and contēpt of God so to prophanes in the vse of our meates and drinkes as the Israelites did which sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play Now besides these Reasons we haue also the Examples of holy men This blessing of the meat was so knowne a thing of auncient times that the poore maides of Ramath-zophim could tell Saul that the people would not eate their meate before the prophet came and blessed the sacrifice 1. Sam. 9. 13. Christ in his owne family would not eate of the fiue loaues and two fishes till he had looked vp to heauen and geuen thankes Mar. 6. 41. Paul tooke bread in the shippe and gaue thanks in the presence of all that were with him Act. 17. 35. The Vse of the first point is I. By this doctrine all persons are taught but specially gouerners of others as Masters of families Parents neuer to vse either meates or drinkes or any other blessing that they receiue at the hands of God but with praise thanksgiuing For this which is said of meates and drinkes must be inlarged also to the vse of any benefite blessing or ordinance that we take in hand to vse or inioy II. Though we doe not simply condemne but allow of Hallowing of Creatures yet we detest Popish consecration of salt creame ashes and such like First because Papists halow them for wrong endes as to procure by them remission of sinnes to driue away deuills c. Secondly because they sanctifie creatures without the word yea though they doe it by praier yet it is praier without the word which giueth no warrant thus to vse the creatures or to these endes and therefore of the same nature with magical inchantments Thirdly if the creature must be sanctified for our vse before we can vse it then we our selues must be sanctified both in soule and bodie before we can be sitte for the vse and seruice of God Looke as the creature by the hand and prouidence of God is presented before vs to serue vs so must we beeing strengthned and nourished by the same giue vp our-selues soules and bodies to serue and honour him Yea our sanctifying of the creature to our holy vse should put vs in minde of sanctifying our selues to his glorie So soone as the Prophet Esay was sanctified by God vnto his office then he addressed himselfe and not before and said Lord I am here Esa. 6. 8. and so we our selues before we can performe any acceptable dutie vnto God must be purged and clensed The sonnes of Aaron would not doe this honour vnto God by sanctifying his name before the people and therefore God glorified himselfe in their death and temporall destruction Leuit. 10. 2. And when Moses the seruant of God failed in the sanctification of his name by the circumcision of his sonne Gods hand was vpon him to haue destroied him This point is duely to be obserued of all but principally of such as are appointed to any publike office if they will serue God therein with comfort and incouragement they must first labour to be sanctified before him both in their soules and bodies §ect 2. I come now to the second thing required for the right and lawfull Vse of meates and drinkes namely a Christian behauiour while we are in vsing them For the better vnderstanding whereof we are to consider two points First what we may doe and then what we must doe in vsing the creatures I. Touching the former We may vse these gifts of God with Christian libertie and how is that not sparingly alone and for meere necessitie to the satisfying of our hunger and quenching of our thirst but also freely and liberally for Christian delight and pleasure For this is that libertie which God hath graunted to all beleeuers Thus we read that Ioseph and his brethren with him did eate and drinke together of the best that is liberally Gen. 43. 34. And to this purpose Dauid saith that God giueth wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make the face to shine as well as bread to strengthen the bodie Psal. 104. 15. And the Lord threatneth to bring a punishment vpon his people Agg. 1. 6. in that he would giue them his creatures indeede but such a portion of the as should onely supplie their present necessities and no more Ye shall eate saith he but ye shall not haue enough ye shall drinke but ye shall not be filled Againe we read that Levi the Publican made our Sauiour Christ a great feast in his owne house Luk. 5. 29. At the marriage in Caua a towne of Galile where Christ was present the guests are said according to the manner of these countries to haue drunke liberally Ioh. 2. 10. And at an other place in supper time Marie is saide to haue taken a boxe of pretious and costly oyntment and to haue annointed his feete there with so as the whole house was filled with the sauour of the ointment Ioh. 12. 3. Iudas indeede thought that expense which shee had made superstuous but Christ approoues of her act and commendeth her for it I adde further that by reason of this libertie purchased vnto vs by Christ we may vse these and the like creatures of God with Ioy and reioycing This is the profit that redoundeth vnto man in the vse of them that he eate and drinke and delight his soule with the profit of his labours Eccles. 2. 24. The practise hereof we haue in the Acts ch 2. v. 46. where they of that Church that beleeued are saide to eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart And yet this reioycing in the creatures must be limited with this clause that it be in the Lord that is to say a hurtlesse and harmelesse ioy tending to the glorie of God and the good of our neighbour This condemneth the common practise of the world who solace and delight themselues in the vse of Gods creatures but so as with their ioy is ioyned the ordinarie traducing of the Magistrate Minister and those that feare God and will not run with them to the same excesse of riot 1. Pet. 4. 4. II. The second point is what we must doe when we take the benefit of Gods creatures a matter of great consequent in the liues of men And it is this that we vse our libertie in the Lord and whether we eate or eate not we must doe both to the Lord. Rom. 14. 6. This is done by labouring both in eating and in abstinence to approoue the same vnto God vnto his Saints and vnto our own consciēces Wherein appeareth a manifest differēce between the wicked the godly man For the one when he eateth or drinketh he doth it in the Lord and to the Lord the other doth it not to the Lord but to himselfe that is to the satisfaction contentment of his owne carnall delight and pleasure That a man may eate to the Lord there are foure things
Paul exhorts the Galatians to walke in the Spirit and then marke what followes and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. Secondly this new obedience must be the keeping of euery commandement of God for as S. Iames saith He that breakes one commandement is guiltie of all that is he that doth willingly and wittingly breake any commandement and makes not conscience of some one maketh not conscience of any and before God he is as guiltie of all as if he had broken all Thirdly in new obedience the whole man must endeauour to keepe the whole law in his minde will affections and all the faculties of soule and bodie As it is said of Iosiah that he turned to God according to all the lawes of Moses with all his heart This last point added to the rest is the very forme and life of new obedience from hence it followes First that therepentant person must not liue in the practise of any outward sinne Secondly that there must be in him an inward resisting and restraining of the corruption of nature and of the heart that he may truly obey God by the grace of the spirit of God The heart of Ioseph was readie prest to resist the euill request of Potiphars wife And Dauid staid his affectioÌ„ from reuenging himselfe vpon Shemei when he cursed him Thirdly that he ought to stirre vp and exercise the inward man by all spiritual motions of Faith Ioy Loue Hope and the praise of God Now touching this point there are 2. principal Questions propouÌ„ded First How may a man frame his life to liue in New-bedience Ans. Though all the bookes of the old and new Testament are direction sufficient for a good life yet a more speciall answer may be made out of the same plainly and briefly That there are three maine grounds or rules of New Obedience The first is laid downe by our Sauiour Christ Luk. 9. 23. If any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me The meaning is this Euery one that will become a scholer in the schoole of Christ and learn obedience vnto God must deny himselfe that is he must in the first place exalt and magnifie the grace of God and become nothing in himselfe renouncing his owne reason will affections and subiecting them to the wisdome will of God in all things yea esteeming al things in the earth euen those that are dearest vnto him as drosse and dung in regard of the kingdome of Christ. Againe he must take vp his Crosse that is he ought alwaies to make a forehand reckoning euen of priuate crosses and particular afflictions and when they come to beare them with chearefulnesse This done he must follow Christ by practising the vertues of meekenes patience loue and obedience and by beeing conformable to his death in crucifying the bodie of sinne in himselfe The second rule is propounded by Paul Act. 24. 14. To beleeue all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and that is to hold and embrace the same faith which was embraced by the Saints and seruants of God in auncient times and which was written by Moses and the Prophets Againe in all reuerence to subiect himselfe to the true manner of worshipping and seruing God reuealed in his word and not to depart from the same doctrine and worship either to the right hand or to the left The third and last rule is to haue and to keepe faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 19. Now faith is preserued by knowledge of the doctrine of the Law and the Gospel by yeelding assent vnto the same doctrine beleeuing it to be true and by a particular application of it vnto a mans selfe specially of the promise of righteousnesse and life euerlasting in and by Christ. Againe that a man may keepe a good conscience he must doe three things First in the course of his life he must practise the duties of the generall Calling in the particular so as though they be two distinct in nature yet they may be both one in vse and practise Secondly in all euents that come to passe euermore in patience and silence he must submit himselfe to the good will and pleasure of God Thus it is saide of Aaron that when God had destroied his sonnes for offering vp strange fire before him he held his peace Levit. 10. 3. And Dauid shewes that it was his practise when beeing afflicted he saith I was as dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it Psal. 39. 9. Thirdly if at any time he falleth either through infirmitie the malice of Satan or the violence of some temptation he must humble himselfe before God labour to breake off his sinne and recouer himselfe by repentance And these three be the principall and maine grounds of New-obedience The Second Question Considering that all good works are the fruits of a regenerate person and are contained vnder New-obedience How may a man doe a good worke that may be accepted of God and please him For resolution whereof it is to be carefully remembred that to the doing of a good worke sundrie things are required Whereof some in nature doe goe before the worke to be done some doe accompanie the doing thereof and some againe doe follow the worke beeing required to be done when the worke is done Before the worke there must goe Reconciliation whereby the person is reconciled vnto God in Christ and made acceptable to him For it is a cleare case that no worke of man caÌ„ be accepted of God vnles the person of the worker be approoued of him And the workes of men of what dignitie soeuer are not to be esteemed by the shewe and outward appearance of them but by the minde and condition of the doer Againe before we doe any good worke we must by praier lift vp our hearts vnto God and desire him to inable vs by his spirit to doe it and to guide vs by the same in the action which we are about to doe This did the Prophet Dauid oftentimes as we may read in the Psalmes but especially in Psal. 143. 10. when he saith Teach me to doe thy will O God for thou art my God let thy good spirit lâ—â—d me vnto the land of righteousnes And oftentimes in the 119. Psalme Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes vers 33. Giue me vnderstanding 34. Direct me in the path of thy commandements 35. Againe Teach me iudgement and knowledge 66. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes 80. Stablish me according to thy promise 116. Direct my steppes in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me 133. In the doing of the worke we are to consider two things the matter and the manner or forme of doing it For the matter it must be a worke commanded in the word of God either expressely or generally For it is Gods reuealed will that giues the
