so much for their sinne committed as for their lying therin without repentance And this is the manner of Gods dealing with those that haue liued within the precincts of the church they shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance This should admonish euery one of vs to take heed least we lie in any sin and that being any way ouertaken we should speedily repent least we aggrauate our sinne by continuance therein and so bring vpon our selues swift damnation Thirdly the same sinne is made greater or lesser foure waies according to the number of degrees in the committing of a sinne noted by S. Iames Temptation Conception Birth and Perfection Actual sinne in the first degree of tentation is when the minde vpon some sudden motion is drawne away to thinke euill and withall is tickled with some delight thereof For a bad motion cast into the mind by the flesh and the deuill is like vnto the baite cast into the water that allureth and delighteth the fish and causeth it to bite Sin in conception is when with the delight of the minde there goes consent of will to doe the euill thought on Sinne in birth is when it comes forth into an action or execution Sin in perfection is when men are growne to a custome and habit in sin vpon long practise For the often committing of one and the same sinne leaues an euill impression in the heart that is a strong or violent inclination to that or any other euill as hath bin taught before And sinne thus made perfect brings forth death for custome in sinning brings hardnes of heart hardnes of heart impenitencie and impenitencie condemnation Now of these degrees the first is the least the last is the greatest One and the same sin is lesser in tentation then in conception lesse in conception then in birth and greater in perfection then in all the former Sect. 11. Now from this doctrine of the increasing and lessening of Sin in these respects we may gather that all sins are not alike or equall as the Stoicks of auncient times and their followers haue falsely imagined For it hath bin prooued at large by induction of sundrie particulars that there are degrees of sinnes some lesser som greater some more offensiue and odious to God man some lesse And â—hat the circumstances of time place person and manner of doing doe serue to enlarge or extenuate the sinne commited If it be here alleadged that Sin is nothing but the doing of that which is vnlawfull to be done and that this is equall in all men that sinne and therfore by consequent offences are equall I answer that in euery sin meÌ„ must not consider the vnlawfulnes thereof onely but the reason why it should be vnlawfull and that is properly because it is a breach of Gods law and repugnant to his will reuealed in his word Nowe there is no breach of a diuine Law but it is more or lesse repugnant vnto the will of the Lawgiuer God himselfe And many transgressions are more repugnaÌ„t thereunto then fewer for the more sin is increased the more is the wrath of God inâ—lamed against the sinner vpon his due desert If it be said againe that the nature of Sin stands onely in this that the sinner makes an aberration from the scope or marke that is set before him and doth no more then passe the bondes of dutie prescribed by God and that all are alike in this respect The answer is that it is a falshood to affirme that he which makes the lesse aberration from the dutie commanded is equall in offence to him that makes the greater For the same sin for substance hath sundrie steps and degrees in respect whereof one man becommeth a more heinous offender then another For example in the seauenth commandemeÌ„t when God forbiddes the committing of Adultery he forbiddeth three degrees of the same sinne to wit adulterie of the heart consisting of inordinate and vncleane affections adulterie of the tongue in corrupt dishonest and vnseemely speeches and the very act of vncleannesse and filthinesse committed by the bodie Now it cannot be said that he which breakes this commandement onely in the first degree is as great a transgressour as he that hath proceeded to the second and so to the third And therefore it remaines for an vndoubted truth that Sinnes committed against the Law of God are not equall but some lesser some greater Sundrie other Distinctions there are of sinnes as namely That the main sinnes of the first Table are greater then the maine sins of the second Table And yet the maine sinnes of the second are greater then the breach of ceremoniall duties against the first table But this which hath beene said shall suffice The vse of this doctrine is manifold First by it we learne what the heart of man is by nature namely a corrupt and vncleane fountaine out of which issueth in the course of this life the streames of corruptions infinite in number noysome in qualities hainous in degrees daÌ„gerous in effects For from thence doe flow all the differences of sinnes before named with their seuerall branches and infinite many more that cannot be rehearsed This must mooue vs humbly to sue vnto God earnestly to entreat him to wash vs throughly from our wickednes clense vs from our sinnes yea to purge and to rinse the fountaine thereof our vncleane and polluted hearts And when by Gods mercie in Christ apprehended by faith our hearts shall be purified theÌ„ to set watch ward ouer them and to keep them with all diligence Secondly it teacheth vs that miserable mortal man is not guiltie of one or more sinnes but of many sundrie corruptions both of heart and life Who can vnderstand his faults saith Dauid Now the alowance of sinne beeing death by gods ordinaÌ„ce God being iustice it selfe answerably to the number of our offences must we needes be lyable to many punishments yea to death it selfe both of the bodie and of the soule This beeing our wofull estate little cause is there that any man should thinke himselfe to be in good case or presume of Gods mercie in regard of the small number of his sinnes And much lesse cause hath he falsly to imagine with the Popish sort that he can merit the fauour of God by any worke done by him aboue that which the Law requireth considering that it is impossible for him to know either the number or the nature or the measure of his sinnes Lastly the consideration of this point must be a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure or presumptuous of our owne estate for as much as we learne out of the word of god that in respect of the multitude of our corruptions this our life is full of much euill and many difficulties that wee haue whole armies of enemies to encounter with all not onely out of vs in the world abroad but within vs
this sinne but God in mercie accepted a generall repeÌ„tance for the same And the like is the case of all the Elect in regard of their secret hidden faults for vnles God should accept of a general repentance for vnknown sinns few or none at all should be saued And herein doth the endles mercy of god notably appeare that he vouchsafeth to accept of our repeÌ„tance wheÌ„ we repent though not in particular as we ought to doe Neuertheles this must not incorage or imbolden any man to liue in his sinnes without turning vnto God For vnlesse we repent in particular of all the sinâ— we know not only our knowne offences but euen our secret sinnes shall coÌ„demne vs. Many sinnes are committed by men which afterwards in processe of time are quite forgotten Others are coÌ„mitted which notwithstaÌ„ding are not knowne whether they be sins or no. And in doing the best duties we can we offend often yet when we offend we perceiue it not all these in the regenerate through the mercy of God are sinnes of ToleratioÌ„ in respect of particular repentance The third kind of sinnes of Toleration are certaine particular facts of men not approved of in Scripture and yet remitted in respect of punishment Such was the fact of Zipporah in circumcising her child in presence of her husband he beeing able to haue done it himselfe and shee hauing no calling to doe that which she did For though the hand of God was against him yet was he not sick as some would excuse the matter neither is there any such thing in the text but it is rather to be thought that she her selfe circumcised her sonne in hast to preuent her husband for the deede was done in some indignation and shee cast the foreskin at his feete And yet because this fact was some manner of obedience in that the thing was done which God required though not in the maÌ„ner that he required God accepted the same staied his hand froÌ„ killing Moses Thus god accepted of Ahabs humility thogh it were in hypocrisie because it was a shew of obedience and for that deferred a temporall punishmeÌ„t til the daies of his posteritie God sent Lyons to destroy the Assyrians that dwelt in Samaria for their Idolatrie yet so soonâ— as they had learned to feare the Lord after the maÌ„ner of the god of Israel though they mingled the same with their own Idolatric God for that halfe obedience suffered theÌ„ to dwel in peace Sect. 6. The Sixt distinction of Sinnes may be this Some are sinnes against God some against men This distinction is grounded vpon a place in Samuel