you Here first I will speake of the false and then of the true and right fruit of Liberalitie The false Fruit is this that giuing of almes doth merit forgiuenes of sinne and satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment thereof That we may the better see the errour of this doctrine I will answer their arguments Obiect I. First they alleadge out of this text that giuing of almes makes all things cleane vnto vs. Ans. We must vnderstand the text thus If we turne to God beleeue in Christ and leaue all our sinnes then are we cleane and all our actions and consequently our almes-giuing shall be cleane vnto vs for to the pure all things are pure Now almes and other things are then said to be cleane vnto a man when he beeing himselfe pure maketh and hath a pure vse of them Obiect II. Dan. 4. 24. Redeeme thy sinnes by giuing of al◅ Ans. This place maketh against the Papists for by sinnes the Prophet vnderstandeth both the guilt also the punishment Whereas they affirme that the guilt of sinne cannot be redeemed but by Christ alone and man onely is to satisfie for the temporall punishment of sinne Secondly the word which they translate redeeme doth properly signifie as it is in the Chalde paraphrase to breake off As if the Prophet should haue said Thou art O King a mightie Monarch and thou hast vsed much iniustice and crueltie therefore now repent thy selfe and breake off the course of thy sinnes and testifie thy repentance by doing iustice and giuing almes to the poore whom thou hast oppressed Thirdly the word in the ancient Latine translations signifieth to amende and then it beareth this sense Amend thy selfe and the course of thy life and let thine iniustice be turned into iustice thy crueltie into mercie Obiect III. Make you friends with the riches of iniquitie that when ye shall want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Ans. Receiuing here mentioned is not by way of merit as though a man could deserue it by giuing almes but either by way of heartie praiers made by the poore that they may be receiued or els because their almes shall be vnto them a pledge and earnest of their receiuing into Gods kingdome Obiect IV. Prou. 16. 6. By mercie and truth iniquitie is redeemed Ans. 1. Salomons meaning is that by Gods goodnes and not ours iniquity is pardoned 2. If by mercie is meant mans mercie then are we to vnderstand it thus that mercie and truth are euident signes vnto vs that our sinnes are forgiuen and not the working causes of remission Obiect V. Luk. 14. 14. And thou which giuest releefe shalt be blessed because they can not recompense thee therefore almes doe merit Ans. When God promiseth reward to the giuing of almes the promise is not made to the worke but to the worker and that not for the merit of his person or worke but onely for Christ his sake in whome he is by whose meanes he stands reconciled vnto God And so men that practise charitie in giuing of almes are rewarded with blessednes not for their almes but according to the mercie of God in Christ. Now followeth the Right fruit of Almes-giuing and it stands in foure things First they are the way in which we must walke to life euerlasting I say the way not the cause either of life or any other good thing that God hath promised Secondly they are effects and fruits of our faith yea the signes and seales of Gods mercie to vs in Christ. To this purpose S. Paul wisheth Timothie 1. Tim. 6. 17 18 19. to charge them that be rich in this world that they doe good and be rich in good workes and be readie to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Now where is this foundation to be laide vp not in heauen for that is impossible for vs and it is laide vp for vs there alreadie by Christ but in our owne consciences and that is our assurance of Gods fauour in this world and life euerlasting in the world to come of which assurance this and other good works are signes and seales vnto vs. Thirdly almes comes in the way of restitution of those goods that haue beene gotten fraudulently though from whome we know not Thus Zacheus at his conuersion for wrongs that he had done he knew not to whome gaue halfe his goods to the poore and proclaimed restitution to those that could come forth and chalenge him Lastly aimes are a notable remedie against couetousnesse For he that hath a mercifull heart to bestow vpon the poore shall easily be content with that he hath and auoid that sinne whereby otherwise he falls into tentations and snares of the Deuill 1. Tim. 6. 9. CHAP. VI. Of Iustice. Psal. 15. 2. He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnes THe substance of the whole Psalme is a Question and an Answer The Question is who are the members of Gods Church vpon earth that shall come to life eternall in heauē ver 1. The Answer is made in the rest of the Psalme And in this answer is contained a description of the parties by their properties and markes The first marke is walking vprightly that is in truth and sinceritie of religion which standeth in the sinceritie of faith and a good conscience The second note is the practise of Righteousnes Now Righteousnes or Iustice is twofold the Iustice of the Gospel and the Iustice of the Law Evangelicall iustice is that which the gospell reveales and not the Law to witte the obedience of Christ in his sufferings and fulfilling of the law imputed to them that beleeue for their iustification and this is not here meant Legall iustice is that which the law revealeth and withall requireth And it is either vniuersall or particular Vniuersall iustice is the practise of all vertues or that whereby a man obserues all the commandements of the law Of this Paul speaketh Rom. 10. 5. in which place he opposeth it to the righteousnes which is by faith And Zacharie and Elizabeth are said to be iust before God Luk. 1. 6. namely by this vniuersall iustice because they walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord indeauouring in althings to please him Particular iustice is that whereby we giue to euery man his right or due and of this Dauid here speaketh The reason is because if it were not so then this second marke should comprehend vnder it all the rest and so there would be no good distinction of these properties one from the other Particular iustice is two-fold in distribution or in exchange and contract Iustice in distribution is that which keepes a proportion in giuing to euery man that honour dignitie reuerence reward or punishment that is due vnto him Of this there are mooued principally two Questions I. Question What is that iudgement which men are to giue and hold one to
