saluation And the principall grounds of assurance which are there laid downe may be reduced to three heads The first is this He that hath communion or fellowship with God in Christ may be vndoubtedly assured of his saluation This conclusion is propounded Chap. 1. v. 3 4. Where the Apostle tels the Church that the end of the preaching of the Gospell vnto them was that they might haue fellowship not onely mutually among themselues but also with God the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. And further that hauing both knowledge assurance of this heauenly communion to be begun in this life and perfected in the life to come their ioy might be full that is they might thence reape matter of true ioy and sound comfort vnto their soules and consciences Now whereas it might be haply demaūded by some beleeuers how they should come to this assurance S. Iohn answeres in this Epistle that the certainty therof may be gathered by foure infallible notes The first is Remission of sinnes For though God be in himselfe most holy and pure and no mortall man being vncleane and polluted by sinne can haue fellowship with him yet God hath shewed his mercy to those that beleeue in him and hath accepted of the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne whereby they are clensed from all their corruptions v. 7. If here it be asked how this pardon and forgiuenes may be knowne It is answered by two signes One is Hūble and heartie Confession of our sins vnto god for so saith the Apostle If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to clense vs from all iniquitie v. 9. The other is the pacified Conscience for being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and If our heart condemne vs not that is if our conscience in respect of sinne doth not accuse vs then haue we boldnesse towards God Chap. 3. v. 21. The second note of fellowship with God is the sanctifying Spirit wherby we are renewed in holines righteousnes Hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Chap. 3. v. 24. The third is holinesse and vprightnes of heart and life To this end the Apostle saith If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenes we lie and doe not truly but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with an other c. Chap. 1. 6 7. The fourth is perseuerance in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel So the same Apostle exhorteth the Church Let therefore abide in you that same doctrine concerning Christ which ye haue heard from the beginning If that which ye haue heard from the beginning remaine in you that is if ye beleeue and obey it you also shall continue in the same and in the father Chap. 2. 24. The second Ground He that is the adopted sonne of God shall vndoubtedly be saued This point the Apostle plainly declareth when he saith Be loued now are we the sonnes of God And we knowe that is we are vndoubtedly assured by faith that when Christ shall appeare in glory we shal be like vnto him for wee shall see him as he is That the latter part of these words is thus to be expounded I gather out of Chap. 2. 28. as also by comparing this text with that of S. Paul where he saith When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie And againe If we be sonnes we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Nowe put the case that the conscience of the beleeuer will not rest in this but desires to be further resolued touching the certaintie of his adoption Then I answer that he must haue recourse vnto the signes wherby a sonne of God may be discerned from a child of the deuill and these are principally three First is truly to beleeue in the name of the sonne of God for those that haue God for their father are made the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And this faith snewes it selfe by obedience For hereby we are sure that we knowe Christ that is that we beleeue in him and apply him with all his benefits vnto our soules If we keepe his commandemēts Nay further He that saies I know him and keepes not his commandements is a liar and the trueth is not in him chap. 2 3 4. The second signe is a heartie desire and earnest in deauour to be cleansed of his corruptions Euery sonne of God that hath this hope purifieth himselfe euen as Christ is pure chap. 3. vers 3. The third is the loue of a Christian because he is a Christian for hereby saies the Apostle are the children of God knowne from the children of the deuill because the sonnes of Satan doe hate their brethren as Cain did his brother Abel euen for the good workes which they doe On the other side Gods adopted sonnes may hereby know themselues to be translated from death to life because they loue the brethren Chap. 3. 10 11 12 c. The third Ground They that are assured of the loue of God to them in particular may also be certainly assured of their owne saluation This doctrine follows necessarily vpon the Apostles words chap. 4. v. 9. For those whome God hath loued from all eternitie to them he hath manifested his loue by sending his onely begotten Sonne into the world that they might liue through him eternally But how may a man be assured of Gods speciall loue and fauour The same Apostle answers by two notes The first is the loue of our brethren and that according to Gods commandement wherein it is commanded that he that loues God should loue his brother also 4. 21. And if any man say I loue God and hate his brother he is a liar For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene 4. 20. Now that a man deceiue not himselfe in the loue of his brother Saint Iohn giues three rules One that Christian brotherly loue should not be for outward respects or considerations but principally because they are the sonnes of God and members of Christ Euery one that loueth him which did beget that is God the father loueth him also which is begotten of him 5. 1. Another is that it must not be outward in shew onely but inward in the heart Let vs not loue in word or in tongue onely but in deede and in truth 3. 18. Lastly that it be not onely in time of prosperitie but when hee stands in most neede of our loue For whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp the bowels of cōpassiō from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 3. 17. The second note
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
