What knowledge of sin is required where consider that the knowledge of sin is two-fold 1. Generall p. 161. 2 Particular two-fold To know our sinnes 1. Which they are ibid. 2 What manner of ones they are known by their 1. Cause pag. 162. 2. Effects two 1. Shame ibid. 2. Death p. 163 3. Adiuncts three 1. Foule ibid. 2. Great ibid. 3. Many ibid. 2. How a sinner may come to the knowledge of his sinnes namely by the Law p. 164. Vse 1. To know our selues p. 164. which is necessary 1. For our humiliation p. 166. 2. To cause vs to seeke to the Lord for grace and mercie ibid. Vse 2. Against those who haue no sence or feeling of sinne ibid. 2. Godly sorrow chap. 5. Where is shewed that sorrow for sin is two-fold 1. Legall pag. 169. 2. Euangelicall ibid. two fold 1. Contrition Or Inward sorrow for sinne Wherein 4 things 1. What it is p. 170. 2. How it is wrought two waies by 1 The Spirit of God ibid. 2. Preaching Christ crucified p. 171. 3. Signes thereof sâ—â—â—â— 1. Carefulnesse p. 173. 2. Clearing our selues ibid. 3. Indignation ib. 4. Feare ibid. 5. Desire ibid. 6. Zeale p. 174. 7. Reuenge ibid. 4. Motiues thereunto foure 1. God requireth it p. 175. 2. All penitent sinners haue had it ibid. 3. It s necessary for 1. Except the heart be rent sinne still remaineth in the heart p. 176. 2. Ezcept wee breake our hearts for our sinnes God will breake vs in his wrath ibid. 4. It s profitable for 1. It is a sacrifice to God ibid. 2. Godly sorrow hurteth not ibid. 3. Sorrowing for sinne in this life will keepe vs from sorrowing in the life to come p. 177. Vse Against those who breake their heart with worldly sorrow but haue little sorrow of heart for their sinnes ibid. 2. Outward sorrow for sin Chap. 6. And therein two things 1. How a penitent sinner may rightly mourn for his sinnes wherein foure things 1. For whom p. 179. 2. For what ibid. 3. The time when p. 180. 4. The measure of mourning for sinne And therin these Rules are to be obserued 1. Sorrow for sinne must bee greater then for any worldly want or losse For 1. Sinne is the cause of all euill pag. 180. 2. A man may be saued without riches but not without Repentance ibid. 3. The soule once lost cannot bâ— recâ—uered pag. 181. 2. For great sinnes we must haue great sorrow ibid. 3. There must be a moderation in mourning for sinne ibid. 2. Motiues to perswâ—de to mourning and weeping for sinne 4. 1. God requireth it ibid. 2. Penitent sinners haue wept and mourned for their sinnes pag. 182. 3. It s necessarie 1. In regard of our sinnes which were the cause of Crucifying Christ ibid. 2. Our eyes conâ—ay much euill to the heart pag. 183. 3. Sinne is the cause of miserie ibid. 4. Either now wee must mourne and weepe or we shall hereafter ibid. 4. It s profitable For 1. Mourning and weeping for sinne is a meanes to obtaine mercy ibid. 2. Mourning and weeping for sinne is a meanes to pacifie Gods anger pag. 184. 3. Teares shed for sinne are pleasing to God and delightfull to the Angels ibid. 4. They that mourne shall be comforted ibid. Vse Against those who mourne and weepe greatly for outward crosses but vâ—rie little for their sinnes pag. 185. 3. Confession of sinne Chap. 7. two-fold 1. Publique two-fold 1. Of the whole Congregation pag. 187. 2. Of any one that hath offended the Congregation ibid. 2. Priuate two-fold 1. To Man In two respects 1. For satisfaction ib. 2. For consolation pag. 188. 2. To God and therein 4. things 1. What it is ibid. 2. The kinds of it two-fold 1. Generall ibid. 2. Particular pag. 189. 3. The manner of making confession aright And therein sixe things 1. That it be with premeditation pag. 189. 2. That it be in truth ibid. 3. That it be accusing not excusing pag. 190. 4. That it be a confession of sinne and iniquitie ibid. 5. That it be a confession of our owne sinnes ibid. 6. That our confession be made vnto God ibid. 4. Motiues to Confesse our sinnes vnto God 2. 1. It s necessarie For 1. God is principally offended by our sinnes pag. 191. 2. Without confession we can haue no remission ibid. 3. If we doe not confesse our sinnes vnto God yet God seeth and knoweth them pag. 192. 2. It s profitable For 1. By confession we obtaine remission pag. 193. 2. Confession of sinnes is a meanes to turne away Gods wrath ibid. 3. By confession the soule is eased and the conscience pacified ibid. Vse To reproue 1. Those who will not confesse but hide and couer their sinnes Which is 1. Foolish pag. 194. 2. Dangerous pag. 195. 2. Those that excuse their sinnes ibid. 3. Those that defend their sinnes pag. 196. 4. Forsâ—kinâ— of sinne Chap 8. therein two things 1. What things are required â—o the forsaking of sin Three 1. That we forsake all and euery sinnâ— pag. 197. 2. That we forsake the occasions of euill with the prouocations therunto p. 198. 3. That we forsake sinne with the adherents pag. 199. 2. Motiues tâ— perswade thereunto Three 1. The Scripture pag. 200. 2. The Necessâ—â—y therof Two-fold 1. It puts a difference betweene true and false Repentance pag. 201. 2. Except wee forsake our sinnes nothing that we doe can please God pag 202. 3. The benefit there of Twofold 1. To a mans temporall state Prosperitie ibid. 2. To his spirituall state 1. Mercie pag 203. â— No more remembrance of sinne ibid. Vse To reproue 1. Those that continue in sinne Which continuance in sinne is dâ—ngâ—rous For 1. Continuance in sinne ouerburdeneth the soule pag. 203. 2. The soule groweth worse thereby ibid. 3. They that continue still in sin shall be seuerely punished pag. 204. 2. Those who leaue some sinnes but will not forsake all pag. 205. 3. Those who will not make restitution of their euill gotten goods pag. 206. 4. Those who leaue sinne for a season and afterwards fall to their sinnes againe pag. 207. 5. Reformation of life chap. 9. Therin three things 1. Meanes whereby a sinner may come to amendment of life two 1. working of the Holy Spirit pag. 208. 2. The Word of God p. 209. 2. After what manner Amendment of life is wrought in a sinner wherein three things 1. There must bee an vtter forsaking of our old conuersation ibid. 2. It must bee in the whole man ibid. 3. It must haue it beginning within p. 210. 3. Motiues to perswade to Amendment of life three 1. God requireth it ibid. 2. The Necessity therof is great For 1. By nature wee are in a corrupt state p. 212. 2. Except we be renued reformed we cannot see the Kingdome of God ibid. 3. A sinner that will not be reformed doth cast away his soule p. 213. 3. The Benefit thereof threefold 1. Outward prosperity ibid. 2. Spirituall happinesse p. 214. 3.
hath â—â—â—den these sixe steps hee hath gone so farre in the broâ—â— way that leadeth to destâ—uction that he is now neere to the gates of death at the verie brim of the bottomlesse pit and cannot possibly escape destruction euen the destruction ouerthrow of soule and bodie euerlastingly in the pit of hell except he returne Now the returning of a sinner from the gates of death must not be by the same way but with the wisemen of the East he must returne f Mat. 2. 12. another way and must ascend vp to the high mountaine of Heauen by these six steps and degrees Six steps and degrees whereby a sinner ascendeth to Heauen Or The first is a knowledge and sight of his owne sinnes The second is godly sorrow for sinne The third is humble confession and acknowledgement of his sinnes The fourth is the forsaking of his sinnes The fift is reformation of life The sixt is perseuerance in grace and goodnesse These sixe are like the sixe steps whereby g 1. Kin. 10. 18. 19. Solamon ascended to his iuory Throne by these six steps knowledge of sinne godly sorrow for sinne confession of sin forsaking sinne reformation of life and perseuerance in grace and goodnesse a sinner that hath gone astray returnes and ascends to the glorious throne of the king of heauen for when a sinner hath troden the first step of grace being come to the knowledge of his sinnes and from the knowledge of his sinnes come to godly sorrow for his sinnes from godly sorrow to confession of his sinnes from confession to the forsaking of his sins and after the forsaking of his sinnes being come to reformation of life there remaines then but one other step to bring him to heauen namely perseuerance in grace and goodnesse continuing in well-doing for h Mat. 24. 13. Sixe things required to true Repentance he that endureth to the end shall be saued So then there are sixe things necessarily required to true and sound repentance without which a sinner cannot be saued The first is the knowledge of sinne 1 The knowledg of sinne In the knowledge of sinne two thinges are necessary to be considered First what knowledge of sinne is required Wherein two things Secondly how a sinner may come to the true knowledge of his sinnes Touching the first The knowledge of sinne is two-fold 1 What knowledge of sin is required Knowledge of sin two-fold Generall and Particular The generall knowledge of sinne is to know sinne to be the transgression of the law that he that sinnes and 1 Generall knowledge of sinne doth wickedly breakes Gods commaundements to know that swearing and cursing and lying and slandering that murther and adulterie that drunkennesse and pride and maliciousnesse c. are transgressions of Gods commandements and to know that they that doe such things are in danger of Gods iudgement this is a knowledge of sinne but this is onely a generall knowledge this may be in the wicked vngodly who come short of true repentance But ther 's a particular knowledge of sinne and that 2 Particular knowledge of sinne Two-fold To know our sinnes stands in two things To know our sinnes first which they are Secondly what manner of ones they are Touching the first To know our sinnes which they are is necessarie and although it be hard for a man to know and remember at any one time all the sinnes that 1 Which they are he hath done all his life time to call to minde how and in what particular he hath broken the commaundements of God either by thought word or deede and to remember all his secret faults though this I say be difficult and a hard labour yet its necessarie for euery one as much as possiblie he may to know and find out his owne particular sinnes how he hath offended God or wronged man that a sinner may say with Dauid i Psal 51. 3. I acknowledge my transgressions before a sinner can with Dauid come to an humble acknowledgement and confession of his sins he must needs haue first a knowledge of his particular sinnes know his sinnes whereby he hath offended Before Dauid confessed his sinne of adulterie with Bathsheba saying k 2. Sam. 12. 13. I haue sinned against the Lord the Prophet of the Lord had opened his eyes that he might both see and know his sinne he had first the knowledge of sinne before he was brought to acknowledge confesse his sinne So the Iewes confessing their sinnes say l Isa 59. 12. our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities we know them And if a sinner cannot come to the knowledge of all his sinnes but some remaine secret vnknowne vnto him for his vnknowne sinnes he must pray with Dauid m Psa 19. 12. cleanse thou me from secret faults Our sinnes must first be found out that we may see them and know which they are Secondly we must also know what manner of ones 2 What manner of ones they are they are and to that end we must view them * a priori a pâ—steriori We must take knowledge of our sinnes before and behind consider their beginning and their end In aword we must know them First by their cause Secondly by their effects Thirdly by their adiuncts First by their cause The cause of sin is partly from 1 By the cause thereof Sathan through his subtile suggestion and partly of our selues through our owne lust and concupiscence of both which S. Iames speaketh thus n Iam. 1. 14. 15. Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and entised Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne where the Diuell is made the Father of sinne and our owne lust and concupiscence the mother of sinne heere 's the procreating cause of sinne heere 's the generation and breede of sinne Secondly by the effects of sinne which are two Shame and 2 By the effects of sinne Two Death The first is shame noted in those words of the Apostle to the Romanes o Rom. 6. 21. What fruite had ye then in those things 1 Shame whereof ye are now ashamed there 's the shame of sinne sinne goeth before and shame followeth after The Second is death yea eternall death malediction 2 Death yea hell and condemnation without repentance Of this S. Paul also saith p ver 21. the end of those things is Death againe he saith q ver 23. the wages of sinne is death and S. Iames saith r Iam. 1. 15. sinne when it is finished bringeth forth Death Thirdly by the adiuncts of sinne which are three 3 By the adiuncts of sinne Three First foule Secondly great Thirdly manie Our sinnes are First foule S. Iames saith Å¿ Iam 1. 15. When lust 1 Foule hath conceiued it bringeth forth