afflictions for this life and in glorie for the life to come Now if God hath decreed that those whome he foreknew should be conformable vnto his Sonne in these respects then hath he also decreed the afflictions themselues Secondly God doth not onely barely permit afflictions to be but also he effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trialls and punishments I make peace saith the Lord and I create euill that is not the euill of sinne but of punishment which is euill in our sense and feeling For things are tearmed euill two waies some are euill indeed some are euill not indeed but in regard of our sense apprehension and estimation and of this latter sort are afflictions which God is said to create And to this purpose is the saying of the Prophet Amos Shall there be euill in the citie and the Lord hath not done it Thirdly as God causeth afflictions so he ordereth and disposeth them that is he limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure or quantitie and the continuance thereof Yea he also ordereth them to their right endes namely his owne glorie the good of his seruants and the benefit of his Church Thus God is saide to correct his people in iudgement that is so as he will haue the whole ordering of the correction in his owne hand Ioseph tells his brethren that when they intended euill against him in selling him to the Ishmaelites for siluer God disposed it for good When Shemei cursed Dauid he forbade his seruants so much as to meddle with him and why because saith he the Lord bade him to curse and who then dare say onto him Why hast thou done so And to this purpose the Prophet Dauid saith I held my peace and said nothing why because thou Lord hast done it Psal. 39. 9. Here some wil say if Afflictions did come onely from God it were somewhat but ofâ—entâ—â—es they come from men that beare vs no good will and therefore no maruell though we be impatient Answ. When crosses doe come from men God vseth them as instruments to execute his iudgements vpon vs and in this worke God is the chiefe doer and they are as tooles in the hand of the workman And the Lord inflicteth them vpon vs by men to trie our patience vnder the crosse Ioseph though he knew well the badde dealing of his brethren towards him yet he looked not to them alone but to an higher cause namely the Lord himselfe who executed his owne good will by them God faith he disposed it to good And againe God did send me before you into Egypt for your preseruation The Second ground is The commandement of God touching the crosse and obedience vnto him therein This commaundement is expressed Luk. 9. 23. where we are commanded to take vp our crosse euery day and follow Christ. Abraham was commanded with his owne hands to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac and to this commandement though otherwise a great crosse vnto him he addresseth himselfe to yeeld obedience And in the prophecie of Micah the Church saith Shee will boare the wrath of the Lord that is shee will performe obedience to him in the crosse because shee had sinned against him And Saint Peter saith that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble therefore humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God And this beeing the commaundement of God that we should yeeld obedience to him in euery affliction we ought to be no lesse carefull to obey it then any one commandement of the morall Law The Third ground is that God will be present with his seruants in their afflictions Vpon this ground Dauid comforts himselfe because God had promised to heare him to be with him in trouble and to deliuer him And in an other place Though I should walke in the shaddow of death I would feare none ill for thou art with me c. Now that we may the better vnderstand this doctrine we are to consider what be the Ends or Effects of Gods beeing with vs in affliction whereby he testifieth his presence and they are three The first is to worke our deliuerance from the crosse Call vpon me saith the Lord in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee This promise must not be vnderstood simply but with an exception so farre forth as it shall be for our good For all promises of temporall deliuerance are conditionall and must be conceiued with this limitation of the crosse and chastisement if God please to impose it Some may say how if God will not deliuer vs but leaue vs in the affliction what coÌ„fort shall we then haue Answ. In the second place therefore we must remember that God will temper and moderate our afflictions so as we may be able to beare them Habbakuk praieth vnto God in the behalfe of the Church that he would in wrath remember mercie And Paul saith that the Lord will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue an issue with the temptation Thirdly put the case that God doth not moderate our afflictions but suffer them to remaine vpon vs not onely for some time of our life but to the very death yet then will he testifie his holy presence an other way namely by giuing the partie distressed power and strength to beare his affliction Vnto you it is giuen saith Paul for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake The Fourth ground of comfort in affliction is that euery affliction vpon the seruants of God hath some speciall goodnesse in it Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God And in regard hereof the crosses which are indured by Gods children are so farre from beeing preiudiciall to their saluation that they are rather helps and furtherances of the same Now this Goodnes is perceiued two waies First by the fruit and effect of it and then by the qualitie and condition thereof In both which respects afflictions are good Touching the fruits of Afflictions because they are manifold I will reduce them to seauen principall heads I. Afflictions doe make men to see and consider their sinnes Iosephs brethren for twentie yeares together were little or not at all troubled for their wickednes in selling their brother yet vpon their affliction in Egypt they began to consider what they had done We haue say they verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Manasses in the time of his peace gaue himselfe to witchcraft and the worshipping of straunge gods but when he was captiue in Babylon then was he brought to the sight of his sinnes mooued to humble himselfe before God for them II.
