THE CHRISTIAN ARMORIE WHEREIN IS CONTAINED ALL manner of spirituall munition fit for secure Christians to arme themselues withall against Satans assaults and all other kind of crosses temptations troubles and afflictions CONTRIVED IN TWO Bookes and handled pithily and plainly by way of Questions and Answers BY THOMAS DRAXE Bachelar in Diuinitie Hereunto is adioined a Table of all the principall heads and branches comprised in each Chapter of the whole Treatise EPHES. 6.13 Take vnto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things to stand fast ¶ Imprinted at London by William Hall for Iohn Stepneth and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of S. Paul at the West end of Pauls Church 1611. not perpetual and they in the meaâ—â—time are not exempted froÌ„ all euils And what if in the greatest danger some Iosephs some Daniels and some Hesters are both fauoured and aduanced yet this is very rare and extraordinarie Therfore it behooued euery seruant of God while she hatâ— time and meanes to prepare anâ— arme himselfe against all future euents and temptations and for thâ— end to put on the girdle of constancie and in the truth to bee ready to confesse the Gospell of peace to take vnto himselfe the Shield of faith triumphant in Christ to couer his head with the hope of saluation instead of an helmet and with the sword of the spirit .i. with testimonies of the scriptures to offend and foile these spirituall Amalekites and hereunto to adioyne feruent and continuall prayers without which all this spirituall armour will little auaile Thus doing hee shall find light in darknes consolation in tribulation power in weakenesse and in all his trials he shall bee more then a triumpher in Christ. And for his further encouragement let him remeÌ„ber that in this warfare the Lord Iesus is the Generall godly Kings and Princes the Coronels the Nobles Iudges and Iustices are the Captaines the Ministers of the Church the Trumpetters and Centinels the Angels the assistants God the Iudge and Rewarder and eternall glory the monument trophy of triumph This preparation being so necessary and the comforts so needfull and so abundantlie set forth in the sacred scriptures I haue according to my mediocrity from thence chiefly borrowed my spirituall armorie and haue reduced and contriued the whole doctrine of it into certaine chapters and pithy grounds propositions And to the intent that the Church of God should find coÌ„fort and profit by it I thought good to publish it And because you most excellent Lady are the Phoenix oâ— your sexe a glorious starre in our firmament and so ful of princely piety vertue and clemency I haue presumed to offer these my labours to your Graces view and to commend them to your Graces patronage For wherein should so noble a Lady in her young and flourishing yeares more labour to excell then to bee a conqueresse ouer sinne and satan For such holie beginnings cannot but bring forth blessed conclusions Vouchsafe therefore most gratious Lady to pardon my bold enterprise and to shelter these my meditations vnder the wings of your Graces fauour In humble desire and comfortable expectation whereof I commit your Grace to the blessed gouernement of the highest Maiesty Couentry March 30. 1611. Your Graces ready to be commanded in all duty and seruice THOMAS DRAXE THE CHRIstian Armorie CHAP. I. Of Mans offence and fall Question HOw came man that was originally and by his first creation so honourable holy and happy to be so sinnefull vile and miserable Answere By reason of sinne and the transgression of Gods commaundement whereby he fell away from God and lost his former dignity holinesse and happines Rom. 3.23 Q. What is sinne A. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breach of Gods law or it is a declination reuolt and apostasie from the loue nature communion and will of God Eph. 4. v. 18. Q. Who is the subiect or continent of sinne A. The reasonable creature that is many of the Angels for they kept not their first estate and purity and mankind vniuersally no man excepted for all men haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 Q. Who is the author or committeâ— of sinne A. Not God for hee is holinesse it selfe and there is in him no darknes nor sinne at all for he doth not commaund nor commend much lesse instil and suggest sinne but condemne and punish it as that which is most aduerse and contrary to his owne will and word but man onely who in mind will and affections is wholy corrupted with sinne by this meanes is become a vassall of Satan and guilty of euerlasting damnation Q. Jnto how many kinds is sinne diuided and distinguished A. Into two kinds principally namelie that poisonfull corruption wherein man is conceiued and borne which we call Originall sinne and that offence of action which we terme Actuall transgression Q. What is Originall sinne A. It is the leprous contagious pestilent infection of nature or an hereditary and naturall corruption which is successiuely by carnall generation deriued and conueied from Adam the roote and common beginning of all mankind vnto all his posterity Q By what names and epithetes is it called in the scriptures A. Amongst others these are speciall names of it First it is called sinne absolutely because it is the fountaine of al sinnes Secondly it is termed The body of Sinne because all sinnes are included in it and as it were in league with it for vpon occasion offered they breake out Thirdly it is named The Law of the members because of the dominion of it in and ouer all our members for all the parts and powers of our bodies and soules before regeneration obey it as a law and it is intituled Rebellion in our members because it doth by a continuall practise striue and rebell against the law of God Lastly it hath the denomination of Flesh Gen. 6.3 of the old Adam and of Concupiscence which is an euill and inordinate desire and inclination Q. What are the maine parts of originall corruption A. Two first losse and want of the first and originall holines in the whole man Secondly the presence of euill or a contagion and distempered disposition of all the parts and powers of soule and body Q. What are the causes of originall sinne A. Thrée the one inward and the other two outward Q. What is the inward cause of it A. The very law of nature passing originally and conueied by carnall generation from one person to another Q. What are the outward causes of it A. Two First the actuall sinne of Adam and Eue the first instruments foundation of mans nature Secondly Gods iustice imputing the transgression of our first parents to al their ofspring and posterity Q. Doth originall sinne or concupiscence remaine in the regenerate A. Yes for though
beare them all yea and to ouercome all temptations Thirdly God is a present helpe in trouble where mans helpe endeth there his beginneth and his power is perfited in mans infirmitie Fourthly Christ our Sauiour God blessed for euermore endured for our saluation and that most patiently exquisite torments of soule and body yea the pangs and paines of hell though his soule was neuer in the place appointed for the damned in comparison whereof ours are but light and easie nay swéete and pleasant and therefore we may the better endure them Fifthly we must not iudge of the euill of our paine by our deceitfull senses but by Gods word the true touchstone and vnfallible rule of truth Sixthly if we fret grieue and grow impatient we shall doe nothing but encrease our euill and to the disease of our body adde the disease of our soules Sixthly we haue néed of patience and we in midst of all these euils must vphold our selues by our courage and valour that after that we haue done the wil of God we might receiue the promise for yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tary Lastly let vs in our inward and outward griefes abstract and withdraw our minds from them and thinke vpon some other matter and obiect that may more please content and affect vs and when our weake and dazeled eies cannot behold the Sunnes bright beames let vs looke vpon the gréene coate and colour of the earths hearbs flowers fruits leaues c. Q. May we not fitly number amongst the euils of sicknesse the paines of women in trauile and the inconueniences of old age A. Yea for they are distempers of the body caused by mans sin and transgression and tending to the hurt of the body Q Seeing that by many places of scripture by oft allusions vnto the paine of women in trauaile and by the testimony of heathen Philosophers as Aristotle no creature hath so sore paines in trauaile as a woman what comforts can you profound for the sweetning hereof A. First though a womans throwes and paines are bitter yet are they but short and therefore they may be the better borne and endured in hope of spéedy deliuerance Secondly no creature besides bringeth forth so diuine and excellent a creature as a woman doth and at the knowledge and experience hereof she for ioy forgetteth her paine Thirdly these paines are to the beléeuing women no part of the curse but only fatherly corrections and the straight way to guide them and transport them to the heauenly Canaan Lastly to interpret that place of Timothy properly as some doe the beléeuing women shal be saued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the birth natiuity of Christ which was the beginning of the accomplishmeÌ„t of the worke of our redemption Q. What comforts are proper to old age that is religious A. First old age is honourable if it be found in the way of vertue for a good thing is commonly commended for the antiquity of it Secondly an old man is in some sort the image and representation of Gods eternity and therefore the more to be reuerenced Thirdly let him not grow old in vices and errors but in grace and vertues and then he hath more cause of comfort then of complaint Fourthly an aged man and gray headed is more like a beautifull swanne then a crow or rauen and though beauty health strength and the vse of bodily pleasures cease and are out of date yet grauitie and vertue then most flourish in Gods children and they are often the oracles of God for counsell as Iacob Iob Nathan Chuzai Roboams antients are examples and in stead of enioying outward pleasures they behold the beauty of the Lord they visit his temple they are satisfied with the faines of Gods house and drinke out of the waters of his pleasure and doe finde maruellous contentment in the desireable meditation of the kingdome of God at hand Fifthly after the generall resurrection old men shall renew their age as the Eagle doth hers yea they shall euer be fresh and flourishing and neuer decay Sixthly an old man hath a singular prerogatiue in that so few attaine vnto his yéeres Seuenthly an old man hath had a long time of preparation and tendeth to his perfection and lifteth vp his head for ioy because his redemption is so néere at hand and they hauing by the eies of faith séene Gods saluation with holy Simeon are desirous to depart this life in peace Lastly youth is the glasse of folly and the bait of vanity apt to be drawn to any euill and therfore they may be glad that the rage and intemperate heat of youth is past Q. What duties is an old man to performe and put in practise A. First hee must purge himselfe of lust couetousnesse anger riot idlenesse and the like sinnes for these vices disgrace old age and by the dominéering of them in many ancients youth is maruellously corrupted and infected that are ready to follow such euill presidents Secondly he must spend all his time in preparation and learne to die daily that so he may be ready for the Lord and enter into his ioy Thirdly as the body daily decaieth and is posting to his long home so must the soule and inward man be renewed and look towards heauen and not turne backe to the Sodome of this world that it immediatly after that it is loosed out of the body may be carried by the Angels into the kingdome of heauen CHAP. X. Of Death of the nature causes euils and benefits of it what preparation against it is necessary how a man may in this life haue a taste of eternall life and of a right disposition in death the generall vse of the Doctrine Question WHat is death A. It is the loosing and separation of the soule from the body Q. What is the procuring cause of it A. Adams sinne and the sinne of all his posterity Q. Who is the author of it A. God as a iust Iudge imposing it vpon man Q. What is it in it owne nature A. It is the Diuels weapon whereby he séeketh to murder mankind it is the punishment of our sinne the enemy 〈◊〉 our soules and the gulfe of damnaâ—â—â—on Q. But what is it to Gods childreâ— that beleeue and are regenerate A. It is no enemy but a friend to souâ—â— and body for it is changed by vertâ—â— of Christ his death and obedience froâ— a curse to a blessing it is Golias hiâ— sword to cut off his owne head it is 〈◊〉 the drone that hath lost his sting that is â— eternall torment in hell fire it is â—â— sweet sleepe refreshing the body it is the accomplishment of our mortification and fully and finally endeth the battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit and it insteede of being the gate and subâ—urbs of hel is made the ladder
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
