two sorts 2 The sorts and kinds of it Two-fold Generall and Particular Generall when a Sinner doth onely in a generall manner confesse that he is a sinner that hee hath offended 1 Generall God that he hath broken Gods commandements and done wickedly c. Particular confession of sinne is an acknowledgement 2 Particular of our particular sinnes when hauing made diligent search by the law of God to finde out our sinnes we doe then confesse those sinnes which our owne conscience witnesseth against vs that we are guilty of as Dauid when hee had committed adultery with Bathsheba confessed his sinne in particular saying d Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight The Iewes confessed their sinnes both in generall and particular In generall e Isa 59 12. Our transgressions say they are multiplyed before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities wee know them And in particular they confesse and say f Vers 13. in transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and reuolt conceiuing and vttering from the heart words of falshood The third thing in Confession is the manner how a 3 The manner of making Confession aright sinner is to make confession of his sinnes that his confession may be acceptable to God Dauid saith g Psal 32. I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord. The vulgar Latine translation readeth it thus g Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe mine vnrightousnesse vnto the Lord. From whence sixe things are obserued to bee necessary in the confession of sinne First that our Confession of sinne be done with premeditation 5 h Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Domino Six things are necessary in the Confession of Sinne. that we doe not rashly and rudely thrust our selues into the presence of the Lord but first search our hearts try our wayes finde out our sinnes take notice of them view them consider them and haue them before our eyes when wee come to make confession of them This is noted in the beginning of the sentence i Dixi. I said before I confessed my sinnes I first thought with 1 That it be with premeditation my selfe I considered in my minde the sinnes which I was to confesse I said within my selfe I will confesse my sinnes Secondly Confession of sinne must be in truth without 2 That it be in 〈◊〉 guile not hiding sinne but plainely and truely confessing our sinnes wherfore he saith k Confitâ—bor I will confesse I will make knowne my sinne I will hide nothing I will search euery corner of my heart I will lay open all and euery sinne I will confesse my sinne Thirdly our Confession must be accusing not excusing 3 That it be accusing not excusing noted in the next words l Aduersum me against my selfe Our confession must be against our selues Howsoeuer it be dangerous for any one to accuse himselfe before men yet euery sinner must accuse himselfe before God iudge himselfe to haue broken the commandements of God and condemne himselfe to be worthy of death For this cause a sinner must come before the Lord in all humility and lowlinesse of mind with shame and confusion of face being ashamed to lift vp his eyes to heauen for the multitude of his sinnes and transgressions saying with Ezra m Ezra 96. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased ouer our heads and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauens And must be like the penitent Publican who comming before the Lord to confesse his sinnes n Luk 18. 13. Stood a farre off and would not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Fourthly Confession must be made of sinne and iniquity 4 Confession must be of Sinne and iniquity noted in the word o Iniustitiam vnrighteousnesse or transgresgressions Wee must not with the Pharisee boast our good deeeds and praise our well-doing but with the Publicane confesse our sinnes and our selues sinners and earnestly pray for the pardon of our sinnes Fiftly Confession must be made of our owne sinnes 5 That we confesse our owne sinnes wherefore he saith I will confesse against my selfe p Meam mine vnrighteousnesse or my transgressions Sâ—xtly Confession of our sinnes must be made vnto the Lord our God wherefore he saith I will confesse my 6 That our confessioÌ„ be made vntâ— God transgressions q Domino vnto the Lord. Confession must be made vnto God to the honour of God that God may haue the glory and we the comfort Of this Dauid speakes thus in another place r Psal 51 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned So also when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and Dauid said vnto the Lord Å¿ 2 Sam. 24. 10. I haue sinned greatly in that I haue done Daniel said t Dan. 9 4. 4. I praied vnto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. Chrysostome taught the same doctrine u Deâ— sâ—luendis peâ—catum Chrys de paeâ—it Hom. 9. Tell thy sinne onely vnto God Againe he saith * Sâ—luâ—te Deus confiâ—entâ—m vidâ—aâ— Chrys de paeâ—it confâ—s Let God onely see the confessing of thy sinnes After this manner we are to make Confession of our sinnes In the fourth place I come to the motiues which may perswade vs to confesse our sinnes vnto God Which I take 4 Motiues to coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God First from the necessity Secondly from the benefite thereof For the first Confession of Sinne vnto God is necessary 1 〈◊〉 necessâ—ry For for First God is chiefly and principally offended by our sinnes wherefore it is that Dauid hauing committed 1 God is principally offâ—nded by our sinnes adultery and thereby hauing not onely offended God but wronged man comming to make confession saith y Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned Now because sinne is chiefly and principally committed against God therefore it 's necessary that wee make our confession chiefly and principally vnto God Secondly without confession of sinne we can looke 2 Without Confession we can haue no remission for no remission of sinne Salomon saith z Pro. 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Giuing vs to vnderstand that he onely obtaineth mercie of the Lord that confesseth his sinnes but if any one will not confesse but hide and couer his sinnes he shall not prosper it shall not be well with him the Lord will shew him no fauour nor mercie
