appetite I hope you will not say that God is too strict with you or would dyet you too hardly as long as he alloweth you ordinarily to choose that when you can have it lawfully which is most for your own health and forbiddeth you nothing but that which hurteth you What Heathen or Infidel that is not either mad or swinish will not allow this measure and choice as well as Christians Yea if you believe not a life to come methinks you should be loth to shorten this life which now you have God would but keep you from hurting your selves by your excess as you would keep your Children or your Swine Though he hath a farther end in it and so must you namely that a healthful body may be serviceable to a holy soul in your Masters work yet it is the health of your bodies which is to be your nearest and immediate end and measure It is a very great oversight in the Education of youth that they be not taught betimes some The Measure of Eating common and necessary Precepts about dyet acquainting them what tendeth to health and life and what to sickness pain and death And it were no unprofitable or unnecessary thing if Princes took a course that all their subjects might have some such common needful Precepts familiarly known As if it were in the Books that Children first learn to read in together with the Precepts of their moral duty For it is certain that men love not death or sickness and that all men love their health and Multum confert coâ—â—tatio exitus qâ—od cum omnibus â—iâ—jis sit commune tamen huic proprâ—um Petrarch life And therefore those that fear not God would be much restrained from Excess by the fear of sickness and of death And what an advantage this would be to the Common-wealth you may easily perceive when you consider what a mass of treasure it would save besides the lives and health and strength of so many subjects And it is certain that most people have no considerable knowledge what measure is best for them but the common rule that they judge by is their Appetite They think they have eaten enough when they have eaten as long as they have list and not before If they could eat more with an appetite and be not sick after it they never think they have been guilty of Gluttony or Excess § 44. First Therefore you must know that Appetite is not to be your Rule or measure either for Temperaâ—tia voluptatâ—bus imperat alias odit atque abigit alias dispensat ad sanum modum dirigit nec unquam ad illas propter ipsas venit Senâ—â— Scit optimum esse modum cupidorum non quantum velis sed quantum debeas sumere Senâ—â— quantity quality or time For 1. It is irrational and Reason is your Ruling faculty if you are men 2. It dependeth on the temperature of the Body and the humours and diseases of it and not meerly on the natural need of meat A man in a Dropsie is most Thirsty that hath least cause to drink Though frequently in a putrid or malignant Feavor a draught of cold drink would probably be death yet the Appetite desireth it never the less Stomachs that have acide humours have commonly a strong appetite be the digestion never so weak and most of them could eat with an appetite above twice as much as they ought to eat And on the contrary some others desire not so much as is necessary to their sustenance and must be urged to eat against their Appetite 3. Most healthful people in the world have an Appetite to much more than nature can well digest and would kill themselves if they pleased their appetites For God never gave man his Appetite to be the measure of his eating or drinking but to make that grateful to him which Reason biddeth him take 4. Mans Appetite is not now so sound and regular as it was before the fall but is grown more rebellious and unruly and diseased as the body is And therefore it is now much more unfit to be our measure than it was before the fall 5. You see it even in Swine and many greedy Children that would presently kill themselves if they had not the Reason of others to rule them 6. Poyson it self may be as delightful to the Appetite as food and dangerous meats as those that are most wholsome So that it is most certain that Appetite is not fit to be the measure of a man Yet this is true withal that when Reason hath nothing against it then an Appetite sheweth what nature taketh to be most agreeable to it self and Reason therefore hath something for it if it have nothing against it because it sheweth what the Stomach is like best to close with and digest and it is some help to Reason to discern when it is prepared for food § 45. Secondly It is certain also that the present feeling of ease or sickness is no certain rule to judge of your digestion or your measure by For though some tender relaxed windy stomachs are sick or troubled when they are overcharged or exceed their measure yet with the most it is not so unless they exceed to very swinishness they are not sick upon it nor feel any hurt at present by less excesses but only the imperfection of concoction doth vitiate the humours and prepare for sicknesses by degrees as is aforesaid and one feeleth it a moneth after in some diseased evacuations and another a twelve-moneth after and another not of many years till it have turned to some uncurable disease For the diseases that are bred by so long preparations are ordinarily much more uncurable than those that come but from sudden accidents and alterations in a cleaner body Therefore to say I feel it do me no harm and therefore it is no excess is the saying of an ideot that hath no foreseeing Reason and resisteth not an enemy while he is Garrisoning fortifying and arming himself but only when it comes to blows Or like him that would go into a Pest-house and say I feel it do me no harm But within a few dayes or weeks he will feel it As if the beginning of a Consumption were no hurt to them because they feel it not Thus living like a Beast will at last make men judge like Beasts and brutifie their brains as well as their bellies § 46. Thirdly It is certain also that the common custom and opinion is no certain rule nay certainly it is an erring rule For judging by appetite hath brought men ordinarily to take excess to be but temperance All these then are false measures § 47. It I should here presume to give you any Rules for judging of a right measure Physicions would think I went beyond my Calling and some of them might be offended at a design that tendeth 〈…〉 for the Measure of Eating so much to their impoverishing and those that serve the greedy Worm
will of that which they are most afraid of thinking As the spirits and blood will have recourse to the part that is hurt The very pain of their fears doth draw their thoughts to what they fear As he that is over-desirous to sleep and afraid lest he shall not sleep is sure to wake because his fears and desires keep him waking so do the fears and desires of the Melancholy cross themselves And withall the malice of the Devil plainly here interposeth and taketh advantage by this disease to tempt and trouble them and to shew his hatred to God and Christ and Scripture and to them For as he can much easier tempt a cholerick person to anger than another and a flegmatick fleshy person to sloth and a sanguine or hot tempered person to lust and wantonness so also a melancholy person to thoughts of blasphemy infidelity and despair And ost-times they feel a vehement urgency as if something within them urged them to speak such or such a blasphemous or foolish word and they can have no rest unless they yield in this and other such cases to what they are urged to And some are ready to yield in a temptation to be quiet and when they have done they are tempted utterly to despair because they have committed so great a sin and when the Devii hath got this advantage of them he is still setting it before them 27. Hereupon they are further tempted to think they have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost not understanding what that sin is but fearing it is theirs because it is a fearful sin At least they think they shall not be forgiven not considering that a temptation is one thing and a sin another and that no man hath less cause to fear being condemned for his sin than he that is least willing of it and most hateth it And no man can be less willing of any ☞ sin than these poor souls are of the hideous blasphemous thoughts which they complain of 28. Hereupon some of them grow to think that they are possessed of Devils and if it do but enter into their fantasie how possessed persons use to act the very strength of imagination will make them do so too so that I have known those that will swear and curse and blaspheam and imitate an inward aliene voice thinking themselves that it is the Devil in them that doth all this But these that go so far are but few 29. Some of them that are near distraction verily think that they hear voices and see lights and apparitions that the Curtains are opened on them that something meets them and saith this or that to them when all is but the errour of a crazed brain and sick imagination 30. Many of them are aweary of their lives through the constant tiring perplexities of their minds and yet afraid of dying some of them resolutely famish themselves some are strongly tempted to murder themselves and they are haunted with the temptation so restlesly that they can go no whither but they feel as if somewhat within them put them on and said Do it do it so that many poor creatures yield and make away themselves 31. Many of them are restlesly vexed with fears of want and poverty and misery to their families and of imprisonment or banishment and lest some-body will kill them and every one that they see whisper they think is plotting to take away their lives 32. Some of them lay a law upon themselves that they will not speak and so live long in resolute silence 33. All of them are intractable and stiffe in their own conceits and hardly perswaded out of them be they never so irrational 34. Few of them are the better for any Reason conviction or Counsel that is given them If it seem to satisfie and quiet and rejoyce them at the present to morrow they are as bad again it being the nature of their disease to think as they do think and their thoughts are not cured while the disease is uncured 35. Yet in all this distemper few of them will believe that they are melancholy but abhor to hear men tell them so and say it is but the rational sense of their unhappiness and the forsakings and heavy wrath of God And therefore they are hardly perswaded to take any Physick or use any means for the cure of their bodies saying that they are well and being confident that it is only their souls that are distressed This is the miserable case of these poor people greatly to be pittyed and not to be despised by any I have spoken nothing but what I have often seen and known And let none despise such for men of all sorts do fall into this misery learned and unlearned high and low good and bad yea some that have lived in greatest jollity and sensuality when God hath made them feel their folly § 3. The causes of it are 1. Most commonly some worldly loss or cross or grief or care which made too deep an impression on them 2. Sometime excess of fear upon any common occasion of danger 3. Sometime over-hard and unintermitted studies or thoughts which screw up and rack the fantasie too much 4. Sometime too deep fears or too constant and serious and passionate thoughts and cares about the danger of the soul. 4. The great preparatives to it which are indeed the principal cause are a weak Head and Reason joyned with strong Passion which are oftest found in Women and those to whom it is natural 5. And in some it is brought in by some heynous sin the sight of which they cannot bear when Conscience is but once awakened § 4. When this disease is gone very far Directions to the persons themselves are vain because they have not Reason and free-will to practise them but it is their friends about them that must have the Directions But because with the most of them and at first there is some Power of Reason left I give Directions for the use of such § 5. Direct 1. See that no errour in Religion be the cause of your distress especially understand well Direct 1 the Covenant of Grace and the Riches of mercy manifested in Christ. Among others it will be useful to you to understand these following truths 1. That our thoughts of the Infinite Goodness of God should bear proportion with our thoughts Special Truths to be known for preventing causeless troubles concerning his Infinite Power and Wisdom 2. That the Mercy of God hath provided for all mankind so sufficient a Saviour that no sinner shall perish for want of a sufficient satisfaction made for his sins by Christ nor is it made the condition of any mans salvation or pardon that he satisfie for his own sins 3. That Christ hath in his Gospel-Covenant which is an Act of oblivion made over himself with pardon and salvation to all that will penitently and believingly accept the offer And that none perish that hear the Gospel but
1 Pet. 2. 21 22 23 24. Isa. 53. cast down who never despised or envied man nor never feared man who never was over-merry or over-sad who being reviled reviled not again but was dumb as a lamb before the shearers § 21. Direct 17. Keep as far from all occasions of your passions as other duties will allow you And Direct 17. contrive your affairs and occasions into as great an opposition as may be to the temptation Run not into temptation if you would be delivered from evil Much might be done by a willing prudent man by the very ordering of his affairs God and Satan works by means let the means then be regarded § 22. Direct 18. Have a due care of your bodies that no distemper be cherished in them which causeth Direct 18. the distemper of the soul. Passions have a very great dependance on the temperament of the body And much of the cure of them lieth when it is possible in the bodyes emendation § 23. Direct 19. Turn all your passions into the right chanel and make them all Holy using them for Direct 19. God upon the greatest things This is the true cure The bare restraint of them is but a palliate cure like the easing of pain by a dose of opium Cure the fear of man by the fear of God and the Love of the creature by the Love of God and the cares for the body by caring for the soul and earthly fleshly desires and delights by spiritual desires and delights and worldly sorrow by profitable godly sorrow § 24. Direct 20. Controul the effects and frustrate your passions of what they would have and that Direct 20. will ere long destroy the cause Cross your selves of the things which carnal Love and desire would have Forbear the things which carnal mirth or anger would provoke you to and the fire will go out for want of fewel Of which more in the particulars Tit. 2. Directions against sinful Love of Creatures § 1. LOve is the Master Passion of the soul because it hath the chiefest Object even Goodness which Solus Amor facit hominem bonum vel malum Paul Sâ—aliger Thes. p. 721. is the object of the will And simple Love is nothing but Complacencie which is nothing but the simple Volition of Good And it is a Passionate Volition or Complacencie which we call the Passion of Love When this is Good and when its sinful I shewed before But yet because the one half of the cure here lieth in the conviction and it is so hard a thing to make any Lover perceive a sinfullness in his Love I shall first help you in the tryal of your Love to shew the sinfullness of it when I have first named the objects of it § 2. Any creature which seemeth Good to us may possibly be the object of sinful Love As Honor Greatness authority praises money houses lands cattle meat drink sleep apparel sports friends relations and life it self As for Lustful Love I shall speak of it anon Helps for discovering of sinful Love § 3. Direct 1. Make Gods interest and his word the standard to judge of all affections by That Direct 1. which is against the Love of God and would abate or hinder it yea which doth not directly or indirectly tend to further it is certainly a sinful Love And so is all that is against his word For the Love of God is our final act upon our ultimate end and therefore all that tends not to it is a sin against our very end and so against our nature and the use of our faculties § 4. Direct 2. Therefore whatever creature is Loved ultimately for it self and not for a higher end Direct 2. even for God his service his honour his relation to it or his excellencie appearing in it is sinfully loved For it is made our God when it is Loved ultimately for it self § 5. Direct 3. Suspect all Love to creatures which is very strong and violent and easily kindled and Direct 3. hardly moderated or quieted Though you might think it is for some spiritual end or excellencie that you Love any person or any thing yet suspect it if it be so easie and strong Because that which is truly and purely spiritual is against corrupted nature and comes from Grace which is but weak we find no such easiness to Love God and scripture and prayer and holiness nor are our affections so violent to these It s well if all the fewel and blowing we can use will keep them alive It s two to one that the flesh and the Devil have put in some of their fewel or gunpouder if it be fierce § 6. Direct 4. Suspect all that Love which selfishness and fleshly-interest have a hand in Is it some Direct 4. bodily pleasure and delight that you love so much Or is it a good book or other help for your soul We are so much apter to exceed and sin in carnal fleshly mindedness than in Loving what is good for our souls that there we should be much more suspicious If it be violent and for the body it s ten to one there is sin in it § 7. Direct 5. Suspect all that Love to creatures which your Reason can give no good account of nor Direct 5. shew you a justifiable cause If you Love one place or person much more than others and know not why but Love them because you cannot choose this is much to be suspected Though God may sometime kindle a secret Love between friends from an unexpressible unity or similitude of minds beyond what reason will undertake to justifie yet this is rare and commonly fansie or folly or carnality is the cause However it is more to be suspected and tryed than Rational Love § 8. Direct 6. Suspect all that fervent Love to any Creature which is hasty before sufficient tryal for Direct 6. commonly both persons and things have the best side outward and seem better at the first appearance than they prove Not but that a moderate Love may be taken up upon the first appearance of any excellency especially spiritual But so as to allow for a possibility of being deceived and finding more faultiness upon a fuller tryal than we at first perceive Have you dwelt in the house with the persons whom you so much admire and have you tryed them in their conversations and seen them tryed by crosses losses injuries adversity prosperity or the offers of preferment or plenty in the world you would little think what lurketh undiscovered in the hearts of many that have excellent parts till tryal manifest it § 9. Direct 7. Try your affections in prayer before God whether they be such as you dare boldly pray Direct 7. God either to increase or continue and bless and whether they be such as Conscience hath no quarrel against If they endure not this tryal be the more suspicious and search more narrowly The name and presence
Treason against their King or reviled Magistrates and Superiours and perhaps attempted and done mischief as well as spoken it If you are superiours how unfit are you to judge or govern Is it not lawful for any to appeal from you as the Woman did from Philip drunk to Philip sober You will be apter to abuse your inferiours than well to govern them Also Drunkenness destroyeth civility justice and charity It inflameth the mind with anger and rage It teacheth the tongue to curse and rail and slander It makes you unfaithful and uncapable of keeping any secret and ready to betray your chiefest friend as being master neither of your mind or tongue or actions Drunkenness hath made men commit many thousand murders It hath caused many to murder themselves and their nearest relations many have been drowned by falling into the water or broke their neâ—ks with falling from their Horses or dyed suddenly by the suffocation of nature It draweth men to idleness and taketh them off their lawfull calling It maketh a multitude of thieves by breeding necessity and emboldening to Villany It is a principal cause of lust and filthiness and the great maintainer of whoredomes and taketh away all shame and fear and wit which should restrain men from this or any sin What sin is it that a drunken man may not commit no thanks to him that he forbeareth the greatest wickedness Cities and Kingdoms have been betrayed by Drunkenness Many a drunken Garrison hath let in the enemy There is no confidence to be put in a drunken man nor any mischief that he is secure from 12. Lastly Thou sinnest not alone but temptest others with thee to perdition It is the great crime of Ieroboam that he made Israel to sin The judgement of God determineth those men to death that not only do wickedness but have pleasure in them that do it Rom. 1. 32. And is not this thy case Art thou not Satans instrument to tempt others with thee to waste their Time and neglect their souls and abuse God and his creatures Yea some of you glory in your shame that you have drunk down your companions and carryed it away the honour of a sponge or a tub which can drink up or hold liquor as well as you And what is that man worthy of that would thus transform himself and others into such Monsters of iniquity § 55. IV. Next let us hear the drunkards excuses for even drunkenness will pretend to Reason and Obj. 1. men will not make themselves mad without an argument to justifie it 1. Saith the Tipler I take no mâ—re than doth me good you allow a man to eat as much as doth him good and why not to drink as much No man is fiâ—â—er to judge this than I For I am sure I feel it do me good Answ. What good dost thou mean man Doth it fit thee for holy thoughts or words or deeds Answ. Doth it help thee to live well or fit thee to die well Art thou sure that it tendeth to the health of thy bâ—dy Thou canst not so say without the imputation of folly or self-conceitedness when all the wise Physicions in the world do hold the contrary No it doth as Gluâ—tony doth It pleaseth thee in the drinking but it filleth thy body with crudities and flegme and prepareth for many Mortal sicknesses It maketh thy body like grounds after a flood that are covered with stinking slime or like fenny Lands that are drowned in water and bear no fruit or like grounds that have too much rain that are dissolved to dirt but are unfit for use It maketh thee like a leaking ship that must be pumpt and emptied or it will sink If thou have not Vomits or Purges to empty thee thou wilt quickly drown or suffocate thy life As Basil saith A drunkard is like a Ship in a Tempest when all the goods are cast over-boord to disburden it lest it â—ink Physicions must pump thee or disburden thee or thou wilt be drowned And all will not serve if thou hold on to fill it up again For intemperance maketh most diseases uncurable A Historian speaketh of two Physicions that differed in their Prognosticks about a Patient one forsook him as uncurable the other undertook him as certainly curable but when he came to his remedies he prescribed him so strict abstinence as he would not undergo and so they agreed in the issue when one judged him uncurable because intemperate and the other curable if he would be temperate Thou that feelest the drink do thee good dost little think how the Devil hath a design in it not only to have thy soul but to have it quickly that the mud walls of thy body being washt down may not hold it long And I must tell thee that thou hast cause to value a good Physicion for greater reasons than thy life and art more beholden to him than many others even that he may help to keep thy soul out of Hell a little longer to see if God will give thee repentance that thou mayest escape out of the snare of the Devil who taketh thee captive at his will 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. As Aelian writeth of King Antigonus that having great respect for Zeno the Philosopher he once met him when he was in drink and embracing him urged him to ask of him what he would and bound himself with many Oaths to give it him Zeno thanked him and the request he made to him was that he would go home and Vomit To tell him that he more needed to be disburdened of his drink than â—e himself did need his gifts The truth is the good that thou feelest the drink do thee is but the present pleasing of thy appetite and tickling thy fantasie by the exhilerating vapours And so the Glutton and the Whoremonger and every sensual wretch will say that he feeleth it do him good But God bless all sober men from such a good So the Gamester feeleth the sport do him good but perhaps he is quickly made a Beggar by it It is Reason and faith and not thy appetite or present feeling that must tell thee what and how much doth thee good § 36. Obj. 2. But I have heard some Physicions say that it is wholsome to be Drunk sometimes Obj. 2. Answ. None but some Sot that had first drunk away his own understanding I have known Physicions Answ. that have been Drunkards themselves and they have been apt to plead for their own vice Q. May one be Mâ—dicinally Drunk But they quickly killed themselves and all their skill could not save their lives from the effects of their own Beastiality even as the knowledge and doctrine of a wicked Preacher will not save his soul if he live contrary to his Profession And what if the Vomiting of a Drunkard did him some good with all the harm Are there not easier safer lawfuller means enough to do the same good without the harm He is a Bruit
another for a holy use p. 109 c. CHAP. XIX General Directions and particular Cases of Conscience â—boâ—t Contracts in general and about Buying and selling borrowing and lending and Usury in particular p. 113 Tit. 1. General Directions against injurious bargaining and contracts ibid. Tit. 2. Cases about Iustice in Contracts p. 114. Q. 1. Must I in all Cases do as I would be done by Q. 2. Is a Son bound by the Contracts which Parents or Guardians made for him in his Infancy Q 3. Is one obliged by a Contract made in ignorance or mistake of the matter Q. 4. Doth the contract of a man drunk or in passion or melancholy bind him Q 5. May another hold such a one to his contract or if he give or play away his money Q. 6. Am I obliged by Covenanting words without a Covenanting intent Q. 7. May I promise a Robber money to save my life or to save a greater commodity Q. 8. May I give money to a Iudge or Magistrate to hire him to do me justice and not to wrong me or not to persecute me Q. 9. If I make such a contract may the Magigistrate take it of me Q 10. If I promise money to an Officer or Robber under a force am I bound to pay it when the necessity is over So of other constrained promises Q. 11. May I promise a Thief or Bribe-taker to conceal him and must I keep that promise Q. 12. Must I keep a promise which I was drawn into by deceit Q 13. Is it a Covenant when neither of the contracting parties understand each other Q. 14. Must I stand to a bargain made for me by a friend or servant to my injury Q. 15. If I say I will give one this or that am I bound to give it him Q 16. Doth a mental promise not uttered oblige Q. 17. May I promise to do a thing simply unlawful without a purpose to perform it to save my life Q. 18. May any thing otherwise unlawful become a duty upon a promise to do it Q. 19. May he that promised for a reward to promote anothers sin take the reward when he hath done it Q. 20. Am I bound by a contract without witness or legal form Q 21. May an Office in a Court of Iustice be bought for money Q. 22. May a place of Magistracy or Iudicature be bought Q. 23. May one sell a Church Benefice or Orders Q. 24 May one buy Orders or a Benefice Q. 25. May I give money to Servants or Officers to assist my Suit Q. 26. May I after give by way of gratitude to the Bishop Patron c. Q. 27. May a Bishop or Pastor take money for Sermons Sacraments or other Offices Q. 28. May I disoblige another of his promise made to me Q. 29. What if it be secâ—nded by an Oath Q. 30. Doth a promise bind when the cause or reason proveth a mistake Q 31. What if a following accident make it more to my hurt than could be foreseen Q. 32. Or if it make it injurious to a third person Q. 33. Or if a fâ—llowing accident make the perfâ—rmance a sin Q. 34. Am I bound to him that breaketh Covenant with me Q. 35. May I contract to do that which I foresee like to become impossible before the time of performance Tit. 3. Cases about Iustice in Buying and Selling p. 120 Q 1. Am I bound to endeavour the gain of him that I bargain with as well as my own Q. 2. May I take more for my labour or goods than the worth if I can get it Q. 3. May I ask more in the Market than the worth Q. 4. How shall the worth of a Commodity be judged of Q. 5. May I conceal the faults or make a thing seem better than it is by setting the best side outward adorning c. Q. 6. If I was deceived or gave more than the worth may I do so to repair my loss Q. 7. If I foresee a cheapness of my Commodity as by coming in of Ships c. must I tell the buyer of it that knoweth it not Q. 8. May I keep my Commodity if I foresee a dearth Q. 9. May one use many words in buying and selling Q. 10. May I buy as cheap as I can or below the worth Q. 11. May I sell dearer for anothers necessity Cases instanced in Q. 12. May I take advantage of the buyers ignorance Q. 13. May I strive to get a good bargain before another Q. 14. May I buy a thing or hire a servant which another is first about or call away his Chapman Q. 15. May I dispraise anothers Commodity to draw the buyer to my own Q. 16. What to do in cases of doubtful equity Q. 17. What if the buyer lose the thing bought before the payment as a Horse dye c. Q. 18. If the thing bought as Amber-Chryse Iewels c. prove of much more worth than either party expected must more be after payed Q. 19. What if the title prove bad which was before unknown Q. 20. If a change of powers overthrow a title speedily who must bear the lâ—ss p. 120 Tit. 4. Cases about Lending and Bâ—rrowing Q 1. May one borrow money who seeth no probability that he shall be able to repay it Q 2. May one drive a Trade with borrowed money when success and repayment is uncertain Q. 3. May be that cannot pay his debts retain any thing for his food and rayment Q. 4. May one that breaketh secure that to his Wife and Children which on Marriage he promised before he was in debt Q. 5. May one that breaketh retain somewhat to set up again by compounding with his Creditors Q. 6. May I in necessity break my day of payment Q. 7. May I borrow of one to keep day with another Q. 8. May one that hath no probability of paying the last man borrow of one to pay another Q. 9. Is it lawful to take pledges pawns or mortgages for security Q. 10. May a foâ—feiture pledge or mortgage be kept on Covenant breaking Q. 11. May I take the promise or bond of a third person as security for my money Q. 12. Is it lawful to lend upon usury interest or increase Q. 13. Whom are we bound to lend to Q. 14. Is it lawful to take money on usury in such cases as the Lender sinneth in Q 15. Doth not contracting for a certain summ make usury the more unlawful p. 124 Tit. 5. Cases about Lusory Contracts Q. 1. Is it lawful to lay wagers about the truth of our discourses Q. 2. Is it lawful to lay wagers about Horse-races Dogs Hawks c. Q. 3. May one give money to see Games or Activities Bear-baitings Playes c. Q 4. Is it lawful to play for money at Cards Dice Lottery c. Q. 5. Or at Games of Activity as Bowling Shooting Running c. Q. 6. If the looser prove angry and unwilling to pay may I get it of him by Law p. 129 Tit.