wisedome to the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart the commaundement of the Lord is pure giueth light to the eyes Let vs praise and magnifie God for our gratious deliuerance let vs remember Ioseph his afflictions and helpe our persecuted brethren by our goods and money if wee can and at least by our praiers and intercessions for this euidently proueth that we are feeling members of the same mysticall body wherof Christ is the head CHAP. XI The generall vse and application of the whole Treatise THe quintessence of all that hath beene formerly and at large in this treatise handled may be aptly and pithily reduced to these â—ew conclusions folâ—owing First that man by his first creation was pure holy innocent and liued in a most happy and blissefull estate Secondly that hee by his voluntarie fall and apostasie from God and from his former integrity hath in soule and body corrupted himselfe and all his posterity and not onely depriued himselfe all his sucsessours of all originall holinesse and happinesse but also wholly subiected them himselfe to all plagues and miseries both temporall and eternall Thirdly that sinne is very distastefull odious and stinking in Gods taste sight and nostrils for otherwise the most iust Lord would neuer so grieuously nor with such variety of plagues and punishments execute his indignation not only vpon men of yéeres but also vpon the very infants that haue committed no actuall transgression Fourthly the Lord that draweth light out of darknesse life out of death and in iudgement remembreth mercy hath giuen his onely sonne Iesus Christ to die to make a perfect satisfaction to his iustice for the sinnes of all the elect and to be a perpetuall intercessour for them so that they are not onely freed from the guilt dominion and euerlasting punishment of sinne but also entitled vnto and shall in time certainely possesse euerlasting and vnspeakable glorie and holinesse Fifthly that Christ hath by vertue of faith in his death and merits transnatured and changed to all his elect the temporarie and eternall plagues and punishments of sinne into certaine gentle momentanie fatherlie corrections and chastisments Sixthly that God hath not left his people in their crosses temptations and afflictions without hope helpe and remedie but hath giuen them the sacred and all sufficient Scriptures to instruct direct and to confirme and comfort their soules and cosciences in all distresses inward and outward in all afflictions and against all scandals persecutions whatsoeuer Seuenthly God hath prouided for his people Ministers by their pure preching and iudicious writings to resolue them in all doubts and christian friends and acquaintance to solace and support them Wherefore wée must daily blesse God for his infinite mercy in Christ attend vnto and consult the Scriptures our pastours and christian brethren Eighthly wée must make vse of the treatises and volumes of godly learned men who haue trauelled to good purpose in this kind Ninthly wée must in our afflictions and distresses find out confesse and bewaile our particular sinnes and earnestly entreat God for Christ his sake to pardon them for they are the meritorious causes of all our miseries Tenthly we in our miseries and troubles must not murmurre and repine against God nor vse any vnlawfull meanes of ease and deliuerance much lesse despaire of Gods gracious mercy helpe but wée ought to commend our soules bodies and outward state to Gods blessed gouernment and promises wee must desire direction and the spirit of strength and constancie from God and in hope patience waite vpon him vntill hée haue mercy vpon vs. Eleuenthly wée in our prosperity must prepare our selues against aduersity and wee must with such a sympathy and fellow féeling remember them that are in affliction and so endeauour to reléeue and resolue them as if we were also afflicted in the body Heb. 13.3 Lastly when we are recouered out of any temptation or deliuered out of any trouble we must giue God all the glory of it and in our rest and prosperity gâ—ther grace and strength so hearten our selues against the next temptation Now the God of all grace and consolation for Christ Iesus his sake so direct and instruct vs by his blessed spirit to performe all these duties that his Maiestie may haue all the glorie his Church and children good examples of imitation and we our selues haue ioy and comfort in this world and eternall Saluation in the next Amen A LARGE TABLE CONtaining the chiefe points heads and particulars that are handled and applied in both the Bookes of this CHRISTIAN ARMORIE The first Booke CHAP. I. THe originall of mans sinne and miserie What sinne is Who is the subiect of it What be the kinds of it What is originall sinne The titles and names of it The parts causes and vses of it Why the corruption of it remaineth in Gods children What was Adams fall What was the obiect of it Why the eating of an Apple was so grieuously punished The instrumentall and formall cause of his fall How God did forsake our first parents Why did God permit their fall How it can stand with Gods iustice that all Adams posterity should smart for his sinne How can Adams personall sinne be imputed to his posterity How can parents deriue corruption vnto their children The parents doe not beget the soules of their children how can they then infuse corruption into them What vse are we to make hereof What is actuall sinne The oâ—iginall of it The inward and outward causes of it The difference betweene originall and actuall sinne CHAP. II. What followeth sinne Whether afflictions and temporall euils be properly curâ—es and satisfactions to Gods iustice How are they qualified to the beleeuers The sinnes of Gods elâ—ct are forgiuen and why are not the chastisements with aâ—l remoud The vse of the point CHAP. III. What the crosse is Why no â—eruant of God is freed from it What is to bee thought of them that feele no crosse The vse of the point Whether that the crosse be good or not For what ends God doth crosse and afflict his câ—ildren Whâ— doe not the same ends effects and euents appeare in the wicked Arguments to mooue vs to patience vnder the crosse Comfortable conclusions and meditations against the crosse What duties are to bee performed towards the afflicted CHAP. IIII. How the Crosse is to bee diuided and distinguished What comforts are there against warre Comfoâ—ts and holy counsaile for them that are foiled in battaile What duties are to be performed in time of war Comforts against ciuill warre What duties are then to be performed CHAP. V. Whether that the plague be infectious or not Whether a Christian may lawfully flee iâ— the time of the plague Certain obiections answered The duty of them that flee The duties of them that abide at home Why God somtimes doth by the pestilence cut downe and destroy so many thousands Heauenly meditations against
the guilt and dominion of it be taken away for Christ through his bloudy sufferings so hindereth the force and power of it that it cannot condemne and by his spirit so lesseneth and mortifieth it that it cannot tyrannize nor dominere ouer them yet the corruption doth and will remaine in them vntill death and hereupon it is called sinne dwelling but not raigning in the godly Q. Why will God haue originall concupiscence to dwel and remaine in those that are iustified and sanctified A. First that they should the better perceiue and feele the efficacy of grace and of the spirit of Christ who though he suffer this enemie to dwell in them yet hee doth so kéepe vnder and captiuate him in them that he cannot raign in thē nor destroy them Secondly that they should find and certainely know that they can by no other meanes be iustified in Gods sight then by Christs perfect obedience apprehended of them by faith alone Lastly God will haue them for their exercise to haue an enemie vnto their dying day with whom they may alwaies fight and combate and whom by the grace of Christ they might foile in fight and by foiling they might procure to themselues the greater Crowne of glory Q. What vse are we to make of Originall sinne Ans. First we must diligently mark and obserue the motions suggestions of it whether arising from within vs or occasioned and caused from without vs and then we must not be glad but grieue at them neither cherish but rather kill and crucifie them Let vs therefore keepe this enemy from virtuals and cherish and strengthen the spirit against him and let vs watch and warily espie in what part hee assaieth to make a sallie and to assault vs and there let vs by the contrary weapons resist him Lastly let vs alwaies flee vnto the throne of grace through Iesus Christ we shall be releeued and rescued and in the end gloriously deliuered Q. What was Adams fall A. A voluntary transgression of the first law and order that God ordained whereby he fell alway from God lost his image and betaine a slaue to sinne and Satan and so exposed himselfe and all that were to bee borne of him and succeed him to euerlasting damnation Q. What was the matter or obiect of Adams sinne A. The eating of the forbidden fruit or apple Q. How could the eating of an apple though neuer so much forbidden deserue so great misery and punishment A. Wee must not rate and esteeme the offence by the basenesse of the outward obiect but by the vnconceiueable dignity of Gods infinite maiesty offended and by the high contempt of Gods strict prohibition Lastly this sinne could bee by no other meanes satisfied nor Gods wrath appeased but by the vnualuable ransom of Iesus Christ his death and obedience Q. Who was the instrumentall cause of Adams fall A. The Diuell who by the beauty and baite of an apple and by lying suggestions entice and drawe him to disobedience Q. What was the formall or inward cause of the fall of Adam A. The blinding and corrupting of his minde will and affections whereupon he beléeued not Gods threatnings but willingly assented to Satans temptation Q. Did not God forsake our first Parents before their fall A. Yes vndoubtedly for God by his power could haue preserued them from fault and fall Q. How did God leaue forsake thē A. First by withdrawing from them for he is bound and indebted to none the sunshine of his knowledge grace Secondly by denying them strengthning and confirming grace Q. Why did God permit their fall A That he might draw good out of euill and might heereby make knowne the glory of his power and iustice in the damnation of the reprobate and the glorie of his mercy in the saluation of the elect Q. What is the guilt of their sinne A. A firme and straite binding ouer and endangering of himselfe and all his posterity to eternall punishment Q. How can it stand with Gods iustice so to impute Adams sinne and fall to all his posterity that they must be punished and smart for it A. It may and doth stand with Gods iustice very well for first when Adam sinned all his posterity ofspring was in his loines from whom they were by the course of nature to issue and therfore with him they receiued part of his guilt for the sinne of the head so farre forth as it is the head is deseruedly imputed to the whole body as we may sée the truth hereof in Dauid who because he being a King in the pride of his heart would néeds number the people thréescore ten thousand of his good subiects perished by the pestilence for it Secondly quia contrariorum contraria est ratio wee may euidently sée and obserue the certainety of this point by the contrary For euen as whatsoeuer Christ as the head of all the elect and Church suffered and performed for the Church is imputed to it so whatsoeuer Adam as the stock-father and beginning of mankind lost is imputed to all his posterity and no maruaile seeing that he represented all their persons and did by his offence as a certaine gate conuey all that was euill in him to all that did or euer should succéed him Lastly as Adam receiued the Image of God that is illumination holines righteousnes for himselfe and his posterity so he lost it for himselfe and his ofspring and therefore as they should haue béene heires of his happines commodities and rewards if hee had continued in his innocency so since his fall they must be partakers of his guilt burden and punishment Obiection But Adams sinne was proper to his owne person how then could it be imputed to his posterity A. Adam in this action is not to bée considered as a priuate person for then he should haue smarted for his own sin onely but hee must bée estéemed as an actiue and common beginning yea as the roote head and first instrument of mankind and therefore what good hée receiued frō God or what euill else where he receiued it aswell for them that were to come of him as for himselfe Q. Is sinne deriued from the parents to the children A. Yea verily for the parents beget them and their mothers conceiue them in sinne Q. But how doe parents conuey transfuse and deriue corruption into all their children A. First by the law of generation whereby one person begetteth another or by the séed and generation of the parents for this is the instrumēt by which sinne is deriued and therefore the séede of man being corrupted so is and néedes must be the children also For according to the principles of nature the begetter doth communicate his nature to the thing begotten Secondly this birth-infection inuadeth the minde and vnderstanding and so stretcheth and extendeth it selfe to the whole body Obiection How can parents by carnal generation infuse into