and sorrowing for sinne the Sunne of righteousnesse breakes forth and shines comfortablie vpon the sinner reioycing the heart and greatly refreshing the soule After a storme a calme A question here ariseth concerning outward mourning Quest and weeping for sinne Whether weeping and shedding Wheâ—her weeping for sinne be of absolute necesitie of teares be simplie necessarie in godly sorrow I answer m Per. cas of Consâ—â— 1. boâ—ke Chap. 5. Weeping for sinne is required and is commendâ—ble in whomsoeuer it is if it be in truth Yet corporall weeping is not alwayes of absolute necessitie so that Answ First the heart be truly grieued and displeased for sinne Secondly if a sinner haue an earnest desire to sheede teares and cannot being hindered either in regard of the greatnes of the sorrow of heart oppressing the heart that it cannot ease it selfe by weeping or else from the constitution of the bodie being vnapt to yeeld teares for in this case God accepteth the inward sorrow of the soule and the good affections of the hart for the teares of the eyes n Secundum quantitatem interioris affectionis secundum abundantiam lachrymabilis hâ—moris est vel non est in homine sâ—eâ—us câ—rporalis â—â—min l. 1. c. 43. It is sayth one according to the quantitie of the inward affection and the measure of moist and waterish humours of the eyes that any one either weepeth or is hindred from weeping Vse Now considering that God requireth not onely an Against those who mouâ—ne and weepe greatly for outward crosses but verie little for their sins inward godly sorrow and griefe of heart but likewise an outward mourning lamentation and weeping for sinne yea and great mourning and sorrowing for our great sinnes and forasmuch as the Saints and children of God haue practised the same moreouer considering that it is so necessary and profitable for vs to weepe mourne for our sinnes this reproues the world for the great neglect of this dutie O how ordinarie and vsuall a thing is it with people to mourne and weepe for worldly crosses and troubles that befall them for losse of goods and cattell for the departure of their friends neighbours and acquaintance it is a marueilous thing to beholde how excessiuely manie mourne and weepe for the losse of their dearest friends as husband wife children their onely sonne But few are there that weepe and mourne seriously for their sinnes o Pro. 14. 9. Fooles saith Solamon make a mocke at sinne Foolish wicked people haue no moderation in worldly sorrow but sport themselues with their sinnes and if they sheede any teare in regard of sinne it is with laughing at sinne and not weeping for sinne Doth the Father goe heauily for the death of his first borne And doth the sorrowfull mother mourne and weepe and wring her hands for the departure of her onely sonne O how much more cause haue we to mourne and weepe for our sinnes which haue beene the death of the Sonne of God p Mat. 2. 18. Rachel wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Rachel wept for her sonnes we ought to weepe for our sinnes she because they were not we because they are yet remaining and are not done away Woefull then and lamentable is their condition whose heart is soft and whose eyes are moist and waterie to sheede teares for worldly wants for temporall losses for bodily paine and griefe but haue hard hearts and drie eyes not able to straine forth a sorrowfull sigh nor wring out a brinish teare for their sinnes CHAP. VII Of confession of sinne COnfession of sinne is the third step of grace 3 Confession of Sinne. whereby the penitent sinner returneth from sin vnto God For after that a sinner hath sorrowed after a godly sort for his sinnes he returneth vnto God by confessing his sinnes as the prodigall son returned to his Father confessing and saying a Luk. 15. 18. Father I haue sinned Two-fold And confession of sinne is two-fold Publique Publique and Priuate Publique confession of sinne is that which is made in 1 Two-fold the Congregation and is two-fold Either of the whole congregation when the Minister 1 Of the whole Congregation the mouth of the people maketh an humble confession of sinne and the people ioyne with him confessing and crauing pardon for their sinnes Or when any one that hath offended God and the 2 Of any one that hath offended the Congregation congregation doth publiquely make and acknowledgement of his sinne before the Congregation and so is receiued into the fellowship of the Church againe Priuate confession of sinne is also two-fold 2 Priuate Two-fold To Man and To God To Man and that in two respects 1 To Man In two respects First when any one hauing offended his brother and wronged his neighbour doth make an acknowledgement of his fault and is willing to giue satisfaction to the 1 For satisfaction party wronged and that for peace sake and reconciliation one with another gathered from that saying of our Sauiour Christ b Mat. 5. 23. 24 If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Secondly when any one is troubled in conscience for some sinne that lieth heauy vpon his soule and clogs 2 For Consolation his conscience he may make knowne his griefe to another in priuate and that either to the Pastor of his soule or to some other discreet faithfull and trusty friend that is able to counsell and comfort him in his distresse According to S. Iames his direction c Jam. 5. 16. Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another Such is our confession to man Secondly Confession of sinne is made in priuate vnto 2 To God God When as the poore penitent sinner gets himselfe into some secret place and there falling downe before the Lord by humble confession layeth open his And therein sinnes before God in hope to finde mercy with the Lord. Now the confession of sinne which I heere entreat of is not confession vnto man but vnto God In handling whereof I will shew Foure things First what Confession of sinne vnto God is Secondly the sorts and kindes of it Thirdly the manner of performing it that our confession may please God Fourthly I will vse motiues to perswade thereunto For the first Confession of sinne is an humble acknowledgement 1 What confession of sinne to God is Pola Synt. c. 2. l. 6. c. 37. of our sinnes before God arising from an inward godly sorrow of heart for sinne whereby the sinner doth witnesse against himselfe that hee hath offended God and deserues punishment hauing a purpose of heart neuer to offend God any more For the second Confession is of
two sorts 2 The sorts and kinds of it Two-fold Generall and Particular Generall when a Sinner doth onely in a generall manner confesse that he is a sinner that hee hath offended 1 Generall God that he hath broken Gods commandements and done wickedly c. Particular confession of sinne is an acknowledgement 2 Particular of our particular sinnes when hauing made diligent search by the law of God to finde out our sinnes we doe then confesse those sinnes which our owne conscience witnesseth against vs that we are guilty of as Dauid when hee had committed adultery with Bathsheba confessed his sinne in particular saying d Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight The Iewes confessed their sinnes both in generall and particular In generall e Isa 59 12. Our transgressions say they are multiplyed before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities wee know them And in particular they confesse and say f Vers 13. in transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and reuolt conceiuing and vttering from the heart words of falshood The third thing in Confession is the manner how a 3 The manner of making Confession aright sinner is to make confession of his sinnes that his confession may be acceptable to God Dauid saith g Psal 32. I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord. The vulgar Latine translation readeth it thus g Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe mine vnrightousnesse vnto the Lord. From whence sixe things are obserued to bee necessary in the confession of sinne First that our Confession of sinne be done with premeditation 5 h Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Domino Six things are necessary in the Confession of Sinne. that we doe not rashly and rudely thrust our selues into the presence of the Lord but first search our hearts try our wayes finde out our sinnes take notice of them view them consider them and haue them before our eyes when wee come to make confession of them This is noted in the beginning of the sentence i Dixi. I said before I confessed my sinnes I first thought with 1 That it be with premeditation my selfe I considered in my minde the sinnes which I was to confesse I said within my selfe I will confesse my sinnes Secondly Confession of sinne must be in truth without 2 That it be in 〈◊〉 guile not hiding sinne but plainely and truely confessing our sinnes wherfore he saith k Confitâ—bor I will confesse I will make knowne my sinne I will hide nothing I will search euery corner of my heart I will lay open all and euery sinne I will confesse my sinne Thirdly our Confession must be accusing not excusing 3 That it be accusing not excusing noted in the next words l Aduersum me against my selfe Our confession must be against our selues Howsoeuer it be dangerous for any one to accuse himselfe before men yet euery sinner must accuse himselfe before God iudge himselfe to haue broken the commandements of God and condemne himselfe to be worthy of death For this cause a sinner must come before the Lord in all humility and lowlinesse of mind with shame and confusion of face being ashamed to lift vp his eyes to heauen for the multitude of his sinnes and transgressions saying with Ezra m Ezra 96. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased ouer our heads and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauens And must be like the penitent Publican who comming before the Lord to confesse his sinnes n Luk 18. 13. Stood a farre off and would not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Fourthly Confession must be made of sinne and iniquity 4 Confession must be of Sinne and iniquity noted in the word o Iniustitiam vnrighteousnesse or transgresgressions Wee must not with the Pharisee boast our good deeeds and praise our well-doing but with the Publicane confesse our sinnes and our selues sinners and earnestly pray for the pardon of our sinnes Fiftly Confession must be made of our owne sinnes 5 That we confesse our owne sinnes wherefore he saith I will confesse against my selfe p Meam mine vnrighteousnesse or my transgressions Sâ—xtly Confession of our sinnes must be made vnto the Lord our God wherefore he saith I will confesse my 6 That our confessioÌ„ be made vntâ— God transgressions q Domino vnto the Lord. Confession must be made vnto God to the honour of God that God may haue the glory and we the comfort Of this Dauid speakes thus in another place r Psal 51 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned So also when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and Dauid said vnto the Lord Å¿ 2 Sam. 24. 10. I haue sinned greatly in that I haue done Daniel said t Dan. 9 4. 4. I praied vnto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. Chrysostome taught the same doctrine u Deâ— sâ—luendis peâ—catum Chrys de paeâ—it Hom. 9. Tell thy sinne onely vnto God Againe he saith * Sâ—luâ—te Deus confiâ—entâ—m vidâ—aâ— Chrys de paeâ—it confâ—s Let God onely see the confessing of thy sinnes After this manner we are to make Confession of our sinnes In the fourth place I come to the motiues which may perswade vs to confesse our sinnes vnto God Which I take 4 Motiues to coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God First from the necessity Secondly from the benefite thereof For the first Confession of Sinne vnto God is necessary 1 〈◊〉 necessâ—ry For for First God is chiefly and principally offended by our sinnes wherefore it is that Dauid hauing committed 1 God is principally offâ—nded by our sinnes adultery and thereby hauing not onely offended God but wronged man comming to make confession saith y Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned Now because sinne is chiefly and principally committed against God therefore it 's necessary that wee make our confession chiefly and principally vnto God Secondly without confession of sinne we can looke 2 Without Confession we can haue no remission for no remission of sinne Salomon saith z Pro. 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Giuing vs to vnderstand that he onely obtaineth mercie of the Lord that confesseth his sinnes but if any one will not confesse but hide and couer his sinnes he shall not prosper it shall not be well with him the Lord will shew him no fauour nor mercie