the Commandements When he replied that he had kept them from his youth Christ tels him that he must goe yet further and sell all that he hath and giue to the poore And Iohn tells the Scribes and Pharises who came vnto his Baptisme and confessed their sinnes that if they would flie from the wrath to come they must repent and bring forth fruits worthie amendment of life From these places then I frame this answer to the Question in hand The man that would stand in the fauour of God and be saued must doe foure things first humble himselfe before God secondly beleeue in Christ thirdly repent of his sinnes fourthly performe new obedience vnto God Sect. 2. For the first Humiliation is indeode a fruit of faith yet I put it in place before faith because in practise it is first Faith lieth hid in the heart and the first effect whereby it appeares is the abasing and humbling of our selues And here we are further to consider three points first wherein stands humiliation secondly the excellencie of it thirdly the Questions of conscience that concerne it Touching the first point Humiliation stands in the practise of three things The first is a sorrow of heart whereby the sinner is displeased with himself ashamed in respect of his sinnes The second is a confession to god wherin also three things are to be done first to acknowledge all our maine sinnes originall and actuall secondly to acknowledge our guiltinesse before God thirdly to acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in Humiliation is supplication made to God for mercie as earnestly as in a matter of life and death and of these three things we haue in Scripture the examples of Ezra Daniel and the prodigall sonne Ezra 9. Dan. 9. Luk. 15. 18. The second point is the excellencie of Humiliation which stands in this that it hath the promises of life eternall annexed to it Esa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Psal. 51. 17. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes By all these and many other places it is manifest that in the very instant when a sinner beginnes truly in heart and conscience to humble himselfe he is then entred into the state of saluation So soone as Dauid said I haue sinned Nathan pronounceth in the name of the Lord that his sinnes were put away And Dauid himselfe saith alluding to the former place I said I will confesse my sinne and loc thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne When the Prodigall sonne had but said I will goe to my father c. euen then before he humbled himselfe his father meetes him and receiues him The third point is touching the Questions of conscience concerning Humiliation all which may be reduced to foure principall Cases I. Case What if it fall out that a man in humbling himselfe cannot call to minde either all or the most of his sinnes I answer A particular humiliation indeed is required for maine and knowne sinnes but yet there are two cases wherein generall repentance will be accepted of God for vnknowne sinnes One is when a man hath searched himselfe diligently and by a serious examination passed through all the commaundements of God and yet after such examination and search made his particular offences are yet hidden and not reuealed vnto him so as he cannot call them to remembrance then the generall repentance is accepted For this is answerable to the practise of Dauid who after long search when he could not attaine to the knowledge of his particular slippes then he addresseth himselfe to a generall humiliation saying Who knoweth the errours of this life clense me Lord from my secret faults and vpon this he was no doubt accepted Againe when a man humbleth himselfe and yet is preuented by the time so as he cannot search his heart and life as he would his generall repentance will be taken and accepted of God The truth hereof appeares in the theefe vpon the crosse who hauing no time to search himselfe made no speciall humiliation yet vpon his generall confession he was accepted Now the ground of this doctrine is this He that truly repents of one sinne in this case when he is preuented is as if he repented of all II. Case What must a man doe that findes himselfe hard hearted and of a dead spirit so as he cannot humble himselfe as he would Answ. Such persons if they humble themselues they must be content with that grace which they haue receiued For if thou be truly and vnfainedly grieued for this that thou canst not be grieued thy humiliation shall be accepted For that which Paul saith of almes may be truly said in this case that if there be a readie minde a man shall be accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not III. Case Whether the party that is more grieued for losse of his friend then for offēce of God by his sinne doeth or can truly humble himselfe Answ. A man may haue a greater griefe for an earthly losse then for the other and yet be truly greiued for his sinnes too The reason is because that is a bodily naturall and sensible losse and accordingly sorrow for it is naturall Now the sorrow for the offending of God is no sensible thing but supernaturall and spirituall and sensible things doe more affect urge the minde then the other Dauid did notably humble himselfe for his sinnes and he did exceedingly mourne for the losse of his sonne Absolom yea and more too then for his sinnes Would God I had died for thee Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne c. Againe I answer that the sorrow of the minde must be measured by the intention of the affection by the estimation of the thing for which we sorrow Now sorrow for sinne though it be lesse in respect of the intention thereof yet is it greater in respect of the estimation of the mind because they which truly mourn for their sins grieue for the offence of God as the greatest euill of all and for the losse of the fauour of God as for losse of the most excellent pretious thing in the world IV. Case Whether it be necessarie in Humiliation that the heart should be smitten with a sensible sorrow Answer I. In sorrow for sinne ther are two things first to be displeased for our sinns secondly to haue a bodily moouing of the heart which causeth crying and teares The former of these is necessarie
man is ingrafted into Christ and thereby becomes one with Christ and Christ one with him Eph 3. 17. Now whosoeuer is by faith vnited vnto Christ the same is elected called iustified and sanctified The reason is manifest For in a chaine the two extremes are knit togither by the middle linkes and in the order of causes of happinesse and saluation faith hath a middle place and by it hath the child of God assured hold of his election and effectuall vocation and consequently of his glorification in the kingdome of heauen To this purpose saith S. Iohn c. 3. v. 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And c. 5. v. 24. He that beleeues in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life This is the Ground Now for answer to the Question diuerse places of Scripture are to be skanned wherein this case of Conscience is fully answered and resolued Sect. 1. The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe The first is the Spirit of God dwelling in vs and testifying vnto vs that we are Gods childreÌ„ But some will happily demaund How Gods spirit giues witnesse seeing now there are no reuelations Answ. Extraordinarie reuelations are ceased and yet the holy Ghost in and by the word reuealeth some things vnto men for which cause he is called truly the Spirit of Reuelation Eph. 3. 5. Againe the holy Ghost giues testimonie by applying the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ particularly to the heart of man when the same is generally propounded in the Ministerie of the word And because many are readie presumptuously to say they are the children of God when they are not and that they haue the witnesse of Gods Spirit when in truth they want it therefore we are to put a difference between this carnall conceit and the true testimonie of the Spirit Now there be two things whereby they may be discerned one from the other The first is by the meanes For the true testimonie of the holy ghost is wrought ordinarily by the preaching reading and meditation of the word of God as also by praier and the right vse of the Sacraments But the presumptuous testimonie ariseth in the heart and is framed in the braine out of the vse of these meanes or though in the vse yet with want of the blessing of God concurring with the meanes The second is by the effects and fruits of the Spirit For it stirrs vp the heart to praier and inuocation of the name of God Zach. 12. 