they were olde To adde no more examples by these we see the Lords dealing euen with holy men and women his owne deare seruants that he doth not alwaies grant their requests nor condescend to their desires at the first but as it were holds them off and suspends his grace and fauour for a time And therefore if it shall please him thus to deale with any of vs we must from these examples be taught to possesse our soules with patience resting contented in his will and waiting on his good pleasure to the ende To conclude this point Suppose that the condition of Gods seruants be such as that they finde no ende of their afflictions but that they doe continue euen vnto death what shall they doe in this case Ans. Besides that which hath beene said before for the resolution of this Question I answer further that first they must still euen vnto death liue by faith and say with holy Iob Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Secondly they must stay and releeue their soules in the meane time with these and such like meditations I. That it is the will and pleasure of God that we should through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14. 22. Now it is the propertie of a true child of God to rest content in his fathers good will and pleasure euen when he is afflicted Prov. 3. 11. My sonne be not grieued at my correction that is let it not be tedious vnto thee be content to beare it Our dutie therefore is meekely to subiect our selues vnto the hand of God as the child doth vnto the correction of his father II. That though afflictions be long and tedious yet God will at length giue a ioyfull and comfortable issue For so himselfe hath promised Math. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord wil deliuer him out of them all Psal. 37. 73. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the ende of that man is peace III. Afflictions be they neuer so heauie in regard of continuance yet they are in no sort comparable to those eternall ioyes that God hath prepared for them that loue him This was Pauls meditation who indured the crosse euen to his dying day Our light affliction saith he which is but for a moment worketh vnto vs an excellent and eternall waight of glorie And else where he professeth that he did not count the afflictions of this present time answerable in value to the glorie which shall be reuealed vnto Gods children Rom. 8. 18. Saint Peter tells them to whome he wrote that in regard of their assured hope of eternall life they should reioyce though now for a season they were in heauines through manifold tentations 1. Pet. 1. 6. Lastly the Author to the Hebrewes comforteth the Church by this reason because it is yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie IV. Though God withholdeth his hand in respect of deliuerance euen to death yet his loue is constant and vnchangeable and the crosse which we vndergoe cannot separate vs from that loue wherewith he hath loued vs in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. 35. And thus much of the first particular distresse of minde arising of outward afflictions Sect. 3. The Second particular distres is bodily and temporarie Death which consisteth in the separation of the soule from the bodie And touching this affliction it is demanded How any seruant of God may be able to indure with comfort the pangs of death For the answer hereof two things are required a preparation to death and helps in the time of death Concerning preparation there are three duties to be performed The first and most principall is commended vnto vs in the booke of Psalmes where Dauid praies vnto God Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my daies And Moses in like manner Lord teach me to number my daies that I may applie my heart vnto wisdome In which places is remembred a notable dutie of preparation to wit that a man should resolue himselfe of death continually and before-hand number his daies This is done by esteeming of euery day as the day of his death and accordingly doing alwaies that which he would doe if he were now to giue vp the ghost Secondly in way of preparation we must endeauour to disarme and weaken death who is as an armed man that hath his weapons whereby he seekes to destroy vs. And in this case we must deale with death as the Philistims dealt with Sampson They saw by experience that he was a mightie man and by his power and strength had giuen them many foyles and therefore they laboured to know in what part of his bodie his strength did lie And after inquirie finding it to be in the haire of his head they neuer rested till they had spoiled him thereof And questionlesse the time will come when we all must encounter with this strong powerfull Sampson Death In the meane while it is a point of wisdome to inquire wherein his power and might consisteth When this search hath bin made we shall finde that his weapons are our manifold sinnes and corruptions both of heart and life For as Paul saith The sting of death is sinne Therefore that we may spoile him of this his furniture we must exercise our selues in the practise of two duties First vse all meanes for the cutting off of the locke of our sinnes whereby alone Satan hath the vantage of vs and these means are the duties of humiliation inuocation and true repentance We must therefore humble our selues before God be instant in praier for the pardon of our sinnes past and present and in this point giue the Lord no rest vntill we haue obtained in our consciences the sweet certificate of his fauour and mercie in Christ whereby our mindes may be staied and comforted This done it stands vs in hand to turne vnto God to be carefull to leaue sinne to entertaine in our hearts a resolued purpose and intention of new obedience and conformitie to the will and commandement of God in all things And this is the onely way in the world to bereaue this our enemie of his armour to pull the sting out of the mouth of this serpent and consequently euen in death to prèuaile against him Thirdly in way of preparation our dutie is euen before-hand while we liue in this world to indeauour to haue some true taste of life euerlasting and the ioyes of heauen The due consideration whereof will be of great vse For it will stirre vp in our hearts a desire and loue of perfect happines in heauen yea a feruent expectation of Christs comming to iudgement and it will further cause vs to say with Simeon Lord now let thy seruant depart in peace and with the Apostle I desire to
