endes and hath power to bring them thereunto and who is this but God II. The second sort of arguments drawn from the light of nature are taken from the preseruation and gouernment of the world created and these are touched by the Holy Ghost when he saith that God left not himself without witnesse in that in his prouidence he did good and gaue raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with ioy and gladnesse The particulars drawne from the gouernment of the world are these First our food whereby we are nourished is in it selfe a dead foode void of life and yet it serues to maintain and preserue life wheras in reason it is more fit to choke and stuffe our bodies then to feede them Secondly our garments which we weare are in themselues cold and voide of heate and yet they haue this vse to preserue heate and to sustaine life in the extremitie of cold Therefore there must needes be an omnipotent and diuine power that giues vnto them both such a vertue to feed and preserue the life and health of man Thirdly the raine falling and the sunne shining vpon one the same plot of grouÌ„d causeth it to bring forth in his season a hundred seuerall kindes of hearbes and plants wherof euery one hath a seuerall and distinct â—â—ower colour forme and sauour whence comes this Not from the raine for it hath no life in it selfe and besides it is in it selfe all one nor from the sunne or the earth for these also in their kind are all one hauing in them no such power wherby they should be the authors of life therefore the differences of plants in one ground may convince our iudgements and teach vs thus much that there is a diuine and heauenly power aboue and beside the power of these creatures Fourthly take an example of the bird and the egge The bird brings forth the egge the egge againe brings forth the bird This egge considered in it selfe hath in it neither life nor soule and the bird can giue it neither for all that the bird can doe is to giue it heat and no more Within the shell of this egge is made a goodly creature which wheÌ„ it comes to some perfection it breakes the shell In the shell broken we shall see the nibbe the wing the legge and all the parts and members of a bird Now let this be considered that the egge brought not forth this goodly creature nor yet the henne For the egge had no such power or vertue in it selfe and the hen gaue but her heat neither did man doe it for that which was done was within the egge and within the shell It therfore was some other wonderfull power and wisedome that made it and brought it forth that surpasseth the power of a creature Again consider the generation of the silk-worme one of the least of the creatures and from it we haue a notable demonstration of a divine providence This little worme at the first is but a small seede like vnto linseed The same small seed breeds it and brings it forth The worme brought forth and growing to some bignesse at length weaues the silke hauing woven the silke it winds it selfe within it as it were in a shell there hauing lodged for a time it conceiues a creature of another forme which being within a short space pâ—rfited breakes the shell and comes forth a flie The same flie like a dutifull creature brings forth the seed againe and so continues the kind thereof from yeare to yeare Here let it be remembred that the flie hauing once brought forth the seede leaues it and dies immediately and yet the seede it selfe though exposed to wind and weather and vtterly neglected of man or any creature at a certaine time within few moneths becomes a worm WheÌ„ce should al this proceede but from a creator infinitely powerfull and wise who by his admirable power and prouidence dispenseth life beeing and propagation euen to the least things in their particular sorts and kinds III. The third sort of Arguments from thâ— light of nature are taken from the soule of man This soule is endued with excellent gifts of vnderstanding and reason The vnderstanding hath in it from the beginning certaine principles whereby it knowes and discernes good and bad things to be done and things to be left vndone Now man cannot haue this gift to discerne between good and euill of or from himselfe but it must needes proceede from another cause which is power wisedome and vnderstanding it selfe and that is God Againe the conscience another gift of the soule of man hath in it two principall actions testimony and iudgement by both which the trueth in hand is evidently confirmed Touching the testimonie of conscience let it be demaunded of the Atheist whereof doth conscience beare witnesse he cannot denie but of all his particular actions I aske then against whome or with whome doth it giue testimony the aÌ„swer wil easily be made by the heart of any man that it is with or against himselfe Furthermore to whome is it a witnes Neither to men nor to angels for it is vnpossible that any man or angel should either heare the voice of coÌ„scieÌ„ce or receiue the testimonie thereof or yet discerne what is in the heart of man Hereupon it followes that there is a substance most wise most powerfull most holy that sees and knowes all things to whome conscience beares record and that is God himselfe And touching the iudgement of conscience let a man commit any trespasse or offence though it be done in secret and concealed from the knowledge of any person liuing yet Conscience that knoweth it will accuse him terrifie him cite him before God and giue him no rest What or where is the reason man knowes not the trespasse committed and if there be no God whome shall he feare and yet he feares This also necessarily prooueth that there is a iust and mightie God that will take vengeance vpon him for his sinne IV. The fourth argument from nature is this There is a ground or principle written in euery mans heart in the world none excepted that there is a God Reasons for proofe hereof may be these First the Gentiles worshipping Idoles made of stocks and stones doe acknowledge herein thus much that there is something whereunto honour and seruice is due For man by nature is proud and will neuer yeeld to bow the knee of his bodie before a stocke or a stone to adore it vnlesse he thinke and acknowledge that there is in them a diuine power better then himselfe Secondly the oath that is taken for Confirmation commonly tearmed the assertorie oath is vsed in all countries And it is for the most part generally taken to be a lawfull meanes of confirming a mans word when it is bound by the oath taken Iacob and Laban beeing to make a couenant Iacob sweares by the true God Laban by his false gods and by that both were bound to
goodnes to any worke Christ saith of the Pharises that they worshipped him in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men He therefore that will doe a worke tending to the worship of God must doe that which God commandeth Now actions expressely commanded are the duties of the morall Law Actions generally commanded are all such as serue to be helpes and meanes to further the said morall duties And here we must remember that actions indifferent in the case of offence or edification cease to be indifferent and come vnder some commandement of the morall Law To which purpose Paul saith If eating flesh will offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth his meaning is that though his eating of flesh was a thing indifferent in it selfe yet in case of offence his minde was to abstaine from it as much as from the breach of the Law of God Againe if an action indifferent comes within the case of furthering the good of the Commonwealth or Church it ceaseth to be indifferent and comes vnder commandement and so all kind of callings and their works though neuer so base may be the matter of good workes This point is to be remembred for it serueth to incourage euery man of what condition soeuer he be in the diligent performance of the duties of his calling as also to confute the doctrine of the Popish church which teacheth that onely almes deedes and building or maintaining of Churches and religious houses are the matter of good works Now to the manner or Forme of a good work there is required Faith For as without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. 6. so whatsoeuer worke is vndertaken without faith cannot in any sort be acceptable vnto him What faith then is required in this case I answer First a general faith whereby we are perswaded that the thing to be done may lawfully be done and of this the Apostle speaketh when he saith whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly a particular or iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and maketh it fit to bring forth a good work for it giues a beginning to the worke and also couers the wants and defects thereof by apprehending and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits Againe a good worke for the māner thereof must be done in obedience For knowing that the thing to be done is commanded of God we must haue a minde and intention to obey God in the thing we doe according to his cōmandement If it be here demanded seeing workes must be done in obedience how and to what part of the word we must direct our obedience I answer to the Law But howe not considered in his rigour but as it is qualified mollified and tēpered by the gospell for according to the rigour of the Lawe which commandes perfect obedience no man can possibly doe a good worke Furthermore touching the maner it must be done to good and lawfull ends The Ends of a good worke are manifold First the honour and glory of God Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly the testification of our thankfulnes vnto God that hath redeemed vs by Christ. The third is to edifie our neighbour and to further him in the way to life euerlasting Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works glorifie your father which is in heauen The fourth is to exercise and increase our faith repentance both which be much strengthned and confirmed by the practise of good workes Fiftly that we may escape the punishment of sinne the destruction of the wicked and obtaine the reward of the righteoūs life euerlasting This was the end that Paul aymed at in the course of his calling to which purpose he saith From henceforth there is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day 2. Tim. 4. 8. Sixtly that we may be answerable to our calling in doeing the duties thereof and in walking as children of light redeemed by Christ Iesus When Dauid kept his fathers sheepe he behaued himselfe as a sheepheard but when he was annointed King ouer Israell God gaue him an heart resolution to carry himselfe as a King gouernour of his people Looke then as Dauid did so ought we euen by our workes to be answerable to our callings Seuenthly that we may pay the debt which we owe vnto God For we are debters to him in sundry regardes as we are his creatures as we are his seruants as we are his children In a word as we are redeemed by Christ and our whole debt is our dutie of praise and thanks giuing After the worke is done then comes the acceptation of it God accepts of our works diuers waies First in that he pardoneth the fault which comes from vs. Secondly in that he approoues his owne good worke in vs. Thirdly in that he doth giue vnto the doers of them a crowne of righteousnes and glorie according to his promise 2. Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. We then after we haue done the work must humble our selues and intreat the Lord to pardon the wants of our workes and say with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant with Daniel Lord vnto vs belongeth open shame confusiō but to thee righteousnes compassion and forgiuenes And the reason is plaine because in vs there is no goodnesse no holinesse no righteousnes nor any thing that may present vs acceptable in his sight for this cause Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not therby iustified Great reason then that we should hūble ourselues before God for our wants and pray vnto him that he will in mercie accept our indeauour and confirme the good worke begunne in vs by his holy spirit CHAP. VI. Of the second maine Question touching assurance of saluation II. Question How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation Before I come to the Question it selfe this conclusion is to be laid downe as a mayne Ground That Election vocatiō faith adoption iustificatiō sanctification eternal glorification are neuer separated in the saluation of any man but like inseparable companions go◠hand in hand so as he that can be assured of one of them may infallibly conclude in his owne heart that he hath and shall haue interest in all the other in his due time This is plaine by the words of S. Paul Rom. 8. 30. Whome he predestinate them also he called whome he called them also he iustified whome he iustified them also he glorified In which place the Apostle compares the causes of saluation to a chaine of many linkes whereof euery one is so coupled to the other that he which taketh hold of the highest must needes carrie all the rest with him Againe amongst these linkes Faith is one a principall grace of God whereby