doe arise in the heart and if at any time such euill thoughts doe arise to labour to suppresse and beat them down by acknowledging Gods diuine prouidence that hee rules and gouernes all things in the world and that most wisely by acknowledging Gods Iustice in punishing sinners and rewarding euery man according to his deedes by acknowledging Gods omniscience and omnipresence that God knowes and sees all things that are done vpon the face of the earth according to that saying of Salomon q Prou. 15. 4. the eyes of the Lord are in euery place beholding the euill and the good And therefore not to bee so foolish nor so sinfully wicked as to say with the foole though it bee in his heart There is no God The second sort of Atheists are they which in plaine 2 In words words deny God The former did but thinke euill against God they sayd but in their heart there is no God But these blaspheme God with their mouths r Psal 73. 9. They set their mouth against the Heauens These kinde of Atheists are a most wicked generation hauing mouthes full of blasphemies odious to God and hatefull to good men Traytors they are to Gods Maiesty they deny Gods Supremacy they deny God to be supreme Gouernour of the world attributing all things to Nature These deserue rather to be punished then confuted But if the Atheist would diligently consider the glorious Reasons against Atheisme frame and orderly composing of the things in Heauen and Earth if he would lift vp his eyes towards the Heauens aboue and take a diligent view of the things below hee should bee stricken with admiration and say Å¿ Psal 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Besides the Atheist might know that there is a God by his Prouidence so wisely and orderly gouerning all things in the world Indeede we see that there is a naturall course of things in heauen and earth the Sunne knoweth his rising and falling Summer and Winter keepe their naturall course but there is a first Moouer euen that Heauenly Moouer who sits in his throne in the highest Heauens and giues motion to the things in heauen and earth whose name is t Exod. 3. 14. I am who hath a being of himselfe giues being to all creatures in whom we liue and mooue and haue our being and that must needes bee God who rules and gouernes all things in their naturall course Lastly let the Atheist knocke at the doore of his owne conscience and aske what that meaneth that at the hearing of thunder-claps at the flashing of lightning and at the mighty moouing of the earth hee is so afrayd and trembleth Yea let him aske againe and enquire what that meaneth that the worme is still gnawing and biting and will giue him no rest And his owne conscience will tell him that in all these there is something aboue nature that there is a God who sheweth his mighty power in the clowds and by the same mighty power shaketh the foundations of the earth that there is a God who because hee is a iust God will not suffer wicked men to goe vnpunished and the gnawing worme of a guilty conscience in the meane time will giue the sinner no rest but accuseth him of the transgression of the Law of God his owne conscience is as a Sergeant arresting him and summoning him to appeare before Gods Tribunall Seat there to answer for the deedes that hee hath done The Atheists owne conscience telleth him that there is a God so that he may say u Psal 58. 11. Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that iudgeth in the earth The third sort of Atheists are they who deny God 3 By their deeds by their deedes of which denying of God S. Paul speakes to Titus x Tit. 1. 16. They professe that they know God but in workes they deny him being abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Heere is mention of denying God but who deny him they that professe they know God How may that bee that they which professe God should also deny God they professe him in words but deny him in deedes Such Atheists as these there were in the Apostles time I would there were not cause to complaine of such in our time Many yea the most men professe that they know God they acknowledge there is a God and they acknowledge that God is to be worshipped yet many deny God by their workes Consider this first in prophane people Demand of the greatest Swearer Prophaner of the Saboth Quarreller Adulterer Drunkard c. whether he know God Hee will professe that he knowes God but look to his deeds and you shall finde that they are vile and abominable his workes are such and his manner of life such as if he rather thought in his heart there were no God neither God nor Deuill neither Heauen nor Hell Secondly consider this in Hypocrites they professe that they know God they worship God publikely and it may be priuately too in the Church and in the house they read the Scriptures heare the Word and receiue the Sacraments in a word they will not be behinde in any outward religious duty of piety and holinesse And all this is godly and religious What then is wanting one thing is wanting the practice of godlinesse a good life a godly conuersation answerable to their profession this is wanting For consider in regard of the performance of the duties of piety how some doe all in outward shew and for vaine-glory pray and fast to be seen of men and giue almes to haue praise of men consider their workes of righteousnesse their dealing towards men how farre they are from doing vnto others as they would that men should do vnto them further let it be obserued how diuerse will take their times and opportunities when they are out of the company of the godly they be for all companies to doe as others doe to sweare among Swearers to game with Gamesters to drinke with Drunkards to bee partakers with the Adulterers and as the saying is among Good-fellowes to play the Good-fellow to carowse and drinke healths c. and by these things it may euidently appeare that though they professe they know God yet by their works they deny him These are no good Christians no sound Professours because their words and their workes doe not agree together their conuersation is not answerable to their profession but these are Hypocrites yea Atheists denying God They professe that they know God but in workes they deny him To conclude seeing that wicked life and a bad conuersation rankes a man either amongst the prophane or amongst Hypocrites and such as deny God my exhortation to all that know God aright and to those that make a good profession is that of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians y Let your conuersation be as it becommeth