in distresse of minde may be comforted 1. What is Distresse of minde 88 2. What is the generall Remedie of all distresses 90 CHAP. VIII Of the first Speciall distresse arising of a Diuine Tentation What is the Remedie thereof 110 CHAP. IX Of the second speciall Distresse arising from outward Afflictions 1. How the Trouble of minde arising of Afflictions may be remedied 118 2. How the minde of the partie distressed may be staied wheÌ„ the Lord deferres deliueraÌ„ce 129 What is a man to doâ— that findès no ende of this afflictions till death 136 3. How may a man be able to indure with comfort the pangs of Death 138 How may a man in this life haue a true taste of eternall happinesse 141 How a man may truly discerne whether the Ioy of the Spirit be in him yea or no 144 4. How the minds of such persons are to be staied as are possessed by the Deuill or feare possession 152 5. What they may doe whose houses are haunted and molested by wicked Spirits 158 CHAP. X. Of the third speciall Distresse arising of the Tentation of Blasphemies What is the true Remedie of this Tentation 162 CHAP. XI Of the fourth Speciall Distresse arising from a mans owne sinnes 1. How the violent distresse of minde arising from our owne sinnes is to be cured 171 2. How the moderate distresse arising of the same cause is to be remedied 178 CHAP. XII Of the fift speciall Distresse arising from a mans owne bodie Quest. 1. How the bodie should trouble or annoy the minde 188 2. What is the nature and worke of Melancholy 191 3. Whether there be any difference betweene the trouble of Conscience and Melancholy 194 4. What is the way to cure Melancholy 195 5. How the minde troubled by strange alterations incident vnto the bodie may be cured 197 The Second Booke CHAP. I. Of the Order of the Questions CHAP. II. Of the Godhead Quest. 1. Whether there be a God 202 2. Whether Iesus the sonne of Marâ—e be the Son of God 219 CHAP. III. Of the Scriptures Whether the Scriptures be the true word of God 223 CHAP. IV. Of Religion and the knowledge of God Quest. 1. What is that Religion that is due vnto the true God 251 2. How God is to be conceiued in our mindes when we worship him 252 CHAP. V. Of the Inward worship of God Quest. How God is to be worshipped and serued 256 CHAP. VI. Of the Outward worship of God and first of Praier Quest. 1. How may a man make a lawfull and acceptable Praier 263 2. Whether a man may lawfully make Imprecations 270 3. What be the particular circumstances of Praier 275 1. The voice Whether a voice or words are to be vsed in praier 275 Whether it be lawfull when we pray to read a set formâ— of Praier 277 2. The Gesture What kinde of Gesture is to be vsed in prayer 278 3. The place In what place must we pray 279 4. The time What are the times in which men are to make praiers vnto God 282 4. How their mindes may be pacified which are troubled with sundrie accidents in their prayers 285 CHAP. VII Of the hearing of the Word preached Quest. 1. How any man may profitably heare the Word 290 2. How they are to be comforted who after long hearing profit little or nothing at all 298 CHAP. VIII Of the Sacraments in generall Quest. Whether Sacraments ministred by Heretikes Idolaters and vnsufficient Ministers be Sacraments or no 302 CHAP. IX Of Baptisme Quest. 1. Whether Baptisme be necessary to saluation 307 2. Whether Godfathers and Godmothers be necessary 315 What duty they are to performe to the party baptized 319 Whether children baptized come to be of spirituall kindred with the whole Church by reason of their Godfathers and Godmothers 320 Whether if Spirituall kindred be contracted by Baptisme it can be a â—â—st impediment of Mariage c. 322 3. Whether children of excommunicate persons haue right to Baptisme 324 Whether children borne in fornication haue right to Baptisme 329 4. How men of yeares may make a right vse of their Baptisme 330 5. Whether a man falling into sinne after Baptisme may haue any benefite of his Baptisme 335 CHAP. X. Of the Lords Supper Quest. 1. How farre forth men haue libertie to vse or not to vse the Lords Supper 336 2. How a man may rightly vse it to his comfort and saluation 339 In Preparation What if after preparation he find himselfe vnworthy 341 Whether a man should come fasting to the Supper or no 342 Whether persons that be in sure of Law may come 343 In Receiuing What if a man after often receiuing doubteth whether he hath faith or no 346 What is to be done in case of hardnes of heart at the instant of Receiuing 348 After Receiuing What is he to doe that after receiuing findes no comfort CHAP. XI Of Adoration Quest. 1. To what things is Adoration due and in what manner 351 Whether Adoration be due to wicked Spirits 354 What Adoration is due to good Angels 356 to liuing men ibid. to Saints departed 357 to Images ibid. CHAP. XII Of Confession before the Adversarie Quest. 1. Whether Confession of faith be necessarie and when 358 2. Whether it be lawfull for a man being vrged to goe to Idoll-seruice and heare Masse so as he keepe his heart to God! 363 3. Whether any man specially a Minister may with good Conscience flie in persecution 367 And if he may flie when 373 Whether a man that is imprisoned may breake prison 377 CHAP. XIII Of an Oath Quest. 1. What is an Oath 379 Whether an Oath taken by creatures be a true Oath and to be kept 380 Whether an Oath by false Gods be a true Oathe 381 How can God sweare by himselfe seeing none can witnesse vnto him 382 2. How an Oathe is to be taken in a good and godly manner Whether in the Forme of an Oath a man may not sweare directly by creatures and indirectly by God 388 3. How farre forth doth an Oath bind and is to be kept 390 Whether a man is bound to keepe an Oath taken by false Gods 391 Whether a man is bound to keepe that Oathe vpon taking whereof there ensueth damage 392 Whether an Oath extorted by fraud bindeth 393 Whether a Compulsory Oath bindeth 393 4. When an Oath doth bind and when not 394 When doth a man commit Periurie 397 Whether the breach of a Locall Statute wherevnto a man is bound by corporall Oath be periurie 398 Whether it be lawful to exact an Oath of him that will forsweare himselfe 399 CHAP. XIV Of Vowes Quest. 1. What a Vowe is 400 2. Whether a Vowe in the New Testament be any part of Gods worship 401 3. When a vow made bindeth and when not 405 Whether Iephte vpon his vowe did offer his daughter in Sacrifice 408 4. Whether Monasticall vowes doe binde or no 411 CHAP. XV. Of Fasting Quest. 1. What is a Religious