5. Conflict between the flesh and the Spirit twofold 1. A striuing against sin p. 92. 2. A striuing against doubtings pag. 93. Vse Examine our selues by these inward signes whether we haue the true faith p. 94. 2. Outward ch 18. they are 4. 1. Patience p. 96. two-fold 1. In suffering afflictions pag. 97. therein two things 1. How our sufferings may please God Three things required thereunto ibid. 1. To suffer for the name of Christ p. 97. 2. To suffer for weldoing p. 98. 3. To suffer patiently ib. 2. Motiues to perswade to patience and they are three 1. The Scripture by 1. Testimonies p. 99. 2. Examples ibid. 2. The Necessity thereof p. 100. for Afflictions are 1. Trials of our faith and patience p. 101. 2. Meanes to cleanse our hearts from sinne ibid. 3. Without Afflictions wee cannot come to Heauen p. 102. 4. Without Afflictions wee are no sons of God p. 103. 3. The Benefit thereof for Afflictions are 1. A meanes to humble vs. p. 104. 2. A meanes to stirre vp the graces of God in vs. ibid. 3. A meanes to bring vs neerer vnto God ibid. 4. A Signe of Gods loue p. 105. Vse 1. Patiently to endure afflictions ibid. Vse 2. Against Impatience threefold 1. Murmuring against God pag. 106. 2. Limiting God p. 107. 3. Fainting vnder the Crosse ibid. 2. In suffering wrongs and iniuries from men chap. 19. And therin two things 1. The sorts and kindes of wrong pag. 108. three-fold To a mans 1. Body 2. Goods 3. Good name and that 1. Secretly p. 108. 2. Openly two waies By 1. Word p. 109. 2. Deed. ibid. 2. To suffer wrong patiently p. 110. where Motines thereunto 1. Testimonies of Scripture p. 110. 2. Examples of suffering wrong 1. In body p. 111. 2. In goods ibid. 3. In good name ibid. 4. In body goods and good name p. 112. Quest Whether is a Christian bound so to suffer and forbeare all wrongs as that in some cases he may not seeke to right himselfe by lawfull meanes p. 113. Answ Patience in suffering wrongs is to bee shewed two waies 1. In forbearing foure things 1. Rash anger hatred malice c. pa. 114. 2. Reprochfull speeches ib. 3. Priuate renenge ibid. 4. Suing at law about lesser wrongs pa. 115. and heere Rules are to bee obserued 1. Not to goe to law in the first place P. 115. 2. Not to hate the person of our enemie pa. 116. 3. Not to vse the rigour and extremity of law ibid. 2. In forgiuing wherein two things 1. To forgiue the party that hath done the wrong pag. 116. 2. Concerning the wrong done and therein three things 1. To passe by small offences pag. 117. 2. In greater wrongs to cleere our owne innocencie and then to put vp the wrong ibid. 3. In greatest wrongs a man may vse the benefit of Law so it be in a lawfull manner p. 118. Vse 1. Against priuate reuenge Where Reasons to disswade from Reuenge 3. 1. Reuenge more enrageth the aduersary p. 118. 2. Hee that reuengeth his owne cause vsurpeth Gods office p. 119. 3. Rather bee auenged on thy sins ibid. 2. Against those that goe to Law for small offences and the least iniuries ibid. 3. Against those that will not forgiue their enemies Where Reasons to mooue vs to forgiue and that freely For 1. God commandeth it p. 121. 2. Christ forgaue his enemies ibid. 3. Except we forgiue we cannot bee forgiuen ibid. 2. Reformation of life Chap. 20. p. 122. Vse 1. To giue testimony of our faith by a godly life For therby we 1. Glorifie God p. 124. 2. Adorne the Gospell of Christ ibid. 3. Stop the mouths of those which speake euill of the way of the Lord. ibid. Vse 2. Against those that say they haue faith and are not reformed in life pag. 125. 3. Workes of mercy chap. 21. Where of the extent â—f charity to all duties of mercy both corporall and spirituall p. 129. Vse 1. To giue testimony of our faith by our workes of mercy and deeds of charity p. 131. Vse 2. To reprooue 1. Coldnesse of charity p. 132. Discerned by foure things 1. Deferring the poore p. 132. 2. Giuing almes with an vnwilling minde ibid. 3. Stopping the eare at the cry of the poore ibid. 4. Chiding away the poore p. 133. 2. Want of Hospitality p. 134. Where the cause of the decay of Hospitality is enquired found to be 1. In generall Sinne. p. 135. 2. In particular 1. Contentions suing at law ibid. 2. Excesse in eating and drinking ibid. 3. Whoredome p. 136. 4. Pride in apparrell ibid. 5. Oppression ibid. 6. Sacriledge ibid. 4. Confession of Christ before men Chap. 22. two-fold 2. In time of peace two-fold 1. Not to be ashamed of the profession of the Gospell p. 138. For 1. God requireth it ibid. 2. God promiseth a reward vnto it p. 139. 2. To bee constant in our profession ibid. Vse To reprooue 1. Those that are fearefull to professe the Gospell by reason of disgracefull speeches vniustly cast vpon them that professe the Gospell ibid. 2. Those that are still doubtfull and not setled in iudgement for the truth of religion p. 141. 3. Lukewarme professours ibid. 4. In time of persecution two-fold 1. To stand to our faith when wee are called in question for it p. 142. 2. To stand in defence of our faith vnto the death p. 143. Vse Against temporary faith and formall profession pag. 145. THE ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND BOOKE Of the way to the Celestiall Paradise Concerning Repentance THE second book consisteth of two parts 1. The Preface containing two things 1. The order of the Treatise Chap. 1. pag. 149. 2. The partition of the Treatise pag. 150. 2. The subiect Matter wherein six things are to be considered 1. What Repentancâ—â— chap. 2. Wherein is declared that 1. Repentance is a gift of God p. 151. Vse Against those who thinke that they can repent when they please p. 153. 2. Thereunto are required three things 1. The feare of God p. 151. 2. A change of minde p. 152. 2. A turning from sin vnto God p. 153. 2. The parts of Repentance two ch 3. 1. Mortification pag. 155. 2. Viuification ibid. Vse To reprooue 1. Those who turne from no sinne p. 156. 2. Those who turne from one sinne to another ibid. 3. Those who turne to their sinnes againe pag. 157. 3. The Manner how a sinner may truely repent And what things are required therevnto ch 4. where consider 2 things 1. Six steps degrees wherby a sinner is going down towards Hell 1. An entising of the heart to a liking â—of sinne with a voluntary delight therin p. 159. 2. The hearts consenting vnto sinne ibid. 3. Doing euill ibid. 4. Continuance in euill ibid. 5. Custome in sinning ibid. 6. Obstinacy in sinning ibid. 2. Six steps degrees wherby a sinner ascendeth to Heauen Or six things required to true RepeÌ„tance 1. The knowledge of sin p. 160. wherin two things 1
as vnsound doctrine because it prefers ignorance before knowledge Secondly seeing that true sauing faith is not only an Vse 2 assent to the Word of God but hath in it a perswasion To haue a particular faith applying the promises of the Gospell to our selues of the mercy of God in Christ with a particular application of the promises of Christ and his benefits this is profitable for instruction to teach vs as many as desire to be saued not to content our selues with a generall assent to the Word of God when it may be wee vnderstand it not nor yet to rest in the generall knowledge of the Word which is but an historicall faith but to labour for a particular faith by which we may so beleeue the promises of God made in the Gospell generally to all that beleeue that we can in particular apply them to our selues S. Paul to the Ephesians saith p Ephes 5. 2. Christ hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. And to the Galatians he saith q Gal. 2. 20. the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me The former words are generall concerning the benefit of Christs death and passion to all that beleeue In the later Paul applies the benefit of the death of Christ to himselfe in particular Whereupon a learned Diuine saith r Ab vniuersali quisque debet ad suum particulare hoc Christi beneficium transferre Zanch. in Eph. 5. From the universall euery one is to bâ—ing the benefit of Christs death to his owne particular and say with Paul Christ gaue himselfe for mee Christ our Sauiour makes an vniuersall promise to all that beleeue Å¿ Joh. 3. 16. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Now the beleeuing soule hauing true faith in Christ assumes this to himselfe and saith I beleeue in the Sonne of God and thereupon necessarily concludes the assurance of his owne saluation saying therefore I shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Thus true sauing faith applyeth in particular the generall promise made to all that beleeue Gods generall promise is like the Kings generall pardon wherin though no man bee named yet any offender when he heares the generall pardon read can say this clause belongs vnto me I take hold on this I apply this to my selfe So a sinner that beleeueth hearing the gracious promises of God made to sinners that beleeue and repent by faith applieth the generall pardon of Gods mercy to himselfe The hauing of this particular faith is necessary to saluation for euery man must bee saued by his owne faith Wherefore it is sayd t Hab. 2. 4. the iust man shall liue by his Faith not by another mans faith but by his owne faith The generall faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth to beleeue as others beleeue will not saue the soule but euery man must beleeue for himselfe For this cause in the Articles of our Faith this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeue is prefixed or vnderstood to goe before euery article as I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in Iesus Christ I beleeue in the Holy Ghost I beleeue in the forgiuenesse of sinnes c. giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that euery Christian is to beleeue euery article of the Faith distinctly for himselfe to apply the benefit of euery article to himselfe Faith iâ— then profitable when it can apply Christ so that a man may say with Thomas u Ioh. 20. 28. my Lord and my God For true faith is as a right hand to lay hold on Christ as the eye to looke vnto Christ yea the very life of the soule whereby wee liue in Christ for we x Gal. 2. 20. liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Our faith whereby we apprehend Christ and apply him to our soules should be such as that we may draw spirituall vertue from Christ grace and mercy for our sicke sinfull soules as the woman with the bloudy issue drew vertue from Christ to heale her diseased body A man that hath a wound cannot possibly bee cured though the Physician be neuer so skilfull and the salue neuer so healing except the plaster bee applied and layd to the sore Christ Iesus is the best Physician to cure our diseased soules and wonded consciences and he hath excellent healing salue precious balme for the curing of our soules euen his owne precious bloud which hee shed for the remission of sinnes but this precious balme doth onely helpe and heale their soules who reach forth the hand of faith to apprehend Christ and doe apply the merits of Christs Death and bloud-shed to their owne soules Wherefore let no man content himselfe with a generall faith but striue and labour yea haue a longing desire to attaine to this particular faith for this is true sauing faith to apply Christ Iesus vnto our soules with the merits of his death and passion Lastly whereas true sauing faith stands principally in the apprehension and application of Christ from Vse 3 hence ariseth Consolation to all them that truly haue it Consolation to them that haue true faith For by this faith euery beleeuer receiueth Christ yea possesseth Christ for himselfe as giuen for him borne for him dying for him rising againe for him who was deliuered for his sinnes and rose againe for his iustification which faith if a man haue not hee shall remaine vnder perpetuall doubtings and anguish of minde torment of conscience and terrour of the iudgement to come whereas if a Christian haue true faith and doe beleeue God to be his Father Christ Iesus to bee his Sauiour and Redeemer he may reioyce in tribulation and persecution yea by faith get victory ouer temptations and say with the Apostle y Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. Such comfortable perswasion and such assurance of saluation haue all they who haue this true sauing faith CHAP. VII Shewing wherein true Faith consisteth Of the generall knowledge of God that there is a God against Atheists and such as deny God THe fourth thing in the Treatise of Faith is 4 Wherein the true sâ—â—ing faith consisteth wherein it consisteth True sauing faith euen that faith which brings eternal life a Fâ—des nostrain duâ—bus priâ—â—ipaliter consistit 10. Jâ— veâ—a Dei câ—gâ—â—â—ionâ— 20. In mysterio incarnatiâ—nis Christi Tho. Aquin. 22â— q. 174. ar 6. stands chiefly in two things First in the true knowledge of God Secondly in the mystery of the incarnation of Christ grounded vpon the words of our Sauiour Christ b Joh. 17. 3. this is eternall life to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent In the former part of the words there
