EOLOGY is a (a) divine doctrine,COMMON PLACES. according to the (b) Scriptures, of religious (c) living unto God, in order to Mans (d) happinesse, and Gods (e) glory. (a) 1 Tim. 6. 3. Rom. 6. 17. with 2 Tim. 1. 13. Heb. 5. 12. with 6. 1. Esay 51. 4. John 9. 29. Matth. 21. 25. John 6. 45. Galat. 1. 11, 12. (b) Esay 8. 20. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. (c) John 6. 68. Acts 5. 20. (d) Rom. 6. 11, 22, 23. John 3. 36. with 5. 24. 1 Joh. 3. 15. (e) 1 Cor. 10. 31. 2 Cor. 4. 10, 11. Phil. 1. 20.

• THEOLO­GY, (or the Doctrine of Divinity, thus de­scribed) may, for the clearer under­standing of it, be considered according to all the foure causes of it, viz. The
  • I. Efficient Cause, or first Principle of this Doctrine of Theologie, whereupon it is firmly grounded, wherein it is clearly revealed, and whereby it is fully proved, is the divine revelation of it in the
    • 1. Holy Scripture.
  • II. Formall Cause of this Do­ctrine of THEOLOGIE, is either
    • 1. Inward, viz. That sweet harmony betwixt the sense of this Doctrine, and the true sense of Scripture, and so consequently, the mind and meaning of God himselfe.
    • 2. Outward, viz. The method or disposition of this system or body of divine Doctrine, which may be variously drawne up, according to the various rules of Art and Method: Provided alwaies, that the order of divine dispensations, clearly observed in Scriptures, be not thereby inverted or obscured.
  • III. Materi­all cause, com­prising all the subject mat­ters, wherein our religious li­ving to God consists: which are handled in Divinity; and may be redu­ced to two heads (whence the two parts of Divinity re­sult) viz.
    • 1. Matters to be known and beleeved con­cerning God: and they re­spect Gods
      • 1. Nature, wherein are considera­ble
        • 1. What God is in himselfe: So he may be considered
          • 1. Essentially, as One in Essence
            • 2. God.
            • 3. Vnity of Essence.
          • 2. Personally, as Three in Subsistence
            • 4. Trinity of persons.
        • 2. Who, or what manner of God he is; both according to the divine
          • 1. Titles, by which he is named, viz. the
            • 5. Names of God.
          • 2. Properties, which are to him attributed, viz. the divine
            • 6. Attributes
              • 1. Essentiall.
              • 2. Personall.
      • 2. Works, which are either
        • 1. Internall, eternall and immanent in GOD himselfe, viz. His Decree it selfe.
          • 7. Works of God in generall.
          • 8. Decree.
        • 2. Externall, temporall, and transient from God to the creature, viz. his actuall ex­cution of his Decree, which he doth two waies, by
          • 1. Originall production of all things out of nothing, exceeding good: which may be considered
            • 1. More generally, in reference to the whole world; by
              • 9. Creation.
            • 2. More specially, in references to the principall parts of the world, intel­lectuall creatures in
              • 1. Heaven
                • 10. Angels.
                  • 1. State of Creation.
              • 2. Earth
                • 11. Men.
          • 2. Actuall pro­vision for all things crea­ted, by his actuall provi­dence, both in his
            • 1. Dispensations naturall, for the generall good of all the creatures naturall beings and well beings: and this by his
              • 12. Providence
                • 1. Generall.
                • 2. Particular.
            • 2. Dispensations supernaturall, for the speci­all good of the intellectuall creatures in their superna­turall beings and well be­ings, partly by his
              • 1. Confirmation of the elect Angels, that kept their first estate, which the reprobate Angels left
                • 13. Confirmation of Angels.
                  • II. State of Corruption.
              • 2. Restauration of man, that lost his first estate: herein are comprised the
                • 1. Malady, into which man was plunged, and from whence he was to be restored, viz. his first apostacie from God by his
                  • 14. Fall into
                  • 1. Sin.
