of true Patience FRom that which hath beene deliuered of the Gospel of Peace that maine point which we haue in hand by necessary consequence followeth that the onely meanes of preparing our soules patiently to beare all crosses and constantly to goe through all troubles in our Christian course is a right knowledge of the glad tidings of our reconciliation with God It was this Gospel of Peace wherewith God encouraged Abraham to come out of his owne countrey and with a patient and prepared heart to passe ouer all these difficulties whereunto he should be brought This was that glad tidings which the Lord brought to Moses to Ioshua to Gedeon and many others for that very end I might instance this in many thousand examples and shew how the courage and patience of the Saints which hath beene admirable to the world hath beene grounded on this sure foundation the Gospel of Peace For the truth is that all the Prophets all the Apostles all the true Christian confessors and Martyrs in all ages who haue endured more then flesh and blood could possibly with patience beare haue had their feete shod that is their hearts armed and prepared with assurance of their reconciliation with God but hauing such a cloude of witnesses I will content my selfe with naming two or three Many and sundry were the troubles inward and outward by open enemies and deceitfull friends on Sea and land which Saint Paul went thorow and that with an inuincible courage and resolution the cause of all is euident to be that knowledge which he had of Gods loue to him and of his reconciliation with God On this ground of confidence he did after an holy manner insult ouer all aduerse power But Iob yet suffered much more and his patience was so admirable that the holy Ghost maketh choice of him aboue all other as a marke to behold and a patterne to follow What was the ground of his patience surely many of those diuine speeches which he vttered to his wife and friends euidently shew that the knowledge of his reconciliation with God was it which made him so confident and patient There is yet another who farre exceeded these and all other Saints both in suffering and patient bearing namely Christ the assurance of his Fathers loue was the ground of his patience as appeareth both by that profession which he made thereof a little before his suffering saying vnto his Father Thou louedst me before the foundation of the world and also by those titles which in his most bitter agony he gaue vnto God as in the Garden O my Father c. On the Crosse My God my God §. 8. Of the meanes whereby Patience is wrought THus we see the truth of this point sufficiently proued that the Gospel of Peace is the ground of Patience now further consider how it doth prepare the soule of man to endure This it doth by perswading mans mind and resoluing his heart of these two principles 1 That nothing shall hurt him 2 That all things shall turne to his good For the first most sure it is that nothing can make vs miserable but onely sinne Sinne is the very sting of all troubles aed crosses sinne is it which maketh them to be heauy burdens this maketh trouble of conscience to be intollerable death and the graue to be most terrible the diuell which hath the power of death to bee so horrible yea the Law of God and God himselfe to bee so full of dread and terrour Let sinne be remoued and our conscience assured thereof then may we then will we comfort our selues in all troubles for then shall we appeare before the Throne of God as before the mercy-seat of a gracious Father and take his Law as a direction to teach vs how to please him Then shall wee esteeme all crosses as corrections of the Lord for our profit yea as his physicke to purge out our corruptions as proofes of his graces in vs. Then will our conscience rest quiet and well contented then shall we thinke of death as of a gate to heauen and of the graue as of a sweet bed to rest in till the day of the consummation of our eternall blisse in body and soule yea then shall wee not need to feare the diuell because he can haue no power ouer vs much lesse hell and the torment thereof Therefore doth Dauid annexe blessednesse to remission of sin so that vpon this ground might Christ well say to the man sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort This being so the Gospel of Peace which assureth vs of our reconciliation with God and of the remission of our sinne assureth vs also that nothing can hurt vs because the sting of euery thing which is sinne is pulled out If the forked tongue of an adder the poysonous teeth of a snake the sharpe sting of a waspe be pulled out what hurt can they doe For the second by the Gospel c We know that all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God For the Gospel assuring vs of reconciliation with God how can we but be assured that he tendereth vs as his children and with a fatherly affection seeketh our good in all things which by his good prouidence he bringeth vpon vs. The prosperity of those with whom God is reconciled is a blessing afflictions are for their good so is death and the graue yea I may truly say that the sins of those who are accepted of God do turn to their good not that sinne is any way good in it selfe being in it selfe the greatest euill that is or can be and the cause of all euill of punishment but that God through his infinite power and wisedome who can bring good out of euill â—s at first he caused light to shine out of darkenesse doth so order it like vnto a skilfull Apothecary who can so order and temper ranke poison as it shall proue very medicinable Quest What is that good can come from sinne Answ 1 In regard of God whose mercy and grace is manifested and magnified in forgiuing sinne for Where sinne abounded there did grace much more abound 2 In regard of sinners I meane repentant sinners for of their sinnes I speake it worketh in them godly sorrow a sorrow not to be repented of because of the excellent fruits thereof noted 2. Cor. 7. 10 11. It worketh also an high esteeme of Gods free grace and rich mercy a longing desire after Christs righteousnesse a diligent watchfulnes our our selues for the time to come a Christian readinesse to beare with the slips and infirmities of other with the like These are two such grounds of Patience as all the writings of all the men in the world cannot affoord the like It is the Gospel and the Gospel alone which hath made them knowne and not onely so but also instrumentally worketh faith in our hearts