127 7 18 21  19 166. 184  1 27  30 74  16 75  28 130. 124  26 286. 277 1 20 204 11 15 95 12 3 480 13 12 417  10 ibid. 14 15 450  23 46  vlt. 70 16 26 95  5 541 13 14 581 1. Cor.   2 15 619 3 18 291 5  324 6 7 30  18 494 7 9 412  27 413  30 530 8 vlt. 69 9 27 427 11 26 340. 337 13 5 496 15 31 389 2. Cor.   1 23 384. 4 17 362 7 9 99 Galat.   3 26 82 4 10 449 5 1 414  12 272 Ephes.   4 26 510 5 18 553  29 419 6 18 282 5 16 479 Philip.   1 10 531 4 8 634. 481  12 531  5 497 Coloss.   1 26 95 2 16 414 3 16 296 1. Thess.   4 11 481 5 17 282  20 294  23 186 2. Thessal   7 8 227 1. Tim.   1 1 19 2 4 94  15 362 4 8 404  5 544  22 32 5 12 420  24 33  19 622  21 389  23 537 6 8 564  9 524  17 18 19 615 2. Tim.   2 19 85 4 14 273 Titus   1 15 544 Hebr.   3 11 383 5 7 288 12 11 126 Iames.   1 15 38  19 291 〈◊〉 2 362  10 64  1 624 5 16 5 1. Peter   2 1 292 3 15 360 2. Peter   1 10 86 1. Iohn   3 2 81  14 9 5 11 15 79. 289 Apocal.   19 10 355 21 6 98 THE FIRST BOOKE of the Cases of Conscience concerning Man simply considered in himselfe without relation to an other The Preface declaring the Ground and Order of the Treatise following Isaiah 50. 4. The Lord God hath giuen me a tongue of the learned that I should know to minister a word in due time to him that is wearie IN that part of the Prophecie which goes before the holy Ghost setteth downe and foretelleth the Calling of the Gentiles which was to beginne at the death of Christ and from thence to continue vnto this day and so consequently to the ende of the world In the former verses of this Chapter there is mention made of the reiection of the Iewes I meane not a generall but a particular rejection namely then when they were in affliction in the daies of Isaiah Now in this and so in all other Prophecies of the like kind which intreat of this point Christ himselfe is brought in speaking in his owne person and the words of this Chapter from the beginning to this present verse and the rest that follow are the words of Christ the Mediatour In the verses going before he disputes the case of their rejection and and the summe of the whole disputation is that either he or they themselues were the causes thereof but he was not the cause therfore they themselues by their sinnes The reason whereby he prooues that they themselues were the cause is framed in this sort You Iewes caÌ„not bring any writing or bill of diuorce to shew that I rejected you therfore I appeale euen to your owne consciences whether you haue not brought this iudgement vpon your selues by your iniquities vers 1. On the other side the reasoÌ„ why God was not the cause is because he for his part called them in great mercie and ioue but when he called they would not obey ver 2. Now in the ende of the second verse is contained an answer to a secret reply that some obstinate Iewe might make after this manner God hath not nowe the like power in sauing and deliuering vs as he hath had in formâ—r times therefore we cannot hope or expect any deliuerance from him and howe then shall we doe in the meane while To this the Lord himselfe makes answer ver 2 3 4. that his hand is not shortned nor his power lessened in regard of greater workes much lesse in respect of their deliuerance and though the present affliction which they indured was great and tedious yet they were not to be ouermuch dismayed in themselues but rather to be comforted because God had giuen him the tongue of the learned to minister a word in season to the wearie and distressed and consequently that he had power to case and refresh that their wearines and affliction In this text then there is set downe one principal dutie of Christs propheticall office by allusion to the practises of the Prophets in the old Testament especially those which belonged to the schooles of Elias and Elizeus who are here tearmed the learned And out of the words thereof one speciall point of instruction may be gathered namely That there is a certaine knowledge or doctrine reuealed in the word of God whereby the consciences of the weake may be rectified and pacified I gather it thus It was one speciall dutie of Christs propheticall office to giue comfort to the consciences of those that were distressed as the Prophet here recordeth Now as Christ had this power to execute and performe such a dutie so he hath committed the dispensation therof to the Ministers of the Gospel For we may not thinke that Christ in his owne person ministred and spake words of comfort to the wearie in the times of the Prophets because he was not then exhibited in our nature and yet he did then speake but how in the persons of the Prophets So likewise because Christ now in the new Testament speaks not vnto the afflicted in his owne proper person it remaineth therfore that he performes this great worke in the Ministerie of Pastours and Teachers vpon earth to whom he hath giuen knowledge and other gifts to this ende and purpose There must needes therefore be a certen and infallible doctrine propounded and taught in the Scriptures whereby the consciences of men distressed may be quieted and releeued And this doctrine is not attained vnto by extraordinarie reuelation but must be drawne out of the written word of God The point therfore to be handled is What this doctrine should be It is not a matter easie and at hand but full of labour and difficultie yea very large like vnto the maine sea I will onely as it were walke by the banks of it and propound the heads of doctrine that thereby I may at least occasion others to consider handle the same more at large That I may proceede in order First I am to lay downe certaine Grounds or Preambles which may giue light and direction to the things that follow and in the next place I will propound and answer the maine and principall Questions of Conscience CHAP. I. Of the two first Grounds of Cases Confession and the degrees of Goodnes THe Grounds or Preambles are especially foure The first touching Confession The second touching the degrees of
thing before named that is conformitie or correspondencie to the will of God in regard of obedience But some may say the want of conformitie in the powers of the soule is not sinne properly because in sinne there must bee not onely an absence of goodnesse but be some twentie or thirtie yeares yet the partie offending doth not therefore cease to be a sinner Now then I demaund what is the very thing for which he is named and tearmed still a sinner in the time present the offence beeing past The answer is that euery actuall sinne beside the three former must be considered with a fourth thing to wit a certaine staine or blotte which it imprints and leaues in the offender as a fruit and that is an inclination or euill disposition of the heart wherby it becomes more apt prone to the offence done or to any other sinne For looke as the dropsie man the more he drinks the drier he is and the more he still desires to drinke euen so a sinner the more he sinnes the apter is he to sinne and more desirous to keepe still a course in wickednes And as a man that lookes vpon the Sunne if he turne his face away remains turned vntill he turne himselfe againe so he that turnes from God by any sinne makes himselfe a sinner and so remaines vntill he turne himselfe againe by repentance Thus Dauid was a sinner not onely in the very act of his adulterie murâ—… ther but euen when the act was doneâ—… past he remained still a murtherer and 〈◊〉 dulterer because a new or rather a reâ—… pronenesse to these and all othâ—… tooke place in his heart by his falâ—… strength till he turned to God byâ—… vpon the admonition of the Proâ—… thing then whereby a sinner is tearmed a sinner is the Fault together with the fruit thereof namely the Blot imprinted in the soule so oft as men doe actually offend The Vse of this doctrine touching sinne is twofold First by it we learne and see what is Originall sinne wherby an Infant in the first conception and birth is indeed a sinner Euery Infant must be considered as a part of Adam proceeding of him and partaking of his nature and therby it is made a sinner not onely by imputation of Adams offence but also by propagation of an aptâ—esse and pronenes vnto euery euill receiued together with nature from Adam And thus ought we to conceiue Originall sinne not to be the corruption of nature alone but Adams first offence imputed with the fruit thereof the corruption of nature which is an inclination vnto euery euill deriued together with nature from our first parents Secondly by this we are taught to take heed of all and euery sinne whether it be in thought word or deed because the committing therof though in respect of the act it passeth aâ—… in the doing yet it breedeth and inâ—…seth a wicked disposition in the heart â—…h beene said to the offence done or aâ—… sinne Men deceiue themselues that â—…the euill of sinne to be only in the â—…ng to goe no further wheras inâ—… offence hath a certen blot going with it that corrupteth the heart and causeth man to delight and lie in his offence which lying in sinne is a greater cause of damnatioÌ„ then the very sin it selfe This therfore must admonish vs to take heed least we continue in any sinne and if it fall out that through infirmitie we be ouertaken by any tentation we must labour to rise again and turne from our sinne to God by new and speedy repentance Sect. 3. Thus much of Sinne it selfe Now follow the Differences thereof which are manifold The first sort are to be gathered from the causes and beginnings of sinne in man which are threefold Reason will and Affection The differeÌ„ces of sinne in respect of Reason are these First some are sinnes of knowledge some of ignorance A sinne of Knowledge is when a man offends against his knowledge doing euill when he knoweth it to be euill and this is greater then a sinne of ignorance for he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes A sinne of Ignorance is when a man doth euill not knowing it to be euill Thus Paul was a blasphemer an oppressour and persecuted the Church of Christ ignorantly and in a blinde zeale not knowing that which hee did to be euill Nowe by ignorance here I meane an ignorance of those things which ought to be knowne and this is twofold simple or affected Simple ignorance is when a man after diligence and good paines taking still remaines ignorant this ignorance will not excuse any man if it be of such things as he is bound to know for it is said He that doth not his masters will by reason he knew it not shall be beaten with stripes though fewer And in this regard euen the Heathen which knew not God are inexcusable because they were bound to haue known him For Adam had the perfect knowledge of God imprinted in his nature and lost the same through his owne default for himselfe and his posteritie And it is the commandement of God whereunto euery man is bouÌ„d to performe obedience that man should know him that is his will and word But some may say then how can any man be saued seeing euery man is ignoraÌ„t of many things which he ought to know An. If we know the grouÌ„ds of religion be careful to obey God according to our knowledge hauing withall a care and desire to increase in the knowledge of God and his will God will hold vs excused for our desire and indeauour to obey is accepted for obedience it selfe And the greater this simple ignoraÌ„ce is the lesser is the sinne For hereupon it was that Peter lessened and in some sort excused the sinne of the Iewes in crucifying Christ because they did it through ignorance and so doth Paul his sinne in persecuting the Church when he alleadgeth that it was done ignorantly in vnbeleefe But howsoeuer this sinne by such meanes may be lessened yet remaines it still a sinne worthie condemnation Affected ignorance is when a man takes delight in his ignorance and will of purpose be ignorant not vsing but contemning the meanes wherby to get and increase knowledge and that carelessely and negligently because he will not leaue sinne which he loueth nor forsake the euill trade of life wherin he delighteth This is the sinne of those whereof Iob speaketh who say vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies And of whome Dauid complaineth that they flatter themselues in their owne eyes and haue left off to vnderstand and to doe good This ignorance is damnable and deuilish it excuseth no man but doth rather aggrauate and increase his sinne yea it is the mother of many grieuous enormities Againe Ignorance is twofold of the Law or of the thing the Law requireth Ignorance of the Law is