of God exempted and freed from the Crosse A. No certainely for euery Christian hath the procuring cause of the crosse 1. Sinne in himselfe whch cannot but much affect afflict euery child of God who is troubled at nothing so much as at the offence of God Secondly Vita nostra est bellum non triumphus our life is a warfare and not a triumph Et cuiuslibet Christiani viâ—â— qui secundum Euangelium vixerit crux est atque Martyrium that is the life of a Christian who liueth according to the Gospell is a Crosse and Martyrdome Q. What shal we iudge of them that haue experience of no Crosses neither inward nor outward A. They are Bastards and no Sons of God for God chastiseth euery Son whom hee loueth Secondly God doth not in mercy spare and exempt them but distrust them neither doth he fauour them but refuse them and cassiere them as vnprofitable and vnseruiceable Q. What vse are we to make of this point A. Wée must neuer vainely dreame of the continuance of outward prosperity and happines for this is one of the peculiarities and prerogatiues of the Church triumphant in heauen but we must in our ease and prosperity looke for trouble trial and aduersity and prepare our selues against it that when it commeth wée may more holily and happily vndergoe and ouercome it Q. Then the Crosse is good and profitable for Gods children is it not A. Yes for God in his loue mercie and wisedome doth temper order and dispose it to their temporall and eternall profite peace and comfort Hos. 5.15 Ier. 31.18 Heb. 12.11 Psal. 50 5. Ioh. 15.2 For it is the Schoole of experience the Field of Patience the wrestling place of glory the life and reuiuing of Gods graces and in a word the exercise of a Conquerour Q. For what speciall ends doth God exercise his children with the Crosse A. First if they haue fallen or committed some grosse sinne as did Dauid others God doth correct and chastice them for their amendment and for the killing of pride worldlinesse licentiousnes and other sins sometime preuailing against them For hereby the Lord remoueth the mist of errour from their eyes that they may see their former follies and what is acceptable in Gods sight he hereby as by a fire purifieth their hearts from the drosse of corruption and by this wind fanneth them from the chaffe of vanity Secondly he snibbing and displing them for sins committed doth preuent sinne to come and maketh them better to looke to themselues for the time to come lest a worse thing happen vnto them yea and more to depend vpon him for grace and supportance And herein God may be compared to a skilful physitian for as the Physitian sometime letteth a man bloud not that hee should be sicke but to preserue him from sicknes so God doth now and then depriue and rid vs of those delights profites and pleasures which would otherwise bée the matter tinder and nourishment of sinne in vs. Thirdly God doth hereby as it were bring them vpon the stage and theater and make knowne to themselues and others that they may be lights and guids of godlines to the dark and blind world that they may be mirrours of admiration and patternes of constancy and patience to the people For as the Mariners skill is tried and made manifest in a tempest the captaines valour wisedome in the battaile and the Physitians experience and cunning in the curing of a desperate disease so are the graces and vertues of the godly and the swéete sent and perfume thereof made knowne in aduersity Afflictions to them are like vnto the spring-showers which cause the buds and blossoms of Gods graces to appeare and shew forth themselues Fourthly God by afflictions doth exercise cherish reuiue encrease his graces in them For Crosses are by Gods gracious disposition so many whetstones to sharpen the dul and blunt edge of their affections so many bellowses to enkindle and encrease in them the gifts and graces of God and they are so many Aâ—arams of his iudgements to awaken them out of the sléepe of security and to prepare them against the spirituall battell Fiftly God by afflictions crosses doth seasonably make known the glory of his power truth goodnes in their temporary and eternall helpe and deliuerance Lastly God doth bring all their troubles to a finall and to a most blessed issue and conclusion for hee doth bring them through the red sea of affliction through the wildernesse of this worlds temptations vnto the heauenly Canaan where they haue happy and euerlasting rest Q. But seeing that the most wicked and reprobate doe suffer the same euils and troubles that Gods children doe in euery particular griefe for sin and persecution for Christ his sake onely excepted why should not the ends effects and euents be the same in them as in the godlie and elect A. First because the persons of the elect are accepted with God they are the gold that is not consumed but made more pure and bright by afflictions fire but the very persons of the reprobate are refused being ordained to hatred and they are as drosse that is wholly consumed by the sire of affliction Secondly God did neuer in his euerlasting counsell purpose and intend to refine and reforme by afflictions the vessels of wrath for who then could resist his decree neither doe the reprobates at any time by pure meanes and in an holy manner endeauour the same Thirdly the reprobate being void of the spirit of grace and sanctification doe neuer in right manner acknowledge Gods hand that striketh them but with the impenitent theef that reuiled Christ they fret and fume they murmur and repine against God and his iudgements Lastly the reprobates are made worse by afflictions and their corruptioÌ„s hereby more breake out For as the winde doth not suppresse but encrease the flaming fire and as the oyle though a liquid matter doth not coole the furnace but the more heate it so affliction and aduersity doth not amend the vnbeléeuers but through their owne fault and corruption make them the worse Contrarily Gods children by reason of grace preuailing in them doe in their troubles comfortably call vpon God they patientlie subiect themselues to his correction finally they finde helpe in time of néede and praise God for it Q. What motiues haue we vnto patience A. First we are commanded to possesse our soules by our patience Secondly wee haue the example of Gods Saints in all generations for our imitation and therefore as God armed theÌ„ with patience so we must not doubt but he wil vs if we begge it at his handâ— Thirdly heereby we frustrate the expectation of our enemies and are more then conquerours ouer them for in the spirit of zeale and strength we challenge and defie them Fourthly wee must remember that our sinnes haue deserued farre
greater crosses and corrections for euery sinne séeing it is committed against an infinite Maiestie doth in it owne nature deserue death and therefore wee must the more patiently endure smaller crosses Fifthly we by impatiency highly offend our God and cause him to handle vs more roughly then he would otherwise doe Lastly if wee constantly waite Gods leasure and entreate his helpe hee will either encrease our strength or decrease our crosse he wil either amend vs by it or else end it Q. What heauenly nepenthes or doctrine haue you against the Crosse A. First it procéedeth from the speciall prouidence and heauenly disposition of God for he createth euill namely of punishment who is he then that saith and it commeth not to passe and the Lord commandeth it not Secondly the crosse is the ensigne and ornament of Gods children their cup their part and portion and the rode way to heauen Thirdly the crosse doth dead and destroy sinne in vs and mortifieth euill affections It is like lightning and thunder to purge the corrupted aire of our hearts and minds It is a file to scoure away rust from our soules a purgation to expell ill humors and like the gold smiths fire to consume the drosse of vanity in vs. Fourthly it doth exercise and cause to grow and encrease the fruits of the spirit and the precious graces of faith hope loue repentance patience for as snow and frost by containing the inward heat in the earth and increasing it causeth the séede cast into it to spring more prosperously so the gifts and graces of Gods children the more that by the crosse they séeme to be smothered and suppressed the more they breake foorth and are encreased Fifthly God will heereby trie the faith of his children towards his maiesty their loue towards their afflicted brethren and their patience towards themselues Sixthly God is with his in trouble in fire and water hee comforteth and strengthneth them he perfecteth his power in their infirmities and at length turneth their sighes into singing their mourning into mirth and their trouble into triumph Lastly the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed Q. What duties are we to performe vnder the Crosse A. They either respect God or our afflicted brethren Q. What duties must wee performe towards God A. First we must submit our selues patiently vnto his discipline and correction otherwise if we striue and struggle against God we offend him and so encrease our paine and trouble no otherwise then he that strugleth with a burden on his shoulders doth the more afflict and disease himselfe Secondly we must repose our whole confidence in him and waite his leasure vntill he haue mercy on vs. Lastly when God hath deliuered vs we must returne vnto him all the glory and praise of it for this is the tribute that we owe vnto him and the impoâ—â— that he requireth at our hands Q. What duties must we performe to our afflicted brethren A. First we must neither iudge wiâ—ked and vngodly men to be blessed and happy because they liue for the present in pompe pleasure and prosperity nor falsely and foolishly censure condemne the nation and generation of Gods children that sincerely serue him and are deare vnto him by reason of their preseÌ„t aduersities maladies and miseries for ordinarily the wicked in whoÌ„ God hath no portion receiue all their pleasure and comfort in this life the godly here feele all their paine and suffer all their miseries that the wicked in the world to come may inherit vengeance and the godly eternall ioy and happinesse Secondly farre be it from vs to disdaine despight or despise Gods children in tribulation much lesse let vs aggrauaâ— their afflictions but let it be our practise to coÌ„dole with them to pity pray for and refresh reléeue them Heb. 13.3 Am. 6.6 CHAP. IIII. Of common crosses and particularly of warre forraine and domesticall Question HOw are crosses to be diuided and distinguished A. They are either such publicke and priuate euils which are common to Gods children with the wicked or such temptations crosses and troubles that are proper and peculiar to Gods seruants Q. Which are those publicke euils to which good men and euill are indifferently subiect A. Warre plague famine oppression losses pouerty cosenage or deceit it Q. With what comfortable perswasions shall wee solace and support our selues in time of warre A. Albeit hostility and warre is a sore iudgement and the sword be more grieuous theÌ„ either famine or pestilence yet Gods children want not their consolations For first the sword of the enemy commeth not by chance but by Gods direction and appointment and that not onely for the triall and exercise of Gods children but for the punishment and destruction of his enemies Secondly the enemies rage and fury is not of a boundlesse extent but limited restrained ordered by the diuine prouidence for our good Thirdly though our enraged enemies doe or may sometimes yet not without Gods permission kill our bodies yet they cannot kill our soules nor depriue them of Gods fauour and his kingdome Fourthly neither sword war nor persecution can part the godly from their indissoluble vnion with Christ nor take them out of Gods handes and protection Fiftly if our cause bée good if the defence of our selues be vndertaken by aduise and counsell and withal we call vpon God for valour wisedome and victorie the successe cannot be but good neither néed wee feare the great multitude against vs for the battell is not ours but the Lords Sixtly though God sometimes to shew his iustice that he doth not winke at sinne but punish it vseth the enemies malice in the temporall ouerthrow of his children yet he doth withall shew his mercy in rescuing and sauing many and in turning the punishment of sinne in his children into a medicine and soueraigne salue Lastly God by the euils of warre wil cause vs more to desire peace and quietnesse and when wee haue obtained it the more to estéeme it and to bée thankefull to God for it For as the nights darkenes maketh the light of the Sunne more desirable as vallies set out the mountaines the champion country commendeth the woodland so doth warre declare and make knowne the excellency of peace Q. But what if in a lawfull war and in a good quarrell we now and then bee foiled and ouerthrowne how shall wee comfort our selues and what course shall we take A. First wee must know that by reason of Achans sinne that had stollen a Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold the Israelites were put to flight by thâ— men of Ai and the Beniamites twice ouercame the Israelites that had a good cause because they fought not in faith nor repented them of their sins as they did afterwards wherefore wée must