in prison and ye came unto me Where obserue what person Christ commendeth vnto vs to be releeued the hungry thirstie naked sicke harbourles and the captâ—ue or prisoner Rom. 12. 20. If thine enemie hunger feede him if the thirst giue him drinke We must not onely supply the need of our freindes but also our enemies 〈◊〉 Tim. 5. 16. If any beleeuing man or woman haue widowes let him minister vnto them c. that there may be sufficient for them that are widowes indeede Here widowes that are desolate without friends and goods are commended to the liberalitie of the Church Leuit 25. 35. If thy brother be impouerished and hath the trembling hand thou shalt releeue him as a stranger or soiourner so shall he liue with thee By the trembling hand is meant the man that workes hard for his liuing and yet cannot by his labour get things necessarie but must needes stretch out his hand to others that are in better state for helpe Here two Questions may further be made First whether we must giue almes to beggers I meane such as goe from doore to doore for they come vnder the degrees of needie persons Ans. Beggars are of two sorts either such as are strong able to labour and doe somewhat for their liuing or such as are weake and impotent vnable to take paines for the maintenance of themselues or those that belong vnto them The first sort are not to be reiceued For touching them the Apostle hath giuen this rule He that will not labour must not eate 2. Thess. 3. 10. 12. Euery man must liue by the labour of his owne hands and feede vpon his owne bread Againe such beggers are theeues robbers because they steale their labour from the Church and Common-wealth which is as profitable as land and treasure In the old Law if two men striued together and the one had wounded the other the offender was inioyned not onely to pay for the healing but for the losse of his time also Exod. 21. 19. And in like manner ought such persons to beare the punishment both of their theft and of the losse of their labour And the truth is they that giue to them in this their loose life doe maintaine them in wickednes Yet here one Caution is to be remembred that if such a man be in extreame neede he must be helped rather then he should perish And the Magistrate is to punish him for his idlenes and to compell him to labour The Magistrate I say for priuate persons haue no authoritie to inflict punishment in this case As for the other sort that are vnable to worke they are not allowed by the word of God to gather their almes themselues by begging from doore to doore but to be releeued at home in their houses Deut. 15. 4. There shall not be a begger in thee v. 11. there shall be euer some poore in the land Here the holy Ghost makes a plaine difference between the poore and the begger forbidding the one and commanding to helpe the other Saint Paul likewise distinguisheth of widowes whereof some haue rich kindred and they are to be prouided for by them 1. Tim. 5. 4. Others are destitute of friends and kindred by whome they may be releeued and such he willeth to be maintained by the Church v. 16. And this is no toleration or approbation of beggers Againe the begging of almes is the very seminarie of vagabonds rogues stragling pâ—â—soÌ„s which haue no calling nor are of any corporation Church or commonwealth Yea it doth proclaime to the world in the eares of all men the shame either of the Magistrate who restraines it not hauing authoritie or of the wealthie and able that they haue no mercy or compassion It is also a great disorder in commonwealths For the boldest and most clamarous begger carries away all the almes from the rest and so releefe is distributed both vnwisely and vnequally And howsoeuer it is the good law of our Land agreeable to the law of God that none should begge that are able to labour and all men are bound in conscience to see it obserued that haue any care of the good of this Church and commonwealth yet it is a plague of our times and greatly to be bewailed that it is neglected and not put iâ— execution In the Second place it is demanded whether we must put a difference betweene persons and persons in giuing our almes Ans. There be three differences of men that are in neede The first is a mans owne And such are they that be of his houshold for which he that makes not provision is worse then an Infidell as the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 5. 8. Those also which are of a mans own blood as father and mother c. Mat. 15. 5 6. Now contrarie to this sort are strangers to whome we must not giue For to neglect a mans own and to bestowe it vpon forrainers vnlesse there be iust and necessarie cause so to doe is a sinne against the law of nature A second difference of men is this Some are of the houshold of faith Saint Pauls rule is this that we preferre them before the other Gal. 6. 10. Doe good vnto all men but specially to them that are of the houshold of faith A third difference Some are our owne poore of our towne land country some be strangers in the same respects Now howsoeuer we are debters to all that we can doe good to yet those that are neerer to vs in habitation or neighbourhood are to be respected and releeued before others This the Lord commandeth Deuâ— 15. 7. If one of thy brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thy hart and shut thine hand from him And these beeing releeued we may in the next place afford our helpe to others Thus did the good Samaritane in case of necessitie practize his charitie vpon a stranger Luk. 10. 33. and is therefore commended by our Sauiour Christ. III. Question How much releefe must every man giue Ans. We must put a difference betweene the almes of priuate men and of Incorporations or Churches Touching priuate mens almes the Scripture hath not determined how much must be giuen but hath left it to the discreet consideration of euery Christian. And yet it must be remembred which the Apostle saith that he that soweth sparingly shal reape sparingly And againe Let euery man giue as he hath determined in his owne heart Lastly he giues a commandement touching the quantitie of giuing that euery first day of the weeke euery one lay aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that is according to the abilitie wherewith God hath blessed him 1. Cor. 16. 2. But two cautions are proprounded in the word touching this quantitie First that we must not so giue almes that others be â—ased and we our selues grieued 2. Cor. 8. 13. It is not Gods will that we