means was the sacrifice burnt vp Christ for the curing of a blind man teÌ„pers spittle and clay together which in all reason is a fitter meanes to put out the eyes then to cause the blind to see Thus in the worke of our Redemption Christ giues life not by life but by death and he sendes men to heauen by the gates and suburbs of hell he shewes his greatest power in the greatest weaknes nay his power is made perfect through weakenes He will not build vpon an old foundation but he pulls downe and destroies all that Man may haue no hope at all in himselfe but that all the hope he hath may be in God First he kils and then he makes aliue as Anna speaketh first he woundeth and then he healeth He makes man to sowe in teares that afterward he may reape in ioy And he that knowes Gods dealing to be this must herewith rest content and satisfied because in wrath God vseth to remember his mercy yea his mercie is neuer sweete vnto the palate of the soule vntill it be seasoned with some tast of his wrath The Paschall Lambe was eaten with sowre hearbs to signifie that we can feele no sweetenes in the blood of Christ till wee first feele the smart of our owne sinnes and corruptions Secondly these persons vse to alleadge against themselues that if they could feele any comfort at al then they would stay their minds and yeild to good perswasions and exhortations To this the answer is That there is a Rule of grace which we must follow gathered out of the word of God and the experience of Gods Children contrarie to the rule of nature and aboue the light of reason and it is this that in case of aâ—â—liction we must not liue by feeling but by faith This Rule is grounded vpon the speech of the Lord by the Prophet the iust maÌ„ shall liue by his faith When we haue neither sight nor sense nor any tast of Gods mercie but onely apprehend his wrath euen then we must labour to lay hold of mercie in his word and promise Sense feeling are not alwaies fit directioÌ„s for the time of this life For he may be the deare child of God that in present feeleth nothing but his wrath and indignation This indeede is the true triail of our faith when euen aboue and against reason we relie on the mercie of God in the apprehension of his anger So did Dauid Out of the deepe saith he that is beeing nowe deepely plunged into the pangs of a distressed conscience haue I called vpoÌ„ thee O Lord and Iob in the like case Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Abraham is commended by the holy Ghost amongst other things for this that he beleeued in God aboue hope that is against all matter of hope that might possibly be conceiued vpon the consideration of the strength of natural causes The thiefe vpon the crosse feeling nothing but woe and seeing nothing in Christ but misery and contempt yet he beleeued in Christ and was saued In a word Christ himselfe when he was sorsaken of all men and voide of all wordly comfort and felt nothing but the depth of the wrath God in his agony and passion yet by the faith of his manhood hestaied himselfe and said My God my God Thirdly they vse to plead that their case is desperate that neuer any was in such a state as they are neuer any touched with the like distresse of mind Answ. It is false For the holy Ghost hath penned three notable places of Scripture the booke of Iob and two Psalmes of Dauid wherein are propounded vnto vs the examples of Iob and Dauid Gods owne deare seruants who were in as great distresse as euer they or any other haue beene And they may not thinke that they euer could be able to indure greater paines then Christ who notwithstanding in the anguish of his soule vpon the Crosse cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And thus much touching the first kind of trouble of conscience called the diuine temptation CHAP. IX Of the second Speciall Distresse arisiâ—g from outward afflictions THe second kind of Distresse is that which ariseth from outward afflictions By Afflictions I vnderstand all manner of miseries and calamities in this life from the least to the greatest from the paine of the little finger to the very pangs of death Nowe the Question is howe the Trouble of minde arising by Afflictions may be remedied For the answer of which question two things are required of the partie distressed Practise and Meditation Sect. 1. The Practise is that which is to be vsed in all distresses of minde what soeuer And it is a diligent examination of the conscience in regard of sinne an earnest and heartie confession thereof vnto God and deprecation that is earnest praier vnto him for the pardon of the same These three things beeing done truly and vnfainedly from the heart are a present remedie against this trouble and bring with them much comfort Manasses the king of Iudah that had coÌ„mitted much wickednesse when he was carried captiue to Babel and there put in chaines he humbled himselfe acknowledged his sinnes and praied earnestly vnto the Lord and the issue was good for God was intreated of him and gaue him deliuerance Iob beeing long in outward affliction humbled himselfe in like manner and at length receiued comfort Daniel humbled himselfe before God for his owne sinnes and for the sinnes of Gods people making request vnto God earnestly for them and euen when he was in the acte of praying the Lord sent his angel Gabriel to giue him notice of deliuerance Lastly the Church of God vnder the crosse performed the like dutie Let vs search and trie our waies and turne to the Lord and God in mercie gaue an eare vnto her mourning and lamentation By all these places it is apparent that there is no better remedie in the world for the minde of man grieued by meanes of outward afflictions then the practise of the duties before named Sect. 2. The next thing vnto Practise is the Meditation of the comfortable doctrines that are set downe in the word of God touching afflictions All which doctrines may be reduced to fiue principall and maine grounds of comfort and shall be laid downe in their order The first Ground is that All afflictions from the least to the greatest doe come to passe not by accident chaunce or fortune but by the speciall prouidence of God I explaine it thus In euery particular crosse and affliction there is the hand of Gods particular prouidence and that in three regards First because God decreeth and foreappointeth euery particular crosse Marke the words of Paul Whome God hath foreknowne them he hath predestinate to be made like vnto the image of his sâ—â—ne and what is this image nothing else but a conformitie vnto Christ in
Chaldeans slaine that is the very night wherein those 70. yeares came to their full period And as there are set times allotted by God for the execution of his threatning senteÌ„ces so also hath he determined certenly the accomplishment of all and euery of his promises An example hereof we haue in the Israelites of whom the Lord said to AbrahaÌ„ that they should be in affliction in a strange land 430. yeres and then be deliuered This promise of God was expressely fulfilled as we read in the booke of Exodus For before the ende and tearme of these yeares they had no deliuerance at all but when that time was expired euen that selfe same day departed all the hosts of Israel out of the land of Egypt And though Moses fourtie yeares before this time tooke in hand the worke of their deliuerance yet he did it without successe and vpon a certaine accident beeing himselfe constrained to flie into Madian he liued there as a stranger with Iethro his father in law till the saide time of foure hundred and thirtie yeares was accomplished toward the ende whereof being called of God to that office he prospered and not before And in the same manner hath God set downe a certaine period of time within which he will exercise his children more or lesse and at the end wherof and not before he will releeue and comfort them againe Now as the certentie of the accomplishment of Gods threatning word serues to terrifie all wicked liuers from sinne so the vnchangeable performance of his promises at the very time prefixed not before teacheth the children of God sundrie things First that when they are in any distresse haue not present or speedie deliuerance according to their desire they should waite the Lords leisure and expect with patience till the time come which is appointed by him for their ease and releefe and in the meane while stay their hearts by hope and affiance in his mercie Reason is plaine God is sure in his word therefore though heauines may indure for a night yet ioy will returne in the morning Psal. 30. 