10. yea it causeth a man to crie and call earnestly vnto God in the time of distresse with a sense and feeling of his owne miseries and with deepe sighes and groanes which cannot be vttered to craâ—e mercie and grace at his hands as of a louing father Rom. 8. 26. Thus did Moses crie vnto heauen in his heart when he was in distresse at the red sea Exod. 14. 15. And this gift of praier is an vnfallible testimonie of Gods Spirit which cannot stand with carnall presumption The second Testimonie of our Adoption is our Spirit that is our conscience sanctified and renewed by the Holy Ghost And this also is knowne and discerned first by the greefe of the heart for offending God called Godly sorrow 1. Cor. 7. 10. secondly by a resolute purpose of the heart and endeauour of the whole man in all things to obey God thirdly by sauouring the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. that is by doing the workes of the Spirit with ioy and chearefulnesse of heart as in the presence of God and as his children and seruants Now put the case that the testimonie of the Spirit be wanting then I answer that the other testimonie the sanctification of the heart will suffice to assure vs. We knowe it sufficiently to be true and not painted fire if there be heate though there be no flame Put the case againe that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting and our sanctification be vncertaine vnto vs how then may we be assured The answer is that we must theÌ„ haue recourse to the first beginnings and motions of sanctificatioÌ„ which are these First to feele our inward corruptions Secondly to be displeased with our selues for them Thirdly to beginne to hate sinne Fourthly to grieue so oft as we fal and offend God Fiftly to auoid the occasions of sinne Sixtly to endeauour to doe our dutie and to vse good meanes Seuenthly to desire to sinne no more And lastly to pray to God for his grace Where these and the like motions are there is the spirit of God whence they proceed and sanctification is begun One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree and one good and constant motion of grace is sufficient to manifest sanctification Againe it may be demanded what must be done if both be wanting Answ. Men must not dispaire but vse good meanes and in time they shall be assured Sect. 2. The Second place is the 15. Psalme In the first verse whereof this question is propounded namely Who of all the members of the Church shall haue his habitation in heauen The answer is made in the verses following and in the second verse he sets downe three generall notes of the said person One is to walke vprightly in sincerity approuing his heart and life to God the second is to deale iustly in al his doings the third is for speech to speake the truth from the heart without guile or flatterie And because we are easily deceiued in generall sinnes in the 3 4 and 5. verses there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie iustice and trueth One is in speech not to take vp or carrie abroad false reports and slanders The second is in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour more then to our selues The third is in our companie to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned The fourth is in our estimation we haue of others that is to honour them that feare God The fift is in our words to sweare and not to change that is to make conscience of our word and promise especially if if it be confirmed by oath The sixt is in taking of gaine not to giue money to vsurie that is not to take increase for bare lending but to lend freely to the poore The last is to giue testimonie without briberie or partialitie In the fift verse is added a reason of the answer he that in his indeauour doth al these things shall neuer be mooued that is cut off from the Church as an hypocrite Sect. 3. The third place of Scripture is the first Epistle of Iohn the principall scope wherof is to giue a full resolution to the conscience of man touching the certainty of his
is a good beginning of true conuersion and repentance I thought saith Dauid I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And to this is added Selah which is not onely a musicall note but as some thinke a note of obseruation to mooue vs to marke the things that are set downe as beeing of speciall weight and moment And surely this is a matter of great consequence that vpon the very vnfained purpose of confession of sinne God should giue a pardon thereof Take a further proofe of this in the prodigall sonne whome I take not for one that was neuer called or turned to God though some doe so and seeme to haue warrant for their opinionâ— but rather for him that is the Child of God and afterward fals away Now this man beeing brought by some outward crosses and afflictions to see his owne miserie purposeth with himselfe to returne to his father againe and to humble himselfe and confesse his iniquitie and vpoÌ„ this very purpose wheÌ„ he had said I will goe to my father and say vnto him father I haue sinned c. at his returne a farre off his father receiues him as his child againe and after acceptation followes his confession The like is to be seene in Dauid who beeing reprooued by the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes of adulterie and murther presently made confession of them and at the very same time receiued by the prophet sentence of absolution euen from the Lord himâ—elfe wherein he could not erre The fourth Ground To loue any man because he is a Christian and a child of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true loue of God in Christ. Hereby saith S. Iohn we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue here is not a cause but onely a signe of gods loue to vs. And our sauiour Christ saith He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Nowe that we be not deceiued in these grounds it must be remembred that these beginnings of grace be they neuer so weak must not be â—littering and fleeting but constant and setled not stopped or staied in the way but such as daily growe and increase and then they are indeed accepted of God And he that can finde these beginnings or any of them truly in himselfe he may assure himselfe thereby that he is the child of God Sect. 5. Hauing thus laid downe the Groundes of comfort I come now to the Way by which the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of saluation This way standes in two things in making Triall and in Applying the promise First then Triall must be made whether the person distressed haue in him as yet any of the forenamed grouÌ„ds of grace or not This triall may be made by him that is the comforter in the moouing of certaine Questions to the said person And first let him aske whether he beleeue and repent The distressed partie answers no he cannot repent nor beleeue Then he must further aske whether he desire to beleeue and repent to this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart in the same sort is he to make triall of the other groundes When a man is in the fitte of tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fitte of his loue to God he will giue answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he loue