If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall plead for him Sinnes against God are such as are directly and immediately committed against the maiestie of God Such are Atheisme Idolatrie Blasphemie Periurie Profanation of the Sabboth all the breaches of the first Table Sinnes against men are iniuries hurts losses and damages whereby our neighbour is in his dignitie life chastitie wealth good name or any other way iustly offended or by vs hindred And such actions must be considered two waies First as they are iniuries and hurts done vnto our neighbour and fecondly as they are anomies or breaches of Gods law forbidding vs to doe them and in this second respect they are called sinnes because sinne is properly against God and therefore by sinnes against man we are to vnderstand iniuries losses or damages done vnto them In this sense must that place in Matthew be expounded If thy brother sinne against thee c. Sect. 7. The seauenth Difference of sinnes is noted by S. Paul where he saith Euery sinne that a man doth is without the bodie but he that commits fornication sinneth against his owne bodie In which place it is implyed that some sinnes are without the bodie some against mans owne bodie Sinnes without the bodie are such sinnes as a man committeth his bodie beeing the instrument of the sinne but not the thing abused Such are Murther Theft Drunkennesse for in the committing of these sinnes the bodie is but a helper and onely a remote instrumentall cause and the thing abused is without the bodie For example in drunkennes the thing abused by the drunkard is wine or strong drinke in theft another mans goods in murther the instrument whereby the fact is committed The bodie indeede conferres his helpe to these things but the iniurie is directed to the creatures of God to the bodie and goods of our neighbour And such are all sinnes adulterie onely excepted Sinnes against the bodie are those in which it selfe is not onely the instrument but the thing abused also Such a sinne is Adulterie onely and those that are of that kind properly against the bodie first because the bodie of the sinner is both a furthering cause of the sinne and also that thing which he abuseth against his owne selfe Secondly by this offence he doth not onely hinder but loose the right power and propertie of his bodie in that be makes it the member of an harlot And lastly though other sinnes in their kind doe bring a shame and dishonour vpon the bodie yet there is none that sitteth so nigh or leaueth a blot so deepely imprinted in it as doth the sinne of vncleannes Sect. 8. The eight distinction of sinnes is grounded vpon Pauls exhortation to Timothie Communicate not with other mens sinnes Sinnes are either Other mens sinnes or CommunicatioÌ„ with other mens sins This distinction is the rather to be knowne and remembred because it serues to extenuate or aggrauate sins committed Communication with sinne is done sundry waies First by counsell thus Caâ—phas sinned when he gaue counsel to put Christ to death Secondly by commandement so Dauid sinned in the murther of Vrias Thirdly by consent or assistance Rom. 1. 31. thus Saul sinned in keeping the garments of them that â—â—oned Steuen Act. 22. 20. 7. 58. Fourthly by prouocation thus they sinne that prouokâ— others to sinne and hereof Paul speaketh when he saith Fathers must not prouoke their children to wrath Eph. 6. 4. Fiftly by negligence or silence This is the sinne of the Minister when men are called to reprooue sinne and doe not Sixtly by flatterie when men sooth vp others in sinne Seauenthly by winking at sinnes or passing them ouer by slight reproofe Eph. 5. 11. Thus Eli sinned in rebuking his sonnes and thereby brought a temporall iudgement vpon himselfe and his familie 1. Sam. 2. chap. and 4. Eightly by participation Eph. 5. 7. thus they doe sinne that are receiuers of the eues Ninthely by defending another man in his sinne for he that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the iust euen they both are an abomination to the Lord. Sect. 9. The Ninth distinction followeth Some mens sinnes saith Paul are open before hand some follow after Which place by some is
no. If he hath it is so much the better If he hath not as vsually such persons are meere naturall men then the first dutie is to vse all meanes to stirre vp in him some godly sorrow for his sinnes to bring him to the exercises of inuocation and to some confidence in Gods mercy for pardon Secondly this beeing done meanes must be vsed to take away the opinion conceiued which will be done by giuing him information of the state of his bodie and what is the true and proper cause of the alteratioÌ„ therof This being knowne the griefe or feare conceiued will easily be staied For take away the false opinion and inform the iudgement and the whole man will be the better Thirdly the opinion beeing altered and reformed it may be the alteration in the bodie will remaine the partie therefore in that case must be taught that it is a correction of God and that God doth not barely suffer the correction to be inflicted but is the very author of it and therefore the partie is to be well pleased and to rest himselfe in that will of God For euery present estate whether it be good or badde is the best state for vs because it comes by Gods will appointment And thus much touching the distinct kindes of distresses of minde whereunto I adde this one thing further that if we make examination of the estate of persons as are troubled with any of these fiue temptations we shall not vsually find them single but mixed together especially Melancholy with terror of Conscience or some other temptations For the distraction of the mind will often breed a distemper in the body and the distemper of the bodie likewise will sometimes cause distraction of mind Again Melancholy wil ofteÌ„be an occasion though no direct cause of terror of Conscience in the same manner the conscience touched and terrified with sense of the haynousnesse of sinne and the Heauinesse of Gods wrath will bring distemper of bodie by sympathy and cause Melancholie In this Case if Question be made what is to be done I answere that for mixt distresses we must haue recourse to mixt Remedies using in the first place the best meanes for the rectifying of the minde the principall growndes whereof haue beene before deliuered and then taking the seasonable aduise of the Phisitian whose calling and seruice God hath sanctified for the cure and releefe of the bodie in case of extremitie And so much of the first Sort of Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe The ende of the first Booke THE SECOND AND THIRD BOOKES OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE CONCERNING MAN STANDING IN RELATION to God and Man Wherein are handled the Questions touching the worship of God and the practise of Christian vertue Now newly added vnto the former and carefully examined according to the Authors owne breefes and published for the common good by T. P. Bachelour of Diuinitie Rom. 14. 23. VVhatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1606. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDWARD LORD DENNIE BARON of Waltham c. RIght Honourable It vvas not vvithout speciall cause that the famous Apostle of the Gentiles entring into a serious meditation of the Calling and vvâ—…ke of the Ministerie and grovving at length to some issue of his thoughts crieth â—ut as it vvere in tearmes of Complaint And who is sufficient for these things For if â—nquirie be made into the reason of his demand thâ— Scripture shall ansvver for him That Ministers are the Angels of the Lord of Hosts the Interpreters of his vvill thâ— Salt of the earth the Light of the World And their Calling is to carrie the Embassage of Reconciliation to manifest vnto man the pleasure of the Highest to season the corrupted heart instrumentally vvith gracâ— to inlighten the darkened minde by the dispensation of sauing knovvledge as the Sunne doth the Aire by the brightnesse of his beames Novv these high Tiâ—les and greatvvorkes euidently declaring the vveight and vvorth of that Honourable Commission are not either giuen or assigned onely in respect of publike and ordinarie duties vvherein by Diuine ordinance they be made the mouth of God vnto Man by preaching and againe of Man vnto God by prayer For these are determined vpon certaine times and places vvhen and vvhere they are to be put in execution according to the laudable Constitutions and Canons of particular Churches But in a further regard as they haue receiued from God the Tongue of the Learned and are indued vvith knovvledge and abilitie to informe the Consciences of men touching euery action vvhether personall appertaining to particular states or relatiue emploied in the vvorshippe of God and practise of Christian vertues A gift as no lesse necessarie so of a farre larger extent then the other and consequently performable vvithout limitation of time or place in season out of season vvhensoeuer the minde requireth resolution in Case of doubt or Comfort in distresse The light of this candle is therefore erected vp on high and set in open viâ—vv that it may communicate it selfe not