is a good beginning of true conuersion and repentance I thought saith Dauid I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And to this is added Selah which is not onely a musicall note but as some thinke a note of obseruation to mooue vs to marke the things that are set downe as beeing of speciall weight and moment And surely this is a matter of great consequence that vpon the very vnfained purpose of confession of sinne God should giue a pardon thereof Take a further proofe of this in the prodigall sonne whome I take not for one that was neuer called or turned to God though some doe so and seeme to haue warrant for their opinionâ— but rather for him that is the Child of God and afterward fals away Now this man beeing brought by some outward crosses and afflictions to see his owne miserie purposeth with himselfe to returne to his father againe and to humble himselfe and confesse his iniquitie and vpoÌ„ this very purpose wheÌ„ he had said I will goe to my father and say vnto him father I haue sinned c. at his returne a farre off his father receiues him as his child againe and after acceptation followes his confession The like is to be seene in Dauid who beeing reprooued by the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes of adulterie and murther presently made confession of them and at the very same time receiued by the prophet sentence of absolution euen from the Lord himâ—elfe wherein he could not erre The fourth Ground To loue any man because he is a Christian and a child of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true loue of God in Christ. Hereby saith S. Iohn we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue here is not a cause but onely a signe of gods loue to vs. And our sauiour Christ saith He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Nowe that we be not deceiued in these grounds it must be remembred that these beginnings of grace be they neuer so weak must not be â—littering and fleeting but constant and setled not stopped or staied in the way but such as daily growe and increase and then they are indeed accepted of God And he that can finde these beginnings or any of them truly in himselfe he may assure himselfe thereby that he is the child of God Sect. 5. Hauing thus laid downe the Groundes of comfort I come now to the Way by which the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of saluation This way standes in two things in making Triall and in Applying the promise First then Triall must be made whether the person distressed haue in him as yet any of the forenamed grouÌ„ds of grace or not This triall may be made by him that is the comforter in the moouing of certaine Questions to the said person And first let him aske whether he beleeue and repent The distressed partie answers no he cannot repent nor beleeue Then he must further aske whether he desire to beleeue and repent to this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart in the same sort is he to make triall of the other groundes When a man is in the fitte of tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fitte of his loue to God he will giue answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he loue a man because he is a Christian and a child of God then will he say he doth indeed Thus after triall made in this manner some beginnings of faith and repentance will appeare which at the first lay hid For God vseth out of the time of prosperitie by and in distresse and affliction to work his grace The second point followeth After that by triall some of the foresaid beginnings of grace be found out then comes the right Applying of the promise of life euerlasting to the partie distressed And that is done by a kind of reasoning the first part whereof is taken from Gods word the second from the testimonie of the distressed conscience the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner He that hath an vnfainod desire to repent and beleeue hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ. Therefore remission of sins and life euerlasting is thine And here remember that it is most conuenient this Application be made by the Minister of the Gospell who in it must vse his ministeriall authority giuen him of God to pronounce the pardon For in distresse it is as hard a thing to make the conscience yeild to the promise as to make fire and water agree For though men haue signes of grace and mercie in them yet will they not acknowledge it by reason of the extremitie of their distresse In this manner vpon any of the former grounds may the troubled and perplexed soule be assured that mercie belongs to it And this I take to be the onely generall and right way of comforting a distressed conscience Nowe that the promise thus applyed may haue good successe these sixerules must necessarily be obserued I. One is that the comfort which is ministred be alaied with some mixture of the Law that is to say the promise