drink apparell in al rankes and orders of men Q. Who are principall outward meanes to encrease dearth and famine A. Amongst the rest enclosers of ground when they conuert so much aâ—able ground into pasture that there is not ground enough for tillage SecoÌ„dly monopolists or ingrossers Thirdly badggers forestallers Fourthly hoarders of Corne. Fifthly transporters of it beyond the Seas Lastly oppressors of the poore namely such as either denie them their wages or take and retaine their pawns pledges or those that vpon aduantage of the pooremans distresse buy his land goods liuing c. Q. What is the deseruing and procuring cause of dearth and famine A. Sinne and disobedience in generall Q. What are the particular sinnes which moue the Lord to send dearth famine Ans. First Idolatrie and corruption of Gods seruice and worship Deut. 28. 11. Secondly Atheisme and the contempt of Preaching Ier. 11.21.22 Thirdly when men being addicted to the world and their own gaine do altogether neglect the building of Gods house the reformation of his Church Fourthly Periury false oathes and the breaking of lawfull oathes Fiftly couetousnesse oppression of the poore and enclosing of the common grounds Sixthly cruelty towards the poorâ— and the wronging of them by falsâ— waights and measures Micah 6.10 Seuenthly pride in Princes and Râ—lers 2. Sam. 24. Eightly surfetting and drunkennesse Ioel 1 5. Lastly neglect of tith-paying and of maintaining the holy Ministry Q. Why doth God this way sundrie times trie and chastice his owne children who doe not sinne contemptuously oâ— with an high hand as wicked men doe A. First there is naturall corruption in them which deserueth this chastisment especially when as sometimes it commeth to passe it breaketh out into blaines and grosse sinnes Secondly God by correcting them in their bodies preuenteth in them more greeuous enormities and saueth them from eternall destruction Q. What vse is to be made heereof A. Let the wicked and profane tremble feare and betimes returne vnto God for if God correct small faults so sharpely in his own deare children how much more will he punish them that sin so presumptuously Q. What spirituall meditations are necessary to comfort our soules in time of dearth and famine A. These or the like following First we must know that it is Gods hand and that it commeth not by the will of man much lesse by chance and therefore we must repent and patiently endure this correction Secondly God by dearth and scarsitie doth preuent his children from committing many sinnes such as are riot excesse gluttony drunkennes for as a Physition letteth his patient bloud to preuent diseases in him so dealeth God with his children in this chasticement Thirdly God in the time of dearth doth not pine and starue but prouide for and quicken his children and seruants Thus in time of famine God made Ioseph the meanes to nourish his father Iacob and his brethren Thus he fed Elias by an Angel yea by a rauenous Rauen thus he multiplied the oile and meale to the poore widow of Sarepta thus for forty yeeres space hee fed the Israelites in the wildernesse with Manna from heauen thus God prouided for Elimeleks his wife and children and for the noble Sunamite and no maruell for if God féed the fowles of heauen yeâ— the young Rauens that cry vnto him how much more will he féed his sonnes and seruants Fourthly neither in this nor any other euill will God tempt them aboâ—â— their strength for he intendeth their reformation and not their ruine but iâ— they repent and pray vnto him he will mitigate if not remoue the dearth and famine and in the meane time féedâ— them Fifthly if God kéepe them shoâ—â— of these earthly thinges yet hee giueth them farre greater giftes namely faith hope charity assurance of saluation c. Lastly if God sometimes permit their bodies to pine as we haue an example in Lazarus and in some of the persecuted Israelites in the time of Antiochus yet he doth sustaine their spirits with patience and féed their soules to saluation with the hidden Manna of his word Q. What duties are there in such â— distresse to be practised A. First we must confes acknowledge and bewaile our sinnes the cause thereof we must beware that we contemne not Gods word nor abuse his good creatures and we must withall intreat the Lord to lessen or take away this plague and in the meane time suffer this correction with patience and thankfulnesse Secondly if all outward helpes faile vs yet let vs hold fast the hope of mercy and saluation and then we shall finde ease and refreshment in our troubles Thirdly Ministers and Preachers must endeauour to make the people to féele the gréeuousnesse of the calamitie to stirre them vp to repentance and patience and exhort the rich to liberalitie Fourthly rich men must regard pitie and reléeue the poore they must sacrifice on these altars they must fil these empty vessels and let the fountaine of their liberalitie runne out vnto them Lastly magistrates and rulers must not only prouide against dearth but also suppresse monopolists engrossers badgers transporters of graine hoarders of corne c. for Vae illis c. Hi sunt mercatores humanarum calamitatum that is woe vnto them that enhance the price of victuals for they are hucksters of humane miseries CHAP. VII Of Oppression Worldly losses Pouerty Question WHat coÌ„fortable theoremeâ— doth Gods word afford vs against wrong iniury and oppression A. First it is the part of good men rather to suffer iniury then to offer it Secondly the wrong done redoundeth to the hurt of him that doth it Thirdly if men cannot or will not right vs yet our God can and will auenge such indignities and therefore we must commit commend our cause vnto him yea and wait his leisure Fourthly wee haue the Saints of God for our companions herein anâ— therefore we may not iudge our selues forsaken as those that are singled out to these abuses Fifthly if Gods people doe but sigh and groane vnder their burthen he will come downe yea and ease and deliuer them Sixthly oppression maketh a wise man mad Seuenthly oppression of the innocent and the indignities offered to iust men enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts and cry to heauen for vengeance Seuenthly they that defraud and oppresse others must looke to receiue the like measure againe in Gods powerfull iustice Eighthly God will hereby try and proue whether that we will blesse them that curse vs and he will haue our vertues of loue and patience to be more eminent and conspicuous But if we carry a cankred affection and especially if we will requite euill with euill then doth God discouer vnto vs our corruption which we must labour to pull out if we will be the masters and conquerors of it Lastly we must meditate vpon Gods gracious promises and his iust
smaller matters let vs learne to preuent greater euils Lastly let vs neuer deale perfidiously nor falsly with others much lesse lay snares to entrap and entangle them in lest wee be deceiued our selues sinke downe into our owne pits and our feete be taken in the net that wee haue hid CHAP. IX Of diuers publicke euils and common crosses which concerne the body and namely of sickenesse and death Question WHat is sicknesse A. It is the disproportion of the foure Elements or an ill disposition in the body against the naturall constitution of it which by the effect of any action breedeth offence to it and maketh the vse of the body worse Q. Who is the sender or imposer of it A. God onely for it is his scourge rod and discipline Q. Why doth God send and inflict it A. For the triall chasticement and amendment of his children and to kéepe their soules from sinne Q. What is the attractiue deseruing or procuring cause of sicknes A. Sinne as well Originall as actuall for why doth man suffer but for sinne And hereupon our blessed Sauiour before he cured the man that was sicke of the palsie did forgiue him his sinnes and then restored him to his perfect health to teach vs that sinne was the cause of it Q. What spirituall and speciall comforts doth Gods word afford vs against sickenesse diseases paines A. First sicknes and paine is one of Gods rods to disple and correct vs with it is healthfull for the soule it disswadeth vs from lusts it is a mistresse of chastity and modesty Secondly Gods power is and wil be perfected by our infirmity Thirdly God doth make our bed in our sicknesse and euery night and morning doth visit vs by his spirit Fourthly it putteth vs in minds of our mortality driueth away drowsines and forgetfulnes and pointeth out our iourney to heauen Fifthly it is but a temporary and gentle chastisement leniâ—â—ed tempered and disposed by our heauenly father for our good Sixthly death wil ease vs of diseases sickenesses infirmities and at the vniuersall resurrection we shall be glorified euen in our bodies therefore let vs be content for so short a space of time to vndergoe them Seuenthly it is the narrow way and strait gate that leadeth to life Eightly all the Saints of God haue traced this way before vs. Ninthly this yoake is but easie and the burthen exceeding light for the sting thereof is taken away by Iesus Christ and yet he beares the burthen with vs and indeede wholly takes it vpon himselfe Lastly the infirmities and afflictions of this present world are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed and communicated vnto vs for what comparison betweene finite and temporary infirmities and infinite and eternal glory Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First let vs enter into the house of mourning and marke the chasticements of the Lord vpon others labouring to stirre vp our bowels towards them and to weepe with them that wéepe Secondly we must confesse our sins the causes thereof and be sorry for them and earnestly and constantly desire and entreat God to pardon them for as when the sore or wound is cured the plaster wil fal off so wheÌ„ sin is pardoned the affliction wil cease or at least work to and for our saluation in the end Thirdly we must offer and present our soules to the heauenly Physition Christ Iesus to be cured and then the body will the sooner be healed Fourthly if our bodily disease be desperate or remedilesse the more we are to ioy and reioice because wee shall not only haue the strength of the holy Ghost to leade vs through but also bee the sooner deliuered out of the dungeon of our sinnefull bodies Fiftly let vs all with Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Let vs pray for the comming of our Sauiour that we may be cloathed with our house which is from heauen for these desires and praiers are spirituall wingâ— to carry our minds and thoughts into heauen where is our Lord our countrey our ioy our inheritance and our treasure Lastly if wee recouer our sickenesse we must bee more circumspect for the time to come and beware lest a worse thing befall vs. Obiection Q. But my sicknesse is most sharpe greeuous and violent that I thinke that God hath wholly forsaken me A. Iob Dauid Lazarus and others haue béen in this taking and perplexity and yet not forsaken but inwardly sustained and at length deliuered For whom God loueth most hee correcteth most Secondly these violent sicknesses are healthfull and wholesome vnto thée for they are like strong and vehement purgations to rid and purge thée of thy ill bloud and corrupt humors of sinne Thirdly nullum violentum est perpetuum if they be violent they will not long continue for God is faithfull and will not suffer thée to be tempted aboue measure but will giue an issue with the temptation that thou maiest be able to beare it he will either end thy sicknes or take thée out of this wretched world For God is a louing and a merciful father not erring in affection and in the manner of correction as earthly fathers often do for he doth chastice thée for thy profit that thou mightest be partaker of his holinesse Fourthly the issue and euent cannot be but good for hereby sinne is mortified grace is encreased and thou fitted for heauen Fifthly the smart and paine of sicknesse is not in it selfe and simply euill because it is not sinne and it rather toucheth the outward man then any way corrupteth the mind and conscience Lastly heathen men especially their Philosophers that had no other teacher and direction then the dimme and darke light of degenerate nature haue patiently endured exquisite torments and shall not we Christians that haue the lanterne and lampe of Gods word and his blessed spirit for our helper and comforter be much more couragious and â—â—solute Q. What duties must we performe in such an extremity A. First it standeth vs in hand early and earnestly to cry vnto God for the pardon especially of all our knowne and grosse sinnes and then God who loueth the righteous and who knoweth our hearts cannot but in due time spéed our feruent praiers and requests Secondly we must put on the whole armour of God and especially the helmet of hope and the shield of faith that ouercommeth the world and that quencheth all the fiery darts of Satan and then our paine shall increase our gaine and the smart of it shall neuer hurt vs. Lastly we must neuer trust in our selues nor séeke so vnto the Physition that we forget the Lord but we must make God our chiefe Physitian for he healeth all our infirmities and we must patiently endure Gods hand and desire his helpe and then as our afflictions doe or may abound so he will