p. 199 CHAP. XXXI Cases and Directions about Confessing sins and injuries to others Tit. 1. The Cases p. 201 Q. 1. When must we confess wrongs to those that we have wronged Q. 2. What will excuse us from such Confessions Q. 3. Must I confess a purpose of injury which was never executed Q. 4. When must sins against God be confessed to men Tit. 2. The Directions for just confessing sin to others p. 202 CHAP. XXXII Cases and Directions about satisfaction and Restitution p. 203 Tit. 1. The Cases Q. 1. What is Satisfaction what Restitution and when a duty Q. Why did they restore fourfold by the Law of Moses Q. 2. How far is Satisfaction and Restitution necessary Q. 3. Who are bound to make it Q. 4. To whom must it be made Q. 5. What Restitution is to be made for dishonouring Rulers or Parents Q. 6 How must Satisfaction be made for Slanders and Lyes Q. 7. And for tempting others to sin and hurting their souls Q. 8. And for Murder or Man-slaughter Q. 9. Iâ— a Murderer bound to offer himself to justice Q. 10. Or to do execution on himself Q. 11. What Satisfaction is to be made by a Fornicator or Adulterer Q. 12. In what cases is a man excused from Satisfaction and Restitution Q. 13. What if Restitution will cost the Restorer more than the thing is worth Q. 14. What if confessing a fault will turn the rage of the injured person against me to my ruine p. 203 Tit. 2. The Directions for Practice p. 206 CHAP. XXXIII Cases and Directions about our obtaining pardon from God p. 206 Tit. 1. The Cases Q 1. Is there Pardon to be had for all sin without exception Q. 2. What if one oft commit the same heinous sin Q. 3. Is the day of Grace and Pardon ever past in this life Q. 4. May we be sure that we are pardoned Q. 5. Can any man pardon sins against God and how far Q. 6. Is sin forgiven before it be committed Q. 7. Are the Elect Pardoned and Iustified before Repentance Q. 8. Is Pardon or Iustification perfect before Death Q. 9. Is our pardon perfect as to all sins past Q. 10. May Pardon or Iustification be lost or reversed Q. 11. Is the pardon of my own sin to be Believed â—ide Divina and is it the meaning of that Article of the Creed Q. 12. May one in any kind Trust to his own Faith and Repentance for his Pardon Q. 13. What are the Causes and Conditions of Pardon p. 208 Tit. 2. Directions for obtaining Pardon from God p. 209 CHAP. XXXIV Cases and Directions about self-judging p. 210 Tit. 1. The Cases Q. 1. What are the Reasons Vses and Motives of Self-judging Q. 2. What should ignorant persons do whose capacity will not reach to so high a work as true self-examination and self-judging Q. 3. How far may a weak Christian take the judgement of his Pastor or others about his sincerity and justification Tit. 2. Directions for judging of our Actions p. 211 Tit. 3. Directions for judging of our estates to know whether we are Iustified and in a state of life p. 212 c READER Thou art desired to mend the following Errata with thy Pen especially those markt with a Star Some more false Spellings false Pointings c. there are but too slight to give thee any trouble PAg. 26. l. antepen r. have lived p. 48. l. 7. r. if they p. 44. l. 20. r. once * listed p. 4â— l. 31. r. 〈◊〉 to p. 55. l. 30. r. in the practice p. 59. l. 13. del not l. 43. r. from them that p. 63. l. 46. del not p. 99. l. 50. r. â—ew reâ—â— not fit p. 105. Sect. 11. l. 2. r. â—â—â—â— serves v. 120 â—â— 12â— l. 36. r. * â—â—arl sâ—â—ss p. 150. l 29. r. * world 〈◊〉 p. 154. Sect. 37. l. anteâ— r. 2 * Chron. p. 165. l. 1. r. before them p. 180. l. 3. r. * that clearly p. 219. Sect. 11. l. 1. r. câ—â—jâ—â—es p. 233. Sect. 16. l. ult r. 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â— p. 238. Sect. 50. l. 3. r sound p. 244. l. 21. r. their shame p. 261. l 13. r. * a dâ—â—p p. 323. Sect. â—9 l. 6. r. i◠〈◊〉 p. 325. l. 5â— â— * Dury p. 33. Title r. sinful Desires p. 354. l. 33. r. love him p. 380. Sect. 63 l. 6. r. loath p. 384. l. 4â— r * senseless 〈◊〉 p 386. l. 6. r. * most defile p. 397 Sect. 14. l. 11. r. yet of p. 398. Sect. 19. l. 2. r. sights p. 404. Sect 3 l. 7. r. * present 〈◊〉 p. 410. l 9. r. * mod p. 433. l. 51. r. sermonum l. 53. r. * aftercations p. 437. l. 18. r. General to get p. 4â—â— l. antep r. their â—â—ot p. 442. l. 41. r. give thee p. 445. l. 7. r. contented l. 42. r. got p. 452. l. 26. r. * best employment l. 6. del best p. 460. Title r. â—â—â—â— Zeal Lust. r. in the world p. 461. Sect. 16. l. 2. r. unprofitable * prating p. 462. l. 37. r. 〈…〉 l. 4â— r. othâ—â—s l. 52. r. using them p. 495. l. 8. r. Gods p. 496. l. 45. r. Riâ—ht of propriety p. 500. l. 37. r. Psalms of praise p. 503. l. 33. r. 1 Câ—r l. â—4 r. 〈◊〉 â—oâ— tâ—â—ir house l. 35. r. thy house l. pen. r. Therefore p. 506. l. 56. r. the faith p. 507. l. 37. r. â—it to oâ—â— p. 523 l. â—2 del it ibid. r. this heat p. 536. l. 26. r. will do p. 550. l. ult r. heart-breaking p. 551. l. 39. r evâ—◠〈◊〉 p. 557. l. 46. r. hath * not given p. 599. l 30. r. shorter p. 625. l. â— r. * not wholly p. 635. l. 39. r. * not able p 641. l. 39. r. your 〈◊〉 p. 676. Sect. 19. l. 4. â— Your work p. 692. l. 17. r. himself p. 695. l. 1. r. arctius nobis p. 701. l. 24. r. wicked hands p. 705. Prop. 8. l. 5â—6 del half each line p. 711. l. 42. r. in force l. 58. r. needeth it * not p 713. l. 38. r. by a faâ—se p. 720. l. 3. r. Here note p. 722. l. 19. r. Sâ—â— p. 724. Sect. 3. l. 5. del you p. 727. Sect. 19. l. 10. r. ask p. 745. Sect. â—4 l. r. del of intrusions p. 756. l. antep r. would â—idâ— p. 757. l. 55. r. imitate them p. 759. l. 10. r. murder p. 771. l. ult r. to all p 798. l. 34. r. Oâ—â—â—â—ined as p. 812. Q. 36. l. 5. r. as such unknown p 844. l. 9. r. to * remove p 885. l. 12. r. * not to institute p 898 l. 10 11. r. Gomarus * Somnius p. 900. l. antep r. bare witness p 915. l. 17. r 2 Some things p. 919. l. antep r. see that * aptâ—ntâ—r p. 921. l. 22 r. 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 maâ—â— l. 39. r. after * the Scriptures which Paul is commonly supposed to mean and some of it after he â—ud so p. 922. l. 25. r. Hotâ—â—kis l. 46. r. * Sâ—ccaâ—i l.
idly or to lie will find at first some difficulty to overcome their customs and live a mortified holy life yet grace will do it and prevail Especially in point of knowledge and ability of expression be not too hasty in your expectation but wait with patience in a faithful diligent use of means and that will be easie and delightful to you afterwards which before discouraged you with its difficulties § 3. 2. And God himself will have his servants and his graces tryed and exercised by difficulties He never intended us the Reward for sitting still nor the Crown of Victory without a fight nor a â—ight without an enemy and opposition Innocent Adam was unfit for his state of Confirmation and reward till he had been tryed by temptation Therefore the Martyrs have the most glorious Crown as having undergone the greatest tryal And shall we presume to murmur at the Method of God § 4. 3. And Satan having liberty to tempt and try us will quickly raise up Storms and Waves before us as soon as we are set to Sea which make young beginners often fear that they shall never live to reach the Haven He will shew thee the greatness of thy former sins to perswade thee that they shall not be pardoned He will shew thee the strength of thy passions and corruptions to make thee think they will never be overcome He will shew thee the greatness of the opposition and suffering which thou art like to undergo to make thee think thou shalt never persevere He will do his worst to meet thee with poverty losses crosses injuries vexations persecutions and cruelties yea and unkindness from thy dearest friends as he did by Iob to make thee think ill of God or of his service If he can he will make them thy enemies that are of thine own houshold He will stir up thy own Father or Mother or Husband or Wife or Brother or Sister or Children against thee to perswade or persecute thee from Christ Therefore Christ tells us that if we hate not all these that is cannot forsake them and use them as men do hated things when they would turn us from him we cannot be his Disciples Luke 14. 26. Matth. 10. Look for the worst that the Devil can do against thee if thou hast once lifted thy self against him in the Army of Christ and resolvest what ever it coâ—â— thee to be saved Read Heb. 11. But how little cause you have to be discouraged though Earth and Hell should do their worst you may perceive by these few Considerations 1. God is on your side who hath all your enemies in his hand and can rebuke them or destroy them in a moment O what is the breath or fury of dust or Devils against the Lord Almighty If God be for us who shall be against us Rom. 8. 32 33. Read often that Chapter Rom. 8. In the day when thou didst enter into Covenant with God and he with thee thou didst enter into the most impregnable Rock and Fortress and house thy self in that Castle of defence where thou maist modestly defie all adverse powers of Earth or Hell If God cannot save thee he is not God And if he will not save thee he must break his Covenant Indeed he may resolve to save thee not from affliction and persecution but in it and by it But in all these sufferings you will be more than Conquerors through Christ that loveth you that is It is far more desirable and excellent to conquer by patience in suffering for Christ than to conquer our Persecutors in the field by force of arms O think on the Saints triumphant boastings in their God Psal. 46. 1 2 3. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed and though the Mountains be carryed into the midst of the Sea Psal. 56. 1 2 3 4 5. When his enemies were many and wrested his words daily and fought against him and all their thoughts were against him yet he saith What time I am afraid I will trust in thee In God will I praise his word In God have I put my trust I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Remember Christs charge Luke 12. 4. Fear not them that can kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will fore-warn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him If all the world were on thy side thou might yet have cause to fear but to have God on thy side is infinitely more § 6. 2. Jesus Christ is the Captain of thy salvation Heb. 2. 10. and hath gone before thee this Securus ego â—um de Christo Deâ— domino meo Haec Regi dicatis Subigat ignibus adigat bestiis excrucieâ— omnium tormentoâ—um generibus si cessero fâ—ustra sum in Ecclesiâ— Catholica baptizatus Nam si haec praesens vita sola esset aliam quae vera est non speraremus aeternam nec ita facerem ut modicum temporaliâ—er gloriarer ingratus existerâ—m qui suam fidem mihi contulâ—t Creatori Victorianus ad Hunnerychum in Vict. Utic p. 461. Victor Uti eusis saith that before the persecution of Hunnerychus these Visions were seen 1. All the Lights put out in the Church and a darkness and stink succeeded 2. The Church filled with abundance of Swine and Goats 3. Another saw a great heap of Corn unwinnowed and a sudden Whirlwind bâ—ew away all the Chaff and after that one came and cast out all the stricken dead and useless Corn till a very little heap was left 4. Another heard one cry on the top of a Mount Migrate Migrate 5. Another saw great Stones cast from Heaven on the Earth which â—lamed and destroyed But he hâ—d himself in a Chamber and none of them could touch him Pag. 405. Sed hoc aedificium ubi construâ—r visus est diabolus statim illud destruere digâ—atus est Christus Id. ib. way himself and hath conquered for thee and now is engaged to make thee Conquerour And darest thou not go on where Christ doth lead the way He was perfected through suffering himself and will see that thou be not destroyed by it Canst thou draw back when thou seest his steps and his blood § 7. 3. Thou art not to conquer in thy own strength but by the Spirit of God and the power of that grace which is sufficient for thee and his strength which appeareth most in our weakness 2 Cor. 12. 9. And you can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth you Phil. 4. 13. Be of good cheer he hath overcome the world John 16. 33. § 8. 4. All that are in Heaven have gone this way and overcome such oppositions and difficulties Iâ— ib saith that an Aâ—â—â—â—an Bishop being put over a City all that could take Ship fled
Unthankfulness and neglect are the way to be denyed further help § 18. Quest. But how shall I know whether good effects be from the Means or from my Reason and Quest. Endeavour and when from the Spirit of God Answ. Answ. It is as if you should ask How shall I know whether my harvest be from the Earth or Sun or Rain or God or from my labour I will tell you how They are all con-causes If the effect be there they all concur If the effect be wanting some of them were wanting It 's foolish to ask which is the cause when the effect is not produced but by the concurrence of them all If you had asked which cause did fail when the effect faileth there were reason in that question But there is none in this The more to blame those foolish Atheists that think God or the Spirit is not the cause if they can but find that Reason and Means are in the effect Your Reason and Conscience and Means would fall short of the effect if the Spirit put not life into all § 19. Obj. But I am exceedingly troubled and confounded with continual doubts about every motion that Object is in my mind whether it be from the Spirit of God or not Answ. The more is your ignorance or the malice of Satan causing your disquiet In one word Answ. you have sufficient Direction to resolve those doubts and end those troubles Is it Good or Evil or Indifferent that you are moved to This question must be resolved from the Word of God which is the Rule of duty If it be good in matter and manner and circumstances it is from the Spirit of God either its common or special operation If it be evil or indifferent you cannot ascribe it to the Spirit Remember that the Spirit cometh not to you to make you new duty which the Scripture never made your duty and so to bring an additional Law but to move and help you in that which was your duty before Only it may give the Matter while Scripture giveth the Obligation by its general command If you know not what is your duty and what not it is your ignorance of Scripture that must be cured Interpret Scripture well and you may interpret the Spirits motions easily If any new duty be motioned to you which Scripture commandeth not take such motions as not from God Unless it were by extraordinary confirmed Revelation DIRECT IV. Gr. Dir. 4. Let it be your chiefest study to attain to a true orderly and practical knowledge of God For the true and orderly impression of Gods Attributes on the heart in his several Attributes and Relations and to find a due impression from each of them upon your hearts and a distinct effectual improvement of them in your lives § 1. BEcause I have written of this point more fully in another Treatise Of the Knowledge of God and Converse with him I shall but briefly touch upon it here as not willing to repeat Laert. in Zeno. saith Dicunt Stoici Deum esse animal immortale rationale perfectum ac beatum à malo omni remotissimum providentia sua mundum quae sunt in mundo administrans omnia Non tamen inesse illi humanae â—ormae lineamenta Caeterum esse opificem immensi hujus operis sicut patrem omnium Eumque multis appellari nominibus juxta proprietates suas Quosdam item esse daemones dicunt quibus insit hominum miseratio inspectores rerum humararum Heroas quoque so utas corporibus sapientum animas Bonos aiunt esse Divinoâ— quod in seipsis quasi habeant Deum Malum vero impium sine Deo esse quod duplici ratione accipitur sive quod Deo contrarius dicatur sive quod aspernetur Deum Id tamen malis omnibus non convenire Pios autem Religiosos esse sapientes peritos divini juris omnes Pâ—â—tatem esse seiâ—â—iam divini cultus Diis item eos sacr ficia sacturos castosque futuros Quippe ea quae in Deos admittuntur peccata detesâ—ari Diisque charos ac gratos fore quo sancti justique in rebus divinis sint that which there is delivered Only let me briefly mind you of these few things 1. That the true knowledge of God is the summ of Godliness and the end of all our other knowledge and of all that we have or do as Christians As Christ is a Teacher that came from God so he came to call and lead us unto God Or else he had not come as a Saviour It is from God that we fell by sin and to God that we must be restored by grace To save us is to restore us to our perfection and our happiness and that is to restore us unto God § 2. 2. That the true knowledge of God is powerful and effectual upon the heart and life And every Attribute and Relation of God is so to be known as to make its proper Impress on us And the measure of this saving knowledge is not to be judged of by Extensiveness or number of Truths concerning God which we know so much as by the Clearness and Intensiveness and the measure of its holy effects upon the heart § 3. 3 This is it that denominateth both our selves and all our Duties HOLY when Gods Image is thus imprinted on us and we are like him by the new birth as Children to their Father and by his knowledge both our Hearts and Lives are made Divine being disposed unto God devoted to him and employed for him he being our Life and Light and Love § 4. This is the summ of the Covenant of God with man I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people And the other parts of the Covenant that Christ be our Saviour and the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier are both subservient unto this there being now no coming unto God but as Reconciled in Christ our Mediator and by the teaching and drawing of the Holy Ghost To be our God is to be to us An Absolute Owner a most Righteous Governour and a most Bountiful Benefactor or Father as having Created us Redeemed and Regenerated us and this according to his most Blessed Nature properties and perfections § 5. 5. It is not only a loose and unconstant effect of your particular thoughts of God that is the necessary Impress of his Attributes as to Fear him when you remember his Greatness and Iustice But it must be an Habit or holy nature in you every Attribute having made it s stated Image upon you and that Habit or Image being in you a constant Principle of holy spiritual operations A Habit of Reverence Belief Trust Love c. should be as it were your Nature § 6. 6. Not that the knowledge of God in his perfections should provoke us to desire his properties and perfections For to have such an aspiring desire to be Gods were the greatest Pride and wickedness But only we must desire 1.