alone must not be applyed but withall mention is to be made of the sinnes of the partie and of the grieuous punishmeÌ„ts due vnto him for the same The reason is because there is much guile in the hart of man in so much as oftentimes it falleth out that men not throughly humbled beeing comforted either too soone or too much doe afterward become the worst of all In this respect not vnlike to the yron which beeing cast into the fire vehemently hot and cooled againe is much more hard then it would haue bin if the heate had bin moderate And hence it is that in the ministring of comfort we must somewhat keepe them downe and bring them on by litle and litle to repentance The sweetenesse of comfort is the greater if it be delaied with some â—artnesse of the Law II. An other rule is this If the distressed partie be much possessed with griefe of himselfe he must not be left alone but alwaies attended with good companie For it is an vsuall practise of the Deuill to take the vantage of the place and time when a man is solitarie and depriued of that helpe which otherwise he might haue in societie with others Thus he tempted Eue when shee was apart from her husband And in this regard Salomon pronounces a woe to him that is alone But herein doth his malice most appeare in that he is alway readiest when a man is in great distresse and withall solitarie then vpon the
means was the sacrifice burnt vp Christ for the curing of a blind man teÌ„pers spittle and clay together which in all reason is a fitter meanes to put out the eyes then to cause the blind to see Thus in the worke of our Redemption Christ giues life not by life but by death and he sendes men to heauen by the gates and suburbs of hell he shewes his greatest power in the greatest weaknes nay his power is made perfect through weakenes He will not build vpon an old foundation but he pulls downe and destroies all that Man may haue no hope at all in himselfe but that all the hope he hath may be in God First he kils and then he makes aliue as Anna speaketh first he woundeth and then he healeth He makes man to sowe in teares that afterward he may reape in ioy And he that knowes Gods dealing to be this must herewith rest content and satisfied because in wrath God vseth to remember his mercy yea his mercie is neuer sweete vnto the palate of the soule vntill it be seasoned with some tast of his wrath The Paschall Lambe was eaten with sowre hearbs to signifie that we can feele no sweetenes in the blood of Christ till wee first feele the smart of our owne sinnes and corruptions Secondly these persons vse to alleadge against themselues that if they could feele any comfort at al then they would stay their minds and yeild to good perswasions and exhortations To this the answer is That there is a Rule of grace which we must follow gathered out of the word of God and the experience of Gods Children contrarie to the rule of nature and aboue the light of reason and it is this that in case of aâ—â—liction we must not liue by feeling but by faith This Rule is grounded vpon the speech of the Lord by the Prophet the iust maÌ„ shall liue by his faith When we haue neither sight nor sense nor any tast of Gods mercie but onely apprehend his wrath euen then we must labour to lay hold of mercie in his word and promise Sense feeling are not alwaies fit directioÌ„s for the time of this life For he may be the deare child of God that in present feeleth nothing but his wrath and indignation This indeede is the true triail of our faith when euen aboue and against reason we relie on the mercie of God in the apprehension of his anger So did Dauid Out of the deepe saith he that is beeing nowe deepely plunged into the pangs of a distressed conscience haue I called vpoÌ„ thee O Lord and Iob in the like case Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Abraham is commended by the holy Ghost amongst other things for this that he beleeued in God aboue hope that is against all matter of hope that might possibly be conceiued vpon the consideration of the strength of natural causes The thiefe vpon the crosse feeling nothing but woe and seeing nothing in Christ but misery and contempt yet he beleeued in Christ and was saued In a word Christ himselfe when he was sorsaken of all men and voide of all wordly comfort and felt nothing but the depth of the wrath God in his agony and passion yet by the faith of his manhood hestaied himselfe and said My God my God Thirdly they vse to plead that their case is desperate that neuer any was in such a state as they are neuer any touched with the like distresse of mind Answ. It is false For the holy Ghost hath penned three notable places of Scripture the booke of Iob and two Psalmes of Dauid wherein are propounded vnto vs the examples of Iob and Dauid Gods owne deare seruants who were in as great distresse as euer they or any other haue beene And they may not thinke that they euer could be able to indure