vses and respects As for the other we rest vpon the word of God hold it with Paul a doctrine of Deuills to command forbearance of meates in regard of conscience 1. Tim. 4. 3. But to this place of Paul they giue answer and say that it is spoken of Heretikes such as the Manichees Novatiās c. were that held meats in their own nature vnclean We on the other side reply and say that this text condemnes those that make meates any way vncleane And that the Papists doe put this difference in way of Religion and conscience as appeareth by their strait prohibitions of flesh as vncleane and that for conscience sake And this text they shall neuer be able to shift off for it plainely condemneth any such distinction seeing to the pure all things are pure and euery creature of God is good and nothing to be refused so it be receiued with thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 4. Furthermore this difference of meates is also foolish For first the light of nature and common sense teacheth that in such meates as they permit there is as much delicacie pleasure and contentment yea as much if not more strength for example in some fish fruits and wines as is in flesh by them forbidden Yea S. Paul ascribes flesh vnto fishes 1. Cor. 15. 39. There is one flesh of men an other of beasts an other of fishes c. Secondly I call it foolish because in their set Fasts they forbid flesh but permit diuers wines and the daintiest iuncates that the Apothecaries shoppe can affoarde whereas in a solemne fast all meates drinks and all other delights of what kinde and nature soeuer are to be forborne For this was the practise of the Church in former times to forbeare not onely ordinarie foode but soft apparell sweete oyntments and whatsoeuer it was that serued to refresh and cheare the heart as hath beene shewed The third Reason The Church of Rome giueth to their fastings false and erroneous endes as namely to merit something at the hands of God thereby to satisfie his iustice for sinne and to be true and proper parts of his worship And that these are false and erronious I prooue by these reasons First they do wholly frustrate the death of Christ which is the onely thing in the world appointed by God to be meritorious and satisfactorie Secondly Fasting of it selfe is a thing indifferent neither good nor euill For though it be referred to a religious end which is the humbling of the soule yet it is not good in it selfe but onely in regard of the end Neither is it any part of Gods worshippe beeing so referred but only a proppe and furtherance seruing in the right vse thereof to make a man more fit for the duties of Gods seruice Thirdly these ends if they be well considered cannot be the true ends of fasting as will appeare by this example A begger at our doores entreats an almes we giue it and he receiues it But will any man say that by begging he doth merit or deserue his almes In like manner we are all beggers that haue nothing of our owne neither food nor raiment nor any other blessing we doe inioy but all we haue commeth vnto vs onely from God Well vpon iust occasion we giue our selues to fasting we pray earnestly vnto him for mercie in the pardon of our sinnes In this case is it not great madnesse to thinke that we by begging mercie can merit mercie at the hands of God But praier saith the Papist as it is praier merits nothing but as it is a good worke Ans. Praier as it is a good worke is no other then begging and then it is vnpossible that it should be meritorious vnlesse it be granted that begging is meritorious which cannot be These reasons considered I conclude that Popish fasts which stand in force among them at this day are wicked and damnable and consequently to be abolished if it were no more but for the blasphemous ends which they make of them And thus much touching this point of Fasting as also concerning the other Heades of Gods outward worship CHAP. XVI Of the Sabboth day THe fourth maine Question touching man as he stands in relation to God is concerning the Time of Gods worship Wherein certaine particular questions are to be resolued touching the Sabboth day The First and most principall of all the rest is this Whether it be in the libertie of the Church of God vpon earth to alter the Sabboth day from the seuenth day to any other In answering to this Question I will not resolutely determine but onely propound that which I thinke is most probable First therfore I answer negatiuely That it is not in the Churches libertie to alter the Sabboth from the Seuenth day The reasons are these I. Reason The substance of the fourth commandement is vnalterable Now the sanctifying of a rest vpon the seventh day is the substance of the fourth cōmandement Therfore the sanctifying of the rest of the seuenth day is vnalterable in regard of any creature That the truth of this reason may appeare two things are to be considered First what is changeable and temporarie in the Sabboth and then what is morall and perpetuall Sect. 1. The things which are temporarie and ceremoniall in the Sabboth day are these I. That rigorous and precise rest prescribed to the Iewes which stoode in the strait obseruation of three things First the Iewe might not on the Saboth goe forth or take a iourney any whether for any matter or busines of his owne For of this there was a speciall commandement giuen Exod. 16. 29. Tarry euery man in his place let no man goe out of his place the seuenth day namely to doe any worke or busines of his owne whatsoeuer Secondly the Iewe might not kindle a fire vpon the Sabboth day For so saith the Lord by Moses Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations c. Exod. 35. 3. It will be then said How did they for meate and fire in winter Ans. They prepared and dressed their meat the day before as they were commanded Exod. 16. 24. And for fires in winter if they had any vpon the Sabboth it was necessarie as I suppose that as they drest their meate the day before so they should then beginne their fire also which beeing then begunne might be preserued on the Sabboth Thirdly the Iewe might not carrie a burden This the Lord did expressely forbidde them by the Prophet Ieremie Thus saith the Lord Carrie no burdens vpon the Sabboth day neither bring them in by the gates of Ierusalem c. Ier. 17. 21. And Nehemiah charged the men of Iudah with the prophanation of the Sabboth in that kinde Neh. 13. 15 16 17. In these three particulars stood the strict obseruation of the Iewish rest which is altogether temporarie and doth not concerne the times of the New Testament because it was onely typicall the Sabboth beeing in regard of that manner of