a man because he is a Christian and a child of God then will he say he doth indeed Thus after triall made in this manner some beginnings of faith and repentance will appeare which at the first lay hid For God vseth out of the time of prosperitie by and in distresse and affliction to work his grace The second point followeth After that by triall some of the foresaid beginnings of grace be found out then comes the right Applying of the promise of life euerlasting to the partie distressed And that is done by a kind of reasoning the first part whereof is taken from Gods word the second from the testimonie of the distressed conscience the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner He that hath an vnfainod desire to repent and beleeue hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ. Therefore remission of sins and life euerlasting is thine And here remember that it is most conuenient this Application be made by the Minister of the Gospell who in it must vse his ministeriall authority giuen him of God to pronounce the pardon For in distresse it is as hard a thing to make the conscience yeild to the promise as to make fire and water agree For though men haue signes of grace and mercie in them yet will they not acknowledge it by reason of the extremitie of their distresse In this manner vpon any of the former grounds may the troubled and perplexed soule be assured that mercie belongs to it And this I take to be the onely generall and right way of comforting a distressed conscience Nowe that the promise thus applyed may haue good successe these sixerules must necessarily be obserued I. One is that the comfort which is ministred be alaied with some mixture of the Law that is to say the promise alone must not be applyed but withall mention is to be made of the sinnes of the partie and of the grieuous punishmeÌ„ts due vnto him for the same The reason is because there is much guile in the hart of man in so much as oftentimes it falleth out that men not throughly humbled beeing comforted either too soone or too much doe afterward become the worst of all In this respect not vnlike to the yron which beeing cast into the fire vehemently hot and cooled againe is much more hard then it would haue bin if the heate had bin moderate And hence it is that in the ministring of comfort we must somewhat keepe them downe and bring them on by litle and litle to repentance The sweetenesse of comfort is the greater if it be delaied with some â—artnesse of the Law II. An other rule is this If the distressed partie be much possessed with griefe of himselfe he must not be left alone but alwaies attended with good companie For it is an vsuall practise of the Deuill to take the vantage of the place and time when a man is solitarie and depriued of that helpe which otherwise he might haue in societie with others Thus he tempted Eue when shee was apart from her husband And in this regard Salomon pronounces a woe to him that is alone But herein doth his malice most appeare in that he is alway readiest when a man is in great distresse and withall solitarie then vpon the
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
rooted in the heart that it cannot be remooued thence Your ioy shal no man take from you saith Christ. It must needes therefore be true and sound yea able to swallow vp all matter of griefe and heauinesse whereas the other is neuer sincere but with the sweetnes thereof hath alwaies mingled some bitternes Euen in laughter saith Salomon speaking thereof the heart is heauie When the face of the wicked man shineth and his countenance is pleasant euen then is he inwardly sorrowfull and his minde is troubled Lastly the ioy of the Spirit is eternall abiding in the mind of man not onely for the terme of this life but for euer in the world to come So is not the reioycing of the world in earthly things for it is fading and deceitfull as the things themselues be wherein it is placed it hath the beginning in corruption and endeth with this present life The examples of the two rich men in the Gospel doe manifest this truth And to this purpose is the speech of Zophar in the booke of Iob that the reioycing of the wicked is very short the ioy of hypocrites is but a momeÌ„t c. By these fiue properties may we put a true difference betweene earthly and heauenly reioycing and consequently discerne of them euen in our seleues And if we perceiue this ioy of the Spirit rightly conâ—ceiued and grounded in the right vse of the word and Sacraments as also in the exercises of inuocation faith and repentance to take place in our soules and consciences we shall finde it of force to moderate and alay the very terrours of death And so much for Preparation Now the helpes to be vsed in the time of death are manifold the summe of all may be reduced to two heads Meditations and Practises Touching Meditations we must in the first place consider Death in a double respect one as it is in it owne nature and another as it is changed and qualified by the death of Christ Death in it owne nature is a Curse or fore â—…er of comdemnation the very gates and suburbs of Hell it selfe but beeing qualified by Christ it is a blessing an end of all miseries a full freedome from all dangers a short passage vnto ioy an entrance into euerlasting life a quiet sleepe voide of all annoyance by dreames and fantasies And the graue a resting chamber yea a bed perfumed by the death of Christ for the bodies of all the Elect out of which when they awake they shall be admitted receiued into the presence of God in heauen Secondly we are to consider that there be three degrees of eternall life The first whereof is in this world before we die and it is then wheÌ„ we begin to repent beleeue in Christ and to be assured in conscience that God the father is our father Christ our redeemer the holy Ghost our comforter For this is eternall life to know God and him whome he hath sent Iesus Christ. The next degree is in death for death cuts off al sin originall actuall death frees vs from al wordly miseries death prepareth the bodie that it may be fit to enter into eternall happinesse together with the soule which is alreadie in heauen The last degree is when bodie soule reunited goe both together into eternall and euerlasting glory Our third meditation is that that there is a mysticall vnion and coniunctioÌ„ betweene Christ and euery beleeuer that not onely in regard of soule but of bodie also which beeing once knit shall neuer be dissolued but is eternall Wherevpon the dying dead rotten and consumed bodie remaineth still a member of Christ abideth within the couenant and is and shall be euer a temple of the Holy Ghost Thus Adam and Abraham which are dead so many thousand yeares agoe yea euery true beleeuer from them to the end of the world shall arise at the last day in body to glory by the power of their coniunction with Christ. In the winter season we see the most trees voide of leaues buddes and blossomes so as they seeme to vs to be dead and yet neuerthelesse there is a sappe in the roote of them which in the Spring wil ascend reuiue the decaied braÌ„ches Euen so it is with our bodies which though they be corrupted rotten burnt or eaten with wormes or deuoured by wild beasts so as they may seeme to be vtterly perished yet there is as it were a secret and hidden sap in them by reason of their vnion with Christ by which they shall