presumptuous offence in which true religion is renounced and that of set purpose and resolued malice against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and Christ. Heb. 10. 29. Sect. 4. Now follow other Differences of sinne in regard of the obiect thereof which is the Law In respect of of the Law sin is two fold either of CommissioÌ„ or of Omission I say in respect of the Law because God hath reuealed in his Law two sorts of precepts the one wherein some good thing is commanded to be done as to loue God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selues the other wherin some euill is forbidden to be done as the making of a grauen Image the taking the name of God in vaine c. Now a sinne of CoÌ„mission is when a man doth any thing that is flatly forbidden in the Law and word of God as when one man kills another contrarie to the Law which saith Thou shalt not kill A sinne of Omission is when a man leaueth vnperformed some dutie which the Law requireth as for example the preseruing of his neighbours life or good estate when it lieth in his power so to doe These also are truly sinnes and by them as well as by the other men shall be tried in the last iudgement Sinnes of Omission haue three degrees First when a man doth nothing at all but omits the dutie commanded both in whole and in part as when hauing opportunitie abilitie he doth not mooue so much as one finger for the sauing of his neighbours life Secondly when a man performes the dutie inioyned but failes both in the manner measure therof Thus the Heathen failed in doing good workes in that the things which they did for substance and matter were good and commendable beeing done vpon ciuill and honest respects and referred to the coÌ„mon good yet in truth their actions were no better then sinnes of omission in as much as they issued from corrupted fountaines hearts voide of faith and aimed not at the maine end and scope of all humane actions the honour and glorie of God Thirdly when a man doth things in a right manner but faileth in the measure thereof And thus the children of God doe sinne in al the duties of the lawe For they doe the good things the law commaÌ„deth in louing God their neighbour but they cannot attaine to that measure of loue which the lawe requireth And thus the best men liuing doe sinne in euery good worke they doe so as if God should enter into iudgement deale with theÌ„ in the rigour of his iustice examine them by the strict rule of the Lawe he might iustly condemne them euen for their best actions And in this regard when we pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes the best workes we doe must come in the number of them because we faile if not in substance manner yet at the least in the measure of goodnesse that ought to bee in the doing of them We must also haue care to repent vs euen of these our sins of Omission as well as of the other of Commission because by leauing vndone our dutie we doe oftner offend then by sinnes committed and the least Omission is enough to condemne vs if it should be exacted at our hands Sect. 5. The next difference of Sinnes may be this Some are Crying sinnes some are sinnes of Toleration Crying sinnes I call those which are so hainous in their kind so grieuous that they hasten Gods iudgements and cal downe for speedie vengeance vpon the sinner Of this kind there are sundry examples in the Scriptures principally foure First Cains sinne in murthering his innocent brother Abell whereof it was saide The voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth The next is the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrha which was pride fulnes of bread abundance of idlenesse vnmerciful dealing with the poore and all manner of vncleannesse Ezech. 16. of this The Lord said that the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha waâ— great and their sinnes exceeding grieuous The third is the sinne of Oppression indured by the Israelites in Egypt at the hand of Pharao and his task-masters The fourth is mercilesse Iniustice in wrongfull withholding and detaining the labourers hire Now they are called Crying sinnes for these causes First because they are now come to their full measure and height beyond which God will not suffer them to passe without due punishment Againe the Lord takes more notice and inquires further into them then into others by reason that they exceede and are most eminent where they be committed Thirdly they call for present helpe to the afflicted and wronged and consequently for speedie exequution of vengeance vpon the authors and committers of them And lastly because God is wont to giue â—are vnto the cryes of those that endure so heauie measure at the hands of others and accordingly to helpe them and reward the other with deserued punishment Next vnto these are sinnes of Toleration lesser then the former which though in theÌ„selues they deserue death yet God in his mercie shewes his patience long sufferaÌ„ce vpon the committers thereof either deferring the temporal punishment or pardoning both temporall and eternall to his Elect. Such a sinne was the ignorance of the Gentiles before Christs comming which God deferred to punish and as we say winked at it More especially there be three sorts of sinnes of ToleratioÌ„ the first is Originall sin or concupiscence in the regenerate after regeneration and the fruits thereof for it is not quite abolished by regeneration but remaines more or lesse molesting tempting a man till death And yet if we carrie a constant purpose not to sinne and indeauour our selues to resist all tentations this concupiscence of ours shall not be imputed vnto vs nor we condemned for it And to this purpose the holy Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Yet saith he not There is nothing worthie condemnation in them for Originall sinne remaines till death truly deseruing damnation though it be not imputed The second kind of sinnes of Toleration are secret vnknowne and hidden sinnes in the regenerate For who can tell how ofâ— he offendeth saith Dauid When a man that is the child of God shall examine his heart and humble himselfe euen for all his particular sinnes which he knoweth by himselfe there shall yet remaine some vnknowne sinnes of which he cannot haue a particular repentance and yet they are not imputed when there is repeÌ„tance for knowne sinnes As for example Dauid repents of his murther adulterie and yet afterwards erring in iudgement by reason of the corruption of the times he liued to his death in the sinne of polygamie without any particular repentance that we heare of In like manner did the Patriarkes who may not altogether be excused yet they were not coÌ„demned therof neither were they saued without repentance for
afflictions for this life and in glorie for the life to come Now if God hath decreed that those whome he foreknew should be conformable vnto his Sonne in these respects then hath he also decreed the afflictions themselues Secondly God doth not onely barely permit afflictions to be but also he effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trialls and punishments I make peace saith the Lord and I create euill that is not the euill of sinne but of punishment which is euill in our sense and feeling For things are tearmed euill two waies some are euill indeed some are euill not indeed but in regard of our sense apprehension and estimation and of this latter sort are afflictions which God is said to create And to this purpose is the saying of the Prophet Amos Shall there be euill in the citie and the Lord hath not done it Thirdly as God causeth afflictions so he ordereth and disposeth them that is he limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure or quantitie and the continuance thereof Yea he also ordereth them to their right endes namely his owne glorie the good of his seruants and the benefit of his Church Thus God is saide to correct his people in iudgement that is so as he will haue the whole ordering of the correction in his owne hand Ioseph tells his brethren that when they intended euill against him in selling him to the Ishmaelites for siluer God disposed it for good When Shemei cursed Dauid he forbade his seruants so much as to meddle with him and why because saith he the Lord bade him to curse and who then dare say onto him Why hast thou done so And to this purpose the Prophet Dauid saith I held my peace and said nothing why because thou Lord hast done it Psal. 39. 9. Here some wil say if Afflictions did come onely from God it were somewhat but ofâ—entâ—â—es they come from men that beare vs no good will and therefore no maruell though we be impatient Answ. When crosses doe come from men God vseth them as instruments to execute his iudgements vpon vs and in this worke God is the chiefe doer and they are as tooles in the hand of the workman And the Lord inflicteth them vpon vs by men to trie our patience vnder the crosse Ioseph though he knew well the badde dealing of his brethren towards him yet he looked not to them alone but to an higher cause namely the Lord himselfe who executed his owne good will by them God faith he disposed it to good And againe God did send me before you into Egypt for your preseruation The Second ground is The commandement of God touching the crosse and obedience vnto him therein This commaundement is expressed Luk. 9. 23. where we are commanded to take vp our crosse euery day and follow Christ. Abraham was commanded with his owne hands to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac and to this commandement though otherwise a great crosse vnto him he addresseth himselfe to yeeld obedience And in the prophecie of Micah the Church saith Shee will boare the wrath of the Lord that is shee will performe obedience to him in the crosse because shee had sinned against him And Saint Peter saith that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble therefore humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God And this beeing the commaundement of God that we should yeeld obedience to him in euery affliction we ought to be no lesse carefull to obey it then any one commandement of the morall Law The Third ground is that God will be present with his seruants in their afflictions Vpon this ground Dauid comforts himselfe because God had promised to heare him to be with him in trouble and to deliuer him And in an other place Though I should walke in the shaddow of death I would feare none ill for thou art with me c. Now that we may the better vnderstand this doctrine we are to consider what be the Ends or Effects of Gods beeing with vs in affliction whereby he testifieth his presence and they are three The first is to worke our deliuerance from the crosse Call vpon me saith the Lord in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee This promise must not be vnderstood simply but with an exception so farre forth as it shall be for our good For all promises of temporall deliuerance are conditionall and must be conceiued with this limitation of the crosse and chastisement if God please to impose it Some may say how if God will not deliuer vs but leaue vs in the affliction what coÌ„fort shall we then haue Answ. In the second place therefore we must remember that God will temper and moderate our afflictions so as we may be able to beare them Habbakuk praieth vnto God in the behalfe of the Church that he would in wrath remember mercie And Paul saith that the Lord will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue an issue with the temptation Thirdly put the case that God doth not moderate our afflictions but suffer them to remaine vpon vs not onely for some time of our life but to the very death yet then will he testifie his holy presence an other way namely by giuing the partie distressed power and strength to beare his affliction Vnto you it is giuen saith Paul for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake The Fourth ground of comfort in affliction is that euery affliction vpon the seruants of God hath some speciall goodnesse in it Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God And in regard hereof the crosses which are indured by Gods children are so farre from beeing preiudiciall to their saluation that they are rather helps and furtherances of the same Now this Goodnes is perceiued two waies First by the fruit and effect of it and then by the qualitie and condition thereof In both which respects afflictions are good Touching the fruits of Afflictions because they are manifold I will reduce them to seauen principall heads I. Afflictions doe make men to see and consider their sinnes Iosephs brethren for twentie yeares together were little or not at all troubled for their wickednes in selling their brother yet vpon their affliction in Egypt they began to consider what they had done We haue say they verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Manasses in the time of his peace gaue himselfe to witchcraft and the worshipping of straunge gods but when he was captiue in Babylon then was he brought to the sight of his sinnes mooued to humble himselfe before God for them II.