greater paines then Christ who notwithstanding in the anguish of his soule vpon the Crosse cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And thus much touching the first kind of trouble of conscience called the diuine temptation CHAP. IX Of the second Speciall Distresse arisiâ—g from outward afflictions THe second kind of Distresse is that which ariseth from outward afflictions By Afflictions I vnderstand all manner of miseries and calamities in this life from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the very pangs of death Nowe the Question is howe the Trouble of minde arising by Afflictions may be remedied For the answer of which question two things are required of the partie distressed Practise and Meditation Sect. 1. The Practise is that which is to be vsed in all distresses of minde what soeuer And it is a diligent examination of the conscience in regard of sinne an earnest and heartie confession thereof vnto God and deprecation that is earnest praier vnto him for the pardon of the same These three things beeing done truly and vnfainedly from the heart are a present remedie against this trouble and bring with them much comfort Manasses the king of Iudah that had coÌ„mitted much wickednesse when he was carried captiue to Babel and there put in chaines he humbled himselfe acknowledged his sinnes and praied earnestly vnto the Lord and the issue was good for God was intreated of him and gaue him deliuerance Iob beeing long in outward affliction humbled himselfe in like manner and at length receiued comfort Daniel humbled himselfe before God for his owne sinnes and for the sinnes of Gods people making request vnto God earnestly for them and euen when he was in the acte of praying the Lord sent his angel Gabriel to giue him notice of deliuerance Lastly the Church of God vnder the crosse performed the like dutie Let vs search and trie our waies and turne to the Lord and God in mercie gaue an eare vnto her mourning and lamentation By all these places it is apparent that there is no better remedie in the world for the minde of man grieued by meanes of outward afflictions then the practise of the duties before named Sect. 2. The next thing vnto Practise is the Meditation of the comfortable doctrines that are set downe in the word of God touching afflictions All which doctrines may be reduced to fiue principall and maine grounds of comfort and shall be laid downe in their order The first Ground is that All afflictions from the least to the greatest doe come to passe not by accident chaunce or fortune but by the speciall prouidence of God I explaine it thus In euery particular crosse and affliction there is the hand of Gods particular prouidence and that in three regards First because God decreeth and foreappointeth euery particular crosse Marke the words of Paul Whome God hath foreknowne them he hath predestinate to be made like vnto the image of his sâ—â—ne and what is this image nothing else but a conformitie vnto Christ in
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 self-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
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
doe with patience expect it Rom. 8. 25. The third is Loue of God which hath two effects in the heart First it makes the heart to cleaue vnto God and to be well pleased with him simply for himselfe In this manner God the father louing Christ testifieth that he was well pleased in him Matth. 3. 17. Secondly it mooues the heart to seeke by all meanes possible to haue true fellowship with God in Christ. This the Church notably expresseth in the Canticles The fourth is Inward praier or Inuocation of the heart and it is nothing els but the lifting vp of the heart vnto God according to his will by desires and grones vnspeakable Or it is a worke of the heart whereby it flies vnto God for help in distresse makes him a rocke of defence When the children of Israel were afflicted They remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer Psal. 78. 35. Of this kinde of prayer Paul speakes when he saith pray continually 1. Thess. 5. 17. For solemne prayer conceiued and vttered in forme of words cannot alwaies be vsed but we are to lift vp our hearts vnto God vpon euery occasion that by inward and holy motions and affections they may be as it were knitte vnto him Now to conclude this point touching Inward worship we must remember that it alone is properly simply and of it selfe the worship of God and the Outward is not simply the worship of God but onely so farre forth as it is quickned by the Inward and grounded vpon it For God is a Spirit and therefore the true worship that is done vnto him must be performed in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. CHAP. VI. Of the outward worship of God and the first head thereof Prayer THus much of the Inward worship of God The Outward is that which is performed by the bodie externally eitherin word or