bee lamented for wee haue none to take notice of our gray haires none to number our yéeres none to carpe at our cost and none to bee discontented at the delay of our death Q. What vse in a word are we to make hereof A. First we must remember that we being mortall our selues begat them mortall and that all men must die sooner or latter though the time place and maner be vnknowne vnto vs. Secondly if we bewaile them being dead we should in some sort haue bewailed them as soone as they were born for then they began to die Thirdly we must out of heauinesse conceiue matter of happinesse and kéepe a measure in lamentation and not lament for euery losse lest our whole life be filled with lamentation Lastly we must instruct them and pray for them whiles that they liue but when we perceiue death to approach we must not in vaine striue against God but willingly suffer him to take his owne Q. How shall poore orphanes namely fatherlesse and motherlesse children comfort themselues that haue parted with kind carefull and most Christian parents A. By remembring and obseruing these directions and duties following First that their parents were borne mortall and must néeds die and therefore the children comming of them cannot be immortall If the foundation of the building in time shrinke and be shaken that which is built vpon it cannot endure The earth their common mother must receiue them all and at the last day yéeld vp all againe Secondly their parents are not lost for God hath found them and fréed them from all miseries and molestations and therefore they in this regard must bee content Thirdly that they shall not returne to their children but their children goe to them Fourthly they were borne first and therefore must die first and they are not forsaken but sent before them to blisse Lastly God hath depriued them of their parents either to correct their murmuring against them or their vndutifulnes towards them or at least to try how they will depend vpon him when all earthly meanes faile and are wanting Q. What duties are they to performe A. First they must patiently vndergoe Gods correction Secondly they must heartily repent them of their sinnes the cause thereof Thirdly they must follow their vertuous example and immortalize their memories Fourthly they must more highly estéeme Gods benefits when they inioy them Q. What comforts are fit seasonable against the death of deere brethren and sisters A. First death is a common correction to Gods children and no person must looke to be fréed from it Secondly though their life was short yet it was holy and blessed Thirdly though their bodies be dead and interred yet their soules liue and their vertues like so many children left behind them are immortall and the impression hereof as of their kindnes and indulgence towards them must neuer be blotted out Fourthly though they want the comfortable company of their brethren and sisters yet they are not alone being attended vpon and guarded by so many vertues and all those that feare God and doe his will must be their brethren and sisters Vse First wee must not vnmeasurably mourne for them but rather bewaile euil things that hang ouer our owne heads Secondly by such examples of mortality we must be warned to prepare our selues against our latter end Lastly we must comfort our hearts in this that wee shall one day to our hearts contentment inioy for euer their most swéet and blessed fellowship Q. Is it not a curse to a religious man to die childlesse and without issue A. It is a crosse rather then a curse For first they are not vnder the law but vnder grace Secondly Christ hath taken away the curse from all true beléeuers Q. By what arguments and reasons shall such a man quiet and comfort his conscience A. First their loosenesse and lewdnesse shall neuer grieue him and their future miserie shall neuer disquiet him Secondly he in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or want of children may in his discretion adopt such who may proue more kind louing and obedient then those that might haue proceeded out of his owne loines Thirdly hee néed not trouble himselues about their maintenance and as for the distribution of his goods and possessions he hath at hand many poore seruanâ—s and children of God amongst whoÌ„ he may more happily diuide them for these will pray for him so long as he liueth and speake well of him when he is dead and God wil in goodnes reward all his well doing Neh. 5.19 Fourthly law may and will supply the defect of nature for adoption is an act imitating nature ordained for the solaâ—e of such who want children Lastly his children might haue growen out of kind and haue obscured and blemished his name and hereupon many had died more happily and contentedly if they had died childlesse CHAP. XIII Of the Priuatiue and Positiue benefite of death Question FRom what euils doth death free Gods children A. First from all sinne and the offence of God the originall and cause of all euill Secondly death is to them the medicine remedy and physition of al euils for it endeth all their imperfections and finally fréeth them from all sicknesses paines crosses calamities gâ—iefes distresses euils errors enemies Thirdly it preuenteth all sinne and misery to come both in this world and specially in the world to come for they are wholy and for euer deliuered from all Satans assaults and from damnation and the horrour of hell Q. What vse is to be made hereof A. First if by death wee would bée freed from all sinne and the most cursed effects of it then let vs denie the world and the flesh and liue in the feare of God remembring the account that wee are to render vp before God and theâ— the second death shall neuer haue power ouer vs. Secondly let vs giue God all possible thanks and praise for that hee will by death thus ease and disburden vs. Thirdly let vs in the certaine expectation of so great deliuerance at the year of Iubily be willing to goe to God as Simeon and Paul were and in the mean time to sustaine all crosses patiently Lastly let vs continually waite and pray for this time of our full and eternall rest and deliuerance Q. Is it then not lawfull for Gods children in their distresses extremities for their ease and deliuerance to hasten their death by laying hands vpon themselues A. It is simply and vtterly vnlawful For first this not the way to ease and auoide misery but to encrease it yea and to emplunge and engulfe himselfe into the bottomlesse pitte of endlesse torment Secondly if a man should be entreated by the distressed to kill him hee might in no wise condescend thereunto for hée should bee no otherwise accounted and punished then a murderer much lesse may any person kill himselfe For he is bound to cherish and not to kill his owne
of Gods Saints as Ioseph Paul c. haue beene wrongfully imprisoned and haue herein been kept in safety from the enemies rage as Paul was who had a souldier tending on him and who in prison two whole yeares receiued all that came in vnto him and preached Gods kingdome and taught those things that concerned the Lord Iesu with all boldnes no man forbidding him Secondly many in their imprisonment haue not onely beene preserued from the great euils of the sword famine and penurie but haue wrote many famous Epistles and works as Paul then endited most of his Epistles yea they haue conuerted many to the Lord and some haue from hence as Ioseph béen exalted to great honour and dignity Eccles 4.14 Thirdly their mothers wombe was once their prison and the graue shall be their second prison and why then do they so much feare the Magistrates prison Fourthly many of deuotion to God and because they would be crucified and mortified to the world haue spent ended their mortall liues in dens caues cloisters dungeons and therfore they in prison must carry the same mortified affections and all will be well Lastly the day of death and the day of iudgement wil put an end to it at the furthermost therefore they must take their false imprisonment most patiently and with Paul and Silas pray vnto God and sing Psalmes and wait also Gods good leasure for their deliuerance Q. How shall we comfort them that are heauy hearted and afflicted because they are borne downe and oppressed in their lawfull suite A. First we must possesse their minds and hearts with this that nothing befalleth them but by Gods prouidence and for their good for hee suffereth this wrong to be done hee seeth it and will in time require it Secondly Salomon in his time saw a righteous man perish in his iustice and why may not the like happen in our declining dayes There are righteous men to whom it commeth according to the work of the wicked Thirdly God will hereby haue the aduersaries of the iust mans cause whether Iudges or Iustices Lawyers Procters or Apparitors c. to fulfill the measure of their sins and so if they betimes repent not to engulfe themselues into the lake of eternall damnation Fourthly God will haue his people to suffer many wrongs by the wicked that they should not be corrupted with the flatterie of the world and so should be condemned with it Lastly let vs truely and constantly serue our good God and he will partly in this world and abundantly in the world to come comfort right and aduance vs. CHAP. XVII Of the extraordinary euilles which euen the bodies of Gods Saints are in this world many times subiect vnto Question WHat are the extraordinarie euils vnto which the bodies of men are subiect and liable A. Two especially to wit witchcraft and possession Q. What is withcraft A. It is a wicked Art or practise seruing for the working of wonders by the assistance of Satan so farre forth as God shall in iustice permit Q Whether that Gods children can be annoied or hurt by the practises of witches and enchanters A. Yes why not For first as shall be afterwards more particularly shewed in the doctrine of possession Sâ—tan transported the holy body of Christ from place to place hee smote Job with sore boiles from the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of his head he slew his religious children Job 1.19 and he bowed together a daughter of Abraham eightéene yéeres so that she could not lift vp her selfe Secondly all outward things may come alike both to the good and to the bad Thirdly God will let his children haue a taste of satans might and malice that they should beware of his subtill practises and should desire strength from God and depend vpon his power and prouidence only Lastly God doth hereby either manifest and correct spirituall pride or some hidden sinne in his seruants or else hee doth quicken and reuiue the latent and hidden graces of the heart that they may be thankfull to God for them and féele them increased and confirmed in themselues Q What vse is to be made hereof A. First hereby it is apparant that they are wholly deceiued who haue a strong imagination that their faith is so mighty and perfect that all the witches in the world and all the diuels in hell cannot hurt them nor shake it Secondly it behoueth Gods children neuer to presume of outward security from any temptation but to prepare and arme themselues against it and if Satan by his instruments at any time by Gods permission afflict and torment them they must know that it is onely for the triall of their faith and patience and therefore the end cannot but be good and glorious Q. Why doth God suffer his children thus to be tormented A. First that he may for the time try their faith and likewise exercise their patience Secondly that he may at length either by life or death wholly deliuer them and then giue Satan the greatest soile when he looketh for the greatest victory and aduantage Q. What vse and application is to be made of this point A. First we must beware that we doe not censure all or any thus tormented with the blacke note and marke of a reprobate séeing that Gods children are liable sometimes to the hurt of witchcraft as well as the wicked and profanâ— people Secondly we must be content that Satan should goe about to winnow vs as wheat for he shal not preuaile against our faith well may the chaffe be parted and diuided from the wheat but the wheat and the sauing grace of God shall neuer be driuen out of our hearts Lastly the more Satan bestirreth himselfe to annoy and displeasure vs let vs the more vâ—liantly and vehemently by the word of God by faith and praier resist him then he will flie from vs and we shall foile him Q Why doth Satan by his instrumeâ—ts endeuor rather to annoy Gods children then those that are wicked A. Because he hath the wicked fast in his hold and if he should ordinarily torment them he might possibly estrange them from him and so lose them But as for the godly they haue escaped his hands and therefore he laboureth to recouer them they are as the Merchants ship fraught and laden with great riches and pretious commodities and therefore he striueth either to take them or else to drowne and sinke them Q. What meanes and remedies are there to preuent and cure the practises of witchcraft A. There is one soueraigne and principall preseruatiue and thâ—â— is to bee within the couenant of grace made and confirmed in the Gospel by the bloud of Christ touching remission of sinnes and euerlasting life for to such on one appertaine the promises of the blessed presence of Gods spirit and of the presence and speciall protection of his holy Angels to pitch