to sinners and vnbeleeuers turne vnto me repent and beleeue the Gospell he sheweth vnto sinners that they ought to repent and turne vnto him and that vnbeleeuers ought to beleeue but to beleeue to repent and to turne to the Lord is not of our selues it is of God it is of the grace of God as S. Paul sayth n 2. Câ—r 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God This of the Efficient and inward working cause of Faith The second is the Instrumentall cause of faith which 2 The instrumentall cause of faith The word of God is the word of God of this S. Paul saith o Rom. 10. 17. faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He had sayd before how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent And hereupon inferreth that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heer 's the ordinarie meanes of begetting faith God of his mercie sends a Preacher to a people the Preacher preacheth Christ crucified by preaching Christ the people heare of Christ and by hearing they beleeue So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Now the word preached and heard which is powerfull to beget faith is vnderstood to be the whole word of God the Law and the Gospell for And that First to the begetting of faith in the heart it 's necessary 1 The law that a sinner heare the Law to the end that he may see and know his sinnes for p Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of sinne and not onely see and know his sinnes but likewise the punishment due to him for his sinnes which in the iustice of God is the malediction and curse of the Law for it is written q Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Likewise death and condemnation for the r Rom. 6. 23. wages of sinne is death Yea and to bee depriued of the Kingdome of God for Å¿ 1 Câ—r 6. 9. the vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And this part of the Word the Law laies open a mans sinnes so plaine and euident that it prickes the heart and wounds the conscience of a sinner insomuch that being truely and throughly touched with the sence and feeling of his owne particular sinnes he hath no peace in himselfe but is disquieted in conscience and now he beginnes to thinke with himselfe what hee may doe to finde ease to his conscience and rest to his soule an example whereof wee haue in those Iewes to whom S. Peter preached Christ crucified and vrged it vpon their consciences that they had crucified Christ for hee saith t Acts 2. 36 37. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified both Lord and Christ Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethron what shall wee doe they were so touched in conscience for their great and bloudy sinnes of crucifying Christ that they knew not what to doe Now when the Law hath thus wrough vpon a sinner humbling him and bringing him vnder a sence and feeling of his sinnes and the wrath of God due to him for his sinnes when hee findes himselfe in this distressed case and vnderstands in how great neede hee stands of 2 The Gospell helpe and comfort then the other part of the Word of God the Gospell of Christ being preached and heard together with the working of the Spirit inwardly in the heart doth open the eyes of his minde and inlighten his vnderstanding and shewes vnto him Christ crucified and makes the sinner see and know that there is remedy to heale his sicke soule that there is saluation to bee had in Christ Iesus and in him alone and that t Joh. 3. 16. whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life This is that word of consolation which S. Peter gaue to those Iewes now pricked in heart wounded in conscience and groning vnder the burthen of their sinnnes u Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And now the sinner knowing that saluation is to bee had in Christ Iesus and that there is x Acts 4. 12. no saluation in any other heereupon he ficeth to Christ for helpe and succour by the eye of faith he lookes vnto Iesus by the hand of faith he takes hold on Iesus and by faith applieth the merits of the death and passion of Christ vnto his owne soule being now assured of the mercy of God through Iesus Christ for the remission of his sinnes and saluation of his soule The sinner hath y Acts 15 7. heard the Word of the Gospell and beleeueth Thus faith is ordinarily procured by the Word of God And seeing that the ordinary meanes of begetting Vse faith is the Word of God this serues to reproue those Against those that boast of their faith and yet contemne and lightly regard the hearing of the Word the ordinary meanes of obtaining faith who despise and contemne or greatly neglect the hearing of the Word and yet boast that they haue faith Diuerse there are that seldome come to the house of God and very seldome heare Sermons who if they be questioned whether they haue faith will not sticke to answer euery one for himselfe yea I haue faith and doe beleeue I haue a good faith to God I hope to bee saued aswell as the best and hope to come to Heauen as soone as they that follow Sermons But I demand of thee ô vaine man if thou hast so good a faith and so good hope of saluation how and by what meanes camest thou by this thy good faith The Scriptures tels vs plainely that the meanes of obtaining faith is by hearing the Word of God And seeing thou doest not frequent the house of God nor heare the Word of God preached except it be at some times and by starts how can it be that thou hast true faith or if thou hast it how was it wrought in thee and by what meanes hast thou obtained it it is the great blindnesse of many ignorant soules to thinke they haue faith when they haue it not And they haue it not because they doe not vse the ordinary meanes to obtaine it I know and deny not God is not tyed to any meanes and therefore can extraordinarily worke faith in the hearts of men euen in whom be will according to his good pleasure but it is not safe for any