deede To this belong many particulars which I will reduce to eight seuerall heads I. Prayer II. The hearing of the word preached III. The vse of the Sacraments IV. Outward Adoration V. Confession VI. An Oath VII Vowes VIII Fasting Touching Praier conceiued and vttered by the voice there are many Questions of Conscience the principall whereof are foure I. Question How shall a man make a lawfull and acceptable praier to God Ans. The word of God requires many conditions in making praier to God they may all be brought to three heads Some of them goe before the making of praier some are to be performed in the act of praier some after praier is ended Sect. 1. Conditions to be obserued before praier are three First he that would make such a praier as God may be pleased to heare must repent Esa. 1. 15. God would not heare the praiers of the Iewes because their hands were full of blood that is because they had not repented of their oppression and crueltie Ioh. 9. 31. God heares not sinners that is such as liue and lie in their sinnes and turne not vnto God by true repentance 1. Ioh. 3. 22. By this we know that God heares our prayers if we keepe his commandements I adde further that the man which hath before-time repented must againe renew his repentance if he desire that his praiers should be accepted For the very particular sinnes of men whereinto they fall after their repentance doe hinder the course of their praiers from hauing accesse vnto God if they be not repented of And for this cause the worthie men of God the Prophets in the old Testament doe vsually in the beginning of their praiers still humble themselues and confesse their sinnes as we may see in the example of Daniel chap. 9. v. 5 6 c. and of Ezra chap. 9. v. 6. c. Secondly before a man make a praier he must first if neede require be reconciled vnto his brother If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering and goe thy way first be recōciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Matt. 5. 23. When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue any thing against any man c. Mark 11. 25. Thirdly he that is to pray must prepare himselfe in heart and mind as one that is to speake familiarly with God In this preparation foure things are required First the mind is to be emptied of all carnall worldly thoughts Secondly there must be in the minde a consideration of the things to be asked Thirdly a lifting vp of the heart vnto the Lord Psal. 25. 1. Fourthly the heart must be touched with a reuerence of the maiestie of God to whome we pray Eccl. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to vtter a thing before God For the neglect herof the Lord threatneth to bring a iudgment vpon the Israelites Esay 29. 13. 14. Sect. 2. The second sort of Conditions are those that are required in praier and they are in number eight I. Euery petition must proceed from a liuely sense and feeling of our owne wants and of our spirituall pouertie For without this no praier can be earnest and hartie and consequently become acceptable vnto God For example when we pray that Gods name may be hallowed we must in making that petition haue in our harts a sense of the corruption of our nature wherby we are prone to dishonour the name of God II. Our praier must proceede from an earnest desire of that grace which we want and this desire is indeede praier it selfe Moses vttering neuer a word but groning in the spirit vnto God in the behalfe of the Isralites is said to crie vnto the Lord. Exod. 14. 15. We know not saith Paul what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sights that cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. III. The petition must proceede from sauing and true iustifying faith The reason is because without that faith it is impossible that either our persons or our praiers or any other action we doe should please God Heb. 11. 6. IV. Euery petition must be grounded vpon the word of God and not framed according to the carnall conceit and fansie of mans braine And this is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing ACCORDING TO HIS WILL he heareth vs. 1. Ioh. 5. 14. Now we haue a double ground of our praier in Gods word a commandement to make the praier either generall or particular and a promise that our requests shal be granted Here we must remember two rules First Things to be asked are either spirituall or temporall Spirituall are such as concerne God whereof some are more necessarie to saluation as remission of sinnes faith repentance and such like some are lesse necessarie as hope ioy in the feeling of Gods mercie in distresse c. Temporall things are such as belong to this life as meate drinke clothing