Pet. 2. 20. 21. 22. If after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and ouer come the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commaundement deliuered vnto them But it is happened vnto them according vnto the true prouerbe the dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire This is a very dangerous falling away but yet heare and consider of a more dangerous backsliding and a more fearfull falling away The second vniuersall falling away is when a man 2 By sinning against the holy Ghost What it is to sinne against the holy Ghost hauing beene inlighted by the holy Ghost with the knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ and hauing made a profession of Christ doth afterwards deny the truth against his owne knowledge and conscience doth maliciously oppose himselfe against the knowne truth and euen persecute those that professe the truth This is properly called the sinne against the holy Sinne against the holy Ghost why so called Ghost not because sinne can be so committed against the holy Ghost but it is also against the Father and the Sonne and when the holy Ghost is offended the Father is offended and the Sonne is offended for the Godhead is one But it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost because this sinne is committed against the proper and immedrate working of the holy Ghost which is to inlighten the minds and vnderstandings of men with the true knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ Now when the holy Ghost hath inlightned any one with the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and afterwards he so fall away from the truth that he deny Iesus Christ and malicously persecute the knowne truth this is to sinne against God and against Iesus Christ but properly and after a speciall manner it is to sinne against the holy Ghost inasmuch as he sinneth against the immediate inlightning of the holy Ghost Of this sinne against the holy Ghost with the fearfull state of those which fall into this sinne the Scripture euidently speakes the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith i Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. It is impossible for those who were once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Againe he saith k Heb. 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes But a certaine fearfull looking for of iudgement and fieric indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries He that despised Moses law died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden vnder-foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the couenant wherewith he was sanctified an vnholy thing and hath done despite vnto the Spirit of Grace From which words of the Apostle two things may be gathered Two things herein to be considered The one is the nature and quality of the sinne against the holy Ghost The other is the punishment due to the same First the nature and qualitie of this sinne is set forth by sixe things 1 The nature qualitie of the sinne against the holy Ghost shewed in sixe things They that sinne against the holy Ghost are 1 First inlightned with the knowledge of the truth 2 Secondly they haue a taste of the heauenly gift 3 Thirdly they are made partakers of the holy Ghost 4 Fourthly they haue had a taste of the good word of God 5 Fiftly they haue had a taste of the powers of the world to come 6 Sixtly after all this they so fall away that they crucifie the Sonne of God afresh they trample and tread vnder foote the bloud of the Couenant and count it an vnholy thing and doe despite vnto the Spirit of Grace Heer 's the Sinne. The second thing is the punishment which vsually 2 The punishment of them that sinne against the holy Ghost befals those that sinne against the holy Ghost and that 's three-fold The first is finall impenitencie they that sinne against the holy Ghost are stricken with a marueilous hardnes of heart so that they cannot repent they are past repentance 1 Finall impenitencie wherefore the Apostle saith l Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. it is impossible for those who were once inlightned c if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance The second is neuer to be forgiuen they that sinne against the holy Ghost can haue no remission no forgiuenesse 2 Neuer forgiuen of sinnes they can haue no mercie shewed them m Mat. 12. 31. 32. All manner of sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen vnto men saith our Sauiour but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a word against the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him nether in this world nor in the world to come And in St Marke it s said n Mar. 3. 29. he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath neuer forgiuenesse This second punishment followeth vpon the first one is the cause of the other they that sinne against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse because they haue not grace to repent true it is the mercie of God is great aboue all our transgressions and God denieth mercie to no sinner that doth truly repent and therefore if a sinner whosoeuer or whatsoeuer he be haue grace to repent him truly of his sinnes to beleeue the remission of his sinnes and to call and cry to God for mercy he may haue mercie but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost his heart is so hardned that he cannot repent but dies without repentance and therefore cuts himselfe off from mercie and forgiuenesse and so is the cause of his own damnation The third is a miserable and fearfull end They that 3 A fearfull end sinne against the holy Ghost vsually die a fearfull and shamefull death We haue two memorable examples hereof the one is of Iudas Iscariot one of the twelue who was inlightned with the knowledge of Iesus Christ he was the Disciple of Christ he preached Christ and wrought myracles in the name of Christ and yet afterwards fell away and that fearefully for he betrayed Christ for money but what was his end He came to a shamefull end for when
it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot bee vttered This is also that which S. Paul hath to the Galatians g Cal. 4. 6. And because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father By all which it is manifest that it is a sure and certaine signe of true faith if the Spirit of God worke this grace in vs to stirre vp our hearts by deuout prayer and supplication to seeke vnto God to runne vnto our Heauenly Father and to cry Abba Father A childe in time of sicknesse paine and griefe or being in any perill and danger whither doth he run or to whom doth he cry but to his father he hopes his father will helpe him and therefore calls and cryes to his father complaines and makes his mone to his father Like as the Shunamites sonne when he was sore grieued with a paine in his head came to his father and sayd h Luk. 4. 19. My head my head So the sonnes and children of God in time of their heauinesse of soule when they are sicke with sinne diseased in soule and troubled in conscience with the burthen of their sinnes or whether they bee in any outward affliction or trouble whither doe they run but to their Heauenly Father and as the Shunamites childe sayd to his father My head my head so they euery one cry My soule my soule My conscience my conscience my soule is in heauinesse my conscience is sore troubled and burdened with the heauy waight of my sinnes And then in hope of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ they humbly confesse their sinnes they hide not their iniquities they earnestly craue mercy and sue for the pardon of their sinnes aboue all things they seeke ease to their afflicted soule and comfort to their distressed conscience building vpon those gracious word of our Sauiour i Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will giue you rest And thus to call vpon the name of the Lord is a signe of saith The fist is an inward conflict betweene the Flesh and 5 Conflict between the flesh and the spirit Two-fold the Spirit and that is two-fold The one is a striuing against sinne The other a striuing against doubtings Touching the first no man in this life is perfectly 1 A struing against sinne sanctified but hath neede to pray more and more for the Spirit of sanctification that he may bee wholly sanctified Hence it is that though a naturall and vnregenerate man bee wholly carnall yet a regenerate man is not all spirituall but partly carnall and partly spirituall For although a Christian regenerate and sanctified hath his heart purified by faith yet naturall corruption is not altogether purged out of the heart that remaines in vs k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exercise vs. This in the children of God now regenerate and sanctified is called flesh and the sanctified part in them is called spirit And in the regenerate there is a great combat a spirituall fight and great striuing betweene these two the flesh and the spirit which shall get the victory The manner of which combat and inward fight S. Paul describes thus l Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would A Christian regenerate and sanctified is in the way to Heauen and the spirit that is the sanctified part drawes him on to God-ward and hastens him forward towards the Kingdome of Heauen but the flesh that is the corruption of nature rebels and labours to draw him backwards to the world and would if it were possible draw him downe to hell Hence it is that a Christian findes in himselfe pride of heart lust of the flesh filthy desires vncleane thoughts couetous desires anger hatred enuy malice grudgings and desire of reuenge c. haling and pulling him one way and against these he feeles humility temperance loue patience meeknesse and other graces drawing him another way Now if a man doe finde grace striuing against corruption good motions of the good Spirit fighting against bad motions of the euill Spirit and if a man doe indeede and in truth finde that he doth earnestly striue against sinne that he labours to mortifie his affections to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts to subdue sinne and wickednesse this is a signe of grace and a sure marke that faith is in the heart at least in some measure According to that saying of the Apostle m Vers 24. They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts As n Gen. 25. 22 23. Rebecca knew her selfe to bee quicke with childe by the struggling and striuing of the twins in her wombe so a Christian may know whether he be quickned by grace and liue by faith in the Sonne of God by the inward conflict and striuing betweene the Flesh and the Spirit The second kinde of inward conflict betweene the 2 A striuing against doubtings flesh and the spirit is an inward striuing against doubtings and distrusts in Gods mercy It is the Deuils policy either to cause men whiles they remaine in their naturall state without true faith and repentance to presume on Gods mercy or else hauing faith and repentance to set before them their sinnes and to suggest into their hearts doubtings of the remission of their sins doubtings concerning their faith and repentance and doubtings concerning their vocation and sanctification And thereby would if it were possâ—ble extinguish their faith and bring them to despaire of Gods mercy But against all these difficulties true iustifying faith if it be in the heart will shew it selfe though perhaps in these temptations but weakely yet truely to striue against temptations and to fight against all these doubtings It is true I confesse the children of God may be troubled with doubtings but not ouercome of doubtings Dauid is driuen to this expostulation o Psal 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for euer And will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Heere are great doubtings in Dauid a seruant of the Lord but he ouercame his doubtings for neither Dauid nor any of the children of God continue still in their doubtings They are neuer with Cain and Iudas brought to such desperate doubtings aâ— vtterly and finally to despaire of the mercy of God They may for a time haue distrustfull thoughts and doubtfull speeches but faith in the end gets the vpper hand Windes and flouds may beat vpon the house grounded vpon the rocke aswell as vpon the house built vpon the sand but cannot make it fall And many p Dubitationes fidem in nobis oppugnant non tamen expugnant Polan distrustfull doubtings may beat against the faith of a Christian but cannot beat it downe they may fight against
suffering is commendable and acceptable before God which is First for Christ's sake and the Gospels sake When a 1 To suffer for the name of Christ Christian suffers tribulation persecution for the name of Christ Of this our Sauiour saith d Math. 5. 11. blessed are ye when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falslie for my sake To which agreeth the saying of S. Peter e 1. Pet. 4. 14. if ye be reproched for the name of Christ happie are ye this was the honour and glorie of those Christians who haue beene persecuted tormented and suffered death for Christs sake For they rather yeelded to suffer death then to denie Christ This is the Crowne of Martyrdome for it was not their bare f Non paena sed causa verum facit Martyrem Cypr. suffering that made them Martyrs but their cause Because they suffered for the name of Christ Wherefore Heretiques though they suffer neuer so manie and sore torments yet they are not Martyrs neither are their sufferings acceptable to God because they suffer not for Christ's sake nor for the truth but against the truth Secondly sufferings are acceptable to God when they 2 To suffer for well-doing are for well-doing and when we are afflicted perfecuted and troubled wrongfully As S. Peter saith g 1. Pet. 2. 19. This is thanke-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully Againe he saith h 1. Pet. 3. 17. it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing then for euill doing And againe i 1. Pet. 4. 15. 16 let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer or as a busibodie in other mens matters yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed The third thing which makes our sufferings acceptable to God is to suffer patiently Whether it be for 3 To suffer patiently Christ's sake or whether it be in any other righteous cause it is the part of a Christian not onely to suffer but to suffer patiently For this is the difference betweene the wicked and the godly concerning their sufferings both may suffer afflictions as sicknesse infirmitie and paine of bodie pouertie and such like but not both alike both may suffer the same things but not with the same mind The wicked suffer afflictions of necessitie because they cannot helpe themselues and know not how to be ridd of their paine and troubles their suffering is a constrained suffering and their patience patience perforce But the godly suffer afflictions patiently they endure all afflictions which the Lord layes vpon them with a willing minde a meeke heart and quiet patience Such ought our sufferings to be that they may please God In the second place I am to vse motiues to perswade 3 Motiues to perswade to patience Taken from to Patience in suffering afflictions Which I take First from the Scriptures Secondly from the necessitie of afflictions Thirdly fromt the benefit thereof For the first The Scripture perswades to patience in 1 The Scriptures And suffering afflictions both by testimonies and examples First by testimonies Solamon giues this wise counsell k Pro. 3. 