to feare any false or abused excommunication Q. What if wee in the country or kingdâ—me where we dwell see the poore oppressed and innocency defaced how shall wee then keepe and preserue our selues from being scandalized A. First if we sée in a country the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iustice we must not be astonied at the matter for the highest séeth and regardeth it Secondly if we looke for a Church or State without spot taint of error and iniustice we must seek it in â—eauen only where all things are established in an absolute and eternall order and perfection or else we must get vs into Mauqsun or Sir Thomas More his Vtopia where we shall finde such a state and policie Thirdly in this distresse wee must haue recourse vnto the magistrate his helpe and when one faileth or neglecteth vs we must séeke to another Lastly if we sée all outward meanes to faile we ought to call and cry day and night vnto our God we must make him our iudge and reuenger and wait vpon him vntill he right vs and then though hee seeme to vse long patience towards our aduersaries he will auenge vs and that quickly Q. Why doth God so sharpely censure and so roughly handle his iust and innocent children A. First no man is innocent before God for there is no man that sinneth not if God straitely marke mans iniquity who shall stand and no flesh by his owne workes can be iustified in Gods sight so that the all-piercing eye of the almighty that is tenne thousand times brighter then the sunne and clearer then crystall can if it please him find sufficient matter to condemn them in their begunne iustice and innocency wherefore we must not thinke them to be altogether vncorrupt in this wicked world as the fish that liue in the salt sea their own element nothing sauour of the saltnes of it but that they in part are tainted with the worlds corruption Secondly God will not haue his children peruerted with the worlds sinnes much lesse perish with them and therfore hee doth thus seuerely and that sundry times scourge and chastice them for he would haue them with this salt water of trouble to wash out the spots of sinne Thirdly man is no equall Iudge of mens sinnes and so of their afflictions but wee must reserue the censure and iudgement hereof to God onely for hee onely eyeth mans secret sinnes and can and doth righteously censure and punish them but man is so farre from finding out the number and nature of secret sinnes that hee in the cloudy myst of his owne ignorance can hardly discerne the quality and desert of notorious offences and those that are already brought to light but onely taketh notice of certaine outward tracks impressions and actions And therefore wee must not thus without cause complaine nor picke quarrels with God Almighty Lastly God would hereby affright the wicked if not reforme them for if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell and if the righteous bee scarsely saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Q. What vse are we to make of Gods proceedings herein A. We blind sinners must not take vpon vs to iudge of the guilt and to determine of the circumstances of mens sinnes and of their estate before God but we must referre the iudgement hereof to Gods all-séeing eye and to his sincere iustice Secondly in such hidden and intricate causes and cases that are vnknowne vnto vs wee must shut our mouthes and suspend our iudgementes for who are we that condemne an other mans seruant for he standeth or falleth to his owne master Lastly if God seem to deale extreamly with vs we our selues then must sâ—â— the remouall of this imputation searchâ—â— sift into our owne wayes and call tâ— our remembrance what duties commaunded we haue omitted and what euill things forbidden we haue committed and how that God in his strict iustice might condemne vs for the least offence and then wee shall admire God patience that hée handleth vs so gently and doth in his bottomlesse mercy passe by and pardon so many imperfections and offences in vs. Q. But forward men in religion and many noted professors by their loose life and practises of iniustice offend many simple hearted men and weake yet well affected Christians what preseruatiue is now to be vsed A. The due meditation and practise of these Canons and conclusions following as namely First many professors are not so bad as the world would make them a mole hill in them is made a mountaine and a moat is made a beame their infirmities like spots in white paper or fine linnen are soone espied and noted but prophane people are not obserued and their grosse sinnes are silenced and suppressed Secondly if any or many vnder the cloake and maske of zeale labour to couer their practises of deceit couetousnes and iniustice c we must know that the visible Church of Christ is compared to a field wherein is not onely wheate but tares to a garden wherin are both good herbes and also wéeds and to an house wherein are not only vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and earth and therefore if wee looke that all professors should be without fault or infirmity and all should be good and none euil we must looke for them in heauen onely and not in earth where are more euill then good men Thirdly the diseases and sins of the soule are not contagious as those of the body are for the soule is not infected