endes and hath power to bring them thereunto and who is this but God II. The second sort of arguments drawn from the light of nature are taken from the preseruation and gouernment of the world created and these are touched by the Holy Ghost when he saith that God left not himself without witnesse in that in his prouidence he did good and gaue raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with ioy and gladnesse The particulars drawne from the gouernment of the world are these First our food whereby we are nourished is in it selfe a dead foode void of life and yet it serues to maintain and preserue life wheras in reason it is more fit to choke and stuffe our bodies then to feede them Secondly our garments which we weare are in themselues cold and voide of heate and yet they haue this vse to preserue heate and to sustaine life in the extremitie of cold Therefore there must needes be an omnipotent and diuine power that giues vnto them both such a vertue to feed and preserue the life and health of man Thirdly the raine falling and the sunne shining vpon one the same plot of grouÌ„d causeth it to bring forth in his season a hundred seuerall kindes of hearbes and plants wherof euery one hath a seuerall and distinct â—â—ower colour forme and sauour whence comes this Not from the raine for it hath no life in it selfe and besides it is in it selfe all one nor from the sunne or the earth for these also in their kind are all one hauing in them no such power wherby they should be the authors of life therefore the differences of plants in one ground may convince our iudgements and teach vs thus much that there is a diuine and heauenly power aboue and beside the power of these creatures Fourthly take an example of the bird and the egge The bird brings forth the egge the egge againe brings forth the bird This egge considered in it selfe hath in it neither life nor soule and the bird can giue it neither for all that the bird can doe is to giue it heat and no more Within the shell of this egge is made a goodly creature which wheÌ„ it comes to some perfection it breakes the shell In the shell broken we shall see the nibbe the wing the legge and all the parts and members of a bird Now let this be considered that the egge brought not forth this goodly creature nor yet the henne For the egge had no such power or vertue in it selfe and the hen gaue but her heat neither did man doe it for that which was done was within the egge and within the shell It therfore was some other wonderfull power and wisedome that made it and brought it forth that surpasseth the power of a creature Again consider the generation of the silk-worme one of the least of the creatures and from it we haue a notable demonstration of a divine providence This little worme at the first is but a small seede like vnto linseed The same small seed breeds it and brings it forth The worme brought forth and growing to some bignesse at length weaues the silke hauing woven the silke it winds it selfe within it as it were in a shell there hauing lodged for a time it conceiues a creature of another forme which being within a short space pâ—rfited breakes the shell and comes forth a flie The same flie like a dutifull creature brings forth the seed againe and so continues the kind thereof from yeare to yeare Here let it be remembred that the flie hauing once brought forth the seede leaues it and dies immediately and yet the seede it selfe though exposed to wind and weather and vtterly neglected of man or any creature at a certaine time within few moneths becomes a worm WheÌ„ce should al this proceede but from a creator infinitely powerfull and wise who by his admirable power and prouidence dispenseth life beeing and propagation euen to the least things in their particular sorts and kinds III. The third sort of Arguments from thâ— light of nature are taken from the soule of man This soule is endued with excellent gifts of vnderstanding and reason The vnderstanding hath in it from the beginning certaine principles whereby it knowes and discernes good and bad things to be done and things to be left vndone Now man cannot haue this gift to discerne between good and euill of or from himselfe but it must needes proceede from another cause which is power wisedome and vnderstanding it selfe and that is God Againe the conscience another gift of the soule of man hath in it two principall actions testimony and iudgement by both which the trueth in hand is evidently confirmed Touching the testimonie of conscience let it be demaunded of the Atheist whereof doth conscience beare witnesse he cannot denie but of all his particular actions I aske then against whome or with whome doth it giue testimony the aÌ„swer wil easily be made by the heart of any man that it is with or against himselfe Furthermore to whome is it a witnes Neither to men nor to angels for it is vnpossible that any man or angel should either heare the voice of coÌ„scieÌ„ce or receiue the testimonie thereof or yet discerne what is in the heart of man Hereupon it followes that there is a substance most wise most powerfull most holy that sees and knowes all things to whome conscience beares record and that is God himselfe And touching the iudgement of conscience let a man commit any trespasse or offence though it be done in secret and concealed from the knowledge of any person liuing yet Conscience that knoweth it will accuse him terrifie him cite him before God and giue him no rest What or where is the reason man knowes not the trespasse committed and if there be no God whome shall he feare and yet he feares This also necessarily prooueth that there is a iust and mightie God that will take vengeance vpon him for his sinne IV. The fourth argument from nature is this There is a ground or principle written in euery mans heart in the world none excepted that there is a God Reasons for proofe hereof may be these First the Gentiles worshipping Idoles made of stocks and stones doe acknowledge herein thus much that there is something whereunto honour and seruice is due For man by nature is proud and will neuer yeeld to bow the knee of his bodie before a stocke or a stone to adore it vnlesse he thinke and acknowledge that there is in them a diuine power better then himselfe Secondly the oath that is taken for Confirmation commonly tearmed the assertorie oath is vsed in all countries And it is for the most part generally taken to be a lawfull meanes of confirming a mans word when it is bound by the oath taken Iacob and Laban beeing to make a couenant Iacob sweares by the true God Laban by his false gods and by that both were bound to
thing before named that is conformitie or correspondencie to the will of God in regard of obedience But some may say the want of conformitie in the powers of the soule is not sinne properly because in sinne there must bee not onely an absence of goodnesse but be some twentie or thirtie yeares yet the partie offending doth not therefore cease to be a sinner Now then I demaund what is the very thing for which he is named and tearmed still a sinner in the time present the offence beeing past The answer is that euery actuall sinne beside the three former must be considered with a fourth thing to wit a certaine staine or blotte which it imprints and leaues in the offender as a fruit and that is an inclination or euill disposition of the heart wherby it becomes more apt prone to the offence done or to any other sinne For looke as the dropsie man the more he drinks the drier he is and the more he still desires to drinke euen so a sinner the more he sinnes the apter is he to sinne and more desirous to keepe still a course in wickednes And as a man that lookes vpon the Sunne if he turne his face away remains turned vntill he turne himselfe againe so he that turnes from God by any sinne makes himselfe a sinner and so remaines vntill he turne himselfe againe by repentance Thus Dauid was a sinner not onely in the very act of his adulterie murâ—… ther but euen when the act was doneâ—… past he remained still a murtherer and 〈◊〉 dulterer because a new or rather a reâ—… pronenesse to these and all othâ—… tooke place in his heart by his falâ—… strength till he turned to God byâ—… vpon the admonition of the Proâ—… thing then whereby a sinner is tearmed a sinner is the Fault together with the fruit thereof namely the Blot imprinted in the soule so oft as men doe actually offend The Vse of this doctrine touching sinne is twofold First by it we learne and see what is Originall sinne wherby an Infant in the first conception and birth is indeed a sinner Euery Infant must be considered as a part of Adam proceeding of him and partaking of his nature and therby it is made a sinner not onely by imputation of Adams offence but also by propagation of an aptâ—esse and pronenes vnto euery euill receiued together with nature from Adam And thus ought we to conceiue Originall sinne not to be the corruption of nature alone but Adams first offence imputed with the fruit thereof the corruption of nature which is an inclination vnto euery euill deriued together with nature from our first parents Secondly by this we are taught to take heed of all and euery sinne whether it be in thought word or deed because the committing therof though in respect of the act it passeth aâ—… in the doing yet it breedeth and inâ—…seth a wicked disposition in the heart â—…h beene said to the offence done or aâ—… sinne Men deceiue themselues that â—…the euill of sinne to be only in the â—…ng to goe no further wheras inâ—… offence hath a certen blot going with it that corrupteth the heart and causeth man to delight and lie in his offence which lying in sinne is a greater cause of damnatioÌ„ then the very sin it selfe This therfore must admonish vs to take heed least we continue in any sinne and if it fall out that through infirmitie we be ouertaken by any tentation we must labour to rise again and turne from our sinne to God by new and speedy repentance Sect. 3. Thus much of Sinne it selfe Now follow the Differences thereof which are manifold The first sort are to be gathered from the causes and beginnings of sinne in man which are threefold Reason will and Affection The differeÌ„ces of sinne in respect of Reason are these First some are sinnes of knowledge some of ignorance A sinne of Knowledge is when a man offends against his knowledge doing euill when he knoweth it to be euill and this is greater then a sinne of ignorance for he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes A sinne of Ignorance is when a man doth euill not knowing it to be euill Thus Paul was a blasphemer an oppressour and persecuted the Church of Christ ignorantly and in a blinde zeale not knowing that which hee did to be euill Nowe by ignorance here I meane an ignorance of those things which ought to be knowne and this is twofold simple or affected Simple ignorance is when a man after diligence and good paines taking still remaines ignorant this ignorance will not excuse any man if it be of such things as he is bound to know for it is said He that doth not his masters will by reason he knew it not shall be beaten with stripes though fewer And in this regard euen the Heathen which knew not God are inexcusable because they were bound to haue known him For Adam had the perfect knowledge of God imprinted in his nature and lost the same through his owne default for himselfe and his posteritie And it is the commandement of God whereunto euery man is bouÌ„d to performe obedience that man should know him that is his will and word But some may say then how can any man be saued seeing euery man is ignoraÌ„t of many things which he ought to know An. If we know the grouÌ„ds of religion be careful to obey God according to our knowledge hauing withall a care and desire to increase in the knowledge of God and his will God will hold vs excused for our desire and indeauour to obey is accepted for obedience it selfe And the greater this simple ignoraÌ„ce is the lesser is the sinne For hereupon it was that Peter lessened and in some sort excused the sinne of the Iewes in crucifying Christ because they did it through ignorance and so doth Paul his sinne in persecuting the Church when he alleadgeth that it was done ignorantly in vnbeleefe But howsoeuer this sinne by such meanes may be lessened yet remaines it still a sinne worthie condemnation Affected ignorance is when a man takes delight in his ignorance and will of purpose be ignorant not vsing but contemning the meanes wherby to get and increase knowledge and that carelessely and negligently because he will not leaue sinne which he loueth nor forsake the euill trade of life wherin he delighteth This is the sinne of those whereof Iob speaketh who say vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies And of whome Dauid complaineth that they flatter themselues in their owne eyes and haue left off to vnderstand and to doe good This ignorance is damnable and deuilish it excuseth no man but doth rather aggrauate and increase his sinne yea it is the mother of many grieuous enormities Againe Ignorance is twofold of the Law or of the thing the Law requireth Ignorance of the Law is