Satan and our owne lusts as for a time he gaue Dauid ouer §. 62. Of the assurance of Faith THe ground of the latter extreame is that they feele the flesh in them they are very weake and prone to fall away and many in all times haue fallen away Answer These that are thus tempted must know that the cause of our assurance is not in our selues but in Christ our head as we lay hold of him so he fast holdeth vs for there is a double bond whereby we are knit vnto Christ one on Christs part the other on ours That is the Spirit of Christ Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit This is our Faith for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by Faith Now though our Faith should let goe her hold yet Christs Spirit wōld not let go his hold This ground of assurance the Scripture expresly declareth for saith Christ I know my sheepe I giue vnto them eternallife and they shall neuer perish now marke the reason There shall not any plucke them out of my hand My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Wherefore the Diuell and all his adherents can doe no more to put out the light of Faith and plucke vs from Christ then all Creatures on Earth can to extinguish the light of the Sunne For why The Sun from whence this light commeth is farre aboue all they cannot come at it So Christ on whom our Faith is founded is farre aboue all our enemies Christ must be plucked out of Heauen if true Faith vtterly fall away 2 Let the fore-named weake ones consider that as the flesh is in them to make them weake so also the power of Christs Spirit is in them to make them strong Though the spirit suffer the flesh sometimes to preuaile it is not because the flesh is stronger then the spirit or the spirit weaker then the flesh but because the Spirit in wisdome will haue vs see our weakenesse see in what need we stand of the power of God flie to God depend vpon him and at length the Spirit will preuaile and get full conquest 3 As for the fals of other wee know not what they were in truth §. 63. Of the grounds of Scripture for perseuerance TO be freed from this last temptation they which are subiect thereunto must seriously ponder those scriptures which set forth the certainty and perseuerance of Faith which are such as these He that beleeueth hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life He that drinketh of the water that I shal giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shal be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life This is the victory that ouercommeth the World euen our Faith Hee that beleeueth on Christ shall not be confounded They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be remoued but abideth for euer The grounds of this stability of Faith are in the Scripture noted to be these 1 The constancy of Gods loue mercy truth couenant calling gifts and the like which is set forth by these and such like promises as these be I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue With euerlasting kindnesse will I haue mercy on thee My mercy shall not depart away from him The Lord hath sworne in truth hee will not turne from it I will make an euerlasting couenant with them The calling and gifts of God are without repentance 2 The perpetuall efficacy of Christs intercession manifested in one particular example which is to be applied to all his Elect for what he said to Peter I haue praied that they Faith faile not he performeth for all 3 The continuall assistance of the Holy Ghost in which respect it is said That hee shall abide with vs for euer and that hee which hath begunne a good worke will finish it If well we weigh and apply these and such like testimonies of Scripture though we worke out our saluation with feare and trembling yet shall we not be fearefull and doubtfull of the issue §. 64. Of preseruing and encreasing Faith AS a preseruatiue against those two poysonous potions and as a meanes to keepe vs in the right way from falling into any of the two extreames diligent care must bee vsed to preserue and encrease this precious gift of Faith for if Faith be kept aliue so as it may beare sway in vs it will keepe vs both from boasting and doubting Two especiall points there be which make to this purpose 1 A conscionable and constant vse of the meanes which God to this end hath appointed 2 Faithfull and hearty prayer for Gods blessing on those meanes The meanes are two First the ministery of Gods Word Secondly the administration of the Sacraments §. 65. Of vsing the word for increase of Faith VVEe haue heard before how Faith was bred by the word now the word is like to a kind natural mother which giueth sucke to the child which shee hath brought forth whereupon saith the Apostle As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby He had said before That we were borne anew by the word of God Here hee sheweth that the Word hath a further vse namely to make vs grow For by the Word the promises of God which at first were made known vnto vs and whereby Faith was bred are againe and againe brought to our remembrance the tender and offer of them oft renewed so as thereby our Faith which otherwise might languish away thorow our own weakenesse and Satans temptations is not onely preserued but exceedingly quickened strengthened and increased Vse Our care therefore must be diligently to frequent the publike ministery of the Word for by it Christ is lift vp in the Church as the brasen Serpent was in the Wildernesse Yea also to reade and search the Scriptures in Families and with our selues alone We heard before that we must attend on the Word till we find Faith wrought in vs. Here we further learne neuer to giue ouer but so long as our Faith hath neede to be confirmed and increased which will be so long as we liue in this world to vse the Word Wee may not therefore thinke it sufficient that we haue had this benefit of the Word to beleeue we must labour for a further benefit to be established and confirmed thereby more and more in our most holy Faith §. 66. Of vsing the Sacraments for increase of Faith THe Sacraments are purposely added for this end to strengthen our Faith which they doe two wayes First they are Gods seales added vnto his word that by two immutable things Gods promise and Gods seale wherein it