to all in grosse but to euery one in person The Lords Interpreter in this sense is to dispense his vvill in euery place time to the poore vvidovv of Sarepâ—a at her ovvne home to the Noble â—…uch of Ethiopia in his trauell to Dauid that he may be dravvne to Confession of his sinne to Peter for his restoring after his fall to the vveake that they may be supported to the strong that they may stand to thâ— VVauering minde for resolution to the Troubled soule for comfort and releefe Hence it is apparent that this Messenger of God must be as Paul saith a complete man in euery respect armed and well appointed vvith necessaries appertaining for all purposes to the honour of his Lord and the credit of his Calling He should be not onely a learned Text-man mightie in the Scriptures a positiue Diuine established in the truth a man prouided ad oppositum to vvithstand and conâ—… the Aduersarie but a skilfull Casâ—ist readie at all assaies vpon good grounds of knovvledge and obseruation to giue a Rule to yeelde a Reason to speake a vvord in time to him that is vvearie VVhich last propertie to omit the rest beeing so essential as it is to the Calling and condition of a Minister yea of that importance as heretofore I haue declared to your Lordsâ— it seemeth strange at least in my poore conceit that among so many graue and learned discourses published by vvay of Definition and Disputation in matter of Religion â—evv or none haue beene framed and conâ—riued to this purpose that in this florishing estate both of our Church and Commonvvealth none haue emploied their indeauours in the vnfolding and displaying of this Subiect yea vvhereas they of the Popish Church haue beene so plentifull or rather lauish in their Summes Manuels
and erronious Grounds of Doctrine much preiudiciall to the direction or resolution of the Conscience in time of neede as namely I. That a man in the course of his life may build himselfe vpon the faith of his teachers and for his saluation rest contented with an implicite and vn-expressed faith Which doctrine as it is an onely meane to keepe men in perpetuall blindnes and ignorance so it serueth to no other purpose in the time of TemptatioÌ„ but to plunge the hart of man into the pit of despaire it being vncapable of coÌ„fort for want of particular knowledg vnderstaÌ„ding of the word promise of God Iâ— That euery man ought to stand in feare and doubt of the pardon of his sinnes and that no man can be assured by the certentie of faith either of the present fauour of God or of his owne saluation True it is that in respect of our owne vnworthines and indisposition we haue iust cause not onely to doubt and feare but to dispaire and be confounded before the iudgement seat of God Yet that a man should not be certainely resolued by faith of the mercie of God in and for the merir of Christ is a comfortlesse doctrine to a distressed soule and contrarie vnto the sauing word of the Gospel which teacheth that certentie floweth from the nature of faith and not doubting III. That euery man is bound in conscience vpon paine of damnation to make speciall confession of his mortall sinnes with all the particular circumstaÌ„ces therof once euery yere to his Priest This position practise besides that it hath no warrant of sacred writte nor yet any ground of Orthodoxe antiquitie for 800. yeares more or lesse after Christ it maketh notably to the disturbing of the peace of Conscience in time of extremitie considering that is impossible either to vnderstand or remember all many beeing hidden and vnknowne And the minde being in this case informed that forgiuenesse dependeth vpon such an enumeration may thus be brought into doubt and distrust and will not be able to rest by faith in the sole mercie of God the onely soueraigne medicine of the soule Againe the griefe of the mind doth not alwaies arise from all the sinnes that a man hath committed neither doth the Lord set before the sinners eies whatsoeuer euill hath bin done by him but some one or more particulars And these are they that doe lie heavie vpon the heart and to be eased of them will be worke inough though he doth not exhibite vnto the Confessour a Catalogue of all the rest IV. That some sinnes are veniall because they are onely besides the Lawe of God not against it and because they binde ouer the sinner onely to temporal and not to eternall punishments This conclusion first is false For though it be granted that some offences are greater some lesser some in a higher degree others in a lower Againe that sinnes in regard of the euent beeing repented of or in respect of the person sinning beeing in Christ and therefore accounted iust are pardonable because they are not imputed to condemnation yet there is no sinne of what degree soeuer which is not simply and of it selfe mortall whether we respect the nature of the sinne or the measure and proportion of diuine iustice For in nature it is an anomie that is to say an aberration from the perfect rule of righteousnesse therefore is subiect to the curse both of temporarie and eternall death It is an offence against the highest Maiestie and consequently man standeth by it ingaged to euerlasting torment Secondly it is a weake and insufficient ground of resolution to a troubled Conscience For whereas true and sauing ioy is the daughter of sorrow and the heart of man cannot be lifted vp in assurance of Gods fauour to the apprehensioÌ„ and conceipt of heauenly comforts vnlesse it be first abased and by true humiliation brought to nothing in it selfe The remembrance of this that the offence committed is veniall may in some cases too much inlarge the heart and giue occasion to presume when haply there will be reason to the contrary And if not that yet in case of falling by infirmitie after grace receiued the mind beeing forestalled with this erronious conceipt that the sinne is lesse then it is indeede because veniall may in the issue be lesse quieted and more perplexed V. That a man may satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of his sinnes committed To omit the vntruth of â—â—is position Howe it maketh to the casing of the heart or the asswaging of the griefe of minde in temptation I appeale to common experience For when a man beeing assured of the pardon of his sinnes shall yet consider that there is something more behind to be done on his part how can he in probabilitie rely himselfe wholly vpon Christs satisfaction How can he reape vnto himselfe from thence any assurance of reconciliation to God whome he formerly offended If we may and must doe something in our owne persons whereby to appease the wrath of God why hath our Sauiour taught vs for our hearts releife wholly and onely to make the plea of pardon for our sinnes True it is indeede that Popish Confessours doe teach their Penitents when they feele the wrath of God vpon them for sinne to stoppe the mouth of Conscience by performance of a formall humiliation and repentance yea to offer vnto God some ceremoniall duties in way of satisfaction But when sorrow seazeth vpon the soule and the man falls into temptation then it will appeare that these directions were not currant for notwithstanding them he may want sound comfort in Gods mercie and runne into despaire without recouerie And for this cause vpon experience it hath bin prooued that euen Papists themselues in the houre of death haue bin content to renounce their owne workes yea the whole body of humane satisfactions and to cleaue onely to the mercie of God in Christ for their saluation By these instances and many more that might be alleadged to this purpose it is apparent vpon how weake and vnstable Grounds the Case-diuinitie of the Popish Church standeth and how indirect a course they take for the resolution and direction of the troubled Conscience Now by the benefit and abuse of this Doctrine we see how necessary it is that in Churches which professe ChristiaÌ„ religion it should be more taught and further inlarged then it is And to this purpose it were to be wished that men of knowledge in the Ministerie that haue by the grace of God attained vnto the Tongue of the learned would imploy their paines this way not onely in searching into the depth of such points as stand in bare speculation but in annexing thereunto the grounds and conclusions of practise wherby they might both informe the iudgement rectifie the conscience of the hearers By this means it would come to passe that the poore distressed soule might