the want thereof Gods glorie is directly impeached the saluation of men hindered and our neighbour offended And then we are necessarily to confesse though no examination be made If it be here asked How we may be able to discerne of this time The answer is by Christian wisdome which teacheth vs that when by our silence wicked men are emboldened to speake euill of Gods word and weake ones occasioned to fall from the faith then is the fittest time to stand in the defence and maintenance of the truth Out of these two times and cases Christians haue libertie not to confesse but may lawfully conceale their faith nay which is more their persons by changing their habit and attire vppon this ground because the affirmatiue commandement doth not alwaies binde Here it is obiected First that we are saued onely by faith and therefore confession is not necessarie Ans. We must consider faith two waies First as an instrument created in the heart whereby we apprehend and apply Christ with his benefites to our selues for our iustification and saluation Secondly faith must be considered more largely as it is a way to bring vs to life euerlasting Nowe in the first acceptiō it may truly be said that we are saued by faith alone For there is no grace of God where by we take hold of Christ but faith But if we take it in the second sense as a way to life then we may truly say that it alone saueth not but hope loue repētance good works and all diuine vertues In this sense Paul saith we are saued by hope Rom. 8. 24. because by it we wait for our saluation and hope is the way in which all must walke that looke to be saued Againe he saith Momentany afflictions doe work vnto vs an eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4. 17. But how Not as causes but as waies signes and markes that giue vs direction to our iourneies ende And thus The woman is said to be saued by bearing of Children 1. Tim. 2. 15. Which bearing and bringing vp of children is no cause but onely a way wherein she must constantly walke to glory And though in mans iudgement that may seeme a way of misery and death yet indeede it is otherwise if the Children continue in faith loue and holinesse with modestie Againe the Apostle Iames saith that Abrahams faith wrought together with his workes Iam. 2. 2. which are likewise not to be vnderstood as working causes but as testmonies and euidences declaring and manifesting that he was iust in the sight of God Secondly it is obiected that confession of our faith to God is sufficiēt For so Saint Paul seemes to say Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith haue it with thy selfe before God Therefore confession before man is not needefull Ans. The Apostle speakes not of that faith wherby we are iustified and saued but of that which standeth in a perswasion of the vse or not vse of things indifferent And this a man may keepe to himselfe that is he may so vse it as he shall not thereby offend his brother That commandement was giuen by Paul for those times when men were not fully perswaded of the vse of God creatures as meates drinkes c. but to these times it is not II. Question Whether it be lawfull for a man being vrged to goe to Idol-seruice and heare Masse so as he keepe his heart to God Ans. It is not and I proue it by the scope of the eigth and tenth Chapters of the first Epistle to the Corinthians where the Apostle disputes the Question whether the Corinthians might goe into the temples of Idols and eate of meat offered vnto them in the meane time not partaking with Idolaters in the worship of the Idols This he auoucheth to be vtterly vnlawfull for that purpose tells the Corinthians That they cannot drinke of the cuppe of the Lord and of the cuppe of Deuills Now as this was vnlawfull for them so it is vnlawfull for any Protestant to goe to any Popish assembly to heare Masse Again God is the Creator of the Body and Soule therefore he is to be worshipped in both cōsequently we robbe him of his due when we reserue our hearts to him and giue our bodies to Idolls To this purpose Paul exhorteth the Romanes to giue vp their bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Rom. 12. 1. Which place vtterly condemneth the errour of some who thinke that God wil be content with the soule and that they may bestowe there bodie in the seruice of the Devill But against this Doctrine sundrie things are alledged The first is the example of Naaman 2. Kings 5. 18. 19. who said to the Prophet when I bowe my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord be mercifull to me in this thing To whom Elisha answered goe in peace Here say some the Prophet giues leaue to Naaman to worshippe in an Idols Temple To this there be sundrie answers giuen Some affirme that Naaman speakes only of Ciuill and Politique worship and not of Religious For his office was to kneele down in the Temple that the King might leane vpon his shoulder when he worshipped the Idoll And Naaman makes open protestation v. 7. that he will worshippe no God but the God of Israel Others answere and that more truly that Naaman doth acknowledge it a sinne to goe to the house of Rimmon and therefore he craues pardon for it at the