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
which is the cause of this violent distresse And here we are to know by the way that it is an vsuall thing with the parties thus distressed to dissemble and cloake their sinnes and therefore they will alleadge that their trouble ariseth from some euill thoughts from wicked affections and from the corruption of nature whereas commonly men are not distressed in violent manner for euill thoughts affections c. but the violent distresse commeth from soâ—…e actuall and odious sinne or sinnes done which wound the conscience and are the causes of great distraction of minde and they are many which hauing bin vpon occasion before rehearsed I will not now repeat them Onely this must be remembred that the greater sinns against the third sixt and seuenth commandements are the maine and proper causes of violent distresses and the more secret the sinne is in regard of the practise thereof the greater horror of Conscience it bringeth and open offences doe not giue so deepe a wound vnto it as secret and hidden sinnes SecoÌ„dly the particular sinne being known Inquirie must be made as much as possibly may be by signes whether the partie distressed repenteth yea or no. For except he hath repented he cannot be fitted to receiue comfort vnlesse he be first fitted to receiue coÌ„fort he cannot be releeued in Conscience Now if it be found that the partie hath repented then care must be had in the next place that his repentance may be renued for the particular sinne committed Thirdly hauing thus done the comfort must be ministred for the moderating or taking away of the distresse And here remember by the way that the comforts ministred vsually and ordinarily must not goe alone but be mingled and tempered with some terrors of the Law that beeing thereby feared with the consideration of sinne and of the wrath of God due vnto the same the comfort may appeare to be the sweeter The ministring whereof in case of this distresse would not be direct and present but by certaine steppes and degrees except onely in the point of death for then a directer course must be vsed These degrees are two First the partie is to be informed of a possibilitie of pardon that is that his sinnes are pardonable and though in themselues they be great and hainous yet by the mercie of God in Christ they may be remitted Now put the case that the afflicted apprehendeth onely the odiousnesse of his sinnes and the wrath of God due to the same and in this fitte puts off the pardon from himselfe and cannot be perswaded that his sinne may be forgiuen what then is to be done Ans. Then for the effecting of this first degree certaine Grounds are to be laid downe whereupon assurance in that case may be built vp in his heart The first Ground of possibilitie of pardon is That the mercie of God is infinite yea ouer all his works Psal. â—45 9. That the death of Christ is of infinite price merit and value before God That God is much in sparing Isa. 55. 7. That with the Lord is mercie and with him is plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7. That Christs satisfaction is not onely a price but a counterprice 1. Tim. 2. 6. able to satisfie for the sinnes of all men yea for them that haue sinned against the holy Ghost For that sinne is not therefore vnpardonable because the offence thereof is greater then the merit of Christ but because thâ— partie offending neither doth nor can applie the merit of Christ vnto himselfe An ancient father vpon Cains wordes My punishment is greater then I can beare saith Thou liest Cain for Gods mercie is greater then the sinnes of all men The mercie of God was very great to Manasses to Salomon to Peter and to many others though they were great offenders The second Ground Men of yeares liuing in the Church of God and knowing the doctrine of saluation shall not be condemned simply for their sinnes but for lying in their sinnes Vpon this ground I say that men distressed must be grieued not so much for committing of sinne as for lying and continuing in sinnes committed A third Ground It pleaseth God many times to leaue men to themselues and to suffer them to commit some sinne that woundeth conscience It is true and cannot be denied But we must withall remember that sinnes committed doe not vtterly take away grace but rather make it the more to shine and shew it selfe For God in mercie turneth all things euen sinne it selfe to the good of them that be his and therefore sinne committed cannot either waste or extinguish grace receiued but by diuine dispensation serueth to amplifie and inlarge the same so as where sinne aboundeth there grace aboundeth much more Rom. 5. 20. And the Lord saide to Paul beeing in great extremitie 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weakenes Hence it appeareth that the grace of God is not vtterly lost but appeareth liuely in the time of distresse The fourth Ground is this The promises of God touching remission of sinnes and life eternall in respect of beleeuers are generall and in regard of all and euery man indefinite that is they doe not define or exclude any person or any sinner or any time onely they admit one exception of finall impenitencie Here a question may be mooued How long he that ministreth comfort must stand vpon the possibilitie of pardon I answer vntill he hath brought the partie distressed to some measure of true repentance and this beeing done then he is to proceede to the second degree of comfort The Second degree of comfort is to teach that the sinne or sinnes of the partie distressed are indeede pardoned But it may be asked vpon what signes may this comfort be applyed I answer vpon these two First if the partie distressed confesse that he or shee is heartily grieued that by their sinne or sinnes they haue offended so louing and so mercifull a God Secondly if they professe that they desire with all their heart to be reconciled vnto God in Christ and at least doe desire to repent for their sinnes and withall doe carrie in heart a purpose to sinne no more but in all things as much as in them lieth to performe new obedience vnto god Luc. 15. 11. c. Now for the better enforcing of this comfort some textes of Scripture fitting this purpose must be rehearsed aâ— for example Matth. 9. 12 13. I came not to call the righteous that is to say those that iudge themselues righteous but sinners that is those which are grieued because in their owne conscience they are vile and hainous offenders to repentance Againe Matth 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauie laden and I will refresh you And Christ saith it was the end of his coÌ„ming to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set at libertie them that are bruised Luk. 4. 18. To
imitate God in all things therefore besides them consider further the examples of some of the seruants of God Moses when the people murmured at him did not answer them againe by murmuring but cried vnto the Lord what shall I doe to this people for they be almost readie to stone me Exod. 17. 4. And Steuen when he was stoned praied for his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Act. 7. 60. IV. Meditation is concerning the goodnes of God towards vs an argument whereof is this that he doth euery day forgiue vs farre more offences then it is possible for vs to forgiue men V. Meditation All reuenge is Gods right and he hath not giuen it vnto man Rom. 12. 19. Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. And man by reuenging his own quarell makes himselfe both the iudge the witnesse the accuser and the executioner VI. Meditation is touching Christs death He suffered for vs the first death and the sorrowes of the second death much more then ought we at his commandement to put vp small wrongs and iniuries without reuenge His commandement is Resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Matth. 5. 39. Againe Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ died Rom. 14. 15. The Meditations concerning our neighbour are two The first is the condition of him with whome we are angrie namely that he is a brother Let there be no strife betweene me and thee for we are brethren Gen. 13. 8. Againe he is created in the Image of God we must not therefore seeke to hurt or destroy that Image The second is concerning that Equitie which we looke for at the hands of all men If we wrong any man we desire that he would forgiue vs and therefore we must forgiue him the iniurie that he doth vnto vs without vniust anger This is the very Law of nature Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe you vnto them Matth. 7. 12. Meditations concerning our selues are sixe First he that conceiueth rush anger makes himselfe subiect to the wrath of God if he cherish the same without relenting Matth. 6. 15. If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And Matth. 7. 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged Yea when we pray to God to forgiue vs and doe not resolue to forgiue our brethren we doe in effect say Lord condemne vs for we will be condemned Secondly we are commanded to loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs Eph. 5. 2. It is the propertie of loue to suffer and to beare and not to be prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And it is a marke whereby Gods children are discerned from the children of the Deuill that they loue their brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Thirdly we are ignorant of mens mindes in speaking and doing we know not the manner and circumstances of their actions And experience teacheth that much anger comes vpon mistaking and misconstruing them Whereas contrariwise if they were throughly knowne we would not be so much incensed against men as commonly we are Fourthly in rash anger we can doe no part of Gods worshippe that is pleasing to him We cannot pray for he that praies must lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 8. We cannot be good hearers of the word for S. Iames wisheth vs to be swift to heare and slow to wrath because the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God Iam. 1. 