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
afflictions for this life and in glorie for the life to come Now if God hath decreed that those whome he foreknew should be conformable vnto his Sonne in these respects then hath he also decreed the afflictions themselues Secondly God doth not onely barely permit afflictions to be but also he effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trialls and punishments I make peace saith the Lord and I create euill that is not the euill of sinne but of punishment which is euill in our sense and feeling For things are tearmed euill two waies some are euill indeed some are euill not indeed but in regard of our sense apprehension and estimation and of this latter sort are afflictions which God is said to create And to this purpose is the saying of the Prophet Amos Shall there be euill in the citie and the Lord hath not done it Thirdly as God causeth afflictions so he ordereth and disposeth them that is he limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure or quantitie and the continuance thereof Yea he also ordereth them to their right endes namely his owne glorie the good of his seruants and the benefit of his Church Thus God is saide to correct his people in iudgement that is so as he will haue the whole ordering of the correction in his owne hand Ioseph tells his brethren that when they intended euill against him in selling him to the Ishmaelites for siluer God disposed it for good When Shemei cursed Dauid he forbade his seruants so much as to meddle with him and why because saith he the Lord bade him to curse and who then dare say onto him Why hast thou done so And to this purpose the Prophet Dauid saith I held my peace and said nothing why because thou Lord hast done it Psal. 39. 9. Here some wil say if Afflictions did come onely from God it were somewhat but ofâ—entâ—â—es they come from men that beare vs no good will and therefore no maruell though we be impatient Answ. When crosses doe come from men God vseth them as instruments to execute his iudgements vpon vs and in this worke God is the chiefe doer and they are as tooles in the hand of the workman And the Lord inflicteth them vpon vs by men to trie our patience vnder the crosse Ioseph though he knew well the badde dealing of his brethren towards him yet he looked not to them alone but to an higher cause namely the Lord himselfe who executed his owne good will by them God faith he disposed it to good And againe God did send me before you into Egypt for your preseruation The Second ground is The commandement of God touching the crosse and obedience vnto him therein This commaundement is expressed Luk. 9. 23. where we are commanded to take vp our crosse euery day and follow Christ. Abraham was commanded with his owne hands to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac and to this commandement though otherwise a great crosse vnto him he addresseth himselfe to yeeld obedience And in the prophecie of Micah the Church saith Shee will boare the wrath of the Lord that is shee will performe obedience to him in the crosse because shee had sinned against him And Saint Peter saith that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble therefore humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God And this beeing the commaundement of God that we should yeeld obedience to him in euery affliction we ought to be no lesse carefull to obey it then any one commandement of the morall Law The Third ground is that God will be present with his seruants in their afflictions Vpon this ground Dauid comforts himselfe because God had promised to heare him to be with him in trouble and to deliuer him And in an other place Though I should walke in the shaddow of death I would feare none ill for thou art with me c. Now that we may the better vnderstand this doctrine we are to consider what be the Ends or Effects of Gods beeing with vs in affliction whereby he testifieth his presence and they are three The first is to worke our deliuerance from the crosse Call vpon me saith the Lord in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee This promise must not be vnderstood simply but with an exception so farre forth as it shall be for our good For all promises of temporall deliuerance are conditionall and must be conceiued with this limitation of the crosse and chastisement if God please to impose it Some may say how if God will not deliuer vs but leaue vs in the affliction what coÌ„fort shall we then haue Answ. In the second place therefore we must remember that God will temper and moderate our afflictions so as we may be able to beare them Habbakuk praieth vnto God in the behalfe of the Church that he would in wrath remember mercie And Paul saith that the Lord will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue an issue with the temptation Thirdly put the case that God doth not moderate our afflictions but suffer them to remaine vpon vs not onely for some time of our life but to the very death yet then will he testifie his holy presence an other way namely by giuing the partie distressed power and strength to beare his affliction Vnto you it is giuen saith Paul for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake The Fourth ground of comfort in affliction is that euery affliction vpon the seruants of God hath some speciall goodnesse in it Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God And in regard hereof the crosses which are indured by Gods children are so farre from beeing preiudiciall to their saluation that they are rather helps and furtherances of the same Now this Goodnes is perceiued two waies First by the fruit and effect of it and then by the qualitie and condition thereof In both which respects afflictions are good Touching the fruits of Afflictions because they are manifold I will reduce them to seauen principall heads I. Afflictions doe make men to see and consider their sinnes Iosephs brethren for twentie yeares together were little or not at all troubled for their wickednes in selling their brother yet vpon their affliction in Egypt they began to consider what they had done We haue say they verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Manasses in the time of his peace gaue himselfe to witchcraft and the worshipping of straunge gods but when he was captiue in Babylon then was he brought to the sight of his sinnes mooued to humble himselfe before God for them II.