5. Thus the Lord comforteth the Iewes in a particular distresse as we may read in the prophecie of Habbakuk where the Prophet in the name of the Iewes complaineth and expostulateth the matter with God why his owne people should be so lamentably afflicted by a terrible and furious nation and why they should be led away captiues by the Chaldeans the enemies of God To this the Lord makes answer that as he had certenly determined that iudgemeÌ„t to come vpon them so certenly had he appointed a set time wherein they should be deliuered In the meane while he bids them to comfort themselues in this that though the affliction should rest vpon them for a season yet vndoubtedly they should be eased at the length and therefore that they should in patience waite for the vision that is the accoÌ„plishment of the vision touching their deliuerance Secondly hence we learne that we must not onely beleeue the promises of God in generall that God is true and faithfull in them and that he is able willing to fulfil them euen as he made them but we must beleeue them in particular that is with application to their proper and seuerall circumstances which are the particular meanes places and times whereby and wherein he hath giuen his word as touching our freedome and exemption from the crosse Take an instance hereof in the Prophet Daniel who knew well by the spirit of Prophecie that the Lord had determined to bring vpon the Iewes 70. yeares captiuitie in Babylon He knew also that God had promised to put an ende to that captiuitie at the end and tearme of those yeares Now what did Daniel in this case Vpon knowledge of the will of God in that point during the said time he praied not vnto the Lord for deliuerance of his people But when he vnderstood that the time drewe neere wherin it was the wil of God that the Iewes should returne out of captiuitie then by faith applying the promise of God to that particular time he besought the Lord in praier and supplications with fasting in sackcloth and ashes and the Lord gaue eare vnto his praiers and yeelded him a gratious answer II. The second point is that God when he deferres deliuerance doth it vpon great and weightie causes and considerations best knowne to himselfe The first wherof is that thereby he might humble men throughly and bring them to an vtter deniall of themselues and consequently cause them to learne patience in affliction which they would not learne if they might be their owne caruers and haue speedy deliuerance from the crosse at their own wills and pleasures Secondly that beeing afflicted they may acknowledge whence their deliuerance comes yea whence they doe receiue not onely that but euery other good benefit which they inioy namely not from theÌ„selues or any creature but onely from the Lord and accordingly may learne to value and prize his gifts at their deserued excellencie For it is a true saying and often verified in affliction want that benefits easily obtained are lightly regarded and sooner forgotten Thirdly that by the continuance of the crosse without intermission he may make them to distaste the world and consequently drawe them to the meditation of the life to come wherein all matter of mourning shall cease and all teares shall be wiped from their eies Fourthly the Lord deâ—erreth deliuerance from affliction that he might preuent greater euils and dangers whereinto those that are afflicted might runne if they had their heartes desire and were eased not at his will but at their owne wishes When the childreÌ„ of Israel came into Canaan they were informed that they should dwell together with the Canaanites and Moses rendreth a reason thereof Least saith he the wild beasts of the field multiply against thee And for the preuenting of this euill the Israelites must indure some annoyance by the Canaanites Euen so the Lord keepeth his seruants vnder the crosse for the preuenting of greater sins offences This should stay the mindes of men make them content to wait vpon God for deliuerance when they are afflicted III. The third and last point is that God alwaies hath and doth exercise his best seruants with long and continued crosses Abraham was childlesse till he was 70. yeares of age and at those yeares the Lord promised him issue But this promise was not accoÌ„plished til a long time after when he was an hundred yeares old Dauid had a promise to be king of Ierusalem and Iuda but the Lord exercised him by many and grieuous afflictions before he came to the crowne in so much that he saies of himselfe that his eies failed with waiting vpon his God Zacharie Elizabeth praied to god both of theÌ„ in their youth many yeares after for issue but the Lord granted not their request til
for the Thessalonians that God would sanctifie them throughout and preserue their whole spirit soule and bodie Of which place amongst many this exposition may be giuen The Apostle speaking of men regenerate and sanctified makes three parts in them bodie soule and spirit and by spirit we are to vnderstand not the conscience but the gift of regeneration and sanctification which is the whole man bodie and soule opposed to the flesh which in a naturall man is called the olde man Rom. 7. And the praier which Paul makes in the behalfe of the Thessalonians teacheth vs in effect thus much that though corruption remaine in the regenerate after regeneration yet in respect of diuine acceptation he is accounted as righteous and so continueth his sinne by the mercie of God in Christ not beeing imputed to him to condemnation And so much for that point Now these Grounds of comfort and others of the like nature may serue to sustaine and vphold the hearts of the children of God when they shall be pressed and troubled in consideration of their estate in this life which cannot till death be fully freed from much weakenes and manifold imperfections CHAP. XII Of the fift Speciall Distresse arising from a mans owne bodie THe fift and last kind of Temptation or Trouble of minde ariseth from a mans owne bodie Before I enter to speake thereof one Question in the meane time must be answered namely How the bodie beeing an earthly substance should trouble or annoie the minde considering that the minde is not bodily out spirituall for nothing can worke aboue it owne power and it is against reason that that which is bodily should either alter or trouble a spirit For answer hereunto these things must be considered Sect. 1. First of all the actions of man though they be sundrie yet they all proceede from one onely fountaine and common cause the soule and are done by the power thereof The bodie of it selfe is not an agent in any worke but as it were a dead instrument in and by which the soule produceth all actions and workes Secondly though all the actions of man come from the soule yet the most of them are such as be performed by the bodie and the parts thereof and by the spirits that are seated in the bodie as by instruments Indeede some actions of the soule and minde are done without the helpe of the bodie but I say that the most of them are wrought by the bodie and spirits therein contained And yet notwithstanding the Spirits in thēselues are no agents at all but the onely agent in any worke is the soule it selfe For example the vsing of the outward senses as of sight hearing tasting touching smelling as also of the inward as imagination memorie c. all this is done by the braine and the parts of the braine as proper instruments All affections both good and bad come from the soule but yet they are done and acted in and by meanes of the heart and vitall spirits So also the powers of life and nourishment proceede from the soule and yet they are done and wrought by the liuer and other inward parts as instruments whereby the soule nourisheth the bodie In a word there is no naturall action in man but for the effecting thereof the parts of the bodie are vsed as it were the hands and instruments of the soule and all this comes by reason of the vnion of the bodie with the soule whereby they make one person Hence it followeth that when the bodie is troubled the soule is also troubled Now the bodie affecteth and hurteth the soule and minde not by taking away or diminishing any part thereof for the soule is indivisible Nor by depriuing it of any power or facultie giuen it of God for as the soule it selfe and the parts thereof so also all the faculties of the same remaine whole and entire without abating or diminishing But by corrupting the action of the minde or more properly by corrupting the next instrument whereby the minde worketh and consequently the action it selfe This may be conceiued by a comparison A skilfull artificer in any science hauing an vnfit toole to worke withall though his skill be good and his abilitie sufficient yet his instrument wherewith he worketh being bad the worke which he doth must needes be an imperfect worke Howbeit the toole takes not away the skill of his workemanship nor his power of working onely it hinders him from shewing his skill and doing that well which otherwise he should and could doe well In like manner the bodie beeing corrupted hinders the worke of the soule not by taking away the worke of the soule or the abilitie of working but by making it to bring forth a corrupt worke because the instrument which it vseth is corrupt and faultie And thus we must conceiue of all the annoyances of the soule by the bodie The Temptation followeth The bodie causeth the trouble of minde two waies either by Melancholie or by some strange alterations in the parts of the bodie which oftentimes befall men in what sort we shall see afterwards For troubles of minde thus caused are more common and as noysome as the most of the former Sect. 2. Touching that which comes by Melancholy sundrie things are to be considered for our instruction and for the Remedie of that euill 1. And first of all if it be asked what Melancholy is I answer it is a kinde of earthie and blacke blood specially in the splene corrupted and distempered which when the splene is stopt conuaies it selfe to the heart and the braine and there partly by his corrupt substance and contagious qualitie and partly by corrupt spirits annoyeth both heart and braine beeing the seates and instruments of reason and affections 2. The second is what are the effects and operations of Melancholie Ans. They are strange and often fearefull There is no humour yea nothing in mans bodie that hath so straunge effects as this humour hath beeing once distempeted An auncient Diuine calls it the Deuills bait because the Deuill beeing well acquainted with the complexion and temperature of man by Gods iust permission conueies himselfe into this humour and worketh strange conceits It is recorded in Scripture that when the Lord tooke his good Spirit from Saul wherby he did carrie himselfe well in the gouernment of his people and an euill Spirit came vpon him he was in so fearfull a case that he would haue slaine him that was next vnto him how so surely because God in iustice withdrew his spirit from him and suffered Satan to enter into the humour of choler or melancholie or both and by this meanes caused him to offer violence to Dauid Now the effects therof in particular are of two sorts The first is in the braine and head For this humour being corrupted it sends vp noysome fumes as cloudes or mists which doe corrupt the imagination and makes the instrument of reason unfit for vnderstanding and
therto when he graÌ„teth not the thing it selfe Thus Christ was heard in that which he feared Heb. 5. 7. He prayed to be deliuered from that cuppe which notwithstaÌ„ding he drank of How theÌ„ was he heard Though he had not that which he asked yet God granted him the thing which was proportionable to his request namely strength and power whereby he was inabled to ouercome the woefull pangs of that death IV. We must thinke this sufficient that we can and doe pray vnto God though we neuer haue any request in this world graunted For by whose grace haue we alwaies continued in praier but by the gift and grace of God Paul in the like case was answered by God My grace is sufficient for thee that is thine infirmitie shall not be remooued content thy selfe in this that thou art in my fauour and hast receiued my grace by which thou doest withstand this Temptation To this purpose S. Iohn saith If we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions graunted which we desired of him 1. Ioh. 5. 15. His meaning is if we can perceiue and discerne that God listneth to our praiers hereby we may assure our selues that he graunts our requests Now by this we may perceiue that he doth listen and giue eare to vs because the grace whereby we pray is from him alone CHAP. VII Of the second head of Gods worship the hearing of the word preached THus much touching the first head of Outward worship namely Prayer Nowe followes the next which is the Hearing of the Word preached The Questions concerning this point are of two sorts Some concerne the Preachers of the word and some the Hearers The first sort I omit and reserue them to a more proper place For the second sort concerning Hearers one Question may be mooued How any man may profitably to his owne comfort and saluation heare the word of God The necessitie of this Question appeares by that speciall Caueat giuen by our Sauiour Christ Luk. 8. 