20 21. Fiftly we must consider what are the fruits and consequents of vniust anger For first it greatly annoies the health It annoies the braine and pulses it causes the gall to flow into the stomacke and the bowells it killeth and poisoneth the spirits and it is the next way to procure distemper of the whole bodie and consequently losse of health Secondly it makes a man captiue to the Deuill Eph. 4. 27. which we see to be true in Sauls example who beeing a man full of wrath and giuing place to his owne rage and furie an euill spirit entred into him by the iust iudgement of God Sixtly we must consider the Causes of vniust anger It is commonly thought that Anger is nothing but the flowing of choler in the gall and in the stomacke But the truth is anger is more then choler For it riseth first of a debilitie of reason and iudgement in the minde secondly from euill affections as from enuie and selfe-loue thirdly from the constitution of the bodie that is hote and drie Againe we read in histories that men hauing no gall haue notwithstanding beene full of anger and choler indeede is a furtherance but no cause of anger Sect. 2. The Remedies of vniust anger that stand in Practise are especially fiue The first is in the time of anger to conceale the same both in word and deede The indignation of a foole saith Salomon Prou. 12. 16. will be knowne the same day but the wise man couereth his shame that is he restraines his anger which if it should presently break forth wold be a reproch vnto him Answerable to this notable speech of Salomon was the wise counsell of Ambrose to Theodosius that after senteÌ„ce giuen he should take 30 daies respite before execution And not vnlike hath been the practise of the very Heathen in their time Socrates said I had beaten thee but that I was angrie Aâ—â—enodoruâ— gaue Augustus this rule that when he was angrie he should first say ouer the whole Alphabet before he put in execution his anger Secondly we must depart from them with whoÌ„ we are angry For this affectioÌ„ is as a fire take the matter away from fire and it will cease to burne so let a man depart and employ himselfe for the time some other way and he shall soone cease to be angrie Thus did Ionathan depart out of his fathers presence 1. Sam. 20. 34. Abraham in his anger withdrew himselfe from Lot Gen. 13. Iacob in wrath departed from Esan Gen. 27. 43 44. Thirdly we must auoide the occasions thereof as contentions and contentious persons Doe nothing through contention Phil. 2. 3. Make no friendship with an angrie man neither goe with a furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Prou. 22. 26. We must for this purpose be carefull to auoid all meanes that may serue to further the heate of the temperature of such a bodie as is apt and disposed to this vnruly passion Fourthly we are to consider that we sinne against God not once or twise but often yea euery day and therefore the course of our anger must be turned against our own selues for our sinnes For this is one propertie of true repeÌ„tance to work in vs a reuenge vpon our selues in regard of our sinnes committed against God and our brethren 2. Corinth 7. 11. Fiftly we must accustome our selues to the daily exercises
Goodnesse in things and actions The third touching the degrees of Sinne. The fourth and last concerning the Subiection and Power of conscience Of these in order Sect. 1. The first Ground is That in the troubles of conscience it is meete and conuenient there should alwaies be vsed a priuate Confession For Iames saith Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another thereby signifying that Confession in this case is to be vsed as a thing most requisite For in all reason the Physitian must first know the disease before he can applie the remedie and the griefe of the heart will not be discerned vnlesse it be manifested by the confession of the partie diseased and for this cause also in the griefe of conscience the scruple that is the thing that troubleth the conscience must be knowne Neaerthelesse in priuate confession these caueats must be obserued First it must not be vrged as a thing simply or absolutely necessarie without which there can be no saluatioÌ„ Againe it is not fit that confession should be of all sinnes but onely of the scruple it selfe that is of that or those sinnes alone which do trouble and molest the conscience Thirdly though confession may be made to any kind of mâ—n Confesse one to another saith Iames yet is it especially to be made to the Prophets and Ministers of the Gospell For they in likelyhood of all other men in respect of their places and gifts are the fittest and best able to instruct correct coÌ„fort enâ—orme the weake wounded coÌ„science Lastly the person to whome it is made must be a man of trust fidelity able willing to keepe secret things that are reueiled yea to burie theÌ„ as it were in the graue of obliuion for Loue couereth a multitudeof sinnes Sect. 2. The next Ground is touching the degrees of Goodnes in humane things and actions Goodnesse in things is twofold vncreated and created Vncreated is God himselfe who neuer had beginning and who is Goodnesse it-selfe because his nature is absolutely and perfectly good and because he is the author and worker thereof in all things created Created goodnes is that whereby the creature is made good and it is nothing els but the fruit of that goodnesse that is essentially in God Now the degrees thereof are these There is a generall or naturall Goodnesse in creatures a more speciall or morall Goodnesse Generall Goodnesse is that whereby all creatures are accepted and approoued of God by whome they were both created ordained Thus euery creature is good partly by creation and partly by ordination By creation it is that the substance of each creature as of the Sunne the Moone the Earth Water Meate Drink c. is good hauing the beeing thereof from God Hence also the essentiall properties quantities qualities motions actions and inclinations of the creatures in themselues considered with all their euents are good By the same generall goodnesse also euen the Deuill himselfe and his actions as he is a substance and as they are actions hauing their beeing from God are good Things againe doe take vnto them the condition of Goodnesse not onely by creation but also by Gods ordination whereby they are directed and appointed to some certen vses endes Thus the euill Conscience Hel Deathare good because they are ordained of God for the execution of his iustice howsoeuer in themselues to vs they be euill Besides this generall and naturall goodnesse there is also a speciall or morall goodnes properly so called and it is that which is agreeable to the eternall and vnchangeable wisdome of God reuealed in the Morall Law wherin it is commanded and things as they are therein commanded to be done by God are good morally Now of actions morally good there be two degrees for they are either good in themselues alone or good both in themselues and in the doer In themselues alone some things be morally good for example when a wicked man giues an almes it is a good worke onely in it selfe but not good in the doer because it is not done in faith and from a good conscience and so are all the vertues of the Heathen morally good in themselues but they are not good in heathen men for in them they are but beautifull sinnes The next degree of goodnesse is whereby things and actions are both good in themselues and in the doer also Of this sort were the praiers and almes of Cornelius good in themselues and in him also because he was a beleeuer Now opposite to things and actions morally good or euill are actions and things of a middle nature commonly tearmed Indifferent which in themselues being neither good nor euill may be done or not done without sinne In themselues I say for in their circumstances they are and may be made either euill or good And here we must remember to put a difference betweene conueniencie and inconuenience which ariseth from the nature of indifferent things Conueniencie is when a thing or action is so fitted to the circumstances and the circumstances fitted to it that thereby it becomes a thing Conuenient On the other side Inconuenience is when the thing or action is done in vnmeete circumstances which bring some hurt or losse to the outward man or stand not with decencie and therefore doe make it to be Inconuenient And by this that hath been said we may discerne when an action is good euill indifferent conuenient or inconuenient CHAP. II. Of the nature and differences of Sinne. THe third Ground is touching the degrees or differences of Sinne. And here we must first of all search what is Sinne properly and what is properly a Sinner Sect. 1. Sinne in his proper nature as Saint Iohn saith is an anomie that is a want of conformitie to the lawe of God For the better vnderstanding whereof we must know that there were in Adam before his fall three things not to be seuered one from the other the Substance of his bodie and soule the Faculties and Powers of his bodie and soule and the Image of God consisting in a straightnes and conformitie of all the affections and powers of man to Gods will Now when Adam falls and sinnes against God what is his sinne Not the want of the two former for they both remained but the very want and absence of the third thing namely of conformitie to Gods will I make it plaine by this resemblance In a musicall instrument there is to be considered not only the instrument it selfe and the sound of the instrumeÌ„t but also the harmony in the sound Nowe the contrarie to harmonie or the disorder in musicke is none of the two former but the third namely the discord which is the want or absence of harmonie which we call disharmonie In the same manner the sinne of Adam is not the absence either of the substance or of the faculties of the soule and the bodie but the want of the third
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