sentence of death in themselues that they might not trust in themselues but in God From these examples it followes that they which desire with comfort to beare the pangs of death must die by faith that is they must set before their eies the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and depend vpon it wrapping as it were infolding theÌ„selues in it as in a close warm garment that will keepe them safe and sure against the winde and weather of temptation The second Practise in the time of death is to die in obedience which is nothing else but willingly gladly and readily without murmuring to submit our selues vnto Gods will in bearing the paines of death A most worthie president of this obedieÌ„ce we haue in our Sauiour Christ when he said vnto his father Not my will but thy will be done thereby submitting his will to his Fathers wil touching the death which he then suffered Yea when he was dying it is said of him that he gaue vp the Ghost that is he did most willingly surrender vp his soule into the hands of God his father And this his exaÌ„ple at the time of his departure must be a rule of directioÌ„ vnto vs vpon the like occasion Hence it is that in the third petitioÌ„ of the Lords praier amoÌ„gst other things we pray for obedience to the will of God in suffering afflictions yea euen in the last and greatest which is death it self True it is that obedience to God in death is against corrupt nature and therefore our dutie is the more to inure our selues to the performing of it and that which the blessed Apostle said of himselfe I die daily ought to be continually our resolution and practise If we shall inquire howe this may be done the answer is wheÌ„ God layeth afflictions vpon vs in our life time then by endeauouring to beare them with patience meeknes and lowlines For euery affliction is as it were a pettie death and if we doe in it subiect our selues to the hand of God wee shall the better obey him in the great death of all and thus doing whensoeuer God striketh vs with death we shall with comfort endure the same Sect. 4. The Third particular Affliction or distresse is Satanicall molestation whereby both persons and places of mansion or abode are either possessed or otherwise molested by the malice of the Deuill I. Touching this Affliction the Question of Conscience is How such persons as are possessed or feare possession or else indure molestations by the Deuill in their houses may haue their minds quieted and staâ—ed and consequently in that case be remedied And here two things are generally to be considered in way of Answer First it is to be remembred that possession is knowne by two signes The one is when the Deuill is euidently present either in the whole bodie or in some part of it The other when he hath rule of the said bodie either in whole or in part so as the partie himselfe hath not that vse of his bodie which he would As for example when the Deuill possesseth the instruments of the voice as the tongue and makes a man to speake Latine Greeke Italian or other tongues which he vnderstandeth not Both these things were found in them that were possessed in the time of our Sauiour Christ. Secondly we must consider it falleth out oftentimes that straunge diseases doe seaze vpon men arising from corrupt humours in the bodie yea men and women may haue straunge passions vpon naturall causes vnknowne and these will sometimes haue strange and extraordinarie effects in them which the art of Physicke neither can search out nor cure and yet they are neither acts of witchcraft nor reall possessions As when God laid extraordinarie diseases on the Corinthians for the contempt of his Word and Sacraments 1. Cor. 11. 30. Like vnto which he worthily inflicts vpon men in these daies for the same and other sinnes Now to stay the minde in this case these Rules are carefully to be thought vpon First of all it is to be remembred that though Satans malice and power be very great and large yet he can not practise the same against the childreÌ„ of God wheÌ„ where and how he listeth The malice which Satan beares to mankind and principally to the members of Christ appeares in this because he is saide to accuse them before God day and night And as a roaring lyon to walke about the world seeking whome he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. 8. Againe the Scripture noteth him to be a powerfull Spirit whose strength farre exceedeth and surpasseth the might of any man or creature that is not of an Angelical nature as himselfe is For he is tearmed a Prince of the aire and the god of this world his power reacheth euen to the spirits and soules of men whereby he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. His principalitie is so great that no strength no defence of man is able to withstand it vnlesse man take vnto himselfe the whole armour of God Eph. 6. 10. Now although the Deuill be so malitious an enemie of mankind that he ceaseth not to deuise whatsoeuer may be hurtfull vnto them and withall so powerfull in his attempts that no man by his oâ—ne proper strength is able to resist him yet he cannot put the least part of his power in execution in what time place or manner he desireth The reason is because God hath determined his power by certaine bounds and limits which he cannot passe and they are especially two The one is his owne nature whereby he is a creature and therefore finite Hence it is that he can neither know nor doe any thing that is beyond the reach or capacitie of his nature or aboue the power and skill of a creature For example he cannot directly and immediatly know the deepe things of God vnlesse they be reuealed vnto him nor yet the secrets of mans heart None knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him ouen so the things of God knoweth none but the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 11. Againe he cannot doe that which is truly and properly a miracle the cause whereof is hidden and vtterly vnknowne and which comes not within the power and order of nature For this is proper vnto God who onely doth things simply wonderfull Psal. 77. 14. The second thing whereby Satans power is restrained is the will of God For looke as the sea beeing by nature apt to ouerflow the whole earth is kept in and shut vp within the shore as it were with dores or gates that it cannot breake forth and that by the Lord himselfe who hath established his decree vpon it Iob 38. So though Satan be by nature strong and his malice great yet can he doe nothing at all no nor execute his naturall power to the hurt and preiudice of any man without the will and permission of God Thus the