vnlesse it giue a consent and allowance to other mens sinnes and therefore let vs keepe our selues frée from their sins and then we néede not to bee scandalized at their euill dealings which wee cannot helpe Lastly euery man must beare his owne burden and answere for his own sinnes and therefore let vs rather correct our owne sinnes then be scandalized at other mens faults and let vs striue to bee perfect in an euill generation Q. What practises are necessary in such a case A. First we must beware that wee doe not without cause censure and condemne such and if we find them faulty and hereupon reproue them that we bée not as bad and worse our selues Secondly if many vary much from their sacred profession and bee workers of iniquity for the preuention of this offence wee must know that we are to walke rather by rule then by example rather by the Canon of Gods word then by custome Lastly it is our duty to reproue pitty and pray for such offensiue professors Q. How shall poore and weake christians confirme themselues in the faith or preserue themselues from defection when many noted and notable persons that seemed pillars reuolt from the sincere truth of Religion A. First they that fall away from the substance of true religion and
deriue originall corruption vnto their children seeing that by warrant of Scripture and the consent of the most excellent Diuines both ancient latter the Parents do not beget but God doth daily create new soules in the bodies prepared and fitted for them but God is iust and cannot be the author of siâ—ne A. Albeit God continually create new soules and that without sinne yet hee doth create them in weakenesse and in the very moment of creation hee forsaketh them and leaueth them imputing Adams sinne vnto them Secondly the soule receiueth contagion by the body in which it is seated for as a precious and costly ointment is soone marred and corrupted as daily experience teacheth by an vnsweet and a fusty vessel so is the soule corrupted by the sinfull body Lastly the soule and body by common consent and practise bring foorth sin for there is so neere a familiarity betwéen them that the one doth gratify the other Q. But why doth God suffer sinne to dwell and remaine in the most holy and regenerate men that liue in the earth A. First to humble and afflict them Secondly that they may know what sin bringeth them vnto and what grace affordeth Lastly that they may alwaies runne vnto God for helpe and pardon Q. What vse are wee to make of this deriuatiue pollution A. 1. Vse We must lay aside al pride and selfe-conceit and with all humblenesse acknowledge our vncleannesse Secondly wee must not so curiously search how the fire of originall sin came as to be careful how to quench it nay we must labour betimes to quench put out the first sparkles of this fire lest if preuailing flame out and vtterly consume vs. Lastly we must in this life be regenerate and borne anew of water and the holy Ghost and therefore flee vnto Christ our Sauiour for pardon of our sinnes and for further grace or else we shall neuer enter into his kingdome Q. What is the actuall sinne A. Euery thought word and déede whether in committing euill or in leauing good vndone that is against the wil and law of God Q. Whence floweth or proceedeth it A. From the fountaine and roote of originall corruption for it is a deriuatiue from it and a fruit of it Q. Doth it any way aggrauate and increase originall sinne A. Yes for it daiely encreaseth the guilt and punishment of it and if faith repentance preuent not deserueth and procureth the greater torment in hell for as there are degrees of sinne so God in his iustice hath accordingly appointed and ordained semblable degrâ—es of punishment Q What is the cause of Actuall sin A. The next and immediate cause is mans corrupt minde wil and affections for these are the working instruments and command the action and therefore as sparkes proceed from the burning coales as rust from the iron and venim from the Aspe so doth actual sin flow from our sinfull and degenerate nature Q. What are the outward causes or occasions of Actuall sinne A. Foure specially First the suggestion and temptaton of the Diuel prouoking and enticing men thereunto Secondly the scandals and bad examples of wicked men offending them Thirdly troubles and persecutions through which many men are drawn to vniust practises yea to fall away from sound faith and true religion Lastly profits and pleasures which drowne men in destruction and cause them to forget God and themselues Q. How is Originall sin to be distinguished from Actuall transgression A. Many waies First originall corruption is bred and borne in vs and with vs but Actuall sin is borne afterwards Secondly Originall sinne is the roote but Actuall sinne the fruit Originall sinne the cause but Actuall the effect Originall sinne is the mother but Actuall the daughter Lastly in Actuall sinne the matter doth not remaine but passeth away for when a man hath committed blasphemie adultery murther c. the action foorthwith ceaseth though the offence of God and the guilt still remaine but in originall sinne the matter manifestly remaineth héereupon we naturally yea and daily runne and rush into sinne and are backward and vntoward to the performance of any good thing that God requireth CHAP. 2. Of the punishment of Sinne. Question