to fight against his cause and work which is by fighting against the World and the Flesh and for the glory of God § 13. In opening to you this holy War I shall 1. Shew you what we must do on the Offensive part The Mâ—â—â—â—d 2. What on the Defensive part And here I shall shew you I. What it is that the Tempter aimeth at as his End II. What matter or ground he worketh upon III. What are his Succours and Assistants IV. What kind of Officers and Instruments he useth V. What are his Methods and actual Temptations 1. To actual sin 2. Against our duty to God § 14. 1. Our offensive arms are to be used 1. Against the power of sin within us and all its advantages and helps For while Satan ruleth and possesseth us within we shall never well oppose him without 2. Against sin in others as far as we have opportunity 3. Against the credit and honour of sin in the world As the Devils Servants would bring Light and Holiness into disgrace so Christs Servants must câ—si disgrace and shame upon sin and darkness 4. Against all the Reasonings of sinners and their subtile fallacies whereby they would deceive 5. Against the passions and violent lusts which are the causes of mens other sins 6. Against the holds and helps of sin as false Teachers prophane Râ—vilers ignorance and dâ—câ—it Only take heed that on this pretence we step not out of our ranks and places to pull down the powers of the world by rebellions For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal 2 Cor. 10. 4. § 15. 2. As to our Defence I. The ends of the Tempter which must be perceived are these 1. In general his aâ—m is at our utter ruine and damnation and to draw us here to dishonour God as much as he can But especially his aim is to strengthen the great heart-sins which are most mortal and are the root and life and spawners of the rest Especially these 1. Ignorance which is the friend and cloke to all the rest 2. Error which will justific them 3. Unbelief which keeps off all that should oppose them 4. Atheism prophaneness unhâ—liness which are the defiance of God and all his Armies 5. Presumption which emboldneth them and hides the danger 6. Hardness of heart which fortifieth them against all the batteries of Grace 7. Hypocrisie which maketh them serve him as Spies and Intelligencers in the Army of Christ. 8. Disaffection to God and his wayes and servants which is the Devils colours 9. Unthankfulness which tends to make them unreconcileable and unrecoverable 10. Pride which commandeth many Regiments of lesser sins 11. Worldliness or love of money and wealth which keepeth his Armies in pay 12. Sensuality Voluptuousness or flesh-pleasing Animi molles aetate fluxâ— doâ—â—s hâ—ud dâ—fficulter câ—pâ—untur which is the great Commander of all the rest For selfishness is the Devils Lieutenant General which consisteth chiefly in the three last named but especially in Pride and Sensuality Some think that it is outward sins that bring all the danger but these twelve heart-sins which I have named to you are the twelve Gates of the infernal City which Satan loveth above all the rest § 16. II. The Matter and Grounds of his Temptations are these 1. The Devil first worketh upon the outward sense and so upon the sensitive appetite He sheweth the Cup to the Drunkards eye and the bait of filthy lust to the fornicator and the riches and pomp of the world to the covetous and proud The Glutton tasteth the sweetness of the dish which he loveth Stage-playes and tempting sports and proud attire and sumptuous buildings and all such sensual things are the baits by which the Devil angleth for souls Thus Eve first saw the fruit and then tasted and then did eat Thus Noah and Lot and David sinned Thus Achan saith Josh. 7. 21. I saw the Garments Silver and Gold I coveted them and I took them The sense is the door of sin § 17. 2. The Tempter next worketh on the Fantasie or Imagination and prints upon it the loveliest image of his bait that possibly he can and engageth the sinner to Think on it and to rowl it over and over in his mind even as God commandeth us to Meditate on his Precepts § 18. 3. Next he worketh by these upon the Passions or affections which fantasie having enflamed they violently urge the Will and Reason and this according to the nature of the passion whether fear or hope sorrow or joy love or hatred desire or aversation but by none doth he work so dangerously as by Delight and Love and Desire of things sensual § 19. 4. Hence he proceedeth to infect the Will upon the simple apprehension of the understanding to make it inordinately cleave to the temporal good and to neglect its duty in commanding the understanding to meditate on preserving objects and to call off the Thoughts from the forbidden thing It neglecteth to rule the Thoughts and Passions according to its office and natural power § 20. 5. And so he corrupteth the understanding it self first to omit its duty and then to entertain deceit and to approve of evil And so the servant is put into the Government and the commanding powers do but serve it Reason is blinded by sensuality and passion and becomes their servant and pleads their cause § 21. By all this it appeareth 1. That Satans first bait is ordinarily some sensible or imaginary good set up against true spiritual good 2. That his first assault of the Reason and Will is to tempt them into a sluggish neglect and neutrality to omit that restraint of Sense Thought and Passion which was their duty 3. And that lastly he tempteth them into actual complyance and committing of the sin And herein 1. The bait which he useth with the understanding is still some seeming Truth And therefore his art and work is to colour falshood and make it seem Truth For this is the deceiving of the mind And therefore for a sinner to plead his mistake for his excuse and say I thought it had been so or so I thought it had been no sin or no duty this is but to confess and not to excuse It is but as much as to say my Understanding sinned with my Will and was deceived by the Tempter and overcome 2. And the bait which he useth with the Will is alwayes some appearing good And self-love and love of good is the principle which he abuseth and maketh his ground to work upon as God also useth it in drawing us to good § 22. III. The Succours and Auxiliaries of the Devil and his principal means are these 1. He doth what he can to get an ill tempered Body on his side For as sin did let in bodily distempers so do they much befriend the sin that caused them A cholerick temper will much help him to draw men to passion malice murder cruelty and revenge A sanguine and bilious
have a higher birth than they and higher hopes and higher hearts by setting light by that which their hearts are set upon as their felicity When seeming Christians are as worldly and ambitious as others and make as great a matter of their gain and wealth and honour it sheweth that they do but cover the base and sordid Spirit of worldlings with the visor of the Christian name to deceive themselves and bring the faith of Christians into scorn and dishonour the holy name which they usâ—r◠§ 35. Dirâ—ct 4. It much hâ—noureth God when his servants can quietly and fearlesly trust in him Diâ—â—ct 4. iâ— the â—â—ce of all the dangers and threatnings which Devils or men can cast before them and can joyfully sufâ—er pain or dâ—ath in obedience to his commands and in confidence on his promise of everlasting happinesâ— This sheweth that we believe indeed that there is a God and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. and that he is true and just and that his promises are to be trusted on and that he is able to make them good in despight of all the malice of his enemies and that the threats or frowns of sinful Worms are câ—ntemptible to him that feareth God Psal. 58. 11. Sâ— that men shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous Verily there is a God that judâ—eth in the earth and that at last will judge the world in righteousness Paul glâ—ried in the Thâ—ssal â—iaâ—s for their faith and paâ—ience in all their persecutions and tâ—ibulations which they endured as a mâ—nifest tâ—ken â—f the righteous judgement of God that they might be accounted worthy of the Kingdâ—m 〈…〉 God fâ—r which they suffered Seeing it is a righteous thing with Gâ—d to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us and rest with his Saints to those that are troubled 2 Thess. 1. 4 5 6 7. If ye be rep 〈…〉 d for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you â—â— their part he is evil spâ—ken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4. 14. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf Vers. 16. When confidence in God and assurance of the great reward in Heaven Matth. 5. 11 12. doth cause a believer undâ—untedly to say as the three Witnesses Dan. 3. We are not careful O King to answer thee in this mâ—tter The God whâ—m we serve is able to deliver us when by faith we can go through the tryal of carnal mâ—ckings and scourgings of bonds and imprisonment to be destitute and afflicted yea and toâ—tured not accepting deliverance upon sinful terms thus God is glorified by believers List up your voices O ye afflicted Saints and sing fâ—r the Mâ—jesty of the Lord Glorifie ye the Lord in the fires even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the Islâ—s of the Sea Iâ—a 24. 14 15. Sing to his Praise with Paul and Silas though your feet be in the stocks Iâ— God call for your lives remember that you are nâ—t your own you are bought with a price therefâ—re glorifie God in your bodies and Spiâ—its which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. Rejoyce in it if you bear in your bodies the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal 6. 17. And if you alwayes bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus may be manifested in your bodies 2 Cor. 4. 10. And with all boldness see that Christ be magnified in your bodies whether it be by life or death Phil. 1. 20. Hâ— dishonoureth and reproacheth Christ and faith that thinks he is not to be trusted even unto the death § 36. Direct 5. It much honoureth God when the hopes of everlasting joyes do cause believers to Direct 5. liâ—e much more jâ—yfully than the most prosperous worldlings not with their kind of doting mirth in vain sports and pleasures and foolish talking and uncomely jests But in that constant cheerâ—ulness and gladness which beseemeth the heirs of glory Let it appear to the world that indeed you hope to live with Christ and to be equal with the Angels Doth a dejected countenance and a mournâ—ul troubled and complaining life express such hopes or rather tell men that your hopes are small and that God is a hard Master and his service grievous Do not thus dishonour him by your inordinate dejectedness Do not affright and discourage sinners from the pleasant service of the Lord. § 37. Direct 6. When Christians live in a readiness to dye and can rejoyce in the approach of death Direct 6. and lâ—ve and long for the ay of Iudgement when Christ shall justifie them from the slanders of the woâ—ld and shall judge them to eternaâ— joyes this is to the glory of God and our profession When death which is the King of fears to others appeareth as disarmed and conquered to believers when Iudgement which is the terror of others is their desire this sheweth a triumphant faith and that godliness is not in vain It must be something above nature that can make a man desire to depart and be with Christ as best of all and to be absent from the body and present with the Lord and to comfort one another with the mention of the glorious coming of their Lord and the day when he shall judge the world in righteousness Phil 1. 21. 2 Cor. 5. 8. 1 Thess. 4 18. 2. 1 10. § 38 Direct 7. The Humility and Meekness and Patience of Christians much honour God and their Direct 7. holy faith as Pride and Passion and Impatience dishonour him Let men see that the Spirit of God doth cast down the devillish sin of Pride and maketh you like your Master that humbled himself to assume our flesh and to the death of the Cross and to the contradiction and reproach of foolish sinners and made himself of no reputation but endured the shame of being derided spit upon and crucified Phil. 2. 7 8 9. Heb. 12. 2. and stooped to wash the feet of his Disciples It is not stoutness and lifting up the head and standing upon your terms and upon your honour in the world that is the honouring of God When you are as little children and as nothing in your own eyes and seek not the honour that is of men but say Not to us O Lord not to us but to thy Name be the glory Psal. 115. 1. and are content that your honour decrease and be trodden into the dirt that his may increase and his name be magnified this is the glorifying of God So when you shew the world that you are above the impotent passions of men not to be insensible but to be angry and sin not and to give place to wrath and not to resist and avenge your selves Rom. 12. 19. and to be meâ—k and lowly in heart Matth. 11. 29. It will appear that
Actions divers from that which commandeth my affections As those that put children relations families neighbours under our especiall charge and care though often others must be more loved 20. That Good which is the object of Love is not a meer Universal or General notion but is allwaies some particular or singular being in esse reali vel in esse cognito As there is no such thing in rerum natura as Good in a meer General which is neither the Good of natural existence or of moral perfection or of Pleasure Profit Honour c. Yea which is not in this or in that singular subject or so conceived so there is no such thing as Love which hath not some such singular object As Rada and other Scotists have made plain 21. All Good is either GOD or a CREATURE or a Creatures Act or Work 22. GOD is GOOD Infinitely Eternally Primitively Independently Immutably Communicatively of whom and by whom and to whom are all things The Beginning or first efficient the Dirigent and ultimately ultimate cause of all created Good As Making and Directing All things For Himself 23. Therefore it is the duty of the Intellectual Creature to Love God Totally without any exceptions or restrictions with all the Power Mind and Will not only in degree above our selves and all the world But also as GOD with a Love in kind transcending the Love of every Creature 24. All the Goodness of the Creature doth formally consist in its threefold Relation to GOD viz. 1. In the Impresses of God as its first Efficient or Creator as it is his Image or the effect and demonstration of his perfections viz. his Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness 2 In its Conformity to his Directions or Governing Laws and so in its Order and Obedience 3. And in its Aptitude and Tendency to God as its final cause even to the demonstration of his Glory and the Complacency of his Will 25. All Created Good is therefore Derivative Dependant Contingent Finite Secondary From God By God and To God receiving its Form and Measure from its respect to Him 26. Yet as it may be subordinately From man as the Principle of his own Actions and By man as a subordinate Ruler of himself or others and To man as a subordinate End so there is accordingly a subordinate sort of Goodness which is so denominated from these respects unto the Creature that is himself Good subordinately 27. But all this subordinate Goodness Bonum à nobis Bonum per nos Bonum nobis is but Analogically so and dependantly on the former sort of Goodness and is something in due subordination to it and against it nothing that is not properly Good 28. The best and excellentest Creatures in the foresaid Goodness-related to God are most to be loved and all according to the Degree of their Goodness more than as Good in relation to our selves 29. But seeing their Goodness is formally their Relation unto God it followeth that they are Loved 〈◊〉 only for his sake and consequently Gods Image or Glory in them is first Loved and so the true Love of any Creature is but a secondary sort of the Love of God 30. The best being next to God is the universe or whole Creation and therefore next him most to be loved by us 31. The next in Amiableness is the whole coelestial society Christ Angels and Saints 32. The next when we come to distinguish them is Christs own Created Glorified Nature in the Person of the Mediator Because Gods Glory or Image is most upon him 33. The next in Amiableness is the whole Angelical society or the orders of Intellectual Spirits above man 34. The next is the spirits of the Just made perfect or the Triumphant Church of Saints in Heaven 35. The next is all this lower world 36. The next is the Church in the world or militant on earth 37. The next are the particular Kingdoms and Societies of the world and so the Churches according to their various degrees 38. The next under societies and multitudes are those individual persons who are Best in the three fore-mentioned respects Whether our selves or others And thus by the objects should our Love that is Rational be diversified in Degree and that be Loved best that is best 39. The Amiable Image of God in man is as hath oft been said 1. Our Natural Image of God or the Image of his three Essential properties as such that is Our Vital Active Power our Intellect and our will 2. Our Moral Image or the Image of his said properties in their perfections viz. Our Holiness that is Our Holy Life or spiritual vivacity and Active Power Our Holy Light or Wisdom our Holy Wills or Love 3. Our Relative Image of God or the Image of his Supereminencie Dominion or Majesty which is 1. Common to Man in respect to the Inferiour Creatures that we are their Owners Governâ—rs and End and Benefactors 2. Eminently in Rulers of Men Parents and Princes who are Analogically sub-owners sub-rulers and sub-benefactors to their inferiors in various degrees By which it is discernable what it is that we are to Love in man and with what variety of kinds and degrees of Love as the Kinds and degrees of amiableness in the objects differ 40. Even the Sun and Moon and frame of Nature the Inanimates and Bruits must be Loved in that Degree Compared to Man and to one another as their Goodness before described that is the Impressions of the Divine perfections do more or less Gloriously appear in them and as they are adapted to him the ultimate end 41. As God is in this life seen but darkly and as in a Glass so also proportionably to be Loved For our Love cannot exceed our Knowledge 42. Yet it followeth not that we must Love him only as he appareth in his works which demonstrate him as effects do their cause For both by the said works improved by Reason and by his word we know that he is before his works and above them and so distinct from them as to transcend and comprehend and cause them all by a continual causality And therefore he must accordingly be Loved 43. It greatly hindereth our Love to God when we overlook all the intermediate excellencies between Him and us which are much better and therefore more amiable than our selves such as are before recited 44. The Love of the universe as bearing the liveliest Image or impress of their Cause is an eminent secondary Love of God and a great help to our Primary or Immediate Love of him Could we comprehend the Glorious excellency of the universal Creation in its matter form parts order and uses we should see so Glorious an Image of God as would unspeakably promote the work of Love 45. Whether the GLORY of God in HEAVEN which will for ever beatifie the beholders and possessors be the Divine Essence which is every where or a Created Glory purposely there placed for the felicity of holy spirits and
any more than Spirit or any thing else If it were only in respect of their object they should be called the World also because that is their object It is a certain Rule that That faculty is most predominant in man whose Object is made his chiefest End Sensitive delights being made the felicity and end of the unsanctified it followeth that the sensitive faculties are predominant which being called Flesh by a nearer Trope the Mind from it receives the denomination The Scriptures also shew this plainly I remember not any one place in the Old Testament where there is any probability that the word flesh should signifie only the Rational soul as unrenewed Matth. 16. 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee that is mortal man hath not revealed it Matth. 26. 41. The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak that is your Bodies are weak and resist the willingness of your souls For sinful habits are not here called weak John 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh that is Man by natural Generation can beget but natural man called Flesh from the visible part and not the spiritual life which nature is now destitute of Rom 7. 25. With my flesh I serve the Law of sin that is with my sensitive powers and my mind so far as captivated thereto Rom. 8. 1 5. Flesh and Spirit are oft opposed They that are of the flesh mind the things of the flesh c. that is They in whom the sensitive interest and appetite are predominant For it is called the Body here as well as the flesh v. 10 11 13. The mind is here included but it is as serving the flesh and its interest Gal. 5. 16 17 19. Flesh and Spirit are in the same manner opposed And 2 Pet. 2. 18. the Lusts of the flesh are in this sense mentioned And Ephes. 2. 3. Rom. 7. 18. Rom. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 11. in which there is mention of fleshly lusts which fight against the Spirit and fleshly wisdom making provision for the flesh c. And Col. 2. 18. there is indeed the name of a fleshly mind which is but a mind deceived and subservient to the flesh so that the flesh it self or sensitive interest and appetite are first signified in all or most places and in some the Mind as subservient thereto § 4. It is of the greater consequence that this be rightly understood lest you be tempted to imitate the Libertines who think the flesh or sensitive part is capable of no moral good or evil and therefore all its actions being indifferent we may be indifferent about them and look only to the superiour powers And others that think that the Scripture by flesh meaneth only the Rational soul ☜ as unâ—enewed do thereupon cherish the Flesh it self and pamper it and feed its unruly lusts and never do any thing to tame the body but pray daily that God would destroy the flesh within them that is their sinful habits of Reason and Will while they cherish the cause or neglect a chief part of the cure And on the contrary some Papists that look only at the Body as their enemy are much in fastings and bodily exercises while they neglect the mortifying of their carnal minds § 5. II. How far flesh-pleasing is a sin I shall distinctly open to you in these propositions What Flesh-pleasing is a sin 1. The Pleasing or displeasing of the sensitive appetite in it self considered is neither sin nor duty good or evil but as commanded or forbidden by some Law of God which is not absolutely done 2. To please the flesh by things forbidden is undoubtedly a sin and so it is to displease it too Therefore this is not all that is here meant that the Matter that pleaseth it must not be things forbidden 3. To overvalue the Pleasing of the Flesh is a sin And to prefer it before the Pleasing of God and the holy preparations for Heaven is the state of carnality and ungodliness and the common cause of the Damnation of souls The Delight of the Flesh or Senses is a Natural Good and the natural desire of it in it self as is said is neither vice nor vertue But when this little natural Good is preferred before the Greater Spiritual Moral or Eternal Good this is the sin of Carnal minds which is threatned with death Rom. 8. 1 5 6 7 8 13. 4. To buy the pleasing of the flesh at too dear a rate as the loss of time or with care and trouble above its worth and to be too much set on making provisions to please it doth shew that it is overvalued and is the sin forbidden Rom. 13. 14. 5. When any desire of the Flesh is inordinate immoderate or irregular for matter or manner quantity quality or season it is a sin to please that inordinate desire 6. When Pleasing the flesh doth too much pamper it and cherish filthy lusts or any other sin and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—â—o sufficiâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— satâ—s est â—â—â—â—um â—â—â—â—pus namque propter animi servitium seciffe naturam nemo tam corporis servus est qui nesciat Id si proprio munere fungitur quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid ampâ—ius requiras Petraâ—ch li. 2 Dial. 2 Vires corporis sunt vires carceris ut Petrarch li. 1. Dial. 5. What mean you to make your prison so strong said Plato to one that over-pampered his flesh Mars Ficin iâ— Vita Plat. is not necessary on some other account as doing greater good it is a sin But if Life require it lust must be subdued by other means 7. When pleasing the flesh doth hurt it by impairing health and so making the body less fit for duty it is a sin And so almost all intemperance tendeth to breed diseases And God commandeth Temperance even for the Bodies good 8. When unnecessary Flesh-pleasing hindereth any duty of Piety Justice Charity or self-preservation in thought affection word or deed it is sinful 9. It any Pleasing of the Flesh can be imagined to have no tendency directly or indirectly to any moral Good or Evil it is not the Object of a moral Choosing or Refusing but like the winking of the eye which falls not under deliberation it is not within the compass of morality 10. Every Pleasing of the flesh which is capable of being referred to a higher end and is not so referred and used is a sin And there is scarce any thing which is eligible which a vacant waking man should deliberate on but should be referred to a higher end even to the glory of God and our salvation by cheering us up to Love and Thankfulness and strengthening or fitting us some way for some duty This is apparently a sin 1. Because else Flesh-pleasing is made our ultimate end and the Flesh an Idol if ever we desire it only for it self when it may be referred to a higher end For though the sensitive Appetite of it self hath no intended end yet
be ready to pour out to others and not be silent and lose his Time for want of matter or skill or zeal for in all these three your provision doth consist An ignorant empty person wants matter for his thoughts and words An Imprudent person wants skill to use it A careless cold indifferent person wants life to set his faculties on motion and oyl and poise to set the wheels of his soul and body a going Bethink you in the morning what company you are like to meet and what occasions of duty you are like to have and provide your selves accordingly before you go with matter and resolution Besides the general preparative of habitual Knowledge charity and zeal which is the chief you should also have your particular preparations for the duties of each day A workman that is strong and healthful and hath all his tools in readiness and Act. 6. 5. Matth. 7. 17. Luk. 6 45. Matth. 12 34. order will do more in a day than a sick man or one that wanteth tools or keeps them dull and unfit for use will do in many Psalm 37. 30 31. The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgement And no wonder when The Law of his God is in his Heart none of his steps shall slide Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Math. 12. 35. Every Scribe which is instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man that is an housholder that bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old Matth. 13. 52. § 47. Direct 8. Promise not long life to your selves but live as those that are allwaies uncertain of Direct 8. another day and certain to be shortly gone from hence The groundless expectation of long life is a very great hindrance to the Redeeming of our Time Men will spend prodigally out of a full purse who would be sparing if they knew they had but a little or were like to come to want themselves Young people and healthful people are under the greatest temptation to the loss of Time They are apt to think that they have Time enough before them and that though its possible that they may die quickly yet it is more likely that they shall live long and so putting the day of death far from them they want all those awakenings which the face of death doth bring to them that still expect it and therefore want the wisdom zeal and diligence which is necessary to the Redemption of their time Pray therefore as Psalm 90. 12. So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisdom Dream not of rest and plenty for many years when you have no promise to live till the next morning Luke 12. 19 20. When they perceive death is at hand and time is near an end allmost all men seem highly to esteem of Time and promise to spend it better if God would but try them once again Do you therefore continually perceive that death is even at hand and time near an end and then it will make you continually more wise then death maketh the most and to redeem your Time as others purpose to Redeem it when it is too late § 48. Direct 9. Sanctifie all to God that you have and do And let Holiness to the Lord be written Direct 9. upon all whether you eat or drink let it be intended and ordered ultimately to his Glory Make all 1 Cor. 10. 31. Zeâ—h 14. 20 21. Rom 6. 19 22. Luk. 1. 75. 1 Tim. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 4 5. 2 Tim. 2. 21. your civil relations possessions and employments thus Holy designing them to the service and pleasing of God and to the everlasting good of your selves or others and mixing holy meditation and prayer with them all in season And thus we are bid to pray continually and in all things give thanks 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. And in all things to make known our requests to God in prayer supplication and giving of thanks Phil. 4. 6. And all things are sanctified by the word and prayer This sacred Alchymie that turneth all our conversation and possessions and actions into Holy is an excellent part of the art of Redeeming Time § 49. Direct 10. Lastly be acquainted with the great Thieves that rob men of their Time and with Direct 10. the Devils methods in entising them to lose it and live in continual watchfullness against them It is a more necessary thriftiness to be sparing and saving of your Time than of your money It more concerneth you to keep a continual watch against the things which would rob you of your Time than against those Thieves that would break your house and rob you by the high-way Those persons that would tempt you to the loss of Time are to be taken as your enemies and avoided I shall here recite the names of these Thieves and Time-wasters that you may detest them and save your Time and souls from their deceits Tit. 4. The Thieves or Time-wasters to be watchfully avoided § 50. Th. 1. ONe of the greatest Time-wasting sins is idleness or sloth The slothful see their Thief 1. Time pass away and their work undone and can hear of the necessity of Redeeming it and yet they have not hearts to stir When they are convinced that duty must be done they are still delaying and putting it off from day to day and saying still I will do it to morrow or hereafter To morrow is still the sluggards working day and to day is his idle day He spendeth his Time in fruitless wishes He lyeth in bed or sitteth idly and wisheth Would this were labouring He feasteth his flesh and wisheth that this were fasting He followeth his sports and pleasures and wisheth that this were prayer and a mortified life He lets his heart run after lust or pride or Covetousness and wisheth that this were heavenly mindedness and a laying up a treasure above Thus the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat Prov. 13. 4. Prov. 21. 25. The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour Every little opposition or difficulty will put him by a duty Prov. 20. 4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing Prov. 22. 13. The slothful man saith There is a Lyon without I shall be slain in the streets Prov. 26. 14 15 16. As the door turneth upon his hindges so doth the slothful upon his bed The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth And at last his sloth depraves his Reason and bribeth it to plead the cause of his negligence The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason Time will slide on and duty will be undone and