so much for their sinne committed as for their lying therin without repentance And this is the manner of Gods dealing with those that haue liued within the precincts of the church they shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance This should admonish euery one of vs to take heed least we lie in any sin and that being any way ouertaken we should speedily repent least we aggrauate our sinne by continuance therein and so bring vpon our selues swift damnation Thirdly the same sinne is made greater or lesser foure waies according to the number of degrees in the committing of a sinne noted by S. Iames Temptation Conception Birth and Perfection Actual sinne in the first degree of tentation is when the minde vpon some sudden motion is drawne away to thinke euill and withall is tickled with some delight thereof For a bad motion cast into the mind by the flesh and the deuill is like vnto the baite cast into the water that allureth and delighteth the fish and causeth it to bite Sin in conception is when with the delight of the minde there goes consent of will to doe the euill thought on Sinne in birth is when it comes forth into an action or execution Sin in perfection is when men are growne to a custome and habit in sin vpon long practise For the often committing of one and the same sinne leaues an euill impression in the heart that is a strong or violent inclination to that or any other euill as hath bin taught before And sinne thus made perfect brings forth death for custome in sinning brings hardnes of heart hardnes of heart impenitencie and impenitencie condemnation Now of these degrees the first is the least the last is the greatest One and the same sin is lesser in tentation then in conception lesse in conception then in birth and greater in perfection then in all the former Sect. 11. Now from this doctrine of the increasing and lessening of Sin in these respects we may gather that all sins are not alike or equall as the Stoicks of auncient times and their followers haue falsely imagined For it hath bin prooued at large by induction of sundrie particulars that there are degrees of sinnes some lesser som greater some more offensiue and odious to God man some lesse And â—hat the circumstances of time place person and manner of doing doe serue to enlarge or extenuate the sinne commited If it be here alleadged that Sin is nothing but the doing of that which is vnlawfull to be done and that this is equall in all men that sinne and therfore by consequent offences are equall I answer that in euery sin meÌ„ must not consider the vnlawfulnes thereof onely but the reason why it should be vnlawfull and that is properly because it is a breach of Gods law and repugnant to his will reuealed in his word Nowe there is no breach of a diuine Law but it is more or lesse repugnant vnto the will of the Lawgiuer God himselfe And many transgressions are more repugnaÌ„t thereunto then fewer for the more sin is increased the more is the wrath of God inâ—lamed against the sinner vpon his due desert If it be said againe that the nature of Sin stands onely in this that the sinner makes an aberration from the scope or marke that is set before him and doth no more then passe the bondes of dutie prescribed by God and that all are alike in this respect The answer is that it is a falshood to affirme that he which makes the lesse aberration from the dutie commanded is equall in offence to him that makes the greater For the same sin for substance hath sundrie steps and degrees in respect whereof one man becommeth a more heinous offender then another For example in the seauenth commandemeÌ„t when God forbiddes the committing of Adultery he forbiddeth three degrees of the same sinne to wit adulterie of the heart consisting of inordinate and vncleane affections adulterie of the tongue in corrupt dishonest and vnseemely speeches and the very act of vncleannesse and filthinesse committed by the bodie Now it cannot be said that he which breakes this commandement onely in the first degree is as great a transgressour as he that hath proceeded to the second and so to the third And therefore it remaines for an vndoubted truth that Sinnes committed against the Law of God are not equall but some lesser some greater Sundrie other Distinctions there are of sinnes as namely That the main sinnes of the first Table are greater then the maine sins of the second Table And yet the maine sinnes of the second are greater then the breach of ceremoniall duties against the first table But this which hath beene said shall suffice The vse of this doctrine is manifold First by it we learne what the heart of man is by nature namely a corrupt and vncleane fountaine out of which issueth in the course of this life the streames of corruptions infinite in number noysome in qualities hainous in degrees daÌ„gerous in effects For from thence doe flow all the differences of sinnes before named with their seuerall branches and infinite many more that cannot be rehearsed This must mooue vs humbly to sue vnto God earnestly to entreat him to wash vs throughly from our wickednes clense vs from our sinnes yea to purge and to rinse the fountaine thereof our vncleane and polluted hearts And when by Gods mercie in Christ apprehended by faith our hearts shall be purified theÌ„ to set watch ward ouer them and to keep them with all diligence Secondly it teacheth vs that miserable mortal man is not guiltie of one or more sinnes but of many sundrie corruptions both of heart and life Who can vnderstand his faults saith Dauid Now the alowance of sinne beeing death by gods ordinaÌ„ce God being iustice it selfe answerably to the number of our offences must we needes be lyable to many punishments yea to death it selfe both of the bodie and of the soule This beeing our wofull estate little cause is there that any man should thinke himselfe to be in good case or presume of Gods mercie in regard of the small number of his sinnes And much lesse cause hath he falsly to imagine with the Popish sort that he can merit the fauour of God by any worke done by him aboue that which the Law requireth considering that it is impossible for him to know either the number or the nature or the measure of his sinnes Lastly the consideration of this point must be a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure or presumptuous of our owne estate for as much as we learne out of the word of god that in respect of the multitude of our corruptions this our life is full of much euill and many difficulties that wee haue whole armies of enemies to encounter with all not onely out of vs in the world abroad but within vs