be raised reuiued and quickned being made like vntothe glorious bodie of Christ their head with whome they shall raigne and liue for euermore Helpes in practise are two First he that will beare with comfort the pangs of death must labour that he may die in faith and that is done by laying hold of the promise of God touching forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ. All these saith the holy Ghost died in faith namely Abel Enoch Noâ— Abraham and Sarah all laying hold of the promise of life by Christ. When Iacob on his death-bed was blessing of his children he brake forth into this heauenly speach O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In which words it is plaine that his faith rested on the mercie of God and by hope he waited for his saluatioÌ„ our Sauiour Christ saith As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Out of which words the forenamed duty may be learned that looke as the childreÌ„ of Israel being stung with fiery serpeÌ„ts that vnto death weâ— healed by looking vp to the braseÌ„ serpeÌ„t erected by Moses so wheÌ„ we are stuÌ„g with sin death we must euer remeÌ„ber by faith to looke vpon Christ. But specially when we are dying then it is our part to sixe the eies of our soules by faith vpon him and thereby shall we escape death and be made partakers of eternall life and happinesse Notable is the example of Christ who as he was man alwaies fixed his trust and considence in his fathers word especially at his end For when he was dying and the pangs of death seazed vpon him he cries vnto the Lord My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and againe Father into thy hands I commend my spirit which words are full of faith and doe bewray what great affiance he placed in his fathers loue c. When Dauid in an extremitie saw nothing before his eies but present death the people in tending to stone him at the very instant as the text saith he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God but how by calling to minde the mercifull promises that God had made vnto him and by applying them vnto his heart by faith And Paul saith of himselfe the rest of the faithfull that they receiued the
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
themselues and their posteritie and yet they haue done it A plaine proofe that they were not carried by policie and naturall reason but were holy men guided by the Holy Ghost For if they had beene guided by reason they would neuer haue written that which would haue tended to their owne disgrace but would rather haue comended theÌ„selues their name stocke and linage Againe humane authors in their discourses doe commonly write of the praises and vertues of men of whome they write But the penmen of scripture with one consent giue all to God yea when they speake of commendation due to men thy giue it all to God in men God is in their writings the beginning the ende all Sect. 2. A second head of reasons is taken from the Matter and Contents of the Scriptures which are manifold The principall are these First the Scripture doth that which no other bookes can doe For it sets out the corruption of mans nature by sinne the fountaine of this corruption the punishment of the same both in this life and the life to come it discouereth sinnefull mans particular thoughts lusts and affections which neuer any book hath don beside it No Philosopher was euer able to make so true record and so plaine declaration of the thoughts motions and affections of the heart The reason of man cannot discerne them by nature vnles it receiue a further light by grace then it hath naturally in it selfe Yea the Scripture sets downe things that no mans heart can imagine yet are true by experieÌ„ce For example that it is an euill thought to thinke there is no God maÌ„ by nature caÌ„not imagine but yet it is true in experience by the light of the word And therefore Dauid saith The foole hath saide in his heart there is no God Secondly the maine Contents of this booke are sundrie articles of faith all which are farre aboue the reach of humane reason and yet they are not against it but at least some of them may be prooued by it For example that there is a Redeemer of the world is an article of faith aboue reason yet not against the same For in naturall vnderstanding God is not all iustice and no mercie But if there were no redeemer then should God be all iustice without mercie Now because he hath reuealed himselfe to be as well mercifull as he is iust reason concludes there is a redeemer Againe that this Redeemer should be God and man is aboue reason yet not against it For reason teacheth he must be God that he might satisfie the infinite iustice of God for sinne which none but God can doe Againe that he must be man because man hauing sinned man must be punished for the sinne of man Thirdly in the scripture there are sundrie predictions made before hand particularly which notwithstanding were not to come to passe till an 100 200 300 yeares after all these predictions in the same manner as they haue bin foretold haue bin fulfilled Iacob in his will foretold that the scepter should not depart from Iudah till Shiloh that is the Messias came This was verified euen as it was foretold For a little before Christs birth the scepter was taken from the Iewes and translated vnto the Romane Empire And Herod put the whole colledge of the Iewes called their Sanedrim to the sword in which colledge was the heire apparent of the Kings blood Againe Balaam Num. 24. 24. foretold that Kittim that is the Grecians and the Romans should subdue Eber the people of the East and that also was afterward verified For the Hebrewes and Assyrians were afterward ouercome by the Grecians and Cilicians The Apostle Paul in his time foretold the destruction of the Romane Empire and the reuealing of Antichrist 2. Thes. 7 8. c. which prophecie was shortly after fulfilled For Antichrist grew from those times by little and little till at length he came to sit in the Emperours throne Men indeede may foretell things to come but things foretold by them are present in their causes and so they know and foretell them not otherwise But God foretelleth simply and the scriptures foretell simply therefore they are the word of God Fourthly the law a part of the scripture is propounded most purely perfectly without exception or limitation Whereas in all mens lawes some sinnes are condemned but some be tolerated and permitted But in Gods law euery sinne is condemned none either forborne or excused Lastly the style and speech of the Scripture is plaine and simple without affectation and yet full of grace and maiestie For in that simple style it commandeth the whole man bodie and soule it threatneth euerlasting death and promiseth euerlasting life and it doth more affect the heart of man then all the writings in the world whatsoeuer Sect. 3. The third reason to induce vs to receiue the scriptures as the word of God is taken from the Effects whereof I note onely two I. The doctrine of Scripture in the Law and specially in the Gospel is contrarie to the corrupt nature of man Whereupon Paul saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God And yet the same word beeing preached by the Minister appointed by God conueâ—teth nature and turnes the heart of man vnto it in such sort as in this last age it hath wonne a great part of the world to the imbracing