manifested himselfe vnto vs in and through the glasse of the word and Sacraments and by the spectacles of his creatures But the time will come when the skales of our eies shall be washed off and they shall be made as cleare as cristall when the imperfection and weaknes of our vnderstanding shall be cleane remooued and then we shall be inabled to see God clearely and fully face to face Thus the first Question is answered that there is a God II. Question Whether Iesus the sonne of Mary be the sonne of God and Redeemer of the world BY propounding this Question as in the former I meane not to make a doubt touching the godhead of Christ which is one of the principall groundes of our religion but to take away or at least preuent an inward corruption of the heart in thē that are weake in knowledge whereby they may be brought sometimes to make doubt and question of the diuinitie of Christ and therefore haue neede to be resolued in the truth hereof Now for the proofe of this point that Christ is God I will lay downe these grounds I. The summe substance of the Bible is to conclude that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the sonne of God and the Redeemer of mankinde and it may be concluded in this syllogisme He that shall come of the seede of Abraham and Dauid and in time shall be borne of a Virgin that shall preach the gladtidings of the Gospell satisfie the law offer vp an oblation of himselfe for the sinnes of them that beleeue ouercome death by his death and resurrection ascend into heauen and in fulnesse of time come againe to iudge both the quicke and the dead is the true Messias and Sauiour of the world But Iesus of Nazareth the sonne of Marie is he in whome alone all these things shall come to passe Therfore he onely is the true Messias and Sauiour of the world The proposition or first part of the argument is laid downe in the old Testament the assumption or second part in the New The conclusion is the question in hand the scope and drift of them both II. Ground In Daniel 9. 24. it was prophecied that after the time of 70. weekes that is 490. yeares the Messias should be exhibited By which prophecie it is manifest that the Messias is alreadie come into the world For from that time till now there are at the least 2000. yeares as may plainly be seene by humane histories and by the motions and course of the heauens It is also plaine from hence that hauing bene exhibited and come in the flesh he hath made satisfaction by his death to the wrath of God for sinne Hence it followes that he is the very true Messias and Redeemer of the world because from that time there was neuer any to whome this title and the forenamed properties might so truly agree as to this Iesus the sonne of Dauid III. Ground Iesus the sonne of Mary did teach professe and dispute that he was God that he and his father were one and he tooke vnto himselfe the honour of God Ioh. 7. and 8. An evident argument that he was so as he professed and preached himselfe to be For neuer any creature chalenged to himselfe the honour of God falsly but was discouered and confounded Adam for affecting and aspiring to it was cast out of Paradise And Herod for it died miserably Act. 12. And diuers Popes are recorded in Ecclesiasticall stories to haue taken this honour vnto themselues and there was neuer any sort of men in the world that had more fearfull iudgments vpon them then they But Christ chalenged this to himselfe and prospered and God did most seuerely reuenge his death both vpon Herod and Pilate as also vpon the Iewes and Emperours of Rome that persecuted the Church IV. Ground Christ while he was on earth before he ascended into heauen promised his Disciples to send his spirit vnto them so to assist them that they should be able to do greater works then himselfe did Ioh. 14. 12. c. Now whē Christ was ascended the euent was strange and yet fully answerable to his promise For the disciples were but fewe twelue in number and all vnlearned and yet they preached in the name of Christ and by bare preaching without humane eloquence and the giftes of nature conuerted many nations yea the whole world And though themselues were but weake men and preached things absurd to the corrupt reason of man yet they wonne many soules to God and conuerted the world V. Ground is borrowed from the testimony of the Heathen who haue recorded in their writings the very samethings touching Christ which are reuealed in the scriptures Iosephus a Iew and an enemie to Christ in his eight booke of antiquities Chap. 4. speakes the same things of Christ that Mathew doth that he was a most worthy man that he wrought many miracles and that he rose from the dead Others affirme that he was crucified vnder Pilate in the time of Tiberius and that Tiberius would haue put him in the number of his gods Againe heathen writers report that at his death vnder the raigne of Tiberius all the oracles of the world ceased and the great god Pan as they say then died CHAP. III. Of the Scriptures The second maine question is touching the truth of scripture Whether the scriptures be the true word of God THe answere is that they are And the grounds of this assertion may be reduced to sixe heades Sect. 1. The first is taken from the causes namely the author and writers of the scriptures Touching the Author the scripture referreth it selfe vnto God Therfore he alone is the true and vndoubted author thereof and none but he The sufficiencie of this consequence stands vpon these grounds First if god were not the author of scriptures there would be no one booke in the earth so fabulous and so full of errour as it which to say is blasphemy For it speakes such things as neuer any could speake but God Secondly if it were not the booke of God then all Gods will should be hidden and God should neuer yet haue reuealed his will to man Thirdly if it had not beene the word of God the falshood therof would haue beene detected long agone For there hath beene nothing falsly said of God at any time which he himselfe hath not at some time or other opened and reuealed Euen as he did detect and discouer the falshood of the false prophet Hanan◠Ier. 28. 16. and Gods heauie hand no doubt would long since haue beene vpon the Ministers and preachers of this word if they had vniustly and wrongfully fathered it vpon him Againe for the writers and penmen of scripture Moses the Prophets and Apostles in their writings doe not set forth their own glory nobility or vertues but all with one consent haue acknowledged directly and plainely their owne errors and faults yea such faults as may be disgracefull to