m Luk. 18. 11. I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publicane Secondly except we search out our owne sinnes and 2 To cause vs to seeke vnto the Lord for grace and mercie come truely to know our owne selues we cannot bee brought to seeke to the Lord for grace and mercie for a man that knoweth not his wants seeketh not for helpe and redresse of his wants Secondly the consideration of the knowledge of sin and that in particular manner as hath beene formerly Vse 2 shewed serues to reproue those who are so farre from Against those who haue no sence or feeling of sinne searching their hearts to finde out and know their sins that they haue little or no sence and feeling of their sins Though they know and confesse themselues in a generall manner to be sinners as others are yet they doe not come to a particular knowledge of their sinnes to know the greatnesse of their sinnes the multitude and foulenesse of their sinnes and to know the danger that their soules are in by reason of their sinnes Though they be sinners yet their sinnes neuer trouble them their sinnes are no burden vnto them they lie vnder the heauie waight and burden of sinne and yet feele no paine The reason is because they are yet in ignorance and blindnesse they are not inlightned with the knowledge of the truth to know God and to know themselues the eyes of their minde are not inlightned truly to see and know their particular sinnes but n â—phe 4 18. 19 hauing as the Apostle saith the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse These haue benummed and dead consciences yea these haue as the Apostle also saith o 1 Tim. 4. 2. their conscience seared with a hote iron This is a very dangerous state when a sinner is so farre from the knowledge of his sinnes as that he hath no feeling of his sinnes no remorse nor true touch of conscience for all the euill that he hath done But to the end that a sinner may truly repent him of his sinnes and be saued its necessarie that he haue as much as possibly he can a particular knowledge of his sinnes to know which they are and what manner of ones they are how great how grieuous how haynous and how dangerous they be And that he haue also a feeling of the heauie waight and burden of sinne For aâ— a man carrying a heauie and waighty burden too heauie for him to beare is not like to be eased of his burden till he complaine of the waight and call for helpe and then some friend or neighbour easeth his shoulder so a sinner that is heauie laden with the burden of sinne is like to find no ease till he haue a feeling of the heauy waight and burden of sinne lying heauie vpon his soule For Christ calleth onely such sinners to come vnto him p Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest And as a sick-man sore diseased is not like to find ease till hauing a feeling of his paine hee complaine of his griefe and lets the Physician know where his paine lies so a sinner that is sicke by reason of sinne and hath a diseased soule except he haue a feeling of his spirituall infirmitie how can he be healed q Mat. 9. 12. They that be whole neede not a Physician saith our Sauiour but they that are sicke Christ is the true and best Physician of the soule euery sinner is a sicke man sicke in soule and hath need of Christ's Physicke to cure and heale him Now if any one thinke himselfe sound and whole enough in soule and feele no sinne trouble him and therefore make no hast to goe and seeke to Christ Iesus the good Physician how can that mans soule be healed That man who in the iudgement of the learned Physician is sore sicke and diseased and yet feeles little or no paine is most dangerously sicke so that sinner who hath a sinfull soule sore diseased with sinne and yet hath little or no feeling of sinne no true knowledge of his sins is in greatest danger of his soule When the Israelites felt themselues stung with r Nâ—m 21. 6. 7. 8. 9. fierie serpents in the Wildernesse their remedie was to looke vp to the serpent of brasse and if a serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the serpent of brasse he liued This brasen serpent was a type and figure of Christ who was lift vp for our Redemption Of which our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Å¿ Ioh. 3. 14. 15. As Moses lift vp the brasen serpent in the wildernesse euen so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life But as those Israelites onely had benefit by the brasen serpent which felt themselues stung and then looked vp to the brasen serpent so they onely haue benefit by Christ who hauing a feeling of sinne feeling their soules inwardly slung with the fierie darts of the old serpent the Deuil doe runne and flie apace to Christ Iesus for helpe by the eye of faith looking vp vnto Iesus that so their wounded soules may be healed CHAP. V. Of godly sorrow and first of Contrition or inwarâ— sorrow for sinne AFter the knowledge of sinne followeth godly 2 Godly sorrow sorrow for sinne This is the second step and degree in the repentance of a sinner * 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godâ—y sorrow saith S. Paul worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of Heere S. Paul makes godly sorrow a thing necessarily required to repentance without which a sinner cannot be saued That sorrow which Sorrow for sin Two-fold worketh repentance the Apostle calls Godly sorrow for there are two sorts of sorrow for sinne The one a Buca de poenitent Legall The other Euangelicall The Legall sorrow for sinne is that sorrow which ariseth 1 Legall from the Law of God and the terrour of a mans owne conscience whereby a sinner is sorry and grieued for the euill which he hath committed onely in regard of the wrath of God and the punishment which he sees to bee deseruedly due vnto him and hanging ouer his head This is that sorrow which the Apostle calls b 2 Cor. 7. 10. the sorrow of the world or worldly sorrow which worketh death Godly sorrow worketh repentance but worldly sorrow worketh death for a sinner being detected and his wickednesse found out the Law of God hauing laid open his sinne and wounded his conscience he stands as one terrified with the remembrance of his deserued punishment now his conscience witnesseth against him that he hath done wickedly that hee deserues punishment and