thereof Now in reason this is impossible that a thing which is so flat against mans corrupt nature should notwithstaÌ„ding preuaile with it so farre as to cause man to liue and die in the profession maintenance thereof Wee are woont to reiect the writings of men if they please not our humors whereas this word of God is of force to mooue and â—â—cline our affections though neuer so much censured crossed and controlled by it And this shewes that God is the author thereof from whome the word of creation came to which euery thing at the first yeelded obedience II. The word of God hath this effect to be able to minister comfort and releefe in all distresses of bodie or minde yea in the greatest and most desperate troubles and vexations of the Conscience And when the helpes of humane learning and Philosophie which are of great vse and force in other cases haue done all that they can to the very vtmost without effect or successe euen then the sweete promises of the Gospel will reuiue and raise vp the heart and giue it full contentment and satisfaction Expetience shewes this to be a confessed truth in particular cases and it teacheth whence and froÌ„ whome this word proceedeth wherein these promises are contained namely from God For when he sets the Conscience vpon the racke the Word that releeueth and refresheth the same must needs proceede and come from him alone Sect. 4. The fourth reason is taken from the Properties of Scripture I will name onely two The first is Antiquitie which most plainly appeares
church yet the truth is they are not wholly cut off from the societie of the faithfull For the seede of faith remaineth in them and that knits the bond of coniunction with Christ though the sense thereof be lost vntill they repent In this case the partie excommunicate is as a free man in bonds who vntill he get out of prison hath no vse of his freedome and yet continues a free man still though he remaine in prison So also the childrē of God may still be the children of God though excluded from the cōgregation of the church for some offences From this that hath beene said ariseth the Answer to the Question propounded namely that the children of such persons as are excommunicated are notwithstāding their excommunication to be baptised because they are indeede and in the iudgement of charitie true members of the bodie of Christ though in some other regards they are not in present holden so to be Yet further besides the former grounds consider these reasons First children of parents that are professed members of the church though cut off for a time vpon some offence committed haue right to baptisme because it is not in the power of man to cut them off from Christ though they be excommunicated Secondly the personall sinne of the parent may not keepe the blessing from the child and therefore not depriue him of participation of the ordinance of God Thirdly we must alway put a difference betweene them which doe not make separation from the church and yet are grieuous offenders and open Apostataes that ioyne themselues with the enemies of the Church to the ruine and ouerthrow of the truth of the Gospel Fourthly we must put a difference betweene those that haue giuen vp their names to Christ though fallen grieuously and Turks and Infidels that are forth of the Couenant and neuer belonged to the Church Lastly if the mercie of God inlarge it selfe to thousands yea to infinite generations why should man be so hard hearted as to make question whether such Infants belong to the Couenant and consequently keepe them from the Sacrament of Baptisme Out of this Question ariseth a second Whether children borne in fornication haue right to baptisme Ans. They are not to be kept from it For the wickednes of the parent ought not to preiudice the child in things that belong to his saluation Yet in this case some Cautions are carefully to be obscrued as first that the parent hold the true faith and religion secondly that he be by the Minister exhorted to a true humiliation of himselfe and to earnest repentance for his sinne committed and that before the child be baptized Thirdly that their be some appointed to answere for the Infant besides the parents and to make solemne promise openly to the Church that it shall be carefully brought vp and instructed in the faith And the same is to be obserued and practized before the baptizing of the children of parents excommunicate IV. Question How men are to make a right vse of their baptisme when they become to yeares The not obseruing hereof is the cause of many sinnes and corruptions in the liues of men It is commonly holden a great fault in ciuill matters for a man not to keepe his couenants Much more is it a hainous sinne before God not to keepe the promises and pay the vowes made vnto him For answere therefore to the Question wee must first take this for a ground That baptisme both for signification force vse and fruit continues not for a moment of time but for the whole course of a mans life It doth not respect onely the time past or present but that which is to come yea that whole time that a man hath to spend from the very act of his baptisme to his death Againe baptisme is the true Sacrament of Repentance for remission of sinnes which being once receiued remaineth a perpetuall testimonie and pledge of the everlasting couenant of God and of the continuall washing away of sinne in the blood of Christ. This Ground premised I come to the vse of baptisme which is two fold The First is that it serues to be a token and pledge of Gods fauour towards vs and that principally three waies First in that it sealeth and confirmeth to vs the free pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes Thus Cornelius was baptized of Peter after he had heard the Gospell preached and receiued the Holy Ghost that it might be vnto him a pledge of the remission of his sinnes Act. 10. 48. And in like manner doth Peter exhort the conuerted Iewes to repent them of their sins to receiue the Sacramēt of Baptisme as a seale and pledge of Gods mercie in the forgiuenes thereof by Christ Act. 2. 38. In regard of this vse baptisme is of great force to releeue the hart in distresse For when any childe of God feeles himselfe loden with the burden of his sinnes the consideration and remembrance hereof that God hath pardoned them all and giuen him a speciall and certaine pledge of his pardon in baptisme will serue to stay and support his soule Yea though his sinnes were of force to make a separation betweene God and him Yet remembring that his name is written in the Couenant of God and that he hath by Gods mercie receiued the seale of the Couenant he shall not neede to be much dismaied When Satan tempteth him to doubt of his owne estate in regard of his corruptions even then let him haue recourse to his baptisme and thinke of the earnest and pledge of Gods fauour which he hath receiued Let him draw out his euidences signed with the seale of Gods couenant made vnto him in Iesus Christ and that shall be sufficient to stoppe the mouth of Satan and to repell his temptations Secondly Baptisme is as a pledge of the vertue of Christs death Doe you not know saies Paul that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death Rom. 6. 3. For they that beleeue are by baptisme conformed to Christ their head because they are by it buried together with him into his death vers 4. This point is of excellent vse in our liues For it teacheth a man when his owne corruption mooueth him to sinne and he is now euen in the Combate the Spirit lusting against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit even then to call to memorie his baptisme wherein it pleased God to seale vnto him the mortificatiō of his sinne by the power of Christs death and consequently to pray earnestly vnto him for the continuance of the same power in his his heart for the continuall crucifiing of the old man and the vtter destroying of the body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. Thirdly baptisme is a pledge vnto vs of the Life of Christ of our Fellowship with him therein For looke as he beeing dead in the graue raised himselfe to life by his owne power euen so and more then so being now