goodnes to any worke Christ saith of the Pharises that they worshipped him in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men He therefore that will doe a worke tending to the worship of God must doe that which God commandeth Now actions expressely commanded are the duties of the morall Law Actions generally commanded are all such as serue to be helpes and meanes to further the said morall duties And here we must remember that actions indifferent in the case of offence or edification cease to be indifferent and come vnder some commandement of the morall Law To which purpose Paul saith If eating flesh will offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth his meaning is that though his eating of flesh was a thing indifferent in it selfe yet in case of offence his minde was to abstaine from it as much as from the breach of the Law of God Againe if an action indifferent comes within the case of furthering the good of the Commonwealth or Church it ceaseth to be indifferent and comes vnder commandement and so all kind of callings and their works though neuer so base may be the matter of good workes This point is to be remembred for it serueth to incourage euery man of what condition soeuer he be in the diligent performance of the duties of his calling as also to confute the doctrine of the Popish church which teacheth that onely almes deedes and building or maintaining of Churches and religious houses are the matter of good works Now to the manner or Forme of a good work there is required Faith For as without faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. 6. so whatsoeuer worke is vndertaken without faith cannot in any sort be acceptable vnto him What faith then is required in this case I answer First a general faith whereby we are perswaded that the thing to be done may lawfully be done and of this the Apostle speaketh when he saith whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly a particular or iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and maketh it fit to bring forth a good work for it giues a beginning to the worke and also couers the wants and defects thereof by apprehending and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits Againe a good worke for the māner thereof must be done in obedience For knowing that the thing to be done is commanded of God we must haue a minde and intention to obey God in the thing we doe according to his cōmandement If it be here demanded seeing workes must be done in obedience how and to what part of the word we must direct our obedience I answer to the Law But howe not considered in his rigour but as it is qualified mollified and tēpered by the gospell for according to the rigour of the Lawe which commandes perfect obedience no man can possibly doe a good worke Furthermore touching the maner it must be done to good and lawfull ends The Ends of a good worke are manifold First the honour and glory of God Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly the testification of our thankfulnes vnto God that hath redeemed vs by Christ. The third is to edifie our neighbour and to further him in the way to life euerlasting Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works glorifie your father which is in heauen The fourth is to exercise and increase our faith repentance both which be much strengthned and confirmed by the practise of good workes Fiftly that we may escape the punishment of sinne the destruction of the wicked and obtaine the reward of the righteoūs life euerlasting This was the end that Paul aymed at in the course of his calling to which purpose he saith From henceforth there is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day 2. Tim. 4. 8. Sixtly that we may be answerable to our calling in doeing the duties thereof and in walking as children of light redeemed by Christ Iesus When Dauid kept his fathers sheepe he behaued himselfe as a sheepheard but when he was annointed King ouer Israell God gaue him an heart resolution to carry himselfe as a King gouernour of his people Looke then as Dauid did so ought we euen by our workes to be answerable to our callings Seuenthly that we may pay the debt which we owe vnto God For we are debters to him in sundry regardes as we are his creatures as we are his seruants as we are his children In a word as we are redeemed by Christ and our whole debt is our dutie of praise and thanks giuing After the worke is done then comes the acceptation of it God accepts of our works diuers waies First in that he pardoneth the fault which comes from vs. Secondly in that he approoues his owne good worke in vs. Thirdly in that he doth giue vnto the doers of them a crowne of righteousnes and glorie according to his promise 2. Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. We then after we haue done the work must humble our selues and intreat the Lord to pardon the wants of our workes and say with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant with Daniel Lord vnto vs belongeth open shame confusiō but to thee righteousnes compassion and forgiuenes And the reason is plaine because in vs there is no goodnesse no holinesse no righteousnes nor any thing that may present vs acceptable in his sight for this cause Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not therby iustified Great reason then that we should hūble ourselues before God for our wants and pray vnto him that he will in mercie accept our indeauour and confirme the good worke begunne in vs by his holy spirit CHAP. VI. Of the second maine Question touching assurance of saluation II. Question How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation Before I come to the Question it selfe this conclusion is to be laid downe as a mayne Ground That Election vocatiō faith adoption iustificatiō sanctification eternal glorification are neuer separated in the saluation of any man but like inseparable companions go◠hand in hand so as he that can be assured of one of them may infallibly conclude in his owne heart that he hath and shall haue interest in all the other in his due time This is plaine by the words of S. Paul Rom. 8. 30. Whome he predestinate them also he called whome he called them also he iustified whome he iustified them also he glorified In which place the Apostle compares the causes of saluation to a chaine of many linkes whereof euery one is so coupled to the other that he which taketh hold of the highest must needes carrie all the rest with him Againe amongst these linkes Faith is one a principall grace of God whereby