is the true knowledge of God this is eternall life to know thee the only true God in the later part there is contained the mystery of the incarnation of Christ and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And because the true sauing faith which brings life eternall c In two things stands in these two the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ for this cause one saith that d Fides est vita aeterna Bren. in Ioh. 17. Faith is life eternall Because by faith we apprehend Christ and possesse Christ who is our Righteousnesse our Saluation and our Life Againe concerning the former the knowledge of God S. Paul saith e Heb. 11. 6. he that commeth to God must beleeue that God is Of the later the knowledge of Christ our 1 In the right knowledge of the true God Which knowledge of God is two-fold Sauiour Christ himselfe saith f Ioh 14. 1. Yee beleeue in God beleeue also in mee The first thing then wherein true faith consisteth is the right knowledge of the true God Now the knowledge of God is two-fold Generall and 1 The generall knowledge of God two-fold Particular The generall knowledge of God is also two-fold The first generall knowledge of God is to know and 1 To know that there is a God Which may be knowne acknowledge that there is a God which generall knowledge of God men may attaine vnto not onely by the cleere light of the Scriptures but by the very light of Nature and not onely by the Word of God but also by the workes of the Creation First by the very light of Nature men haue a generall 1 By the light of Nature knowledge that there is a God for naturally the knowledge of God is written in the mindes of men and euery mans conscience doth couince him that there is a God and no nation was euer so rude and barbarous but hath acknowledged that there is a God as some Heathen men themselues haue testified Of this generall knowledge of God the Scripture speakes thus g Rom. 1. 19. that which may be known of God is manifested in thē for God hath shewed it vnto them Againe the Apostle saith h Rom. 2. 14 15. When the Gentiles which haue not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these hauing not the Law are a Law vnto themselues which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Secondly men may come to this generall knowledge 2 By the workes of the creation of God by the workes of the Creation when men lift vp their eyes towards the Heauens and behold the Firmament the Sunne the Moone and the Starres those rious lights and consider the excellent frame of Heauen Earth take a view of the things contained therein they may in the workes of God as in a faire large booke read in capitall letters that there is a God which made Heauen and Earth the Sea and all things therein Of which the Apostle thus speaketh to the Romanes i Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and God-head The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God that there is a God both by the light of Nature Against Atheists which deny God and by the book of the Creatures may serue for the iust reprehension of Atheists who deny God Of which there are three sorts The first are such as deny God in heart 1 In heart The second which deny God in words The third which deny God by their works Touching the first sort There are some so much wanting in the knowledge of God and so farre from acknowledging the very true God that they deny God and though some dare not be so wicked to blaspheme the Deity with open mouth to say there is no God yet in their hearts they thinke so and say so secretly within themselues Of such it is sayd in the Psalmes k Psal 14. 1. the foole hath sayd in his heart There is no God This Atheisme of the heart is when men conceiue euill thoughts and imaginations against God as when they see the diuerse conditions of men in the world and marke how some liue in prosperity and others in aduersit◠how some flow in wealth and others spend their dayes in misery how for the most part wicked men flourish and haue what their heart can wish and good men are afflicted they begin to thinke with themselues if there be a God where is his Prouidence that should rule and gouerne all things in the world why doth God suffer things to bee so heere the foole saith in his heart there is no God because he cannot discerne the Prouidence of God which extends it selfe to all things in the world so that not so much a◠a Sparrow can fall to the ground l Matth. 10. 29. without your father as saith our Sauiour When men see and perceiue that wicked and vngodly men through pride exalt themselues aboue others and grow to be oppressors of the poore wronging the righteous hurting the fatherlesse and the widdowes they say within themselues where is the Iustice of God if God be a iust God why are not such wicked men punished why doth not some iudgement fall vpon such cruell oppressors thus the foole saith in his heart there is no God because hee hath not patience to waite the appointed time of Gods Iustice to see the end of the wicked and to consider that though the wicked prosper for a time yet the Lord hath set them m Psal 73. 18. in slippery places and in the end will cast them downe Further when wicked men commit sinne and doe not feele the hand of God vpon them punishing and plaguing them for their sinnes they begin to deny the knowledge of God and the presence of God and conceiue wicked thoughts against God that God sees not that God knowes not all the wickednesse that they do and therfore they are bold to continue in sinne and to goe on in their vngodly course of life and say n Psal 10. 11. in their heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will neuer see it Again o Verse 13. he hath sayd in his hert thou wilt not require it Moreouer they say p Psal 73. 11. How doth God know is there knowledge in the most High now to deny the prouidence of God the Iustice of God the knowledge of God and presence of God to deny that God knowes all things and sees all things is to deny God Wherefore to the end that this sinne of Atheisme in the heart may be remedied it behooues euery one to looke carefully to his heart to watch ouer his heart that no such wicked thought against God