most grieuous temptation that can be it causeth the greatest deepest distresse of conscience The second is the Triall of the Crosse that is of outward affliction whereby God maketh proofe of the faith of his children and not onely that but of their hope patience and affiance in his mercie for their deliuerance Temptations of seducement be such as wherin men are entised to fall from God and Christ to any kinde of euill And these are of three kinds The first is immediatly from the Deuill and it is called the temptation of Blasphemies or the Blasphemous temptation The second is from a mans owne sinnes originall and actuall and this also hath sundrie branches as we shal see afterward The third proceedes from Imagination corrupted and depraued Now answerable to these seuerall kinds of Temptations are the seuerall kinds of Distresses And as all temptations may be reduced to those fiue which haue beene before named so may all distresses be reduced to fiue heads arising of the former temptations Sect. 2. Before I come to handle them in particular we are to consider in the first place what is the best and most sure Generall Remedie which may serue for all these or any other kind of temptation that is incident to man and by this the curing of any particular distresse will be more easie and plaine This generall Remedie is the Applying of the promise of life euerlasting in and by the blood of Christ. For no physicke no arte or skill of man can cure a wounded and distressed conscience but only the blood of Christ. And that this is the soueraigne remedie of all other no man doubteth The maine difficultie is touching the manner of proceeding in the application of the promise Herein therefore three things must be performed First of all the partie must disclose the cause of the particular distresse that the remedie may the better be applied For the truth is that the very opening of the cause is a great ease to the minde before any remedie be applied Yet by the way this care must be had that the thing to be reuealed be not hurtfull to the partie to whome it is made knowne For the distresse may happily arise of some confederacie in matters of Treason by the concealing whereof the partie to whome they are reuealed may intangle himselfe in the same danger Secondly if the cause may be knowne for sometime it is hid from the partie distressed then triall must be made whether the said partie be fit for comfort yea or no For if he be found to be vnfit the word of God shall be misapplied and consequently abused His fitnesse for comfort may be found out by searching whether he be humbled for his sinnes or not for men may be in great distresse and yet not touched at all for their sinnes This humiliation stands in sorrow for sinne with confession of the same vnto God and in earnest praier for the pardon thereof with an heartie desire of amendment of life But if on the otherside the partie be vnhumbled then the first and principall care must be to worke in him some beginning of humiliation This may be done in a friendly and Christian talke and conference whereby he must first be brought to see and well to consider his owne sinnes secondly to grieue and to be sorrie for them at the least for some of the principall And touching this Sorrow two things must be remembred first that the nature of worldly sorrow must be altered by beeing turned and changed into sorrow according to God If a man be in some danger of his life by bleeding at the nose experience teacheth the counsell of the Physitian is to open a vaine and let the partie blood in the arme that the course thereof may be turned an other way The like order is to be taken with men that are troubled with worldly sorrow in their distresse and that is to turne the course of their griefe by causing them to grieue not for worldly respects or onely in consideration of the punishment due vnto them for their sinnes but principally for the very offence of God in and by their sinnes committed This done a second care must be had that this sorrow for sinne be not confused but a distinct sorrow The man that is in sorrow must not be grieued onely because he is as other men are a sinner but more specially for this and that particular sinne by which it comes to passe that he is such or such a sinner that so his sorrow in respect of sinne may be distinct and brought as it were to some particular head And men in this case must deale with the partie distressed as Surgeons are woont to doe with a tumour or swelling in the bodie whose manner is first to applie drawing and ripening plaisters to the place affected to bring the sore to an head that the corruption may issue out at some one place and then afterward healing plaisters which are of great vse to cure the same Euen so confused griefe must be reduced to some particulars and then and not before is a man fit for comfort when his conscience is touched in speciall in regard of some one or more distinct and seuerall offences And he that is grieued for one sinne truly and vnfainedly from his heart shall proportionally be grieued for all the sinnes that he knoweth to be in himselfe The third thing required in applying this remedie is the ministring and conuaying of comfort to the minde of him that hath confessed his sinnes and is truly humbled for thē and it is a point of the greatest moment of all Where if the question be how this comfort should be ministred the answer is it may be done by bringing the partie troubled within the compasse of the promise of life And there be two waies of doing this the one false and the other true Sect. 3. Some thinke that men may be brought within the Couenant by the doctrine of Vniuersall grace and redemption But this way of perswading a mā that he hath title in the Couenant of grace is both false and vnfit False it is because all the promises of the Gospel are limited with the condition of Faith and Repentance not beeing vniuersall to all but made onely to such persons as repent and beleeue therefore they are indefinite in regard of whole mankind and to beleeuers onely they are vniuersall It is obiected that God would haue all men to be saued Ans. The Apostle is the best expounder of himselfe and he saith in the Acts to the same effect The time of this ignorance God regarded not but NOW he admonisheth all men euery where to repent In which words Paul addes this circumstance of time now to limit this good will of God to the last age of the world after the comming of Christ in the flesh and not to inlarge the same to all the posteritie of Adam And so must he be vnderstood in the
Chaldeans slaine that is the very night wherein those 70. yeares came to their full period And as there are set times allotted by God for the execution of his threatning senteÌ„ces so also hath he determined certenly the accomplishment of all and euery of his promises An example hereof we haue in the Israelites of whom the Lord said to AbrahaÌ„ that they should be in affliction in a strange land 430. yeres and then be deliuered This promise of God was expressely fulfilled as we read in the booke of Exodus For before the ende and tearme of these yeares they had no deliuerance at all but when that time was expired euen that selfe same day departed all the hosts of Israel out of the land of Egypt And though Moses fourtie yeares before this time tooke in hand the worke of their deliuerance yet he did it without successe and vpon a certaine accident beeing himselfe constrained to flie into Madian he liued there as a stranger with Iethro his father in law till the saide time of foure hundred and thirtie yeares was accomplished toward the ende whereof being called of God to that office he prospered and not before And in the same manner hath God set downe a certaine period of time within which he will exercise his children more or lesse and at the end wherof and not before he will releeue and comfort them againe Now as the certentie of the accomplishment of Gods threatning word serues to terrifie all wicked liuers from sinne so the vnchangeable performance of his promises at the very time prefixed not before teacheth the children of God sundrie things First that when they are in any distresse haue not present or speedie deliuerance according to their desire they should waite the Lords leisure and expect with patience till the time come which is appointed by him for their ease and releefe and in the meane while stay their hearts by hope and affiance in his mercie Reason is plaine God is sure in his word therefore though heauines may indure for a night yet ioy will returne in the morning Psal. 30. 5. Thus the Lord comforteth the Iewes in a particular distresse as we may read in the prophecie of Habbakuk where the Prophet in the name of the Iewes complaineth and expostulateth the matter with God why his owne people should be so lamentably afflicted by a terrible and furious nation and why they should be led away captiues by the Chaldeans the enemies of God To this the Lord makes answer that as he had certenly determined that iudgemeÌ„t to come vpon them so certenly had he appointed a set time wherein they should be deliuered In the meane while he bids them to comfort themselues in this that though the affliction should rest vpon them for a season yet vndoubtedly they should be eased at the length and therefore that they should in patience waite for the vision that is the accoÌ„plishment of the vision touching their deliuerance Secondly hence we learne that we must not onely beleeue the promises of God in generall that God is true and faithfull in them and that he is able willing to fulfil them euen as he made them but we must beleeue them in particular that is with application to their proper and seuerall circumstances which are the particular meanes places and times whereby and wherein he hath giuen his word as touching our freedome and exemption from the crosse Take an instance hereof in the Prophet Daniel who knew well by the spirit of Prophecie that the Lord had determined to bring vpon the Iewes 70. yeares captiuitie in Babylon He knew also that God had promised to put an ende to that captiuitie at the end and tearme of those yeares Now what did Daniel in this case Vpon knowledge of the will of God in that point during the said time he praied not vnto the Lord for deliuerance of his people But when he vnderstood that the time drewe neere wherin it was the wil of God that the Iewes should returne out of captiuitie then by faith applying the promise of God to that particular time he besought the Lord in praier and supplications with fasting in sackcloth and ashes and the Lord gaue eare vnto his praiers and yeelded him a gratious answer II. The second point is that God when he deferres deliuerance doth it vpon great and weightie causes and considerations best knowne to himselfe The first wherof is that thereby he might humble men throughly and bring them to an vtter deniall of themselues and consequently cause them to learne patience in affliction which they would not learne if they might be their owne caruers and haue speedy deliuerance from the crosse at their own wills and pleasures Secondly that beeing afflicted they may acknowledge whence their deliuerance comes yea whence they doe receiue not onely that but euery other good benefit which they inioy namely not from theÌ„selues or any creature but onely from the Lord and accordingly may learne to value and prize his gifts at their deserued excellencie For it is a true saying and often verified in affliction want that benefits easily obtained are lightly regarded and sooner forgotten Thirdly that by the continuance of the crosse without intermission he may make them to distaste the world and consequently drawe them to the meditation of the life to come wherein all matter of mourning shall cease and all teares shall be wiped from their eies Fourthly the Lord deâ—erreth deliuerance from affliction that he might preuent greater euils and dangers whereinto those that are afflicted might runne if they had their heartes desire and were eased not at his will but at their owne wishes When the childreÌ„ of Israel came into Canaan they were informed that they should dwell together with the Canaanites and Moses rendreth a reason thereof Least saith he the wild beasts of the field multiply against thee And for the preuenting of this euill the Israelites must indure some annoyance by the Canaanites Euen so the Lord keepeth his seruants vnder the crosse for the preuenting of greater sins offences This should stay the mindes of men make them content to wait vpon God for deliuerance when they are afflicted III. The third and last point is that God alwaies hath and doth exercise his best seruants with long and continued crosses Abraham was childlesse till he was 70. yeares of age and at those yeares the Lord promised him issue But this promise was not accoÌ„plished til a long time after when he was an hundred yeares old Dauid had a promise to be king of Ierusalem and Iuda but the Lord exercised him by many and grieuous afflictions before he came to the crowne in so much that he saies of himselfe that his eies failed with waiting vpon his God Zacharie Elizabeth praied to god both of theÌ„ in their youth many yeares after for issue but the Lord granted not their request til