11. my sonne despise not the chastning of the Lord Our Sauiour 1 Testimonies Christ saith l Luk. 9. 23. if any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow me Saint Iames is verie earnest in exhorting to Patience m Iam. 5. 8. 9. be patient therefore brethren vnto the comming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the early and latter raine Be ye also patient Examples also we haue hereof in the Scriptures Iob is a Mirrour of patience for when he had lost all his goods 2 Examples and substance his sheepe his oxen his camells and asses yea when his children were slaine his patience was such that he blessed God For he n Iob 1. 20. 21. fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped and said naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. And when his wife who should haue beene a helper and a comfort vnto him came vnto him vexing his soule bidding him o Iob 2. 9. 10. Curse God and die His answere was What shall we receiue good at the hand of God and shall we not receiue euill Shall we receiue all blessings and no crosses All prosperitie and no aduersitie All health and no sicknesse Wherefore S. Iames exhorting to patience sets before our eyes the example of Iob for imitation p Iam. 5. 10. Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy S. Paul is also an example of suffering when the Christian brethren heard from the mouth of Agaâ—us a Prophet of the sufferings of Paul which he was to suffer at Ierusalem they laboured to disswade him from going vp to Ierusalem but Paul answered q Act. 21. 13. What meane yee to weepe and to breake mine heart For I am readie not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus And to the Corinthians he sheweth his great patience in suffering many afflictions in this present world For he saith r 1. Cor. 4. 11. 12. 13. euen vnto this present houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place and labour working with our owne hands being reuiled we blesse being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat we are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things vnto this day But no example is like that of our Sauiour Christ for he as the Prophet Esay saith Å¿ Isa 53. 7. is brought as a lambe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer is dumbe so he openeth not his mouth And S. Peter saith t 1. Pet. 2. 21. 22. 23. Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but commitied himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously Such was the patience of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ These are examples written for our instruction to teach vs patience Wherunto we may adde the worthy examples of the seruants of the Lord those faithfull ones mentione by the Apostle to the Hebrewes who through faith endured great trials some were u Heb. 11. 35. 36. 37. 38. tortured others had triall of cruell mockings and scourgings yea moreouer of bonds and imprisonment
and cruell dealing he is greatly dis-liked of his fellow seruants and iudged by his Lord to be a wicked seruant and worthie to be deliuered to the tormentors till he should pay all his owne debt This of forbearing wrongs Secondly a Christian is to shew his patience in forgiuing 2 In forgiuing wrongs and iniuries wherein he is to consider First the wrong doer Secondly the wrong done First for the wrong doer a Christian ought alwayes 1 The partie that hath done wrong to be so patient as to forgiue the partie that hath done him wrong so our Sauiour teacheth vs by precept i Luk. 6. 37. forgiue and you shall be forgiuen And by example for he himselfe prayed for his enemies k Luk. 23. 34. father forgiue them Yea we are bound not onely to forgiue our enemies but freely to forgiue them euen from the heart For sayth our Sauiour l Mat. 1â— 35. so likewise shall my heauenly father doo also vnto you if ye from your hearts for giue not euery one his brother their trespasses Secondly for the wrong done we are to obserue these 2 Concerning the wrong done rules First if the wrong be of the least sort of wrongs and iniuries then it is a mans wisedome and discretion to passe by it as Solamon counselleth m Pro. 19. 11. the discretion of a 1 To passe by small offences man deferreth his anger and it is his glorie to passe ouer a transgression Secondly if the wrong and iniurie be somewhat greater 2 In greater wrongs to clear our own innocencie and then to put vp the wrong drawing with it some little offence to a mans bodie goods or good name but be not of the highest degree of wrongs a man in such a case ought first to labour to cleere his owne innocencie and when he hath as much as he can cleared himselfe then he is to sit downe with the wrong and patiently to put it vp an example hereof we haue in our Sauiour Christ the Iewes said vnto Christ n Ioh. 8. 48. 49. Say we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Deuill Iesus answered I haue not a Deuill but I honour my father and ye doe dishonour me Here the Iewes speake disgracefully and disdainfully of Christ thou art a Samaritane and they raile on him thou hast a Deuill now Christ our Sauiour being thus wronged by the wicked tongues of the people how doth he behaue himselfe towards them Doth he raile on them as they did on him No. Doth he seeke any meanes to be auenged on them for the â—â—ong done No. But what did he The first word of disgrace thou art a Samaritane as being of the least sort of wrongs he passed ouer said nothing of it but to the other thou hast a Deuill he answered for himselfe I haue not a Deuill that which you speake against me is vntrue I haue not a Deuill for I honour my father and you doe dishonour me He cleareth himselfe of the false accusation and putteth vp the wrong committing himselfe to God that iudgeth righteously This is the behauiour of a Christian concerning lesser wrongs and iniuries Thirdly for wrongs and iniuries of the greatest sort 3 Concerning the greatest wrongs and iniuries a man may lawfully vse the benefit of law so that it be done ma lawfull manner and highest nature such wrongs as doe neerly concerne a mans person touch his life concerne his estate and greatly tend to the vtter defaming of him a Christian is not bound â—ightly to passe ouer such wrongs but may lawfully defend and seeke to right himselfe by lawfull meanes as before a Magistrate so that he proceede in a lawful manner in his course of law obseruing those rules formerly prescribed That the Magistrate is the ordinance of God and therefore may lawfully be sought vnto S. Paul proues both by word and practise for he sayth of the Magistrate that o Rom. 13. 2. 4. he is the Minister of God to thee for good and he is the Minister of God a reuenger to execute wrath vpon him that doth euill And Paul himselfe when the Iewes laid manie and grieuous complaints against him which they could not proue p Act. 25. 10. 11 appealed to the iudgement seat of Rome there to be iudged before Caesar Thus I haue shewed that we are patiently to suffer wrongs and iniuries and how our patience is to shew it selfe when wrongs and iniuries are offered vs and that in all the degrees of wrongs Which serues to reproue diuerse sorts of people First those who will forbeare verie little or no wrong Vse at all neither in word nor deed that wil put vp no wrong 1 Against priuate reuenge nor suffer any iniurie but are readie to reuenge euery wrong to render euill for euill like for like one euill word for another and one euill deede for another Contrarie to the rule of the Apostle q 1. Thes 5 15. see that none render euill for euill to any man This reuenging of a mans owne cause rendering euill for euill is brutish and beast-like for so doe beasts gore one another and so doe dogges grinne one at another barke at and bite one another Reasons to disswade from reuenge But thou that wilst needs be auenged on thy aduersarie consider with thy selfe O man what thou doest For first by reuenging thine owne quarrell thou doest 1 Reuenge more enrageth the aduersarie more enrage thine enemie more stirre him vp to anger and wrath and bitternesse against thee Secondly in reuenging thine owne cause thou vsurpest He that reuengeth his owne cause vsurpeth Gods office Gods authoritie thou takest vpon thy selfe Gods office for it is Gods office to right all wrongs he is the righteous Iudge as sayth the Apostle r Rom. 12. 19. Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Thirdly A man that auengeth himselfe on his enemie is like vnto the dogge that runs after the stone that 3 Be auenged rather on thine owne sinnes is cast at him barkes and bites at the stone and regardeth not the hand that cast the stone the cause of strife and dissension is from the Diuell the Diuell casts some stone of dissention to cause a man to be offended and for a mans owne sinnes God of times raiseth vp some aduersarie against a man to vexe and trouble him that he may humble him Doe not thou then with the dog malitiously set thy selfe against thine enemie seeking to be auenged on him but let thine eies looke to the hand that cast the stone humble thy selfe before God for thine owne sinnes which haue deserued that the stone should be cast at thee and in any case auenge not thy selfe but commit thy selfe and thy cause to God that iudgeth righteously Secondly this doctrine of patience in suffering 2 A gainst
to the p Gen. 19. 1. c. two Angels which came to Sodome at euen in the likenesse of two men And Iob was a man giuen to hospitalitie for he saith that he did q Iob 31. 17. not eat his morsell himselfe alone but the fatherlesse did eat thereof Now vpon diligent inquirie what shouldbet he cause The cause of the decay of Hospitalitie in our Land that hospitality is much decaied in our land I can finde no other cause but Sinne and the iudgement of God vpon men and their houses for Sinne. If this be too generall 1 In generall Sinne. an answere I come to particulars and affirme that first one cause of the decay of auncient hospitalitie is contentious suing at law from whence it commeth 2 In particular to passe that both he that sueâ—h and he that is sued he that troubleth and he that is troubled is made more 1 Contentious suing a law vnable to maintaine hospitalitie It were good that such would be warned by that saying of the Apostle r Gal. 5. 15. If yee bite and deuoure one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Secondly another cause is excesse in eating drinking 2 Excesle in cating and drinking gluttonie and drunkennesse whereby many are brought to such a poore state and beggerly condition that they are not able to keepe hospitalitie Of this Solamon saith Å¿ Pro. 23. 20. 21. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to pouertie The third cause is Whoredome Iob saith of Whoredome and Adulterie t Ioh. 31. 12. it is a fire that consumeth to destruction 3 Whoredome and will root out all a mans encrease The voluptuous riotous prodigall mispends so much in reuelling banquetting drinking and whoring that all that he can rake and scrape from his poore ract-tenants is not sufficient to maintaine himselfe much lesse to keepe hospitalitie The fourth is Pride in apparell when men weare apparell 4 Pride in apparell past decencie and goe farre aboue their degree This Pride is a deuourer They carry so much wealth vpon their owne backes that the poore are robd and pincht both of backe and bellie The fift is violence and oppression when men enter 5 Oppression vniustly into the possessions and inheritance of other men this puls downe the iudgement of God vpon their owne heads u Isa 5. 8. 9. Woe vnto them sayth the Prophet Esay that ioyne house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth in mine eares saith the Lord of hosts of a truth many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant All faire and stately houses are not so happie as to enioy the end of their building habitation much lesse hospitalitie The sixt is Sacriledge worldly and vnconscionable 6 Sacriledge minded men thinke if they can with-hold and keepe any thing backe from Church-men those sheaues and those tithes will helpe well towards the maintenance of their house-keeping and make them more able to keepe hospitalitie but it s quite contrarie for the tithes and sheaues vniustly with-held and vnconscionably taken from the Church are so laid vp in the barnes and garners of those that spoile the Church that they secretly though the iust iudgement of God eat into and consume the rest of their wealth and substance Like as x Iosh 6 19. And Chap. 7. 21 24. 25. Achans wedge of gold which he tooke being consecrated vnto the Lord was the cause of the destruction of all that he had And although many Lay-men haue great yearly-profites comming in by vniust gathered tithes yet see the iudgement of God vpon them they are thereby neuer a whit the richer but rather in poorer state then their auncestours who kept as great or greater hospitalitie then they doe and yet robd no Churches So that their deuouring of consecrated things doth no whit helpe their hospitality and it hinders Church-men from keeping that hospitalitie which otherwise they might and ought Against this Sacriledge the Lord himselfe complaines by the Prophet Malachie y Mal. 3 8. 