stand to their agreement and not to goe backe therefore neither of them did or durst breake their oath And among the Gentiles themselues there are fewe or none to be found that will falsifie their word giuen and auowed by oath Whereupon it is a cleare case that they acknowledged a Godhead which knowes and discernes their hearts yea that knowes the truth and can and will plague them for disgracing the truth by lying Thirdly we are not lightly to passe ouer the vsuall tearmes and ordinarie speech of all nations who are woont vpon occasion to say it raines it thunders it snowes it hailes For saying this one while they reioyce and are thankefull otherwhiles they feare and are dismaied They say not nature or heauen raines or thunders for then they would neither reioyce nor tremble In that therefore they speake this commonly sometimes reioycing sometimes fearing it may probably be thought that they acknowledge a diuine power which causeth the raine to fall and the thunder to be so terrible Againe for better proofe hereof it is to be considered that since the world began there could not yet be found or brought forth any man that euer wrote or published a discourse more or lesse to this purpose that there was no God If it be said that some histories doe make mention of sundrie that haue in plaine tearmes denied there is a God and that this is no lesse daungerous then if a treatise of that subiect should be written and set forth to the open view of all I answer indeede in the writings of men we doe read of some that blasphemed God and liued as without God and they haue alwaies beene properly and deseruedly tearmed Atheists Others haue denied that made and faigned gods that is Idols are gods And amongst the heathen that liued onely by the light and direction of nature all that can be brought is this that some men in their writings haue doubted whether there were a God or no but none did euer positiuely set downe reasons to prooue that there was none V. The fifth and last argument from nature is that which is vsed by all Philosophers In the world there is to be seene an excellent wise frame and order of all things One creature depends vpon an other by a certaine order of causes in which some are first and aboue in higher place some are next and inferiour some are the basest and the lowest Now these lowest are mooued of those that are superiour to them and alwaies the superiour is the cause of the inferiour and that whereof the inferiour depends Something then there must be that is the cause of all causes that must be caused by none and must be the cause of all For in things wherein there is order there is alway some first and soueraigne cause and where there is no first nor last there the Creatures are infinite But seeing all creatures are finite there must be somewhat first as well as last Now the first and the last cause of all is God which mooueth all and to whome all creatures doe tend as to their ende and which is mooued of none Notwithstanding all these reasons grounded in nature it selfe it may be some man wil say I neuer saw God how then shall I know that there is a God Ans. Why wilt thou beleeue no more then thou seest Thou neuer sawest the winde or the aire and yet thou beleeuest that there is both Nay thou neuer sawest thine owne face but in a glasse and neuer out of a glasse and yet this contenteth thee Why then may not this content thy heart and resolue thee of the Godhead in that thou seest him in the glasse of the creatures True it is that God is a spirit inuisible that cannot be discerned by the eie of flesh and blood yet he hath not left vs without a meanes whereby we may behold him For looke as we are woont by degrees to goe from the picture to the painter and in the picture to behold the painter himselfe euen so by the image of God written as it were in the face and other parts of the creatures in the world may we take a view of the wisdome power and prouidence of the Creator of them all who is God himselfe And these are the principall proofes of the Godhead which are reuealed in the booke of nature Sect. 2. The second ground of proofes is taken from the light of grace And it is that light which God affordeth to his Church in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this giues a further confirmation then nature doth For the light of nature is onely a way or preparation to faith But this light serues to beget faith and causeth vs to beleeue there is a God Now in the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles we shall see amongst the rest three distinct proofes of this point First expresse testimonies that doe in plaine tearmes note vnto vs the Godhead Secondly expresse prophecies and reuelations of things to come euen many hundred and thousands of yeares before they came to passe Yea things that are to come are foretold in the word of God so and in that very manner that they shall be in the time wherein they are to be fulfilled Now there is no man able of himselfe to know or foresee these things to come therefore this knowledge must rest in him alone who is most wise that perfectly vnderstandeth and beholdeth things that are not and to whom all future things are present and therefore certain Thirdly the word of God reuealeth many miracles which doe exceede and surpasse whole nature yea all naturall causes the doing and working whereof is not in the power of any meere creature in the world As for example the making of the sunne against his naturall course to stand still in the firmament of the waters which are naturally flowing to stand as a wall and the bottome of the sea to be as drie land The maine ende whereof is to shew that there is an absolute and almightie power which is the author of nature it selfe and all naturall things and ordereth both it and them according to his pleasure Sect. 3. The third ground of proofes is fetched from the light of glorie And this is that light which God affords vnto his seruants after this life ended in the kingdome of heauen wherein all imperfection of knowledge being taken away they shal see God face to face and haue a full and perfect knowledge of the Godhead To this purpose the Apostle saith that in the world we know in part we see as it were in a glasse The cōparison is worth the marking For there he compareth our knowledge of God that we haue in this life to a dimme sighted man that can see either very little or nothing at all without his spectacles And such is our sight comprehension of God darke and dimme in that we cannot behold him as he is but onely as he hath
preferment and such like Now touching things spirituall that are moore necessary to saluation we are to pray for them absolutely without any exception or condition But for things lesse necessary to saluation and for temporall blessings we must aske them at gods hand with this condition if it be his will and pleasure and so farre forth as he in his wisdome shall iudge to be most expedient for vs. Herein we must follow the example of Christ who in his agonie prayed to his father to take that cuppe from him yet with this condition Not my will but thy will be done The reason is this Looke how far sorth God commands vs to aske and promiseth that we shall receiue so far forth are we warranted to aske and may hope to receiue Now God commands vs to aske and promiseth vs the first sort of spirituall things freely and simply without any condition or exception But the other sort of spirituall things that are lesse necessary and temporall blessings he promiseth vs with condition and therefore in like sort ought we to aske them The second Rule is We must not in our prayer bind God to any circumstances of time place or measure of that grace or benefit which we aske V. Our praiers being thus framed as hath beene said are to be presented and offered to God alone and to none but him For first none els can heare all men in all places at all times and helpe all men in all places and at all times but onely he Againe the spirit of God makes vs to pray and in prayer to call him Abba father Furthermore all praier must be grounded vpon the word wherein we haue not the least warrant either expressely setdowne or by consequent implyed to preferre our sutes and requests to any of the creatures VI. Praier is to be presented to God in the name merit and mediation of Christ alone For we our selues are not worthie of any thing but shame and confusion Therefore we cannot pray in our owne names but must pray onely in the name of Christ. Our praiers are our sacrifices and Christ alone is that Altar whereon we must offer them to God the father For this Altar must sanctific them before they can be a sacrifice of a sweete smeiling sauour vnto God Hence it is that not onely our petitions but all other things as Paul wisheth are to be done in the name of the Lord Iesus Coloss. 3. 17. And Christ himselfe saith Whatsoeuer you aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Ioh. 16. 23. VII There must be in praier Instancie and Perseuerance The heart must be instant not onely in the act of praier but afterwards till the thing asked be granted This Instancie is commended vnto vs in the parable of the widdow and the vnrighteous iudge Luk. 18. 1. Hereunto the Prophet exhorteth when he saith keepe not silence and giue the Lord no rest c. Esa. 62. 7. And S. Paul in like manner wisheth the Romanes to striue with him by praiers to God for him Rom. 15. 30. VIII Euery true praier must haue in it some thanksgiuing vnto God for his benefits In all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in praier and supplication with giuing of thanks Phil. 4. 6. Christ himself gaue directiō touching this in that forme of prayer which he taught his Disciples For thine is the kingdome power and glorie Sect. 3. The third sort of conditions are those which are required after prayer and they are specially two The first is a particular faith whereby he that praieth must be assured that his particular request shall be granted Mark 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye pray BELEEVE that ye shall haue it and it shall be done vnto you And that he may haue this particular faith he must first haue that whence it ariseth namly true iustifying faith standing in a perswasion of his reconciliation with God The second is that a man must doe and practise that which he praies for and he is not onely to pray for blessings but also to vse all lawfull meanes that he can whereby the blessings he asketh may be obtained For example As thou praiest for the pardon of thy sinns so thou must leaue thy sinns and vse all good meanes whereby the same may be mortified and crucified And the like is to be done in all other things which we aske of God Thus we haue the first Question of conscience resolued touching Praier that then the praier is acceptable to God when he that prayeth obserueth as much as in him lyeth all these conditions before in and after praier II. Question Whether may a man lawfully make Imprecations that is to say pray against his enemies and how farre forth is it lawfull Sect. 1. For answer to this we must marke and obserue sundry distinctions and differences First we must distinguish betweene the cause and the person that defends and maintaines the cause The euill cause which an euil man defendeth is to be condemned of vs wee may alwaies and that lawfully pray against it but we may not in like sort condemne and pray against his person Secondly we must distinguish of the persons of our enemies Some be priuate enemies some publicke Priuate I call those which be enemies of some particular men and are against them in regard of this or that cause or matter and yet are not enemies of God or of his truth Publike are those which are not only our enemies but the enemies of God of his kingdome of his trueth and relion Now we may not pray against priuate enemies we may as before pray against their euill cause but not against their persons Math. 5. 44. Blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you And we are commanded to loue our enemies as our selues Againe publicke enemies of God and his truth are also of two sorts either Curable or Incurable Curable are such as offend of ignorance or some other humane frailty so as there is some hope of their conuersion and repentance We must not pray against the persons of these but onely against their dealings and badde causes and pray for their persons and for their conuersiō Thus Christ praied for those that crucified him Father forgiue them and Stephē Act. 7. for them that stoned him Vncureable are those that sinne obstinately and of malice so as there is no hope of their amendment and conuersion And further for the better answering of this Question we must marke another distinction There are two sorts of men that are to make praier vnto God Some that haue extraordinary gifts as the Prophets and Apostles Now he that is an extraordinarie man hath and must haue these two gifts namely first a spirit of Discerning to discerne and iudge whether the person against whome he praies be incureable or no and secondly a pure Zeale of Gods honour and glory The
in heauen glorified doth he by the power of his Deitie raise vp vs his mēbers frō death to life Rom. 6. 4. A certaine pledge whereof he hath giuen vs in this Sacrament Which also affordeth singular comfort and ioy vnto a man euen in his greatest extremity True it is that man by nature is dead in sinne yet God of his mercie sealeth vnto him in baptisme his rising from the death of sinne to newnesse of life True it is againe that all men must die Yet this is our comfort that in baptisme God hath sealed to vs euen our rising from the graue to life euerlasting and all by the vertue and power of Christs resurrection This is a comfort of all comforts able to vphold the soule of man euen in the houre of death The second Vse of Baptisme is that it serues to be a notable meanes of our death vnto sinne and that three waies First by putting vs in minde of mortifying the flesh and crucifying our owne corruptions For if we be baptized into the death of Christ as Paul saith Rom. 6. 3. then ought we not to continue in sinne but to labour by all meanes as by praier by fasting by the word preached and by auoiding all occasions of offence to kill and destroy the corruption of our nature and the wickednes of our hearts Gal. 5. 24. Secondly it causeth vs to dedicate our selues wholly vnto God and Christ remembring that we once offered our selues to be baptized in the presence of the whole congregation in token that we should euer afterward consecrate our soules and bodies vnto the Lord and wholly renounce and forsake the flesh the world and the Deuill Thirdly it causeth vs to labour to keepe and maintaine peace and vnitie with all men but specially with Gods people For Baptisme is a solemne testimonie of the bond of mutuall loue and fellowship both of Christ with his members and of the members one with another To this ende Paul saith that we are all by one spirit baptized into one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 13. yea and Baptisme is one of those things whereby the vnitie of the Spirit is preserued in the bond of peace Eph. 4. 