conclude this point there remaines yet a further question to be resolued and that is this A man after repentance for some greiuous sinne falls into it againe and is distressed more then before It is a cause somewhat grieuous For we knowe that if a man be recouered of an ague and through distemper in diet or otherwise makes a relapse into it againe his case is often desperate and he hardly scapeth with his life In the same maÌ„ner it is a dangerous case if after repentance men make a relapse into the same sinne againe It may then be asked how such persons may be recouered after a relapse I answer though we find not any one particular example in scripture of any one person that was restored againe after a relapse yet neuerthelesse there is some comfort for such persons Vpon what grounds may some say Ans. Men that haue not so much as a drop of mercie in comparison of God must forgiue ther brethren often and many times yea as our Sauiour Christ saith to Peter till seuenty times seuen times if they returne and say it repents them Now god is infinite in all his attributes He is much in sparing with him is plenteous redemption and therefore he will questionlesse vpon true repentance often forgiue and forget euen the same sinne iterated againe and againe Nowe these persons are to be releiued in this sort First they must haue their Consciences setled in this point that their relapse is pardonable though very dangerous For proof hereof read Esay 2. 18. Where mention is made of diuers Apostataes that were by God called to repentaÌ„ce with promise of don if they turned vnto him And in Luk. 15. the prodigall child by whome I vnderstand one that after grace receiued fell from his repentance and obedience to God when he did but purpose in his heart to returne again was pardoned and receiued into fauour In the 2. Cor. 5. 20. Paul saith to the Corinths that were fallen away We pray you in Christs steade that ye be reconciled vnto God Secondly beeing thus setled in conscieÌ„ce they must againe repent them of their sinnes Thirdly and lastly they are to be comforted with the promise of remission of sinnes after that some signes of renewed repeÌ„tance for sinnes past haue beene giuen Sect. 2. The Second kinde of this Tentation or trouble of minde which is more common lesse violent befalls the Children of God and it is a griefe of heart more or lesse whereby men are troubled in respect of the want of grace in their hearts and defects of obedience in their liues Paul the deere seruant of God was possessed with this trouble of minde as we may read Rom. 7. 23. And indeede there is no child of God but more or lesse one time or other he feeles the stings of sinne and the buffetings of Satan which cause griefe in his heart But this griefe is a notable grace of God and therefore they which want it must labour to haue it and they which haue it must not seeke to put it out but to keepe it in measure and order And the Grounds of comfort whereby the heart may be staâ—ed in this sorrow that it be not immoderate may be these I. Ground It is Gods will that the worke of sanctification or regeneration should be imperfect in this life and remaine vnfinished til death This point needs no proofe it is manifest both in the word of God and in daily experience The reasons for which God will haue it to be so may be these First of all God giues grace according to the measure and manner of our receiuing of it which in this life is imperfect Some giftes of God in Christ bestowed on his seruants as remission of sinnes by his death and iustification by his obedience are not put into vs but are only applied and made ours by imputation Some other giftes there be which are infused and put into vs as namely sanctification regeneration the loue of God and man and by one of these two meanes to wit either by imputation or infusion are all the giftes of God in Christ made ours Yet before we can haue them we must receiue theÌ„ and the meanes whereby we receiue them is faith which God hath ordained to be the hand of our soules to receiue his benefits bestowed on vs. Which faith because it is weake and imperfect in this life therefore the gifts which we receiue thereby are also imperfect For though Gods benifits be like a bottomlesse sea yet the faith wherby we lay hold of them is like vnto a vessell with a narrow necke which though it be cast into the great Ocean receiues but a little water at once and that by degrees droppe by droppe according to the widenesse of the mouth And hence it is that though the gifts of God without vs which are ours by imputation be perfect yet all such graces as are put into vs are weake and imperfect Secondly if any seruant of God should be perfectly regenerate and made absolutely holy in this life then he should fulfill the morall lawe and so become a Sauiour to himselfe and by the tenour of the law haue life and so should not Christ be a Sauiour properly but only an instrumeÌ„t to dispose vs to the keeping of the law whereby we might saue our selues But there is one only all sufficient Sauiour Christ Iesus and the beginning the middle and the accomplishmeÌ„t of our saluation is to be ascribed to him alone Thirdly it is the wil God that his owne children with whome he is well pleased in Christ should be brought to nothing in themselues that they might be all in all out of themselues in Christ being as it were emptied of selfe-loue and of all confidence in their owne goodnesse But if sanctification should be perfect at the first then a man should not goe out of himselfe but would rather stay as he is and rest contented in his owne goodnesse For this cause Paul after his exaltation was buffeted by Satans temptations that he might not be exalted out of measure 2 Cor. 12. 7. but should content himselfe with this that he was in the loue and fauour of God in Christ. II. Ground is To consider what makes a man professing Christ accepted of God and howe much he himselfe must doe for this end The substance of all things to be done of vs for this ende that we may become the children of God may be reduced to three heads First of all we must heartily bewaile our sinnefull liues past and seriously humble our selues in regard of our owne sinnes both of heart and life and if by occasion wee fall into any sinne we must not lie therein but by speedie repentance recouer our former estate Secondly in regard of the sinnefulnesse of our hearts and liues in times past we must rest our selues on Gods mercie alone â—lying to the throne of mercie for the pardon of them all Thirdly we must
no. If he hath it is so much the better If he hath not as vsually such persons are meere naturall men then the first dutie is to vse all meanes to stirre vp in him some godly sorrow for his sinnes to bring him to the exercises of inuocation and to some confidence in Gods mercy for pardon Secondly this beeing done meanes must be vsed to take away the opinion conceiued which will be done by giuing him information of the state of his bodie and what is the true and proper cause of the alteratioÌ„ therof This being knowne the griefe or feare conceiued will easily be staied For take away the false opinion and inform the iudgement and the whole man will be the better Thirdly the opinion beeing altered and reformed it may be the alteration in the bodie will remaine the partie therefore in that case must be taught that it is a correction of God and that God doth not barely suffer the correction to be inflicted but is the very author of it and therefore the partie is to be well pleased and to rest himselfe in that will of God For euery present estate whether it be good or badde is the best state for vs because it comes by Gods will appointment And thus much touching the distinct kindes of distresses of minde whereunto I adde this one thing further that if we make examination of the estate of persons as are troubled with any of these fiue temptations we shall not vsually find them single but mixed together especially Melancholy with terror of Conscience or some other temptations For the distraction of the mind will often breed a distemper in the body and the distemper of the bodie likewise will sometimes cause distraction of mind Again Melancholy wil ofteÌ„be an occasion though no direct cause of terror of Conscience in the same manner the conscience touched and terrified with sense of the haynousnesse of sinne and the Heauinesse of Gods wrath will bring distemper of bodie by sympathy and cause Melancholie In this Case if Question be made what is to be done I answere that for mixt distresses we must haue recourse to mixt Remedies using in the first place the best meanes for the rectifying of the minde the principall growndes whereof haue beene before deliuered and then taking the seasonable aduise of the Phisitian whose calling and seruice God hath sanctified for the cure and releefe of the bodie in case of extremitie And so much of the first Sort of Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe The ende of the first Booke THE SECOND AND THIRD BOOKES OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE CONCERNING MAN STANDING IN RELATION to God and Man Wherein are handled the Questions touching the worship of God and the practise of Christian vertue Now newly added vnto the former and carefully examined according to the Authors owne breefes and published for the common good by T. P. Bachelour of Diuinitie Rom. 14. 23. VVhatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1606. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDWARD LORD DENNIE BARON of Waltham c. RIght Honourable It vvas not vvithout speciall cause that the famous Apostle of the Gentiles entring into a serious meditation of the Calling and vvâ—…ke of the Ministerie and grovving at length to some issue of his thoughts crieth â—ut as it vvere in tearmes of Complaint And who is sufficient for these things For if â—nquirie be made into the reason of his demand thâ— Scripture shall ansvver for him That Ministers are the Angels of the Lord of Hosts the Interpreters of his vvill thâ— Salt of the earth the Light of the World And their Calling is to carrie the Embassage of Reconciliation to manifest vnto man the pleasure of the Highest to season the corrupted heart instrumentally vvith gracâ— to inlighten the darkened minde by the dispensation of sauing knovvledge as the Sunne doth the Aire by the brightnesse of his beames Novv these high Tiâ—les and greatvvorkes euidently declaring the vveight and vvorth of that Honourable Commission are not either giuen or assigned onely in respect of publike and ordinarie duties vvherein by Diuine ordinance they be made the mouth of God vnto Man by preaching and againe of Man vnto God by prayer For these are determined vpon certaine times and places vvhen and vvhere they are to be put in execution according to the laudable Constitutions and Canons of particular Churches But in a further regard as they haue receiued from God the Tongue of the Learned and are indued vvith knovvledge and abilitie to informe the Consciences of men touching euery action vvhether personall appertaining to particular states or relatiue emploied in the vvorshippe of God and practise of Christian vertues A gift as no lesse necessarie so of a farre larger extent then the other and consequently performable vvithout limitation of time or place in season out of season vvhensoeuer the minde requireth resolution in Case of doubt or Comfort in distresse The light of this candle is therefore erected vp on high and set in open viâ—vv that it may communicate it selfe not to all in grosse but to euery one in person The Lords Interpreter in this sense is to dispense his vvill in euery place time to the poore vvidovv of Sarepâ—a at her ovvne home to the Noble â—…uch of Ethiopia in his trauell to Dauid that he may be dravvne to Confession of his sinne to Peter for his restoring after his fall to the vveake that they may be supported to the strong that they may stand to thâ— VVauering minde for resolution to the Troubled soule for comfort and releefe Hence it is apparent that this Messenger of God must be as Paul saith a complete man in euery respect armed and well appointed vvith necessaries appertaining for all purposes to the honour of his Lord and the credit of his Calling He should be not onely a learned Text-man mightie in the Scriptures a positiue Diuine established in the truth a man prouided ad oppositum to vvithstand and conâ—… the Aduersarie but a skilfull Casâ—ist readie at all assaies vpon good grounds of knovvledge and obseruation to giue a Rule to yeelde a Reason to speake a vvord in time to him that is vvearie VVhich last propertie to omit the rest beeing so essential as it is to the Calling and condition of a Minister yea of that importance as heretofore I haue declared to your Lordsâ— it seemeth strange at least in my poore conceit that among so many graue and learned discourses published by vvay of Definition and Disputation in matter of Religion â—evv or none haue beene framed and conâ—riued to this purpose that in this florishing estate both of our Church and Commonvvealth none haue emploied their indeauours in the vnfolding and displaying of this Subiect yea vvhereas they of the Popish Church haue beene so plentifull or rather lauish in their Summes Manuels