sentence of death in themselues that they might not trust in themselues but in God From these examples it followes that they which desire with comfort to beare the pangs of death must die by faith that is they must set before their eies the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and depend vpon it wrapping as it were infolding theÌ„selues in it as in a close warm garment that will keepe them safe and sure against the winde and weather of temptation The second Practise in the time of death is to die in obedience which is nothing else but willingly gladly and readily without murmuring to submit our selues vnto Gods will in bearing the paines of death A most worthie president of this obedieÌ„ce we haue in our Sauiour Christ when he said vnto his father Not my will but thy will be done thereby submitting his will to his Fathers wil touching the death which he then suffered Yea when he was dying it is said of him that he gaue vp the Ghost that is he did most willingly surrender vp his soule into the hands of God his father And this his exaÌ„ple at the time of his departure must be a rule of directioÌ„ vnto vs vpon the like occasion Hence it is that in the third petitioÌ„ of the Lords praier amoÌ„gst other things we pray for obedience to the will of God in suffering afflictions yea euen in the last and greatest which is death it self True it is that obedience to God in death is against corrupt nature and therefore our dutie is the more to inure our selues to the performing of it and that which the blessed Apostle said of himselfe I die daily ought to be continually our resolution and practise If we shall inquire howe this may be done the answer is wheÌ„ God layeth afflictions vpon vs in our life time then by endeauouring to beare them with patience meeknes and lowlines For euery affliction is as it were a pettie death and if we doe in it subiect our selues to the hand of God wee shall the better obey him in the great death of all and thus doing whensoeuer God striketh vs with death we shall with comfort endure the same Sect. 4. The Third particular Affliction or distresse is Satanicall molestation whereby both persons and places of mansion or abode are either possessed or otherwise molested by the malice of the Deuill I. Touching this Affliction the Question of Conscience is How such persons as are possessed or feare possession or else indure molestations by the Deuill in their houses may haue their minds quieted and staâ—ed and consequently in that case be remedied And here two things are generally to be considered in way of Answer First it is to be remembred that possession is knowne by two signes The one is when the Deuill is euidently present either in the whole bodie or in some part of it The other when he hath rule of the said bodie either in whole or in part so as the partie himselfe hath not that vse of his bodie which he would As for example when the Deuill possesseth the instruments of the voice as the tongue and makes a man to speake Latine Greeke Italian or other tongues which he vnderstandeth not Both these things were found in them that were possessed in the time of our Sauiour Christ. Secondly we must consider it falleth out oftentimes that straunge diseases doe seaze vpon men arising from corrupt humours in the bodie yea men and women may haue straunge passions vpon naturall causes vnknowne and these will sometimes haue strange and extraordinarie effects in them which the art of Physicke neither can search out nor cure and yet they are neither acts of witchcraft nor reall possessions As when God laid extraordinarie diseases on the Corinthians for the contempt of his Word and Sacraments 1. Cor. 11. 30. Like vnto which he worthily inflicts vpon men in these daies for the same and other sinnes Now to stay the minde in this case these Rules are carefully to be thought vpon First of all it is to be remembred that though Satans malice and power be very great and large yet he can not practise the same against the childreÌ„ of God wheÌ„ where and how he listeth The malice which Satan beares to mankind and principally to the members of Christ appeares in this because he is saide to accuse them before God day and night And as a roaring lyon to walke about the world seeking whome he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. 8. Againe the Scripture noteth him to be a powerfull Spirit whose strength farre exceedeth and surpasseth the might of any man or creature that is not of an Angelical nature as himselfe is For he is tearmed a Prince of the aire and the god of this world his power reacheth euen to the spirits and soules of men whereby he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. His principalitie is so great that no strength no defence of man is able to withstand it vnlesse man take vnto himselfe the whole armour of God Eph. 6. 10. Now although the Deuill be so malitious an enemie of mankind that he ceaseth not to deuise whatsoeuer may be hurtfull vnto them and withall so powerfull in his attempts that no man by his oâ—ne proper strength is able to resist him yet he cannot put the least part of his power in execution in what time place or manner he desireth The reason is because God hath determined his power by certaine bounds and limits which he cannot passe and they are especially two The one is his owne nature whereby he is a creature and therefore finite Hence it is that he can neither know nor doe any thing that is beyond the reach or capacitie of his nature or aboue the power and skill of a creature For example he cannot directly and immediatly know the deepe things of God vnlesse they be reuealed vnto him nor yet the secrets of mans heart None knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him ouen so the things of God knoweth none but the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 11. Againe he cannot doe that which is truly and properly a miracle the cause whereof is hidden and vtterly vnknowne and which comes not within the power and order of nature For this is proper vnto God who onely doth things simply wonderfull Psal. 77. 14. The second thing whereby Satans power is restrained is the will of God For looke as the sea beeing by nature apt to ouerflow the whole earth is kept in and shut vp within the shore as it were with dores or gates that it cannot breake forth and that by the Lord himselfe who hath established his decree vpon it Iob 38. So though Satan be by nature strong and his malice great yet can he doe nothing at all no nor execute his naturall power to the hurt and preiudice of any man without the will and permission of God Thus the
for the Thessalonians that God would sanctifie them throughout and preserue their whole spirit soule and bodie Of which place amongst many this exposition may be giuen The Apostle speaking of men regenerate and sanctified makes three parts in them bodie soule and spirit and by spirit we are to vnderstand not the conscience but the gift of regeneration and sanctification which is the whole man bodie and soule opposed to the flesh which in a naturall man is called the olde man Rom. 7. And the praier which Paul makes in the behalfe of the Thessalonians teacheth vs in effect thus much that though corruption remaine in the regenerate after regeneration yet in respect of diuine acceptation he is accounted as righteous and so continueth his sinne by the mercie of God in Christ not beeing imputed to him to condemnation And so much for that point Now these Grounds of comfort and others of the like nature may serue to sustaine and vphold the hearts of the children of God when they shall be pressed and troubled in consideration of their estate in this life which cannot till death be fully freed from much weakenes and manifold imperfections CHAP. XII Of the fift Speciall Distresse arising from a mans owne bodie THe fift and last kind of Temptation or Trouble of minde ariseth from a mans owne bodie Before I enter to speake thereof one Question in the meane time must be answered namely How the bodie beeing an earthly substance should trouble or annoie the minde considering that the minde is not bodily out spirituall for nothing can worke aboue it owne power and it is against reason that that which is bodily should either alter or trouble a spirit For answer hereunto these things must be considered Sect. 1. First of all the actions of man though they be sundrie yet they all proceede from one onely fountaine and common cause the soule and are done by the power thereof The bodie of it selfe is not an agent in any worke but as it were a dead instrument in and by which the soule produceth all actions and workes Secondly though all the actions of man come from the soule yet the most of them are such as be performed by the bodie and the parts thereof and by the spirits that are seated in the bodie as by instruments Indeede some actions of the soule and minde are done without the helpe of the bodie but I say that the most of them are wrought by the bodie and spirits therein contained And yet notwithstanding the Spirits in thēselues are no agents at all but the onely agent in any worke is the soule it selfe For example the vsing of the outward senses as of sight hearing tasting touching smelling as also of the inward as imagination memorie c. all this is done by the braine and the parts of the braine as proper instruments All affections both good and bad come from the soule but yet they are done and acted in and by meanes of the heart and vitall spirits So also the powers of life and nourishment proceede from the soule and yet they are done and wrought by the liuer and other inward parts as instruments whereby the soule nourisheth the bodie In a word there is no naturall action in man but for the effecting thereof the parts of the bodie are vsed as it were the hands and instruments of the soule and all this comes by