hands of God twice togither ver 18. and withall makes a vowe that he will thenceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to any other God saue onely to the Lord and hereunto Elisha answereth Goe in peace Yet further it is answered that Naaman requesteth the Prophet to pray for him that he might be constant in the seruice of the true God And in case he were drawne against his purpose by humane frailtie to bow againe before Rimmon with his King that the Lord in mercie would pardon his offence And to this the Prophet yeeldeth saying Goe in peace As if he should say Goe to I will pray for thee to this ende and purpose This text therefore giues no warrant for bodily presence in Idolatrous assemblies The second Obiection Iehu openly professed the worship of Baal and yet he dissembled meaning nothing lesse 2. king 10. 18. And the Lord commends him for his diligent execution of that which was right in his eies vers 30. Ans. Iehu is commended not for his dissembling but for his diligence in destroying Achabs house his religion the Priests with all that belonged vnto them though in other matters belonging to the seruice of God he departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam The third obiection Dan. 3. 6. Nebuchad-nezzar made a decree that whosoeuer would not fall downe and worshippe the golden Image should the same houre be cast into the middest of an hotte fierie furnace Now we doe not read that any moe refused to obey but three and therefore it seemes that
afraid least when he came to the Corinths God would humble him for their sinnes 2. Cor. 12. 21. Againe he teacheth that those which are fallen into any fault must be restored by the spirit of meekenes because we our selues are subiect to the same tentations Gal. 6. 1. And in this regard he would haue men to mourne with them that haue in them the cause of mourning Rom. 12. 15. Thirdly iust anger must be contained within the bounds of our particular calling and civill decencie that is so moderated as it makes vs not to forsake our duties which we owe to God and man nor breake the rules of comlines Thus Iacob was angrie with Laban and yet he speakes and behaues himselfe as a sonne to his father euen in his anger Gen. 31. 36. Ionathan was angrie with Saul his father and yet he withdrawes not any reuerent or dutifull respect from him 1. Sam. 20. Sect. 2. The second part of the Question is When Anger is a vice and vnlawfull Ans. It is a sinne in fiue regards contrary to the former First when we conceiue it without counsell and deliberation This rash hastie sudden and violent anger is condemned by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 22. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shal be culpable of iudgment Secondly when it is conceiued for no cause or for a light or trifling cause Prou. 10. 12. Loue couers a multitude of sinnes Therefore euery light offence must not be the cause of open anger Prov. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to passe by some infirmities Eccles. 7. 23. Take not notice of all the words that men speake no not of all those which seruants speake vnto their masters Besides that causelesse anger is many times forbidden in the Scripture And Paul saies that loue is hardly provoked because it will not be mooued to conceiue hatred but vpon weightie and important causes 1. Cor. 13. Thirdly when the occasion is iust yet the measure of anger is immoderate Eph. 4. 26. Be angry sinne not and if by infirmitie thou fall into it let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath The reason is added in the next words Giue not place to the Deuill because he is alwaies at hand to inflame the affection as he did Sauls who therefore in his rage would haue killed him that was next him Fourthly when it makes vs to forget our dutie to God or man and to fal to brawling cursing and banning Thus was Shemei angry when he railed vpon the King and flung stones at him and his seruants giuing him bad and vnreuerent tearmes and calling him a man of blood and a man of Belial 2. Sam. 16. 5. 6. 7. Thus did the Disciples forget their dutie of loue vnto their brethren and in anger desired that fire might come down from heauen and destroy the Samaritanes Luk. 9. 59. Thus the Iewes in vndecent and vncharitable manner gnashed with their teeth at Steven Act. 7. 54. And Saint Paul saies that the fruites of wicked anger are clamors and crying speeches between person and person in their fury Eph. 4. 31. And thence it is that we find Balaam in his anger to haue beene more void of reason then his asse Numb 22. 27. Fistly when we are angrie for priuate respects concerning our persons and not concerning the cause of God Thus Cain is said to be exceeding wrothe and to haue his countenance cast downe onely vpon a priuate respect because he thought his brother Abel should be preferred before him Gen. 4. 