9. Will a man robbe God Yet ye haue robbed me But yee say wherein haue we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse He saith not barely ye are cursed but ye are cursed with a curse He doubleth the curse to shew the certaintie and greatnesse of the curse Whosoeuer robs God of his tithes and offerings drawes a curse vpon himselfe when he binds vp the sheafe vniustly taken he binds in the curse and when he layes it vp in his barne he layes vp the curse with it and the cursed sheafe eats in and spreads it selfe into the rest of the sheaues and corne and substance like the plague of Leprosie infecting all the rest These are the true causes of the decay and present want of Hospitalitie Now if there be no Hospitalitie then mercie and compassion is not shewed to the poore and needie to the strangers to the fatherlesse and widdowes and if mercy and charitie be not shewed at least in some sort and in some measure more or lesse as euery mans abilitie will extend I demand then Where is Faith Is that true Faith that hath no workes Can that Faith saue Nay For z Iam. 2. 17. Faith as St Iames sayth if it hath not workes is dead being alone And * Ver. 26. as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also CHAP. XXII Of confession of Christ before men and of the profession of the Gospell THe fourth and last outward signe of true sauing Faith is the Confession of Christ before men 4 Confession of Christ before men with constancy and boldnesse standing to our faith and profession for the loue of Christ S. Paul makes this a signe of his faith saying to the Corinthians * Ex his discimus confessionis matrem esse fidem Calu. We hauing the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therefore speake a 2. Cor. 4. 13. From hence we learne that faith is the mother of confession Faith breedes confession according to that saying of S. Paul to the Romanes b Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation And this Confession of Christ is two-fold Two-fold The one in time of peace 1 In time of peace Two-fold The other in time of persecution The Confession of Christ in time of peace is two-fold The first is not to be ashamed of the profession of the 1 Not to be ashamed of the profession of the Gospell For Gospell but to make an open confession and manifest profession thereof And this is necessary For First God requireth
first in the act of repentance as in godly sorrow for sinne in the humble confession of sinne and in earnest praier to God for the pardon of sinne For these shew that there is now already faith in the heart which produceth such good effects The subiect matter then of this Treatise following is Repentance a way wherein we must walke or else wee shall neuer enter in at the gate of the Celestiall Paradice a thing so necessary without which we can neither haue remission of our sinnes nor saluation of our soules without which we can neither haue true comfort to our soules in this life nor felicity in the life to come For which cause it is that S. Peter giueth this exhortation to the Iewes which crucified Christ c Acts 3. 19. Repent yee therefore and be conuerted that your sinnes may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. In the handling of Repentance I will shew First what Repentance is Secondly the parts of Repentance The partition of this Treatise Thidly the manner how a Sinner may truly repent and what things are necessarily required to true and sound Repentance Fourthly the time of Repentance when a sinner is necessarily bound to repent Fiftly the impediments which hinder sinners from Repentance Sixtly I will vse motiues and perswasions to bring sinners to repentance And of these in their order as I haue propounded them And first it shall bee expedient to shew what Repentance is CHAP. II. Shewing what Repentance is REpentance is a gift of God whereby a sinner 1 What Repentance is through the feare of God is changed in his minde and turned from sinne vnto God First I say that Repentance is a gift of God 1 A gift of God for so the Scripture makes it For in the Acts of the Apostles it is sayd a Acts 11. 18. God hath also to the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life And to Timothy S. Paul saith b 2 Tim. 2. 25. If God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Heere by Gods granting and giuing repentance it is apparent that Repentance is the gift of God Next in the definition of Repentance there is mentioned 2 The feare of God In the first conuersion of a sinner diuers things concur the feare of God moouing the sinner to repent In the act of Repentance euen in the first conuersion of a sinner there are diuerse things concurre First there is the gracious working of God who by his holy Spirit doth soften the heart of a sinner and giueth him grace to conuert and to turne from sinne vnto 1 Gods holy Spirit by which God giueth the sinner grace to repent God Secondly there is the working of that feare which is called the seruile feare whereby a sinner is mooued and stirred is vexed and disquieted in himselfe for feare of punishment and is euen terrefied and affrighted with the hideous sight of his abominable sinnes and the terrour 2 Seruile feare of Gods iudgement for sinne when he seeth Hell gaping to deuoure him which horrible feare though in the wicked and reprobate it be a torment and able to bring them to desparation as it was in Cain and Iudas yet in the children of God this legall terror and affrighting of sinners with the feare of punishment may bee a preparation to receiue grace when as they are truely humbled for their sinnes vnder the sence and feeling of Gods anger and displeasure against sinne Thirdly the working of Faith whereby the sinner 3 Faith beginnes to looke vnto Christ and beleeues the remission of his sinnes at the least beleeues that his sinnes are pardonable Fourthly the working of hope whereby the sinner 4 Hope receiues hope of the remission of his sinne hoping that through the mercy of God and merits of Christ his sinnes shall be forgiuen Fiftly the working of that feare which is called the 5 Filiall feare filiall or childe-like feare wherby the sinner is now displeased with himselfe in regard of this that hee hath offended God who hath beene so good and gracious a God vnto him to spare him so long giuing him so long time and space of repentence and offering him mercy in Christ Iesus and now he beginnes to feare God not so much for feare of punishment as out of reuerence awe and loue of God who hath so loued him as not onely to forbeare him in the time of his ignorance wickednesse when he deserued rather to haue been cut off and cast from the presence of the Lord into vtter darknesse but hath sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ to be his Sauiour and Redeemer to shed his bloud to saue his sinfull soule in gratefull remembrance heereof he is resolued now hence forward to deny himselfe to renounce the world to forsake his former sinfull course of life and to turne himselfe vnto the Lord to serue him in holines and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life and this because he feares God Thirdly in Repentance I say that a sinner is changed 3 Change of minde in his minde There are two words vsed in the new Testament which signifie c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenitentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—sipisâ—entia Bâ—rn in Matth. 3. 2. Repentance The former signifieth such a Repentance whereby the sinner is grieued and very sory for the euill which he hath done and no more And this may be in the wicked and reprobate for of Iudas it is sayd d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 27. 3. hee repented himselfe that is hee was sorry and grieued he was vexed and disquited within himselfe that hee had done so wicked a deede as to betray his Master he could haue wisht it vndone but thiâ— was all The other word vsed for Repentance properly signifieth a change of the minde and it is such a Repentance whereby a sinner is not onely sorry and grieued for the euill which he hath done but is so sorry for what is past as that hee is more wise euer after to auoyd sinne and so sorry for the wickednesse committed that he redresseth his wayes and amendeth his life This word is vsed by S. Peter in his Sermon to the Iewes after that they had crucified Christ for exhorting them to repentance he saith e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3. 19. Repent yee therefore and be conuerted This repentance is proper to the children of God Lastly in Repentance there is a turning from sinne 4 Turning from sinne to God and a turning vnto God But of this more in the next place Now whereas Repentance is as hath beene prooued Vse the gift of God the consideration heereof serues Against those who think that they can repent when they pleaso to reprooue the great security of many concerning their conuersion and turning vnto God many thinke its an easie thing to leaue sinne they hold that repentance
sinne but sinne being brought forth is very foule and vglie to looke vpon a mishapen thing a filthie leper there 's nothing in the world so foule to looke vpon as this childe of wickednesse Consider it in some particulars murther is a bloody sinne the murtherer's hands are full of blood Fornication adulterie are filthy sinns called t Eph 5. 3. vâ—cleannes Drunkennes is a very beast like swinish sinne what a filthy sight is it to see a man made in the Image of God vomiting like a dogge tumbling in the dirt and wallowing in the mire like a swine we finde in the law that there were diuerse washings and purifiings to wash and cleanse the offenders signifiing thereby that sinne is a most filthie thing and that the soule stained with sinne hath neede of much washing Secondly our sinnes are great and that in a twofold 2 Great respect first comparing one sinne with another secondly in their owne nature for they are committed against God who is great in power and infinite Thirdly our sinnes are many they exceede in multitude 3 Manie they are innumerable Insomuch that Dauid saith u Psal 19. 12. who can vnderstand his errours and againe x Psal 40. 12. they are mothen the haires of my head Manasseh in his praier counting the number of his sinnes findes them so greatly to exceede that he saith They are aboue the number of the sands of the sea Hereby it may appeare what manner of knowledge of sinne is required of euery penitent sinner The Second thing concerning the knowledge of sin How a sinner may come to the knowledge of his sinnes Namely by the law is how a sinner may come to the knowledge of his sins S. Paul sheweth that the knowledge of sinne is by the Law y Rom. 3. 20. By the law is the knowledge of sinne The law of God euen the Morall law written in the two tables of stonâ— is the meanes to finde out our sinnes the law of God wiâ—l let vs see our originall sinne by making vs see and know our corruption of nature our euill inclinations and euill dispositions against the law of God Of which S. Paul speakes thus z Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne sinne but by the law for I had not knowne lust except the law had said thou shalt not couet The law also will let vs see and know our actuall transgressions whether they be committed by thought word or deede against any commandement by the law of God we may see and know our euill thoughts against God and against our neighbour our lustfull thoughts our couetous thoughts our carnall and worldly thoughts our blasphemous words and slanderous speeches and all our sinfull and wicked deedes Yea what euill we haue committed or what good we haue omitted For this cause the Law of God is compared to a looking-glasse for as a man beholding his face in a glasse may see and perceiue the spots and blemishes that are therein so a sinner looking into the law of God and diligently perusing the Commaundements may find out and euidently perceiue the spots and blemisheâ— of his soule Thus a sinner commeth to the knowledge of his sinnes Now whereas there is necessarily required such a particular Vse 1 knowledge of sinne and that the knowledge of To know our selues sinne comes by the law the consideration hereof is first profitable for instruction to teach vs to know our selues This hath beene alwayes held a good precept amongst wise men know thy selfe It s good and profitable for euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one to know himselfe to search and try his own heart and by diligent inquirie to find out his owne particular sinnes to know his owne weakenesse and wickednesse his sinnes and his miserie Dauids exhortaâ—ion is a Psal 4 4. commune with your owne heart vpon your bed Enter into your closet yea into the secret chamber of your owne heart there beginne to thinke with your selues there speake vnto your selues there conferre and reason about the spirituall state not of others but of your owne selues And for the better knowledge of our selues we are to How to know our selues consider and search diligently both what we were by Creation and also what we are by corruption through the fall of Adam By Creation man was in a happie and blessed state created in the b Gen. 1. 