18. Take heede how ye heare Ans. To the profitable hearing of Gods word three things are required Preparation before we heare a Right disposition in hearing and Duties to be practised afterward I. In Preparation sundrie Rules of direction are to be obserued First Rule We must be swift to heare Iam. 1. 19. And this we shall doe by disburdening our selues of all impediments which may hinder the effectuall hearing of the word These Impediments are especially three all which are named by the Apostle Iames together with their seuerall remedies The first is Presumption when the hearer presumes of his wisdome knowledge and abilitie to teach if neede were his teachers The remedie hereof is to be slowe to speake that is not to presume of our owne gifts thinking our selues better able to teach others then to be taught by them For so the Apostle afterwardes expoundes himselfe when he saith My brethren be not many masters Iam. 3. 1. let not priuate persons take vpon them to become instructers of other men but as Paul saith 1. Cor. 3. 18. If any man among you seeme to be wise let him be a foole that he may be wise that is let him be willing to learne euen of his inferiours And in this regard let him follow the practise of Naaman who submitted himselfe to the aduise and counsell of his maide The second Impediment is troubled affections specially rash anger either against the Teacher or others The remedie of this also is laid downe in the place before alleadged Be slow to wrath v. 19. The third is superfluitie of malitiousnes that is the abundance of euill corruptions and sinnes which hearers shall by experience find in their owne hearts and liues This Impediment hath many branches principally three 1. Hardnes of heart noted by the stonie ground in the parable of the lower Matth. 13. 20. 2. The Cares of the world signified by the thornie ground v. 22. 3. The itching eare 2. Tim. 4. 3. when a man will heare no other doctrine but that which is sutable to his corrupt nature not beeing willing to frame his heart to the word but to haue the word framed to his wicked heart The remedies of this Impediment are these First euery hearer of the word must lay apart all supersluitie of malitiousnes that is cut off as much as in him lieth all corruptions both of heart and life Hence it is that God speaketh thus to the wicked man Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to doe to take my word in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee To this purpose the Prophet Ieremie exhorteth the Iewes to be circumcised to the Lord and to take away the foreskinnes of their hearts c. Ier. 4. 4. And Moses by Gods commandement was to sanctifie the people three daies before they came to heare the Law deliuered by himselfe in Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 11. Again euery man will and ought to haue a care to prepare himselfe more or lesse to the receiuing of the Lords Supper which dutie is as well to be performed before the hearing of the word considering that in substance it differeth not from the Sacraments they beeing the visible and preaching the audible voice of God Secondly euery hearer must receiue the word with meekenes that is with quietnes subiect himselfe to the word of God in all things Esa. 57. 15. I dwell with him that is of an humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble c. The second Rule of Preparation Wee must lift vp our hearts in praier to God that he would giue vs the Hearing eare This hearing eare is a gift of God inabling the heart when it heareth to conceiue and vnderstand the doctrine taught and to yeeld obedience thereunto The third Rule The hearer must in hearing set himselfe in the presence of God Now therefore saith Cornelius to Peter Act. 10. 33. are we all here present before God to heare all things commanded thee of God The reason is because God is alwaies in the congregation where the word is preached II. The second thing required to profitable hearing is a right disposition Wherein two rules are to be obserued First when the word of God is in deliuering euery hearer must heare with iudgment But some will say many preachers bewray faults and infirmities in their preaching To this Paul answereth notwithstanding Despise not prophecie 1. Thess. 5. 20. Yea but what if they deliuer vntruthes Paul answeres againe in the next verse Try all things and keep that which is good and Saint Iohn to the like purpose 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Beleeue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God Herâ—… by the way we must remember one cauâ—at There be three kinds of iudgement The one is a priuate wherby euery priuate person may iudge of the doctrine which is taught For he must not heare hand ouer-head but iudge of that which he heareth
Of this Saint Paul speaks to the Corinths Iudge ye what I say 1. Cor. 10. 15. The second is the iudgement of the Prophet or minister And this is a surer kind of iudgement then the former proceeding from a greater measure of Gods grace The third is the iudgement of the Holy Ghost in scripture and this is soueraigne and absolute For the Holy Ghost iudgeth all and is iudged of none These three kinds of iudgment are set in this order The first depends vpon the second the second vpon the third and the third is absolute and iudged of none Vpon this caueat two things doe follow First that a priuate hearer though he may iudge of doctrine deliuered yet he may not censure the Teacher or his ministrie Ministers are to be iudged but their spirit is not subiect to euery priuate man but to the prophets For the spirit of the prophet that is the doctrine which the prophets bring beeing inspired by the Holy Ghost is subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 32. Secondly a priuate man is not to publish or broach any point of doctrine but that which is plainly propounded in the word and taught by the ministers thereof This is a necessarie rule and the want of obseruation thereof is the cause of many scismes and haeresies in the Church The Lord commands the people Mal. 2. 7. to require the law at the mouth of the priest in all maine points of faith and manners The second Rule to be obserued in hearing Euery hearer must haue care that the word of God be rooted and grounded in his heart like good feede in good ground which Saint Iames expresseth Iam. 1. 21. Receiue with meekenes the ingrafted word Here generally it is to be remembred that not onely ignorant people but euen the most learned ought to be hearers of the word preached For the preaching thereof serues not onely for the increasing of knowledge but also for the reformation of the affection which may be inordinate where knowledge doth abound Now for the rooting of the word of God in our hearts sundry things are required First a true right vnderstanding therof Secondly it must be mingled with faith Heb. 4. 1. For the word is as wine or water of life our faith is the sugar that sweetneth it and giues it a pleasant relish The word therfore must be tempered and mixed with our saith that it may become profitable vnto vs. Now in this mixture there is required a double faith the first generall whereby we beleeue the doctrine deliuered to be true so as we neuer call the same into question Our Gospell to you saith Paul was in much assurance 1. Thess. 1. 5. The second special whereby we apply the word preached vnto our selues for the humbling and comforting of our hearts Thirdly we must labour to be affected with the word Thus Iosiah his heart is said to melt at the reading of the law 2. Chro. 34. 27. And the people reioyced greatly because they vnderstood the word which the Leuites had taught them Neh. 8. 12. The hearts of the two disciples that went to Emmaus burned within them when Christ opened vnto them the scriptures Luc. 24. 32. And the Iewes at Peters sermon were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 2. 37. Fourthly the word of God must dwell plenteously in vs Coll. 3. 16. This is doth when it rules and beares the greatest sway in the heart and is not ouerruled by any corrupt affection III. The duties to be performed after hearing are these First the doctrine deliuered must be treasured vp in the heart and practised in life Psal. 119. 11. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Secondly a man must meditate on the word which he hath heard with lifting vp of his heart vnto God The beasts that were clouen footed and chewed the cudde were fittest both for meate vnto man and for sacrifice to God Levit. 11. It was the olde and auncient opinion of the Church that this chewing the cudde signified holy meditations And he that heares the word must doe as the beast doth fetch vp the meate out of his bellie againe and chewe it ouer a new The man that doth so is the fittest for the Lords vse Thirdly he must haue experience of the word of God in himselfe Psal. 34. 8. Tast and see how gracious the Lord is Fourthly he is to examine himselfe after he hath heard the word Thus Dauid saith of himselfe Psal. 119. 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies Fiftly he must be obedient vnto it and testifie his obediēce though not at all times yet whensoeuer occasion is offered Iam. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues II. Question touching hearers is How are they to be comforted who after long hearing of the word either profit very litle or not at all For resolution of this Question the Causes of not profiting are distinctly to be considered And they are of two sorts The first sort of Causes are the sinnes of the hearers And that sinnes are the causes of not profiting it will appeare by this signe if the memorie vnderstanding and other parts of the minde in common matters be strong and pregnant but dull and weake in apprehending and retaining the doctrine taught Now these sinnes are principally two First Hardnes of heart when a man is not inwardly mooued and affected with the word preached but remaines in the same state he was before This is set forth by the hard ground that is by the high way side and by the stonie ground Math. 13. 4 5. And such is the heart that is not mooued nor affected either with ioy sorrow feare or consolation The hardnes of heart ariseth from a custome in sinning and from that the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 13. Secondly worldly Cares that is a heart possessed with desire of profits pleasures honours preferments and such like which be as thornes that choake the seede of the word and suffer it not to grow and fructifie yea that fill the heart full of wandering imaginations which steale away the mind from attending to the word preached Those that are thus hindred from profiting are rather to be reprooued then comforted for that the cause of their non-proficiencie is in from themselues They are therefore to vse all good meanes for the remooueall of their sinnes that of hard hearted and carnall they may become good and profitable hearers of the word The meanes are these First they must labour to be touched in heart with sense and feeling of their spirituall pouertie and want of Gods fauour and mercie in the pardon of their sinnes The reason is giuen of Dauid Psal. 25. 9. The Lord teacheth the humble his waies And by Marie in her song Luk. 1. 35. He hath filled the hungrie with good things and the rich he hath sent
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