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
the breaking and the powring Applying are those that doe appropriate the same as the giuing and receiuing of the bread and wine The first sort serues properly to renew our knowledge The second to confirme the saine by application Now answerable to the scope of the Sacrament must be our right Receiuing which consisteth in renewing of our knowledge and faith in the mysterie thereof Our Knowledge is renewed principally by meditation in the vse of the Supper after this manner First when we see two signes to be receiued we must call to minde that Christ is our perfect Sauiour that is both bread and water of life Secondly when we behold the bread and wine set apart by the Minister and consecrated by repeating the promise and praiers made for that ende we must remember that Christ was ordained and appointed by God to be our Mediatour and Sauiour Ioh. 6. 27. Act. 2. 23. 36. Thirdly when we see the bread broken and wine powred out we are to meditate of Christ that was crucified for vs and broken both by the first death and paines of the second whereby life and righteousnesse was procured vnto vs. Fourthly the giuing of the elements into the receiuers hands offers vnto our meditation thus much That God doth truly and really giue Christ with his merits and efficacie to euery beleeuing receiuer On the otherside our Faith is renewed by apprehension and application in this manner When the Minister giues the bread and wine and the communicant receiues them at the same time are we to lift vp our hearts to heauen to apprehend Christ by faith beleeuing him with all his benefits to be ours that he was made man for vs that he suffered and died for the remission of our sinnes For these outward symbolicall or sacramentall actions serue to no other end but to signifie vnto vs these inward actiōs of the mind and will whereby we apprehend and receiue Christ to our saluation Here by the way two Cases are propounded I. Case What is to be done if a man after often receiuing still doubteth whether he hath faith or no Ans. He must striue against doubting and indeauour to beleeue being heartily sory for the weakenes and infirmitie of his faith And let him withall consider and remember that God hath not onely giuen his promise but set apart this Sacrament to be a special signe and pledge of his mercie contained in the promise for the vpholding strengthening of mans faith But some man will say Mine indeauour is nothing if doubting preuaile Ans. It is not so For if a man can be heartily sorie for his infirmitie if he striue to beleeue if in heart he hungreth and thirsteth after Christ faith is begunne and he in some sort doth apprehend Christ. The poore begger by the high way side enioyeth the almes that is giuen him though he receiue it with a lame and leprous hand The stomacke that lothes physicke if it receiues into it at the first but one droppe of the potion prescribed and that in very weake and fainting manner it will be able at length to take benefit by a greater quantitie and in the meane time it receiues good The man that is in close prison if he sees but one little beame of the Sunne by a small crevisse by that very beame he hath vse of the Sunne though he seeth not the whole body of the Sunne In like manner though our faith the hand of our soule be mingled with weakenes and corruption though we feele neuer so little measure of Gods grace in vs yea though our knowledge be neuer so small yet it is an argument that the Spirit of God beginnes to worke in our harts and that we haue by Gods mercie begunne to lay hold on Christ. It will be said further If I feele not Christ giuen vnto me by God I doe not nay I cannot beleeue Answ. In Nature it is true that Experience beginnes first and then followes Assurance but in Spirituall and Diuine things there is a contrary course to be taken For here we must beginne with faith and in the first place simply beleeue Gods promises and afterward we come by the goodnes of God to feele and haue experience of his mercie This point was notably practised by Iehosaphat who beeing in a great extremity and seeing no way to escape practised his faith in the first place and said Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chro. 20. 12. And the like he taught the people at the same time ver 20. Put your trust in the Lord and ye shall be assured Thus Abraham is said aboue hope to beleeue vnder hope the promise of God euen against sense reason and experience Rom. 4. 18. II. Case If in the very instant of receiuing a man feele his heart so hard that he cannot lift it vp vnto God what is then to be done Ans. First hardnes of heart is two fold sensible and insensible The Insensible hardnes of heart is a great and dangerous iudgement But the Sensible and felt hardnes which is in Gods children and which they feele and bewaile in themselues is rather a blessing then a curse Of this the people of God complained Esay 63. 17. And it must not discourage any Communicant but rather comfort him because it is a signe of grace For if ther were no grace in the heart corruption hardnes could not be felt Secondly I answer that the benefit of the Sacrament is not tied to the very instant of receiuing but if before and after a man lift vp his heart to God he shall find comfort though for the present he hath not so liuely sense and feeling thereof as he desireth This alway provided that the same partie be displeased with himselfe that he cannot doe that which he would and ought nor in that measure that is required And such a one must consider this to his cōfort that though he doe not apprehend Christ yet Christ apprehendeth and accepteth him Sect. 3. In the Third place After the receiuing of the Sacraments two things are required First that Thankes be giuen vnto God not onely in word but in euery action of our life for Christ and all his benefits Secondly that not onely for the present but euer afterward still we renue our faith repentance and obedience But what is a man to doe if after receiuing he finde no cōfort Ans. First he must examine whether he hath truly beleeued and repented yea or no If he hath not then the fault is in himselfe and not in Gods ordinance If he hath let him not be dismaied for the ioy of the Spirit is sowne in his heart and though it lie hidde for a time yet at length it will shewe it selfe Psal. 97. 11. CHAP. XI Of Adoration THe Fourth Head of the outward worshippe of God is Adoration wherein we consider two things First what it is Secondly what be the Questions propounded concerning it Sect. 1.