stand to their agreement and not to goe backe therefore neither of them did or durst breake their oath And among the Gentiles themselues there are fewe or none to be found that will falsifie their word giuen and auowed by oath Whereupon it is a cleare case that they acknowledged a Godhead which knowes and discernes their hearts yea that knowes the truth and can and will plague them for disgracing the truth by lying Thirdly we are not lightly to passe ouer the vsuall tearmes and ordinarie speech of all nations who are woont vpon occasion to say it raines it thunders it snowes it hailes For saying this one while they reioyce and are thankefull otherwhiles they feare and are dismaied They say not nature or heauen raines or thunders for then they would neither reioyce nor tremble In that therefore they speake this commonly sometimes reioycing sometimes fearing it may probably be thought that they acknowledge a diuine power which causeth the raine to fall and the thunder to be so terrible Againe for better proofe hereof it is to be considered that since the world began there could not yet be found or brought forth any man that euer wrote or published a discourse more or lesse to this purpose that there was no God If it be said that some histories doe make mention of sundrie that haue in plaine tearmes denied there is a God and that this is no lesse daungerous then if a treatise of that subiect should be written and set forth to the open view of all I answer indeede in the writings of men we doe read of some that blasphemed God and liued as without God and they haue alwaies beene properly and deseruedly tearmed Atheists Others haue denied that made and faigned gods that is Idols are gods And amongst the heathen that liued onely by the light and direction of nature all that can be brought is this that some men in their writings haue doubted whether there were a God or no but none did euer positiuely set downe reasons to prooue that there was none V. The fifth and last argument from nature is that which is vsed by all Philosophers In the world there is to be seene an excellent wise frame and order of all things One creature depends vpon an other by a certaine order of causes in which some are first and aboue in higher place some are next and inferiour some are the basest and the lowest Now these lowest are mooued of those that are superiour to them and alwaies the superiour is the cause of the inferiour and that whereof the inferiour depends Something then there must be that is the cause of all causes that must be caused by none and must be the cause of all For in things wherein there is order there is alway some first and soueraigne cause and where there is no first nor last there the Creatures are infinite But seeing all creatures are finite there must be somewhat first as well as last Now the first and the last cause of all is God which mooueth all and to whome all creatures doe tend as to their ende and which is mooued of none Notwithstanding all these reasons grounded in nature it selfe it may be some man wil say I neuer saw God how then shall I know that there is a God Ans. Why wilt thou beleeue no more then thou seest Thou neuer sawest the winde or the aire and yet thou beleeuest that there is both Nay thou neuer sawest thine owne face but in a glasse and neuer out of a glasse and yet this contenteth thee Why then may not this content thy heart and resolue thee of the Godhead in that thou seest him in the glasse of the creatures True it is that God is a spirit inuisible that cannot be discerned by the eie of flesh and blood yet he hath not left vs without a meanes whereby we may behold him For looke as we are woont by degrees to goe from the picture to the painter and in the picture to behold the painter himselfe euen so by the image of God written as it were in the face and other parts of the creatures in the world may we take a view of the wisdome power and prouidence of the Creator of them all who is God himselfe And these are the principall proofes of the Godhead which are reuealed in the booke of nature Sect. 2. The second ground of proofes is taken from the light of grace And it is that light which God affordeth to his Church in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this giues a further confirmation then nature doth For the light of nature is onely a way or preparation to faith But this light serues to beget faith and causeth vs to beleeue there is a God Now in the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles we shall see amongst the rest three distinct proofes of this point First expresse testimonies that doe in plaine tearmes note vnto vs the Godhead Secondly expresse prophecies and reuelations of things to come euen many hundred and thousands of yeares before they came to passe Yea things that are to come are foretold in the word of God so and in that very manner that they shall be in the time wherein they are to be fulfilled Now there is no man able of himselfe to know or foresee these things to come therefore this knowledge must rest in him alone who is most wise that perfectly vnderstandeth and beholdeth things that are not and to whom all future things are present and therefore certain Thirdly the word of God reuealeth many miracles which doe exceede and surpasse whole nature yea all naturall causes the doing and working whereof is not in the power of any meere creature in the world As for example the making of the sunne against his naturall course to stand still in the firmament of the waters which are naturally flowing to stand as a wall and the bottome of the sea to be as drie land The maine ende whereof is to shew that there is an absolute and almightie power which is the author of nature it selfe and all naturall things and ordereth both it and them according to his pleasure Sect. 3. The third ground of proofes is fetched from the light of glorie And this is that light which God affords vnto his seruants after this life ended in the kingdome of heauen wherein all imperfection of knowledge being taken away they shal see God face to face and haue a full and perfect knowledge of the Godhead To this purpose the Apostle saith that in the world we know in part we see as it were in a glasse The cōparison is worth the marking For there he compareth our knowledge of God that we haue in this life to a dimme sighted man that can see either very little or nothing at all without his spectacles And such is our sight comprehension of God darke and dimme in that we cannot behold him as he is but onely as he hath
themselues and their posteritie and yet they haue done it A plaine proofe that they were not carried by policie and naturall reason but were holy men guided by the Holy Ghost For if they had beene guided by reason they would neuer haue written that which would haue tended to their owne disgrace but would rather haue comended theÌ„selues their name stocke and linage Againe humane authors in their discourses doe commonly write of the praises and vertues of men of whome they write But the penmen of scripture with one consent giue all to God yea when they speake of commendation due to men thy giue it all to God in men God is in their writings the beginning the ende all Sect. 2. A second head of reasons is taken from the Matter and Contents of the Scriptures which are manifold The principall are these First the Scripture doth that which no other bookes can doe For it sets out the corruption of mans nature by sinne the fountaine of this corruption the punishment of the same both in this life and the life to come it discouereth sinnefull mans particular thoughts lusts and affections which neuer any book hath don beside it No Philosopher was euer able to make so true record and so plaine declaration of the thoughts motions and affections of the heart The reason of man cannot discerne them by nature vnles it receiue a further light by grace then it hath naturally in it selfe Yea the Scripture sets downe things that no mans heart can imagine yet are true by experieÌ„ce For example that it is an euill thought to thinke there is no God maÌ„ by nature caÌ„not imagine but yet it is true in experience by the light of the word And therefore Dauid saith The foole hath saide in his heart there is no God Secondly the maine Contents of this booke are sundrie articles of faith all which are farre aboue the reach of humane reason and yet they are not against it but at least some of them may be prooued by it For example that there is a Redeemer of the world is an article of faith aboue reason yet not against the same For in naturall vnderstanding God is not all iustice and no mercie But if there were no redeemer then should God be all iustice without mercie Now because he hath reuealed himselfe to be as well mercifull as he is iust reason concludes there is a redeemer Againe that this Redeemer should be God and man is aboue reason yet not against it For reason teacheth he must be God that he might satisfie the infinite iustice of God for sinne which none but God can doe Againe that he must be man because man hauing sinned man must be punished for the sinne of man Thirdly in the scripture there are sundrie predictions made before hand particularly which notwithstanding were not to come to passe till an 100 200 300 yeares after all these predictions in the same manner as they haue bin foretold haue bin fulfilled Iacob in his will foretold that the scepter should not depart from Iudah till Shiloh that is the Messias came This was verified euen as it was foretold For a little before Christs birth the scepter was taken from the Iewes and translated vnto the Romane Empire And Herod put the whole colledge of the Iewes called their Sanedrim to the sword in which colledge was the heire apparent of the Kings blood Againe Balaam Num. 24. 