continually in that case your selves If you should be still so what were you good for or what could you enjoy or what comfort would your lives be to you Why if a long pain be so bad a short one is not lovely Keep not wilfully so troublesome a malady in your mind § 6. Direct 4. Observe also what an enemy it is to the body it self It inflameth the blood and Direct 4. stirreth up diseases and breedeth such a bitter displeasedness in the mind as tends to consume the strength of nature and hath cast many into Acute and many into Chronical sicknesses which have proved their death And how uncomfortable a kind of death is this § 7. Direct 5. Observe how unlovely and unpleasing it rendereth you to beholders deforming the Direct 5. countenance and taking away the amiable sweetness of it which appeareth in a calm and loving temper If you should be alwayes so would any body love you or would they not go out of your way if not lay hands on you as they do anything that is wild or mad You would scarce desire to have your picture drawn in your fury till the frowning wrinkles and inflamed blood are returned to their places and have left your visage to its natural comeliness Love not that which maketh you so unlovely to all others § 8. Direct 6. You should love it the worse because it is a hurting passion and an enemy to Love and Direct 6. to anothers good You are never angry but it inclineth you to hurt those that angred you if not all others that stand in your way It putteth hurting thoughts into your mind and hurting words into your mouths and enclineth you to strike or do some mischief And no men love a hurtful creature Avoid therefore so mischievous a passion § 9. Direct 7. Nay mark the tendency of it and you will find that if it should not be stopt it would Direct 7. tend to the very ruine of your brother and end in his blood and your own damnation How many thousand hath anger murdered or undone It hath caused Wars and filled the world with blood and cruelty And should your hearts give such a fury entertainment § 10. Direct 8. Consider how much other sin immoderate anger doth incline men to It is the great Direct 8. crime of drunkenness that a man having not the government of himself is made lyable by it to any Proâ—rium est magnitudinis verae non sentire se esse percussum Qui non irâ—scitur inconcussus injuria persistit qui irascitur motus est Sexec de Ira. l. 3. c. 5. wickedness And so is it with immoderate anger How many Oaths and Curses doth it cause every day How many rash and sinful actions What villany hath not anger done It hath slandered railed reproached falsly accused and injured many a thousand It hath murdered and ruined Families Cities and States It hath made Parents kill their Children and Children dishonour their Parents It hath made Kings oppress and murder their Subjects and Subjects rebell and murder Kings What a world of sin is committed by sinful anger throughout all the world How endless would it be to give you instances David himself was once drawn by it to purpose the murdering of all the family of Nahal Its effects should make it odious to us § 11. Direct 9. And it is much the worse in that it suffereth not a man to sin alone but stirreth up Direct 9. others to do the like Wrath kindleth wrath as fire kindleth fire It s two to one but when you are angry you will make others angry or discontent or troubled by your words or deeds And you have not the power of moderating them in it when you have done You know not what sin it may draw them to It is the Devils bellows to kindle mens corruptions and sets hearts and families and Kingdoms in a flame § 12. Direct 10. Observe how unfit it maketh you for any holy duty for prayer or meditation or Direct 10. any communion with God And that should be very unwelcome to a gracious soul which maketh it unfit to speak to God or to be employed in his Worship If you should go to prayer or other Worship in your bedlam passion may not God say as the King of Gath did of David Have I need of mad men Yea it unfitteth all the family or Church or society where it cometh for the Worship of God Is the family fit for prayer when wrath hath muddied and disturbed their minds Yea it divideth Christians and Churches and causeth confusion and every evil â—am 3. 15 16. work § 13. Direct 11. It is a great dishonour to the grace of God that a servant of his should shew the Direct 11. world that grace is of no more force and efficacy that it cannot rule a raging passion nor so much as keep a Christian sober that it possesseth the soul with no more patience nor fear of God nor Government over it self O wrong not God thus by the dishonouring of his Grace and Spirit § 14. Direct 12. It is a sin against Conscience still repented of and disowned by almost all when Direct 12. they come to themselves again and a meer preparation for after sorrow That therefore which we fore-know we must repent of afterwards should be prevented and avoided by men that choose not shame and sorrow § 15. Object 1. But you 'll say I am of a hasty cholerick nature and cannot help it Object 1. Answ. That may strongly dispose you to anger but cannot Necessitate you to any thing that is sinful Answ. Reason and Will may yet command and master passion if they do their Office And when you know your disease and danger you must watch the more § 16. Object 2. But the provocation was so great it would have angered any one Who could choose Object 2. Answ. It is your weakness that makes you think that any thing can be great enough to discharge Answ. a mans reason and allow him to break the Laws of God That would have been small or nothing to a prepared mind which you call so great You should rather say Gods Majesty and dreadfulness is so great that I durst not offend him for any provocation Hath not God given you greater cause to obey than man can give you to sin § 17. Object 3. But it is so sudden that I have no time of deliberation to prevent it Object 3. Answ. Have you not Reason still about you And should it not be as ready to rule as passion to Answ. rebell Stop passion at first and take time of deliberation § 18. Object 4. But it is but short and I am sorry for it when I have done Object 4. Answ. But if it be evil the shortest is a sin and to be avoided And when you know before hand Answ. that you must be sorry after why will
you breed your own sorrow § 19. Object 5. But there is none that will not be angry sometime no not the best of you all Object 5. Answ. The sin is never the better because many commit it And yet if you live not where grace is Answ. a stranger you may see that there are many that will not be angry easily frequently furiously nor miss-behave themselves in their anger by railing or cursing or swearing or ill language or doing wrong to any § 20. Object 6. Doth not the Apostle say Be angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your Object 6. wrath Ephes. 4. 26. My wrath is down before the Sun therefore I sin not Answ. The Apostle never said that anger is never sinful but when it lasteth after Sun-setting Answ. But entertain no sinful anger at all but if you do yet quickly quench it and continue not in it Be not angry without or beyond cause and when you are yet sin not by uncharitableness or any evil words or deeds in your anger nor continue under the justest displeasure but hasten to be reconciled and to forgive These Reasons improved may rule your Anger Directions Practicall against sinful Anger § 1. Direct 1. The principal help against sinful anger is in the right habituating of the soul that Direct 1. you live as under the Government of God with the sense of his authority still upon your hearts and in the sense of that mercy that hath forgiven you and forbeareth you and under the power of his healing and assisting grace and in the life of Charity to God and man Such a Heart is continually fortified and carrieth its preservatives within it self as a wrathful man carrieth his incentives still within him There is the main cause of Wrath or Meeâ—ness § 2. Direct 2. Be sure that you keep a humbled soul that overvalueth not it self for Humility Direct 2. is patient and aggravateth not injuries But a proud man takes all things as â—einous or intolerable that are said or done against him He that thinks meanly of himself thinks meanly of all that is said or done against himself But he that magnifieth himself doth magnifie his provocations Pride is a most impatient sin There is no pleasing a proud person without a great deal of wit and care and diligence You must come about them as you do about Straw or Gunpowder with a Candle Prov. 13. 10. Only by pride cometh contention Prov. 28. 25. He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strise Prov. 21. 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Psal. 31. 18. Let the lying lips be put to silence which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous Humility and meekness and patience live and dye together § 3. Direct 3. Take heed of a worldly covetous mind for that setteth so much by earthly things Direct 3. that every loss or crâ—ss or injury will be able to disquiet him and enflame his passion Neither neighbour nor child nor servant can please a covetous man Every little trespass or crossing his commodity toucheth him to the quick and maketh him impatient § 4. Direct 4. Stop your Passion in the beginning before it go too far It s easiest moderated at Direct 4. first Watch against the first stirrings of your wrath and presently command it down Reason and Will can do much if you will but use them according to their power A spark is sooner quenched than a flame and this Serpent is easiliest crushed in the spawn § 5. Direct 5. Command your tongue and hand and countenance if you cannot presently quiet or Direct 5. command your passion And so you will avoid the greatest of the sin and the passion it self will quickly be stifled for want of vent You cannot say that it is not in your power to hold your tongue or hands if you will Do not only avoid that swearing and cursing which are the marks of the prophane but avoid many words till you are â—itter to use them and avoid expostulations and contending and bitter opprobious cutting speeches which tend to stir up the wrath of others And use a mild and gentle speech which favoureth of Love and tendeth to asswage the heat that 's kindled Prov. 15. 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger And that which mollifieth and appeaseth another will much conduce to the appeasing of your selves § 6. Direct 6. At least command your self into quietness till Reason be heard speak and while you Direct 6. deliberate Be not so hasty as not to think what you say or do A little delay will abate the fury and give Reason time to do its office Prov. 25. 15. By long forbearing is a Prince perswaded and a soft answer breaketh the bone Patience will lenifie anothers wrath and if you use it but so long as a little to stay your selves till reason be awake it will lenifie your own And he is a fury and not a man that cannot stop while he considereth § 7. Direct 7. If you cannot easilier quiet or restrain your selves go away from the place and company Direct 7. And then you will not be heated by contending words nor exasperate others by your contending When you are alone the fire will asswage Prov. 14. 7. Go away from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge You will not stand still and stir in a Wasps Nest when you have enraged them § 8. Direct 8. Yea ordinarily avoid much talk or disputes or business with angry men as far as Direct 8. you can without avoiding your duty and avoid all other occasions and temptations to the sin A man that is in danger of a Feavor must avoid that which kindleth it Come not among the infected if Unicuique pertinacius contendenti justam habere causam permitte tacendoque contumaci cede sic uterque quieâ—i imperturbaâ—i paermanebitis Thauâ—er flor pag. 84. you fear the Plague Stand not in the Sun if you are too hot already Keep as far as you can from that which most provoketh you § 9. Direct 9. Meditate not on injuries or provoking things when you are alone suffer not your Direct 9. thoughts to feed upon them Else you will be Devils to your selves and tempt your selves when you have none else to tempt you and will make your solitude as provoking as if you were in company And you will be angring your selves by your own imaginations § 10. Direct 10. Keep upon your minds the lively thoughts of the exemplary meekness and patience of Direct 10. Iesus Christ who calleth you to learn of him to be meek and lowly Matth. 11. 28 29. Who being reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. Who hath pronounced a special blessing on
that toucheth not the heart neither Is it loss of children or friends or is it pain and sickness I confess these are sore but yet they do not touch the heart If they come thither it is your doing and though thither they should come moderately if they are immoderate it is your own sinful doing It is you that grieve and make the heart ake God and man did but make the flesh ake If others hurt your bodys will you therefore vex your minds Will you pierce through your hearts because they touch your name or goods If so remember which part of your sorrow is of their making and which is of your own And can you for shame go beg of Gâ—d or man to ease the grief which you your selves are causing and willfully continue it while you pray against it And why lament you that which you cause and choose It is a shame to be willfully your own tormentâ—r◠§ 20. Direct 14. Abhor all that tendeth to take down the power and government of Reason that is Direct 14. all fâ—â—bleness and câ—wardize of mind and a melancholy a piâ—vish passionate disposition and labour to keep up the authâ—rity of Reason and to keep all your passions subject to your wills which must be done by Christian faith and fortitude If you come once to that childish or distracted pass as to grieve and say I cannot help it I know it is sinful and immoderate but I cannot choose if you say true you are out of the reach of counsel advice or comfort You are not to be preacht to nor talkt to nor to be written for we do not write Directions to teach men how to touch the Stars or explain the Asperites or inequalities of the Moon or the Opacous parts of Saturn or to govern the Orbs or rule the Chariot of the Sun If it be become a natural impossibility to you Doctrine can give you no remedy But if the impossibility be but Moral in the weakness of your Reason and want of consideration it may by Doctrine Consideration and Resolution be overcome You can do more if you will than you think you can How come you to lose the command of your Passions Did not God make you a rational creature that hath an understanding and will to rule all Passions How come you to have lost the Ruling power of Reason and will You would take it for a disparagement to be told that you have lâ—st the use of your Reason And is it not a principal use of it to Rule the passions and all other inferior subject powers You say you cannot choose but grieve But if one could give you that creature which you want or desire then you could choose You could rejoyce if one could restore you that Child that Friend that Estate which you have lost But God and Christ and Heaven it seems are not enough to cure you if you must have but theâ— you cannot choose but grieve And what hearts have you then that are thus affected Should not those hearts be rather grieved for God will sometime make you see that you had more power than you used § 21. Direct 15. Observe the mischiefs of excessive sorrow that you may feel what reason you have Direct 15. to avoid it While you know not what hurt is in it you will be the more remiss in your resisting it I shall briefly name you some of its unhappy fruits § 22. 1. It is a continual pain and sickness of the mind This you know by feeling 2. It is a The ill effects of sinful grieâ— destroyer of bodily health and life For worldly sorrow worketh death 2 Cor. 7. 10. Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dryeth the the bones 3. It putteth the soul out of relish with its mercies and so causeth us to undervalue them and consequently to be unthankful for them and not to improve them 4. It destroyeth the sense of the Love of God and lamentably undisposeth the soul to Love them And therefore should be abhorred by us were it but for that Even Anaâ—agoâ—as a Philosopher could say â—o one that asked him Nullâ—m tibi paâ—riae â—ura est Mihi quidem pâ—â—â—â—iae cura est quidem summa digitum 〈…〉 lum intendâ—ns Laâ—rt p 85. one effect 5. It destroyeth the joy in the Holy Ghost and unfitteth us to obey that command of God Rejoyce continually 6. It contradicteth a Heavenly mind and conversation and hindereth us from all foreâ—asts of the everlasting joys 7. It undisposeth us to the excellent work of Praise Who can ascend in the Praises of God while Grief doth oppress and captivate the soul 8. It destroyeth the sweetness of all Gods Ordinances Hearing Reading Prayer Sacraments we may force our selves to use them but shall have no delight in them 9. It hindreth the exercise of Faith and raiseth distrust and sinful doubts and fears within us 10. It causeth sinful discontents and murmurings at God and man 11. It maketh us impatient pievish froward angry and hard to be pleased 12. It weakneth the soul to all that 's good and destroyeth its fortitude and strength For it is the Ioy of the Lord that is our strength Neh. 8. 10. 13. It hindreth us in the duties of our callings who can do them as they should be done under the clog of a disquiet mind 14. It maketh us a grief and burden to our friends and robs them of the comfort which they should have in and by us 15. It maketh us unprofitable to others and hindreth us from doing the good we might when we should be instructing exhorting and praying for poor sinners or minding the Church of God we are all taken up at home about our own afflictions 16. It maketh us a stumbling block and scandal to the ungodly and hindreth their conversiion while the Devil setteth us before the Church doors to keep away the ungodly from a holy life as men set scar-crows in their fields and gardens to frighten away the birds 17. It dishonoureth Religion by making men believe that it is a melancholy vexatious self-tormenting life 18. It obscureth the Glory of the Gospel and crosseth the work of Christ his Spirit and Ministers who all come upon a message of Great joy to all Nations and proclaim Glad tidings to the worst of sinners much more to the sons of God and heirs of life 19. It misrepresenteth God himself as if we would perswade men that he is a hard and cruel master that none can please though they do all through a Mediator upon a covenant of grace and that it is worse with us since we served him than before and that he delighteth in our grief and misery and is against our peace and joy and as if there were no joy nor pleasure in his service Such hideous doctrine do our lives preach of God when those that profess to fear and seek him do live in such immoderate
Direct 6. It must be well considered how powerful and dangerous things sensible are and how Direct 6. high and hard a work it is in this our depraved earthly state to live by faith upon things unseen and to rule the sense and be carryed above it that so the soul may be awakened to a sufficient fear and watchfulness and may fly to Christ for assistance to his faith It is no small thing for a man in flesh to live above flesh The way of the souls reception and operation is so much by the senses here that its apt to grow too familiar with things sensible and to be strange to things which it never saw It s a great work to make a man in flesh to deny the pleasures which he seeth and tasteth and feeleth for such pleasures as he only heareth of and heareth of as never to be enjoyed till after death in a world which sense hath no acquaintance with O what a glory it is to faith that it can perform such a work as this How hard is it to a weak believer And the strongest find it work enough Consider this that it may awake you to set upon this work with that care that the greatness of it requireth and you may live by faith above a life of sight and sense For it is this that your Happiness or misery lyeth on § 9. Direct 7. Sense must not only be kept out of the Throne but from any participation in the Government Direct 7. and we must take heed of receiving it into our counsels or treating with it or hearing it plead its cause and we must see that it get nothing by striving importunity or violence but that it be governed despotically and absolutely as the Horse is governed by the Rider For if the Government once be halved between sense and reason your lives will be half bestial And when Reason ruleth not Faith and Grace ruleth not For faith is to reason as sight is to the eye There are no such Beasts in humane shape who lay by all the use of Reason and are governed by sense alone unless it be idcots or madmen But sense should have no part of the Government at all And where it is chief in power the Devil is there the unseen Governour You cannot here excuse your selves by any plea of necessity or corstcaint For though the sense be violent as well as entising yet God hath made the Reason and Will the absolute Governours under him and by all its rebellion and violence sense cannot depose them nor force them to one sin but doth all the mischief by procuring their consent Which is done sometime by affecting the fantasâ—e and passions too deeply with the pleasure and alluring sweetness of their objects that so the higher faculties may be drawn into consent and sometime by wearying out the resisting mind and will and causing them to remit their opposition and relax the reins and by a sinful privatiâ—n of restraint to permit the sense to take its course A head-strong Horse is not so easily ruled as one of a tender mouth that hath been well ridden And therefore though it be in the power of the Rider to rule him yet sometime for his own case he will loose the reins and a Horse that is used thus by a slothful or unskilful Rider to have his will when ever he striveth will strive when ever he is crossed of his will and so will be the Master As ill-bred Children that are used to have every thing given them which they cry for will be sure to cry before they will be crost of their desire So is it with our sensitive appetite If you use to satisfie it when it is eager or importunate you shall be mastered by its eagerness and importunity And if you use but to regard it over much and delay your commands till sense is heard and taken into counsel it s two to one but it will prevail or ar least will be very troublesome to you and prove a traytor in your bosome and its temptations keep you in continual danger Therefore be sure that you never loose the reins but keep sense under a constant government if you love either your safety or your ease § 10. Direct 8. You may know whether Sense or Faith and Reason be the chief in Government by Direct 8. knowing which of their objects is made your chiefest End and accounted your Best and loved and delighted in and sought accordingly If the objects of sense be thus taken for your Best and End then certainly sense is the chief in Government But if the objects of faith and Reason even God and life eternal be taken for your Best and End then faith and reason are the ruling power Though you should use never so great understanding and policy for sensual things as Riches and honour and worldly greatness or fleshly delights this doth not prove that Reason is the ruling power but proveth the ☜ more strongly that sense is the Conquerour and that Reason is depraved and captivated by it and truckleth under it and serveth it as a voluntary slave And the greater is your learning wit and parts and the nobler your education the greater is the victory and dominion of sense that can subdue and rule and serve it self by parts so noble § 11. Direct 9. Though sense must be thus absolutely ruled its proper power must neither be disabled Direct 9. prohibited nor denyed You must keep your Horse strong and able for his works though not head-strong and unruly And you must not keep him from the use of his strength though you grant him not the Government Nor will you deny but that he may be stronger than the Rider though the Rider have the ruling power He hath more of the power called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural power though the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be yours So is it here 1. No man must destroy his bodily sense The quickest sense is the best servant to the soul if it be not headstrong and too impetuous The Body must be stricken so far as to be kept under and brought into subjection 1 Cor. 9. 27. but not be disabled from its service to the soul 2. Nor must we forbid or forbear the exercise of the senses in subordination to the exercise of the interior senses Heb. 4. 14. It is indeed a smaller loss to part with a right hand or a right eye than with our salvation But that proveth not that we are put to such streights as to be necessitated to either unless persecution put us to it 3. Nor must we deny the certainty of the sensitive apprehension when it keepeth its place as the Papists do that affirm it necessary to salvation to believe that the sight and taste and smell and feeling of all men in the world that take the Sacrament are certainly deceived in taking that to be Bread and Wine which is not so For if all the senses of all
excess in whomsoever 4. And in curiosity of dyet a difference must be allowed The happier healthful man need not be so curious as the sick And the happy Plowman need not be so curious as state and expectation somewhat require the Noble and the Rich to be 5. And for length of time though unnecessary sitting out time at meat be a sin in any yet the happy poor man is not obliged to spend all out so much this way as the Rich may do 6. And it is not all delight in meat or pleasing As Isaac's pleasant meat Gen. 27. 7. the appetite that is a sin But only that which is made mens end and not referred to a higher end even when the Delight it self doth not tend to health nor alâ—crity in duty nor is used to that end but to please the flesh and tempt unto excess 7. And it is not necessary that we measure the profitableness of quantity or quality by the present and immediate benefits but by the more remote sometimes so merciful is God that he alloweth us that which is truly for our good and forbiddeth us but that which doth us hurt or at least no good 8. All sin in eating is not Gluttony but only such as are here described § 5. II. The causes of Gluttony are these 1. The chiefest is an inordinate appetite together with a Non potest temperantiam laudare is qu summum bonum ponit in voluptate Est enim temperantia libidinum inimica Cicero Saith Aristotle He is temperate that takes pleasure to deny fleshly pleasure but he is intemperate that is troubled because he cannot have them Ethic. l. 2. c. 3. fleshly mind and will which is set upon Flesh-pleasing as its felicity They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 6 7. This Gulosity which Clemens Alexandrinus calleth The Throat-Devil and the Belly-Devil is the first cause § 6. 2. The next cause is The want of strong Reason faith and a spiritual appetite and mind which should call off the Glutton and take him up with higher pleasures even such as are more manly and in which his real Happiness doth consist They that are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit Rom. 8. 6. Reason alone may do something to call up a man from this felicity of a beast as appeareth by the Philosophers assaults upon the Epicures but faith and love which feast the soul with sweeter delicates must do the cure § 7. 3. Gluttony is much increased by Use when the Appetite is used to be satisfied it will be the more importunate and impetuous whereas a custome of Temperance maketh it easie and makes excess a matter of no delight but burden I remember my self that when I first set upon the use of Cornario's and Lessius dyet as it is called which I did for a time for some special reasons it seemed a little hard for two or three dayes but within a week it became a pleasure and another sort or more was not desirable And I think almost all that use one dish only and a small quantity do find that more is a trouble and not a temptation to them so great a matter is use unless it be with very strong and labouring persons § 8. 4. Idleness and want of diligence in a calling is a great cause of Luxury and Gluttony Though labour cause a healthful appetite yet it cureth a beastly sensual mind An idle person hath leisure to think of his guts what to eat and what to drink and to be longing after this and that whereas a man that is wholly taken up in lawful business especially such as findeth employment for the mind as well as for the body hath no leisure for such thoughts He that is close at his studies or other calling hath somewhat else to think on than his appetite § 9. 5. Another incentive of Gluttony is the Pride of Rich men who to be accounted good House-keepers Socrates dixit eos qui praecocia magno emerent desparere se ad maturitatis tempus perventuros Laâ—rt ia Socrat Cum vocasset ad coenam divites Zantippâ—n modici puderet apparatus Bono inquit esto animo Nam siqui em modesti erunt frugique mensam non aspernabuntur sin autem intemperantes nulla nobis de hisce cura fuâ—rit Idem ibid. Arebat alios vivere ut ederent se autem edere ut vivat Ibid. and to live at such rates as are agreeable to their Grandure do make their houses shops of sin and as bad as Ale-houses making their Tables a snare both to themselves and others by fullness variety deliciousness costliness and curiosity of Fare It is the honour of their Houses that a man may drink excessively in their Cellars when he please and that their Tables have excellent provisions for gluttony and put all that sit at them upon the tryal of their Temperance whether a bait so near them and so studiously fitted can tempt them to break the bounds and measure which God hath set them It is a lamentable thing when such as have the rule of others and influence on the common people shall think their honour lieth upon their sin yea upon such a constant course of sinning and shall think it a dishonour to them to live in sweet and wholsome Temperance and to see that those about them do the like And all this is either because they over-value the esteem and talk of fleshly Epicures and cannot bear the Censure of a Swine or else because they are themselves of the same mind and are such as Glory in their shame Phil. 3. 18 19. § 10. 6. Another incentive is the custome of urging and importuning others to eat still more and more as if it were a necessary act of friendship People are grown so uncharitable and selfish that they suspect one another and think they are not welcome if they be not urged thus to eat And those that invite them think they must do it to avoid the suspicion of such a sordid mind And I deny not but it is fit to urge any to that which it is fit for them to do and if we see that modesty maketh them eat less than is best for them we may perswade them to eat more But now without any due respect to what is best for them men think it a necessary complement to provoke others more and more to eat till they peremptorily refuse it But amongst the familiarest friends there is scarce any that will admonish one another against excess and advise them to stop when they have enough and tell them how easie it is to step beyond our bounds and how much more prone we are to exceed than to come short And so custome and complement is preferred before temperance and honest fidelity You 'll say what will men think of us if we should not perswade them to eat much more if we should desire them to eat no more I