reason of the vnion of the bodie with the soule whereby they make one person Hence it followeth that when the bodie is troubled the soule is also troubled Now the bodie affecteth and hurteth the soule and minde not by taking away or diminishing any part thereof for the soule is indivisible Nor by depriuing it of any power or facultie giuen it of God for as the soule it selfe and the parts thereof so also all the faculties of the same remaine whole and entire without abating or diminishing But by corrupting the action of the minde or more properly by corrupting the next instrument whereby the minde worketh and consequently the action it selfe This may be conceiued by a comparison A skilfull artificer in any science hauing an vnfit toole to worke withall though his skill be good and his abilitie sufficient yet his instrument wherewith he worketh being bad the worke which he doth must needes be an imperfect worke Howbeit the toole takes not away the skill of his workemanship nor his power of working onely it hinders him from shewing his skill and doing that well which otherwise he should and could doe well In like manner the bodie beeing corrupted hinders the worke of the soule not by taking away the worke of the soule or the abilitie of working but by making it to bring forth a corrupt worke because the instrument which it vseth is corrupt and faultie And thus we must conceiue of all the annoyances of the soule by the bodie The Temptation followeth The bodie causeth the trouble of minde two waies either by Melancholie or by some strange alterations in the parts of the bodie which oftentimes befall men in what sort we shall see afterwards For troubles of minde thus caused are more common and as noysome as the most of the former Sect. 2. Touching that which comes by Melancholy sundrie things are to be considered for our instruction and for the Remedie of that euill 1. And first of all if it be asked what Melancholy is I answer it is a kinde of earthie and blacke blood specially in the splene corrupted and distempered which when the splene is stopt conuaies it selfe to the heart and the braine and there partly by his corrupt substance and contagious qualitie and partly by corrupt spirits annoyeth both heart and braine beeing the seates and instruments of reason and affections 2. The second is what are the effects and operations of Melancholie Ans. They are strange and often fearefull There is no humour yea nothing in mans bodie that hath so straunge effects as this humour hath beeing once distempeted An auncient Diuine calls it the Deuills bait because the Deuill beeing well acquainted with the complexion and temperature of man by Gods iust permission conueies himselfe into this humour and worketh strange conceits It is recorded in Scripture that when the Lord tooke his good Spirit from Saul wherby he did carrie himselfe well in the gouernment of his people and an euill Spirit came vpon him he was in so fearfull a case that he would haue slaine him that was next vnto him how so surely because God in iustice withdrew his spirit from him and suffered Satan to enter into the humour of choler or melancholie or both and by this meanes caused him to offer violence to Dauid Now the effects therof in particular are of two sorts The first is in the braine and head For this humour being corrupted it sends vp noysome fumes as cloudes or mists which doe corrupt the imagination and makes the instrument of reason unfit for vnderstanding and
sense Hence followes the first effect strange imaginations conceits and opinions framed in the minde which are the first worke of this humour not properly but because it corrupteth the instrument and the instrument beeing corrupted the facultie cannot bring forth good but corrupt actions Examples hereof are well knowne I will onely touch one or two One is called the Beastiall or Beastlike Melancholie a disease in the braine whereby a man thinkes himselfe to be a beast of this or that kind and carries himselfe accordingly And here with haue all those beene troubled which haue thought themselues to be wolues and haue practised woluish behauiour Againe it is said of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 30. that he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the oxen that is behaued himselfe and fed as a beast Now some are of opinion that his humane shape was taken from him and that he was transformed into a beast at least that he had the soule of a beast in stead of an humane soule for a time But they are deceiued For there is no such transportation of soules into bodies either of men or beasts Others thinke that Nebuchadnezzar was smitten in the braine with this disease of beastlike Melancholy whereby he was so bereft of his right minde that he carried himselfe as a beast And this interpretation is not against the text for in the 31. verse of that chapter it is said that his minde came to him againe and therefore in the disease his vnderstanding and the right vse of his reason was lost And the like is true in historie by diuers examples though it were not true in Nebuchadnezzar Againe take another example that is common and ordinarie Let a Melancholike person vpon the sudden heare or see some fearfull thing the strength of his imagination is such that he will presently fasten the thing vpon himselfe As if he see or heare that a man hath hanged himselfe or is possessed with a Deuil it presently comes to his mind that he must doe so vnto himselfe or that he is or at least shall be possessed In like manner vpon relation of fearefull things presently his phantasie workes and he imagineth that the thing is alreadie or shall befall him And this imagination when it enters once and takes place it brings forth horrible and fearefull effects The second effect or worke of Melancholy is vpon the heart For there is a concord and consent betweene the heart and the braine the thoughts and the affections the heart affecting nothing but that which the minde conceiueth Now when the minde hath conceiued imagined and framed within it selfe fearefull thoughts then comes affection and is answerable to imagination And hence proceede exceeding horrours feares and despaires euen of saluation it selfe and yet the Conscience for all this vntouched and not troubled or disquieted 3. Thirdly it may be demanded whether there be any difference betweene the trouble of Conscience and Melancholy for many hold that they are all one Ans. They are not all one but differ much Affliction of Conscience is one thing trouble by Melancholy is an other and they are plainly distinguished thus First when the Conscience is troubled the affliction it selfe is in the Conscience and so in the whole man But in Melancholy the imagination is disturbed and not the Conscience Secondly the Conscience afflicted hath a true and certen cause whereby it is troubled namely the sight of sinne and the sense of Gods wrath but in Melancholy the imagination conceiueth a thing to be so which is not so for it makes a man to feare and despaire vpon supposed and fained causes Thirdly the man afflicted in Conscience hath courage in many other matters but the Melancholike man feares euery man euery creature yea himselfe and hath no courage 〈◊〉 all but feares when there is no cause of feare Fourthly imaginations in the braine caused by Melancholy may be cured taken away and cut off by meanes of Physicke but the distresse of Conscience cannot be cured by any thing in the world but one and that is the blood of Christ and the assurance of Gods fauour 4. Fourthly the way to cure Melancholy is this First the person troubled must be brought to this that he will content himselfe to be aduised and ruled by the iudgement of others and cease to rest vpon himselfe touching his owne estate and by this shall he reape much quiet and contentation Secondly search and triall must be made whether he hath in him any beginnings of grace as of faith and repentance o◠no. If he be a carnall man and wanteth knowledge of his estate then meanes must be vsed to bring him to some sight and sorrow for his sinnes that his melancholy sorrow may be turned into a godly sorrow If he want faith and true repentance some good beginnings thereof must be wrought in his heart Thirdly when he is brought to faith in Gods mercie and an honest purpose not to sinne any more then certaine mercifull promises of God are to be laid before him and he must be exhorted to rest vpon these promises and at no time to admit any imagination or thought that may crosse the saide promises Now the promises are these and such like Psal. 34. 9. No good thing shall be wanting to them that feare God Psal. 91. 10. No euill shall come neere the godly man 2. Chr. 15. The Lord is with you while you are with him and if you seeke him he will be found of you Iam. 4. 8. Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you And the best meanes to cause any man thus diseased to be at peace with himselfe is to hold beleeue and know the truth of these promises and not to suffer any bythought to enter into his heart that may crosse them Moreouer though the former promises may stay the mind yet will they not take away the humour except further helpe be vsed Therefore the fourth and last helpe is the arte of Physick which serues to correct and abate the humour because it is a meanes by the blessing of God to restore the health and to cure the distemper of the bodie And thus much touching the trouble of mind caused by Melancholy Sect. 3. The Second meanes whereby the bodie annoies the minde is when it occasions trouble to the minde by strange alterations incident to the body When a man beginnes to enter into a Phrensie if the braine admit neuer so little alteration presently the minde is troubled the reason corrupted the heart terrified the man distracted in the whole bodie Thus from the trembling of the heart come many fearefull imaginations and conceits whereof a man knowes not the cause The same is procured by the swelling of the splene by the rising of the entrals by strange crampes convulsions and such like The remedie hereof is this First it is still to be considered whether the partie thus troubled hath the beginnings of true faith repentance or