abstaine then come vnprovided To whom it may be said that their vnfitnes in this and other respects ought to be a strong motiue to induce them at least to vse all holy indeauour to prepare themselues euery day rather then a meanes to keepe them backe For if a man should abstaine vpon euery occasion of variance discontentment and infirmitie he should neuer receiue and so consequently haue no benefit by this ordinance of God Daily preparation therefore is the more necessarie that when they be called and haue opportunitie they may come as welcome guestes vnto that heauenly banquet II. Question How may a man rightly vse the Lords Supper to his comfort and saluation Ans. Three things are required therevnto A right preparation a right Receiuing and a right Vse of it afterward Sect. 1. That Preparation is needefull the commandement of the Apostle plainely shewes which is directed to al Communicants without exception 1. Cor. 11. 28 Let a man that is let euery man examine himselfe Now that a man may be rightly prepared hee must bring with him foure severall things First Knowledge of the foundation of Religion specially of the vse of both the Sacraments That this is necessarie to Preparation it appeareth by that which Paul requireth in a good Communicant 1. Cor. 11. 26. to wit the shewing forth of Christs death which is done by confession and thanks giuing and these two cannot be performed without knowledge The second thing required is Faith For all Sacraments are seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. Now Faith is hereby discerned when the heart of the beleeuer contents it selfe onely with Christ in the matter of saluation and doth beleeue not onely that there is a remission of sinnes in generall but that his sinnes are forgiuen to him in particular The third is Repentance standing in a hearty sorrow for sinnes committed in a hatred and detestation of the same and in a resolued purpose of amendment and obedience for time to come Here we must remember that renewed Repentance for sinnes committed is principally required before the Sacrament For the Apostle chargeth the beleeuing Corinthes with vnworthie receiuing because they came in their sinnes without renouation of their repentance The fourth is Charitie towards man For this Sacrament is a Communion whereby all the receiuers ioyntly vnited together in loue doe participate of one and the same Christ. And therefore as no man in the old law might offer his Sacrifice without a forehand agreement with his brother so no Communicant may partake with others at this Table without reconciliation loue and charitie Now further touching Preparation there are three Cases of Conscience to be resolued I. Case What shall a man doe if after preparation he finds himselfe vnworthie Ans. There are two kinds of vnworthines of an euili conscience and of infirmitie Vnworthines of an euill conscience is when a man liues in any sinne against his conscience This we must especially take heede of For it is proper to the Reprobate and he that comes to the Table of the Lord vnworthily in this sense questionlesse he shall eate his owne iudgement if not condemnation The vnworthines of infirmitie is when a man truly repents and beleeues and makes conscience of euery good dutie but yet sees and feeles wants in them all and in regard hereof himselfe vnfit to the Supper Such vnworthines cannot iustly hinder a man from comming to this Sacrament neither is it a sufficient cause to make him to abstaine The reason is because the Lord requires not therein perfection of faith and repentance but the truth synceritie of them both though they be imperfect If it be demanded how the truth of faith and repentance may be knowne I answer by these notes I. If our faith be directed vpon the right obiect Christ alone II. If there be a hungring and thirsting after his bodie and blood III. If wee haue a constant and serious purpose not to sinne IV. If there follow a change in the life Thus we read that many of the Iewes in the daies of Hezekias came to Ierusalem and did eate the Passeouer which had not clensed themselues according to that which was written in the Law And yet for those among them that had prepared their whole hearts to seek the Lord the text saies that God heard the praier of Hezekias and healed the people though they were not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuarie 2. Chron. 30. 18 19 20. II. Case Whether it be requisite to preparation that a man should come fasting to this supper Ans. It is not necessarie For in the Primitiue Church Christians did first feast and at the ende of their feast receiued the Lords Supper And if receiuers bring with them attentiue mindes reuerent and sober hearts it matters not whether they come fasting or not The kingdome of God stands not in meates and drinkes as Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. III. Case Whether such persons as are at contention and goe to law one with an other may with good conscience come to the Lords table The reason of the Question is because men thinke when they goe to law that they doe not forgiue Ans. There be three kinds of forgiuenes of reuenge of the penaltie and of iudgement Ofreuenge when men are content to lay aside all hatred and requitall of euill Of penaltie when beeing wronged they are content to put the matter vp and not proceede to reuenge by inflicting punishment Of iudgement when a man is willing to esteeme and iudge things badly done as well done and to iudge a bad man no euill person nor an enemie though he be an enemie Of these three the first is alwaies necessarie A man is bound in conscience to forgiue the reuenge and leaue that to the Lord to whome Vengeance properly belongeth But to the forgiuenes of penaltie and iudgement we are not alway bound We must shunne and decline iniuries offered as much as possibly we can but when they be offered we may with good conscience seeke a remedie of them and vse any lawfull meanes to defend our selues Therefore I answer to the Question thus That if a man going to law with an other forgiues him in regard of reuenge when he comes to the Lords table he doth his dutie For doing that he is not bound to the other as hath beene said Sect. 2. The Second thing in the right vse of the Lords Supper is the right Receiuing of it Wherein there be two things required First the renewing of our Knowledge or Generall Faith And then secondly the renewing of our Speciall Faith in Christ. Let the reason of both be obserued This Sacrament cōtaines many particular Signes as not onely the bread and wine but the actions about the same The Signes may be thus distinguished Some of them are representing signes some are signes applying Representing signes are such as doe liuely set forth vnto vs Christ with his benefits as the bread and the wine
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
for a perpetuall ordinance But to vs in the new testament both it and other Legall ceremonies are abrogated and we haue onely two Sacraments to be administred and receiued as seales of the Promises of God and parts of his worshippe Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Secondly that which is not commended vnto vs by God in the name of worshippe is no worshippe to vs. Now the ceremonies of the Iewes are no where commended vnto vs in that name and therefore it is a vaine thing for any man to vowe the obseruation thereof Thirdly vowes of ceremoniall duties did in a peculiar manner and vpon speciall respects pertaine to the Iewes Hereupon when they vowed House Lands Goods c. to the vse of the Temple this they did as beeing the Lords Tenants of whome alone they helde their possessions and hereby they acknowledged and also testified their Homages and Seruices due vnto him And this particular respect concerneth not the Church and people of the New Testament whence it followeth that they are not tyed by the same bond to performe worship vnto God by the vowes of Ceremonies gifts oblations and sacrifices The third and last part of the Answer If a vowe be taken for a promise of some bodily and outward worke or exercise as fasting giuing of almes abstaining from certaine meates and drinkes c. then it is not any part of Gods worship but onely an helpe stay and furtherance of the same For first we haue libertie of conscience in Christ to vse or not to vse all indifferent things Now Gods worship is not a thing of that nature but absolutely necessarie Secondly Paul 1. Tim. 4. 8. affirmeth that bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable for all things In which words he opposeth godlines to bodily exercise and therefore godlines or the worship of God consisteth not in them But the words of Dauid are alleadged to the contrarie Psal. 76. 11. Vowe and performe vnto the Lord your God Where we haue a double command one to make Vowes another to pay them To which I answer first if Dauid speaketh of the vowe of all moral duties then the Commandement concerneth euery man because the thing commanded is a part of Gods worship For it is as much as if he had said Vow thankefull obedience vnto God and performe it Againe if the place be meant of the vow of ceremoniall duties then it is a commandement peculiar to the old Testament and so bindes the Iewes onely howbeit not all of them but onely such as had iust cause to make a vow for otherwise they had libertie to abstaine from vowing Deut. 23. 22. When thou abstainest from vowing it shall be no sinne vnto thee Of one of these two kinds must the place alleadged necessarily be vnderstoode and not of the third which is of bodily exercise for then it should reuerse Christian libertie in the vse of things indifferent which no Commandement can doe By light of this Answer we may discerne the errour of the Popish Church which maketh Vowes a part of Religion and the Worship of God Nay further it teacheth that some vowes as namely those of Pouertie Continencie Regular Obedience to this or that Order are workes of merit and supererogation tending to a state of perfection euen in this life and deseruing a further degree of glorie in heauen then the worke of the Morall Law III. Question When a Uow made doth binde and when not Before I giue answer to the Question I will lay downe this Ground In making of a lawfull Vow foure Conditions are to be obserued The first concerneth the person of him that voweth that he be a fit person His fitnesse may be discerned by two things First if he be at his owne libertie as touching the things whereof he makes his vow and not vnder the gouernment of a superiour Thus in the Old Testament if a daughter had made a vow without the consent or allowance of her father it might not stand in effect Numb 30. 4 5. Secondly if the partie keepe himselfe within the compasse of his calling generall and particular Hence it followes that Vowes of going a Pilgrimage to worship this or that Idol in this or that place for example S. Iames of Compostella and the Ladie of Loretto c. are vtterly vnlawfull because such persons by this practise doe leaue their calling and condition of life and take vpon them a calling not warranted by the Lord. The second Condition is concerning the Matter of a Vow It must be Lawfull Possible and Acceptable to God Hereupon it followes that there be foure things which cannot be the matter of a Vow The first is Sinne. Thus the Iewes bound themselues with a Vow that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul Act. 23. 