their tenâ—s about them and to preserue their soules and bodies from the power and practises of Satan and his instruments namely so far forth as is expedient for them Q. How may a man be certified that he is in the couenant of grace A. By a liuely faith applying to himselfe the sauing promises of God in Christ and by the fruits of it in true repentance and obedience Q Deliuer some generall restauratiues and remedies against the practises of witchcraft A. They that are annoied by witches and the practises of withcraft must practise thrée duties First they must note that sinne is the true and proper cause of it as may appeare in Saul vexed with an euill spirit in Hymeneus and Alexander for their pestilent errors giuen vp vnto Satan and in the incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5.5 And therefore they must neuer rest vntill that they haue found out this sinne and withall wounded and slaine it Secondly they must shew forth by hearty praier and fasting their faith whereby they rely on Gods méere mercy and herein they must pray absolutely for the pardon of their sinnes but conditionally for deliuerance from the hurts and torments of witches and sorcerers for they are but temporall euils Lastly they must comfort themselues in this that the diuell and his instruments are but Gods executioners who directeth their practises to his childrens good and that he being a most wise God and a louing father in Christ will not suffer them to be tried and exercised aboue their ability but will in his good time either in this life or in the end of this life by death eternally deliuer them and put them in present possession of euerlasting ease and happinesse Q. What is possession A. It is when the diuell is manifestly present either in the whole body or in some part of it so that he hath the power and gouernment of it As for examples sake when he possesseth the instrument of the voice as the tongue and withall maketh the party possessed to speake strange languages which formerly he neuer either heard or vnderstood and when he causeth the party possessed to giue notice of secrets and of things done farre off Q. Whether is there any possession in thâ—se daies or no A. Though possession by euill spirits is in these daies of truth but rare and of few noted yet there is and will be such And this the Writers of the Centuries doe record to haue fallen out in euery age and frequent experience in our own kingdome doth also confirme it Secondly the causes of possession namely sinne as the meritorious cause of it and the demonstration and execution of Gods iustice as the finall cause cease not for sinne is as rife yea more raging then euer heretofore and God is as iust to punish sinne as at any time and then why should there not be possession an effect of it Thirdly the proper signes and symptomes of possession namely lowd crying of the party possessed renoing of his body and his lying dead at the point of his dispossession are in these daies descried and obserued and why is there not then the thing signified Lastly the ordinary meanes of expelling Satan namely praier and fasting remaine and why not possession Obiection Q But the miraculous and extraordinary gift of eiecting euill spirits out of the possessed is now altogether ceased Ergo there is now no reall and bodily possession A. The argument followeth not for though possession in our daies be farre more rare then in Christ and the Apostles times the miraculous gift of casting them out by miracle be ceased yet there is an ordinary course remaining and left to the Church namely praier and fasting and not without good reason for there is no temptation but God hath prouided a remedy for it and much more for such an extraordinary affliction â—nd hereupon when the Disciples of Christ hauing iointly receiued power and authority to cast out diuels and when they assaying to cast out Satan out of one of the Scribes sonnes and because satan yéelded not at first and they beganne to doubt of the sufficiencie of their authority they had no successe for the gift of miraculous faith was for the time interrupted hereupon Christ referreth them to the ordinary meanes namely praier and fasting Obiection But God hath made promises to his children that Satan shal haue no power ouer them A. All temporall blessings whereof this is one are promised with condition namely so farre forth as may stand with Gods good pleasure and the good of his children and not otherwise but it is his decrée and for his childrens profit sometimes to be bewitched and annoied by Satans instruments Q Whether those that were vexed by euill spirits in the time that Christ liued on the earth or in any age sithence were onely obsessed and outwardly tormented by Satan or possessed by the substantiall inherence of him in their bodies A. No doubt they were tormented both waies Touching obsession there is no question and touching possession it is apparant by these and the like arguments First by a distinct voice heard out of the person possessed differing from his owne naturall voice Secondly by the speaking of the hardest languages which the party possessed neuer formerly vnderstood Thirdly our blessed Sauiour Christ cast out a diuell out of a man and bad him enter in no more Fourthly the vncleane spirit being gone out of a man and finding no test elsewhere purposeth and endeuoureth to returne into his house from whence he came Ergo he was formerly in it Lastly a few words satisfie men not conceited or contentious the experience of most ages and the iudgement of the most Orthodox Diuines proueth it Q. Whether that Gods children may be at any time or are in these daies possessed by euill spirits A. Yea truly first in these outward things al may fall alike to the good bad Secondly Satan by Gods permission had power ouer the blessed body of our Sauiour Christ and transported it from place to place viz. from the wildernesse to a wing of the temple in Ierusalem Thirdly Satan infected Iobs body with lothsome and pestilent botches and boiles yea and ouerturned the house wherein Iobs children were vpon them and so crushed and squéesed them in péeces Fourthly holy and blessed Paul was buffeted by satan Fifthly a daughter of Abraham was troubled eightéene yéeres with a spirit of infirmity for Satan so bowed her that she could not lift vp her head Sixthly the woman of Canaan her daughter was vexed with a diuell Seuenthly the child of a true beléeuer was by satan possessed Eighthly the experience of all ages and times more or lesse verifieth and iustifieth the truth of this assertion Lastly fatherly and temporary chasâ—isements yet remaine but possession is to Gods children but a temporary fatherly chastisement Q. What generall comforts and directions are there against possession A. First
faith and sanctification in particular Q. What is distresse of mind A. A liuely â—éeling of Gods displeasure for sinne committed whereupon the person distressed is in suspense of Gods fauour and of his saluation and doth further expect the increase of the same distresse Q. Why is it put in the first place A. Because it is the most bitter and grieuous crosse of all others Q. Render some reasons of your assertion A. First because they that are hereby tried exercised and buffeted striue not with men who are weake and mortall but with God almighty who is highly offended with them and is a reuenging God Secondly no outward act physicke counsell medicines might or meanes can possibly relieue and cure such but onely the word and spirite of God reuealing and applying the bloud and obedience of Christ vnto the party afflicted Thirdly such distressed soules are more tormented by the coueting and remoouing all sense and feeling of his graces then if they should be put to all the racks and gibbets in the world insomuch that in their symptomes they are moued and drawne sometimes not onely to complaine of God but to blaspheme him and to crie out that they are damned Lastly these temptations and distresses doe of all torments most néerely resemble the paines of the damned and hereupon Dauid saith that the paines of hell gat hold on him Q. For what ends and purposes doth God oftentimes so tâ—ouble and afflict the minds and consciences of his children A. For diuers ends First that they finding to their griefe how odious sinne is in Gods sight may bee the more stricken downe yea and confounded in themselues and so be the more mightily stirred vp to godly sorrow Secondly God will hereby checke correct spirituall pride in them by reason of illumination reuelation graces acts done c. Hereupon Paul saith of himself that lest he should be exalted out of measure by spiritual reuelations God sent the messenger of Satan to buffet him and the pricke in the flesh to humble and exercise him God hereby like a good Physitian letteth them bloud and easeth them of all ill humors of pride worldlines loosenesse of life security c. and estrangeth them from the friendship and familiarity of wicked men Thirdly God will hereby trie and proue that is make knowne to themselues and others their faith and a traine of most excellent vertues that follow and attend vpon it Fourthly they hereby when they are once deliuered shall be more compassionate to their brethren in the like extremitie For as one péece of yron cannot be souldred and fastened to another vnlesse both péeces bee made red hote and beaten together so one Christian member cannot bee soundly affected to another vnlesse both haue had experience of the same or the like misery Q. What if temptations and afflictions bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of long durance how then shall a Christian man hold out and lose no ground A First by considering that besides the long afflictions of Iob Dauid Hanna a daughter of Abraham that was bowed by Satan 18. yeares and the distresses of particular persons in all ages the children of Israel were long in captiuity in Egypt in Caldea in Babylon the ten generall persecutions were of long continuance but the end and issue of all were happy and blessed Secondly God by the long continuance hereof doth cure many desperate sins in them and preuent many euils into which otherwise they would cast themselues headlong these long continuing plasters will fall off as soon as the wounds are cured Thirdly the lenger that the deliuerance is deferred the more comfortable will it be when it commeth Lastly if processe of time rid them not away yet death will end them Vse Wherefore let vs humble our selues vnder Gods mighty hand let vs séeke his face and desire his mercy which being obtained let vs sinne no more lest a worse thing befall vs let vs then beware an after-clap Q. From what speciall causes doth distresse and anguish of minde arise A. From two the one inward originall namely a déepe apprehension or rather an ouerrating of sinne committed and the other outward and occasionall namely crosses calamities dangers distresses persecutions and troubles Q. What meditations are good for our restitution and for the regaining of Gods fauour once felt and enioied A. We must remember and weigh diuers things First that in these desertions the Saints of God in all ages share and are copartners with vs. Secondly that they are finite momentany and sufferable Thirdly that if they bee weyed in a ballance either with the horrours and torments of the damned from which Christ hath deliuered vs or with the glorious ioyes of heauen wherein our Lord hath slated vs they are as nothing and therefore wee are more patiently and ioyfully to vndergoe them 2. Cor. 4.17 Heb. 10.37 Fourthly if these temptations bee great grieuous then they like strong purgations will worke our greatest peace at length Fifthly we must note that the way to heauen is not strawed with flowers and roses but set with thornes and therefore we ought to be well shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Eph. 6. Sixtly God will not long leaue vs comfortlesse but as the temptation aboundeth so shall the consolation much more and the euent shall bee alwaies good Seuenthly God doth sometimes forsake vs so that wee sinne greatly and sometimes that we are hopelesse in our troubles that Gods fauour recouered should be more estéemed of vs. For as the morning light is more comfortable after the darkenesse of the night as walking after sléepe health after sicknes a calme after a storme and peace after war so is Gods loue more admired after and his fauour more desirable acceptable when sundry temptations and desertions haue gone before Lastly God in due season will bring these dolefull desertions to an excellent issue and to a blessed conclusion Q. What vse are wee to make hereof A. First we must bée héedfull that wee doe not rashly and vncharitably censure any of Gods afflicted children as though they were finally forsaken For whom God loueth most hee chastiseth most and he putteth his chiefest Champions and Worthies to the greatest hazards Secondly wee must neuer promise to our selues any immunity from these troubles and trials but arme and prepare our selues against them Lastly we must not pine away in our troubles nor despaire but wee must liue by faith and waite vpon our God vntill he gloriously deliuer vs. Q. With what comfortable directions and rules are the consciences of Gods children to bee relieued that are vexed in soule by reason of some grieuous sinne committed A. First they must know that God in the matter of our saluation worketh by the contraries and turneth the poison of the sinne of his children into excellent preseruatiues and restoratiues therefore hee sometimes so leaueth them to