his expresse will refuse the meanes offered but vse them rather till God reueale the contrarie Obiect III. To flie in persecution is a kinde of deniall of Christ and against confession he therefore that flies seemes to make no confession but rather to denie Christ. Ans. Christian confession is double open or implicit Open confession is when a man boldly confesseth his faith before the Aduersarie euen to the death This is the greatest and highest degree of confession and in it the holy Martyrs in former times continued euen to the losse of their liues vndergoing the punishment of death inflicted vpon them by the Aduersaries of Christ Iesus for the maintenance of the truth Implicit is when a man to keepe his Religion is content to forsake his countrey friends and goods This is a second degree inferiour to the former and yet it is a true Confession acceptable to God And vnder this kind comes Flight in persecution Whence it appeareth that lawfull flight in times of danger is no deniall of Christ nor yet against Confession For sometimes it pleaseth God to call men to professe his name and truth openly by suffering sometimes againe not openly by suffering but by flying this latter way though it be not so high a degree as is the former yet it is indeede and in truth in the measure a true profession of Christ and pleasing vnto God Obiect IV. Our Sauiour Christ commands vs Feare not them that can kill the bodie Matth. 10. 28. Now if a man must not feare them then he must not flie Ans. The text speaketh not of all feare but of such feare as tendeth to Apostasie and causeth men to renounce faith and good conscience Againe it speakes of that feare whereby man feareth man more then God Thirdly it speakes of such feare as by which a man is vrged to tempt God by doing some thing that is repugnant to his will and that out of his calling Now when the Question is of Flight in persecution we vnderstand not such a flight as tendeth to Apostasie or argueth the feare of man more then of God or that is repugnant to Gods will but that alone whereby we vse the meanes offered according to his appointment least we should seeme to tempt him and bring vpon our selues vnnecessarie danger And thus the first part of the Question is answered Sect. 2. The second is concerning the Time when a man may flie Minister or other And for better resolution thereof we are to remember that there be eight Conditions required in Christian Flight especially that which pertaines to the Minister The first is if there be no hope of doing good by his abode in that place where the persecution is But while he conceiues any hope of doing good by teaching preaching or otherwise he may not flie This the Minister shall easily discerne in Christian wisedome To this purpose Paul Act. 18. 10. hauing a while preached at Corinth and finding that the Iewes detested him and his ministerie intended a present departure thence But the Lord appearing vnto him by night in a vision warned him to stay for saith he I haue much people in this citie that is many that are to be conuerted and brought vnto the faith Euery Minister in his place must haue a speciall care of furthering Gods kingdome whether it be by flying or not flying The second Condition Consideration must be had whether the persecution be personall or publique Personall is that which is directed against this or that mans person Publique which is raised against the whole Church If it be directed against the person of the Pastor he may vse his libertie For it may be that his flight will bring peace to the Châ—… But what if the people will not suffer him to flie Ans. They should be so farre from hindering of him in this case that they ought rather to succour and releeue him Thus when Demetrius had raised a tumult against Paul vnder pretence of Diana he would haue presented himselfe vnto the people in the common place the Disciples suffered him not Act. 19. 30. And what care they had of his preseruation the same ought the people to haue of their Pastor in case of like perill But if the persecution be common to the whole Church then he is not to flie For it is necessarie at such times especially that those which are strong should support and confirme the weake The third Condition If there be in the Pastor a moderation of minde For he must take heede of these two extremities that he be neither ouercome with excessiue feare nor through ouermuch confidence runne headlong into apparent danger And that he may auoide these extremities he must first pray vnto God for wisdome courage and constancie and secondly vse the consent and aduise of the Church for his direction in this behalfe that all things may be done in wisdome The fourth Condition of lawfull flight is that the Minister withdraw himselfe onely for a time not vtterly forsake his charge and calling Yea if he be principally aymed at in the persecution he may lawfully goe apart and it is the dutie of the Church also to see him conuaied away in safetie till the persecution be ouer And thus doing he neither forsakes the Church nor his calling but onely vseth the meanes of his preseruation for the keeping of faith and a good conscience This warrant our Sauiour giues to his Apostles Matth. 10. 23. When they persecute you in one citie flie into another The ende of that commandement was that the Apostles might preserue themselues in safetie till they had preached the Gospel to all the cities of Israel as the next wordes doe declare The fift Condition If after due triall and examination he finde not himselfe sufficiently armed with strength to resist or beare the extremitie For then he may retire himselfe into some place of safetie where he may liue to the glorie of God keeping faith and a good conscience The sixt Condition is If he be expelled or banished by the Magistrate though the cause be vniuft For subiection is simply to be yeelded to the punishments and corrections of Magistrates though we doe not alwaies tender Obedience to their commandements The seauenth is If God offer a lawfull meanes and way of escape and doth as it were open a doore and giue iust opportunitie to flie In this Case not to flie especially if he haue not strength sufficient to stand out is a tempting of God The eight condition If the danger be not only suspected surmised and seene a farre off but certaine and present Otherwise the Pastor falles into the sinne of Ionah who fore-casted dangers in his calling and therefore preuented them by flying to Tarsus These conditions being obserued it may be lawfull both for Pastor and people to flie in times of persecution Sect. 3. In the next place it may be demaunded When a Pastor or other may not flie For answer herevnto the Signes