Quest Iesus Christ Yea S. Iohn saith t 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but he that denieth that Answ Iesus is the Christ And Iude saith u Iude 4. There are certaine men crept in vnawares who were before of old ordained to this condition vngodly men turning the grace of our God into laciuiousnesse and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ And Christ is denied three wayes By Infidelity Christ is denied three manner of wayes Heresie and Apostasie First Iesus Christ is denied by Infidelity Infidels 1 By Infidelity Pagans Heathen men doe not know God nor acknowledge Iesus Christ The Turks vtterly deny Iesus Christ yea despise Christ so that they persecute Christians that professe the name of Christ And therfore their religion is a false religion and the worshipping of God a false worship because they worship God out of Christ for S. Iohn saith x 1 Iob. 2. 23. Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne the same hath not the Father The Iewes also to this day deny Iesus Christ For although it be true that they expect the Messias and looke for Christ to come yet they deny that Iesus Christ which was borne of the Virgin Mary and suffered vnder Pontius Pilate is the Messias this they constantly deny And to deny this is to deny Iesus Christ As S. Iohn also saith y 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but hee that denyeth that Iesus is Christ Againe S. Iohn saith z 1 Ioh. 4. 2 3. Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Thus Infidels Turkes and Iewes deny Iesus Christ Secondly Iesus Christ is denied by heresie Heretikes 2 By Heresie deny Iesus Christ by erring from the truth some denying the natures and some the offices of Christ First concerning the natures of Christ 1 Denying the natures of Christ his God-head and Man hood The Person of Christ is one in which there are two natures the God-head and Man-hood of Christ whereby Christ is God and Man true God and perfect man as he is the Sonne of God he is true God equall to the Father for S. Iohn saith a Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And as he is the sonne of man he is true man for as the Apostle saith b Heb. 2. 16. Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham And these two natures of Christ the God-head and Man-hood make but one Person CHRIST God and Man And these two natures are not turned one into another neither are they separated and diuided one from another nor confounded one with another but these two natures are vnited together by an Hypostaticall Vnion Which c Vnio est personalis non personarum naturarum est vnion non naturalis sed omninò supernaturaliis Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 6. c. 16. Vnion is personall but it is not a vnion of persons and it is a vnion of the natures of Christ but yet is it no naturall vnion but altogether supernaturall And notwithstanding that these two natures of Christ be vnited togethed yet are they distinguished there remaine in one Person Christ two distinct natures the God-head and Man-hood so that the God-head of Christ hath all the essentiall properties belonging to the diuine nature and the Man-hood of Christ retaineth all the naturall properties which are properly belonging to the humane nature But contrary to this receiued truth concerning the natures of Christ certaine Heretikes haue risen who haue denied some the God-head of Christ as d Ruffin lib. 1. â— cap. 1. Arrius who denied that the Sonne of God was of the same substance with the Father who was condemned by the first e Concil Nicaen 1. Niceno Councell where it was concluded and decreed that Christ the Sonne of God was f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruff. liâ— 1. cap. 5. of the same substance with the Father equall to the Father touching his God-head Some Heretikes haue denied the true Man-hood of Christ g Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 27. Apollinarius held that Christ did not take a true body of the Virgin Mary his mother but that hee had it from eternity h Euagr. l. 1. c. 2. Nestorius diuided the natures of Christ the God-head from the man-hood who was condemned by the i Concil Ephesin Ephesine Councell And Eutyches another Heretike confounded the natures of Christ affirming that Christ after the assumption of the humane nature had no more two natures but one who was condemned by the k Concil Chalced. Chalcedon Councell Now these Heretikes and all that hold of their part in that they deny either the God head or the Manhood of Christ in that they either diuide or confound the natures of Christ they erre from the true faith of Iesus Christ they doe not beleeue aright concerning the incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ And in that they deny the God-head or Man-hood of Christ in that they diuide or confound his natures they deny Iesus Christ And as Heretikes haue erred from the truth touching 2 Denying the offices of Christ the natures of Christ so also some haue erred from the truth concerning the offices of Christ The offices of Christ are three for he is CHRIST that is anoynted a King a Priest and a Prophet to his Church The errours concerning the offices of Christ are in the Romish Church true it is the Romists in words confesse Christ to bee a King a Priest and a Prophet yet in deede and in truth by their doctrine and practice they deny his offices for confirmation heereof Of First concerning the regall or kingly office of Christ 1 A King we hold that Christ is a King and therefore hath absolute rule and power ouer his Church hee rules in the hearts and consciences of men by the scepter of his Word and by his boly Spirit hee onely hath power to make lawes to binde the conscience but contrary to this the Church of Rome holds that the Pope hath power to make lawes to binde the consciences of men and that in things pertaining to l Bellarm. de Pontif. lib. 4. Faith and Christian life Secondly for the Priesthood of Christ they confesse Christ as we doe to be a Priest for euer after the order of 2 A Priest Melchisedech but yet oppugne the Priest-hood of Christ specially in three things First by offering in the Masse an m Bâ—llar de sa-Miss lib. 5. vnbloody sacrifice for sinne and this is done often whereas the Apostle saith n Heb. 9 28. Christ was but once offered to beare the sinnes of many Againe he saith o Heb. 10. 10. Wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all