5. V. Question Whether a man falling into sinne after he is baptized may haue any benefit of his Baptisme Answer He may if he repent And the reasons are these First his Indentures and Euidences remain whol in respect of God his name is not put out of the couenant Which is otherwise in the Evidēces of men For if they be once cancelled a man cannot haue his name put into them againe Secondly Baptisme is indeede as hath beene said the Sacrament of Repentance and as it were a plancke or board to swimme vpon when a man is in danger of the shippewracke of his soule Therefore if a man repent and be hartily sorie for his sinnes committed he may haue recourse to his baptisme wherein was sealed vnto him the pardon of all his sinnes past present and to come he standing to the order of his baptisme beleeuing and repenting Thirdly to them that fall euen after Baptisme there is hope of repentance and consequently of the fauour of God if they be touched in hart with true remorse and sorrowe for their offences For hence it was that Paul calls the Galatians fallen after they had beene baptized to the remembrance of the fauour of God promised vnto them in the Couenant and sealed in their Baptisme Gal. 3. 3. 19. 27. In the same manner doth Iohn call the Churches of Asia that had left their first loue to repentance conuersion Apoc. 2. 5. 16. And the said Iohn in Ecclesiasticall historie is said to haue reclaymed a young man who had most grieuously fallen after his Baptisme CHAP. X. Of the Lords Supper THus much concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme Now we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper concerning the vse wherof there are two principal Questions mooued I. Question How farre forth men haue libertie to vse or not vse the Lords Supper For the answering hereof I propound three Rules The First Euery man of yeares liuing in the Church and beeing baptized is bound in conscience by Gods commandement to vse the Lords supper In the institution of the Supper the Lord gaue a Sacramentall Word whereof there be two parts a Commādement a Promise The Cōmandement is expressed in these termes Take eate drinke doe ye this And it binds all men in the Church that are baptized to the vse of the Lords Supper The second Rule Euery man of yeares baptized is to receiue it often 1. Cor. 11. 26. As oft as ye shall drinke it in remēbrance of me The reason is because we haue need continually to feede on Christ. And herein the Lords Supper differeth from Baptisme because by Baptisme a man is once onely graffed into Christ but being in Christ he hath neede often and continually to be fedde in him to life eternall And this often nourishment of the beleeuer is sealed vnto him by the often vse of this Sacrament The third Rule Euery man is to receiue and vse the Lords Supper according to the laudable custome of that Church whereof he is a member vnlesse there be a iust impediment A iust impediment is that which barres a man from the vse of the Supper as Suspension Contagious and incurable sickenesse Absence vpon a iust and weightie cause as when a man is in his iourney and such like The reason of the Rule is first if any man refuse to receiue it when he may conueniently hauing no iust Impediment so doing he neglects and contemnes the ordinance of God Secondly for a man to abstaine when he is called to receiue it though happily he may be excused in regard of some reason inwardly knowne to himselfe yet his abstinence is a bad example and may giue offence to others Thirdly the man that may receiue and yet will not doth in effect suspend and withhold himselfe from the benefite of this holy Sacrament Now these three Rules as they serue directly to answer the Question in hand so they doe plainly discouer some errours faults in the practise of sundrie persons in these daies Some there be that thinke it sufficient to receiue the Communion once by the yere namely at Easter time Whereas on the contrary it is to be vsed as oft as may be considering that it is nothing but the shewing forth of the Lords death till he come which is not once or twise in the yeare but often yea continually to be remembred Others ther are that take liberty to thēselues to com to this Table abstaine at ther pleasure as if it were a thing arbitrary to themselues which notwithstanding the Lord hath enioyned by expresse commandement as hath beene said But some alledge for this their practise that they are at variance with such and such persons that haue done them wrong and whom they cannot forgiue and in this respect they were better
abstaine then come vnprovided To whom it may be said that their vnfitnes in this and other respects ought to be a strong motiue to induce them at least to vse all holy indeauour to prepare themselues euery day rather then a meanes to keepe them backe For if a man should abstaine vpon euery occasion of variance discontentment and infirmitie he should neuer receiue and so consequently haue no benefit by this ordinance of God Daily preparation therefore is the more necessarie that when they be called and haue opportunitie they may come as welcome guestes vnto that heauenly banquet II. Question How may a man rightly vse the Lords Supper to his comfort and saluation Ans. Three things are required therevnto A right preparation a right Receiuing and a right Vse of it afterward Sect. 1. That Preparation is needefull the commandement of the Apostle plainely shewes which is directed to al Communicants without exception 1. Cor. 11. 28 Let a man that is let euery man examine himselfe Now that a man may be rightly prepared hee must bring with him foure severall things First Knowledge of the foundation of Religion specially of the vse of both the Sacraments That this is necessarie to Preparation it appeareth by that which Paul requireth in a good Communicant 1. Cor. 11. 26. to wit the shewing forth of Christs death which is done by confession and thanks giuing and these two cannot be performed without knowledge The second thing required is Faith For all Sacraments are seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. Now Faith is hereby discerned when the heart of the beleeuer contents it selfe onely with Christ in the matter of saluation and doth beleeue not onely that there is a remission of sinnes in generall but that his sinnes are forgiuen to him in particular The third is Repentance standing in a hearty sorrow for sinnes committed in a hatred and detestation of the same and in a resolued purpose of amendment and obedience for time to come Here we must remember that renewed Repentance for sinnes committed is principally required before the Sacrament For the Apostle chargeth the beleeuing Corinthes with vnworthie receiuing because they came in their sinnes without renouation of their repentance The fourth is Charitie towards man For this Sacrament is a Communion whereby all the receiuers ioyntly vnited together in loue doe participate of one and the same Christ. And therefore as no man in the old law might offer his Sacrifice without a forehand agreement with his brother so no Communicant may partake with others at this Table without reconciliation loue and charitie Now further touching Preparation there are three Cases of Conscience to be resolued I. Case What shall a man doe if after preparation he finds himselfe vnworthie Ans. There are two kinds of vnworthines of an euili conscience and of infirmitie Vnworthines of an euill conscience is when a man liues in any sinne against his conscience This we must especially take heede of For it is proper to the Reprobate and he that comes to the Table of the Lord vnworthily in this sense questionlesse he shall eate his owne iudgement if not condemnation The vnworthines of infirmitie is when a man truly repents and beleeues and makes conscience of euery good dutie but yet sees and feeles wants in them all and in regard hereof himselfe vnfit to the Supper Such vnworthines cannot iustly hinder a man from comming to this Sacrament neither is it a sufficient cause to make him to abstaine The reason is because the Lord requires not therein perfection of faith and repentance but the truth synceritie of them both though they be imperfect If it be demanded how the truth of faith and repentance may be knowne I answer by these notes I. If our faith be directed vpon the right obiect Christ alone II. If there be a hungring and thirsting after his bodie and blood III. If wee haue a constant and serious purpose not to sinne IV. If there follow a change in the life Thus we read that many of the Iewes in the daies of Hezekias came to Ierusalem and did eate the Passeouer which had not clensed themselues according to that which was written in the Law And yet for those among them that had prepared their whole hearts to seek the Lord the text saies that God heard the praier of Hezekias and healed the people though they were not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuarie 2. Chron. 30. 18 19 20. II. Case Whether it be requisite to preparation that a man should come fasting to this supper Ans. It is not necessarie For in the Primitiue Church Christians did first feast and at the ende of their feast receiued the Lords Supper And if receiuers bring with them attentiue mindes reuerent and sober hearts it matters not whether they come fasting or not The kingdome of God stands not in meates and drinkes as Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. III. Case Whether such persons as are at contention and goe to law one with an other may with good conscience come to the Lords table The reason of the Question is because men thinke when they goe to law that they doe not forgiue Ans. There be three kinds of forgiuenes of reuenge of the penaltie and of iudgement Ofreuenge when men are content to lay aside all hatred and requitall of euill Of penaltie when beeing wronged they are content to put the matter vp and not proceede to reuenge by inflicting punishment Of iudgement when a man is willing to esteeme and iudge things badly done as well done and to iudge a bad man no euill person nor an enemie though he be an enemie Of these three the first is alwaies necessarie A man is bound in conscience to forgiue the reuenge and leaue that to the Lord to whome Vengeance properly belongeth But to the forgiuenes of penaltie and iudgement we are not alway bound We must shunne and decline iniuries offered as much as possibly we can but when they be offered we may with good conscience seeke a remedie of them and vse any lawfull meanes to defend our selues Therefore I answer to the Question thus That if a man going to law with an other forgiues him in regard of reuenge when he comes to the Lords table he doth his dutie For doing that he is not bound to the other as hath beene said Sect. 2. The Second thing in the right vse of the Lords Supper is the right Receiuing of it Wherein there be two things required First the renewing of our Knowledge or Generall Faith And then secondly the renewing of our Speciall Faith in Christ. Let the reason of both be obserued This Sacrament cōtaines many particular Signes as not onely the bread and wine but the actions about the same The Signes may be thus distinguished Some of them are representing signes some are signes applying Representing signes are such as doe liuely set forth vnto vs Christ with his benefits as the bread and the wine
haue release from any creature Therefore our Sauiour Christs commandement is Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thy oathes to whome to the Lord. Math. 5. 33. And the oath that passed betweene Dauid and Ionathan is called The Lords oath 2. Sam. 21. 7 and 1. Sam. 20. 8. God will haue the oath to binde as long as seemeth good vnto him yea and cease binding when it pleaseth him And that which himselfe bindeth or will haue to be bound no creature can loose The things which God hath coupled let no man separate Math. 19. 6. And herein the Pope shewes himselfe to be Antichrist in that he challengeth power to dispense with a lawfull oath made without error or deceit of things honest and possible Out of this answer another Question may be resolued namely when doth a man commit Periurie Ans. 1. When a man sweares that which he knowes to be false 2. When he sweares that which he meanes not to doe 3. When he swearing to doe a thing which he also meanes to doe yet afterwards doth it not In these three the not performing of an oath made it flat periurie That we may yet be informed concerning the sinne of Periurie one Question of moment is to be skanned In Societies Corporations there be Lawes and Orders to the keeping whereof euery one admitted to an office takes a corporall oath Afterward it falls out vpon occasion that he breakes some of the saide Statutes The Question is whether he be not in this case periured Ans. Statues are of two sorts Some are principall or fundamentall which serue to maintaine the state of that bodie or Corporation Others lesse principall or mixt that serue for order or decencie In the statutes principall the lawmaker intends obedience simply and therefore they are necessarie to be kept But in the lesse principall he exacts not obedience simply but either obedience or the penaltie because the penaltie is as much beneficiall to the state of that body as the other The breach of the former makes a man guilty of periurie but it is otherwise in the latter so be it the delinquent party be content to beare the mulct if it be imposed Thus students and others belonging to such societies may in some sort excuse themselues from the sinne of periurie though not from all fault in breaking some of the lesser locall statutes els few could liue in any societie without periurie Yet one more Question is propounded touching periurie whether a man may exact an oath of him whome he feares or knowes will forsweare himselfe Ans. A priuate man must not but a Magistrate may if the partie offer to take his oath not beeing vrged therto and be first admonished of the greivousnesse of the said sinne of periurie In the execution of Ciuil Iustice Magistrates must not stay vpon mens sinnes Moses expected not the Israelites repentance for their Idolatrie but presently proceeded vnto punishment Neither must the publicke good of the Common wealth bee hindred vpon the likelyhood or suspition of a mans periurie CHAP. XIIII Of Vowes THe Seuenth head of the Outward worship of God is concerning a vowe All the Questions whereof may be reduced to these foure I. Question What is a Vowe Ans. A Vowe is a promise made to God of things lawfull and possible I call it a promise to distinguish a vowe from a single purpose For a purpose may be chaunged but a vowe lawfully made cannot Againe there is great difference betweene these two for in a vowe there is first a purpose to doe a thing secondly a binding of our selues to doe that we pupose For this cause I tearme it a promise because it is a purpose with a bond without which there can be no vowe made In the next place I adde a promise made to God not to Saint Angel or Man The reasons are these First a vowe is properly the worke of the heart consisting in a purpose Now God alone knowes the heart and he alone is able to discerne of the purpose and intent of the same which no Angel Saint or other creature can possible doe Secondly when the vow is made none can punish and take revenge of the breach therof but God Thirdly in the old Testament the Iewes neuer vowed but to God because the vowe was a part of Gods worshippe Deut. 23. 21. When thou shalt vowe a vowe vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not bestack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and so it should be sinne vnto thee Where by the way we may take notice of the superstition of the popish Church that maketh vowes to Saints and Angels which is in effect to make thē gods to worship thē as the Iewes worshipped God in the old Testament II. Question Whether a vowe be now in the newe Testament any part of Religion or Gods worship The answere is threefold First if a vowe be taken for a promise of morall obedience the answer is that a vowe is indeed the worship of God and so shal be to the ende of the world For as God for his part promiseth mercie in the couenant of grace so wee in Baptisme doe make a vowe and promise of obedience to him in all his commandements and therefore Peter calleth Baptisme a stipulation that is the promise of good conscience to God This promise once made in Baptisme is renewed so oft as we come to the Lords Supper and further continued in the daily spirituall exercises of Invocation and Repentance But it may be said we are already bound to the obedience of the Law by order of diuine Iustice therefore we cannot further binde our selues Ans. He that is bound by God may also bind himself Dauid though he was boūd by god in conscience to keepe the Law yet he binds himselfe freely by oath to helpe his own weaknes to keepe himselfe from falling when he saith I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal. 119. 106. And the same bond is no lesse necessary and behooffefull for vs if we consider how prone and readie we are to fall from the worshippe of God The second Answere If a vowe be taken for a promise of some ceremoniall dutie as of Sacrifices and Oblations or of giuing house lands and goods to the Temple then we must put a difference betweene the Olde Testament and the New In the Old Testament the vow of such duties was part of Gods worshippe but in the Newe it is not and that for these Reasons First The Iewish ceremonies were to the Iewes a part of Gods worshippe but to vs Gentiles they are not cōsidering they are all in Christ abolished and none of them doe now stand in force by Gods Law to vs. Thus the Passeover was a ceremonie or seruice appointed by God to be obserued of the Israelites and their posteritie Exod. 12. 24. 25. and therefore stood as a part of Gods worshippe to them