12 14. This their vow was nothing els but a threatning of God himselfe and therefore vtterly vnlawfull Secondly Trifles and light matters as when a man voweth not to take vp a straw or such like And this is a plaine mocking of God Thirdly things impossible as to flie or to go on foote to Ierusalem Fourthly things meerely necessarie as to die which cannot be auoided The Third is touching the Forme of a Vowe It must be voluntarie and free And that it may be so three things are necessarily required First that it be made in Iudgement that is with reason and deliberation Next that it be done with consent of will And thirdly with libertie of conscience Hence it appeares that the Vowes of children mad-men and fooles or such as are taken vpon rashnes or constraint also the vow of perpetuall abstinence from things simply indifferent are all vtterly vnlawfull For the first sort are not done vpon iudgement the next without due consideration and the last are greatly preiudiciall to Christian libertie The fourth concernes the Ende which is not to be a part of Gods worship but onely a stay and proppe to further and helpe vs in the same Nowe there be three particular Ends of a vow First to shew our selues thākfull to God for blessings receiued secondly to preuent sinne to come by keeping so brietie and moderation thirdly to preserue and increase our faith prayer repentance and obedience This Ground beeing laide the Answer to the Question propounded is this When in vowing we obserue the conditions prae-required the vow is lawfull and consequently binds the partie vowing so as if he keepe it not he dishonoureth God But when the saide Conditions doe not concurre in the action of vowing it becomes vnlawfull and the partie remaineth free and not bound to performance Here by the way a Question of some moment is made Whether Iephte vpon his Vow did offer his Daughter in Sacrifice or no considering that it is plaine euen by the light of Nature as also by the doctrine before taught that a man is bound by the vow which he maketh This Question admitteth sundrie answers according to the diuers opinions
Religious Fast Ans. It is a voluntary and extraordinary abstinence taken vp for a religious end what this end is we shall see afterward First I call it voluntarie because the time and particular manner of Fasting is not imposed or determined but left free to our owne liberty Againe I tearme it extraordinary to distinguish it from ordinary fasting which stands in the practise of temperance and sobrietie whereby the appetite is restrained in the vse of meates and drinkes that it doe not exceede moderation Now this kinde of fast is to be vsed of all Christians at all times whereas the extraordinarie is not dayly and ordinarily to be practised but vpon speciall occasions and at speciall times in as much as it is a more strait and severe abstinence then the other II. Question How a Religious Fast is to be obserued Ans. For the obseruation of it three things are required I. A iust and weightie cause II. A right manner III. Right ends Sect. 1. Fasting is then to be vsed when a iust and weightie cause or occasion therof is offered There be two iust causes of a fast The First is when some iudgement of God hangs over our heads whether it be publicke as Famine Pestilence the Sword destruction c. or priuate The Prophet Ioel in the name of the Lord calls the Iewes to a strait and solemne fast and that vpon this iust occasion because the Lord had sent a great dearth vpon the land Ioel 2. 14 15 c. Hester and her companie fasted when shee had heard newes of the intended destruction of the Iewes Ester 4. 16. The people of Nineueh which were not Iewes but forreiners in regard of the Couenant when the Prophet came and denounced destruction vnto them for their sinnes they gaue themselues generally to fasting and praier Ion. 3. 5. 8. The second cause of fasting is when we are to sue seeke by prayer to God for some speciall blessing or for the supply of some great want Thus when Daniel desired to obtaine the deliuerance of the children of Israel out of captiuitie in Babylon he gaue himselfe to fasting Dan. 10. 3. Thus Christ fasted and spent the whole night in prayer vnto God before he chose his twelue Apostles Luk. 6. 12. And in like manner Paul and Silas when they were to found and plant Churches vsed praier and fasting Act. 14. 23. because in these matters of so great importance they looked for special direction from God himselfe Lastly Anna that shee might be more feruent in praier fasted night and day in the Temple Luc. 2. 37. Sect. 2. The second point is the Right manner of fasting which stands in three things The Frist is Abstinence from meate and drinke for therein consisteth the very nature of a fast and if that be wanting it is no fast at all Thus Ester commanding the Iewes to fast for her biddes them neither eate nor drinke for three daies Ester 4. 16. The Second is an abstinence from all delights which may any way cheare and refresh nature In this sort Daniel fasted three whole weekes of daies abstaining from all pleasant bread flesh wine and ointments Dan. 10. 3. So when Dauid fasted it is saide that he lay all the night vpon the earth that he neither washed nor annointed himselfe nor changed his apparell 2. Sam. 12. 16 20. In the solemne fast of the Iewes the bridegrome and bride must come out of their chambers Ioe 2. 15 16. By these places it is manifest that in a true fast there is required not onely abstinence from meate and drinke but from all delights recreations other things that might refresh the nature of man By this the Popish Fasting is iustly reprooued wherein though men are inioyned to abstaine from flesh yet there is giuen libertie to vse other delicates The Third thing in the manner of a Fast is so farre forth to abstaine from meate and other delights as the bodie may be thereby afflicted Ezra proclaimes a fast and he giues a reason thereof that himselfe and the people might afflict themselues Ezra 8. 2. This Afflicting of a mans selfe is expoūded by Paul 1. Cor. 9. 27. where he saith I beate downe my bodie and bring it in subiection Now though we must humble and afflict our bodies by fasting yet we ought not to weaken abolish or destroy nature or doe that whereby the strength of nature may be taken away For such afflicting is forbidden Coloss. 2. 23. And contrariwise we are commanded by Christ to pray for daily bread that is such food as is fitte to sustaine our substances and therefore we may by such exercises ouerthrow the same Yet for the better vnderstanding of the manner of Fasting three Questions are to be answered I. Question How long the fast must continue Ans. The beginning and ende of a Fast is left vnto our libertie But it is so long to be kept as the principall actions of the fast that is humiliation and prayer doe continue And though the beginning and ende thereof be free to vs yet it is most meete conuenient that solemne fasts should beginne in the Morning and last till the Euening This was the vsuall custome of the Church in the old Testament II. Question Whether in the day of a solemne fast a man may eate any thing or no and if he may what and how often Ans. We may eate and that if neede require once or twise Yet here we must take with vs two caueats First concerning the quantitie of our meate it must be lesse then ordinarie and onely that which is necessarie to proserue nature and no more for if it be otherwise we abolish our fast Secondly concerning the qualitie of that we eate it must not be daintie and pleasant but the meanest food and such as hath least delightsomnes and delicacie in it Thus Daniel fasted for three weekes of daies from morning to euening in which time he ate but a small quantitie of meate and that which was none of the daintiest Dan. 10. 3. These caueats obserued a man may lawfully take some sustenance euen in the time of a solemne fast For there is no kinde of meate but may then be eaten quantitie and qualitie beeing obserued In the old Testament no cleane beast was forbidden to be eaten in the day of a fast And in the New To the pure saith Paul Tit. 1. 15. all things are pure And the kingdome of God stands not in meates and drinkes but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. III. Quest. Whether all persons are bound to keepe the forme prescribed in the day of the solemne fast Ans. All that are able and can abstaine are bound Yet because Gods worshippe stands not in eating or not eating some persons are here exempted First all those that are weake as children aged persons and those that are sickely Secondly they that by reason of the constitution of their bodies doe find themselues vnfit to
of his worship But the Sabboth of the new Testament though it be a necessarie time of Gods worship yet it is not a part thereof If it be said that it is commanded therfore 〈◊〉 must needs be a part of Gods worship I answer It is commanded not as Gods worship for substance but in respect of the duties of the worship that are to be kept and performed in it And hence it is manifest that in regard of Gods worship there is no difference of daies in the new Testament but in regard of order Thirdly they obiect that Paul kept the Iewes Sabboth as well as the Lords day For he and Barnabas came to Antiochia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabboth day Act. 13. 14. And againe he and Timothie conuerted Lydia vpon the same day Act. 16. 13. Ans. The Apostle did this vpon very good ground not because he held the obseruation of it as necessarie as the other but in regard of the weaknes of the Gentiles and Iewes newly called For the Church that consisted of such persons in those daies was not yet fully perswaded and resolued of the abrogation of thâ—â—e wish Sabboth and therfore for the time he yeelded to their weaknes and obserued it as well as the other But afterward when they were confirmed in that point he forbare that libertie taught the full abolishment both of it and other Ceremonies Fourthly Act. 18. 3 4. Paul is said to come to Corinth to Aquila and Priscilla and to worke with them in their trade of tent-making and further it is said that he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabboth day that is on the Iewes Sabboths and exherted the Iewes and Grecians Hence it is gathered by some that Paul did onely keepe the Sabboth of the Iewes and that both on the Lords day and on the weeke daies he wrought with Aquila and Priscilla Ans. First we must remember this Rule That Charitie and Necessitie doe dispense with the Sabboth and with Ceremonies If a Towne should be on fire or if a Citie or countrey should be presently assaulted by the enemie in the time of the word preached on the Sabboth day the preaching of the word in these cases must cease for a time till by conuenient helpe the fire be quenched and the enemie be taken or driuen backe Now whereas Paul in the ordinarie daies of the weeke made tents and on the seauenth too not obseruing it but the Iewes Sabboth we must know that he did it vpon necessitie for the saluation of the Iewes For Priscilla and Aquila were Iewes vnconuerted and Christ was not yet reuealed vnto them And if Paul had but once named Christ he could haue done no good among them Yet afterward when he saw better opportunitie at the comming of Silas and Timotheus from Macedonia then he could no longer containe himselfe but burned in the spirit and testified to the Iewes that Iesus was the Christ vers 5. Now if there was cause why he did not speake of Christ for the time then was there cause also why he did not make profession of a Sabboth Secondly I answer though Paul did not then openly sanctifie the Sabboth yet it is to be supposed that he kept it priuately by himselfe reseruing some speciall time for that purpose and the contrarie cannot be shewed The Second Question touching the Sabboth How the Sabboth of the New Testament is to be obserued Ans. In obseruing a Sabboth of the new Testament there are two things