those that goe to law for small offences and the least iniuries wrongs in all the sorts and degrees thereof reprooues those who though they can it may be moderate their passions in some measure from rash anger and bridle their tongues from reproachfull speeches yea and hold their hands from fighting yet for small offences and the least iniuries will take a course by law and sue their neighbour if they haue neuer so little aduantage by law if the wrong done either by word or deed will beare an action then forth with to the law But it hath beene declared that a man ought to vse the law but for necessity not for euery offence nor for euery wrong but for great wrongs and offences of the highest nature Men should goe to law as they goe to Phisicke if a man should for euery distemper in his body for euery paine and griefe goe to Phisick he would in the end bring his body to a low state and cause it to decay so if a man for euery offence and trespasse for euery wrong and iniurie will be running to law and accustome himselfe to that troublesome and vnpeaceable course of life he may in the end bring himselfe to a low state and cause his substance to decay wherefore S. Paul saith Å¿ Gal. 5. 15. If ye bite and deuoure one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another And howsoeuer a contentious and an vnpeaceable minded man may be perhaps well for his outward state yet concerning his soule he can be in no good state for a man that is giuen to continuall contentions and tearmelysuits of law hath little quietnesse of minde and is in great danger to loose charity meekenesse patienc yea peace of conscience The want of this patience in suffering wrong is a great cause of so many needlesse and some endlesse suits in law and those manie times for small wrongs and iniuries which greater then those many a patient minded man would haue bene content to haue put vp Hence it is that Courts are so full of matters of controuersie t 1 Cor. 6. 5. I speake to your shame saith the Apostle is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one shall be able to iudge betweene his brethren what none that is able or wise enough to iudge of your controuersies but you must needes goe to law one with another I dare say it that if men had this rare gift of patience to suffer wrong at least in some measure there would not be such suites at law but matters of controuersie might be ended by some discreet men without law except they were wrongs of a high nature as endangering a mans life or bringing infamie and reproach to his good name or except they were trialls of titles of possessions and inheritance other lesser matters might be ended at home Thirdly here they also are reproued who are hard-hearted 3 Against those that will not forgiue their enemies against those that haue offended them and will not be moued to forgiue them and if they doe forgiue them it is with some but from the lips not from the heart But we ought to forgiue our enemies Reasons to mooue vs and that freely First we ought to forgiue our enemies and that 1 To forgiue because First because Christ bids vs forgiue u Luk. 17. 3. 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgiue him And if he trespasse against thee seauen times in a day 1 God commandeth vs. and seuen times in a day turne againe to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgiue him Secondly because Christ forgaue his enemies as hath 2 Christ forgaue his enemies beene formerly shewed and therefore we ought to forgiue our enemies Thirdly except we forgiue we can haue no forgiuenesse our selues If we forgiue not men God will not 3 Except we forgiue we cannot be forgiuen forgiue vs x Mat. 6. 14. 15 If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also forgiue you saith our Sauiour Christ but If ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgiue your trespasses So Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray y forgiue vs Vers 12. as we forgiue teaching vs therby a necessitie of forgiuing one another as we would haue God to forgiue vs. For no man can pray with his heart Father forgiue with any assurance that God will forgiue him except he haue a heart to forgiue his brother Secondly we are not onely to forgiue but to forgiue 2 To forgiue freely freely and from the heart some it may be may be perswaded to be friends in outward shew be pleased for the present to ioyne hands perhaps when they meete together to moue the cap and say Good morrow and good euen and yet secretly carrie a grudge and owe their neighbour an ill turne and if opportunitie serue will pay it him This forgiuenesse is counterfeit and dissembling not from the heart but our Sauiour teacheth vs to forgiue one another z Mat. 18. 35. from our hearts The heartie forgiuenesse is the true forgiuenesse I conclude this point with the exhortation of the Apostle S. Paul * Ephe. 4. 32. Be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christ's sake hath forgiuen you Now God for Christs sake doth forgiue vs freely so ought we and so let vs freely and from our hearts forgiue one another CHAP. XX. Of Reformation of life THe second outward signe of true iustifying faith is Reformation of life That the reformation 2 Reformation of life of a mans former euill course of life is an apparent signe and euident testimonie of true faith in Christ is verified by that saying of S. Paul a 2. Cor. 5. 17. if any man be in Christ he is a new creature Now to be in Christ is to haue true faith in Christ whereby a Christian is ingrafted into Christ is made a member of Christ and liues in Christ as the branch in the vine for by faith Christ liueth in vs and we in him As St Paul sayth of himselfe b Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God By faith we abide in Christ yea dwell in Christ and he in vs. And the outward signe of this our being in Christ by faith is to be a new creature c Ioh. 15. 1. 2. I am the true vine sayth Christ and my Father is the husbandman Euery branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away d Ostendens sine operibus neminem in Christo esse posse Chrys in Ioh Hom. 75. Shewing thereby that without workes no man can be in Christ Christ is the true vine and euery faithfull soule is a branch of