Obedience that also is against the word of God 1. Cor. 7. 27. Ye are bought with a price be not the seruants of men Where the Apostle forbiddes vs to subiect our hearts and consciences to the lawes and ordinances of men in matters of Religion and consequently ouerthroweth the vowe of Regular obedience For in that a man bindes himselfe to be ruled in all things belonging to Gods worship according to the will and pleasure of his Superior yea to eate drinke sleepe to be cloathed c. according to a certaine rule giuen and prescribed by him whereas in regard of conscience we are bound onely vnto God Lastly the vowe of voluntarie Pouertie is also a plaine abuse of Gods owne ordinance and appointment Deut. 15. 4. that there should be no begger in Israel But it may seeme that this law is not perpetuall For in the New Testament we read that there were beggers as namely one that was laide at the gate of the Temple daily to aske almes Act. 3. Ans. This Law neither was then nor is now abrogated by God but the obseruation of it at that time and since was much neglected And the neglect of prouision for the poore is the cause of begging and the vowe of perpetuall pouertie still remaines as a manifest breach of Gods holy ordinance notwithstanding any thing that may be pretended to the contrarie II. The second reason followes Monkish vowes as they are against Gods commandement so are they also against the Libertie of Conscience which we haue by Christ touching the vse of the creatures and ordinances of God as riches mariages meates drinkes and apparell Stand fast saith the Apostle in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made you free Gal. 5. 1. Againe Let no man iudge you in meat or in drinke or inrespect of an holy day Coloss. 2. 16. In these places there is granted vnto man a free vse of all things indifferent so it be not in case of offence Now in Monkish vowes those things which God hath made indifferent and put in our libertie are made necessarie whereas no ordinance of man can make things simply necessarie and parts of Gods worship which he himselfe hath made indifferent and left free to the will of man And hence it was that the forbidding of meates and mariage were tearmed by the Apostle The doctrine of Deuills 1. Tim. 4. 1. But will some say doth not the ciuill Magistrate in our Common-wealth forbid the vse of some meates Ans. He doth But by his commandement he takes not away the libertie that we haue in the vse of things indifferent but doth onely moderate it for the common good which he may doe lawfully III. The third reason Some of them are out of the power and abilitie of him that voweth as the vowe of perpetuall chastitie in single life For our Sauiour saith All men cannot receiue this word but they to whome it is giuen Matth. 19. 11. that is Continencie is a gift of God whereof all men are not capable but those onely to whome he giueth it when and as long as it pleaseth him neither is it denied vnto some because they wil not but because they are not able Against this the Papist obiecteth that we may receiue any good gift of God if we pray for it for Christ hath saide Aske and ye shall receiue Matth. 7. 7. Ans. It is false Gods gifts are of two sorts Some are common to all that beleeue and necessarie to saluation as Faith Repentance Obedience the Feare of God Some againe are speciall gifts not giuen to all nor needs full to saluation but peculiar onely to some as health wealth continencie single life c. Now the promise of our Sauiour Aske and ye shall receiue is meant of things necessarie to saluation and not of particular and speciall gifts For some may pray for them and yet neuer receiue them Thus Paul praied thrise that the pricke in his flesh the messenger of Satan might be remooued from him yet he was not heard nor his petition graunted And why Because that which he prayed for was not a common gift necessarie to saluation but a speciall grace for the time of the temptation wherewith he was presently assaulted whereupon Answer was giuen My grace is sufficient for thee And hence we learne in what manner to aske things at the hands of God when wee pray Such as are necessarie to saluation we may aske absolutely and simply but things that are lesse necessarie with this condition If it may stand with the good will and pleasure of God Againe the Papist alleadgeth an example of two married persons the one whereof beeing smitten by the hand of God with the dead palsie the other must needes pray for the gift of continencie Ans. In this case a married partie may aske it and by Gods mercy obtaine it because now there remains vnto him or her no other remedie But it is not so with single persons considering that they haue an other remedie which is Mariage and therefore they may not looke or hope to obtaine such a gift Thirdly they say God hath giuen to all men sufficient aide and strength that if they will vse the meanes they may haue the gift of chastitie For sufficient grace is giuen to all though not effectuall Ans. It is false there is neither sufficient nor effectuall grace giuen to all to liue a single life but it is a rare and speciall gift giuen onely to some Paul to Timothie willeth younger women not to indeauour to forbeare when they haue not the gift but in want thereof to marrie 1. Tim. 5. 14. Where he takes it for graunted that they had no such power giuen them of God to liue in perpetuall chastitie though they would IV. The fourth Reason Popish vowes doe abolish that order which God hath set in the Societie of mankinde to wit that men should not onely serue him in the duties of the first Table out in the duties of the second by seruing of men Gal. 5. 13. By loue serue one another Againe Rom. 13. 10. Loue is called the fulfilling of the Law because the law of God is practised not apart by it selfe but in and with the loue of our neighbour From this order it followeth that euery man beside the Generall calling of a Christian must haue some particular kinde of life in the which he must walke and therein doe seruice to men Which if he refuse to doe he must not eate according to the Apostles rule 2. Thess. 3. 10. Now these vowes make a separation betweene these two for they bring men into a generall calling but they vtterly frustrate and make void the particular and the duties of it so as a man keeping them cannot be seruiceable to man either in Church or Commonwealth Besides by the vow of pouertie the Apostles rule is disanulled 1. Tim. 5. 16. which is that if a man be able to maintaine himselfe or haue any kinred able to doe it he should not
he spake no more but the truth onely he concealed part of the truth Now if it fall out otherwise that policie be vsed and any of these foure Caueats be not obserued then it looses both the name and nature of true Policie and becomes fraud craft and deceit and so is condemnable Example hereof we haue in Dauid 1. Sam. 21. 14. who when he came to the court of Achish king of Gath and saw himselfe in daunger he faines himselfe madde Which though he did to saue his owne life yet his poliâ—â—e was not to be allowed of for it tended to his owne disgrace he beeing King of Israel and it was also dishonourable vnto God who had appointed him to be the king of Israel Againe that which is commonly called the policie of Machiavel is here to be condemned For it is not answerable to the Cauears before remembred Besides that it is not onely against the written law of God but euen against the law of Nature And the very foundation thereof standeth onely in the practise of lying swearing forswearing in fraud deceit and injustice CHAP. III. Of Questions concerning Clemencie CLemencie or meekenes is a vertue that serues to moderate wrath and reuenge Touching Clemency there be three Questions I. How a man is to carrie himselfe in respect of iniuries and offences done vnto him II. When Anger is a sinne and when not III. How a man should remedie his rash and vniust anger I. Question How may a man carrie himselfe in respect of iniuries and offences done vnto him Aus That a man may behaue himselfe so as becommeth a Christian in these cases he must in the first place inquire into the nature and qualitie of the wrong done Now Offences that are done to vs by others are of three sorts The first sort and the least are when some things are done to vs that do onely displease vs but bring no losse or hurt to vs. These be light offences and of this kind are common infirmities as hastinesse teastinesse frowardnesse slownesse and dulnesse of nature of this kind also are reproches of vnskilfulnesse ignorance basenes pouertie and such like The first degree then of Clemency is not so much as to take notice of these sleight offences but to let them passe and burie them in obliuion Salomon saith A mans vnderstanding deforreth his anger and it is his credit to passe by an offence Pro. 19. 11. his meaning is that when small offences are done which cannot be avoided then in discretion a man should with hold his anger and not take notice of them but passe by them and let them goe for this shall be a farre greater ornament vnto him then if vpon the deede done he should haue hastily proceeded to reuenge The second sort of Offences are small iniuries such as doc not onely displease vs but with all bring some little hurt to vs either in our goods life or good name Now the second degree of meekenes is to take notice of these but withall to forgiue them and put them vp The reason is because alwaies greater care must be had of peace and loue then of our owne priuate affaires Read the practise hereof Ioh. 8. 49. It was obiected to Christ wrongfully that he was a Samaritane and had a Deuill Christ takes knowledge of the wrong and saith you haue reproched me but withall he puts it vp onely denying that which they said and clearing himselfe I haue not a Deuill but I honour my father Dauid had receiued great wrong at the hands of Ioab and Shimei as appeares in the historie of his life but principally when he came first to be King of Israel a. Sam. 3. and yet he takes not a hastie course presently to be reuenged vpon his adversaries but proceedes in this order First he takes notice of the fact and commits his cause to God ver 39. and then afterward as opportunity serued gaue the parties their iust desert The reason was because beeing newely invested in the kingdome his adversaries were strong and himselfe weake euen by his owne confession therfore not able at the first to redresse the iniury done vnto him But when he had once established himselfe then he doth not onely beginne 2. Sam. 19. 14. but proceedes to full execution of punishment vpon them as we read 1. King 2. ver 5. 6. 34. 35. The third sort of Wrongs are greater iniuries such as are not onely offensiue to our persons but withall doe preiudice our liues and bring a ruine vpon our estates both in goods and good name These are the highest degree of Iniuties manifested in open and apparent wrongs And therefore answerable to them is required the third and highest degree of Clemencie which stands in three things First in taking notice secondly in forgiuing them thirdly in a iust and lawfull defending our selues against the wronging parties This is the summe and substance of the answer For the better conceiuing whereof sundry Questions are further to be propounded and resolued First in generall it is demanded how a man should and ought to forgiue an iniurie Ans. In forgiuenes there be foure things The first is forgiuenes of Reuenge that is of requiting euill for euill either by thought word or deede This must alwaies be practised For vengeance is not ours but the Lords and great reason then that we should euermore forgiue in regard of reuenge and hatred This the Apostle teacheth when he saith 1. Cor. 13. 5. Loue is not provoked it neuer thinketh much lesse speakes or does evill The second is forgiuenesse of priuate punishment which is when men returne punishment for iniuries done in way of requitall and this must alwaies take place with vs because as vengeance it selfe so also punishmeÌ„t in way of revenge is Gods alone The third is forgiuenesse of iudgement when we iudge an inurie done to be an iniurie This iudgement we are not bound to forgiue vnto men For we may with good conscience iudge a sinne and a wrong to be as they are And yet notwithstanding if a man make satisfaction for the wrong done then there ought to be forgiuenes even in regard of iudgemen The fourth is forgiuenesse of satisfaction This we are not alway bound to remitte but we may with good conscience alway require satisfaction where hurt is done Secondly for the further clearing of this generall Question we are to answer some particular Cases vsually propounded in the liues of men and namely fiue I. Whether a man may defend himselfe by law II. How he may defend himselfe by law III. Whether a man may defend himselfe by force IV. How V. Whether a man may defend himselfe by Combate I. Case Whether a man may with good conscience and a meeke Spirit defend himselfe by law for wrongs that are done vnto him I answer affirmatively A man may with good conscience defend himselfe against great iniuries by the benefite of lawe For Magistracie is Gods ordinance for the good of men Rom.