when their appetite desireth it to the hindring of concoction and the increase of Crudities and Catarhs and to the secret gradual vitiating of their humours and generating of many diseases and this without any true necessity or the approbation of sound Reason or any wise Physicion Yet they tipple but at home where you may find the pot by them at unseasonable times § 12. 3. The third degree are many poor men that have not drink at home and when they come to a Gentlemans house or a feast or perhaps an ALE-house they will pour in for the present to excess though not to Drunkenness and think it is no harm because it is but seldom and they drink so small drink all the rest of the year that they think such a fit as this sometimes is medicinal to them and tendeth to their health § 13. 4. Another rank of Bibbers are those that though they haunt not ALE-houses or Taverns yet have a throat for every health or pledging Cup that reacheth not to drunkenness and use ordinarily to drink many unnecessary cups in a day to pledge as they call it those that drink to them And custom and complement are all their excuse § 14. 5. Another degree of Bibbers are common ALE-house haunters that love to be there and to sit many hours perhaps in a day with a pot by them tipling and drinking one to another And if they have any bargain to make or any friend to meet the ALE-house or Tavern must be the place where Tippling may be one part of their work 6. The highest degree are they that are not apt to be stark Drunk and therefore think themselves less faulty while they sit at it and make others drunk and are strong themselves to bear away more than others can bear They have the Drunkards appetite and measure and pleasure though they have not his giddiness and loss of wit § 15. 3. And of those that are truly Drunken also there are many degrees and kinds As some will be drunk with less and some with more so some are only possessed with a little diseased Levity and talkativeness more than they had before Some also have distempered eyes and stammering tongues Some also proceed to unsteady reeling heads and stumbling feet and unfitness for their callings Some go further to sick and vomiting stomachs or else to sleepy heads and some proceed to stark madness quarrelling railing bawling hooting ranting roaring or talking non-sense or doing mischief the furious sort being like mad dogs that must be tyed and the sottish prating and spewing sort being commonly the derision of the boys in the streets § 16. II. Having told you what Tipling and Drunkenness is I shall briefly tell you their causes But briefly because you may gather most of them from what is said of the Causes of Gluttony 1. The first and grand causes are these three concurrent A beastly raging appetite or gulosity A weakness of Reason and Resolution to rule it And a want of Faith to strengthen Reason and of Holiness to strengthen Resolution These are the very cause of all § 17. 2. Another cause is their not-knowing that their excess and tipling is really a hurt or danger to their health And they are ignorant of this from many causes One is because they have been bred up among ignorant people and never taught to know what is good or bad for their own bodys but only by the common talk of the mistaken vulgar Another is because their Appetite so maiâ—â—reth their very Reason that they can choose to believe that which they would not have to be true Another reason is because they are of heathful bodies and therefore feel no hurt at present and presume that they shall feel none hereafter and see some abstemious persons weaker than they who began not to be abstemious till some chronical disease had first invaded them And thus they do by their Bodys just as wicked men do by their souls They judge all by present feeling and have not wisdom enough to take things foreseen into their deliberation and accounts That which will be a great while hence they take for nothing or an uncertain something next to nothing As Heaven and Hell move not ungodly men because they seem a great way off so while they feel themselves in health they are not moved with the threatning of sickness The cup is in their hands and therefore they will not set it by for fear of they know not what that will befall them you know not when As the thief that was told he should answer it at the day of judgement said he would take the other Cow too if he should stay unpunished till then so these Belly-Gods think they will take the other cup if they shall but stay till so long hence And thus because this temporal punishment of their gulosity is not speedily exercised the hearts of men are fully set in them to please their appetites § 18. 3. Another cause of Tipling and Drunkenness is a wicked Heart that loveth the company Why Gregory set up Wakes and Church-Ales and Meetings on Holy-days in England you may see Li. 10. Regist. Ep. 71. in policy to win the heathens Qui boves solent multos in sacrificio daemonum occideâ—e debet his etiam de hac re aliqua solemnitas immutari ut die dedicationis vel natalitiis martyrum tabernacula sibi circa easdem ecclesias quae ex fanis commutatae sunt de ramis aborum faciant religiosis conviviis solennitatem celebrenâ— Nec Diabolo jam animalia immolent sed ad laudem Dei in esu suo animalia occidant donatori omnium de satietate sua gratias agant c. But do Christians need this as heathens did when we see the sad effects of such riotings Lâ—gâ— Aâ—ost l. 3. c. 34. of wicked men and the foolish talk and cards and dice by which they are entertained One sin ticeth down another It is a delight to prate over a pot or rant and game and drive away all thoughts that savour of sound Reason or the fear of God or the care of their salvation Many of them will say It is not for love of the drink but of the company that they use the ALE-house An excuse that maketh their sin much worse and sheweth them to be exceeding wicked To love the company of wicked men and love to hear their lewd and idle foolish talk and to game and sport out your time with them besides your tipling this sheweth a wicked fleshly heart much worse than if you loved the drink alone Such company as you love best such are your own dispositions If you were no Tiplers or Drunkards it is a certain sign of an ungodly person to love ungodly company better than the company of wise and godly men that may edifie you in the fear of God § 19. 4. Another cause of Tipling is Idleness when they have not the constant employments of their
imployment for all thy time Direct 3. which Gods immediate service spareth Yea which somewhat urgeth thee to diligence Otherwise thou wilt lye in bed and say thou hast time to spare or nothing to do You can rise when you have a journey to be gone or a business of pressing necessity to be done Keep your selves under some constant necessity or urgency of business at the least § 14. Direct 4. Take pleasure in your Callings and in the service of God Sluggards themselves Direct 4. can rise to that which they take much pleasure in As to go to a Merriment or Feast or Play or Game or to a good bargain or any thing which they delight in If thou hadst a Delight in thy Calling and in reading the Scripture and praying and doing good thou couldst not lye contentedly in bed but wouldst long to be up and doing as Children to their play The wicked can rise early to do wickedness because their hearts are set upon it They can be drunk or steal or whâ—re or plot â—râ—v 4 16 1 Thess. 5. 6 7. their ambitious and covetous designs when they should sleep And if thy heart were set as much on good as theirs is on evil wouldst not thou be as wakeful and as readily up § 15. Direct 5. Remember the grand importance of the business of your souls which alwayes lyeth Direct 5. on your hands that the greatness of your work may rowze you up What lye slugging in bed when you are so far behind hand in knowledge and grace and assurance of salvation and have so much of the Scripture and other Books to read and understand Hast thou not grace to beg for a needy soul Is not Prayer better work than excess of sleeping Great business in the world can make you rise and why not Greater § 16. Direct 6. Remember that thou must answer in judgement for thy time And what comfort Direct 6. wilt thou have to say I slug'd away so many hours in a morning And what comfort at death when time is gone to review so much cast away in sleep § 17. Direct 7. Remember that God beholdeth thee and is calling thee up to work If thou understoodst Direct 7. his Word and Providence thou wouldst hear him as it were saying as the Marriners to Ionah What meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God Wilt thou lye sleeping inordinately when God Jonah 1. 6. stands over thee and calls thee up If the King or any great person or friend did but knock at thy door thou wouldst rise presently to wait upon them Why God would speak with thee by his Word or hear thee speak to him by prayer and wilt thou lye still and despise his Call § 18. Direct 8. Remember how many are attending thee while thou sleepest If it be Summer the Direct 8. Sun is up before thee that hath gone so many thousand miles while thou wast asleep It hath given a dayes light to the other half of the world since thou laist down and is come again to light thee to thy work and wilt thou let it shine in vain All the creatures are ready in their places to assist thee and art thou asleep § 19. Direct 9. Consider whether thou wilt allow thy servants to do the like They must be up Direct 9. and at work or you will be offended and tell them that they are no servants for you and that you hire them not to sleep And do you not owe God more service than they owe you Doth God hire you to sleep Is it any lawfuller for you than them to sleep one minute more than is needful to your health No not a minute If you are sicklier than they that 's another matter But see that fulness and idleness cause it not But otherwise your Riches are no excuse to you Will you loyter more than they because you receive more and do less service because you have more pay Or is it your priviledge to be so miserable as to lose that time which poor men save § 20. Direct 10. Remember that your morning hours are the choicest part of all the day for any holy Direct 10. exercise or special employment of the mind The mind is fresh and clear and there is less interruption by worldly business whereas when others are up and about their business you will have interpellations Those that have tryed it can say by experience that the morning hours are the flower of their time for prayer or studies and that early rising is a great part of the art of Redeeming Time § 21. Direct 11. Remember how many are condemning you by their diligence while you are slugging Direct 11. away your time How many holy persons are then at prayer in secret wrestling fervently with God for their salvation or reading and meditating in his word What do they get while you are sleeping The blessed man doth delight in the Law of the Lord and meditate in it day and night and you love your ease and are sleeping day and night Will not all these be witnesses against you So will the diligent in their Callings and so will the worldlings and wicked that rise early to their sin How many thousand are hard at work while you are sleeping Have you not work to do as well as they § 22. Direct 12. Remember that sensuality or flesh-pleasing is the great condemning sin that Direct 12. turns the heart from God And if it be odious in a drunkard or fornicator why is it not so in you Mortifie the flesh and learn to deny it its inordinate desires and your sin is almost cured § 23. Direct 13. For then the executive part is easie when you are willing It is but agreeing Direct 13. with some one to awaken you and a little cold water will wash away your drowsiness if you consent PART VII Directions against sinful Dreams § 1. DReams are neither good nor sinful simply in themselves because they are not rational and voluntary nor in our power But they are often made sinful by some other voluntary Act They may be sinful by participation and consequently And the acts that make them sinful are either such as go before or such as follow after § 2. 1. The antecedent causes are any sinful act which distempereth the body or any sin which inclineth the fantasie and mind thereto or the omission of what was necessary to prevent them 2. The causes which afterwards make them objectively sinful are the ill uses that men make of them As when they take their dreams to be Divine Revelations and trust to them or are affrighted by them as ominous or as prophetical and make them the ground of their actions and seduce themselves by the phantasms of their own brains § 3. Direct 1. Avoid those bodily distempers as much you can which cause sinful dreams especially Direct 1. fulness of dyet A full stomach causeth troublesome
must either be a very great help or hinderance But yet if there be any persons whose case may be so equally poised with accidents on both sides that to the most judicious man it is not discernible whether a single or married state of life is like to conduce more to their personal Holiness or publick usefulness or the good of others to such persons Marriage in the individual circumstantiated act is a thing indifferent § 4. By these conditions following you may know what persons have a Call from God to marry and Who are called to marry who have not his call or approbation 1. If there be the peremptory will or command of Parents to Children that are under their power and Government and no greater matter on the contrary to hinder it the command of Parents signifieth the command of God But if Parents do but perswade and not command though their desires must not be causlesly refused yet a smaller impediment may preponderate than in case of a peremptory command 2. They are called to marry who have not the gift of Continence and cannot by the use of lawful means attain it and have no impediment which maketh it unlawful to them to marry 1 Cor. 7. 9. But if they cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry than to burn But here the divers degrees of the urgent and the hindering causes must be compared and the weightiest must prevail For some that have very strong lusts may yet have stronger impediments And though they cannot keep that chastity in their Thoughts as they desire yet in such a case they must abstain And there is no man but may keep his body in chastity if he will do his part Yea and Thoughts themselves may be commonly and for the most part kept pure and wanton imaginations quickly checkt if men be Godly and will do what they can But on the other side there are Unmarried men are the best friends the best masters the best servants but not always the best subjects For they are light to run away and therefore ventrous c. Iâ— â—aâ—oâ— Essay 8. some that have a more tamable measure of Concupiscence and yet have no considerable hinderance whose duty it may be to Marry as the most certain and successful means against that small degree as long as there is nothing to forbid it 3. Another cause that warranteth Marriage is when upon a wise casting up of all accounts it is apparently most probable that in a married state one may be most serviceable to God and the publick good that there will be in it greater helps and fewer hinderances to the great ends of our lives the glorifying of God and the saving of our selves and others And whereas it must be expected that every condition should be more helpful to us in one respect and hinder us more in another respect and that in one we have most helps for a contemplative life and in another we are better furnished for an Active serviceable life the great skill therefore in the discerning of of our duties lyeth in the prudent pondering and comparing of the commodities and discommodities without the seduction of fantasie lust or passion and in a true discerning which side it is that hath the greatest weight § 5. Here it must be carefully observed 1. That the two first Reasons for Marriage Concupiscence Observations and the will of Parents or any such like have their strength but in subordination to the third the final cause or interest of God and our salvation And that this last Reason from the end is of it self sufficient without any of the other but none of the other are sufficient without this If it be clear that in a married state you have better advantages for the service of God and doing good to others and saving your own souls than you can have in a single state of life then it is undoubtedly your duty to marry For our obligation to seek our ultimate end is the most constant indispensable obligation Though Parents command it not though you have no corporal necessity yet it is a duty if it certainly make most for your ultimate end 2. But yet observe also that no pretence of your ultimate end it self will warrant you to marry when any other accident hath first made it a thing unlawful while that accident continueth For we must not do evil that good may come by it Our salvation is not furthered by sin And though we saw a probability that we might do more good to others if we did but commit such a sin to accomplish it yet it is not to be done For our lives and mercies being all in the hand of God and the successes and acceptance of all our endeavours depending wholly upon him it can never be a rational way to attain them by willful offending him by our sin It is a likely means to publick good for able and good men to be Magistrates or Ministers And yet he that would lye or be perjured or commit any known sin that he may be a Magistrate or that he may Preach the Gospel might better expect a curse on himself and his endeavours than Gods acceptance or his blessing and success so he that would sin to change his state for the better would find that he changed it for the worse or if it do good to others he may expect no good but ruine to himself if repentance prevent it not 3. Observe also that if the question be only which state of life it is married or single which best conduceth to this ultimate end than any one of the subordinate Reasons will prove that we have a call if there be not greater Reasons on the contrary side As in case you have no corporal necessity the will of Parents alone may oblige you if there be no greater thing against it or if Parents oblige you not yet corporal necessity alone may do it or if neither of these invite you yet a clear probability of the attaining of such an estate or opportunity as may make you more fit to relieve many others or be serviceable to the Church or the blessing of Children who may be devoted to God may warrant your Marriage if no greater reasons lye against it For when the Scales are equal any one of these may turn them § 6. By this also you may perceive who they be that have no Call to marry and to whom it is a Who may not marry sin As 1. No man hath a Call to marry who laying all the commodities and discommodities together may clearly discern that a married state is like to be a greater hinderance of his salvation or to his serving or honouring God in the world and so to disadvantage him as to his ultimate end Quest. But what if Parents do command it or will set against me if I disobey Quest. Answ. Parents have no authority to command you any thing against God or your salvation
advantages for a better life No care and caution can be too great in a matter of so great importance § 46. Direct 6. Let no carnal motives perswade you to joyn your self to an ungodly person but let Direct 6. the holy fear of God be preferred in your choice before all worldly excellency whatsoever Marry not a Swine for a Golden trough nor an ugly soul for a comely body Consider 1. You will else give cause of great suspicion that you are your selves Ungodly For they that know truly the misery of an unrenewed soul and the excellency of the Image of God can never be indifferent whether they be joyned to the Godly or the Ungodly To prefer things temporal before things spiritual habitually and in the predominant acts of heart and life is the certain Character of a graceless soul And he that in so near a case doth deliberately prefer Riches or Comliness in another before the image and fear of God doth give a very dangerous sign of such a graceless heart and will If you set more by Beauty or Riches than by Godliness you have the surest mark that you are ungodly If you do not sâ—t more by them how come you deliberately to prefer them How could you do a thing that detecteth your ungodliness and condemneth you more clearly And do you not shew that you either believe not the word of God or else that you love him not and regard not his interest Otherwise you would take his friends as your friends and his enemies as your enemies Tell me would you marry an enemy of your own before any change and reconciliation I am confident you would not And can you so easily marry an enemy of God If you know not that all the ungodly and unsanctified are his enemies you know not or believe not the word of God which telleth you that the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can â—e so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7 8. 2. If you fear God your selves your chief end in marriage will be to have one that will be a helper to your soul and further you in the way to Heaven But if you marry with a person that is ungodly either you have no such end or else you may easily know you have no wiselyer chosen the means than if you had chosen water to kindle the fire or a bed of snow to keep you warm Will an ignorant or ungodly person assist you in prayer and holy watchfulness and stir you up to the Love of God and a heavenly mind And can you so willingly lose all the spiritual benefit which you should principally desire and intend 3. Nay instead of a Helper you will have a continual hinderer when you should go to prayer you will have one to pull you back or to fill your minds with diversions or disquietments when you should keep close to God in holy meditations you will have one to cast in worldly thoughts or trouble your minds with vanity or vexation When you should discourse of God and heavenly things you will have one to stifle such discourse and fill your ears with idle impertinent or worldly talk And one such a hinderance so neer you in your bosome will be worse than a thousand further off As an ungodly heart which is next of all to us is our greatest hinderance so an ungodly husband or wife which is next to that is worse to us than many ungodly neighbours And if you think that you can well enough overcome such hinderances and your heart is so good that no such clogs can keep it down you do but shew that you have a proud unhumbled heart that is prepared for a fall If you know your selves and the badness of your hearts you will know that you have no need of hinderances in any holy work and that all the helps in the world are little enough and too little to keep your souls in the Love of God 4. And such an ungodly companion will be to you a continual temptation to sin Instead of stirring you up to good you will have one to stir you up to evil to passion or discontent or covetousness or pride or revenge or sensuality And can you not sin enough without such a tempter 5. And what a continual grief will it be to you if you are believers to have a child of the Devil in your bosome and to think how far you must be separated at death and in what torments those must lye for ever that are so dear unto you now 6. Yea such companions will be uncapable of the principal part of your Love You may love them as Husbands or Wives but you cannot love them as Saints and members of Christ. And how great a want this will be in your Love those know that know what this holy Love is § 47. Quest. But how can I tell who are Godly when there is so much hypocrisie in the world Quest. Answ. At least you may know who is Ungodly if it be palpably discovered I take not a barren knowledge for ungodliness nor a nimble tongue for Godliness Judge of them by their Love such as a mans Love is such is the Man If they Love the word and servants and worship of God and Love a holy life and hate the contrary you may close with such though their knowledge be small and their parts be weak But if they have no Love to these but had rather live a common careless carnal life you may well avoid them as ungodly § 48. Quest. But if ungodly persons may marry why may not I marry with one that is ungodly Quest. Answ. Though Dogs and Swine may joyn in Generating it followeth not men or women may joyn with them Pardon the comparison while Christ calleth the wicked Dogs and Swine Mat. 7. 6. it doth but shew the badness of your consequence Unbelievers may marry and yet we may not marry with unbelievers 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16. Be ye not unequally yoaked together with unbelievers For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the living God wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing c. § 49. Quest. But I make no doubt but they may be converted God can call them when he will If Quest. there be but Love they will easily be won to be of the mind as those they Love are Answ. 1. Then it seems because you Love an ungodly person you will be easily turned to be ungodly If so you are not much better already If Love will not draw you to their mind to be ungodly why should you think Love
14. between light and darkness a believer and an Infidel Answ. It maketh it unlawful for a Believer to marry an Infidel except in case of true necessity Because they can have no Communion in Religion But it nullifieth not a marriage already made nor maketh it lawful to depart or divorce Because they may have meer conjugal Communion still As the Apostle purposely determineth the case in 1 Cor. 7. Quest. 15. Doth not the Desertion of one party disoblige the other Quest. 15. Answ. 1. It must be considered what is true Desertion 2. Whether it be a Desertion of thâ— Relation it self for continuance or only a temporary desertion of co-habitation or congress 3. What the temper and state of the deserted party is 1. It is sometimes easie and sometimes hard to discern which is the deserting party If the Wife go away from the Husband unwarrantably though she require him to follow her and say that she doth not desert him yet it may be taken for a desertion because it is the man who is to rule and choose the habitation But if the man go away and the woman refuse to follow him it is not he that is therefore the deserter Quest. But what if the man have not sufficient cause to go away and the woman hath great and urgent reasons not to go As suppose that the man will go away in hatred of an able Preacher and good company and the woman if she follow him must leave all those helps and go among ignorant prophane heretical persons or Infidels which is the deserter then Answ. If she be one that is either like to do good to the Infidels Hereticks or bad persons whom they must converse with she may suppose that God calleth her to receive good by doing good or if she be a confirmed well-setled Christian and not very like either by infection or by want of helps to be unsetled and miscarry it seemeth to me the safest way to follow her Husband She must lose indeed Gods publick Ordinances by following him But it is not imputable to her as being out of her choice and she must lose the benefits and neglect the duties of the Conjugal Ordinance if she do not follow him But if she be a person under such weaknesses as make her remove apparently dangerous as to her perseverance and salvation and her Husband will by no means be prevailed with to change his mind the case then is very difficult what is her duty and who is the deserter Nay if he did but lead her into a Countrey where her life were like to be taken away as under the Spanish Inquisition unless her suffering were like to be as serviceable to Christ as her life Indeed these cases are so difficult that I will not decide them The inconveniencies or mischiefs rather are great which way soever she take But I most incline to judge as followeth viz. It is considerable first what Marriage obligeth her to simply of its own nature and what it may do next by any superadded Contract or by the Law or Custome of the Land or any other accident As to the first it seemeth to me that every ones obligation is so much first to God and then to their own souls and lives that marriage as such which is for Mutual help as a Means to higher Ends doth not oblige her to forsake all the Communion of Saints and the place or Countrey where God is lawfully worshipped and to lose all the helps of publick Worship and to expose her soul both to spiritual famine and infection to the apparent hazard of her salvation and perhaps bring her children into the same misery nor hath God given her Husband any power to do her so much wrong nor is the Marriage-Covenant to be interpreted to intend it But what any humane Law or Contract or other accident which is of greater publick consequence may do more than Marriage of it self is a distinct Case which must have a particular discussion Quest. But what if the Husband would only have her follow him to the forsaking of her estate and undoing her self and children in the world as in the case of Galeacius Caracciolus Marquess of Vicum yea and if it were without just cause Answ. If it be for greater spiritual gain as in his case she is bound to follow him But if it be apparently foolish to the undoing of her and her children without any cause I see not that Marriage simply obligeth a Woman so to follow a fool in beggary or out of a Calling or to her ruine But if it be at all a controvertible Case whether the Cause be just or not then the Husband being Governour must be Judge The Laws of the Land are supposed to be just which allow a Woman by Trustees to secure some part of her former Estate from her Husbands disposal Much more may she before hand secure her self and children from being ruined by his wilful folly But she can by no Contract except her self from his true Government Yet still she must consider whether she can live continently in his absence otherwise the greatest sufferings must be endured to avoid incontinency 2. Moreover in all these cases a temporary removal may be further followed than a perpetual transmigration because it hath fewer evil consequents And if either party renounce the Relation it self it is a fuller desertion and clearer discharge of the other party than a meer removal is Quest. 16. What if a Man or Wife know that the other in hatred doth really intend by poyson or Quest. 16. other murder to take away their life May they not depart Answ. They may not do it upon a groundless or rash surmise nor upon a danger which by other lawful means may be avoided As by Vigilancy or the Magistrate or especially by love and duty But in plain danger which is not otherwise like to be avoided I doubt not but it may be done and ought For it is a duty to preserve our own lives as well as our neighbours And when Marriage is contracted for mutual help it is naturally implyed that they shall have no power to deprive one another of life However some barbarous Nations have given men power of the lives of their Wives And killing is the grossest kind of Desertion and a greater injury and violation of the Marriage-Covenant than Adultery and may be prevented by avoiding the murderers presence if that way be necessary None of the Ends of Marriage can be attained where the hatred is so great Quest. 17. If there be but a fixed hatred of each other is it inconsistent with the Ends of Marriage Quest. 17. And is parting lawful in such a case Answ. The injuring party is bound to Love and not to separate and can have no liberty by his or her sin And to say I cannot love or my Wife or Husband is not amiable is no sufficient excuse Because every person hath somewhat that is amiable if it