cannot escape the iudgement of God And many in this agonie being not able to deliuer themselues and their soules refusing comfort are swallowed vp with abundance of worldly sorrow and without the great mercy of God are plunged into the gulfe of despaire But there is also an Euangelicall sorrow for sinne 2 Euangelicall Two-fold which is properly Godly sorrow and this is twofold Inward and Outward Inward sorrow for sinne is called Contrition Outward is mourning lamenting and weeping for sin First of Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne In 1 Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne handling whereof I will shew First what Contrition is Secondly how it is wrought in vs. Thirdly the signes and markes of it Fourthly the motiues to perswade vnto it For the first Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne 1 What Contrition is is a sorrow of the heart specially for this that a sinner hath offended God and being truely humbled with a sence and feeling of his sinnes is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes and doth now not onely dislike but from his heart detest and abhorre sinne This is properly called c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God or sorrow after a godly sort and godly sorrow and sorrow to repentance It is called d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. compunction of heart It is also called the e Acts 2. 37. renting of the heart And it is called a f Ioel 2. 17. broken spirit g Psal 51. 17. a broken and a contrite heart For the second How Contrition is wrought in a sinner The meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition 2 How Contrition is wrought in a sinner and inward hearty sorrow for his sinnes are two The one is the gracious working of the Spirit of God giuing a sinner a liuely sence and feeling of his sinnes giuing him grace to see and know how by his 1 By the working of the Spirit of God sinnes he hath offended God and grieued the Holy Spirit of God soâ—ming also his hard heart that hee may greeue lament and mourne for his sinnes after a godly manner This is that which the Lord saith by his Prophet Zachary h Zach. 12. 10. I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne A sinner looking vpon Christ whom by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded and hauing a true feeling of his sinnes greeueth and mourneth he is sorry after a godly manner but how is this godly forrow wrought in him the Lord saith that he will powre the spirit of grace and of supplications vpon the sinnefull soule and when the Lord hath put such grace into the soule of a sinner to see his sinnes and to perceiue how that by his sinnes hee hath offended God and pierced the Sonne of God then hee is inwardly grieued at the heart then his heart melts into teares This is the first meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition The second meanes is the preaching of Christ crucified 2 By preaching Christ crucisied as appeareth in the example of those first Conuerts to whom Peter preached Christ crucified For hauing testified against them that they had crucified Christ i Acts 2. 37 38. They were pricked in their hearts and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe their consciences were so stricken with the terrour of this that they should be guilty of shedding the innocent bloud of the Sonne of God that they were at their wits end they knew not what to doe yet were they desirous to finde ease to their troubled consciences but knew not how till they called to remembrance the words of the Apostle how that Iesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified and slaine was the Sonne of God whom God raised vp who ascended to Heauen and is exalted at the right hand of God and hearing also that he is Iesus the Sauiour that he is the true Messias Christ the Anoynted of the Lord heereupon they are pricked in their hearts and touched in their consciences with a feeling of their sinnes yet so as they doe not despaire of all mercy but trusting in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Christ and being desirous to know how they may finde comfort to their troubled consciences they said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Menand brethen what shall we doe ô teach vs what we must doe to be saued Now they are sorrowfull after a godly manner now they are of a contrite spirit and an humble soule now they are exceeding sorrowfull that they haue crucified the Lord of life now they haue bleeding hearts for that they haue shed the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God now they are exceedingly displeased with themselues for that they haue done so wickedly and now they so abhorre their sinnes and wickednesse that they purpose neuer to doe wickedly againe So that their compunction was not onely a bare pricking of the heart such as Cain and Iudas had but as they had a feeling of their sinnes so also had they a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Moreouer to the compunction and pricking of their hearts there was ioyned a readinesse to obey the will of God and to doe whatsoeuer the Lord should command them and therefore it is that they say Men and brethren what shall we doe to the end that a sinner may be brought to Contrition its necessary that the Word of God which is k Heb. 4. 12. quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding a sunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe pierce the heart and wound the conscience making the sinner to feele his sinnes to know that by his sinnes he hath offended God who hath beene so gracious a God and so louing and mercifull a Father vnto him and to acknowledge that by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded the Sonne of God who was content to be pierced and wounded yea and to suffer his bloud to be shed for his sinnes The Adamant the hardest stone which will neither bee bruized with iron nor melted with fire is notwithstanding dissolued with l Gemin lib. 2. cap. 26. Goats-bloud What heart is there so hard and stony so adamant-like that will not bee mollified and softned that will not be rent and broken yea dissolued into teares being washed and soaked in the bloud of Christ this ô man this must or nothing will soften thy hard heart Thus Contrition is wrought in the heart The third thing is concerning the signes and marks 3 Signes of contrition or inward godly sorrow of Contrition Contrition or