endes and hath power to bring them thereunto and who is this but God II. The second sort of arguments drawn from the light of nature are taken from the preseruation and gouernment of the world created and these are touched by the Holy Ghost when he saith that God left not himself without witnesse in that in his prouidence he did good and gaue raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with ioy and gladnesse The particulars drawne from the gouernment of the world are these First our food whereby we are nourished is in it selfe a dead foode void of life and yet it serues to maintain and preserue life wheras in reason it is more fit to choke and stuffe our bodies then to feede them Secondly our garments which we weare are in themselues cold and voide of heate and yet they haue this vse to preserue heate and to sustaine life in the extremitie of cold Therefore there must needes be an omnipotent and diuine power that giues vnto them both such a vertue to feed and preserue the life and health of man Thirdly the raine falling and the sunne shining vpon one the same plot of grouÌ„d causeth it to bring forth in his season a hundred seuerall kindes of hearbes and plants wherof euery one hath a seuerall and distinct â—â—ower colour forme and sauour whence comes this Not from the raine for it hath no life in it selfe and besides it is in it selfe all one nor from the sunne or the earth for these also in their kind are all one hauing in them no such power wherby they should be the authors of life therefore the differences of plants in one ground may convince our iudgements and teach vs thus much that there is a diuine and heauenly power aboue and beside the power of these creatures Fourthly take an example of the bird and the egge The bird brings forth the egge the egge againe brings forth the bird This egge considered in it selfe hath in it neither life nor soule and the bird can giue it neither for all that the bird can doe is to giue it heat and no more Within the shell of this egge is made a goodly creature which wheÌ„ it comes to some perfection it breakes the shell In the shell broken we shall see the nibbe the wing the legge and all the parts and members of a bird Now let this be considered that the egge brought not forth this goodly creature nor yet the henne For the egge had no such power or vertue in it selfe and the hen gaue but her heat neither did man doe it for that which was done was within the egge and within the shell It therfore was some other wonderfull power and wisedome that made it and brought it forth that surpasseth the power of a creature Again consider the generation of the silk-worme one of the least of the creatures and from it we haue a notable demonstration of a divine providence This little worme at the first is but a small seede like vnto linseed The same small seed breeds it and brings it forth The worme brought forth and growing to some bignesse at length weaues the silke hauing woven the silke it winds it selfe within it as it were in a shell there hauing lodged for a time it conceiues a creature of another forme which being within a short space pâ—rfited breakes the shell and comes forth a flie The same flie like a dutifull creature brings forth the seed againe and so continues the kind thereof from yeare to yeare Here let it be remembred that the flie hauing once brought forth the seede leaues it and dies immediately and yet the seede it selfe though exposed to wind and weather and vtterly neglected of man or any creature at a certaine time within few moneths becomes a worm WheÌ„ce should al this proceede but from a creator infinitely powerfull and wise who by his admirable power and prouidence dispenseth life beeing and propagation euen to the least things in their particular sorts and kinds III. The third sort of Arguments from thâ— light of nature are taken from the soule of man This soule is endued with excellent gifts of vnderstanding and reason The vnderstanding hath in it from the beginning certaine principles whereby it knowes and discernes good and bad things to be done and things to be left vndone Now man cannot haue this gift to discerne between good and euill of or from himselfe but it must needes proceede from another cause which is power wisedome and vnderstanding it selfe and that is God Againe the conscience another gift of the soule of man hath in it two principall actions testimony and iudgement by both which the trueth in hand is evidently confirmed Touching the testimonie of conscience let it be demaunded of the Atheist whereof doth conscience beare witnesse he cannot denie but of all his particular actions I aske then against whome or with whome doth it giue testimony the aÌ„swer wil easily be made by the heart of any man that it is with or against himselfe Furthermore to whome is it a witnes Neither to men nor to angels for it is vnpossible that any man or angel should either heare the voice of coÌ„scieÌ„ce or receiue the testimonie thereof or yet discerne what is in the heart of man Hereupon it followes that there is a substance most wise most powerfull most holy that sees and knowes all things to whome conscience beares record and that is God himselfe And touching the iudgement of conscience let a man commit any trespasse or offence though it be done in secret and concealed from the knowledge of any person liuing yet Conscience that knoweth it will accuse him terrifie him cite him before God and giue him no rest What or where is the reason man knowes not the trespasse committed and if there be no God whome shall he feare and yet he feares This also necessarily prooueth that there is a iust and mightie God that will take vengeance vpon him for his sinne IV. The fourth argument from nature is this There is a ground or principle written in euery mans heart in the world none excepted that there is a God Reasons for proofe hereof may be these First the Gentiles worshipping Idoles made of stocks and stones doe acknowledge herein thus much that there is something whereunto honour and seruice is due For man by nature is proud and will neuer yeeld to bow the knee of his bodie before a stocke or a stone to adore it vnlesse he thinke and acknowledge that there is in them a diuine power better then himselfe Secondly the oath that is taken for Confirmation commonly tearmed the assertorie oath is vsed in all countries And it is for the most part generally taken to be a lawfull meanes of confirming a mans word when it is bound by the oath taken Iacob and Laban beeing to make a couenant Iacob sweares by the true God Laban by his false gods and by that both were bound to
pray and heare the word cheerefully when their stomacks are emptie These persons may eate in the day of a solemne fast so that they obserue the caueats before remembred It is not with vs in these countries as it was with the Iews They could fast one two or three daies together without any inconvenience we cannot doe the like And the reason is plaine Men that liue in those hotte countries haue colde stomackes and so may fast the longer but in colder climates such as ours is in respect of theirs men beeing of hotter stomackes are not able to continue fasting so long as they Sect. 3. The third point is concerning the Right endes of a religious fast and they are foure The first is to subdue the flesh that is to bring the body and so the bodily lusts into subiection to the will and word of God By eating and drinking the body is made heauie the heart oppressed the senses dull and the whole man vnfit for the duties of humiliation praier and hearing of the word Luk. 21. 24. That therfore this vnfitnesse may be taken away not onely the body it selfe but the vnruely lusts of the flesh are to be mortified and subdued by this exercise of fasting The second end is to stirre vp our deuotion and to confirme the attention of our mindes in hearing and in praier To this purpose in the Scripture fasting and prayer are for the most part if not alwaies ioyned togither because when the stomacke is full the body and minde are lesse able to doe any good dutie and contrariwise when abstinence is vsed the heart is lighter the affections in better order the whole man more quicke and liuely in the seruice of God For this very cause Anna is saide to worshippe God night and day with fasting and praier Luk. 2. 