sin 2. And such as lose the very Resolution of the Will also and grow unresolved what to do if not resolved to do evil and to omit that which is good § 4. The third sort Backsliders in Life comprehendeth 1. Those that fall from Duty towards God or Man 2. And those that fall into positive sins and turn to sensuality in voluptuousness worldliness or pride § 5. II. 1. Backsliders in judgement do sometimes fall by slow degrees and sometimes suddenly at once Those that fall by degrees do some of them begin in the failing of the understanding but most of them begin at the failing or falseness of the Heart and the corrupted Will corrupteth the understanding § 6. 1. Those that fall by degrees through the failing of the Understanding are those simple souls that never were well grounded in the truth And some of them reason themselves into error or unbelief and others of them which is most usual are led into it by the cunning and diligence of seducers And for the Degrees They grow first to doubt of some Arguments which formerly seemed valid to them and then they doubt of the truth it self Or else they hear some argument from a seducer which through their own weakness they are unable to answer And then they yield to it as thinking that it is right because they see not what is to be said against it and know not what others know to the contrary nor how easily another can confute it And when once they are The method of falling into Heresie or Sects brought into a suspicion of one point which they formerly held they quickly suspect all the rest and grow into a suspicion and disaffection to the persons whom they did before most highly value And then they grow into a high esteem of the persons and party that seduced them and think that they that are wiser in one thing are wiser in the rest and so are prepared to receive all the errors which follow that one which they first received And next they imbody with the Sect that seduced them and separate from the sober united part of the Church And so they grow to a zealous importunity for the increase of their party and to lose their charity to those that are against their way and to corrupt their Morals in thinking all dishonesty lawful which seemeth necessary to promote the interest of their Sect which they think is the interest of the Truth and of God And at last its like they will grow weary of that Sect and hearken to another and another till in the end they come to one of these periods either to settle in Popery as the easiest Religion and being taken with their pretence of Antiquity Stability Unity and Universality or else to turn to Atheism or Infidelity and take all Religion for a meer deceit or else if they retained an honest heart in their former wanderings God sheweth them their folly and bringeth them back to Unity and Charity and maketh them see the vanity of those Reasonings which before seduced them and which once they thought were some spiritual coelestial light This is the common course of error when the Understanding is the most notable cause But sometimes a deceiver prevaileth with them on a sudden by such false appearances of truth which they are unable to confute But still an ill-prepared unfurnished Mind is the chiefest Cause § 7. 2. But those whose Iudgements are conquered by the perverse inclination of their Wills are usually carnal worldly hypocrites who never conquered the fleshly mind and interest nor overcame the world nor ever were acquainted with the heavenly Nature and Life nor with the power of Divine Love and these having made a change of their profession through the meer conviction of their understandings and benefit of Education or Government or the advantages of Religion in the Countrey where they live without a renewed holy Heart the byas of their Hearts doth easily prevail against the Light of their Understandings And because they would fain have those Doctrines to be true which save them from sufferings or give them liberty for a fleshly ambitious worldly life therefore they do by degrees prevail with their understandings to receive them § 8. 2. Backsliders in Heart do fall by divers degrees and means for Satans Methods are not alwayes the same Some of them fall through the corruption of their Judgements for every error hath much influence on the heart Some are tempted suddenly into some gross or sensual sin and so the errors of their lives call away their hearts from God Not but that some sin of the Heart or Will doth still go first but yet the extraordinary declension and pravity of the heart may sometimes be caused by the errors of the Iudgement or the Life But sometimes the beginning and progress is almost observable in the Appetite and Will it self And here the Inclining to Evil that is to sensual or carnal good and the declining from true spiritual good do almost alwayes go together And it is most usually by this method and by these degrees 1. The Devil usually beginneth with the fantasie and appetite and representeth some worldly fleshly thing as very pleasant and desirable 2. Next that he causeth this Complacency to entice the Thoughts so that they are much and oft in thinking on this pleasure 3. Next that the Will is drawn into a liking of it and he wisheth he might enjoy it whether it be riches or pleasant dwellings or pleasant company or pleasant meats or drinks or fleshly accommodations or apparel or honour or command or ease or lust or sports and recreations or whatever else 4. Next that the understanding is drawn into the design and is casting and contriving how it may be obtained and all lawful means are first considered of that if possible the business might be accomplished without the hazard of the soul. 5. Next to that Endeavours are vsed to that end by such means as are supposed lawful and the conscience quieted with the conceit of the harmlesness and security 6. By this time the man is engaged in his carnal cause and course and so the difficulty of returning is increased And the inclination of the heart groweth stronger to the sensual pleasure than before 7. And then he is drawn to prosecute his design by any means how sinful soever if it be possible making himself believe by some reasonings or other that all is lawful still or if the case be too palpable to be so cloaked conscience at last is cast asleep and seared and stupified that it may be silent under all Till either Grace or Vengeance awake the sinner and make him amazed at his madness and stupidity This is the most usual Method of the Hearts relapse to positive evil § 10. 2. And by such degrees doth the heart decline from the Love of God and Goodness As 1. The thoughts are diverted to some carnal vanity that is overloved And the thoughts
c. He goeth on to confirm it at large by argument § 20. Rule 9. An Oath is to be taken and interpreted strictly Sandersoa saith Iuramenti obligatio Rule 9. est stricti juris that is non ut excludat juris interpretationem aequitate temperatam sed ut excludat juris interpretationem gratia corruptam not as excluding an equitable interpretation but as excluding an interpretation corrupted by partiality that it be a Iust interpretation between the extreams of Rigid and favourable or partial and in doubtful cases it is safer to follow the strict than the benign Sand. p. 41 42 4â— 44. Ubi de justo sensu ambigitur longe satius est naturae rei accommodatius strictiore quam benigniore uti interpretatione Sand. pag. 44. or favourable sense It is dangerous stretching and venturing too far in matters of so sacred a nature and of such great importance as Vows and Oaths § 21. Rule 10. In the exposition of such doubtful oaths and Vows 1. We must specially watch against Rule 10. self-interest or commodity that it corrupt not our understandings 2. And we must not take our oaths or Sand. pag. 45. any part of them in such a sense as a pious prudent stander-by that is impartial and no whit interested in the business cannot easily find in the words themselves § 22. Rule 11. In doubtful cases the greatest danger must be most carefully avoided and the safer Rule 11. side preferred But the danger of the soul by perjury is the greatest and therefore no bodily danger should Sand. p. 46. so carefully be avoided And therefore an oath that in the common and obvious sense seemeth unlawful should not be taken unless there be very full evidence that it hath another sence Sand. p. 46. Nititur autem c. This reason leaneth on that general and most useful rule that in doubtful cases we must follow the safer side But it is safer not to swear where the words of the oath proposed do seem according to the common and obvious sence of the words to contain in them something unlawful than by a loose interpretation so to lenifie them for our own ends that we may the more securely swear them For it is plain that such an oath may be refused without the peril of perjury but not that it can be taken without some danger or fear The same Rule must guide us also in keeping Vews § 23. Rule 12. It is ordinarily resolved that imposed Oaths must be kept according to the sense of Rule 12. the imposer See Sanders p. 191 192. But I conceive that assertion must be more exactly opened and bounded 1. Where justice requireth that we have respect to the will or right of the imposer there the oath imposed must be taken in his sence But whether it must be kept in his sence is further to be considered 2. When I have done my best to understand the sence of the imposer in taking the Oath and yet mistake it and so take it without fraud in another sense the Question then is somewhat hard whether I must keep it in the sense I took it in or in his sense which then I understood not If I must not keep it in my own sense which I took it in then it would follow that I must keep another oath and not that which I took For it is the sense that is the oath And I never obliged my self to any thing but according to my own sense And yet on the other side if every man may take Oaths in their private sense then oaths will not attain their ends nor be any security to the imposers § 24. In this case you must carefully distinguish between the formal obligation of the Oath or Vow as such and the obligation of justice to my neighbour which is a consequent of my Vow And for the former I conceive with submission that an Oath or Vow cannot bind me formally as such in any sense but my own in which bonâ fide I took it Because formally an oath cannot bind me which I never took But I never took that which I never meant nor thought of if you so define an oath as to take in the sense which is the soul of it § 25. But then in regard of the consequential obligation in point of Iustice unto man the question I think must be thus resolved 1. We must distinguish between a lawful imposer or contracter and a violent usurper or robber that injuriously compelleth us to swear 2. Between the obvious usual sense of the words and an unusual forced sense 3. Between a sincere involuntary misunderstanding the imposer and a voluntary fraudulent reservation or private sense 4. Between one that I owe something to antecedently and one that I owe nothing to but by the meer self-obligation of my Vow 5. Between an Imposer that is himself the culpable cause of my misunderstanding him and one that is not the cause but my own weakness or negligence is the cause 6. Between a case where both senses may be kept and a case where they cannot being inconsistent Upon these Distinctions I thus resolve the question § 26. Prop. 1. If I fraudulently and wilfully take an oath in a sense of my own contrary to They were ill times that Abbas Urspergensis describeth Chron. pag. 320. Ut omnis homo jam sit perjurus praedictis facinoribus implicatus ut vix excusari possit quin sit in his sicut populus sic sacerdos O that this calamity had ended with that age Et pag. 321. Principes terrarum Barones arte diabolicâ edocti nec cuâ—abant juramenta infringeâ—e nec fidem violare jus omne confundere the sense of the Imposer and the common and just sense of the words themselves I am guilty of perfidiousness and prophaneness in the very taking of it Prop. 2. If it be long of my own culpable ignorance or negligence that I misunderstood the Imposer I am not thereby disobliged from the publick sense Prop. 3. When the Imposer openly putteth a sense on the words imposed contrary to the usual obvious sense I am to understand him according to his own expression and not to take the oath as imposed in any other sense Prop. 4. If the Imposer refuse or neglect to tell me his sense any otherwise than in the imposed words I am to take and keep them according to the obvious sense of the words as they are commonly used in the time and place which I live in Prop. 5. If it be long of the Imposers obscurity or refusing to explain himself or other culpable cause that I mistook him I am not bound to keep my oath in his sense as different from my own unless there be some other reason for it Prop. 6. If the Imposer be a robber or usurper or one that I owe nothing to in justice but what I oblige my self to by my oath I am not then
faith or Religion while he pretendeth to hold all the rest he is an Heretick If he deny the whole Christian faith he is a flat Apostate and these are more than to be Schismaticks § 12. The word Heresie also is variously taken by Ecclesiastick writers Austin will have Heresie to be an inveterate schism Hierome maketh it to be some perverse opinion Some call every Schism which gathereth a separated party from the rest by the name of Heresie Some call it a Heresie if there be a perillous errour though without any Schism Some call it a Heresie only when Schism is made and a party separated upon the account of some perillous errour Some say this errour must be damnable that is in the essentials of Religion And some say it is enough if it be but dangerous Among all these the commonest sense of a Heretick is One that obstinately erreth in some essential point and divideth from the Communion of other Christians upon that account And so Paraeus and many Protestants take Heresie for the Species and Schism for the Genus All Schism is not Heresie but all Heresie say they is Schism Remember that all this is but a Controversie de nomine and therefore of small moment § 13. By this that I have said you may perceive who they be that are guilty of Church-divisions Who are true Schismaticks As 1. The sparks of it are kindled when Proud and self-conceited persons are brainsick in the fond estimation of their own opinions and heart-sick by a feaverish zeal for the propagating of them Ignorant souls think that every change of their opinions is made by such an accession of heavenly light that if they should not bestir them to make all of the same mind they should be betrayers of the truth and do the world unspeakable wrong When they measure and censure men as they receive or reject their peculiar discoveries or conceits schism is in the Egge § 14. 2 The fire is blown up when men are desirous to have a party follow them and cry them up and thereupon are busie in perswading others to be of their mind and do speak perverse things to Act. 20. 20. draw away disciples after them And when they would be counted the Masters of a party § 15. 3. The flames break forth when by this means the same Church or divers Churches do Jam. 3. 13 14 15 16 17. fall into several Parties burning in zeal against each other abating charity censuring and condemning one another backbiting and reviling each other through envy and strife when they look strangely at one another as being on several sides as if they were not Children of the same Father nor members of the same body or as if Christ were divided one being of Paul and another of Apollo and another of Cepha◠and every one of a faction letting out their thoughts in jealousies and evil surmises of each other perverting the words and actions of each to an ugly sense and snatching occasions to represent one another as fools or odious to the hearers as if you should plainly say I pray you hate or despise these people whom I hate and despise This is the core of the Plague sore It is schism in the bud § 16. 4. When people in the same Church do gather into private meetings not under the guidance of their Pastors to edifie one another in holy exercises in Love and peace but in opposition to their lawful Pastors or to one another to propagate their singular opinions and increase their parties and speak against those that are not on their side schism is then ready to bring forth and multiply and the swarm is ready to come forth and be gone § 17. 5. When these people actually depart and renounce or forsake the Communion of the Church and cast off their faithful Pastors and draw into a separated body by themselves and choose them Pastors and call themselves a Church and all without any just sufficient cause When thus Churches are gathered out of Churches before the old ones are dissolved or they have any warrant to depart when thus Pastor is set up against Pastor Church against Church and Altar against Altar this is schism ripe and fruitful The swarm is gone and hived in another place § 18. 6. If now the neighbour Churches by their Pastors in their Synods shall in compassion seek to reclaim these straglers and they justifie their unjust separation and contemn the counsel of the Churches and Ministers of Christ this is a confirmed obstinate schism § 19. 7. If they shall also judge that Church to be no Church from which they separated and so cut off a part of the body of Christ by an unrighteous censure and condemn the innocent and usurp authority over their Guides this is disobedience and uncharitableness with schism § 20. 8. If they shall also condemn and unchurch all the other Churches that are not of their mind and way and renounce communion with them all and so condemn unjustly a great part of the Body of Christ on Earth this is to add fury and rebellion to an uncharitable schism And if to cover their sin they shall unjustly charge these Churches which they reject with Heresie or wickedness they do but multiply their crimes by such extenuations § 21. 9. If the opinion that all this adoe is made for be a damning errour against some essential point of the true Religion then it is Heresie as well as Schism § 22. 10. If this separation from the Church be made in defense of an ungodly life against the Discipline of the Church If a wicked sort of men shall withdraw from the Church to avoid the disgrace of confession or excommunication and shall first cast off the Church lest the Church should proceed to cast out them and so they separate that they may have none to govern and trouble them but themselves this is a Prophane rebellious schism This is the common course of schism when it groweth towards the height § 23. 11. Besides all these there is yet a more pernicious way of Schism which the Church or Court of Rome is guilty of They make new articles of faith and new points of Religion and a new worship of God shall I say or of Bread as if it were a God And all these they put into a Law and impose them on all the other Churches yea they put them into an Oath and require men to swear that without any doubting they believe them to be true They pretend to have authority for all this as Rome is the Mistress of all other Churches They set up a new Universal Head as an Essential part of the Catholick Church and so found or fain a new kind of Catholick Church And he that will not obey them in all this they renounce Communion with him and to hide this horrid notorious schism they call all Schismaticks that are not thus subjected to them § 24. 12. And to advance
of Heaven and happiness but not sensibly punished or cast into Hell For this Iansenius hath wrote a Treatise and many other Papists think so 4. Some think that all the Children of sincere believers dying in infancy are saved that is Glorified whether baptized or not and no others 5. Some think that God hath not at all revealed what he will do with any Infants 6. Some think that he hath promised salvation as aforesaid to believers and their seed but hath not at all revealed to us what he will do with all the rest 7. Some think that only the Baptized Children of true believers are certainly by promise saved 8. Some think that all the adopted and bought Children of true Christians as well as the natural are saved if baptized say some or if not say others 9. Some think that Elect Infants are saved and no other but no man can know who those are And of these 1. Some deny Infant Baptism 2. Most say that they are to be baptized and that thereby the non-elect are only received into the visible Church and its priviledges but not to any promise or certainty of Justification or a state of salvation 10. Some think that all that are baptized by the Dedication of Christian Sponsors are saved 11. Some think that all that the Pastor Dedicateth to God are saved because so dedicated by him say some or because baptized ex opere operato say others And so all baptized Infants are in a state of salvation 12. Some think that this is to be limited to all that have right to Baptism coram Deo which some think the Churches reception giveth them of which anon 13. And some think it is to be limited to those that have right 〈…〉 m Ecclesia or are rightfully baptized ex parte Ministrantis where some make the Magistrates command sufficient and some the Bishops and some the baptizers will Of the title to Baptism I shall speak anon Of the salvation of Infants it is too tedious to confute all that I dissent from not presuming in such darkness and diversity of opinions to be peremptory nor to say I am certain by the Word of God who are undoubtedly saved nor yet to deny the undoubted certainty of wiser men who may know that which such as I do doubt of but submitting what I say to the judgement of the Church of God and my superiours I humbly lay down my own thoughts as followeth 1. I think that there can no promise or proof be produced that all unbaptized Infants are saved either from the poena damni or sensus or both 2. I think that no man can prove that all unbaptized Infants are damned or denyed Heaven Nay I think I can prove a promise of the contrary 3. All that are rightfully baptized in foro externo are visible Church members and have Ecclesiastical right to the priviledges of the visible Church 4. I think Christ never instituted Baptism for the collation of these outward Priviledges alone unless as on supposition that persons culpably fail of the better ends 5. I think Baptism is a solemn mutual contract or Covenant between Christ and the Baptized person And that it is but one Covenant even the Covenant of Grace which is the sum of the Gospel which is sealed and received in baptism And that this Covenant essentially containeth our saving relation to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and our Pardon Justification and Adoption or right to life everlasting And that God never made any distinct Covenant of outward Priviledges alone to be sealed by Baptism But that outward mercies are the second and lesser gift of the same Covenant which giveth first the great and saving blessings 6. And therefore that whoever hath right before God to claim and Receive Baptism hath right also to the benefits of the Covenant of God and that is to salvation Though I say not so of every one that hath such right before the Church as that God doth require the Minister to Baptize him For by Right before God or in foro coeli I mean such a Right as will justifie the claim before God immediately the person being one whom he commandeth in that present state to claim and receive baptism For many a one hath no such right before God to claim or receive it when yet the Minister hath right Mark 16. 16. Act. 2. 37 38. Act. 22. 16. 1 Cor 6. 11. Tit. 3. 3 5 6. Heb. 10. 22. Eph. 5. 26. Rom. 6. 1 4. Col. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. Eph. 4. 5. Act. 8. 12 13 16 36 38. to give it them if they do claim it The case stands thus God saith in his Covenant He that believeth shall be saved and ought to be Baptized to profess that belief and be invested in the benefits of the Covenant And he that Professeth to believe whether he do or not is by the Church to be taken for a visible believer and by Baptism to be received into the Visible Church Here God calleth none but true believers and their seed to be Baptized nor maketh an actual promise or Covenant with any other and so I say that no other have right in foro coeli But yet the Church knoweth not mens hearts and must take a serious Profession for a credible sign of the faith professed and for that outward title upon which it is a duty of the Pastor to Baptize the claimer So that the most malignant scornful hypocrite that maketh a seemingly serious profession hath right coram Ecclesia but not coram Deo save in this sense that God would have the Minister Baptize him But this I have largelyer opened in my Disputations of Right Act. 9. 18. 16. 15 33. 19 5. Gal. 3. 27. to Sacraments 7. I think therefore that all the Children of true Christians do by Baptism receive a publick Investiture by Gods appointment into a state of Remission Adoption and right to salvation at the present Though I dare not say that I am undoubtedly certain of it as knowing how much is said against it But I say as the Synod of Dort Art 1. that Believing Parents have no cause to doubt of the salvation of their Children that dye in infancy before they commit actual sin that is not to trouble themselves with fears about it The Reasons that move me to be of this judgement though not without doubting and hesitancy are these 1. Because whoever hath right to the present Investiture delivery and possession of the first and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptism hath right to Pardon and Adoption and everlasting life But the Infants of true Christians have right to the present investiture delivery and possession of the first and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptism Therefore they have right to pardon and everlasting life Either Infants are in the same Covenant that is are subjects of the same promise of God with their believing Parents
power derived from the Emperours and partly meer Agreements or Contracts by degrees degenerating into Governments And so the new forms and names are all but accidental of adjuncts of the true Christian Churches And though I cannot prove it unlawful to make such adjunctive or extrinsick constitutions forms and names considering the Matter simply it self yet by accident these accidents have proved such to the true Churches as the accident of sickness is to the body and have been the causes of the Divisions Wars Rebellions Ruines and Confusions of the Christian world 1. As they have served the covetousness and ambition of carnal men 2. And have enabled them to oppress simplicity and sincerity 3. And because Princes have not exercised their own power themselves nor committed it to Lay-Officers but to Church-men 4. Whereby the extrinsick Government hath so degenerated and obscured the Intrinsick and been confounded with it that both going under the equivocal name of Ecclesiastical Government few Churches have had the happiness to see them practically distinct Which tempâ—eth the Erashans to deny and pull down both together because they find one in the Pastors hands which belongeth to the Magistrate and we do not teach them to untwist and separate them Nay few Divines do clearly in their Controversies distinguish them Though Marsilius Patavinus and some few more have formerly given them very fair light yet hath it been but slenderly improved 11. There seemeth to me no readier and directer way to reduce the Churches to holy Concord and true reformation than for the Princes and Magistrates who are the extrinsick Rulers to re-assume their own and to distinguish openly and practically between the properly-Priestly or Pastoral intrinsick Office and their extrinsick part and to strip the Pastors of all that is not Intrinseeally their own It being enough for them and things so heterogeneous not well consisting in one person And then when the people know what is claimed as from the Magistrate only it will take off most of their scruples as to subjection and consent 12. No mortal man may abrogate or take down the Pastoral Office and the Intrinsick real power thereof and the Church-form which is constituted thereby seeing God hath instituted them for perpetuity on earth 13. But whether one Church shall have one Pastor or many is not at all of the Form of a particular Church but it is of the Integrity or gradual perfection of such Churches as need many to have many and to others not so Not that it is left meerly to the will of man but is to be varied as natural necessity and cause requireth 14. The nature of the Intrinsick Office or power anon to be described is most necessary to be understood as distinct from the power of Magistrates by them that would truly understand this The number of Governours in a Civil State make that which is called a variety of Forms of Common-wealths Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy Because Commanding Power is the thing which is there most notably exercised and primarily magnified And a wiser and better man yea a thousand must stand by as Subjects for want of Authority or true Power which can be but in One Supream either Natural or Political person because it cannot consist in the exercise with self-contradiction If one be for War and another for Peace c. there is no Rule Therefore the Many must be one Collective or Political person and must consent or go by the major Vote or they cannot govern But that which is called Government in Priests or Ministers is of another nature It is but a secondary subservient branch of their Office The first parts are Teaching and Guiding the people as their Priests to God in publick Worship And they Govern them by Teaching and in order to further Teaching and Worshipping God And that not by Might but by Reason and Love Of which more anon Therefore if a Sacred Congregation be Taught and conducted in publick Worship and so Governed as conduceth hereunto whether by one two or many it no more altereth the Form of the Church than it doth the Form of a School when a small one hath one Schoolmaster and a great one four Or of a Hospital when a small one hath one Physicion and a great one many seeing that Teaching in the one and Healing in the other is the main denominating work to which Government is but subservient in the most notable acts of it 15. No mortal man may take on him to make another Church or another Office for the Church as a Divine thing on the same grounds and of the same nature pretendedly as Christ hath made those already made The case of adding new Church Officers or Forms of Churches is the same with that of making new Worship Ordinances for God and accordingly to be determined which I have largely opened in its place Accidents may be added Substantials of like pretended nature may not be added Because it is an usurping of Christs power without derivation by any proved commission and an accusing of him as having done his own work imperfectly 16. Indeed no man can here make a new Church Officer of this Intrinsick sort without making him new work which is to make new Doctrine or new Worship which are forbidden For to do ☞ Gods work already made belongs to the Office already instituted If every King will make his own Officers or authorize the greater to make the less none must presume to make Christ Officers and Churches without his Commission 17. No man must make any Office Church or Ordinance which is corruptive or destructive or contrary or injurious to the Offices Churches and Oâ—dinances which Christ himself hath made This Bellarmine confesseth and therefore I suppose Proâ—estants will not deny it Those humane Offices which usurp the work of Christs own Officers and take it out of their hands do malignantly fight against Christs institutions And while they pretend that it is but Preserving and not Corrupting or Opposing additions which they make and yet with these words in their mouths do either give Christs Officers work to others or hinder and oppress his Officers themselves and by their new Church-forms undermine or openly destroy the old by this expression of their enmity they confute themselves 18. This hath been the unhappy case of the Roman frame of Church innovations as you may observe in the particulars of its degeneracy 1. Councilâ— were called General or Oecumenical in respect to one-Empire only And they thence grew to extend the name to the whole world when they may as well say that Constantine Martiaâ— c. were Emperours of the whole world seeing by their authority they were called 2. These Councils at first were the Emperours Councils called to direct him what to setle in Church orders by his own power But they were turned to claim an imposing authority of their own to command the Churches as by commission from God 3. These Councils at first