27. image of God expounded by S. Paul to be c Ephe. 4. 24. righteousnesse and true holinesse But since the fall of Adam man is brought into a farre worse state by reason of sinne so that if a man could d Si bene inspexeris teipsum inuenies materiam contemnendâ— teipsum Stell dâ— contempâ—â— Mundi well looke into himselfe he might finde matter enough to humble yea to contemne himselfe in regard of any goodnesse or worthinesse that is in himselfe and that whether we regard the bodie or the soule of man In regard of the body what is man but earth a vessell of corruption dust and ashes wormes-meat yea a sinfull polluted bodie And for the soule now in the corrupt state infected and polluted with sinne till we be renewed by the Spirit of God till God come vnto vs to cleanse and purifie and sanctifie vs with his renewing grace what are we but as the Scripture calleth vs e Rom. 5. Ver. 6. 8. 10. vngodly sinners enemies of God f Ephe. 2. 13. dead in trespasses and sinnes children of wrath and g Ephe. 5. 6. children of disobedience Yea by nature and of our selues without Christ we are h Râ—u 3. 17. wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Besides all this in danger of the i Gal. 3. 10. malediction and curse of God in danger of hell and condemnation and that which augmenteth our miserie and wretched state is that we are the cause of our owne miserie and are no way able to helpe our selues out of our miserie either to purge our selues from our sinnes or to free our selues from the danger oâ— condemnation and eternall death so that a sinner comming to this humble acknowledgement of himselfe in regard of his owne spirituall state and considering seriously what he hath beene what he is may crie out and say with St Paul k Rom 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me This knowledge of a mans selfe to know his owne sinnes and his miserie to know how wretched and miserable The knowledg of our selues necessarie he is by reason of sinne is veâ—ie necessarie for First vnlesse a man know himselâ—e to be sinfull and 1 For our Humiliation wretched and miserable he will neuer be brought to true l Zanch. de Natur Dei l. 3. c. 3. humiliation but will thinke too well of himselfe trust too much in his owne righteousnesse and boast too much of his owne goodnesse and say with the proud Pharisie
the writers inkehorne by his side is appointed to b Ezech 9 4. goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke vpon the foreheads of the men that sigh that cry for all the abhominations that were done in the midst thereof Giuing vs to vnderstand that there were some in the city which sighed and mourned for the abhominations that were done in the citie For the second what we are to mourne and weepe 2 For what for That which we are specially to weepe for is sinne In generall we are to mourne for all our sinnes great small knowne and vnknowne secret and manifest In particular for some one sinne by which we haue offended or doe still more grieuously offend God The Israelites hauing offended God by asking a King when the Lord God was their King and being reprooued for it by Samuel they sorrowed and lamented and said to Samuel c 1 Sam. 12 19. Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not For we haue added vnto all our sinnes this â—uill to aske vs a King So Dauid with great feeling of his sinnes and with great sorrow and mourning confesseth his sinneâ— to the Lord and craueth mercy d Psal 51. 1. haue mercy vpon me O God c. Yet is most sorrowfull for his heinous bloody sinne points that out in particular and praies against it e ver 14. deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse ô God The third thing herein is the time when we ought chiefely to mourne for our sinnes It is not vsuall with 3 The time wheÌ„ men to mourne for their sinnes till the hand of God be vpon them aâ—â—lâ—ctâ—ng them visiting and scourging them for their sinnes But the chiefest time of mourning for sinne is when we haue sinned that thereby we may preuent the iudgement of God iudging our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord. For as the Apostle saith f 1 Cor. 11. 31. Mâ—roris tempus non tunc est cum aliquid pâ—â—imur aduersi sed cum malè operamur Chrys de prouident l. 3. If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged g The timâ— of sorrowing and mourning for sinne is not as a Father saith when we are vnder the crosse and suffer aduersity but when we doe euill then it behooues vs to mourne for the euill that we haue done As when a man hath committed adultery murther or any other grieuous crime for which 4 The measure of mourning for sinne and therein these rules are to be obserued his soule is in danger to be depriued of the kingdome of heauen then is it a fit time for him to mourne and sorrow for his sinne that he may be reconciled to God winne the fauour of God againe When affliction is vpon vs for our sinnes necessity constraineth vs to weepe and mourne because the affliction calls our sinne to remembrance 1 Sorrow for sinne must be greater then for any woâ—â—dly want or losse For. but it had bene much better for vs to haue wept and mourned for the euill of sinne before the euill of punishment fell vpon vs for sinne The fourth thing herein to be considered is the measure of our outward mourning and weeping for sinne 1 Sinne is the cause of all euill Concerning which these rules must be obserued First that our sorrow for sinne be greater then for any wordly want or temporall losse for First Sinne is the cause of all euill that befalleth vs in 2 A man may be saued without riches but not without repentance the course of our life Secondly a man that hath want of wordly things or sustaineth losse in temporall things may notwithstanding be saued come to life euerlasting but sinne not repented of is able to cast soule and body into hell Thirdly wordly wealth may be procured and temporall 3 The soule once lost cannot be recouered losses may be recouered againe but the soule being once lost cannot be recouered The losse of the soule is irrecouerable and therefore farre greater cause haue we to mourne and weepe for our sinnes then for any wordly want or temporall losse whatsoeuer Secondly greater sinnes must haue greater sorrow 2 For great sinns we must haue great sorrow more mourning and more weeping Dauid was sorrie for his lesser sinnes but was exceedingly sorrowfull for his great transgressions h 1 Sam. 24. 5. Dauids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls skirt but for his adultery and bloodshed he afflicted himselfe sore he i 2 Sam. 12. 16. psal 51. fasted and mourned he lay vpon the earth and made great lamentation Thirdly mourning weeping for sinne must haue 3 There must be a moderation in mourning for sinne it moderation that it exceed not As S. Paul speakes in the behalfe of that incestuous Corinthian whom he had excommunicated but vpon his repentance had forgiuen saying k 2 Cor 2. 7. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow After this manner a sinner expresseth his godly sorrow outwardly by mourning lamenting and weeping for his sinnes There remaine the motiues which may perswade vs 2 Motiues to mourning and weeping for sinne to this Godly sorrow which is outward in mourning weeping for sinne and they are foure First God requireth it So saith the Prophet Esaias l Isa 22. 12 In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and to 1 God requireth it mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackloth The prophet Ioel also saith m Ioel 2. 12. Therefore now saith the Lord turne ye euen vnto me with all your heart and with weeping and with mourning S. Iames saith n Iam. 4. 9. be afflicted and mourne and weepe Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your ioy to beauinesse Secondly penitent sinners haue wept and mourned 2 Penitent sin ners haue wept mourned â—or their sinâ—es for their sinnes Dauid saith o Psal 6 6. I am weary of my groaning all the night make I my bed to swime I water my couch with my teares That penitent woman mentioned by S. Luke held by diuerse to be Mary Magdalen wept so abundantly for her sinnes that those two little fountaines her eies yeilded her water sufficient to p â—uk 7. 38. wash her Sauiours fâ—ete when Peter remembred himselfe how he had sinned in denying his master Christ he went out and q Luk. 22. 62. Wept â—â—tterly Yea Christ Iesus the head of the Saints though he himselfe had no sinnes to lament and weepe for yet he oftentimes wept Comming to Ierusalem r Luk. 19 41. he wept ouer it At the raising of Lazarus Å¿ Ioh 11. 35. Iesus wept At his passion he wept sore for the Apostle saith that
t Heb 5. 7. In the deyes of his flesh he offered vp praiers supplications with strong crying and teares u Fâ—entem illum frequenter â—nue nias nuâ—quam verò â—identem Chrys in Math. 2. Hom. 6. we may often finde him weeping as a Father saith but seldome or neuer laughing Yet he wept not for himselfe and for his owne sinnes for x 1. Pet. 2. 22. he did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth But for vs and for our sinnes to teach vs to weepe and mourne for our selues and for our owne sinnes Thirdly to consider the necessity of outward sorrowing 3 The necessity of mourning for sinne and mourning for sinne First our sinns haue bene the cause of crucifying Christ as saith the Prophet Esay y Isa 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions 1 In regaâ—d of our sinnes which were the cause of crucifying Christ he was bruised for our iniquities The serious consideration of this should moue vs to lament mourne this should cause vs to sheede abundance of teares to consider the grieuousnesse of our sinnes how by them we haue crucified and pierced Christ and certaine it is the remembrance hereof will so worke with true penitent sinners that they will breake forth into mourning as saith the Prophet Zacharie z Zach. 12. 10. I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon and the land shall mourne euery family apart c. Secondly our eyes conuey much euill to the heart 2 Our eies conuay much euill to the heart and therefore must weepe much as they let in sinne so they must as much as they can let it out In worldly griefe the heart is eased by weeping so by teares shedde for sinne the soule is eased Thirdly Sinne is the cause of affliction and miserie 3 Sinne is the cause of misery the cause of trouble and calamitie that befals vs in the course of our life Wherefore as we mourne and weepe for the paine and miserie so ought we much more to mourne to lament and weepe for sinne which is the cause of our miserie Fourthly consider that now euen in this present life 4 Either now we must mourne weepe or we shall hereafter we must mourne and weepe for our sinnes least we be constrained to mourne and weepe in that dolefull and heauie place of mourning where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And they that will not now weepe and mourne for their sinnes shaâ—l hereafter As our Sauiour saith a Luk 6. 25. Woe to you that laugh now for ye shall mourne and weepe And yet more to perswade vs to this godly sorrow to 4 Benefits of mourning and weeping for sinne weepe and mourne for our sinnes consider the Benefits that come thereby Weeping and mourning may weaken and hurt the bodie but it strengthens and helpes the soule it may harme the bodie for a time but it doth the soule good for euer And the Benefits thereof are these First outward sorrow for sinne arising from the inward 1 Mourning weeping for sinne is a meanes to obtaine mercy sorrow of the heart is a meanes to obtaine mercie with God It is said of Hezekiah that b Isa 38. 3. he wept sore But his sore weeping was a meanes of obtaining mercie and fauour with the Lord. For praysing the Lord he saith c ver 17. Thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backs Marie Magdalene weepes and sheeds teares in abundance but this her mourning and weeping for her sinnes is a meanes of obtaining mercy with the Lord for the Lord saith vnto her d Luk. 7 38. 48. thy sinnes are forgiuen Secondly * Mitigâ—ntâ—ram Dei lachrymae Teares of grace are a meanes to pacifie Gods 2 A meanes to pacifie Gods anger anger against vs for our sinnes and to turne away his wrath from vs. The Lord by the Prophet Ioel sayth turne ye euen to mâ— with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for e Ioel 2. 12. 13. he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill As if he should haue said If you will be sorrie for your sinnes after a godly sort and if you will turne to the Lord by renting the heart and with fasting and weeping and mourning then the Lord will turne away â—is wrath from you then the Lord will be gracious and mercifull vnto you Thirdly teares shed for sinne are not shed in vaine 3 Teares shed for sinne are pleasing to God delightfull to the Angels but they are respected of the Lord they are well pleasing both to God and Angels they are acceptable and well pleasing to God God maketh reckoning and account of them for though they be shed yet they are not lost f Psal 56. 8. Put thou my teares into thy bottle saith Dauid Teares of grace and not as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe but the Lord hath a vessell to receiue the teares that we sheede for our sins not one of them iâ— lost This heauenly dew of deuotion neuer fals but the Sunne of righteousnesse drawes it vp And the teare of penitent sinners are delightfull to the Angels who reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Insomuch that the deuout Father cals the g Lâ—chrymâ— pâ—â—nitentium Angelâ—rum vinum Bern. teares of penitent sinners the Angels wine Fourthly they that mourne and weepe for sinne though they haue sorrow and heauinesse for a time in the end shall be comforted their sorrow shall be turned 4 They that mourne shall be comforted into ioy Christ is sent as saith the Prophet Esay to h Isa 61. 2. 3. comfort all that mourne to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse And Christ when he was come sayth i Mâ—â— 5. â— Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted k 〈◊〉 â— 6. 5. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy saith the Psalmist They that now weepe and sheede teares for sinne shall hereafter be truly comforted For l Reâ— 21. 4. God shall wipe away aâ—l teares from their eyes As after much raine and great stormes the heauens waâ—e cleare the ayre is more milde and the Sunne breakes forth comfortably to refresh the things that are vpon the earth so after much weeping mourning