37. And the intent of the Holy Ghost there is to commend her for the feruencie of her praier which shee testified in that by such exercises shee stirred vp and increased the attention of her minde The third ende is to testifie the humilitie and contrition of our hearts that is to say our inward sorrow and griefe for sinne and our repentance and effectuall turning vnto God Without this ende the fast is but a vaine ceremonie And therefore the Prophet Ioel calls vpon the people to turne vnto the Lord with all their hearts with fasting weeping and mourning to rent their hearts and not their garments c. Ioel 2. 12 13. The Prophet Esay in like manner reprooveth the Iewes because when they fasted they would afflict their soules for a day and how downe their heads as a buâ—rush and lie downe in sackcloath and ashes But made no conscience to turne from their euill waies Esay 58. 5 6. Therefore their outward humiliation was but hypocrisie The fourth end of a fast is to admonish vs of our guiltines before the Lord and to put vs in mind of the acknowledgement of our sinnes wherby we become vnworthy of any blessing gift or mercie yea vnworthy to goe vpon the ground to breath in the aire to eate drinke sleepe or inioy any other benefit In a word that we haue deserued by our sinnes all the plagues and punishments threatued in the Law against sinners The Malefactor in the day of Assises cannot giue greater testimonie of the true confession of his guiltines then by comming before the Iudge with the rope about his neck neither can we bring a more notable signe of our true humiliation before God then by comming before him in the day of the solemne fast with open confession and Proclamation of our guiltinesse both of sinne and punishment Hence it was that in the fast of Nineueh not onely men but euen the beasts were forbidden to feede or drinke water for this very end that the Niuevites might acknowledge their sinnes to be so great and heinous in the sight of God that in regard therof not onely the reasonable creatures themselues but also the beasts of the field for their sakes were vnworthy of life and nourishment III. Question Whether Popish Fasts be lawfull and approoued of God Ans. They are wicked and therefore neither approoued of God nor to be obserued by man and that for three speciall causes First the patrons maintainers of them doe appoint set times of fasting which are necessarily to be kept vpon paine of mortall sinne And abstinence from flesh with them is made a matter of conscience Now to prescribe set times necessarily to be obserued is contrarie to that libertie which the Church of God and the gouernours thereof haue for this purpose onely vpon speciall occasion When the question was mooued to our Saviour by Iohns Disciples Why they and the Pharises fasted often whereas his fasted not Answer was giuen in this manner Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne as long as the bridegrome is with them But the daies will come when the bridegrome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast Mat. 9. 15. From whence we may gather that times of fasting must be according to the times of mourning For Christ giues them to vnderstand that they were to fast as occasions of mourning were offered As therefore there can be appointed no set time for mourning no more can there be enioyned a set time for fasting but must be left to the libertie of the Church to be prescribed as God shall giue occasion Againe the Apostle reprooueth the Church of Galatia for obseruing set daies and moneths times and yeares in way of Religion Gal. 4. 10. Montanus the Hereticke is thought in Ecclesiasticall stories to haue beene the first that made lawes for set-fasting And the Churches of God in ancienter times fasted of their own accords freely not inforced by law or commandement but as time and occasion serued It is alleadged that this doctrine seemes to chalenge the Church of England of Heresie for it appointeth and obserueth set times of fast Ans. Nothing lesse For our Church inioyneth and approoueth these times not vpoÌ„ necessity or for religions sake but for ciuill and politicke respects whereas the Romish church holds it a mortal sinne to put off a set fast appointed so much as till the next day following The second reason They of the Church of Rome make a distinction of meates For they wholly forbid flesh to be eaten vpon daies of fast and allow whit-meates onely then to be vsed and that of necessitie Now this difference of meates is partly impious partly absurd and foolish Impious it is because they make it for Religions sake For since the coÌ„ming of Christ there is a libertie giuen to all men whatsoeuer to eate of all kindes of meates without any distinction commanding abstinence froÌ„ nothing which God hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing It is true indeede we hold a difference betweene meate and meate but how not in way of religion but in regard of temperance health for ciuill and politike
imitate God in all things therefore besides them consider further the examples of some of the seruants of God Moses when the people murmured at him did not answer them againe by murmuring but cried vnto the Lord what shall I doe to this people for they be almost readie to stone me Exod. 17. 4. And Steuen when he was stoned praied for his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Act. 7. 60. IV. Meditation is concerning the goodnes of God towards vs an argument whereof is this that he doth euery day forgiue vs farre more offences then it is possible for vs to forgiue men V. Meditation All reuenge is Gods right and he hath not giuen it vnto man Rom. 12. 19. Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. And man by reuenging his own quarell makes himselfe both the iudge the witnesse the accuser and the executioner VI. Meditation is touching Christs death He suffered for vs the first death and the sorrowes of the second death much more then ought we at his commandement to put vp small wrongs and iniuries without reuenge His commandement is Resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Matth. 5. 39. Againe Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ died Rom. 14. 15. The Meditations concerning our neighbour are two The first is the condition of him with whome we are angrie namely that he is a brother Let there be no strife betweene me and thee for we are brethren Gen. 13. 8. Againe he is created in the Image of God we must not therefore seeke to hurt or destroy that Image The second is concerning that Equitie which we looke for at the hands of all men If we wrong any man we desire that he would forgiue vs and therefore we must forgiue him the iniurie that he doth vnto vs without vniust anger This is the very Law of nature Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe you vnto them Matth. 7. 12. Meditations concerning our selues are sixe First he that conceiueth rush anger makes himselfe subiect to the wrath of God if he cherish the same without relenting Matth. 6. 15. If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And Matth. 7. 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged Yea when we pray to God to forgiue vs and doe not resolue to forgiue our brethren we doe in effect say Lord condemne vs for we will be condemned Secondly we are commanded to loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs Eph. 5. 2. It is the propertie of loue to suffer and to beare and not to be prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And it is a marke whereby Gods children are discerned from the children of the Deuill that they loue their brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Thirdly we are ignorant of mens mindes in speaking and doing we know not the manner and circumstances of their actions And experience teacheth that much anger comes vpon mistaking and misconstruing them Whereas contrariwise if they were throughly knowne we would not be so much incensed against men as commonly we are Fourthly in rash anger we can doe no part of Gods worshippe that is pleasing to him We cannot pray for he that praies must lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 8. We cannot be good hearers of the word for S. Iames wisheth vs to be swift to heare and slow to wrath because the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God Iam. 1. 20 21. Fiftly we must consider what are the fruits and consequents of vniust anger For first it greatly annoies the health It annoies the braine and pulses it causes the gall to flow into the stomacke and the bowells it killeth and poisoneth the spirits and it is the next way to procure distemper of the whole bodie and consequently losse of health Secondly it makes a man captiue to the Deuill Eph. 4. 