must not so muse and thinke vpon sorrowfull and displeasing obiects much lesse yéeld vnto that sorrow whereof he can render no certaine cause for then his sorrowes will become vncureable and kill him but it is his part to study and ponder vpon the swéete promises of God in Christ made to humbled and repentant sinners he must also ioy in and be thankefull for Gods graces and gifts conferred vpon him which will feast and refresh his soule Eightly he must vse and take comfort in Gods good creatures of meate drinke herbs plants and especially solace himselfe in the greene and most delectable spring of the glorious resurrection daily approching when God shall wipe all teares from his eies and fill him with vnutterable pleasure Lastly when he is recouered he must be truely thankefull to God and pity and kindly entreate them that are in like extremity Q What comforts are to be applied to them that are disquieted with fearefull dreames A. First few dreames are true because they are either equiuocall or ordinarily false and therefore not to bee bebeléeued and as for all Propheticall dreames they are now ceased Secondly it is better to dreame of things that are dreadful vnto vs then those that are delectable and desireable for the deceit of a dreadful dreame is pleasant and the issue of a delightsom dreame is many times sorrowful Thirdly Iob Dauid and others haue beene this way afflicted Fourthly if wee dreame of any euill that may befal vs as we may not credit it because it is a dreame so it is good we should beware of it and the occasions thereof and preuent it by praier Lastly disquiet and feareful dreames procéed ordinarily from cares vexation and distraction of mind in the day time and therefore wee must disfurnish and vnlade our selues of them Q. What practises are necessary to preuent fearfull dreames A First moderate and spare diet for from a full stomack arise noisome fumes which trouble the braine Secondly a quiet disposition and the following of quiet studies in the day time which will be the cause of quiet repose in the night Thirdly a carefull and conscionable execution of the works of our Christian and ciuill calling Fourthly before we goe to sléepe a diligent examination of our selues and a sorrow for sinne committed and good omitted and the exercise of reading conference praier Lastly if our dreames be troublesome terrible and from Satan wee must by earnest praier resist him and bid him anaunt and we shall finde maruellous comfort after it Q. How much a Christian quiet and pacifie himselfe that is weary of this present life by reason of many crosses toils troubles and discontentments A. First hee must remember that euery man is borne to many crosses and that no calling is fréed from them and therefore he must learne to take vp his crosse daily and to follow Christ. Secondly he must as well looke to be chastised of God as cherished and to be as well crossed as comforted for he must by many afflictions enter into Gods kingdome and therefore hee must encounter with these euils and vse no vnlawfull euasion to ease himselfe of them Thirdly hee must reade much yea muse and meditate vpon the swéete and sugred promises of God contained in the scriptures if he delight herein hee shall not perish in his troubles Psal. 119.92 but be reuiued Lastly hee must be often conuersant with Gods children and desire their aduice praiers counsell direction and then they will be like so many Ionathans to comfort him and so many Simons to helpe him to beare his Crosse. Q. What is desperation A. It is when a man in his owne sense and féeling is without all hope of saluation Q. How doth this come to passe A. Thus when a man being preuented falleth into some offence which satan doth maruellously aggrauate both by accusing the offender and affrighting him with the iudgements of God Matt. 27.3 4 5. Q. With what comforts and perswasions shall Gods children arme and furnish themselues against this temptation A. First that Gods mercies in Christ are of an infinite extent and doe by many degrées excéed and goe beyond all their sinnes whatsoeuer Psal. 103.10 11 12. Secondly that Christ came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and that they that sée not might sée and that they which sée namely in their owne opinion and conceit might be made blind and to séeke and saue that which was lost namely in their owne sense and estéeme and therefore afflicted sinners haue no cause of doubting much lesse of despaire Thirdly the greater that our sinne is the greater is Gods mercy to them that depend vpon him so that where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth more Fourthly Christ is a continual intercessor for them to God his Father and God heareth him alwaies Iohn 11. Fifthly that to call Gods goodnesse truth and power into question is a great sinne and that thereby they offend him as much as by any other sinne Sixthly that many of Gods déerest saints and seruants haue béen in a sort emplunged and engulfed in the pit of despaire as Dauid Iob the Church in the Canticles c. yet by praier by meditating vpon their former experience of Gods mercies Ps. 77.10.11.12 1. Sam. 17.37 and by waiting Gods leasure with patience they haue happily recouered themselues and haue béen more confirmed for the time to come Seuenthly that God when his children séeme vtterly forsaken and doe conflict with Gods wrath are not wholly nor finally forsaken but are inwardly with the woman of Canaan supported by Gods power who doth in his good time bring iudgement vnto victory or truth that is he wil so iudge and raigne that at length hee will bee a conquerour Eighthly that God in this case accepteth the will for the déede and a desire of reconciliation for reconciliation it selfe so that this our desire bee matched with a setled purpose and a full resolution to forsake all sin and to turne vnto God Luke 15.18 Ninthly that in the beginning of a mans conuersion and in the time of some gréeuous temptation God accepteth of a desire to beléeue for faith it selfe Mat. 8.25.26 Tenthly that desperation in Gods children is but temporary and therefore curable for God teacheth them he loueth them with an eternall loue he enlightneth and guideth them by his spirit and hauing begun in them the worke of grace he will finish it vntill the day of Christ. Lastly that all the rules and principles of Christian religion are demonstratiue and certain both in themselues and also in the minds and vnderstandings of Gods children Q. What vse is to be made of all these propositions A. First séeing that desperation is the high way to hell yea and the mouth of it let vs not nourish it and so hereby increase our sinne and lessen and discredit Gods
our selues that it will reuiue in the spring of Gods graces CHAP. III. Of the distresse of mind that ariseth from the sense and seeling of a Christians weaknesse and imperfectioâ— in sanctification and first of all in praier Question WHat course must a Christian take to relieue and ease himselfe that findeth and â—eeleth many imperfections in his praiers A. First hee must acknowledge and bewaile his wants and failings Secondly he must desire from God a further addition of zeale Thirdly when he cannot pray as he desireth let him then sob and sigh vnto God in his praiers for God who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of his owne spirit and no maruel for these groanes are effects of Gods spirit in him and are as it were so many glorious beames breaking out from it and God accepteth and approueth of them as may appeare in the examples of Moses of the children of Israel of Ezechias of Iehosaphat and others Fourthly he must remember that the power of Christ remaineth to cure his infirmities and to remoue his imperfections Lastly the more imperfections that he findeth and perceiueth in his praiers the more earnestly must hee labour for the remouall and reformation of them Q. What vse is to be made hereof A. First hereby are met withall and condemned all such who ignorantly count them the best proficients in praier who neuer knew what these wants and imperfections meant Secondly no man must cease from this exercise of praier because of his wants for so long as any man liueth here hee is but in the beginning of perfection Q. But I feele my selfe cold dull and drousie in my praiers how then can I haue any true sanctification A. Yes thou maiest well assure thy selfe of the truth of thy sanctification so thou loue God and delight to commune with him by praier Secondly it is good that thou shouldeâ—t sometimes discouer and discerne the dulnes and deadnes in praier that thou mightest more earnestly desire this gift otherwise thou wouldest thinke it naturall and wouldst attribute the glory of it not to thy God but to thine own selfe for thus thou wouldest offend if thou couldst alwaies pray according to thine owne satisfaction Lastly if we can but sigh and sob for wee preuâ—ile more by sighes then by words God will heare and helpe vs. For shall an earthly father pitie and regard the groanes and sobs of his sicke sonne and will not our heauenly father much more regard and pitie vs Q What vses are we to make hereof A. First when we haue an ability to pray and a will thereunto we must be thankfull to God for it Secondly if the spirit of praier bee weake in vs we must call and cry vnto God for further grace and we shall obtaine it Lastly we must by all good meanes stirre vp the spirit of praier in our selues Obiection I in my praiers am troubled and disturbed with many euill idle worldly and carnall thoughts and therefore J doubt that I haue not the spirit of praier A. Déerely beloued brother though these vaine and sinfull thoughts are so many sparkles of corruption that proceed from the furnace of our vncleane heart and are like the birds that defiled and disturbed Abrahams sacrifice yet note for thy comfort that the most regenerate man in earth cannot sound out all the corruptions in his heart much lesse is hee able to remooue them For his new birth is onely begunne and tending towards perfection but not complete and then no wonder though some dregs of corruption yet remaine Q. What course shall we take for our helpe and redresse herein A. Séeing that prayer is so heauenly an exercise and so preualent with God and so offensiue to Satan let vs stirre vp our zeale herein and for our furtherance heerein it is good for vs before wee pray to talke and conferre reuerentlie of heauenlie things to reade the Scriptures diligentlie and meditate in them and then wee shall be possessed with better thoughts Lastly we must not yéeld to but resist and earnestly pray against euill thoughts yea and intreat the Lord of his grace to purge and purifie our hearts and then these vaine and idle thoughts shall lesse vex and annoy vs. Obiection I haue long importuned the Lord by prayer and the Lord will not vouchsafe to attend vnto my praier therefore I feare I haue not the spirit of praier A. You haue no cause thus to doubt For God doth not deferre you because he purposeth to deny you but to cause you to haue his gifts in more high estéeme and to make you more sound sincere and more earnest and instant in praier Secondly it may be that the thing that you desire of God if it were granted you would not profit you but turne to your hurt and therefore God in his mercy refuseth to spéed your yéeres Thirdly Dauid Job the people of God in captiuity and the Church in the Canticles that sought Christ in her bed by praier and that consulted her Christian acquaintance the Ministers of Gods word were long delaied but at last graciously heard Fourthly God by putting off your praiers will exercise and set on worke your faith patience constancie and when he prospereth your petition he wil replenish you with the greater ioy Lastly though God heare you not according to your wil yet he heareth you for your wealth and though he heare you not according to your expectation yet he heareth you to your saluation and therefore you must take all in good part Q. When God delaieth and deferreth to grant our praiers what duties then behoueth it vs to performe A. We must not faint in our praiers but persist therein and cry vnto God day and night and then God will heare vs and we shall preuaile with him as Iacob did Our petition shall not be returned non inuentus est but we shall haue corpus cum causa Secondly we must look that the things we beg and craue bee lawfull and conuenient for vs and then if wee with patience wait Gods leasure he wil spéed our desires Obiection But I feare that I haue committed that vnpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost because I commit so many sinnes against knowledge A. Thou déere brother hast no cause thus to doubt because thou art sory and grieued for thy sinnes Secondly thou repentest of them but he that committeth this sinne neuer sorroweth nor repenteth for so doing Secondly they that sinne against the holy Ghost tread vnder foot the Sonne of God they count the bloud of the new Testament as an vnholy thing they despite the spirit of grace they fâ—ll away wholly and finally from the reueâ—led truth of the doctrine of Christ and of their redemption yea they incessantly blaspheme deride and persecute it but thou continuest in the approbation profession and practise of the truth and remainest sound in iudgement and sincere in affection therefore thou art farre from this sinne