in the historie though the doctrine it selfe be as ancient The Scripture contains a continued historie from age to age for the space of 4000 yeares before Christ euen from the beginning Humane histories that are of any certentie or continuance begin onely about the time of Ezra and Nehemiah As for those which were written before they are onely fragments and of no certentie The second propertie is Consent with it selfe in all parts both for the matter scope and ende The writings of men doe dissent from themselues by reason of ignorance forgetfulnes in the authors But the word of God agrees with it selfe most exactly and the places that seeme to disagree may easily be reconciled which shewes that holy men by whome it was penned were not guided therein by their owne priuate iudgement but were directed by the wisdome of the spirit of God Sect. 5. The fift reason is drawne from the Contraries The Deuill and wicked men are in iudgement and disposition as contrarie to scripture as light is to darkenes I prooue it thus Let a man read any booke of Philosophie and labour to be resolued of any one point therein he shall neuer be tempted to infidelitie But if the same man reade the bookes of Scripture and labour to vnderstand them he shall haue within himselfe many motions and temptations not to beleeue and obey it Now what should be the cause thereof but that these bookes are the word of God which the Deuill laboureth to oppugne with might and maine Againe consider the same in the practise of wicked men They will not brooke the rebuke of their sinnes namely their Idolatrie blasphemie and other notorious crimes by scripture but will seeke the blood and life of him that shall sharply taxe and reprooue them And hence it was that wicked Kings so persecuted the Lords Prophets Yea further let it be marked that these wicked men that are tainted with these horrible crimes and cannot abide the word nor teachers thereof to the death haue commonly fearefull endes Now the opposition of Satan and wicked men to the word shewes the scriptures to be a most holy word and indeede the very word of God Sect. 6. The sixt reason is taken from sundrie testimonies First of holy Martyrs in the Olde and New testament who haue giuen their liues for the maintenance of this word and sealed the same with their owne hearts blood yea suffered the most horrible and exquisite torments that the wit of man could deuise and that most patiently and willingly not beeing daunted or dismaied The stories of Martyrs in all ages confirme this truth especially of those that suffered before in and after the times of the tenne bloodie persecutions And. vnlesse they had beene supported by a dâ—â—ine power in so good a cause they could neuer so many of them haue suffered in such manner as they did The second is the testimonie and consent of Heathen men who haue recorded the very same things at lâ—ast many of the principall that are set downe in the Bible If this were not so man should haue some colourable excuse of his vnbeleefe And these things which they record were not all taken out of the Scripture but were registred to memorie by Historiographers that liued in the times when they were done Such are the stories of the Creation and Flood of the tower of Babel of the Arke of Abraham and his possessions of Circumcision of the miracles of Moses of the birth of Christ and the slaughter of the young children of the miracles of Christ of the death of Herod Agrippa and such like And these we take for true in humane stories much more then ought we to doe it in the word of God The third testimonie is of Miracles The â—octrine of scripture was confirmed by miracles wrought by the teachers thereof the Prophets and Apostles aboue all power strength of nature and such as the Deuill can not counterfeit as the staying of the sunne and the raising of the dead c. The fourth is the testimonie of the Holy Ghost which is the argument of all arguments to settle and resolue the Conscience and to seale vp the certaintie of the word of God If any shall aske how this testimony of the Holy Ghost may be obtained and beeing obtained how we may discerne it to be the testimony of the Holy Ghost and not of man I answer by doing two things First by resigning our selues to become truly obedient to the doctrine taught Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will doe my fathers will saith Christ he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God Secondly by praying vnto God for his Spirit to certifie our consciences that the doctrine reveiled is the doctrine of God Aske faith our Sauiour Christ it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened vnto you For he that asketh receâ—â—eth Mat. 7. 7 8. Againe Your heauenly father will giue the Holy Ghost to them that desire him Luc. 11. 13. And If any man lacke wisdome let him aske it of God who giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him Iam. 1. 7. Sect. 7. Now hauing set down the proofes of this point before I come to the next Question some speciall Obiections against this doctrine are to be answered and resolued For there haue not beene wanting in all ages both Atheists and others who haue professedly excepted against it and of set purpose haue vndertaken to call the written word of God into Question Such were Celsus Lucian Iulian Porpherie Apelles and others From whome some of latter times hauing receiued the poison of Atheisme and prophanesse haue not ceased as much as in them lyeth to oppugne sundry parts and portions of holy scripture Their principall reasons and exceptions I will propound and answere one by one And first they except against that which is written Gen. 1. 16. where it is said God made the sunne the fourth day Now say they the sunne is the cause of the day and therefore there could not be three daies before the sunne was created considering that the effect is not before the cause but the cause before the effect I answere First we must put a difference betweene cause and cause For of causes some be the highest some subordinate vnto them The highest and first cause of all creatures is God himselfe from whom all things at the first immediately flowed without any relation to their causes in nature And thus were the first second and third daies created and appointed immediately from God and distinguished from the night by an intercourse of light ordained by him for that purpose But the subordinate and inferior cause of the day in order of nature was the sunne and that by the same appointment of God and this cause was not set in nature as the cause of the day before the fourth day of creation for then it pleased him