rest a figure of the most strict spirituall rest from all sinne in thought word and deede required of cuery true beleeuer II. Againe in the Sabboth this was ceremoniall and temporarie that it was a speciall signe betweene God and his people of the blessings that were propounded promised in the Couenant Exod. 31. 13. And these were principally two First it was a signe of their sanctification to teach them that as the Lord had set apart a day of rest so he did and would sanctifie the obseruers thereof vnto himselfe by forgiuing their sinnes and receiuing them into his fauour in and by the Messias to come Secondly it was ordained by God to figure and signifie the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Of this the Prophet Esay speakes when he saith that from moneth to moneth and from Sabboth to Sabboth all flesh shall come to worship before God Esa. 66. 23. And the author to the Hebrewes There remaineth therefore a Sabbatisme or rest to the people of God Heb. 4. 9. III. Furthermore this was temporarie in the Sabboth that it was to be obserued vpon a set day namely the seauenth from the Creation and that with set rites and ceremonies So saith Moses The seauenth day is the Sabboth Deut. 5. 14. Againe On the Sabboth day ye shall offer two lambes of a yeare old without spot and two tenth deales of fine flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offering thereof and the burnt offering of euery Sabboth beside the continuall burnt offering and the drinke offering thereof Numb 28. 9 10. IV. This also was Ceremoniall that it was to be obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt Remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hand and stretched out arme therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to obserue the Sabboth day Deut. 5. 15. Sect. 2. Now as there were some things temporarie and Ceremoniall in the Sabboth so there are some things in it perpetuall Morall and those I take it are three especially First that there should be a day of rest in which man and beast might be refreshed after labour Secondly that this day should be sanctified that is set apart to the worship of God These two first are therefore morall because they are expressely mentioned in the Commandement touching the Sabboth Thirdly that a seauenth day should be sanctified to an holy rest and that this holy rest should be obserued in a seauenth day I say not in this or that seauenth day but in one of the seauen Now that this also is morall it appeares by these reasons First the Sabboth of the seauenth day was instituted and appointed by God in Paradise before the fall of man and the reuealing of Christ yea euen then when there was one condition of all men This is plainly set downe in Gen. 2. as also in the fourth Commandement And vpon this ground it is manifest that a Sabboth of a seauenth day cannot be a Ceremonie simply considering the ordination thereof was in time long before all Ceremonies If it be obiected that it was made a Ceremonie afterward I answer that the reason is naught For Matrimonie was ordained in Paradise and afterward made ceremoniall to signifie the spirituall vnion betweene Christ and his Church and yet Matrimonie is perpetuall and so is a Sabboth of a seauenth day If it be againe alleadged that God did then keepe a seuenth day in his owne person and afterward inioyned it to man by his commandement I answer that the institution of the Sabboth in Paradise consisted of two parts Blessing and Sanctification and the meaning of the Holy Ghost is that God did both blesse it in regard of himselfe because he kept it in his owne person and hallowed it also in regard of man by commanding it to be sanctified and kept in performance of holy duties Secondly the reasons of the fourth Commandement are generall and the equitie of them is perpetuall and they haue this ende to vrge the rest of a seauenth day Let them be considered in particular The first in these wordes Sixe daies shalt thou labour Which some take to be a permission as if God should haue said thus If I permit thee sixe thou shalt allow me a seauenth But they may be also taken for a commandement inioyning labour in the sixe daies first because they are propounded in cōmanding termes secondly because they are an exposition of the curse laid vpon Adam Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweat of thy face namely in the sixe daies and thirdly because idlenes the spoile of mankind is there forbidden This beeing so there must needes be a seauenth day not onely of rest to ease them that labour in the sixe daies but also of an holy rest that God might be worshipped in it The second reason is taken from Gods example For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth c. That which the Lord himselfe hath done in person the same must man doe by his commandement But the Lord himselfe in sixe daies laboured and rested the seauenth Therefore man must doe the same This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not done nor doth If then these reasons doe not onely inforce a rest and an holy rest but a rest on the seauenth day then this lest on the seauenth day is a part of the fourth Commandement and consequently the Church can not alter it from the Sabboth day because they can not alter the substance of that Commandement which is eternall II. Reason The Sabboth day in the new Testament in all likelihood is tied to that which we call the Lords day and that as I take it by Christ himselfe The Reasons thereof are these I. The sabboth day of the new Testament is called the Lord daie Apoc. 1. 