dye in impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Secondly this is profitable for instruction to all that know there is a hell and heare of the paines and torments Vse 2 To feare God of hell that they learne to feare God to stand in awe of him and not to sinne against him to this our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs vpon the consideration of the paines and torments of hell saying Feare not them which c Mat. 10. 28. kill the body but are not able to kill the soule But rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Because there is a hell and because that God is able to cast the soules and bodies of all impenitent sinners into hell for this cause see that ye feare God stand in awe of God tremble before him and sinne not against him for as God is mercifull to penitent sinners and will pardon the iniquitie and transgressions of them that repent and turne from their sinnes and returne vnto God So also is he a God oâ— iustice and fierce wrath for as the Apostle saith d Heb. 12. 29. God is a consuming fiâ—r and he will cast both the bodies and soules of all impenitent sinners into hell-fire there to be tormented for euermore as it is also written e Reu. 21. 8. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhomminable and murderers and whore-mongers sorcerers and idolaters and all lâ—ers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death O then sinfull man who soeuer thou art now betimes repent and returne vnto the Lord least death vnawares seize vpon thee and suddenly thou be cast downe into hell and there shalt finde thy case to be remedilesse and thy torment endlesse CHAP. XXIII Of the benefit of Repentance how it remooueth Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall Which may perswade vs to Repentonce HItherto of the motiues to Repentance taken from the necessitie thereof The fourth and last motiue to Repentance 4 The benefit of Repentance I take from the benefit thereof Repentance brings much good to the penitent sinner he shall be blessed with manie blessings I reduce them to these two heads True Repentance Two-fold First remooueth iudgements Secondly procuteth blessings First Repentance remooueth iudgements and those 1 It remooueth iudgements Three fold three-fold Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Touching the first Repentance is a meanes to remooue 1 Temporall temporall iudgements either threatned against sinners or else deseruedly drawne vpon them for their sinnes The Lord sendeth Ieremie the Prophet to the people of Israell saying a Ier. 3. 12. Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe anger for euer Isaiah the Prophet is sent to King Kezekiah with this message b Isa 38. 5. 6. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares beholde I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres and I will deliuer thee and this Cittie out of the hand of the King of Assyria and I will defend this Cittie Ionah the Prophet is sent to Niniueh to threaten them and their Cittie with destruction and ouerthrow except they did repent within the space of fortie dayes c Joh. 3. 4. Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall he ouerthrowne But vpon this threatning Niniueh did repent for the King and the whole Cittie put on sackcloth and fasted and cryed mightily vnto God and repented of their euill wayes and d Ver. 10. God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes And God repented of the euill that he had said hee would doe vnto them and he did it not When God saw the people repent of their sinnes he repented of the iudgement which he had threatned against them According to that saying of the Lord in Ieremie e Ier. 18. 7. 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it if that nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them Thus Repentance remooueth temporall iudgements Secondly Repentance remooueth spirituall iudgements 2 Spirituall as blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart and horrour of conscience It remooues blindnesse of mind When God giueth the grace of illumination for before that a sinner beleeueth and repenteth he liues in blindnesse and darknesse but beleeuing and repenting he is inlightned with the knowledge of the truth and walkes no more in darkenesse but in light as the Apostle speakes f Ephe. 5. 8. ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Repentance also remooueth hardnesse of heart when God giueth the sinner true contrition softning the hard heart For when God giueth grace to repent he giueth also a mollified and melting heart as it is said in Ezechiel g Ezek. 36. 25. 26. I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idoles will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh Yea Repentance also remooueth horrour of conscience and the intollerable burden of sinne when God giueth to the penitent sinner peace of conscience and rest to the soule h Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me saith our Sauiour all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Now the conscience neuer hath true peace neither doth the soule euer enioy quiet rest til sinne be done away by Repentance Thirdly Repentance remooueth eternall iudgements 3 Eternall so that neither death nor hell nor condemnation can hurt them that doe truly beleeue in Christ and haue vnfainedly repented of their sinnes and doe now lead a new life So saith St Paul to the Romanes i Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And St Iohn saith k Reu. 20. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Thus it is apparent that great benefit commeth by Repentance for it remooueth from the penitent sinner punishments temporall concerning the bodie and outward state it deliuereth from spirituall iudgements and it Vse freeth from eternall condemnation That may escape the iudgements of God we must repent of our sinnes The consideration of which benefit of Repentance in remoouing Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall serues for instruction to teach and admonish euery one that would escape these iudgements that would haue temporall iudgements remooued from
Psal 51. 5. shapen framed and borne in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie And we were y Ephe. 2. 3. by nature children of wrath And therefore we haue great need of bettering our state both in regard of our soules and bodies Now S. Iames telleth vs that z Iam. 1. 17. Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights All good blessings and benefits needfull for vs come from God our heauenly Father who is aboue and the meanes to bring them downe vnto vs is by Prayer and ordinarily without prayer we obtaine nothing Wherefore S. Iames saith a Iam. 4. 2. ye haue not because ye aske not And for this cause it is that our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs to pray to our Father which is in heauen that he would b Mat. 6. 11. 12. giue vs our daily bread and forgiue vs our daily sinnes Secondly Prayer is verie necessarie for vs for we liue 2 We are in continuall feare of perils and dangers in continuall feare of petills and dangers outward and inward When we rise in the morning we know not the dangers which may befall vs before the euening night and day we are subiect to many perils and dangers to sundrie afflictions tribulations and temptations we haue manie enemies the flesh fighting against the spirit and entising vs to sinne the world alluring vs to vanity and we haue a most sore and cruell c 1. Pet. 5 8. aduersarie the Deuill who as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure And for this cause we had need to be d 1. Pet. 47. sober and watch vnto Prayer To e Mat. 26. 41. watch and pray that we enter not into temptation And to f Ephe. 6. 18. pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit Thirdly such is the necessitie of prayer that except a 3 Except a man exercise himselfe to Prayer he is dead being aliue man pray vnto God and call vpon his name he hath no true life of grace in him but is as a dead man in Gods account howsoeuer he be aliue to the world S. Paul saith g 1. Tim. 5. 5. 6. shee that is a widdow indeede and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night day but shee that liueth in pleasure is dead while shee liueth In which words the Apostle opposeth a widdow spending her dayes in supplications and prayers to a widdow liuing in pleasure And as shee that liueth in pleasure is dead while shee liueth so on the other-side shee that deuoutly giueth her selfe to supplications and prayers is aliue and shee liues the best and happiest life the life of grace to which agreeth the saying of S. Chrysostome h Quisquiâ— non orat Deum nee diuino colloquio cupit assi luè frui is mori nuâ— est et vita carâ—ns Chrys de orando Dâ—um l. 1. whosoeuer doth not pray vnto God and doth not desire to haue diuine and heauenly communication with God the same is as a dead man without life Such a one hath no true life for he liues without God and without Christ who is i Joh. 14. 6. the way the truth and the life Fourthly the neglect of Praier is a note and badge 4 The want of prayer is a marke of wicked and vngodly men of wicked and vngodly men the Prophet Dauid saith k Psal 14. â— haue all the workers of iniquitie no knowledge who eat vp my people as they eate bread and call not vpon the Lord Iob describeth the wicked not onely by their prosperous state in this world but also by their â—ilfull ignorance by their carelesse neglect of the seruice of God and their contempt of Prayer For he saith of them l Job 21. 14. 15. they say vnto God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes what is the almightie that we should serue him And what profit should we haue if we pray vnto him Now then if this be a marke of wicked and vngodly men of profane people that haue little or no feare of God before their eyes not to pray vnto God then certaine it is most necessarie for all that desire to feare God and would be of the number of the righteous to be diligent and carefull to serue God to pray vnto him and to call vpon his name Such is the necessitie of Prayer Fourthly the consideration of the good which wereceiue 4 The benefit of Prayer by making our prayers and supplications vnto God should perswade vs to pray vnto God and to call vpon his name For First if we pray vnto God and call vpon his name the 1 God hath promised to heare our Prayers and grant our requests Lord hath promised to heare vs and grant our requests m Psal 50. 15. call vpon me saith the Lord in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee And Dauid saith n Psal 65. 2. O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come And our Sauiour Christ saith o Mat. 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Dauid prayeth and was heard p Psal 18. 6. In my distresse saith he I called vpon the Lord and cryed vnto my God he heard my voice out of his Temple and my crie came before him euen into his eares Hezekiah prayed and the Lord heard him and sent him this word by the Prophet q Isa 38. 5. Goe and say to Hezekiah thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares Cornelius also hath witnesse from heauen that God heard his praier for an Angell is sent vnto him which said r Acts. 10. 31. Cornelius thy praier is heard thus the Scripture doth make it manifest that God heareth our praiers And this is an exceeding great benefite that we make our praiers to such a God that is both able to heare vs and not like the Gods of the heathen which haue eares and heare not and is also willing to heare vs for he bids vâ— seeke vnto him and call vpon him And albeit Å¿ Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not sinners and wicked men Yet if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth And t 1 Ioh. 5. 14. If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Yea and u Iohn 16. 23. Whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name that is in the name of Christ he will giue it vs. So that a righteous man praying aright shall be heard for How God heareth our prayers the Lord hath promised to heare him to helpe him and to deliuer him But this hearing of the righteous is after a twofold manner First oftimes and for the most part God so heareth 1 He giueth vs