beleeues because the father beleeues It is obiected again that infants are born in originall sinne and therefore cannot be borne holy and sanctified Answ. Euery beleeuing parent sustaines a double person First as he is a man descending of Adam by corrupted seede and thus beeing himselfe corrupted and vncleane his children also are corrupt and impure Secondly as he is a holy and beleeuing man ingraffed by faith into Christ the second Adam And thus by his faith comes his child to be in the couenant and partaker of the benefits and priuiledges thereof and by the same faith he beeing a beleeuer the guilt of originall corruption which is in the Infant new borne is not imputed vnto him to condemnation And for these causes the Sacrament of Baptisme is not absolutely and precisely necessarie to saluation but so and in that sort as hath bin declared Against this Doctrine it is obiected that Christ saith to Nicodemus Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 5. To this obiection sundrie answers are giuen First if the place be vnderstood of Baptisme then the wordes may carrie one of these two senses First that our Sauiour directs this speech principally against Nicodemus who was a timerous professour and remained ignorant and had long neglected his baptisme Secondly that the kingdome of heauen is here put not for euerlasting happines but to signifie the visible estate of the church of the new Testament and then the meaning is No man can be admitted into the Church and made a visible member thereof but by the water of baptisme neither can any man be made a liuely member of Christ Iesus but by the spirit that is by regeneration which alone makes the partie that is entred into the Church by baptisme to be a liuing mēber of the bodie of Christ. Secondly others answer that this place is to be vnderstood not of Baptisme but simply of regeneration and that Christ alludes to the sayings of the Prophets which speake of cleane water and expounds the same in this sort Thou Nicodemus art by profession a Pharisie and vsest many outward washings but know this withall that vnlesse thou be washed inwardly by cleane water that is be regenerated and renewed by the holy Ghost thou canst not enter into Gods kingdome Lastly it is answered that the necessitie of saluation lies not in both but onely in the new birth by the holy Ghost as if Christ should say Except ye be regenerate borne a new of the spirit which as cleane water purgeth and clenseth you from your sinnes ye cannot be saued The Vse By this doctrine touching the necessitie of Baptisme are iustly challenged two sorts of men The first is the Popish sort who build the absolute necessitie of Baptisme vpon false and vnstable grounds For they teach in their writings that all men are borne in sinne and corruption and vnlesse they be clensed from it they can neuer be saued Now Baptisme they say is appointed by God as the onely remedie and sole meanes whereby they may be purged from sinne and come to saluation And this they snew by a comparison of Baptisme with the brazen Serpent which as it was the only remedie for the cure of those which were stinged by serpents so is this Sacrament the onely meanes set apart by God to keepe them that are partakers thereof from the sting of death and eternall destruction But the answer is plaine out of the former doctrine That though all men be conceiued and borne in sinne and cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen except they be clensed yet baptisme is not of absolute necessitie for this purpose For it is not appointed by God as the onely remedie of this euill but onely to be a signe and signification of the purging and clensing of sinne by the blood of Christ. Now those that are within the couenant may haue their sinnes remitted by the mercie of God and that according to the forme of the couenāt though they receiue not the signe thereof so be it they doe not wilfully contemne or neglect the same when it may be had Againe the serpent lifted vp by Moses in it selfe and by it owne vertue was a bare signe and was no remedie to cure the diseased Israelites but they were cured by their faith in the word of Gods promise annexed vnto the signe according to which Dauid saith He sent his word and healed them Psal. 107. 20. And to the same effect Augustine saith That the cure and health of the Israelites came not from the Serpent but from Gods commandement obeyed and his promise beleeued And so is Baptisme a remedie and no otherwise The second is the common ignorant sort of people who thinke that an Infant dying without baptisme dies without christendome and that it cannot possibly be a christian vnlesse it be baptised This their opinion is very erronious For by it they make baptisme the seale of the couenant to be as necessarie as the couenant it selfe Whereas on the contrarie baptisme is not simply and absolutely necessarie so as the partie dying without it can not be saued but onely in part as it serues to distinguish the true church from the false to be a necessarie signe of our admission and entrance into the church yea to confirme our faith in the promise of God Neither is baptisme of force to make a Christian but onely to signifie and declare a man to be a Christian by beeing within the couenant of grace II. Question Whether witnesses which we commonly call Godfathers and Godmothers be necessarie To this there are giuen two answers First that the vse of Godfathers and Godmothers is not simply necessarie to the Sacrament of Baptisme For first it seemes that of auncient times the parents of Children which were Heathen and newly conuerted to Christian Religion were either ignorant and could not or carelesse and would not bring vp their children agreeably to the word of God and the Religion which they newly professed And hence it was thought meet that some persons of good knowledge and life should be called to witnes the Baptisme promise their care for the childrens education But now Parents amongst vs beeing better taught and qualified the other is not of such necessitie Secōdly Christ hath instituted and ordained in his word all things fitte conuenient and necessary vnto lawfull Baptisme amongst all which he hath not any where expressely prescribed the vse of Sureties Thirdly the whole congregation assembled together at the administration of this Sacrament doe present the childe to the Lord and are witnesses that the childe is admitted into the Church and is externally in the Couenant And therefore I take it to be a fault when the Congregation doth depart before the child be baptized Fourthly that which is required of them to promise and performe may ye must and ought to be performed of the parents of the baptized who