blessed truth yet we must be Martyrs in desire and affection and then God will accept the will for the deed for there is Martyrium sine flammâ— i. a martyrdome without a fagot Secondly we must not estéeme nor thinke the firie tryall as some strange thing but reioyce in as much as wee are hereby made partakers of Christ his sufferings that when his glory shall appeare wee may bée gladde and reioice Thirdly wee must comfort and stay our selues in the expectation of the fearefull end that abideth Gods enemies they shall soone be cut off their pompe shall be despised and soon vanish away Psal. 73.19 They are Gods rods to correct and disciplinate his children by who when they haue done their office must bée cast into the fire and consumed Lastly there is no persecution so generall and grieuous but many shall bée preserued in it and from it and after long wrestling God will grant a breathing time Q. What if Gods children cannot be suffered to bee buried when they are dead what shall wee iudge of them or how shall we comfort our selues against this euill A. Their dead bodies are members of Christ temples of the holy Ghost and they shall rise againe in glory to eternall life therefore we may not iudge them accursed Secondly the want of buriall doth nothing hurt them as the performance of it doth nothing profite the wicked as for these funerall solemnities they are rather viuorum solatia quam mortuorum auxilia id est Comforts for the liuing then helps for the dead Thirdly many of Gods Saints yea some most blessed Martyres haue wanted buriall Psal 79.2 and yet haue béene receiued vp into glory Apoc. 11. ver 12. Fourthly other euils as death by drowning by fire by earthquakes by the fall of houses by the cruell rage of wild beasts c. are as much if not more to be feared Fifthly Tegitur coelo qui non habet vrnam The skie is to them in stead of a coffin Sixthly though some Personages be neuer so sumptuously entombed and gloriously buried yet must the worms in the body consume the bodies of such Seuenthly the want of buriall though it is a curse to Gods enemies who perish both in soule and body yet it is but a fatherly and fauourable chasticement to his children and can neuer part nor diuorce them from him and his loue Lastly though sometimes the dead bodies of Gods Saints want buriall yet they féele no smart and their soules in glorie cannot and do not behold the lothsomnes of their vnburied bodies Q. What vse is to bee made hereof A. First we must not so much trouble our selues about this matter but commit the disposition of our dead corps to Gods prouidence and the care of the liuing Secondly let vs bury our sinnes in Christ his graue and sepulchre and then the want of buriall and funerall solemnities shall neither shame vs nor harm vs. Lastly if in the heate of personall persecution the bodies of Gods saints knowne vnto vs and neare vs do want buriall wee must after the manner of those deuoute brethren that buried Stephen enterre them for hereby we do not onely testifie our loue and reuerence towards them but also declare our good hope of their glorious resurrection Q. By what speciall considerations are we to arme and hearten our selues against persecutions A. First wee know it is the lot of Gods children to bee persecuted of the wicked in euery generation but most notably in the raigne and rage of Antichrist For they that are borne after the flesh will persecute them that are borne after the spirit and therefore why should wee bee so offended at persecutions hauing so many compartners and companions herein Secondly that we are hereby made conâ—ormable vnto Christ our Captaine leader and guide and therefore if wee suffer with him we shal raign with him Thirdly that Gods power and his goodnes doth as much appeare in priuatiue blessings as in positiue for God is with vs in trouble he when it pleaseth him represseth the power checketh the malice of the enemy reformeth and refineth vs and giueth a ioyfull issue euasion and euent to our afflictions Fourthly that persecution is a badge ensign and ornament of the true church for hereby open enemies take occasion to oppose themselues against Gods seruants and hypocrites and time seruers are discouered Fifthly that persecution is a schoole-master to make vs vnderstand Gods will and a plaine commentary of Gods word for wee learne that by experience which we heard by the publik ministery Lastly persecution is good for Gods children whether they escape it or die by it for God doth order it for their profite and happines and they are gainers by it many wayes Luk. 18.28.29.30 Q. What duties are wee to performe in persecution A. First we are to prepare our selues against it by daily mortification and by the experience of the swéet and heauenly societie that wee haue with our blessed God that dwelleth in vs and so we shal learne to die daily Secondly let vs be assured that we suffer as Christians and not as malefactors and then wée are not to bee ashamed but to glorifie God in that behalfe For we are Gods Worthies and his champions placed in the theatre of the world and if we fight stoutely wisely in our Lords quarrell and cause he wil honour and aduance vs accordingly both here and hereafter Thirdly because persecution is not onely a triall but also a correction for our sinnes wee must entreat the Lord to pardon them and then the flame of affliction shall brighten vs but not burne vs scoure vs but not consume vs. Fourthly we must possesse our soules and the graces of God by our patience we must seeke the Lord in our trouble and he will be found of vs and it is our dutie with Moses for our encouragement more to looke vnto the infinite and transcendent measure of reward in the kingdome of heauen then eyther the Sunne-shine of present prosperity or the blustering windes of persecution Fifthly persecution doth only touch the vestment and garment of our body but cannot reach vnto the fort of our faith nor the hold of our heart and therefore it ought the lesse to astonish and distract vs. Sixthly let it bee our wisedome and practise in the blustering tempests and the weltering waues of the worlds persecutions to adhere vnto and stand fast vpon Christ the rocke and then wee shall not néede to feare the waues vnder vs much lesse dread drowning Lastly if it please God temporally to deliuer vs let vs receiue Gods precious word with greater ioy for when men and outward meanes faile vs it wil be a staffe and stay to vs in all our tribulations and fill vs full of comfort and hope for the law of the Lord is perfite conuerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giueth
the plague The duties that the visited persons are to performe towards God themselues and their neighbours CHAP. VI. Meditations against death and famine What are the outward causes of it What vse is to be made hereof For what speciall sinnes it is sent Duties to be practised CHAP. VII Comforts against wrong and oppression The duties of the oppressed Manifold meditations and comforts against pouerty and want The vse of pouerty Comforts and directions for them that feare pouerty by reason of a great charge of children Comforts against meannesse and basenesse of birth and parentage For what ends doth God expose his children to so many losses Comforts against the spoile and losse of worldly goods Duties then to be performed CHAP. VIII Comforts and directions for them that are cosened and defrauded Duties then to be performed CHAP. VIV What sicknesse is Who is the author of it The end why it is inflicted The procuring cause of it Spirituall comforts against it Duties to be performed Comforts against sharpnesse and violence of sicknesse How a Christian must then behaue himselfe Comforts against the long coÌ„tinuance of sicknes Comforts for them that cannot sleepe Comforts for the sicke that cannot goe out of doores Comforts for them that are in their sicknes falled and forsaken of their friends and kinsfolke Duties then to be performed Consolations against the concurrence of many euils Comforts against paines in childbearing Comforts against old age How an old man must behaue himselfe CHAP. X. Of Death What death is The procuring cause of it The imposer of it What it is in it owne nature What it is to Gods children Why regenerate men die Why are not the bodies of Gods Saints departed glorified together with their soules Why the bodies of Henoch and Elias died not but were rapt vp into heauen Why infants die Whether that sudden death be a curse The vse of the point Whether it be lawfull to pray against sudden death or not Comforts against violent death by the enemies sword CHAP. XI Of the supposed euils that death bringeth Comforts against the vntimely death of worthy men in authoritie What vse we are to make of their vntimely deth Comforts against the death of friends and benefactors CHAP. XII Comforts against the death of kinsfolke Comforts for him that hath parted with a good wife Comforts for a wife that hath lost a good husband Comforts for parents that haue parted with vertuous Children The vse that is to be made thereof Comforts for poore Orphanes that want father and mother Their duties Comforts against the death of brethreÌ„ sisters The vse of the point Comforts for a married man that dieth without Children CHAP. XIII Of the priuatiue benefits of Death What be the euills that death freeth Gods children from What vse is to be made hereof Whethâ—r it bee lawfull for any man to kill himselfe that hee may bee eased of his present paine Whether that death is to be feared In what respects death is to be feared In what respects it is not to be feared How we are to be defended against the fear of it What are â—he positiue benâ—fits of death Whether that a man in this mortality can haue a tast of eternall life What considerations and practises are necessary herâ— unto How he must ground these meditations in his hart Why do regenerate men die Whether that death may be desired In what respects Whether it be lawfull to desiâ—e life What is required that a man may die well Whether that preparation against death bee necessary Wherein it doth consist What are the meditations What duties must the sicke man performe towards God Why so What duties must he perfoâ—me to his neighbour What duties must he perfoâ—me to his owne familie What duties is he to peâ—form towards himselfe What will follow vpon the performance of these duties VVhat is a right disposition in death VVhether that it be necessary The parts of it VVhat it is to die in faith What is the benefit hereof How is faith to be expressed What is it to die in obedience How is this duty to be performed What it is to surrender our soules into Gods hands Comforts against death What vse is to be made hereof CHAP. XIIII Of Personall and particular euils Comforts against impotency and deformity of body Comforts against lamenesse blindnesse deafenesse dumbnesse CHAP. XV. Of outward particular euils or crosses Comforts against euill husbands Comforts against euill wiues Comforts against euill children Comforts against euill and vnfaithfull Seruants Comforts against euill Lords and Masters CHAP. XVI Of priuate euils that are from without vs. Comforts against shrewd mothers in lawe Comforts for them that receiue foiles and repulses in lawfull suites Counsaile and comfort for such as are either vndone or much decayed by â—uretiship Comforts for them whose good seruice is neither respected noâ— rewarded Comforts against barrennes in wiues Comforts against false imprisonment Comforts for them that are oppressed in their lawfull suite CHAP. XVII Of extraordinary euils to which the bodies of men are subiect What is witchcraft Whether that Gods children can be bewitched The vse of the point Why doth God suffer his children to bee thus tormented What vse is to be made of the point Why doth Satan seeke rather to annoy Gods children then the reprobate The spirituall remedies against witchcraft What possession is Whether that there be any in these daies Whether there can yet be any possession seeing that the miraculous gift of expelling them is ceased Whether the Demoniaks in Christ his time were possessed by the diuell or only obsessed or tormented from without Whether that any of Gods children were are or can be possessed by Satan Generall comforts and directions against possession The duties of the possessed What duties are the friends and those that attend vpon the possessed to performe The second booke CHAP. I. Of anguish of mind and distresse of Conscience VVHat distresse of mind is Why of all crosses and troubles it is the greatest Why doth God sometimes try and exercise his children by so great afflictions Comforts against the long continuaÌ„ce of them From what cauâ—es distresse of mind ariseth VVhat comfortable mâ—ditations are necessary for the regaining the losse of Gods gratious fauour once sweetly felt The vse of the point Comforts for those that are troubled in conscience for some notable sinne committed Comforts against the long continuance of inward and outward troubles What melancholy is How it causeth distresse of conscience How it differeth from trouble of conscience Comfort against sadnes and heauinesse of mind Comforts against fearefull dreames Practises to preuent it Comforts and remedies for him that is weary of this life by reason of troubles and discontentments What desperation is How it is ordinarily caused Meditations and remedies against it The vse of the doctrine Comforts against the fear of the last iudgement The vse of it Comforts against the feare of Hell CHAP. II. Of doubtings Why God