24. foretold that Kittim that is the Grecians and the Romans should subdue Eber the people of the East and that also was afterward verified For the Hebrewes and Assyrians were afterward ouercome by the Grecians and Cilicians The Apostle Paul in his time foretold the destruction of the Romane Empire and the reuealing of Antichrist 2. Thes. 7 8. c. which prophecie was shortly after fulfilled For Antichrist grew from those times by little and little till at length he came to sit in the Emperours throne Men indeede may foretell things to come but things foretold by them are present in their causes and so they know and foretell them not otherwise But God foretelleth simply and the scriptures foretell simply therefore they are the word of God Fourthly the law a part of the scripture is propounded most purely perfectly without exception or limitation Whereas in all mens lawes some sinnes are condemned but some be tolerated and permitted But in Gods law euery sinne is condemned none either forborne or excused Lastly the style and speech of the Scripture is plaine and simple without affectation and yet full of grace and maiestie For in that simple style it commandeth the whole man bodie and soule it threatneth euerlasting death and promiseth euerlasting life and it doth more affect the heart of man then all the writings in the world whatsoeuer Sect. 3. The third reason to induce vs to receiue the scriptures as the word of God is taken from the Effects whereof I note onely two I. The doctrine of Scripture in the Law and specially in the Gospel is contrarie to the corrupt nature of man Whereupon Paul saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God And yet the same word beeing preached by the Minister appointed by God conueâ—teth nature and turnes the heart of man vnto it in such sort as in this last age it hath wonne a great part of the world to the imbracing thereof Now in reason this is impossible that a thing which is so flat against mans corrupt nature should notwithstaÌ„ding preuaile with it so farre as to cause man to liue and die in the profession maintenance thereof Wee are woont to reiect the writings of men if they please not our humors whereas this word of God is of force to mooue and â—â—cline our affections though neuer so much censured crossed and controlled by it And this shewes that God is the author thereof from whome the word of creation came to which euery thing at the first yeelded obedience II. The word of God hath this effect to be able to minister comfort and releefe in all distresses of bodie or minde yea in the greatest and most desperate troubles and vexations of the Conscience And when the helpes of humane learning and Philosophie which are of great vse and force in other cases haue done all that they can to the very vtmost without effect or successe euen then the sweete promises of the Gospel will reuiue and raise vp the heart and giue it full contentment and satisfaction Expetience shewes this to be a confessed truth in particular cases and it teacheth whence and froÌ„ whome this word proceedeth wherein these promises are contained namely from God For when he sets the Conscience vpon the racke the Word that releeueth and refresheth the same must needs proceede and come from him alone Sect. 4. The fourth reason is taken from the Properties of Scripture I will name onely two The first is Antiquitie which most plainly appeares
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
extraordinary man that is qualified with these two gifts may pray not onely against the cause of him that is an enemie to God but against his person Thus Dauid did especially in the 109. Psal. which Psalme is full of terrible curses against his particular enemies and typically against Iudas For he had the spirit of discerning by which he knewe that they were incurable enemies and a pure zeale of the glorie of God which made him breake out into such imprecations So Paul praies Gal. 5. 12. that they might be cut off which troubled the Church c. 2. Tim. 4. 14. he praies directly against the person of Alexander the coppersmith that had don him much wrong The Lord reward him according to his workes Which must not seeme strange for Paul had in that imprecation the Spirit of prophecie and consequently both the spirit of discerning and of pure zeale and therefore he might pray against him as he did But for Ordinarie men such as haue nothing but ordinarie gifts and want the spirit of discerning and haue also a zeale mingled with choler stomack anger and hatred they may vse no extraordinarie praier against the person of any man All that they may doe is to pray that God would restraine their malice hinder their badde practises and turne them to his glorie and the good of his Church Therefore Act. 4. 29. when there had beene a Councell holden at Ierusalem against the Apostles Peter and Iohn in the first beginning of the great persecution of Christians in the primitiue Church it is said that they departed from the assembly and praied together with the rest of the Church in this manner And now O Lord behold their threatnings c. Wherein they praied not against the Councell nor against the men that sate in counsell but against their proceedings courses deuises and threatnings And their practise may be a patterne for ordinary men to follow In Luk. 9. 54. the Disciples asking our Sauiour Christ whether they should call for fire from heauen to destroy his enemies he sharply reprooueth them for their intemperate heate against the Samaritans and tells them that they had not that extraordinarie Spirit to effect such a thing because they were but ordinarie men Ordinarie men therefore may not pray against the persons of Gods enemies The Pope at this day is a professed enemie to Christ and his Gospel yet no man may pray against the person of the Pope but onely against his state kingdome and regiment which is Antichristian whereby he sets himselfe against God and his kingdome Sect. 2. Vpon the answer to this question there followeth an other Sundrie Psalmes of Dauid are Psalmes of imprecation wherin Dauid curseth his enemies fearefully especially in the 109. Psalme now all these psalmes were penned for our vse It may therefore be demanded how we may vse these and such like when we read or sing them Ans. I. We must not vse them as Dauid did namely as praiers against the persons of our enemies but onely as prophecies against the enemies of God wherein the punishment of incurable men that were enemies to God and his truth is foretold For wee haue not as Dauid had an extraordinarie spirit or a pure zeale therefore we cannot pray as he did II. I answer whereas these Imprecations were directed against particular enemies we may vse them in some sort as praiers but how as generall praiers against all the incureable enemies of God not against any particulars among the Iewes Turkes or Papists As therfore as we may vse these Imprecations as praiers so we must vse them without any particular application to the persons of any particular men III. Question What be the particular Circumstances of Prayer Ans. There are chiefly foure I. The voice or speech II. The gesture III. The place where IV. The time when Sect. 1. Concerning the Voice this Question may be mooued Whether a Voice or words are â—o be vsed in prayer or no Ans. Prayer is either Pubâ—cke or Priuate In publike prayer a forme of wordes must alwaies be vsed in a knowne plaine and distinct voice The reasons are these First the Minister is the mouth of the whole Congregation in prayer as he is the mouth of God to the people in preaching Now as the Minister is their mouth to God in prayer so the people must giue their assent and approbation to his prayer by the word Amen But there can be no professed and publique assent without a voice Secondly God is the Creator not onely of the soule of man but also of his bodie and we blesse God not onely with the heart but also with the tongue therefore the whole man must pray in publicke Now in priuate prayer made in priuate and secret places by priuate persons the Voice is profitable but not simply necessarie It is profitable because it stirreth vp the affections of the heart it serueth also to keepe the wandering minde in compasse to expresse the affection and to procure attention of the heart to the prayer Yet it is not simply necessarie For a man is not bound in coâ—â—cience to vse a forme of wordes in all his prayers Moses prayed he spake neuer a word and yet it was a prayer for the Lord saies vnto him Exod. 12. 15. Why criest thou Anna praying in the Temple her lippes did mooue onely her voice was not heard and yet shee is said to pray 1. Sam. 1. 13. Againe the Spirit is said to pray in the Elect with groanes that cannot be vttered and yet the Holy Ghost giues them the name of prayers Rom. 8. Paul biddes vs pray continually which is not to be vnderstood of a continuall vse of a forme of words but of the groanes and sighes of the heart which may be made at all times Out of this Question ariseth another Whether it be lawfull when we pray to read a set Forme of prayer for some thinke that to doe so is a sinne Ans. It is no sinne but a man may lawfully and with good conscience doe it Reasons First the Psalmes of Dauid were deliuered to the Church to be vsed and read in a set forme of words and yet the most of them are praiers Secondly to conceiue a forme of praier requires gifts of memorie knowledge vtterance and the gifts of grace Now euery child and seruant of God though he haue an honest heart yet hath he not all these gifts and therefore in the want of them may lawfully vse a set forme of prayer as a man that hath a weake backe or a lame legge may leane vpon a crutch It is alleadged that set formes of praier doe limit and binde the Holy Ghost Ans. If we had a perfect measure of grace it were somewhat but the graces of God are weake and small in vs. This is no binding of the Holy Ghost but a helping of the spirit which is weake in vs by a crutch to leane vpon therefore a man may with good conscience
abstaine then come vnprovided To whom it may be said that their vnfitnes in this and other respects ought to be a strong motiue to induce them at least to vse all holy indeauour to prepare themselues euery day rather then a meanes to keepe them backe For if a man should abstaine vpon euery occasion of variance discontentment and infirmitie he should neuer receiue and so consequently haue no benefit by this ordinance of God Daily preparation therefore is the more necessarie that when they be called and haue opportunitie they may come as welcome guestes vnto that heauenly banquet II. Question How may a man rightly vse the Lords Supper to his comfort and saluation Ans. Three things are required therevnto A right preparation a right Receiuing and a right Vse of it afterward Sect. 1. That Preparation is needefull the commandement of the Apostle plainely shewes which is directed to al Communicants without exception 1. Cor. 11. 28 Let a man that is let euery man examine himselfe Now that a man may be rightly prepared hee must bring with him foure severall things First Knowledge of the foundation of Religion specially of the vse of both the Sacraments That this is necessarie to Preparation it appeareth by that which Paul requireth in a good Communicant 1. Cor. 11. 