10. Now I suppose for in these points still wee must goe by likelyhoods its called the Lords day as the last Supper of Christ is called the Lords Supper for two causes First as God rested the seauenth day after the Creation so Christ hauing ended the worke of the new creation rested on this day from his worke of redemption Secondly as Christ did substitute the last supper in roome of the passeouer so he substituted the first day of the weeke in roome of the Iewes Sabboth to be a day set apart to his owne worship II. The Church of Corinth everie first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore as we may read 1. Cor. 16. 2. and this collection for the poore in the primitiue church followed the Preaching of the word Praier and the Sacraments as a fruite therof Act. 2. 42. For these be Sabboth exercises that went alwaies together in the Apostolicall Church But it will be saide that collecting for the Saints is a matter of
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
afflictions for this life and in glorie for the life to come Now if God hath decreed that those whome he foreknew should be conformable vnto his Sonne in these respects then hath he also decreed the afflictions themselues Secondly God doth not onely barely permit afflictions to be but also he effecteth them and brings them into execution as they are crosses corrections trialls and punishments I make peace saith the Lord and I create euill that is not the euill of sinne but of punishment which is euill in our sense and feeling For things are tearmed euill two waies some are euill indeed some are euill not indeed but in regard of our sense apprehension and estimation and of this latter sort are afflictions which God is said to create And to this purpose is the saying of the Prophet Amos Shall there be euill in the citie and the Lord hath not done it Thirdly as God causeth afflictions so he ordereth and disposeth them that is he limiteth and appointeth the beginning the end the measure or quantitie and the continuance thereof Yea he also ordereth them to their right endes namely his owne glorie the good of his seruants and the benefit of his Church Thus God is saide to correct his people in iudgement that is so as he will haue the whole ordering of the correction in his owne hand Ioseph tells his brethren that when they intended euill against him in selling him to the Ishmaelites for siluer God disposed it for good When Shemei cursed Dauid he forbade his seruants so much as to meddle with him and why because saith he the Lord bade him to curse and who then dare say onto him Why hast thou done so And to this purpose the Prophet Dauid saith I held my peace and said nothing why because thou Lord hast done it Psal. 39. 9. Here some wil say if Afflictions did come onely from God it were somewhat but ofâ—entâ—â—es they come from men that beare vs no good will and therefore no maruell though we be impatient Answ. When crosses doe come from men God vseth them as instruments to execute his iudgements vpon vs and in this worke God is the chiefe doer and they are as tooles in the hand of the workman And the Lord inflicteth them vpon vs by men to trie our patience vnder the crosse Ioseph though he knew well the badde dealing of his brethren towards him yet he looked not to them alone but to an higher cause namely the Lord himselfe who executed his owne good will by them God faith he disposed it to good And againe God did send me before you into Egypt for your preseruation The Second ground is The commandement of God touching the crosse and obedience vnto him therein This commaundement is expressed Luk. 9. 23. where we are commanded to take vp our crosse euery day and follow Christ. Abraham was commanded with his owne hands to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac and to this commandement though otherwise a great crosse vnto him he addresseth himselfe to yeeld obedience And in the prophecie of Micah the Church saith Shee will boare the wrath of the Lord that is shee will performe obedience to him in the crosse because shee had sinned against him And Saint Peter saith that God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble therefore humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God And this beeing the commaundement of God that we should yeeld obedience to him in euery affliction we ought to be no lesse carefull to obey it then any one commandement of the morall Law The Third ground is that God will be present with his seruants in their afflictions Vpon this ground Dauid comforts himselfe because God had promised to heare him to be with him in trouble and to deliuer him And in an other place Though I should walke in the shaddow of death I would feare none ill for thou art with me c. Now that we may the better vnderstand this doctrine we are to consider what be the Ends or Effects of Gods beeing with vs in affliction whereby he testifieth his presence and they are three The first is to worke our deliuerance from the crosse Call vpon me saith the Lord in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee This promise must not be vnderstood simply but with an exception so farre forth as it shall be for our good For all promises of temporall deliuerance are conditionall and must be conceiued with this limitation of the crosse and chastisement if God please to impose it Some may say how if God will not deliuer vs but leaue vs in the affliction what coÌ„fort shall we then haue Answ. In the second place therefore we must remember that God will