himselfe we haue no warrant in all the Scripture for it and therefore it must needs be a matter of impiety besides it is against very nature it selfe for No man euer yet hated himselfe and therefore it must needs be matter of iniquitie and iniurie Obiect Many of the Saints haue made imprecations against themselues as Dauid Salomon and other who in their oathes vsed these and such like words God doe so to me and more also Answ 1. When an oath is taken in truth not falsly in iudgement not rashly in righteousnesse not wrongfully the imprecation expressed or implyed therein is not simply made as if he that tooke the oath desired any such thing to fall vpon himselfe but vsed onely for a more vehement testification of the truth to moue the hearer the rather to giue credence thereunto or else to binde him that sweareth the more stedfastly to performe his oath 2 If any of the Saints haue vsed imprecations in an oath falsely as Peter or rashly as the Princes in Ioshuahs time or wrongfully as Dauid their examples are no good warrant Obiect 2. A wife suspected by her husband was bound by the Law to make imprecations against herselfe Answ She was not bound to doe so For if she were free of the crime laid to her charge that imprecation waâ— no imprecation but if she were guilty then she ought to acknowledge her fault and not curse her selfe If being guilty she assented to that imprecation it was her owne fault and not the bond of the Law Vse Vse How impious are they against God how iniurious against their owne soules who vpon euery light occasion yea and that many times falsly for common rash swearers are oftentimes falseswearers do imprecate direfull vengeance against themselues as I would I might neuer stir I would I might neuer eat bread more I would I might die presently I would I might be swallowed vp quicke I would I might be damned Oh fearefullâ— the Iewes of ancient time were so fearefull of vttering imprecations that when in their oathes they had occasion to vse them they would either expresse them in generall termes thus God doe so to me and more also or else leaue them cleane out make the sentence imperfect as if I do this or if I do not that or if this be so and there stay Thus Dauid If I enter into the Tabernacle of mine house If I goe vp into my bedde If I giue sleepe to mine eyes And thus Zedekiah vnto the Prophet Ieremiah As the Lord liueth which made vs this soule if I put thee to death If I giue thee into the hand of these men that seeke thy life Yea thus God himselfe I haue sworne if I lie vnto Dauid And againe I sweare in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest To shew that this is the right translation of that forme of speech the Apostle alleadging that forme of Gods oath so translateth it What doth this teach vs but that we should be very fearefull to vtter any imprecation against our selues especially to doe it falsly or rashly the Iewes which caused Christ to be crucified and their posterity to this day haue felt the woe and curse of that imprecation which they made against themselues when they said to Pilat of Christ His bloud be vpon vs and our children So hath God caused the vengeance of many others imprecations to fal vpon their owne neckes and that in iust iudgement §. 56. Of the persons against whom imprecation may be made WHerefore lawful warrantable imprecations are to be made against others those other to be enemies enemies I say not our owne priuate enemies in particular causes betwixt vs and them for these must be prayed for as we heard before but publike such as are enemies to God his Church and Gospel yea also obstinate desperate reprobate enemies who neither will nor can bee reclaimed as were Corah Dathan Abiram against whom Moses prayed Such were those against whom Dauid so earnestly praied Psal 109. 67 c. and whom S. Paul wished to be cut off Such an one was Alexander concerning whom S. Paul thus prayed The Lord reward him according to his works meaning his euill works 1. Quest. How can such be discerned Answ By an ordinary spirit they cannot be discerned but onely by an extraordinary spirit euen such a spirit as the Prophets and Apostles had to whom God by his spirit reuealed what such and such persons were against whom they prayed Wherefore when the Disciples would haue caused fire to come downe from heauen and consume the Samaritans Christ said vnto them Ye know not of what spirit ye are 2 Quest. How then may ordinary persons make imprecations against any Ans No ordinary man can lawfully make any imprecation against the persons of any particular distinct men Only in these three respects may imprecations be made 1. Indefinitely against all such publike desparate enemies as were noted before without any application of the imprecation to any particular persons no not so much as in thought and thus was that general imprecation vsed when the Arke went forward Rise vp Lord and let thine enemies be scattered And thus Dauid vseth many generall imprecations as Let them bee confounded which transgresse without cause Let them all bee confounded that hate Sion c. 2. Conditionally as when we obserue any to persist obstinately in persecuting the Saints and suppressing the Gospell to desire that if they belong to God it would please God to turn their hart or else if they belong not to him to confound them thus may impreiations be directed against particular men 3. Without any respect at all vnto their persons leaâ—uing them vnto God against their malitious plots and wicked deeds thus Dauid prayed against the wicked policy of Achitophel saying O Lord I pray thee turne the counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse §. 57. Of the vnlawfulnesse of vsual imprecations AS for those vsuall imprecations direfull and hatefull imprecatioÌ„s such as my hart abhorreth to think of my tong is ashamed to name which prophane wicked men make against their neighbours vpon euery petty wrong and slight occasion they can neither stand with any true feare of God nor loue to man For to call vpon God who is A God of long suffering and great forbearance full of compassion and slow to anger to be a reuenger of euery little iniury argueth little respect of his greatnesse and goodnesse To wish Gods heauy vengeance to fall vpon the body soule goods or any other things which belong vnto our neighbour discouereth much malice no loue Such were those of whom Dauid thus speaketh Their throate is an open sepulcher The poyson of Aspes is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Many mens tongues