ridiculous to ask whether we may give Gods proper Worship to a creature And so I answer 1. By way of distinction 2. Of solution 1. We must distinguish between the honour or worshiping acts of the mind and of the Body 2. Between Idolatry as against the first Commandment and Idolatry or scandal as against the second Af. Prop. 1. There is due to every creature a true estimation of it according to the degree of its dignity or goodness And a Love proportionable As also a Belief a Trust a Fear proportionable to every mans credibility fidelity power c. 2. There is an eminent degree therefore of estimation reverence and Love and trust due to Good men above bad and to those in Heaven above those on earth And a peculiar honour to Rulers as such Psal. 15. 4. which is not due to their inferiours 3. This is to be expressed by the Body by convenient actions 4. The highest honour which we owe to any is for the Image of God in them viz. 1. His Natural Image as men 2. His moral Image as Saints 3. His Relative Image of supereminency as superiours And so it is God in them first and they next as the Images of God who are to be honoured 5. There is no honour to be given to any Creature but that of which God himself is the End viz. as it referreth to his Glory 6. Therefore all honour given to men must be thus far Religious honour or worship For as all 1 Tim. 4. 5. Tiâ— 1. 15. 1 Cor. 10. 14. 1 Pet. 4. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. 17. Rev. 21. 8. 2â— 15 Act. 17. 16. Gal. 5. 20. 2 Commandment Rev. 22. 8 9. Rev. 2. 14 20. 1 Cor. 8. 10. 19 28. 1 Joh. 5. 21. Dan. 3. things are sanctified to and by Saints so all things that Religious men do must be Religiously done 7. As Persons so places books words utensils times c. must be honoured for Gods sake as they are Related to God with such estimations and expressions as are suitable to their Relations Neg. 1. No Creature must be esteemed to be a God nor any of Gods proper attributes or honour given to any Creature whatsoever 2. No Creature must be esteemed better or greater or wiser than it is As far as we have means to know it 3. Whatsoever outward expressions of honour by word or deed are appropriated to the true God 1. By Divine Institution 2. Or by nature 3. Or by received usage that expression of honour ought not to be used to a creature were the heart never so free from honouring it 1. Because it is bodily Idolatry 2. And scandal as being Idolatry interpretatively in the just sense of others 4. Whatsoever outward expressions of honour Idolaters have used and do use to signifie their inward Idolatry or taking a Creature or a fiction to be God and so make it a tessara or symbol or Professing sign of that their Idolatry if those actions are so used or esteemed among us or within the notice of our actions It is unlawful for us to use the like to any Creature Because the use of their expression maketh it to be a Profession of Idolatry by us and so to be interpretative Idolatry and scandal For to use Professing symbols is to profess Except when there is some notorious reason to use the same words or actions to another lawful signification which is of greater weight than the scandal And we make it as publick to obviate the scandal that we do it not to the Idolaters intents For example If the Mâ—hometans make it a symbole of their Religion to say God is but one upon a false supposition that the Christians make more Gods than one yet it is lawful for us to use that symbolical word to a better end But if they add to their symbol And Mahomet is his Prophet we may not use that because it 's 1. Symbolical of a false Religion 2. And a falshood of it self So if they make it a distinctive note of their religious meetings to congregate the people by Voice and not by Bells when it will be taken for a professing their Religion to do the same we must avoid it But not when there is great cause for it as if we have no other means and the reason against it or scandal may be well avoided 5. Image Worship or bowing or otherwise worshipping towards an Image as an object in the time of Divine worship or when we otherwise pretend to be worshiping God is so gross an appearance of inward Idolatry either as visibly describing God to be like a Creature or else as seeming to mean what Idolaters did by that action that God hath thought meet to forbid it to all mankind by a special Rom. 11. 4. 1 King 19. 18. Rev. 22. 8 9. Jos. 23. 7. 2 King 17. 35. Exod. 20. 5. Law Command 2. 6. The scandal of seeming Idolatry is a heynous sin and not to be excused by the contrary meaning of the heart no more than lying Idolatrous professions are Because to blaspheam God as if he were like a Creature or to tell the World by our actions that a creature is God are both very heynous And so is it to murder our brethrens souls by tempting them to the like 7. It is no appearance of Idolatry to kneel to a King or a Father or Superiour when we are professing Gen. 27. 29. 32. 10. 44. 8. Exod. 11. 8. â—2 King 5. 18. Gen. 41. 43. Ruth 2. 10. 1 Sam. 25. 23 41. nothing but to Honour them with due honour But when the Church assembleth professedly to Worship God if then they mix expressions of veneration to Angels and Saints in Heaven or to a King or any Creature in their Worshipping of God without a very notorious signification of sufficient difference it will seem a joyning them in part of the same Divine honour 8. So we may put off our hats to the Chair of state or Kings Image yea and kneel towards it as to him if he command it in due time and place when it is humane Worship only which we profess But to kneel or bow as an act of honour towards the Image of King Saints or Angel in the time of our professed Worshipping of God is scandalous and an appearance that we give them a part of that which we are giving to God 9. Yet it is not unlawful even in the sacred Assemblies to bow to our Superiour at our entrance or going out or in the intervals of Gods Worship because the time and custome and manner may sufficiently notifie the distinction and prevent the scandal 10. If any presumptuous Clergy men on pretence of their Authority will bring Images into the Churches and set them before us in Divine Worship as objects only of Remembrance and means of exciting our affections to God that they may shew quam proxime se accedere posse ad peccatum sine peccato how neer
can any man with reason think Object 5. but that the first institution of Kings a sufficient consideration wherefore their power should alwayes depend on that from which it did alwayes flow by original influence of power from the Body into the King is the cause of Kings dependency in power upon the body By dependency we mean subordination and subjection ☜ Answ. 1. But it their institution in genere was of God and that give them their power and it never Answ. flowed from the Body at all then all your superstructure falleth with your ground-work 2. And here you seem plainly to confound all Kingdoms by turning the pars imperans into the pars subdita vice versa If the King be subject how are they his subjects I will not inferr what this will lead them to do when they are taught that Kings are in subordination and subjection to them Sad experience hath shewed us what this very principle would effect § 17. Object 6. Ibid. A manifest token of which dependency may be this as there is no more certain Object 6. argument that Lands are held under any as Lords than if we see that such lands in defect of heirs So Lib 8 â— 211 p 218 p. 220. fall unto them by Escheat In like manner it doth follow rightly that seeing Dominion when there is none to inherit it returneth unto the body therefore they which before were inheritors of it did hold it in dependance on the body So that by comparing the Body with the Head as touching power it seemeth alwayes to reside in both fundamentally and radically in one in the other derivatively in one the Habit in the other the Act of Power Answ. Power no more falleth to the multitude by Escheat than the Power of the Pastor falls to the Answ. Church or the Power of the Physicion to the Hospital or the Power of the Schoolmaster to the Scholars that is not at all When all the Heirs are dead they are an ungoverned Community that have power to choose a Governour but no Power to Govern neither as you distinguish it in Habit nor in act originally nâ—r derivatively As it is with a Corporation when the Mayor is dead the power falleth not to the people Therefore there is no good ground given for your following question May a body politick than at all times withdraw in whole or in part the influence of dominion which passeth from it if inconveniences do â—row thereby Though you answer this question soberly your self its easie to see how the multitude may be tempted to answer it on your grounds especially if they think your inconvenience turn into a necessity and what use they will make of your next words It must be presumed that Supream Governours will not in such cases oppose themselves and be stiff in detaining that the use whereof is with publick detriment A strange presumption § 18. Object 7. The Axioms of our Regal Government are these Lex facit Regem The Kings Object 7. grant of any favour made contrary to Law is void Rex nihil potest nisi quod jure potest Answ. If Lex be taken improperly for the constituting contract between Prince and people and Answ. if your facit have respect only to the species and person and not the substance of the Power it self Lib. 8. p. 195. Trita in Scholis Nem nem sibi impâ—râ—e possâ— nominem sibi legem posse dicere à qua mutata voluntate nequeat recedere Summum ejus esse Imperium qui ordinario jure derogare valeat Equibus evinâ—itur jus summae potestaâ—â—s non limâ—tari per legem positivam Hinc Augustinus dixit Imperatorem non esse subjectum legibus suis Gâ—â—iuâ— de Imp. p. 149 150. then I contradict you not But if Lex be taken properly for Authoritativa constitutio debiti or the signification of the Soveraigns will to oblige the Subject then Lex non facit Regem sed Rex Legem § 19 Object 8. Lib. 8. p. 210. When all which the wisdom of all sorts can do is done for the devising Object 8. of Laws in the Church it is the general consent of all that giveth them the form and vigor of Laws without which they could be no more to us than the Councils of Physicions to the sick Well might they seem is wholesome admonitions and instructions but Laws could they never be without consent of the whole Church to be guided by them whereunto both nature and the practice of the Church of God set down in Scripture is found every way so fully consonant that God himself would not impose no not his own Laws upon his people by the hand of Moses without their free and open consent ☜ Answ. 1. Wisdom doth but prepare Laws and Governing power enacteth them and giveth them Answ. their form But the whole Body hath no such Governing power Therefore they give them not their form 2. The peoples consent to Gods Laws gave them not their form or authority This opinion I Hanc video sapien issimorum fuisse sentâ—ntiam Leâ—em nec homâ—num ingeniis excogitatam nec sâ—itum aliquod esse populorum sed aeterâ—um quiddam quod universum mundum regeret â—mperandi prohibendique sapientia Cicero de Leg. have elsewhere confuted against a more erroneous Author Their consent to Gods Laws was required indeed as naturally necessary to their obedience but not as necessary to the Being or Obligation of the Law Can you think that it had been no sin in them to have disobeyed Gods Laws unless they had first consented to them Then all the world might escape sin and damnation by denying consent to the Laws of God 3. This doctrine will teach men that * How considerable a part of England is London Yet in this Convocation which hath made the Neâ— Changes in the Liturgy and Book of Ordination London had not one Clerk of their choosing For being to choose but two they chose only Mr. Calaâ—y and my self who were neither of us accepted or ever thâ—re Now if your opinion be true Quar. 1. Whether you make not this Convocations Decrees to be but Counsels to us a. Or at least whether the City of London or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers be not made free from detriment as not consenters You will free them and me especially from Detriment for our Not Conforming to this Convocations Acts as such upon reasons which I do not own my self as generally by you laid down we have no Church-Laws For the whole Church never signified their consent Millions of the poorer sort have no voices in choosing Parliament men or Convocations And this will teach the minor dissenting part to think themselves disobliged for want of consenting and will give every dissenting part or person a Negative voice to all Church Laws 4. A single Bishop hath a Governing power over his particular Church and they are bound to obey
with Government in Athens Quia plebs aliis institutis moribus assueverat Laert. in Platone and many other Philosophers that were fittest for Government refused it on the same account through the disobedience of the people your own If your Rulers sin you shall not answer for it but if you sin your selves you shall If you should live under the Turk that would oppress and persecute you your souls shall speed never the worse for this It is not you but He that should be damned for it If you say But it is we that should be oppressed by it I answer 1. How small are temporal things to a true believer in comparison of eternal things Have not you a greater hurt to fear than the killing of your bodies by men Luke 12. 4. 2. And even for this life do you not believe that your lives and liberties are in the power of God and that he can relieve you from the oppression of all the world by less than a word even by his will If you believe not this you are Atheists If you do you must needs perceive that it concerneth you more to care for your duty to your Governours than for theirs to you and not so much to regard what you receive as what you do nor how you are used by others as how you behave your selves to them Be much more afraid lest you should be guilty of murmuring dishonouring disobeying flattering not praying for your Governours than lest you suffer any thing unjustly from them 1 Pet. 4. 13 14 15 16 17. Let none of you suffer as a muderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busiâ—-body in other mens matters yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf If ye be reproached for the name of Christ ye are happy Live so that all your Adversaries may be forced to say as it was said of Daniel Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God Let none be able justly to punish you as drunkards or thieves or slanderers or fornicators or perjurâ—d or deceivers or rebellious or seditious and then never fear any suffering for the sake of Christ or Righteousness Yea though you suffer as Christ himself did under a false accusation of disloyalty fear not the suffering nor the infamy as long as you are free from the Guilt See that all be well at home and that you be not faulty against God or your Governours and then you may boldly commit your selves to God 1 Pet. 2. 23 24. § 46. Direct 22. The more Religious any are the more obedient should they be in all things lawful Direct 22. Exâ—â—l others in Loyalty as well as in Piety Religion is so far from being a just pretence of rebellion that it is the only effectual bond of sincere subjection and obedience § 47. Direct 23. Therefore believe not them that would exempt the Clergy from subjection to the Direct 23. Civil powers As none should know the Law of God so well as they so none should be more obedient to Kings and States when the Law of God so evidently commandeth it Of this read Bilson of Christian subjection who besides many others saith enough of this The Arguments of the Papists from the supposed incapacity of Princes would exempt Physicions and other Arts and Sciences from undâ—r their Government as well as the Clergy § 48. Direct 24. Abase not Magistrates so far as to think their office and power extendeth not to Direct 24. matters of Religion and the worship of God Were they only for the low and contemptible matters of this world their office would be contemptible and low To help you out in this I shall answer some of the commonest doubts § 49. Quest. 1. Is the Civil Magistrate Iudge in Controversies of faith or Worship Answ. It hath Quest. 1. many a time grieved me to hear so easie a Question frequently propounded and pitifully answered Who shall be Iudge in poâ—nts of faith and Worship by such as the publick good required to have had more understanding in such things In a word Iudgement is Publick or Private The Private judgement which is nothing but a Rational discerning of truth and duty in order to our own Choice and practice belongeth to every Rational person The Publick Iudgement is ever in Order to execution Now the execution is of two sorts 1. By the Sword Of thâ—se things see my Prâ—positions of the Difference of the Magistrates and Pastors power to Dr. L d. Moul. 2. By Gods word applyed to the case and person One is upon the Body or Estate The other is upon the Conscience of the person or of the Church to bring him to Repentance or to bind him to avoid Communion with the Church and the Church to avoid Communion with him And thus Publick Judgement is Civil or Ecclesiastical Coercive and violent in the execution or only upon Consenters and volunteers In the first the Magistrate is the only Iudge and the Pastors in the second About faith or worship if the Question be who shall be protected as Orthodox and who shall be punished by the Sword as Hereâ—ical Idolatrous or irreligious here the Magistrate is the only Judge If the Question be who ☞ shall be admitted to Church Communion as Orthodox or ejected and excommunicate as Heretical or prophane The Rex sacrorum among the Romans was debarred from exercising any Magistracy Plut. Rom. Quest. 63. here the Pastors are the proper Judges This is the truth and this is enough to end all the voluminous wranglings upon the Question Who shall be Iudge and to answer the cavils of the Papists against the Power of Princes in matters of Religion It is pity that such gross and silly sophisms in a case that a Child may answer should debase Christian Princes and take away their chief Power and give it to a proud and wrangling Clergy to persecute and divide the Church with § 50. Quest. 2. May our Oath of Supremacy be lawfully taken wherein the King is pronounced supream Quest. 2. Governour in all causes Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Answ. There is no reason of scruple to him that Of the Oath of Supremacy understandeth 1. That the title Causes Ecclesiastical is taken from the ancient usurpation of the Pope and his Prelates who brought much of the Magistrates work into their Courts under the name of Causes Ecclesiastical 2. That our Canons and many Declarations of our Princes have expounded it fully by disclaiming all proper Pastoral power 3. That by Governour is meant only one that Governeth coercively or by the sword so that it is no more than to swear that In all causes See Bilson of subject p. 238 256. Princâ—s only be Governours in things and causes Ecclesiastical that iâ— With the Sword But if you
blesseth those that furthered him 1 Sam. 23. 21. Blessed be ye of the Lord for ye have compassion on me He justifieth himself in murdering the Priests because he thought that they helped David against him and Doeg seemeth but a dutiful subject in executing his bloody command 1 Sam. 22. And Shimei thought he might boldly curse him 2 Sam. 16. 7 8. And he could scarce have charged him with more odious sin than to be a bloody man and a man of Belial If the Prophet speak against Ieroboams political Religion he will say Lay hold on him 1 King 13. 4. Even Asa will be rageing wrathful and imprison the Prophet that reprehendeth his sin 2 Chron. 16. 10. Ahab will feed Michaiah in a Prison with the Bread and Water of affliction if he contradict him 1 King 22. 27. And even Ierusalem killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent to gather them under the gracious wing of Christ Matth. 23. 37. Which of the Prophets did they not persecute Act. 7. 52. And if you consider but what streams of blood since the death of Christ and his Apostles have been shed for the sake of Christ and righteousness it will make you wonder that so much cruelty can consist with humanity and men and Devils should be so like The same man as Paul as soon as he ceaseth to shed the blood of others must look in the same way to lose his own How many thousands were murdered by Heathen Rome in the ten persecutions And how many by the Arian Emperours and Kings And how many by more Orthodox Princes in their particular distasts And yet how far hath the pretended Vicar of Christ out-done them all How many hundred thousands of the Albigenses Waldenses and Bohemians hath the Papal rage consumed Two hundred thousand the Irish murdered in a little space 〈…〉 o outgo the thirty or forty thousand which the French Massacre made an end of The sacrifices offered by their fury in the flames in the Marian persecution here in England were nothing to what one day hath done in other parts What Volumes can contain the particular Histories of them what a Shambles was their Inquisition in the Low-Countries and what is the employment of it still so that a doubting man would be inclined to think that Papal Rome is the murderous Babylon that doth but consider how drunken she is with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Iesus and that the blood of Saints will be found in her in her day of tryal Rev. 17. 6. 18. 24. If we should look over all the rest of the World and reckon up the the torments and murders of the innocent in Iapan and most parts of the World where ever Christianity came it may increase your wonder that Devils and men are still so like Yea though there be as lowd a testimony in humane nature against this bloodiness as almost any sin whatsoever and though the names of persecutors alwayes stink to following Generations how proudly soever they carryed it for a time and though one would think a persecutor should need no cure but his own pride that his name may not be left as Pilates in the Creed to be odious in the mouths of the Ages that come after him Yet for all this so deep is the Enmity so potent is the Devil so blinding a thing is sin and interest and passion that still one Generation of persecuters doth succeed the others and they kill the present Saints while they honour the dead ones and build them Monuments and say If we had lived in the dayes of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the Prophets blood Read well Matth. 23. 29. to the end What a Sea of righteous blood hath malignity and persecuting zeal drawn out § 5. 4. Another cause of Murder is Rash and unrighteous judgement When Judges are ignorant or partial or perverted by passion or prejudice or respect of persons But though many an innocent hath suffered this way I hope among Christians this is one of the rarest Causes § 6. 5. Another way of murder is by oppression and uncharitableness when the poor are kept destitute of necessaries to preserve their lives Though few of them die directly of famine yet thousands of them dye of those sicknesses which they contract by unwholsome food And all those are guilty of their death either that cause it by oppression or that relieve them not when they are able and obliged to it Iam. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. § 7. 6. Another way and cause of murder is by Thieves and Robbers that do it to possess themselves of that which is another mans when riotousness or idleness hath consumed what they had themselves and sloath and pride will not suffer them to labour nor sensuality suffer them to endure want then they will have it by right or wrong what ever it cost them Gods Laws or mans the Gallows or Hell shall not deter them but have it they will though they rob and murder and are hang'd and damn'd for it Alas how dear a purchase do they make How much easier are their greatest wants than the wrath of God and the pains of Hell § 8. 7. Another cause of murder is Guilt and Shame When wicked people have done some great disgraceful sin which will utterly shame them or undo them if it be known they are tempted to murder them that know it to conceal the crime and save themselves Thus many a Whoremonger hath murdered her that he hath committed fornication with And many a Whore hath murdered her Child before the birth or after to prevent the shame But how madly do they forget the day when both the one and the other will be brought to light and the righteous judge will make them know that all their wicked shifts will be their confusion because there is no hiding them from him § 9. 8 Another cause is Furious anger which mastereth Reason and for the present makes them mad And Drunkenness which doth the same Many a one hath killed another in his fury or his drink So dangerous is it to suffer Reason to lose its power and to use our selves to a Bedlam course And so necessary is it to get a sober meek and quiet spirit and mortifie and master these turbulent and beastly vices § 10 9. Another cause of Murder is Malice and Revenge When mens own wrongs or sufferings are so great a matter to them and they have so little learnt to bear them that they hate that man that is the cause of them and boile with a revengeful desire of his ruine And this sin hath in it so so much of the Devil that those that are once addicted to it are almost wholly at his command He maketh witches of some and Murderers of others and wretches of all who set themselves in the place of God and will do Justice as they call it for themselves as if God were not just enough to
to find them out so that the blood-thirsty man doth seldome live out half his dayes The Treatises purposely written on this subject and the experience of all Ages do give us very wonderful Narratives of Gods judgements in the detecting of murderers and bringing them to punishment They go about awhile like Cain with a terrified Conscience afraid of every one they see till seasonable vengeance give them their reward or rather send them to the place where they must receive it 3. For it is eternal torment under the wrath of God which is the final punishment which they must expect If very great Repentance and the blood of Christ do not prevent it There are few I think that by shame and terrour of Conscience are not brought to such a Repentance for it as Cain and Iudas had or as a man hath that hath brought calamity on himself and therefore wish they had never done it because of their own unhappiness thereby except those persecutors or murderers that are hardened by Errour pride or power But this will not prevent the vengeance of God in their damnation It must be a deep Repentance proceeding from the Love of God and man and the hatred of sin and sense of Gods displeasure for it which is only found in sanctified souls And alas how few Murderers ever have the grace to manifest any such renovation and repentance Tit. 2. Advice against Self-murder THough Self-murder be a sin which Nature hath as strongly inclined man against as any sin in the World that I remember and therefore I shall say but little of it yet experience telleth us that it is a sin that some persons are in danger of and therefore I shall not pass it by The prevention of it lyeth in the avoiding of these following Causes of it § 1. Direct 1. The commonest cause is prevailing Melancholy which is neer to madness therefore Direct 1. to prevent this sad disease or to cure it if contracted and to watch them in the mean time is the chief prevention of this sin Though there be much more hope of the salvation of such as want the use of their Understandings because so far it may be called involuntary yet it is a very dreadful case especially so far as reason remaineth in any power But it is not more natural for a man in a Feaver to thirst and rave than for Melancholy at the height to incline men to make away themselves For the disease will let them feel nothing but misery and despair and say nothing but I am forsaken miserable and undone and not only maketh them aweary of their lives even while they are afraid to dye but the Devil hath some great advantage by it to urge them to do it so that if they pass over a Bridge he urgeth them to leap into the Water If they see a Knife they are presently urged to kill themselves with it and feel as if it were something within them importunately provoking them and saying Do it Do it now and giving them no rest In so much that many of them contrive it and cast about secretly how they may accomplish it Though the cure of these poor people belong as much to others care as to their own yet so far as they yet can use their reason they must be warned 1. To abhor all these suggestions and give them not room a moment in their minds And 2 To avoid all occasions of the sin and not to be neer a Knife a River or any instrument which the Devil would have them use in the execution And 3. To open their case to others and tell them all that they may help to their preservation 4. And especially to be willing to use the means both Physick and satisfying Counsel which tends to cure their disease And if there be any rooted cause in the mind that was antecedent to the Melancholy it must carefully be lookt to in the cure § 2. Direct 2. Take heed of worldly trouble and discontent for this also is a common Cause Direct 2. Either it suddenly casteth men into Melancholy or without it of it self overturneth their reason so far as to make them violently dispatch themselves Especially if it fall out in a mind where there is a mixture of these two Causes 1. Unmortified love to any Creature 2. And an impotent and passionate mind there discontent doth cause such unquietness that they will furiously go to Hell for ease Mortifie therefore first your worldly lusts and set not too much by any earthly thing If you did not foolishly overvalue your selves or your credit or your wealth or friends there would be nothing to feed your discontent Make no greater a matter of the world than it deserveth and you will make no such great matter of your sufferings And 2. Mortifie your turbulent passions and give not way to Bedlam fury to overcome your reason Go to Christ to beg and learn to be meek and lowly in spirit and then your troubled minds will have rest Matth 11. 28 29. Passionate Women and such other feeble spirited persons that are easily troubled and hardly quietted and pleased have great cause to bend their greatest endeavours to the curing of this impotent temper of mind and procuring from God such strengthening grace as may restore their Reason to its power § 3. Direct 3. And sometimes sudden passion it self without any longer discontent hath caused Direct 3. men to make away themselves Mortifie therefore and watch over such distracting Passions § 4. Direct 4. Take heed of running into the guilt of any heynous sin For though you may Direct 4. feel no hurt from it at the present when Conscience is awakened it is so disquieting a thing that it maketh many a one hang himself Some grievous sins are so tormenting to the Conscience that they give many no rest till they have brought them to to Iudas's or Achitophel's End Especially take heed of sinning against Conscience and of yielding to that for fear of men which God and Conscience charge you to forbear For the case of many a hundred as well as Spira may tell you into what Calamity this may cast you If man be the master of your Religion you have no Religion For what is Religion but the subjection of the soul to God especially in the matters of his Worship And if God be subjected to man he is taken for No-God When you Worship a God that is inferiour to a man then you may subject your Religion to the will of that man Keep God and Conscience at peace with you if you love your selves though thereby you lose your peace with the World § 5. Direct 5. Keep up a Believing foresight of the state which Death will send you to and then if Direct 5. you have the use of Reason Hell at least will hold your hands and make you afraid of venturing upon death What Repentance are you like to have when you dye in the very