26. to wit the shewing forth of Christs death which is done by confession and thanks giuing and these two cannot be performed without knowledge The second thing required is Faith For all Sacraments are seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. Now Faith is hereby discerned when the heart of the beleeuer contents it selfe onely with Christ in the matter of saluation and doth beleeue not onely that there is a remission of sinnes in generall but that his sinnes are forgiuen to him in particular The third is Repentance standing in a hearty sorrow for sinnes committed in a hatred and detestation of the same and in a resolued purpose of amendment and obedience for time to come Here we must remember that renewed Repentance for sinnes committed is principally required before the Sacrament For the Apostle chargeth the beleeuing Corinthes with vnworthie receiuing because they came in their sinnes without renouation of their repentance The fourth is Charitie towards man For this Sacrament is a Communion whereby all the receiuers ioyntly vnited together in loue doe participate of one and the same Christ. And therefore as no man in the old law might offer his Sacrifice without a forehand agreement with his brother so no Communicant may partake with others at this Table without reconciliation loue and charitie Now further touching Preparation there are three Cases of Conscience to be resolued I. Case What shall a man doe if after preparation he finds himselfe vnworthie Ans. There are two kinds of vnworthines of an euili conscience and of infirmitie Vnworthines of an euill conscience is when a man liues in any sinne against his conscience This we must especially take heede of For it is proper to the Reprobate and he that comes to the Table of the Lord vnworthily in this sense questionlesse he shall eate his owne iudgement if not condemnation The vnworthines of infirmitie is when a man truly repents and beleeues and makes conscience of euery good dutie but yet sees and feeles wants in them all and in regard hereof himselfe vnfit to the Supper Such vnworthines cannot iustly hinder a man from comming to this Sacrament neither is it a sufficient cause to make him to abstaine The reason is because the Lord requires not therein perfection of faith and repentance but the truth synceritie of them both though they be imperfect If it be demanded how the truth of faith and repentance may be knowne I answer by these notes I. If our faith be directed vpon the right obiect Christ alone II. If there be a hungring and thirsting after his bodie and blood III. If wee haue a constant and serious purpose not to sinne IV. If there follow a change in the life Thus we read that many of the Iewes in the daies of Hezekias came to Ierusalem and did eate the Passeouer which had not clensed themselues according to that which was written in the Law And yet for those among them that had prepared their whole hearts to seek the Lord the text saies that God heard the praier of Hezekias and healed the people though they were not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuarie 2. Chron. 30. 18 19 20. II. Case Whether it be requisite to preparation that a man should come fasting to this supper Ans. It is not necessarie For in the Primitiue Church Christians did first feast and at the ende of their feast receiued the Lords Supper And if receiuers bring with them attentiue mindes reuerent and sober hearts it matters not whether they come fasting or not The kingdome of God stands not in meates and drinkes as Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. III. Case Whether such persons as are at contention and goe to law one with an other may with good conscience come to the Lords table The reason of the Question is because men thinke when they goe to law that they doe not forgiue Ans. There be three kinds of forgiuenes of reuenge of the penaltie and of iudgement Ofreuenge when men are content to lay aside all hatred and requitall of euill Of penaltie when beeing wronged they are content to put the matter vp and not proceede to reuenge by inflicting punishment Of iudgement when a man is willing to esteeme and iudge things badly done as well done and to iudge a bad man no euill person nor an enemie though he be an enemie Of these three the first is alwaies necessarie A man is bound in conscience to forgiue the reuenge and leaue that to the Lord to whome Vengeance properly belongeth But to the forgiuenes of penaltie and iudgement we are not alway bound We must shunne and decline iniuries offered as much as possibly we can but when they be offered we may with good conscience seeke a remedie of them and vse any lawfull meanes to defend our selues Therefore I answer to the Question thus That if a man going to law with an other forgiues him in regard of reuenge when he comes to the Lords table he doth his dutie For doing that he is not bound to the other as hath beene said Sect. 2. The Second thing in the right vse of the Lords Supper is the right Receiuing of it Wherein there be two things required First the renewing of our Knowledge or Generall Faith And then secondly the renewing of our Speciall Faith in Christ. Let the reason of both be obserued This Sacrament cōtaines many particular Signes as not onely the bread and wine but the actions about the same The Signes may be thus distinguished Some of them are representing signes some are signes applying Representing signes are such as doe liuely set forth vnto vs Christ with his benefits as the bread and the wine
of inuocation of the name of God for this end that he in mercie would mortifie all our affections especially this corrupt violent affection of vniust wrath And this must we doe as at all times so then especially when anger is creeping vpon vs. It will be saide of some Our anger is violent and comes vpon the sudden and therefore these remedies will doe vs no good Ans. Such persons when their mindes be quiet must often read and meditate of the foresaid remedies and by this meanes they shall be able to preuent hastines But what if we be ouertaken with anger what must we then doe Ans. If thou fall into it through infirmitie yet remember thy selfe let not the sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath Eph. 4. 26. Consider with thine owne heart that anger is as a poison if a man drinkes poison he must not suffer it to rest and flow into the bodie veines but with all speede must purge it out and so must anger be dealt withall wheÌ„soeuer we are ouertaken with it CHAP. IIII. Of Questions concerning Temperance TEmperance is a vertue that moderateth appetite or lust And this moderation of appetite stands in foure things I. In the vse of Riches II. In the vse of Meat and Drinke III. In the vse of Apparell IV. In the vse of Pleasures wherein Recreations are to be considered Sect. 1. Concerning the Moderation of Appetite in the vse of Riches there are two maine Questions I. Question How farre a man may with good conscience proceed in the desiring and seeking of Riches The Answer of this Question is the rather to be considered because this doctrine rightly conceiued and vnderstood serues greatly for the direction of the whole course of our liues vnto the ende Here therefore I will first set downe the Ground of the Answer and then the Answer it selfe The Ground of the Answer I propound in fiue Rules I. Rule We must consider that riches and goods are of two sorts some are necessarie some are more then necessarie which the Scripture calls Abundance Goods and riches are two waies necessarie necessarie to nature or necessarie to the person of a man Goods necessarie to nature are those without which nature and life cannot be well preserued and these are most needefull Necessary in respect of a mans person are those goods without which a mans state condition and dignitie wherein he is cannot be preserued Now Riches more then necessarie I terme those without which both the life of man and his good estate may well be preserued And whatsoeuer is besides them is necessary For example To the calling of a Student meat drinke and cloth are necessarie in respect of nature besides these other things as bookes and such like are also necessarie for him in respect of his condition and place II. Rule Things and goods are to be iudged necessarie and sufficient not by the affection of the couetous man which is vnsaâ—â—able but by two other things the iudgement of wise and godly men and the examples of sober and frugall persons III. Rule We must not make one measure of sufficiencie of goods necessarie for all persons for it varieth according to the divers conditions of persons according to time and place More things are necessarie to a publicke man then to a priuate and more to him that hath a charge then to a single man IV. Rule That is to be iudged necessarie which in some short time to come may be needefull though it haue no present vse For example the dowrie that a father giues to his daughter at the day of mariage though it be not presently needefull yet because in short time it may be necessarie therefore it is to be reputed amongst necessarie goods V. Rule We our selues doe often erre in iudgement in determining of things necessarie and sufficient for our selues therfore when men seeke things competent necessarie they must alwaies pray to God to giue them that which he knowes in his wisdome to be meete and necessarie not prescribing a measure vnto him I come now to the Answer of the Question which is twofold The first is this Man may with good conscience desire and seeke for goods necessarie whether for nature or for his person according to the former rules but he may not desire and seeke for goods more then necessarie for if he doth he sinneth The reasons of this answer are these First Deut. 17. 16. 17. the commandement is giuen to the King that hath most neede of abundance that he should not multiply his horses or his siluer or his gold That which the King may not doe the subiects ought much lesse to doe therfore they are not to multiply their goods For this cause it is a great fault in subiects remaining as they be subiects to seeke to attaine to the riches of Princes Againe Paul saith 1. Tim. 6. 8. Hauing foode and raiment let vs be therâ—ith content Besides that in the petition Giue vs this day c. we craue but onely bread for our substance that is meete to preserue vs for nature in that calling wherein we serue God day by day The prayer of Agur is that God would giue him foode conuenient for him or as the wordes signifie bread of his statute that is which God in his counsell had appointed and ordained for him Prov. 30. 8. Secondly seeking of abundance is a hazard to the saluation of the soule by reason of mans corruption Therefore Matth. 13. Riches are called thornes that choke the word of God sowen in the heart And 1. Tim. 6. 9. They that will that is desire to be rich and content not themselues with things necessarie fall into the snare of the Deuill Thirdly seeking of abundance is a fruite of diffidence in the prouidence of God Now all frutes of vnbeleefe must be cut off we must not therefore desire more then necessarie In the next place for the better clearing of this doctrine the Obiections of Couetous men are to be answered Obiect I. Good things are to be sought for but abundance is a good thing and a blessing of God Ans. Good things are of two sorts Some are simply good that is to say good both in themselues and to vs as remission of sinnes holinesse righteousnesse and life euerlasting in the kingdome of heauen and such like these may we desire and seeke for Som again are good onely in part which though they be good in themselues yet are not alwaies good to vs. Of this kind is abundance of riches and store of wealth more then necessarie for nature and person For which cause riches in abundance are as the knife in the hand of a child likely to hurt if it be not taken away because they are in some men occasions of sinne vnlesse God in mercie preuent and hinder them And for our selues what know we whether God will keepe and preserue vs from sinne when we seeke and labour for abundance Obiect II. It is the