in heauen glorified doth he by the power of his Deitie raise vp vs his mēbers frō death to life Rom. 6. 4. A certaine pledge whereof he hath giuen vs in this Sacrament Which also affordeth singular comfort and ioy vnto a man euen in his greatest extremity True it is that man by nature is dead in sinne yet God of his mercie sealeth vnto him in baptisme his rising from the death of sinne to newnesse of life True it is againe that all men must die Yet this is our comfort that in baptisme God hath sealed to vs euen our rising from the graue to life euerlasting and all by the vertue and power of Christs resurrection This is a comfort of all comforts able to vphold the soule of man euen in the houre of death The second Vse of Baptisme is that it serues to be a notable meanes of our death vnto sinne and that three waies First by putting vs in minde of mortifying the flesh and crucifying our owne corruptions For if we be baptized into the death of Christ as Paul saith Rom. 6. 3. then ought we not to continue in sinne but to labour by all meanes as by praier by fasting by the word preached and by auoiding all occasions of offence to kill and destroy the corruption of our nature and the wickednes of our hearts Gal. 5. 24. Secondly it causeth vs to dedicate our selues wholly vnto God and Christ remembring that we once offered our selues to be baptized in the presence of the whole congregation in token that we should euer afterward consecrate our soules and bodies vnto the Lord and wholly renounce and forsake the flesh the world and the Deuill Thirdly it causeth vs to labour to keepe and maintaine peace and vnitie with all men but specially with Gods people For Baptisme is a solemne testimonie of the bond of mutuall loue and fellowship both of Christ with his members and of the members one with another To this ende Paul saith that we are all by one spirit baptized into one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 13. yea and Baptisme is one of those things whereby the vnitie of the Spirit is preserued in the bond of peace Eph. 4. 5. V. Question Whether a man falling into sinne after he is baptized may haue any benefit of his Baptisme Answer He may if he repent And the reasons are these First his Indentures and Euidences remain whol in respect of God his name is not put out of the couenant Which is otherwise in the Evidēces of men For if they be once cancelled a man cannot haue his name put into them againe Secondly Baptisme is indeede as hath beene said the Sacrament of Repentance and as it were a plancke or board to swimme vpon when a man is in danger of the shippewracke of his soule Therefore if a man repent and be hartily sorie for his sinnes committed he may haue recourse to his baptisme wherein was sealed vnto him the pardon of all his sinnes past present and to come he standing to the order of his baptisme beleeuing and repenting Thirdly to them that fall euen after Baptisme there is hope of repentance and consequently of the fauour of God if they be touched in hart with true remorse and sorrowe for their offences For hence it was that Paul calls the Galatians fallen after they had beene baptized to the remembrance of the fauour of God promised vnto them in the Couenant and sealed in their Baptisme Gal. 3. 3. 19. 27. In the same manner doth Iohn call the Churches of Asia that had left their first loue to repentance conuersion Apoc. 2. 5. 16. And the said Iohn in Ecclesiasticall historie is said to haue reclaymed a young man who had most grieuously fallen after his Baptisme CHAP. X. Of the Lords Supper THus much concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme Now we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper concerning the vse wherof there are two principal Questions mooued I. Question How farre forth men haue libertie to vse or not vse the Lords Supper For the answering hereof I propound three Rules The First Euery man of yeares liuing in the Church and beeing baptized is bound in conscience by Gods commandement to vse the Lords supper In the institution of the Supper the Lord gaue a Sacramentall Word whereof there be two parts a Commādement a Promise The Cōmandement is expressed in these termes Take eate drinke doe ye this And it binds all men in the Church that are baptized to the vse of the Lords Supper The second Rule Euery man of yeares baptized is to receiue it often 1. Cor. 11. 26. As oft as ye shall drinke it in remēbrance of me The reason is because we haue need continually to feede on Christ. And herein the Lords Supper differeth from Baptisme because by Baptisme a man is once onely graffed into Christ but being in Christ he hath neede often and continually to be fedde in him to life eternall And this often nourishment of the beleeuer is sealed vnto him by the often vse of this Sacrament The third Rule Euery man is to receiue and vse the Lords Supper according to the laudable custome of that Church whereof he is a member vnlesse there be a iust impediment A iust impediment is that which barres a man from the vse of the Supper as Suspension Contagious and incurable sickenesse Absence vpon a iust and weightie cause as when a man is in his iourney and such like The reason of the Rule is first if any man refuse to receiue it when he may conueniently hauing no iust Impediment so doing he neglects and contemnes the ordinance of God Secondly for a man to abstaine when he is called to receiue it though happily he may be excused in regard of some reason inwardly knowne to himselfe yet his abstinence is a bad example and may giue offence to others Thirdly the man that may receiue and yet will not doth in effect suspend and withhold himselfe from the benefite of this holy Sacrament Now these three Rules as they serue directly to answer the Question in hand so they doe plainly discouer some errours faults in the practise of sundrie persons in these daies Some there be that thinke it sufficient to receiue the Communion once by the yere namely at Easter time Whereas on the contrary it is to be vsed as oft as may be considering that it is nothing but the shewing forth of the Lords death till he come which is not once or twise in the yeare but often yea continually to be remembred Others ther are that take liberty to thēselues to com to this Table abstaine at ther pleasure as if it were a thing arbitrary to themselues which notwithstanding the Lord hath enioyned by expresse commandement as hath beene said But some alledge for this their practise that they are at variance with such and such persons that haue done them wrong and whom they cannot forgiue and in this respect they were better