preferment and such like Now touching things spirituall that are moore necessary to saluation we are to pray for them absolutely without any exception or condition But for things lesse necessary to saluation and for temporall blessings we must aske them at gods hand with this condition if it be his will and pleasure and so farre forth as he in his wisdome shall iudge to be most expedient for vs. Herein we must follow the example of Christ who in his agonie prayed to his father to take that cuppe from him yet with this condition Not my will but thy will be done The reason is this Looke how far sorth God commands vs to aske and promiseth that we shall receiue so far forth are we warranted to aske and may hope to receiue Now God commands vs to aske and promiseth vs the first sort of spirituall things freely and simply without any condition or exception But the other sort of spirituall things that are lesse necessary and temporall blessings he promiseth vs with condition and therefore in like sort ought we to aske them The second Rule is We must not in our prayer bind God to any circumstances of time place or measure of that grace or benefit which we aske V. Our praiers being thus framed as hath beene said are to be presented and offered to God alone and to none but him For first none els can heare all men in all places at all times and helpe all men in all places and at all times but onely he Againe the spirit of God makes vs to pray and in prayer to call him Abba father Furthermore all praier must be grounded vpon the word wherein we haue not the least warrant either expressely setdowne or by consequent implyed to preferre our sutes and requests to any of the creatures VI. Praier is to be presented to God in the name merit and mediation of Christ alone For we our selues are not worthie of any thing but shame and confusion Therefore we cannot pray in our owne names but must pray onely in the name of Christ. Our praiers are our sacrifices and Christ alone is that Altar whereon we must offer them to God the father For this Altar must sanctific them before they can be a sacrifice of a sweete smeiling sauour vnto God Hence it is that not onely our petitions but all other things as Paul wisheth are to be done in the name of the Lord Iesus Coloss. 3. 17. And Christ himselfe saith Whatsoeuer you aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Ioh. 16. 23. VII There must be in praier Instancie and Perseuerance The heart must be instant not onely in the act of praier but afterwards till the thing asked be granted This Instancie is commended vnto vs in the parable of the widdow and the vnrighteous iudge Luk. 18. 1. Hereunto the Prophet exhorteth when he saith keepe not silence and giue the Lord no rest c. Esa. 62. 7. And S. Paul in like manner wisheth the Romanes to striue with him by praiers to God for him Rom. 15. 30. VIII Euery true praier must haue in it some thanksgiuing vnto God for his benefits In all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in praier and supplication with giuing of thanks Phil. 4. 6. Christ himself gaue directiō touching this in that forme of prayer which he taught his Disciples For thine is the kingdome power and glorie Sect. 3. The third sort of conditions are those which are required after prayer and they are specially two The first is a particular faith whereby he that praieth must be assured that his particular request shall be granted Mark 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye pray BELEEVE that ye shall haue it and it shall be done vnto you And that he may haue this particular faith he must first haue that whence it ariseth namly true iustifying faith standing in a perswasion of his reconciliation with God The second is that a man must doe and practise that which he praies for and he is not onely to pray for blessings but also to vse all lawfull meanes that he can whereby the blessings he asketh may be obtained For example As thou praiest for the pardon of thy sinns so thou must leaue thy sinns and vse all good meanes whereby the same may be mortified and crucified And the like is to be done in all other things which we aske of God Thus we haue the first Question of conscience resolued touching Praier that then the praier is acceptable to God when he that prayeth obserueth as much as in him lyeth all these conditions before in and after praier II. Question Whether may a man lawfully make Imprecations that is to say pray against his enemies and how farre forth is it lawfull Sect. 1. For answer to this we must marke and obserue sundry distinctions and differences First we must distinguish betweene the cause and the person that defends and maintaines the cause The euill cause which an euil man defendeth is to be condemned of vs wee may alwaies and that lawfully pray against it but we may not in like sort condemne and pray against his person Secondly we must distinguish of the persons of our enemies Some be priuate enemies some publicke Priuate I call those which be enemies of some particular men and are against them in regard of this or that cause or matter and yet are not enemies of God or of his truth Publike are those which are not only our enemies but the enemies of God of his kingdome of his trueth and relion Now we may not pray against priuate enemies we may as before pray against their euill cause but not against their persons Math. 5. 44. Blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you And we are commanded to loue our enemies as our selues Againe publicke enemies of God and his truth are also of two sorts either Curable or Incurable Curable are such as offend of ignorance or some other humane frailty so as there is some hope of their conuersion and repentance We must not pray against the persons of these but onely against their dealings and badde causes and pray for their persons and for their conuersiō Thus Christ praied for those that crucified him Father forgiue them and Stephē Act. 7. for them that stoned him Vncureable are those that sinne obstinately and of malice so as there is no hope of their amendment and conuersion And further for the better answering of this Question we must marke another distinction There are two sorts of men that are to make praier vnto God Some that haue extraordinary gifts as the Prophets and Apostles Now he that is an extraordinarie man hath and must haue these two gifts namely first a spirit of Discerning to discerne and iudge whether the person against whome he praies be incureable or no and secondly a pure Zeale of Gods honour and glory The