WHat followeth sinne A. Temporall and eternall punishment Q. Are the temporall punishments of sinne inflicted vpon mankind curses satisfactions to Gods iustice and the forerunners of euerlasting damnation A. They are such in their own nature and originall and such in all the reprobates yea they are no other then curses to the elect so long as they are vnregenerate and vnder the ministry of the Law For cursed is he that doth not continue in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Q. But what are these temporall plagues and punishments to the beleeuing and regenerate A. They are not to speake properly the punishment of their sinnes nor part of the eternall curse and therefore no satisfactions to the rigour of Gods iustice for Christ by his death and obedience hath fully satisfied his fathers iustice remoued from them the curse of the law yea and deliuered them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage they are therefore not curses but corrections not punishments but preseruatiues vnto them and not the broad way that leadeth to destruction but the narrow way that tendeth vnto life Act. 14.22 Q. But seeing that Christ hath made satisfaction for sinne and their sinnes are not imputed to them but pardoned why doth not God as well eodem instanti take away the chasticement as the Sinne A. First because certaine seedes of corruption certaine sparkles of concupiscence and certaine rootes of sinne in part abide and will abide in them so long as they liue in this mortality which Christ the Physitian of our soules must needes correct yea and mortifie by the bitter pilles and purgations of affliction Secondly because the bitter memory of sinne committed remaineth in the minds of them that loue God which cannot but grieue and molest them Thirdly the wicked who are Satans impes and Gods rods do alwaies séeke and if they find they take any occasion to vexe and trouble Gods children Apoc. 12.12 Q. What instruction gather you hence A. That mans nature is vile vnperfect that the sinne that ariseth out of it and from it is very hatefull and horrible in Gods sight for hee will not let it escape and passe vncorrected in his déere Children no nor in the sucking Infants that are frée from the committing of actuall sinne for they are subiect to diseases paines and vnto death as well as men of yéeres CHAP. III. Of the Crosse or Tribulation Question WHat is the Crosse Ans. It is that cup or measure of affliction that God doth ordaine and appoint out vnto euery one of his children that liueth in this world Q. Is then no child
by his spirit if so be that they feare him and beleeue in him Thirdly they must be of pure conuersation and reuerence their husbands the hidden man of the heart must be vncorrupt with a méeke and quiet spirit and subiect themselues vnto their husbands and then they shall either win them or at least leaue them without iust defence of themselues or excuse Q How shall good husbands comfort themselues when they are maried to euill and vnquiet wiues A. First it may be they were rash in their choice and did not consult with God by praier and with good men by conference about it Secondly Dauid Iob Moses c. were this wâ—y somewhat crossed and this is almost a common euill and therefore the more patiently to be vndergone and if we cannot so well practise patience we must during the tempest of chiding absent our selues and retire our selues into some priuaâ—e place Thirdly they must acknowledge that they are thus crossed for their sins and therefore they must the more willingly beare the burthen of their offences Fourthly if they can endure raine and smoak in their houses why not then their wiues Fiftly they must either by gentlenesse good perswasions and admonitions reforme their wiues for then they make them better or else they must beare with their infirmities and so they make themselues better Sixtly let their own consciences bear them witnesse that they faile in no dutie of godlines and loue towards them theÌ„ let them commit the matter to God and what know they whether at length they shall conuert them or not Q. How shall good parents comfort themselues that are troubled and crossed with euill and disobedient children A. First goodnes and vertue in children is not naturall but from aboue commeth not from their first birth but from their second for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh that which is borne of the spirite is spirit and hereupon many good men haue had euill children as Abraham had his Ismael Isaacke had his Esau Dauid his Absolon and Amnon Hezechias his Manasses Secondly sometimes Parents are punished in their children partly because they haue beene disobedient to superiours and to their owne parents and partly because they haue béen negligent in teaching correcting and bringing them vp Thirdly all children are not predestinate to saluation as we haue Elies sons Hophni and Phineas for examples and therefore we must not looke to haue all good and holy for iustification and sanctification followeth onely election and is not common to all Fourthly parents must giue their children holy example and when they are young bend and bow them bring them vp in the nurture and information of the Lord and then if they proue not good their vngodlinesse shall neuer bee imputed to the innocent parents Lastly though for the