                  • 2. Misery.
                    • III. State of Restitution.
              • 2. Remedy, whereby man was restored from this ma­lady, viz. RE­DEMPTION by Jesus Christ. In this Re­demption are to be observed three things, viz. the
                • 1. Publication or Revelation of it to mankind, in the glad tidings of the
                  • 15. Gospell.
                • 2. Operation or Pre­paration of it for man: herein consi­der
                  • 1. The Person that wrought mans redemption, viz. only that Immanuel, GOD-MAN
                    • 16. Redemption.
                    • 17. IESUS CHRIST.
                  • 2. The Office laid upon him, whereby he accomplished this work
                    • 18. Office of Christ.
                  • 3. The States wherein he discharged this office, viz. His
                    • 19. State of
                      • 1. Humiliation.
                      • 2. Exaltation.
                • 3. Appli­cation of it unto man. This applicati­on may be conside­red
                  • 1. Absolute­ly in it self; and so it containes Gods
                    • 1. Salvificall be­nefits, them­selves, which in Christ are applied by se­verall steps and degrees; translating man from mi­sery to mercy, from sin to grace, from grace to glory: and this by ad­vancing man to
                      • 1. Union to Christ, separating man unto himself from the common corrupt masse of mankind, by
                        • 20. Vocation effectuall.
                      • 2. Commu­nion with Christ,
                        • 1. In his spotlesse Righteousnesse, by
                          • 21. Communion with God in Christ.
                          • 22. Iustification actuall.
                        • 2. In his matchlesse Sonship, by
                          • 23. Adoption.
                        • 3. In his true Holinesse, by
                          • 24. Sanctification reall.
                            • IV. State of Perfection.
                        • 4. In his endlesse Happinesse, by
                          • 25. Glorification eternall.
                        • This Glo­ry is com­municated
                          • 1. Particularly & incomplete­ly to every elect soul only at his particular
                            • 26. Death.
                          • 2. Generally & completely to both souls & bodies of all the elect at the generall
                            • 27. End of the world.
                    • 2. Instrumentall meanes, where­by these sa­ving benefits are effectually applied, viz. the outward Ordinances of God: which are either
                      • 1. Ordina­ry used upon all occasions: and these are either
                        • 1. Primary Ordinances, made more principally prevalent for the breeding and nourish­ing union and communion with Christ; These are to be considered
                          • 1. Essentially, according to their sub­stance and peculiar operation, both to our
                            • 1. Confederation with GOD in Christ, as the dispensation and preaching of the
                              • 28. Word.
                              • 29. Promises.
                              • 30. Covenant of Grace.
                            • 2. Confirmation in that confede­ration, as the administration of the seales of the Cove­nant, viz.
                              • 31. The Sacraments.
                          • 2. Accidentally, according to their circumstance and manner of ad­ministration in the times before and under the Old and New Te­staments
                            • 32. Manner of administration of the Covenant and Sacraments before and under the old and New Testaments.
                        • 2. Secondary Ordinances, subservient unto the former, in promoting the birth and growth of grace in the soule, viz.
                          • 33. Reading, or hearing the word read.
                          • 34. Catechising.
                          • 35. Religious conference.
                          • 36. Meditation.
                          • 37. Prayer.
                          • 38. Singing of Psalmes.
                          • 39. Communion of Saints.
                      • 2. Extraordinary, used only upon speciall & extraordi­nary occasions, for the advancement & improvement of our interests in Christ: and these are religious
                        • 40. Fasts.
                        • 41. Feasts.
                        • 42. Vowes or Covenants.
                  • 2. Relatively, in reference to the
                    • 1. Proper Instrument, whereby on our part this appli­cation is savingly received, viz.
                      • 43. True Faith.
                    • 2. Peculiar Subject, unto which these benefits of re­demption are applied by these meanes, viz.
                      • 44. The Church.