required a Rest and a Sanctification of the same rest to an holy vse This Answer is made out of the very substance of the fourth Commandement which is morall and hath nothing ceremoniall in it And the fourth Commandement for substance consists in a ceasing froÌ„ labour and a holy dedication of our rest to holy vse that is to the worship and seruice of God Sect. 1. Now touching the first point the Rest of the Sabboth there are three seuerall Opinions whereof two are contrarie and the third is a meane betweene both The first Opinion is that we are bound as strictly to keepe the outward rest of the Lords day as the Iewes were to keepe the Sabboth and sundrie men are of this minde But I take it this opinion is not warrantable For as we said before the Iewish manner of keeping the Sabboth in straitnes is a Ceremonie And if we be bound to keepe it as straitly as the Iewes did then Iudaisme must still remaine and the ceremoniall Law at least in some part must still be in force But in fauour of this opinion it is alleadged First that the fourth Commandement is a Law giuen as well to ChristiaÌ„s as to Iewes and therefore it binds both alike Ans. The fourth Commandement bindeth Christians to keepe a seauenth day for the Sabboth both in respect of Rest as also in regard of Sanctification thereof but that it bindeth them to the same strait manner of keeping the rest as it did the Iewes we vtterly denie Secondly That the reasons vsed to inforc the Commandement doe equally binde all therefore the Commandement it selfe Ans. It is true for the dutie commanded but not for the manner of performance Againe the reason alleadged doth not follow for sometimes the holy Ghost vseth a reason that is perpetuall to inforce a Ceremonie That Levi should haue no part nor inheritance amoÌ„g his brethren was a Ceremonie commanded by God and yet the Lord inforceth it with a reason that was perpetuall namely because himselfe was the part and inheritance of Levi among the children of Israel Numb 18. 20. Thirdly that the Sabboth is a signe to beleeuers in the new Testament that God is their God and they his people and the same it was to the Iewes therefore the bond is as strict to the one as to the other Ans. 1. Beleeuers vnder the Gospel haue two onely signes of the Couenant Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more 2. The Scripture restraineth the Sabboth as a signe onely to the Iewes It is a signe betweene me and you in your generations Exod. 31. 13. Againe v. 16. the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabboth for an euerlasting couenant 3. The Sabboth was not a signe in the first institution in Paradise For the Couenant of grace was made after the fall of man and the signe thereof must needes be appointed after it considering that before the fall Ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place And this is the first Opinion The second Opinion touching the Rest of the Sabboth is flat contrarie to the former namely that on the Sabboth day after the publike worship of God is ended and the Congregation dissolued men haue libertie either to giue themselues to labour or to honest pleasures and recreations This Opinion doth quite abolish one of the Commandements of the Decalogue For it presupposeth all daies to be alike this onely prouided that the publike worship of God be solemnly kept Now this may be done in any
Heathen Secondly I adde this clause to meete with an errour of some learned Philosophers who taught that the very nature of Vertue stands in a meane or mediocritie of affections This that they say is true in part but not wholly For the mediocritie of which they speake without renouation of affections is nothing and therefore all vertues that are not ioyned with a renouation and change of the affections are no better then sinnes This point the Philosophers neuer knew and hence it was that they stood onely vpon a mediocritie defining a man to be truly vertuous that did wisely obserue a meane betweene two extreames Lastly I say that this gift of God makes a man fit to liue well In which clause standeth the proper effect of Vertue which is to make those in whome it is to lead their liues well And by this we are aduertised to take heede of the opinion of Philosophers concerning some particular vertues For in their morall discourses they giue both the name and the nature of Vertue to those things which are either false counterfeit vertues or indeede none at all For example Aristotle makes Vrbanitie a vertue which is indeede a sinne beeing nothing els but a dexteritie in mocking and descanting vpon reens persons and names so it is reckoned by Paul amongst grieuous sinnes and vices which are to be auoided Eph. 5. 4. Againe the Philosopher calls Magnaâ—imitie whereby a man thinkes himselfe worthie of great honours thereupon enterpriseth great things a Vertue which notwithstanding is to be holden a flat vice For by the law of God euery man is to range himselfe within the limits of his calling and not to dare once to goe out of it Whereas on the contrarie the scope and end of this vertue as they tearme it is to make men to attempt high and great matters aboue their reach and so to goe beyond their callings Besides it is directly opposite to the vertue of humilitie which teacheth that a man ought alwaies to be base vile lowly in his owne eyes The Prophet Dauid cleares himselfe of this sinne Psal. 131. 1. when he saith Lord I am not high minded mine eyes are not hautie I haue not walked in things that be great and aboue my reach Furthermore no Vertue must make vs to forsake good life but euery one serueth for this ende to make vs fit to liue a godly life The next point to be considered is What be the kindes of vertue Vertue is either in the minde of man or in the will The vertue of the minde is Prudence The vertue of the will is that that orders mans will and it is two-fold for it respecteth either our selues or others That which respecteth our selues is conuersant about two maine things in the heart of man the reuenging and the lusting power That which respecteth the reuenging power is Clemencie which standeth in the ordering and reforming of the raging power of Anger The next which respecteth the lusting power is Temperance Vertues that doe respect others are either concerning curtesie as Liberalitie or concerning Equitie And these consist partly in doing of equitie as Iustice partly in defending and maintaining it as Fortitude Now according to this distinction of vertues the Questions of Conscience are to be distinguished in this sort Some of them concerne Prudence some concerne Clemencie some Temperance some Liberalitie some also concerne Iustice and some Fortitude Of all which in order CHAP. II. Of Questions concerning Prudence THere are two maine Questions of Conscience which coÌ„cerne Prudence I. Question How a man should practise Prudence or Wisedome This I acknowledge is a high point in the life of man and such as cannot be resolued as it ought without great deliberation notwithstanding I will doe mine indeauour to answer something Concerning Prudence there are sundrie things to be considered First what is the beginning of the practise of this vertue and that in a word is the Feare of God This feare standeth principally in two things the first is a reuerent awe of the Maiestie of God in all places at all times whereby we are resolued that wheresoeuer we are we are in his presence and whatsoeuer we thinke speake or doe it is wholly and perfectly knowne vnto him The second is a resolued care to walk as in the presence of God that is to keepe his commandements and to yeeld obedience vnto his Maiestie in all things Now that this feare is the beginning of wisedome it appeares by sundry places of scripture Psal. 111. 10. The beginning of wisedome is the feare of Iehouah Pro. 3. 7. The beginning of knowledge is the feare of the Lord fooles despise wisedome and vnderstanding Moses telleth the children of Israel that herein stood their wisedome and vnderstanding before the eies of all people that they obserue and practise all the ordinances and iudgements of God which he had commanded them Deut. 4. 6. And Dauid professeth of himselfe that by his daily meditation in the law of God and keeping his commandements he became wiser then his enemies Psal. 119. 98. Yea of more vndestanding then all gâ—â— teachers ver 99. yea further more prudent then the ancient ver 100. Secondly we must consider the rule of prudence and that is spiritual vnderstanding whereby we are inabled to know and conceiue spiritually truth and falshood good badde This Saint Paul wished vnto the Church of Coloss. when he saith we cease not to pray for you and desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his wil in al wisedome spirituall vnderstanding Col. 1. 9. And the same Apostle exhorting the Romanes to giue vp their bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God and not to fashion themselues like vnto this world he makes the ground of his exhortation and consequently the rule of their obedience thereunto the renouation of their mindes or vnderstandings to this ende That they might prooue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect and answerably doe and performe the same Rom. 12. 2. And his reason is good because though prudence be the rule of all vertues as the auncient Philosophers among the heathen haue affirmed yet it selfe must be ruled by a higher rule which they knew not namely by spirituall vnderstanding and knowledge according to the word of God Thirdly we are to consider what is the Practise of Prudence and wherein it consisteth In the practise thereof two actions are required the one is Delilâ—ration whereby according to spirituall vnderstanding we aduise what is good and bad what truth and falshood what is to be imbraced and done and what not The other is Determination whereby we resolue vpon former deliberation to imbrace to doe to follow and pursue the best things in euery kind And therein stands the very nature and forme of true Christian prudence when a man vpon due consideration of things and actions together with their properties and circumstances proceedes to a holy and godly