present they be euill and desperate yet hope wel of them and pray for them and vse all meanes constantly for their amendment then leaue the successe to God the changer of the hearts Q. How shall vertuous children comfort themselues that are crossed with vnkind euill and irreligious parents A. First sometimes seuerity in Parents is for their childrens good who if the parents should not sometimes grow vnkind they would forget God and themselues Secondly we must beare with excuse their infirmities as farre as wee lawfully and honestly may attributing it to old ogeâ— choler melancholy c. and therefore we must either speake gloriously of them or kéepe silence Thirdly the more degenerate and irreligious that they be the more by our humility dutifulnes good exaâ—ple and prayers we must labour to reclaim and winne them Fourthly we must note that our parents haue authority power ouer vs and not we ouer them and therfore we must beare with their manifold infirmities Fiftly let vs ascribe it to our sins and want of duety and reueence to them that we find them otherwise then wee expected Sixtly if we faile in no duty towards them yet wee must remember that good Ionathan was the sonne of wicked Saul Ezechias the sonne of wicked Ahaz and zealous Iosias the sonne of Idolatrous Amon who were no doubt much crossed by and grieued at their vngodly fathers yea and tempted by them Q. What comforts are fitte for good Masters that are crossed by euill and vnfaithfull seruants A. First they must sée and consider whether that they haue giuen them good example and haue béene carefull to traine them vp in true religion and godlinesse otherwise they are as much in â—ault as the seruants and if they performe all offices vnto them they may or will proue like the Captains seruants that attended at his becke for when hée bad any to come he came when to go he went and when he bad him do ought he did it Secondly they must partly by gentle admonitions and partly by seasonable corrections labour to reforme their misdeamenours if this will not serue if thou haue hired many seruants lessen the number of them and they will the better agrée and thou shalt not bee enforced to put them away but if thou haue few and they be incorrigible put them away as Sarah turned out Hagar and Dauid resolued to haue no slanderer no proud no deceitfull nor lying seruant to abide in his house and as the Lord of the vniust Steward expelled him Thirdly henceforth be more aduised in thy choice and when thou hast good faithfull seruants entreat them kindly and according to their good seruice and deserts doe vnto them that is iust and equall knowing that thou also hast a master in heauen Q. What comforts and instructions are meete for diligent and dutifull seruants that either are wronged misused or at least vnkindly entreated by euill Lords and Masters A. First many right good and trusty seruants haue béene not onely vnkindly but also cruelly entreated both of ancient of latter times Thus was Hagar seuerely handled by Sarah Iacob collogned withall and deceiued by Laban Joseph put out of seruice wrongfully imprisoned by Potiphar Dauid persecuted by Saul and therefore no strange matter hath befallen them Secondly the more griefes wrongs they endure for conscience towards God and for well doing the greater praise and reward shall they receiue from God Thirdly their hard seruice or bondage will one day end Fourthly that they are Gods fréemen for his seruice is perfect freedome Lastly that God in time will right their wrongs and requite them that misused them for he is no respecter of persons Q. What duties are they to performe A. Seruants must feare God vse all good meanes to gaine their fauours and obey them as well in their absence as in their presence in all lawfull actions and doe them seruice as vnto the Lord if their masters wil not yet relent they must comfort themselues in their innocency and recommend their cause to God whose freemen they are
we must as our Lord willeth vs obserue what they bid vs but after their works wee must not doe lest we with them knowing our Masters will and doing it not be beaten with many stripes Lastly when the publicke and ordinarie meanes of saluation are wanting or defectiue wee must entreat the Lord of the haruest to thrust forth more labourers and in the mean season plie more often and earnestly the priuate means of reading conference and good examples at home Q How shall a Christian arme himselfe against the scandall that the weake take at the streame and inundation of sinne and at the generall corruption in manners A. First that the way that leadeth to life is narrow and the gate straight few there be that find it and therefore wee must not make the example of the multitude or of the most a certaine rule or warrant of his life and pâ—â—ctise Secondly the greatest sort of people are ignorant of Gods wayes and strangers in the holy Scriptures making custome a rule for conscience and they more delight in vaine inuentions then in the knowledge and obedience of the holy Gospell of Christ. Thirdly sinne hath abounded in all ages and the greatest number of Christians hath béene in many places more licentious then religious and more prophane then sincere and the néerer the world groweth to his finall period and consummation the more Atheisme and Libertinisme shall abound for men