of these Caueats the same is not taken in truth but in fraud and deceit Popish teachers affirme that in some cases they may sweare in a doubtfull meaning And this they practise in time of daunger when beeing conuented before the Magistrate and examined they answer Yea in word and conceiue a negation or No in their mindes A practise most impious and flat against this excellent Rule of the Prophet that a man should sweare in truth iudgement iustice The Second Rule is That the forme in which the oath is propounded must be a plaine simple and direct forme wherein God is directly called to witnesse For his worship is directly to be giuen to him and therefore the oath also beeing an Inuocation of his name and a part of his worship is directly to be made That the meaning of this Rule may the better appeare one Question is to be answered Whether in the Forme of an oath a man may not sweare directly by creatures and indirectly by God Most of the Popish sort and some Protestants hold that he may But the truth is otherwise I say vnto you saies our Sauiour sweare not at all neither by heauen nor by the earth nor by thy head c. Matth. 5. 34. In which words he forbids all indirect oathes whereby men sweare directly by creatures and indirectly by God for so did the Pharisies Againe if a man might sweare by creatures and conceale the name of God it would diminish his Maiestie and authoritie and much deceit might be vsed for the swearer might say that he sware not but only vsed an obtestation Against this it is obiected I. That Ioseph sware by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 25. therefore it may seeme that oathes by creatures are not vnlawfull Ans. First it may be said that Ioseph sinned in so swearing for therein he imitated the Egyptians who sware by the life of their King Secondly it may be answered that Ioseph doth onely make an asseueration and not an oath Obiect II. The Church in the Canticles takes an oath by the Creatures Cant. 2. 7. I charge you daughters of Ierusalem by the roes and by the hinds of the field c. Ans. It is no oath but an obtestation wherby the Church calls the creatures to witnesse her earnest affection to Christ. The like is made by Moses Deâ—â— 30. 19. when he saith I call heauen and earth to record against you this day And by Paul in his charge to Timothie 1. Tim. 5. 21. I charge thee before the elect Angels In which and the like speeches there is no swearing but a kind of citation or summoning of the Creatures as witnesses And there is great difference betweene an oath and an obtestation In the Obtestation there is no more but a calling of the creature to giue testimonie the matter beeing already apparent and manifest But in an Oath where the matter is not so manifest God is made not onely a witnesse but also a iudge and reuenger Obiect III. Saint Paul sweares by his reioycing in Christ 1. Cor. 15. 31. which reioycing was a created passion or a creature Ans. That was also an obtestation or a word of auouchment and asseueration and not an oath For it is all one as if he had said thus My sorrowes and afflictions which I indure for Christ would testifie if they could speak that as certenly as I reioyce in Christ so certenly I die daily Obiect IV. Abigail sware to Dauid by the creature As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth 1. Sam. 25. 26. Ans. The former part of her speech may be called an oath but the latter is onely an obtestation or earnest auouchment ioyned with an oath Now although it be in no sort lawfull to sweare by creatures yet when a man sweareth directly by God he may name the creatures in way and forme of an oath specially if he make them as his pawnes and pledges set before God that he may in iustice be reuenged vpon him in them if he lieth and sweareth not a truth Sect. 3. III. Question How farre-forth doth an Oath binde and is to be kept The answere to this Question is large and therefore for orders sake I distinguish it into two parts and first I will shew when an oath bindes secondly when it bindeth not For the first An Oathe taken of things certaine lawfull and possible is to be kept yea and bindes alwaies though it bee tendred even to our enemies To this purpose God hath giueÌ„ special CommandemeÌ„nt in sundry places Numbers 30. 3. Whosoeuer sweareth an oath to bind his soule by a bond he shall not break his word but shall doe according to all that proceeds out of his mouth Mat. 5. 33. Thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but shalt performe thine oathes vnto the Lord Exod 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine that is lightly and rashly But Gods name is taken in vain when an oathe made of things lawfull and possible is not kept Dauid at the humble request of Shimei who had before cursed him pardons his fault for the time sweares to him that he should not die 2. Sam. 19. 23. Dauid made conscience of this oathe knowing himselfe to be bound thereby and therefore till his death he kept it onely hee charged Solomon not to count him innocent 1. King 2. 9. Now for the better clearing of the answer we are to consider four particular cases touching this point I. Case What if a man take an oath by false Gods whether is he bound to keepe it yea or no Ans. He is and the reasons are these First from the like There was a question among the Scribes and Pharises Matt. 23. 16. whether a man swearing by the creature were a debter or no The Pharisees taught that if a man sware by creatures the oathe did not binde But Christ vers 20. affirmeth that he that sweares by the Temple or by the Altar or by heauen sweares by God indirectly so takes an oathe though not a lawfull oath and thereupon remaines bound and is a debter now by propotion he that sweares by false Gods sweares by God indirectly because the false God is in the opinion of him that sweares a true God and so his oath bindeth and is to be kept Secondly Abraham accepts the oathe that Abimelech tendreth vnto him in the name of a false God Gen. 21. 23 So doth Iacob accept of the oathe made vnto him by Laban Gen. 31. 53. which they would not haue done if their oathes had not beene sufficient bondes to binde them to obseruation and performance It will be said He that admits of an oathe by an Idoll doth communicate in the sinne of him that sweareth Ans. In case of necessitie a man may admitte of such an oath without sinne A poore man beeing in extreame want borroweth of an vsurer vpon interest It is sinne to the vsurer to take it but it is not so in the