may be great, only look you do it uprightly, considering God be thy Judge.  
Ob. But it is said, The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son.  
A. God doth put it over to Christ and gives him power to judge the world: As the King is said to judge when others receive Authority from him to do it.  
Q. Why shall Christ judge all men?  
A. That Christ's glory might be known; here he was judged, but then he shall judge, which is a ground of much comfort to God's servants, seeing Christ that is their Saviour shall be their Judge.  
Q. How shall God's proceed be?  
A. By Books, as john saith, Rev. 20.12. I saw the Books opened: there are two books, the book of Conscience, and the book of God's Prescience, the Conscience it is a thousand witnesses, & God is ten thousand; so then there are eleven thousand witnesses against a man: His conscience will say, Are you a professor, and will you do thus & thus? And if our conscience accuse us, God is greater than our conscience; He will set our sins in order before us, and say, Look here, do you not see your pride and filthiness? God will write our sins in the palms of our hands, that we may take notice of them, he will discoverall that ever we did, to us. Now come we to the sentence itself.  
1. Upon the wicked, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire with the Devil and his angels: Herein we must consider 2, things,  
1. The punishment of loss.  
2. The punishment of sense; the punishment of loss, depart from me; wicked men must be banished from God's presence.  
Ob. But David saith, Ps. 139. If I go into heaven, thou art there; if I go down into the deep, thou art there; How then are the wicked separated from God?  
Ans. They cannot departed from the presence of his anger and power; but they neither find nor feel the work of any of God's comfortable Attributes: God is merciful, but this is nothing to them: He that hath not God, cannot have any rest. Who is it that gives us rest by our sleep, but God in sleep? so who is it that strengthens us by meat, but God in meat? etc.  
But now they wanting God, must needs be miserable withal: They shall be utterly out of hope to attain happiness and life; there shall be salvation, but none for them, they have nothing to do with it, and this is the greatest misery of the damned in hell, that they are separated from the presence of God.  
2. The punishment of soul, that is, they must be cast into hell fire, which is set forth by two things:  
1. The worm shall never die.  
2. The fire never goeth out.  
1. The worm is the sting of conscience, that is compared to a worm, for as a worm gnaweth a man continually, so conscience is continually gnawing a man's heart.  
2. They shall be cast into hell fire, that is, they shall be filled with the vengeance of God, they have here but a drop of it, as it were; if we consider all the punishments that all the men of the world have had and suffered, they are nothing to this, but as a flea-biting in comparison of this: That which is the worst, their wickedness shall increase daily, though they be full of God's vengeance, yet their sin shall increase it still.  
Q. But if the wicked are full of God's vengeance, how can their punishments be increased?  
A. They shall every day be made more capable of bearing punishment: As a glass, though it be full, yet if it be made bigger, it will hold more: So, though a man be full of misery, yet by sin he shall be made capable to suffer more and more. It shall be eternal, there shall be no end of their misery, for their punishment shall increase daily, so that a man shall be a Devil incarnate, as it were.   
FINIS.