27. which we see to be true in Sauls example who beeing a man full of wrath and giuing place to his owne rage and furie an euill spirit entred into him by the iust iudgement of God Sixtly we must consider the Causes of vniust anger It is commonly thought that Anger is nothing but the flowing of choler in the gall and in the stomacke But the truth is anger is more then choler For it riseth first of a debilitie of reason and iudgement in the minde secondly from euill affections as from enuie and selfe-loue thirdly from the constitution of the bodie that is hote and drie Againe we read in histories that men hauing no gall haue notwithstanding beene full of anger and choler indeede is a furtherance but no cause of anger Sect. 2. The Remedies of vniust anger that stand in Practise are especially fiue The first is in the time of anger to conceale the same both in word and deede The indignation of a foole saith Salomon Prou. 12. 16. will be knowne the same day but the wise man couereth his shame that is he restraines his anger which if it should presently break forth wold be a reproch vnto him Answerable to this notable speech of Salomon was the wise counsell of Ambrose to Theodosius that after senteÌ„ce giuen he should take 30 daies respite before execution And not vnlike hath been the practise of the very Heathen in their time Socrates said I had beaten thee but that I was angrie Aâ—â—enodoruâ— gaue Augustus this rule that when he was angrie he should first say ouer the whole Alphabet before he put in execution his anger Secondly we must depart from them with whoÌ„ we are angry For this affectioÌ„ is as a fire take the matter away from fire and it will cease to burne so let a man depart and employ himselfe for the time some other way and he shall soone cease to be angrie Thus did Ionathan depart out of his fathers presence 1. Sam. 20. 34. Abraham in his anger withdrew himselfe from Lot Gen. 13. Iacob in wrath departed from Esan Gen. 27. 43 44. Thirdly we must auoide the occasions thereof as contentions and contentious persons Doe nothing through contention Phil. 2. 3. Make no friendship with an angrie man neither goe with a furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Prou. 22. 26. We must for this purpose be carefull to auoid all meanes that may serue to further the heate of the temperature of such a bodie as is apt and disposed to this vnruly passion Fourthly we are to consider that we sinne against God not once or twise but often yea euery day and therefore the course of our anger must be turned against our own selues for our sinnes For this is one propertie of true repeÌ„tance to work in vs a reuenge vpon our selues in regard of our sinnes committed against God and our brethren 2. Corinth 7. 11. Fiftly we must accustome our selues to the daily exercises
named vnlesse the naming of them tend to the reproouing further condemning of them much lesse may they be represented for the causing of mirth and pastime For naming is farre lesse then representing which is the reall acting of the vice Indeed Magistrates Ministers may name them but their naming must be to punish and reforme them not otherwise Againe it is vnseemely that a man should put on the person behauiour and habite of a woman as it is also for a woman to put on the person behauiour and habite of a man though it be but for an houre The law of God forbiddes both Deut. 22. 3. And that law for equitie is not meerely iudiciall but morall Nay it is the law of nature and common honesty Here also the dauncing vsed in these daies is to be reprooued namely the mixed dauncing of men and weomen in number measure specially after solemne feasts with many lascivious gestures accompanying the same which cannot nor ought to be iustified but condemned For it is no better then the very bellowes of lust and vncleanes yea the cause of much euill It is condemned in the daughter of Herodias dauncing before Herod Mark 6. 22. And in the Israelites that sat downe to eat and drinke and rose vp to play that is to daunce We read indeed of a kind of dauncing commended in Scripture that Moses Aaron and Miriam vsed at the redde sea Exod. 15. 20. And David before the Arke 1. Sam. 18. And the daughters of Israel when Dauid gotte the victorie of Goliah 2. Sam. 6. 14. But this dauncing was of another kind For it was not mixt but single men together and women apart by themselues They vsed not in their dauncing wanton gestures and amorous songs but the Psalmes of praise and thanksgiuing The cause of their dauncing was spirituall ioy and the end of it was praise and thanksgiuing It may be alleadged that Ecclesiastes saith There is a time of mourning and a time of dauncing Eccl. 3. And Dauid saith Thou hast turned my ioy into dauncing Psal. 30. 1â— And the Lord saith in Ieremie O daughter Sion thou shalt got forth with the daunce of them that reioyce Ier. 31. 4. I answer first these places speake of the sacred dauncing before named and not of the dauncing of our times Secondly I say that these places speake not of dauncing properly but of reioycing signified by dauncing that is to say a heartie reioycing or merrie-making Besides that the Prophet Ieremie speaks by way of comparison as if he should say Then shall the Virgin reioyce as men are woont to doe in the duinâ—â— And it is sometimes the vse of the Scripture to expresse things lawfull by a comparison drawne from things vnlawfull as in the Parables of the vnrighteous Iudge the vniust Steward and the theefe in the night The third Conclusion We may not make recreations of Gods iudgements or of the punishments of sinne The Law of God forbiddes vs to lay a stumbling blocke before the blind to cause him to fall though it be not done in earnest but in sport Leuit. 19. 14. Vpon the same ground we are not to sport our selues with the follie of the naturall foole For that is the blindnes of his minde and the iudgement of God vpon him I know it hath beene the vse of great men to keepe fooles in their houses And I dare not condemne the fact For they may doe it to set before their cies a daily spectacle of Gods iudgement and to consider how God in like sort might haue dealt with them And this vse is Christian. Neuerthelesse to place a speciall recreation in the follie of such persons and to keepe them onely for this ende it is not laudable When Dauid fained himselfe to be madde before Achish the King of Gath marke what the Heathen King could say Haue I neede of madde men that ye haue brought this fellow to play the madde man in my presence Shall he come into my house 1. Sam. 21. 15. Againe the Bayting of the Beare and Cockefights are no meete recreations The baiting of the Bull hath his vse and therefore it is commanded by ciuill authoritie and so haue not these And the Antipathie and crueltie which one beast sheweth to another is the fruit of our rebellion against God and should rather mooue vs to mourne then to reioyce The Second answer to the former Question is this Games may be deuided into three sorts Games of wit or industry games of hazard and a mixture of both Games of wit or industrie are such as are ordered by the skil and industry of man Of this sort are Shooting in the long bow Shooting in the caleeuer Running Wrastling Fensing Musicke the games of Chests and draughts the Philosophers game and such like These and all of this kind wherein the industry of the mind body hath the chiefest stroke are very commendable and not to be disliked Games of hazard are those in which hazard onely beares the sway and orders the game and not witte wherein also there is as we say chance yea meere chance in regard of vs. Of this kind is Dicing and sundry games at the Tables Cardes Now games that are of meere-hazard by the consent of godly Divines are vnlawfull The reasons are these First games of meere hazard are indeede loâ—s and the vse of a lot is an act of religioÌ„ in which we referre vnto God the determination of things of moment that can no other way be determined For in the vse of a lotte there be foure things The first is a casuall act done by vs as the casting of the Die The second is the applying of this acte to the determination of some particular controversie the ending whereof maintaines peace order and loue among men The third is confession that God is a soueraigne iudge to end and determine things that can no other way be determined The fourth is supplication that Goâ— would by the disposition of the lotte when it is cast determine the euent All these actions are infolded in the vse of a lotte and they are expressed Act. 1. ver 24. 25. 26. Now then seeing the vse of a lotte is a solemne act of religioÌ„ it may not be applied to sporting as I haue shewed in the first conclusion Secondly such games are not recreations but rather matter of stirring vp troblesome passions as feare sorrow c. and so they distemper the body and mind Thirdly covetousnes is commonly the ground of them all Wherevpon it is that men vsually play for mony And for these causes such plaies by the consent of learned Divines are vnlawfull The third kind of plaies are mixt which stand partly of hazard and partly of witte in which hazard beginnes the game and skil gets the victorie and that which is defectiue by reason of hazard is corrected by witte To this kind are referred some games at the cards and tables Now the common opinion of learned Divines is