  • 2. Matters to be done and observed in obedience un­to God. Here­in are to be observed.
    • 1. The Rule of Obedience, laid downe more generally in the word of God; more specially in the Law of God, which regulateth Obedience, in
      • 1. Politicall and Civill matters. Thus the Jewes Common-wealth was regulated by the
        • 45. Law.
        • 46. Iudiciall Law.
      • 2. Ecclesiasticall and Religious matters, which are either
        • 1. Typicall, peculiar to certaine times and persons only. Thus the Jewish Church, during the Old Testament, was under the Pedagogy of the
          • 47. Ceremoniall Law.
        • 2. Morall, appertaining to all persons at all times. Thus both Jewes and Gentiles, be­fore and under both the Old and New Testaments, are under the
          • 48. Morall Law.
    • 2. The na­ture of this Obedience, which is considered
      • 1. More generally, here are considerable the generall nature of
        • 49. Obedience and
        • 50. Good works.
      • 2. More specially, & so it com­prehends
        • 1. The inward Principle of Obedience whence all obedientiall Acts do flow, viz. the infused Habit or Habits of true
          • 51. Vertue
            • 1. Theologicall.
            • 2. Philadelphicall.
              • I. Table.
        • 2. The inward and outward acts or exercise of Obedience, flowing from this Princi­ple of vertue, to be expres­sed
          • 1. Towards God, in an ho­ly worship of him, which is stiled RELI­GION and Piety. This Piety is exer­cised
            • 1. In the having and worshipping of the true God, and him alone, for our God in Christ; which is the proper scope of the
              • 52. Religion, Piety.
              • 53. I. Commandement.
            • 2. In the true worship of this true God. And herein are contained
              • 1. The true and pure worship it selfe, which is to be performed to this one onely true God, meerly according to his owne will: as is prescribed in the
                • 54. II. Commandement.
              • 2. The Ad­juncts of this wor­ship, viz.
                • 1. The true manner How this true God will alwaies be worshipped by us, viz. so Reverendly, Holily, Sincerely, &c. as may be most honourable to his great and holy Name, as is required in the
                  • 55. III. Commandement.
                • 2. The speciall Time When God will be more solemnly and publickly worshipped, viz. on his Day of Sab­bath, oth under the Old and New Testament, which Sabbath is sanctified by him authoritatively, and is to be sanctified by us obedientially, as is enjoyned in the
                  • 56. IV. Commandement.
                    • II. Table.
          • 2. Towards Man, in righ­teousness, bro­therly love and sobriety, which are to be performed
            • 1. In deed, word and thought towards our neighbour, considered ei­ther
              • 1. Relatively, in reference to that relation, order or degree of his condition, wherein God hath set him amongst men, by giving respective honour to him, according to the
                • 57. Righteousnesse, Brotherly love, Sobriety.
                • 58. V. Commandement.
              • 2. Abso­lutely, in regard of
                • 1. His person, preserving his
                  • 1. Life and Health, by offices of Humanity, enjoyned in the
                    • 59. VI. Commandement.
                  • 2. Purity, by offices of Chastity, required in the
                    • 60. VIII. Commandement.
                  • 2. His Goods and Possessions, by acts of Justice commutative, prescribed in the
                    • 61. VIII. Commandement.
                  • 3. His good name, by acts of truth and veracity, commanded in the
                    • 62. IX. Commandement.
            • 2. In the very first motions of the heart (even those motions that go before a complete and deliberate assent) towards our neighbour, in re­ference to all and every one of the fore-going Commandements of the second Table. The well ordering of which motions is charged upon us in the
              • 63. X. Commandement.
• IV. Finall cause, or the end whereunto our religi­ous living unto God tends, is either
  • 1. Subordinate, and lesse Principall, respecting man, viz. The present and future
    • 64. Happinesse of Man.
  • 2. Ultimate, and most principall, respecting God himselfe, viz. The present and eternall
    • 65. Glory of God.