5. Thus Saul was wrath with Dauid taking himselfe to be disgraced because the people after the slaughter of the Philistimes ascribed to Dauid ten thousand and to him but a thousand 1. Sam. 18. 7. In like manner he was angrie with Ionathan for his loue that he bare to Dauid and for giuing him leaue to goe to Bethleem 1. Sam. 20. 30. Thus Nebuchadnezars wrath was kindled against the three children because he tooke himselfe to be contemned of them Dan. 3. 19. Thus Haman meerely in regarde of priuate disgrace growes to great indignation against Mordecai Esther 3. v. 5. Thus Asa was angry with the Prophet Hanani because he thought it a discredit to him to be reprooued at his hand 2. Chron. 16. 10. And in this sort were the Iewes filled with wrath at Christs reproofe Luk. 4. 28. shewing thereby as it is truly expounded by the Commenter that they were very hotte in their own cause and not in the cause of God III. Question What is the Remedie of vniust Anger Ans. The Remedies thereof are twofold Some consist in meditation and some in practise Sect. 1. The Remedies that stand in Meditation are of three sorts some doe concerne God some our neighbour and some our selues The Meditations cōcerning God are specially sixe I. Meditation That God by expresse cōmandement forbiddes rash and vniust anger and commandeth the contrarie namely the duties of loue Read for this purpose Mat. 5. 21. 22. where we may obserue three degrees of vniust anger The first whereof is that which is inwardly conceiued and not outwardly shewed The second when vniust anger shewes it selfe by signes of contempt as by snuffing rushing changing and casting downe of the countenance The third is railing thou foole which is culpable of Gehenna fire the highest degree of punishment Now all these three degrees are murther and the punishment of a murtherer is to be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 21. 8. Againe Christ commandeth vs to reward good for euill to blesse them that curse vs and to doe good to thē that hate vs if we will be the children of our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 45. And S. Paul wisheth vs to ouercome evill with goodnes Rom. 12. 21. II. Meditation That all iniuries which befall vs doe come by Gods providence whereby they are turned to a good ende namely our good Thus David saith that God had bidden Shemei to curse him 2. Sam. 16. 10. And this was the ground of Christs reproofe of Peter Shall I not saith he drinke of the euppe which my Father hath giuen me to drinke of Ioh. 28. 11. III. Meditation God is long-suffering even towards wicked men we in this point must be followers of him In regard of this God is said to be mercifull gracious slow to anger abundāt in goodnes truth Exod. 34. 6. Hence it was that he spared the old world 120 yeres ◠Pet. 3. 19. He spared the Israelits after their Idolatrie 390 yeres Ezek. 4. 5. Besides this we haue example of the lowlines long suffering of Christ who saith Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am humble and meeke and of whome it is said 1. Pet. 2. 22. When he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously Nowe because some may haply say that these examples of God and Christ are too perfect for man to followe who cannot
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 self-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
that sinne if he proceed according to the three degrees mentioned Mat. 18. But this is in him a fault for he must not iudge in this case at his owne pleasure but his iudgement must follow the iudgement of the Church and when the Church hath giuen censure then may the priuate man proceede to censure and not before So saith our Sauiour Christ Mat. 18. 17. If he heare not the Church after the Church hath iudged him let him be vnto you as a heathen a publicane Here if the Question be made how a man may with good conscience giue iudgement of his owne selfe I answer by obseruing two Rules First a man must alwaies in the presence of God iudge himself in regard of his sinnes both of hart life 1. Cor. 11. 31. If we should iudge our selues we should not be iudged And this iudgement of a mans selfe must not be partiall but sharpe and seuere with true humiliation and lowlines of heart For this is a true ground of all charitable iudgement of others Secondly before men a man must suppresse his iudgement of himselfe and be silent no man is bound either to praise or dispraise to excuse or accuse and condemne himselfe before others and grace must teach him thus much not vainely to commend or boast of of his owne gifts and actions but rather to burie them in silence and referre them to the iudgement of others Now to conclude this point The doctrine deliuered is most necessarie for these times For the fashion of most men is to giue rash and sinister iudgement of others but themselues they will commend and that highly If any thing be euill saide or done all men must haue notice of it If a thing be doubtfull it