afraid least when he came to the Corinths God would humble him for their sinnes 2. Cor. 12. 21. Againe he teacheth that those which are fallen into any fault must be restored by the spirit of meekenes because we our selues are subiect to the same tentations Gal. 6. 1. And in this regard he would haue men to mourne with them that haue in them the cause of mourning Rom. 12. 15. Thirdly iust anger must be contained within the bounds of our particular calling and civill decencie that is so moderated as it makes vs not to forsake our duties which we owe to God and man nor breake the rules of comlines Thus Iacob was angrie with Laban and yet he speakes and behaues himselfe as a sonne to his father euen in his anger Gen. 31. 36. Ionathan was angrie with Saul his father and yet he withdrawes not any reuerent or dutifull respect from him 1. Sam. 20. Sect. 2. The second part of the Question is When Anger is a vice and vnlawfull Ans. It is a sinne in fiue regards contrary to the former First when we conceiue it without counsell and deliberation This rash hastie sudden and violent anger is condemned by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 22. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shal be culpable of iudgment Secondly when it is conceiued for no cause or for a light or trifling cause Prou. 10. 12. Loue couers a multitude of sinnes Therefore euery light offence must not be the cause of open anger Prov. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to passe by some infirmities Eccles. 7. 23. Take not notice of all the words that men speake no not of all those which seruants speake vnto their masters Besides that causelesse anger is many times forbidden in the Scripture And Paul saies that loue is hardly provoked because it will not be mooued to conceiue hatred but vpon weightie and important causes 1. Cor. 13. Thirdly when the occasion is iust yet the measure of anger is immoderate Eph. 4. 26. Be angry sinne not and if by infirmitie thou fall into it let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath The reason is added in the next words Giue not place to the Deuill because he is alwaies at hand to inflame the affection as he did Sauls who therefore in his rage would haue killed him that was next him Fourthly when it makes vs to forget our dutie to God or man and to fal to brawling cursing and banning Thus was Shemei angry when he railed vpon the King and flung stones at him and his seruants giuing him bad and vnreuerent tearmes and calling him a man of blood and a man of Belial 2. Sam. 16. 5. 6. 7. Thus did the Disciples forget their dutie of loue vnto their brethren and in anger desired that fire might come down from heauen and destroy the Samaritanes Luk. 9. 59. Thus the Iewes in vndecent and vncharitable manner gnashed with their teeth at Steven Act. 7. 54. And Saint Paul saies that the fruites of wicked anger are clamors and crying speeches between person and person in their fury Eph. 4. 31. And thence it is that we find Balaam in his anger to haue beene more void of reason then his asse Numb 22. 27. Fistly when we are angrie for priuate respects concerning our persons and not concerning the cause of God Thus Cain is said to be exceeding wrothe and to haue his countenance cast downe onely vpon a priuate respect because he thought his brother Abel should be preferred before him Gen. 4. 5. Thus Saul was wrath with Dauid taking himselfe to be disgraced because the people after the slaughter of the Philistimes ascribed to Dauid ten thousand and to him but a thousand 1. Sam. 18. 7. In like manner he was angrie with Ionathan for his loue that he bare to Dauid and for giuing him leaue to goe to Bethleem 1. Sam. 20. 30. Thus Nebuchadnezars wrath was kindled against the three children because he tooke himselfe to be contemned of them Dan. 3. 19. Thus Haman meerely in regarde of priuate disgrace growes to great indignation against Mordecai Esther 3. v. 5. Thus Asa was angry with the Prophet Hanani because he thought it a discredit to him to be reprooued at his hand 2. Chron. 16. 10. And in this sort were the Iewes filled with wrath at Christs reproofe Luk. 4. 28. shewing thereby as it is truly expounded by the Commenter that they were very hotte in their own cause and not in the cause of God III. Question What is the Remedie of vniust Anger Ans. The Remedies thereof are twofold Some consist in meditation and some in practise Sect. 1. The Remedies that stand in Meditation are of three sorts some doe concerne God some our neighbour and some our selues The Meditations cōcerning God are specially sixe I. Meditation That God by expresse cōmandement forbiddes rash and vniust anger and commandeth the contrarie namely the duties of loue Read for this purpose Mat. 5. 21. 22. where we may obserue three degrees of vniust anger The first whereof is that which is inwardly conceiued and not outwardly shewed The second when vniust anger shewes it selfe by signes of contempt as by snuffing rushing changing and casting downe of the countenance The third is railing thou foole which is culpable of Gehenna fire the highest degree of punishment Now all these three degrees are murther and the punishment of a murtherer is to be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 21. 8. Againe Christ commandeth vs to reward good for euill to blesse them that curse vs and to doe good to thē that hate vs if we will be the children of our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 45. And S. Paul wisheth vs to ouercome evill with goodnes Rom. 12. 21. II. Meditation That all iniuries which befall vs doe come by Gods providence whereby they are turned to a good ende namely our good Thus David saith that God had bidden Shemei to curse him 2. Sam. 16. 10. And this was the ground of Christs reproofe of Peter Shall I not saith he drinke of the euppe which my Father hath giuen me to drinke of Ioh. 28. 11. III. Meditation God is long-suffering even towards wicked men we in this point must be followers of him In regard of this God is said to be mercifull gracious slow to anger abundāt in goodnes truth Exod. 34. 6. Hence it was that he spared the old world 120 yeres ◠Pet. 3. 19. He spared the Israelits after their Idolatrie 390 yeres Ezek. 4. 5. Besides this we haue example of the lowlines long suffering of Christ who saith Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am humble and meeke and of whome it is said 1. Pet. 2. 22. When he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously Nowe because some may haply say that these examples of God and Christ are too perfect for man to followe who cannot
imitate God in all things therefore besides them consider further the examples of some of the seruants of God Moses when the people murmured at him did not answer them againe by murmuring but cried vnto the Lord what shall I doe to this people for they be almost readie to stone me Exod. 17. 4. And Steuen when he was stoned praied for his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Act. 7. 60. IV. Meditation is concerning the goodnes of God towards vs an argument whereof is this that he doth euery day forgiue vs farre more offences then it is possible for vs to forgiue men V. Meditation All reuenge is Gods right and he hath not giuen it vnto man Rom. 12. 19. Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. And man by reuenging his own quarell makes himselfe both the iudge the witnesse the accuser and the executioner VI. Meditation is touching Christs death He suffered for vs the first death and the sorrowes of the second death much more then ought we at his commandement to put vp small wrongs and iniuries without reuenge His commandement is Resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Matth. 5. 39. Againe Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ died Rom. 14. 15. The Meditations concerning our neighbour are two The first is the condition of him with whome we are angrie namely that he is a brother Let there be no strife betweene me and thee for we are brethren Gen. 13. 8. Againe he is created in the Image of God we must not therefore seeke to hurt or destroy that Image The second is concerning that Equitie which we looke for at the hands of all men If we wrong any man we desire that he would forgiue vs and therefore we must forgiue him the iniurie that he doth vnto vs without vniust anger This is the very Law of nature Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe you vnto them Matth. 7. 12. Meditations concerning our selues are sixe First he that conceiueth rush anger makes himselfe subiect to the wrath of God if he cherish the same without relenting Matth. 6. 15. If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And Matth. 7. 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged Yea when we pray to God to forgiue vs and doe not resolue to forgiue our brethren we doe in effect say Lord condemne vs for we will be condemned Secondly we are commanded to loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs Eph. 5. 2. It is the propertie of loue to suffer and to beare and not to be prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And it is a marke whereby Gods children are discerned from the children of the Deuill that they loue their brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Thirdly we are ignorant of mens mindes in speaking and doing we know not the manner and circumstances of their actions And experience teacheth that much anger comes vpon mistaking and misconstruing them Whereas contrariwise if they were throughly knowne we would not be so much incensed against men as commonly we are Fourthly in rash anger we can doe no part of Gods worshippe that is pleasing to him We cannot pray for he that praies must lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 8. We cannot be good hearers of the word for S. Iames wisheth vs to be swift to heare and slow to wrath because the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God Iam. 1. 20 21. Fiftly we must consider what are the fruits and consequents of vniust anger For first it greatly annoies the health It annoies the braine and pulses it causes the gall to flow into the stomacke and the bowells it killeth and poisoneth the spirits and it is the next way to procure distemper of the whole bodie and consequently losse of health Secondly it makes a man captiue to the Deuill Eph. 4. 27. which we see to be true in Sauls example who beeing a man full of wrath and giuing place to his owne rage and furie an euill spirit entred into him by the iust iudgement of God Sixtly we must consider the Causes of vniust anger It is commonly thought that Anger is nothing but the flowing of choler in the gall and in the stomacke But the truth is anger is more then choler For it riseth first of a debilitie of reason and iudgement in the minde secondly from euill affections as from enuie and selfe-loue thirdly from the constitution of the bodie that is hote and drie Againe we read in histories that men hauing no gall haue notwithstanding beene full of anger and choler indeede is a furtherance but no cause of anger Sect. 2. The Remedies of vniust anger that stand in Practise are especially fiue The first is in the time of anger to conceale the same both in word and deede The indignation of a foole saith Salomon Prou. 12. 16. will be knowne the same day but the wise man couereth his shame that is he restraines his anger which if it should presently break forth wold be a reproch vnto him Answerable to this notable speech of Salomon was the wise counsell of Ambrose to Theodosius that after senteÌ„ce giuen he should take 30 daies respite before execution And not vnlike hath been the practise of the very Heathen in their time Socrates said I had beaten thee but that I was angrie Aâ—â—enodoruâ— gaue Augustus this rule that when he was angrie he should first say ouer the whole Alphabet before he put in execution his anger Secondly we must depart from them with whoÌ„ we are angry For this affectioÌ„ is as a fire take the matter away from fire and it will cease to burne so let a man depart and employ himselfe for the time some other way and he shall soone cease to be angrie Thus did Ionathan depart out of his fathers presence 1. Sam. 20. 34. Abraham in his anger withdrew himselfe from Lot Gen. 13. Iacob in wrath departed from Esan Gen. 27. 43 44. Thirdly we must auoide the occasions thereof as contentions and contentious persons Doe nothing through contention Phil. 2. 3. Make no friendship with an angrie man neither goe with a furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Prou. 22. 26. We must for this purpose be carefull to auoid all meanes that may serue to further the heate of the temperature of such a bodie as is apt and disposed to this vnruly passion Fourthly we are to consider that we sinne against God not once or twise but often yea euery day and therefore the course of our anger must be turned against our own selues for our sinnes For this is one propertie of true repeÌ„tance to work in vs a reuenge vpon our selues in regard of our sinnes committed against God and our brethren 2. Corinth 7. 11. Fiftly we must accustome our selues to the daily exercises