Of this Saint Paul speaks to the Corinths Iudge ye what I say 1. Cor. 10. 15. The second is the iudgement of the Prophet or minister And this is a surer kind of iudgement then the former proceeding from a greater measure of Gods grace The third is the iudgement of the Holy Ghost in scripture and this is soueraigne and absolute For the Holy Ghost iudgeth all and is iudged of none These three kinds of iudgment are set in this order The first depends vpon the second the second vpon the third and the third is absolute and iudged of none Vpon this caueat two things doe follow First that a priuate hearer though he may iudge of doctrine deliuered yet he may not censure the Teacher or his ministrie Ministers are to be iudged but their spirit is not subiect to euery priuate man but to the prophets For the spirit of the prophet that is the doctrine which the prophets bring beeing inspired by the Holy Ghost is subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 32. Secondly a priuate man is not to publish or broach any point of doctrine but that which is plainly propounded in the word and taught by the ministers thereof This is a necessarie rule and the want of obseruation thereof is the cause of many scismes and haeresies in the Church The Lord commands the people Mal. 2. 7. to require the law at the mouth of the priest in all maine points of faith and manners The second Rule to be obserued in hearing Euery hearer must haue care that the word of God be rooted and grounded in his heart like good feede in good ground which Saint Iames expresseth Iam. 1. 21. Receiue with meekenes the ingrafted word Here generally it is to be remembred that not onely ignorant people but euen the most learned ought to be hearers of the word preached For the preaching thereof serues not onely for the increasing of knowledge but also for the reformation of the affection which may be inordinate where knowledge doth abound Now for the rooting of the word of God in our hearts sundry things are required First a true right vnderstanding therof Secondly it must be mingled with faith Heb. 4. 1. For the word is as wine or water of life our faith is the sugar that sweetneth it and giues it a pleasant relish The word therfore must be tempered and mixed with our saith that it may become profitable vnto vs. Now in this mixture there is required a double faith the first generall whereby we beleeue the doctrine deliuered to be true so as we neuer call the same into question Our Gospell to you saith Paul was in much assurance 1. Thess. 1. 5. The second special whereby we apply the word preached vnto our selues for the humbling and comforting of our hearts Thirdly we must labour to be affected with the word Thus Iosiah his heart is said to melt at the reading of the law 2. Chro. 34. 27. And the people reioyced greatly because they vnderstood the word which the Leuites had taught them Neh. 8. 12. The hearts of the two disciples that went to Emmaus burned within them when Christ opened vnto them the scriptures Luc. 24. 32. And the Iewes at Peters sermon were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 2. 37. Fourthly the word of God must dwell plenteously in vs Coll. 3. 16. This is doth when it rules and beares the greatest sway in the heart and is not ouerruled by any corrupt affection III. The duties to be performed after hearing are these First the doctrine deliuered must be treasured vp in the heart and practised in life Psal. 119. 11. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Secondly a man must meditate on the word which he hath heard with lifting vp of his heart vnto God The beasts that were clouen footed and chewed the cudde were fittest both for meate vnto man and for sacrifice to God Levit. 11. It was the olde and auncient opinion of the Church that this chewing the cudde signified holy meditations And he that heares the word must doe as the beast doth fetch vp the meate out of his bellie againe and chewe it ouer a new The man that doth so is the fittest for the Lords vse Thirdly he must haue experience of the word of God in himselfe Psal. 34. 8. Tast and see how gracious the Lord is Fourthly he is to examine himselfe after he hath heard the word Thus Dauid saith of himselfe Psal. 119. 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies Fiftly he must be obedient vnto it and testifie his obediēce though not at all times yet whensoeuer occasion is offered Iam. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues II. Question touching hearers is How are they to be comforted who after long hearing of the word either profit very litle or not at all For resolution of this Question the Causes of not profiting are distinctly to be considered And they are of two sorts The first sort of Causes are the sinnes of the hearers And that sinnes are the causes of not profiting it will appeare by this signe if the memorie vnderstanding and other parts of the minde in common matters be strong and pregnant but dull and weake in apprehending and retaining the doctrine taught Now these sinnes are principally two First Hardnes of heart when a man is not inwardly mooued and affected with the word preached but remaines in the same state he was before This is set forth by the hard ground that is by the high way side and by the stonie ground Math. 13. 4 5. And such is the heart that is not mooued nor affected either with ioy sorrow feare or consolation The hardnes of heart ariseth from a custome in sinning and from that the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 13. Secondly worldly Cares that is a heart possessed with desire of profits pleasures honours preferments and such like which be as thornes that choake the seede of the word and suffer it not to grow and fructifie yea that fill the heart full of wandering imaginations which steale away the mind from attending to the word preached Those that are thus hindred from profiting are rather to be reprooued then comforted for that the cause of their non-proficiencie is in from themselues They are therefore to vse all good meanes for the remooueall of their sinnes that of hard hearted and carnall they may become good and profitable hearers of the word The meanes are these First they must labour to be touched in heart with sense and feeling of their spirituall pouertie and want of Gods fauour and mercie in the pardon of their sinnes The reason is giuen of Dauid Psal. 25. 9. The Lord teacheth the humble his waies And by Marie in her song Luk. 1. 35. He hath filled the hungrie with good things and the rich he hath sent