is alway construed in the worser part If a thing be done of weaknes and infirmitie we aggrauate it and make it a double sinne We are curious in searching and inquiting into the liues of others that we may haue something to carpe and finde fault with But let this be remembred that as we iudge so we shall be iudged first of God by condemnation and then by hard and vnequal iudgement from others Againe what is it that makes men to be open mouthed in declaring and censuring our faults but this that we open our mouthes to the disgrace and defamation of others Wherefore if we would haue other men to iudge of vs and our actions in loue we must also make conscience to giue charitable iudgement of them II. Question How one man should honour an other Ans. That we may rightly honour men we must first know the causes for which men are to be honoured And that the causes of honour may be conceiued I will lay downe this Ground Honour is in the first place principally and properly to be giuen vnto God 1. Tim. 1. 17. To God onely wise be honour and glorie The reason hereof is rendered in the Lords prayer be cause his is kingdome power and glorie Againe God is goodnes it selfe his goodnes and his essence are one and the same therefore honour is due to him in the first place Now euery creature as it commeth neare vnto God so it is honourable and the more honourable by how much nearer it commeth vnto him But man especially by how much nearer he commeth to God in diuine things by so much more is he to be honoured in respect of other creatures From this Ground doe follow these Conclusions First that Man is first of all to be honoured for vertues sake because therein principally standes the internall image of God Rom. 2. 10. To euery man that doth good shal be honour glorie peaece to the Iew first c. Now whereas the Question might be Who is the Iew to whome this honour must be yeelded Paul answers vers 29. that he is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew who is one within And the circumcision is of the heart And Salomon saith that Honour is vnseemely for a foole Prou. 26. 1. And the Holy Ghost to the Hebrewes saith that by faith our Elders were well reported of The Heathen man Marcus Marcellus a Romane dedicated a TeÌ„ple to the Goddesse of Honour and the way to that temple was by the house of Vertue The Second Conclusion is That man is to be honoured not onely for vertue but also for diuine representations of other good things in a word because one man before an other heareth the image of some thing that is in God As First of his Maiestie Thus the King is honoured because in his Maiestie and state he carrieth a resemblance of the power and glorie of God so as that which is saide of God may be also spoken of him Hence it was that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar O King thou art a King of Kings and why for the God of heauen hath giuen thee kingdome power strength and glorie Dan. 2. 37. Secondly of his Dominion Thus the husband is to be honoured of the wife because he beareth before the woman the image of the glorie of God yea of his prouidence wisedome Lordship and gouernment 1. Cor. 11. 7. Thirdly of his Paternitie and so the father is honoured of the sonne because he beares in his person the image of Gods paternitie or father-hoode Fourthly of his Eternitie and hence it is that honour is giuen to the aged before the young man because he beareth the image thereof Thus we see that Diuine representations doe imprint a kinde of excellencie in some persons and consequently doe bring forth honour The third Conclusion is That men are to be honoured euen for the vertues of others Thus the sonnes of Princes are called by the honourable name of Princes The children of Nobles are esteemed by birth Noble Thus Dignities doe runne in discent and the posteritie is honoured in the name of the ancestours but principally for the vertues of the aâ—ncestours The fourth Conclusion is Men are to be honoured for their Riches I meane not for riches simply but for the right vse of riches namely as they are made instruments to vphold and maintaine Vertue If it be said that to honour rich men is to haue the faith of the Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iam. 〈◊〉 1. I answer In that place we are not sorbidden to honour rich men but the Apostles meaning is to reprooue a fault of an other kinde when men preferre riches before pietie when rich men are honoured beeing vngodly and when godly poore men are despised and reiected because they are poore Now hauing premised the Ground we come to giue Answer to the Question before propounded A man therefore is to honour euery one in his place whether he be his superiour equall or inferiour Yea there is a kinde of honour to be performed to a mans owne selfe The truth of this Answer we shall see in the particulars that follow Sect. 1. Touching the honouring of Superiours these Ruies are to be obserued