named vnlesse the naming of them tend to the reproouing further condemning of them much lesse may they be represented for the causing of mirth and pastime For naming is farre lesse then representing which is the reall acting of the vice Indeed Magistrates Ministers may name them but their naming must be to punish and reforme them not otherwise Againe it is vnseemely that a man should put on the person behauiour and habite of a woman as it is also for a woman to put on the person behauiour and habite of a man though it be but for an houre The law of God forbiddes both Deut. 22. 3. And that law for equitie is not meerely iudiciall but morall Nay it is the law of nature and common honesty Here also the dauncing vsed in these daies is to be reprooued namely the mixed dauncing of men and weomen in number measure specially after solemne feasts with many lascivious gestures accompanying the same which cannot nor ought to be iustified but condemned For it is no better then the very bellowes of lust and vncleanes yea the cause of much euill It is condemned in the daughter of Herodias dauncing before Herod Mark 6. 22. And in the Israelites that sat downe to eat and drinke and rose vp to play that is to daunce We read indeed of a kind of dauncing commended in Scripture that Moses Aaron and Miriam vsed at the redde sea Exod. 15. 20. And David before the Arke 1. Sam. 18. And the daughters of Israel when Dauid gotte the victorie of Goliah 2. Sam. 6. 14. But this dauncing was of another kind For it was not mixt but single men together and women apart by themselues They vsed not in their dauncing wanton gestures and amorous songs but the Psalmes of praise and thanksgiuing The cause of their dauncing was spirituall ioy and the end of it was praise and thanksgiuing It may be alleadged that Ecclesiastes saith There is a time of mourning and a time of dauncing Eccl. 3. And Dauid saith Thou hast turned my ioy into dauncing Psal. 30. 1â— And the Lord saith in Ieremie O daughter Sion thou shalt got forth with the daunce of them that reioyce Ier. 31. 4. I answer first these places speake of the sacred dauncing before named and not of the dauncing of our times Secondly I say that these places speake not of dauncing properly but of reioycing signified by dauncing that is to say a heartie reioycing or merrie-making Besides that the Prophet Ieremie speaks by way of comparison as if he should say Then shall the Virgin reioyce as men are woont to doe in the duinâ—â— And it is sometimes the vse of the Scripture to expresse things lawfull by a comparison drawne from things vnlawfull as in the Parables of the vnrighteous Iudge the vniust Steward and the theefe in the night The third Conclusion We may not make recreations of Gods iudgements or of the punishments of sinne The Law of God forbiddes vs to lay a stumbling blocke before the blind to cause him to fall though it be not done in earnest but in sport Leuit. 19. 14. Vpon the same ground we are not to sport our selues with the follie of the naturall foole For that is the blindnes of his minde and the iudgement of God vpon him I know it hath beene the vse of great men to keepe fooles in their houses And I dare not condemne the fact For they may doe it to set before their cies a daily spectacle of Gods iudgement and to consider how God in like sort might haue dealt with them And this vse is Christian. Neuerthelesse to place a speciall recreation in the follie of such persons and to keepe them onely for this ende it is not laudable When Dauid fained himselfe to be madde before Achish the King of Gath marke what the Heathen King could say Haue I neede of madde men that ye haue brought this fellow to play the madde man in my presence Shall he come into my house 1. Sam. 21. 15. Againe the Bayting of the Beare and Cockefights are no meete recreations The baiting of the Bull hath his vse and therefore it is commanded by ciuill authoritie and so haue not these And the Antipathie and crueltie which one beast sheweth to another is the fruit of our rebellion against God and should rather mooue vs to mourne then to reioyce The Second answer to the former Question is this Games may be deuided into three sorts Games of wit or industry games of hazard and a mixture of both Games of wit or industrie are such as are ordered by the skil and industry of man Of this sort are Shooting in the long bow Shooting in the caleeuer Running Wrastling Fensing Musicke the games of Chests and draughts the Philosophers game and such like These and all of this kind wherein the industry of the mind body hath the chiefest stroke are very commendable and not to be disliked Games of hazard are those in which hazard onely beares the sway and orders the game and not witte wherein also there is as we say chance yea meere chance in regard of vs. Of this kind is Dicing and sundry games at the Tables Cardes Now games that are of meere-hazard by the consent of godly Divines are vnlawfull The reasons are these First games of meere hazard are indeede loâ—s and the vse of a lot is an act of religioÌ„ in which we referre vnto God the determination of things of moment that can no other way be determined For in the vse of a lotte there be foure things The first is a casuall act done by vs as the casting of the Die The second is the applying of this acte to the determination of some particular controversie the ending whereof maintaines peace order and loue among men The third is confession that God is a soueraigne iudge to end and determine things that can no other way be determined The fourth is supplication that Goâ— would by the disposition of the lotte when it is cast determine the euent All these actions are infolded in the vse of a lotte and they are expressed Act. 1. ver 24. 25. 26. Now then seeing the vse of a lotte is a solemne act of religioÌ„ it may not be applied to sporting as I haue shewed in the first conclusion Secondly such games are not recreations but rather matter of stirring vp troblesome passions as feare sorrow c. and so they distemper the body and mind Thirdly covetousnes is commonly the ground of them all Wherevpon it is that men vsually play for mony And for these causes such plaies by the consent of learned Divines are vnlawfull The third kind of plaies are mixt which stand partly of hazard and partly of witte in which hazard beginnes the game and skil gets the victorie and that which is defectiue by reason of hazard is corrected by witte To this kind are referred some games at the cards and tables Now the common opinion of learned Divines is
that sinne if he proceed according to the three degrees mentioned Mat. 18. But this is in him a fault for he must not iudge in this case at his owne pleasure but his iudgement must follow the iudgement of the Church and when the Church hath giuen censure then may the priuate man proceede to censure and not before So saith our Sauiour Christ Mat. 18. 17. If he heare not the Church after the Church hath iudged him let him be vnto you as a heathen a publicane Here if the Question be made how a man may with good conscience giue iudgement of his owne selfe I answer by obseruing two Rules First a man must alwaies in the presence of God iudge himself in regard of his sinnes both of hart life 1. Cor. 11. 31. If we should iudge our selues we should not be iudged And this iudgement of a mans selfe must not be partiall but sharpe and seuere with true humiliation and lowlines of heart For this is a true ground of all charitable iudgement of others Secondly before men a man must suppresse his iudgement of himselfe and be silent no man is bound either to praise or dispraise to excuse or accuse and condemne himselfe before others and grace must teach him thus much not vainely to commend or boast of of his owne gifts and actions but rather to burie them in silence and referre them to the iudgement of others Now to conclude this point The doctrine deliuered is most necessarie for these times For the fashion of most men is to giue rash and sinister iudgement of others but themselues they will commend and that highly If any thing be euill saide or done all men must haue notice of it If a thing be doubtfull it is alway construed in the worser part If a thing be done of weaknes and infirmitie we aggrauate it and make it a double sinne We are curious in searching and inquiting into the liues of others that we may haue something to carpe and finde fault with But let this be remembred that as we iudge so we shall be iudged first of God by condemnation and then by hard and vnequal iudgement from others Againe what is it that makes men to be open mouthed in declaring and censuring our faults but this that we open our mouthes to the disgrace and defamation of others Wherefore if we would haue other men to iudge of vs and our actions in loue we must also make conscience to giue charitable iudgement of them II. Question How one man should honour an other Ans. That we may rightly honour men we must first know the causes for which men are to be honoured And that the causes of honour may be conceiued I will lay downe this Ground Honour is in the first place principally and properly to be giuen vnto God 1. Tim. 1. 17. To God onely wise be honour and glorie The reason hereof is rendered in the Lords prayer be cause his is kingdome power and glorie Againe God is goodnes it selfe his goodnes and his essence are one and the same therefore honour is due to him in the first place Now euery creature as it commeth neare vnto God so it is honourable and the more honourable by how much nearer it commeth vnto him But man especially by how much nearer he commeth to God in diuine things by so much more is he to be honoured in respect of other creatures From this Ground doe follow these Conclusions First that Man is first of all to be honoured for vertues sake because therein principally standes the internall image of God Rom. 2. 10. To euery man that doth good shal be honour glorie peaece to the Iew first c. Now whereas the Question might be Who is the Iew to whome this honour must be yeelded Paul answers vers 29. that he is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew who is one within And the circumcision is of the heart And Salomon saith that Honour is vnseemely for a foole Prou. 26. 1. And the Holy Ghost to the Hebrewes saith that by faith our Elders were well reported of The Heathen man Marcus Marcellus a Romane dedicated a TeÌ„ple to the Goddesse of Honour and the way to that temple was by the house of Vertue The Second Conclusion is That man is to be honoured not onely for vertue but also for diuine representations of other good things in a word because one man before an other heareth the image of some thing that is in God As First of his Maiestie Thus the King is honoured because in his Maiestie and state he carrieth a resemblance of the power and glorie of God so as that which is saide of God may be also spoken of him Hence it was that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar O King thou art a King of Kings and why for the God of heauen hath giuen thee kingdome power strength and glorie Dan. 2. 37. Secondly of his Dominion Thus the husband is to be honoured of the wife because he beareth before the woman the image of the glorie of God yea of his prouidence wisedome Lordship and gouernment 1. Cor. 11. 7. Thirdly of his Paternitie and so the father is honoured of the sonne because he beares in his person the image of Gods paternitie or father-hoode Fourthly of his Eternitie and hence it is that honour is giuen to the aged before the young man because he beareth the image thereof Thus we see that Diuine representations doe imprint a kinde of excellencie in some persons and consequently doe bring forth honour The third Conclusion is That men are to be honoured euen for the vertues of others Thus the sonnes of Princes are called by the honourable name of Princes The children of Nobles are esteemed by birth Noble Thus Dignities doe runne in discent and the posteritie is honoured in the name of the ancestours but principally for the vertues of the aâ—ncestours The fourth Conclusion is Men are to be honoured for their Riches I meane not for riches simply but for the right vse of riches namely as they are made instruments to vphold and maintaine Vertue If it be said that to honour rich men is to haue the faith of the Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iam. 〈◊〉 1. I answer In that place we are not sorbidden to honour rich men but the Apostles meaning is to reprooue a fault of an other kinde when men preferre riches before pietie when rich men are honoured beeing vngodly and when godly poore men are despised and reiected because they are poore Now hauing premised the Ground we come to giue Answer to the Question before propounded A man therefore is to honour euery one in his place whether he be his superiour equall or inferiour Yea there is a kinde of honour to be performed to a mans owne selfe The truth of this Answer we shall see in the particulars that follow Sect. 1. Touching the honouring of Superiours these Ruies are to be obserued