shall generally giue themselues to surfetting drunkennes and the cares of this life men shal bee louers of themselues despisers of them that are good louers of pleasures more then louers of God and though many haue a forme and profession of godlines yet they deny the power of it so that when Christ commeth to iudgement he shall hardly find faith vpon the earth and therefore he is the lesse to be offended hereat Fourthly when there is a generall corruption in maners then are the faithfull seruants of God most discerned and their incorrupt sincerity is most emineÌ„t then they shew themselus pure blamelesse and without rebuke in the middest of a naughty crooked nation amongst whom they shine as lights in the world Noah is iust in his generation Lot is righteous amongst the Sodomites in very Pergamus where Satan had his throne were many faithfull and stout Christians and in Sardi that was in a manner dead before God were a few names that had not defiled their garments Lastly the more lewd and licentious that the world is the more wary and strict must wee bee in our conuersation vnlesse we would perish with the world CHAP. VII Of Offences Passiue or those that are taken Question WHat is a scandall or an offence taken A. It is any wholesome doctrine or counsell any honest and godly spéech déedâ— example which through errour of iudgement péeuishnes of mind and peruerse interpretation is turned to an occasion of offence Q. What are the causes of an offence taken A. First blindnesse and imperfection of mans reason Secondly corrupt iudgement arising from the ignorance of Gods word Thirdly preiudicate and forestalled opinions Fourthly hatred of the godly and their proceedinges Fifthly distast and dislike of good policy and discipline Sixthly in the wicked an eager appetite and desire of worldlie gaine and authority with an earnest affection to hold and maintaine it Lastly the manifold afflictions of such as feare God Q. Who are the persons that vniustly conceiue an offence A. First and principally the wicked Secondly Gods children Q Whereat in regard of the godly doe the wicked take an offence A. At foure things especially Q How shall we arm and strengthen our selues against offences which wicked men vniustly conceiue against vs A. First we must constantly and chearefully goe forwards in our good purposes proceedings much more regarding the kéeping of Gods commandements and a good conscience then the imagined and pretended scandal and offence that the wicked vniustly take wherefore let their offence taken rather hearten vs then hinder vs and more driue vs forward in good actions then discourage vs. Secondly the more clamorous and enuious that they are against vs the more let vs endeauour by all good meanes to draw them to the practise of holy duties Thirdly if the wicked were falsly and vniustly offended at the excellent person the rare humility the heauenly doctrine the extraordinary miracles the sinnelesse conuersation of our most blessed Sauiour so that they reuiled whipped persecuted him and put him to the most ignominious death that could bee inuented how much more will they bée offended at vs that are sinners and who many times minister matter of offence Lastly let vs what in vs lieth liue inoffensiuely and please our neighbours in all thinges not seeking our owne good but their saluation Q. What is the second pretended offence at which the wicked stumble and fall A. At the godly for vsing their lawful liberty in things indifferent Q. How shall the godly either preuent or at least arme themselues against this offence by the wicked taken and not by the godly giuen A. If they that take the offence bee obstinate enemies they must not for their pleasure remit ought of their christian liberty but rather with the Apostle Paul to vse it Mat. 15.12 Gal. 5.1 For in this case we are bound onely to auoide the offence of our weake brethren and not of our incurable enemies who will neuer be pleased nor satisfied But if christians that are weake in faith and not yet fully resolued of points take an offence at the vse of our liberty in meat drinke apparrell c. better it is for vs for the time to yéeld somewhat to our weake brethren then by the vnseasonable inconuenient vse of that which is lawfull in it owne nature to scandalize them and so cause them to perish for whom Christ died Therefore let vs doe all to Gods glory and giue offence to none neither Iews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God 1. Cor. 10.31.32 Secondly we must not for the pleasing of mens humours and to decline an offence taken and not giuen temporize with Gods enemies nor frame our selues to all companies and professions for better it is that all the wicked in the world should be offended at vs then that we for the preuenting of their vnlawful offence should be iniurious to Iesus Christ or preiudice any part of his reuealed truth and therefore we are not to communicate with such in the least things When therefore the omission of our Christian liberty doth either renue errour or confirme men in it wee must then neuer dispense with it Thirdly in matters of faith and in cases of conscience wee must walke by the Canon and rule of Gods word not by vnperfite examples and hauing gotteÌ„ certaine resolution wee must stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free and not be entangled