imitate God in all things therefore besides them consider further the examples of some of the seruants of God Moses when the people murmured at him did not answer them againe by murmuring but cried vnto the Lord what shall I doe to this people for they be almost readie to stone me Exod. 17. 4. And Steuen when he was stoned praied for his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Act. 7. 60. IV. Meditation is concerning the goodnes of God towards vs an argument whereof is this that he doth euery day forgiue vs farre more offences then it is possible for vs to forgiue men V. Meditation All reuenge is Gods right and he hath not giuen it vnto man Rom. 12. 19. Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. And man by reuenging his own quarell makes himselfe both the iudge the witnesse the accuser and the executioner VI. Meditation is touching Christs death He suffered for vs the first death and the sorrowes of the second death much more then ought we at his commandement to put vp small wrongs and iniuries without reuenge His commandement is Resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Matth. 5. 39. Againe Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ died Rom. 14. 15. The Meditations concerning our neighbour are two The first is the condition of him with whome we are angrie namely that he is a brother Let there be no strife betweene me and thee for we are brethren Gen. 13. 8. Againe he is created in the Image of God we must not therefore seeke to hurt or destroy that Image The second is concerning that Equitie which we looke for at the hands of all men If we wrong any man we desire that he would forgiue vs and therefore we must forgiue him the iniurie that he doth vnto vs without vniust anger This is the very Law of nature Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe you vnto them Matth. 7. 12. Meditations concerning our selues are sixe First he that conceiueth rush anger makes himselfe subiect to the wrath of God if he cherish the same without relenting Matth. 6. 15. If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And Matth. 7. 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged Yea when we pray to God to forgiue vs and doe not resolue to forgiue our brethren we doe in effect say Lord condemne vs for we will be condemned Secondly we are commanded to loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs Eph. 5. 2. It is the propertie of loue to suffer and to beare and not to be prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And it is a marke whereby Gods children are discerned from the children of the Deuill that they loue their brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Thirdly we are ignorant of mens mindes in speaking and doing we know not the manner and circumstances of their actions And experience teacheth that much anger comes vpon mistaking and misconstruing them Whereas contrariwise if they were throughly knowne we would not be so much incensed against men as commonly we are Fourthly in rash anger we can doe no part of Gods worshippe that is pleasing to him We cannot pray for he that praies must lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 8. We cannot be good hearers of the word for S. Iames wisheth vs to be swift to heare and slow to wrath because the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God Iam. 1. 20 21. Fiftly we must consider what are the fruits and consequents of vniust anger For first it greatly annoies the health It annoies the braine and pulses it causes the gall to flow into the stomacke and the bowells it killeth and poisoneth the spirits and it is the next way to procure distemper of the whole bodie and consequently losse of health Secondly it makes a man captiue to the Deuill Eph. 4. 27. which we see to be true in Sauls example who beeing a man full of wrath and giuing place to his owne rage and furie an euill spirit entred into him by the iust iudgement of God Sixtly we must consider the Causes of vniust anger It is commonly thought that Anger is nothing but the flowing of choler in the gall and in the stomacke But the truth is anger is more then choler For it riseth first of a debilitie of reason and iudgement in the minde secondly from euill affections as from enuie and selfe-loue thirdly from the constitution of the bodie that is hote and drie Againe we read in histories that men hauing no gall haue notwithstanding beene full of anger and choler indeede is a furtherance but no cause of anger Sect. 2. The Remedies of vniust anger that stand in Practise are especially fiue The first is in the time of anger to conceale the same both in word and deede The indignation of a foole saith Salomon Prou. 12. 16. will be knowne the same day but the wise man couereth his shame that is he restraines his anger which if it should presently break forth wold be a reproch vnto him Answerable to this notable speech of Salomon was the wise counsell of Ambrose to Theodosius that after senteÌ„ce giuen he should take 30 daies respite before execution And not vnlike hath been the practise of the very Heathen in their time Socrates said I had beaten thee but that I was angrie Aâ—â—enodoruâ— gaue Augustus this rule that when he was angrie he should first say ouer the whole Alphabet before he put in execution his anger Secondly we must depart from them with whoÌ„ we are angry For this affectioÌ„ is as a fire take the matter away from fire and it will cease to burne so let a man depart and employ himselfe for the time some other way and he shall soone cease to be angrie Thus did Ionathan depart out of his fathers presence 1. Sam. 20. 34. Abraham in his anger withdrew himselfe from Lot Gen. 13. Iacob in wrath departed from Esan Gen. 27. 43 44. Thirdly we must auoide the occasions thereof as contentions and contentious persons Doe nothing through contention Phil. 2. 3. Make no friendship with an angrie man neither goe with a furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Prou. 22. 26. We must for this purpose be carefull to auoid all meanes that may serue to further the heate of the temperature of such a bodie as is apt and disposed to this vnruly passion Fourthly we are to consider that we sinne against God not once or twise but often yea euery day and therefore the course of our anger must be turned against our own selues for our sinnes For this is one propertie of true repeÌ„tance to work in vs a reuenge vpon our selues in regard of our sinnes committed against God and our brethren 2. Corinth 7. 11. Fiftly we must accustome our selues to the daily exercises
gold Hos. 2. 8. Yea it is noted as an argument of Gods loue to Israel by the Prophet Ioel that he sent them corne wine and oyle that they might be satiffied therewith Ioel. 2. 19. By this dutie are iustly to be reprooved the carelesse and Godlesse behauiours of sundry persons who with the swyne feed vpon the Creatures of God but neuer lift vp their eies or hands vnto him of whome and from whome they doe receiue them The verie bruit beast can teach them a better lesson For as Dauid saith The Lyons roaring after their pray doe seeke their meat from God Psal. 104. 21. Yea the heauens and the earth and all that are in them doe alwaies depend vpon his prouidence and are altogither guided and directed by him Iob. 38. And shall not man much more haue an eye vnto his Creator and wholly depend vpon him for all blessings from whom he receiues life and breath and all things Thirdly we must receiue these creatures from God our father as tokens of our reconciliation to him in Christ. So saith Saint Paul Giuing thankes alwaies for all things to God euen the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. Eph. 5. 20. Thus we hold and receiue Gods blessings and he that holds and receiues them otherwise is an vsurper and not a right and lawfull possessour of them Fourthly we must learne to be content with that portion that God assigneth to vs be it neuer so small and withall labour to see the goodnes of God euen in the meanest fare that may be Our table is as it were a liuely Sermon to vs of Gods speciall providence over our bodies For first in reason dead flesh should rather kill vs then giue vs nourishment and yet by his blessing providence it continueth life and strength Againe both we and our meat are but perishing and therefore when we feede theron it may serue to stirre vs vp to seeke for the food of the soule that nourisheth to life euerlasting Ioh. 6. 27. Furthermore looke as euery creature serues for our vse euen so should we our selues consecrate our selues vnto God and serue him both with our soules and bodies as before hath beene shewed Sect. 3. The third and last point is what we are to doe and how to behaue our selues after our meat This Moses teacheth the Israelites Deut. 8. 10. When thou hast eaten and filled thy self thou shalt blesse the Lord thy god This praising or blessing of god stands in two things First in a holy remembrance that God hath giuen vs our food For beeing once filled we must take heed we forget not God who hath opened his hand and plenteously refreshed our bodies with his creatures Deut. 8. 11. Secondly we must make conscience in liew of thankfulnesse to God to employ the strength of our bodies in seeking his glorie and walking according to all his lawes and comandements Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God 1. Cor. 10. 31. We may not liue idlely giue our selues to riot and gaming but labour to serue God and our countrey in some profitable course of life least it be said of vs as it was once of the old Iewes that we sitte downe to eate and drinke and rise vp to play To this I adde one thing further that when we haue eaten to our contentment and something remaine care must be had to reserue it and not to cast it away For this purpose we haue the example of Christ who commandeth to gather vp the broken meate that remaineth that nothing be lost Ioh. 6. 12. The reason is because these reliques and fragments are part of the creatures yea they are as well Gods good creatures as the rest were and must be preserued to the same vse Now if these may not be abused or lost much lesse ought the gifts of the minde which are greater and farre more precious be suffered to miscarie but rather to be preserued and increased A good lesson for such as haue receiued any speciall gifts of nature or grace from God that they mispend them not or suffer them to perish but carefully maintaine them to the glorie of God and the good of others To conclude this Question we are all to be exhorted to make conscience of this dutie to vse the good blessings of God in such sort as they may alwaies tende to the honour of the giuer auoiding all excesse and riot Reasons to mooue vs hereunto may be these I. Excesse destroyes the bodie and kills euen the very naturall strength and life thereof II. It brings great hurt to the soule of man in that it annoyeth the spirits it dulleth the senses it corrupteth the naturall heate and good temper of the bodie Now these things beeing the helpes and next instruments of the soule if they be once corrupted and decaied the soule it selfe will at length be brought to the same passe III. Let this be considered that a Woe belongs vnto them that eate and drinke immoderately Esa. 5. 11. And for this very sinne the Lord led his owne people into captiuitie v. 13. Yea the drunkard and the glutton shall become poore Prov. 23. 21. And both shall equally with there pompe and excesse descend into Hell Esay 5. 14. IV. We should be willing to part from all for Christs sake much more from our excesse and shall we thinke it possible for a man to forsake all even his owne life that will not forsake excesse and intemperance in the vse of Gods creatures It will be said of some we are not drunken though we drinke much Ans. It is a policie of the Deuill to delude men withall when he perswades them that much drinking is not amisse if a man be not ouertaken therewith For it is a sinne to liue and sitte daily by the wine to be alwaies bibbing and sipping Wee know not when or where we shall die and we are commanded to watch ouer our harts that we be not ouercome with surfetting and drunkennesse What a madnesse then is it to giue over our selues to such immoderate excesse whereby we are vtterly disabled from these and all other duties of Godlinesse Sect. 3. In the Third place we come to those Questions that concerne the Moderation of our appetite in the vse of Apparell And of this kind there be two principall Questions the former of them beeing nothing else but an introduction to the latter I. Question Whether ornaments of gold siluer precious stones silkes veluets c. may not lawfully be vsed Ans. There is a lawfull vse of these things yet not in all but onely in themto whome they belong Reasons of the Answer are these I. Gold and siluer c. are the gifts of God and serue not onely for necessitie but for ornament and comelinesse II. We haue the Examples of sundrie persons in Scripture which doe warrant the vse of these creatures and blessings of God Abrahā by his Steward sends