Quest. 7. Answ. No not by private assault or violence But if the crime be so great that the Law of the Land doth punish it with death if that Law be just you may in some cases seek to bring the offendor to publick justice But that is rare and otherwise you may not do it For 1. It belongeth only to the Magistrate and not to you to be the avenger 2. And killing a man can be no meet defence against calumny or slander For if you will kill a man for prevention you kill the innocent If you kill him afterward it is no Defence but an unprofitable revenge which vindicateth not your honour but dishonoureth you more Your patience is your honour and your bloody revenge doth shew you to be so like the Devil the destroyer that it is your greatest shame 3. It is odious Pride which maketh men over-value their reputation among men and think that a mans life is a just compensation to them for their dishonour Such bloody Sacrifices are fit to appâ—ase only the blood-thirsty Spirit But what is it that Pride will not do and justifie CHAP. XI Special Directions to escape the guilt of persecuting Determining also the case about Liberty in matters of Religion THough this be a subject which the guilty cannot endure to hear of yet the misery of persecutors the blood and grones and ruines of the Church and the lamentable divisions of profâ—ssed Christians do all command me not to pass it by in silence but to tell them the truth whether they will hear or whether they will forbear though they were such as Ezek. 3. 7 8 9 11. § 1. Direct 1. If you would escape this dreadful guilt Understand well what Persecution is Else Direct 1. you may either run into it ignorantly or oppose a duty as if it were persecution § 2. The Verb Persequor is often taken in a good sence for no more than continuato motu vel ad extremum sequor and sometime for the blameless prosecution of a delinquent But we take it here as the English word Persecute is most commonly taken for inimico affectu insequor for a malicious or injurious hurting or prosecuting another and that for the sake of Religion or Righteousness For it is not common injuries which we here intend to speak of Three things then go to make up Persecution 1. That it be the Hurting of another in his Body liberty relations estate or reputation 2. That it be done injuriously to one who deserveth it not in the particular which is the cause 3. That it be for the cause of Religion or of Righteousness that is for the Truth of God which we hold or utter or for the worship of God which we perform or for obedience to the will of God revealed in his Laws This is the cause on the sufferers part what ever is intended by the Persecuter § 3. There are divers sorts of Persecution As to the Principles of the Persecutors 1. There is a Persecution which is openly professed to be for the cause of Religion As Heathens and Mahometans persecute Christians as Christians And there is an Hypocritical Persecution when the pretended cause is some odious crime but the real cause is mens Religion or obedience to God This is the common Persecution which nominal Christians exercise on serious Christians or on one another They will not say that they Persecute them because they are Godly or serious Christians but that is the true cause For if they will but set them above God and obey them against God they will abate their Persecution Many of the Heathens thus persecuted the Christians too under the name of Ungodly and evil doers But the true cause was because they obeyed not their commands in the Worshipping of their Idol Gods So do the Papists persecute and murder men not as Professours of the truth which is the true cause but under the name of Hereticks and Schâ—smaticks or Rebels against the Pope or what ever their malice pleaseth to accuse them of And prophane nominal Christians seldome persecute the serious and sincere directly by that name but under some Nickname which they set upon them or under the name of Hypocrites or self-conceited or factious persons or such like And if they live in a place and Age where there are many Civil Wars or differences they are sure to fetch some odious name or accusation thence Which side soever it be that they are on or if they meddle not on any side they are sure by every party whom they please not to hear Religion loaded with such reproaches as the times will allow them to vent against it Even the Papists who take this course with Protestants it seems by Acosta are so used themselves not by the Heathens but by one another yea by the multitude yea by their Priests For so saith he speaking of the Parish Priests Priests among the Indians having reproved their Diceing Carding Hunting Idleness Lib. 4 c. 15. pag. 404 405. Itaque is cui Pastoralis Indorum cura committitur non solum contra diaboli machinas naturae incentiva pugnare debet sed jam etiam confirmatae hominum consuetudini tempore turba praepotenti sese objicere ad excipienda invidorum ac malevolorum tela forte pectus opponere qui siquid à profano suo instituto abhorrentem viderint proditorem hypocritam hostem clamaâ—t that is He therefore to whom the Pastoral care of the Indians is committed must not only fight against the Engines of the Devil and the incentives of nature but also now must object or set himself against the confirmed custome of men which is grown very powerful both by time and by the multitude and must valiantly oppose his breast to receive the darts of the envious and malevolent who if they see any thing contrary to their profane fashion or breeding cry out A Traitor An Hypocrite an Enemy It seems then that this is a common course § 4. 2. Persecution is either done in Ignorance or Knowledge The commonest persecution is that which is done in Ignorance and errour when men think a Good cause to be bad or a bad cause to be good and so persecute Truth while they take it to be falshood or good while they take it to be evil or obtrude by violence their Errours for Truths and their evils as good and necessary things Thus Peter testifieth of the Jews who killed the Prince of life Act. 3. 13 14 17. I know that through Ignorance you did it as did also your Rulers And Paul 1 Cor. 2. 8. which none of the Princes of this world knâ—w for had they known it they would not have Crucified the Lord of glory And Christ himself saith Joh. 16. 3. These things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father or me And Paul saith of himself Act. 26. 9. I thought verily with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name
Body of Christ not of the body of the Pope Let Christian and Catholick be all your titles as to your Religion Mark those that cause divisions and offences and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. § 31. Direct 11. To this end Overvalue not any private or singular opinions of your own or Direct 11. others For if once spiritual pride and ignorance of your own weakness hath made you espouse some particular opinion as peculiarly your own you will dote on the brats of your own brains and will think your conceits to be far more illuminating and necessary than indeed they are as if mens sincerity lay in the embracing of them and their salvation on the receiving of them And then you will make a party for your opinion and will think all that are against it deserve to be cast out as enemies to reformation or to the truth of God or to the Church And perhaps twenty years after experience may bring you to your wits and make you see either the falshood or the smalness of all those points which you made so great a matter of and then what comfort will you have in your persecutions § 32. Direct 12. Obey not the solicitations of selfish passionate disputers Bishops and Divines falling Direct 12. out among themselves and then drawing Princes to own their quarrels when they find their arguments will not serve hath been the distraction division and ruine of the Christian world And he that falleth in with one of the parties to bear out that by the ruines of the other is lost himself in their contentions Would Rulers let wrangling Bishops and Disputers alone and never lend them their Swords to end their differences unless the substance of Religion be endangered they would be weary of quarrelling and would chide themselves friends and no such tragical consequents would follow as do when the Sword interposeth to suppress the discountenanced party and to end their Syllogisms and wranglings in blood § 33. Direct 13. Take heed lest an uncharitable hurting spirit do prevail under the name of holy Direct 13. Zeal As it did with Iames and Iohn when they would have fire from Heaven to have revenged the contempt of their Ministry To whom Christ saith Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9. 55. The difference between a Christian zeal and an envious contentious censorious hurtful zeal is excellently described by the Apostle Iames Chap. 3. throughout Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work The wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good works without partiality and hypocrisie § 34. Direct 14. The Catholick Church and Particular Churches and our Communion with each Direct 14. must be distinguished and a man must not be cast out of our Catholick Communion because by some tolerable difference he is uncapabable of Communion with some particular Church If a man be impenitent in any Heresie or sin which is contrary to the common nature of Christianity or Godliness and so unfit for Catholick Communion he is to be cast out of Christian Communion But if some particular Church do impose any unnecessary doctrine or practice and he dare not approve it or joyn in it be it right or wrong yea or if he withdraw himself from one Church through the badness of the Minister or through any falling out between them and joyn to another that hath a Minister more suitable to his case these are not crimes to be punished with ejection from Catholick Communion He that is not fit for Communion with some one particular Church may be fit for Communion with many others that give him no such occasion of difference or distaste Without Catholick principles persecution will not be avoided § 35. Direct 15. Let Church Union and Communion be laid upon none but Catholick terms which Direct 15. are possible and fit for all to be agreed in Common Reason will tell any impartial man that there See my Treatise of A True Catholick and Cath. Church can be no more effectual engine to divide the Churches and raise contentions and persecutions than to make Laws for Church-communion requiring such conditions as it is certain the members cannot consent to If any man knew that my opinion is against the doctrine of Transubstantiation or of the Dominicans Predetermination and he would make a Law that no man shall have Communion with that Church who subscribeth not to these he unavoidably excludeth me Unless I be such a Beast as to Believe nothing soundly and therefore to say any thing If ever the Churches agree and Christians be reconciled it must be by leaving out all dividing impositions and requiring nothing as necessary to Communion which all may not rationally be expected to consent in Now these Catholick principles of Communion must be such as these 1. Such points of faith only as constitute Christianity and which every upright Christian holdeth and therefore only such as are contained in our Baptismal Covenant or Profession which maketh us Christians And not those other which only some stronger Christians believe or understand Because the weak are not to be cast out of the family of Christ. 2. Such points as the Primitive Churches did agree in and not innovations which they never Sâ—e Viâ—cent Lâ—â—iaens practised or agreed in For they are our pattern and were better than we and no more can be necessary to our Concord and Communion than was to theirs 3. Such points as all the Church hath sometime or other at least agreed in For what reason can we have to think that the Churches should now agree in that which they never hitherto agreed in 4. Such points as all the true Christians in the world are now agreed in For otherwise we shall exclude some true Christians from our Christian Communion 5. No points of Worship much less of Modes and Circumstances which are not necessary and more necessary to the Churches good than is the Communion of all those persons who by dissenting are like to be separated or cast out and whose omission would not do more hurt than this separation and division is like to do 6. Especially no such things must be made necessary to communion as the most conscientious are ordinarily fearful of and averse to and may be forborn without any great detriment to godliness § 36. Object But it will be said that Catholick Communion indeed requireth no more than you say Object But particular Churches may require more of their members For that may be necessary or fit for a member of this particular Church which is not to at all Answ. Catholick Communion is that which all Christians and Churches have with one another and the terms of it are such as all Christians may agree in Catholick Communion is principally existent and exercised in particular Churches as there is no existent Christianity or faith which existeth not in
and that all strict Religion is but hypocrisie or at least to refuse their help and counsels Even Plutark noted that It so comes to pass that we entertain not virtue nor are â—apt into a desire of imitating it unless we highly honour and love the person in whom it is discerned And if they see or think the Preacher to be himself of a loose and careless and licentious life they will think that the like is very excusable in themselves and that his doctrine is but a form of speech which his office bindeth him to say but is no more to be regarded by them than by himself Two wayes is mens damnation thus promoted 1. By the ill lives of hypocritical ungodly preachers who actually bring their own persons into disgrace and thereby also the persons of others and consequently their sacred work and function 2. By wicked Preachers and people who through a malignant hatred of those that are abler and better than themselves and an envy of their reputation do labour to make the most zealous and faithful Preachers of the Gospel to be thought to be the most hypocritical or erroneous or factious and schismatical § 5. 5. The neglect of Ministerial duties is a common cause of sin and of mens damnation When they that take the charge of souls are either unable or unwilling to do their office when they teach them too seldome or too unskilfully in an unsuitable manner not choosing that doctrine which they most need or not opening it plainly and methodically in a fitness to their capacities or not applying it with necessary seriousness and urgency to the hearers state When men preach to the ungodly who are neer to damnation in a formal pase like a School-boy saying his lesson or in a drowsie reading tone as if they came to preach them all asleep or were afraid of wakening them When they speak of sin and misery and Christ of Heaven and Hell as if by the manner they came to contradict the matter and to perswade men that there are no such things The same mischief followeth the neglect of private personal inspection When Ministers think that they have done all when they have said a Sermon and never make conscience of labouring personally to convince the ungodly and reclaim offenders and draw sinners to God and confirm the weak And the omission much more the perversion and abuse of sacred Discipline hath the like effects When the Keys of the Church are used to shut out the good or not used when they ought to rebuke or to shut out the impenitent wicked ones nor to difference between the precious and the vile it hardeneth multitudes in their ungodliness and perswadeth them that they are really of the same family of Christ as the Godly are and have their sins forgiven because they are partakers of the same Holy Sacraments Not knowing the difference between the Church mystical and visible nor between the judgement of ministers and of Christ himself § 6. 6. Parents neglect of instructing Children and other parts of holy education is one of the greatest causes of the perdition of mankind in all the World But of this elsewhere § 7. 7. Magistrates persecution or opposition to Religion or discountenancing those that preach it or most seriously practise it tendeth to deceive some who over-reverence the judgement of superiours and to affright others from the obedience of God § 8. 8. Yea the negligence of Magistrates Masters and other Superiours omitting the due rebuke of sinners and due correction of the offenders and the due encouragement of the good is a great cause of the wickedness and damnation of the World § 9. 9. But above all when they make Laws for sin or for the contempt or dishonour or suppression of Religion or the serious practice of it this buildeth up Satans Kingdom most effectually and turneth Gods Ordinance against himself Thousands under Infidel and ungodly Princes are conducted by Obedience to damnation and their Rulers damn them as honourably as the Physicion kill'd his Patients who boasted that he did it secundum artem according to the rules of art § 10. 10. The vulgar example of the multitude of the ungodly is a great cause of mens impiety and damnation They must be well resolved for God and holiness who will not yield to the major Vote nor be carryed down the common stream nor run with the rabble to excess of ryot When Christianity is a Sect which is every where spoken against it proveth so narrow a way that Act. 2. 8. few have a mind to walk in it Men think that they are at least excusable for not being wiser and better than the multitude Singularity in honour or riches or strength or health is accounted no crime but singularity in godliness is at least thought unnecessary What! will you be wiser than all the Town or than such and such superiours is thought a good reprehension of Godliness where it is rare Even by them who hereby conclude their superiours or all the Town to be wiser than God § 11. 11. Also the vulgars scorning and deriding Godliness is a common cause of Murdering souls Because the Devil knoweth that there cannot one Word of solid Reason be brought against the Reason of God and so against a Holy life he therefore teacheth men to use such weapons as they have A Dog hath teeth and an Adder hath a sting though they have not the Weapons of a man A fool can laugh and jeer and rail and there is no great wit or learning necessary to smile or grin or call a man a Puritan or precisian or Heretick or Schismatick or any name which the malice of the age shall newly coin Mr. Robert Bolton largely sheweth how much the malignity of his age did vent it self against Godliness by the reproachful use of the word Puritan When Reason can be bribed to take the Devils part either natural or literate reason he will hire it at any rate But when it cannot he will make use of such as he can get Barking or hissing may serve turn where talking and disputing cannot be procured Drum and Trumpets in an Army serve the turn instead of Oratory to animate cowards and drown the noise of dying mens complaints and groans Thousands have been mocked out of their Religion and salvation at once and jeered into Hell who now know whether a scorn or the fire of Hell be the greater suffering As Tyrants think that the Greatest and Ablest and wisest men must either be drawn over to their party or destroyed so the Tyrant of Hell who ruleth in the Children of disobedience doth think that if Reason Learning and wit cannot be hired to dispute for him against God they are to be suppressed silenced and disgraced which the noise of rude clamours and foolish jeers is fit enough to perform § 12. 12. Also idle sensless prating against Religion as a needless thing doth serve turn to deceive the simple Ignorant people
to be the more hurtful encouragement of unlawful ones such examples must be forborn though the Law were not against them But to sell Orders is undoubted Simony That is the Office of the Ministry or the act of Ordination though Scribes may be paid for writing instruments § 31. Quest. 24. May a man give money for Orders or Benefices when they cannot otherwise Quest. 24. be had Answ. 1. This is answered in Quest. 22. 1. If the Law absolutely forbid it for the common safety you may not 2. If the consequents are like to be more hurt than the benefit will recompence you may not 3. If your end be chiefly your own commodity ease or honour you may not But in case you were clear from all such evils and the case were only this Whether you might not give money to get in your self to keep out a Heretick a Wolf or insufficient man who might destroy the peoples souls I see not but it might well be done § 32. Quest. 25. May I give money to Officers Servants or Assistants for their furtherance Quest. 25. Answ. For Writings or other servile acts about the circumstantials you may But not directly or indirectly to promote the Simoniacal Contract What you may not give to the principal agent you may not give his instruments or others for the same end § 33. Quest. 26. May I give or do any thing afterward by way of gratitude to the Patron Bishop or Quest. 26. any others their relations or retainers Answ. Not when the expectation of that Gratitude was a secret or open condition of the Presentation or Orders and you believe that you should not else have received them Therefore promised Gratitude is but a kind of contracting Nor may you shew Gratitude by any scandalous way which seemeth Simony Otherwise no doubt but you may be prudently grateful for that or any other kindness § 34. Quest. 27. May not a Bishop or Pastor take money for Sermons Sacraments or other Offices Quest. 27. Answ. Not for the things themselves He must not sell Gods Word or Sacraments or any other holy thing But they that serve at the Altar may live on the Altar and the Elders that Rule well are worthy of double honour And the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn should not be muzzled They may receive due maintenance while they perform Gods service that they may be vacant to attend their proper work § 35. Quest. 28. May one person disoblige another of a promise made to him Quest. 28. Answ. Yes if it be no more than a promise to that person Because a man may give away his right But if it be moreover a Vow to God or you intend to oblige your self in point of Veracity under the guilt of a lye if you do otherwise these alter the case and no person can herein disoblige you § 36. Quest. 29. But what if the Contract be bound by an Oath may another then release me Quest. 29. Answ. Yes if that Oath did only tye you to perform your promise and were no Vow to God which made him a party by dedicating any thing to him For then the Oath being but subservient to the promise he that dischargeth you from the promise dischargeth you also from the Oath which bound you honestly to keep it § 37. Quest. 30. Am I bound by a promise when the cause or reason of it proveth a mistake Quest. 30. Answ. If by the Cause you mean only the extrinsical Reasons which moved you to it you may be obliged nevertheless for finding your mistake Only so far as the other was the culpable cause as is aforesaid he is bound to satisfie you But if by the Cause you mean the formal reason which constituteth the contract then the mistake may in some cases nullifie it of which enough before § 38. Quest. 31. What if a following accident make it more to my hurt then could be foreseen Quest. 31. Answ. In some Contracts it is supposed or expressed that men do undertake to run the hazard And then they must stand obliged But in some contracts it is rationally supposed that the parties intend to be free if so great an alteration should fall out But to give instances of both these Cases would be too long a work § 39. Quest. 32. What if something unexpectedly fall out which maketh it injurious to a third person Quest. 32. I cannot sure be obliged to injure another Answ. If the case be the later mentioned in the foregoing answer you may be thus free But if it be the former you being supposed to run the hazard and secure the other party against all others then either you were indeed authorized to make this bargain or not If not the third person may secure his right against the other But if you were then you must make satisfaction as you can to the third person Ye◠if you made a Covenant without authority you are obliged to save the other harmless unless he knew your power to be doubtful and did resolve to run the hazard § 40. Quest. 33. What if somewhat fall out which maketh the performance to be a sin Answ. You must not do it But you must make the other satisfaction for all the loss which you were the cause of unless he undertook to stand to the hazard of this also explicitely or implicitely § 41. Quest. 34. Am I obliged if the other break Covenant with me Quest. 34. Answ. There are Covenants which make Relations as between Husband and Wife Pastor and Flock Rulers and Subjects and Covenants which convey title to commodities of which only I am here to speak And in these there are some Conditions which are essential to the Covenant If the other first break these conditions you are disobliged But there are other conditions which are not essential but only necessary to some following benefit whose non-performance will only forfeit that particular benefit And there are conditions which are only undertaken subsequent duties trusted on the honesty of the performer And in these a failing doth not disoblige you These latter are but improperly called Conditions § 42. Quest. 35. May I contract to perform a thing which I foresee is like to become impossible or sinful Quest. 35. before the time of performance come though it be not so at present Answ. With all persons you must deal truly and with just contractors openly But with Thieves and Murderers and Persecutors you are not alwayes bound to deal openly This being premised either your Covenant is absolutely This I will do be it lawful or not possible or impossible And such a Covenant is sin and folly Or it is Conditional This I will do if it continue lawful or possible This condition or rather Exception is still implyed where it is not exprest unless the contrary be exprest Therefore such a Covenant is lawful with a Robber with whom you are not bound to deal
by force They will most obey those on whom they apprehend their good or hurt to have most dependance If Landlords would regard their Tenants souls so much as to correct them thus for their wickedness they would be the greatest benefactors and reformers of the Land But alas who shall first reform the Landlords And when may it be hoped that many or most Great men will be such Quest. 8. May one take a House over anothers head as they speak or take the Land which he is a Quest. 8. Tenant to before he be turned out of possession Answ. Not out of a greedy desire to be rich nor coveting that which is anothers Nor yet while he is any way injured by it nor yet when the act is like to be so scandalous as to hurt mens souls more than it will profit your body If you come with the offer of a greater Rent than he can give or than the Landlord hath just cause to require of him to get it out of his hands by over-bidding him this is meer covetous oppression But in other cases it is lawful to take the House and Land which another Tenant hath possession of As 1. In case that he willingly leave it and consent 2. Or if he unwillingly but justly be put out and another Tenant must be provided against the time that he is to be dispossessed 3. Yea if he be unjustly put out if he that succeed him have no hand in it nor by his taking the House or Land do promote the injury nor scandalously countenance injustice For when a Tenement is void though by injury it doth not follow that no man may ever live in it more But if the title be his that is turned out then you may not take it of another because you will possess another mans habitation But if it should go for a standing rule that no man may in any case take a House over another mans head as the Countrey people would have it then every mans House and Land must be long untenanted to please the will of every contentious or unjust possessor And any one that hath no title or will play the knave may injure the true Owner at his pleasure Quest. 9. May a rich man put out his Tenants to lay their Tenements to his own Demesnes and so lay Quest. 9. House to House and Land to Land Answ. In two cases he may not 1. In case he injure the Tenant that is put out by taking that from him which he hath right to without his satisfaction and consent 2. And in case it really tend to the injury of the Common-wealth by depopulation and diminishing the strength of it Otherwise it is lawful and done in moderation by a pious man may be very convenient 1. By keeping the Land from beggery through the multitudes of poor families that overset it 2. By keeping the more Servants among whom he may keep up a better order and more pious government in his own House making it as a Church than can be expected in poor families And his Servants will for soul and body have a much better life than if they married and had families and small Tenements of their own But in a Countrey that rather wanteth people it is otherwise Quest. 10. May one man be a Tenant to divers Tenements Quest. 10. Answ. Yes if it tend not 1. To the wrong of any other 2. Nor to depopulation or to hinder the livelihood of others while one man ingrosseth more than is necessary or meet For then it is unlawful Quest. 11. May one man have many Trades or Callings Quest. 11. Answ. Not when he doth in a covetous desire to grow rich disable his poor neighbours to live by him on the same Callings seeking to engross all the gain to himself nor yet when they are Callings which are inconsistent or when he cannot manage one aright without the sinful neglect of the other But otherwise it is as lawful to have two Trades as one Quest. 12. Is it lawful for one man to keep Shops in several Market Towns Quest. 12. Answ. The same answer will serve as to the foregoing question CHAP. XXI Cases about and Directions against Prodigality and sinful Wastefulness § 1. BEcause mens carnal interest and sensuality is predominant with the greatest part of the world and therefore governeth them in their judgement about Duty and Sin it thence cometh to pass that Wastefulness and Prodigality are easily believed to be faults so far as they bring men to shame or beggery or apparently cross their own pleasure or commodity But in other cases they are seldome acknowledged to be any sins at all Yea all that are gratified by them account them virtues and there is scarce any sin which is so commonly commended Which must needs tend to the increase of it and to harden men in their impenitency in it And verily if covetousness and selfishness or poverty did not restrain it in more persons than true conscience doth it were like to go for the most laudable quality and to be judged most meritorious of present praise and future happiness Therefore in directing you against this sin I must first tell you What it is and then tell you wherein the malignity of it doth consist The first will be best done in the definition of it and enumeration of the instances and examination of each one of them § 2. Direct 1. Truly understand what necessary frugality or parsimony and sinful wastefulness Direct 1. are Necessary frugality or sparing is An act of fidelity obedience and gratitude by which we use all What necessary Frugality is our estates so faithfully for the chief Owner so obediently to our chief Ruler and so gratefully to our chief Benefactor as that we waste it not any other way As we hold our estates under God as Owner Ruler and Benefactor so must we devote them to him and use them for him in each relation And Christian parsimony cannot be defined by a meer negation of active wastefulness because idleness it self and not using it aright is real wastefulness § 3. Wastefulness or prodigality is that sin of unfaithfulness disobedience and ingratitude by which Wastefulness what it is either by action or omission we mis-spend or waste some part of our estates to the injury of God our Absolute Lord our Ruler and Benefactor that is Besides and against his interest his command and his pleasure and glory and our ultimate end These are true Definitions of the duty of frugality and the sin of wastefulness § 4. Inst. 1. One way of sinful wastefulness is In pampering the belly in excess curiosity or costliness Inst. 1. of meat or drink Of which I have spoken Chap. 8. Tom. 1. Quest. 1. Are all men bound to fare alike Or when is it wastefulness and excess Quest. 1. Answ. This question is answered in the foresaid Chapter of Gluttony Par. 4. Tit. 1. 1. Distinguish between mens