temper and moderate our afflictions so as we may be able to beare them Habbakuk praieth vnto God in the behalfe of the Church that he would in wrath remember mercie And Paul saith that the Lord will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue an issue with the temptation Thirdly put the case that God doth not moderate our afflictions but suffer them to remaine vpon vs not onely for some time of our life but to the very death yet then will he testifie his holy presence an other way namely by giuing the partie distressed power and strength to beare his affliction Vnto you it is giuen saith Paul for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake The Fourth ground of comfort in affliction is that euery affliction vpon the seruants of God hath some speciall goodnesse in it Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for good vnto them that loue God And in regard hereof the crosses which are indured by Gods children are so farre from beeing preiudiciall to their saluation that they are rather helps and furtherances of the same Now this Goodnes is perceiued two waies First by the fruit and effect of it and then by the qualitie and condition thereof In both which respects afflictions are good Touching the fruits of Afflictions because they are manifold I will reduce them to seauen principall heads I. Afflictions doe make men to see and consider their sinnes Iosephs brethren for twentie yeares together were little or not at all troubled for their wickednes in selling their brother yet vpon their affliction in Egypt they began to consider what they had done We haue say they verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Manasses in the time of his peace gaue himselfe to witchcraft and the worshipping of straunge gods but when he was captiue in Babylon then was he brought to the sight of his sinnes mooued to humble himselfe before God for them II.
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
indifferencie and may be done vpon any day as well as vpon the Sabboth To this I answer that Paul cōmands the Corinths to doe it as he had ordained it in the Church of Galatia whereby he makes it to be an Apostolicall and therefore a diuine ordinance Yea that very text doth in some part manifest thus much that it is an ordinance and institution of Christ that the first day of the weeke should be the Lords daie For Paul commaundeth nothing but what he had from Christ. III. Christ and his Apostles kept the first day of the weeke as the Sabboth For Christ rose againe the first day of the weeke and appeared to his disciples Ioh. 20. 19. and eight daies after he appeared againe to Thomas ver 26. which was the next first day of the weeke And this hath beene the opinion of sundrie ancient diuines Cyrill vpon Iohn saies that this eight day was without doubt the Lordes daie and so ought to be kept because it is likely Christ himselfe kept it holy And the same is affirmed and taught by Augustine and Chrysostome Again the Apostles also kept it For when the Holy Ghost descended vpon them they were againe assembled vpon this day Act. 2. v. 1. which I prooue thus The day of Pentecost was the first day of the weeke for the Iewes were commanded to bring a sheafe of their first fruits the morrow after the Sabboth in the passeouer Levit. 23. 10. c. and betwixt that and Pentecost they were to reckon fiftie daies Hence it followeth that the day of Christs resurrection falling the morrow after the Iewes Sabboth which is the first daie of the weeke Pentecost must needes fall on that day and therefore the Apostles met that same day and not they onely but also the whole Church gathered themselues together and celebrated this day with preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments Act. 20. 7. And according to this institution of Christ and the examples of his Apostles hath beene the constant practise of the Church from their times vntill now IV. That which was prefigured in that it was prefigured was prescribed but the Lords day was prefigured in the eight day wherein the children of the Iewes were circumcised therefore it was prescribed to be kept the eight day Thus the ancient fathers by name Cyprian and Augustine haue reasoned and taught Againe the day of Christs resurrection was prefigured by that day wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner Psalm 118. v. 24. and in that it was prefigured it was appointed by God For then it appeared to be true which Peter saith of Christ that god had made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. And the same may be said of the Sabboth of the new testament that it was in the figure preordained and therefore limited and determined by our Sauiour Christ vnto the Lords day Other reasons might be added but they are onely coniectures these be the principall III. Reason God is Lord of times and seasons and therefore in all equitie the altering and disposing therof is in his hands and belongs to him alone Act. 1. 10. Times seasons the father hath kept in his owne hand Againe Christ is called the Lord of the Sabboth And Autiochus Epiphanes is condemned by the Holy Ghost because he tooke vpon him to alter times Dan. 7. 25. Besides that Daniel saith that it is God alone that changeth times and seasons Dan. 2. 21. Now if it be proper vnto God as to create so to determine and dispose of times then he hath not left the same to the power of any creature And therfore as the knowledge thereof so the appointment and alteration of the same either in generall or particular belongs not to the Church but is reserued to him The Church then neither may nor can alter the Sabboth day And this is the first part of the answer Sect. 2. The Second is this If the Church had libertie to alter the Sabboth then this alteration must be made within the compasse of the weeke to the sixt or fift or fourth or second or third or first daie and not to the eight or ninth or tenth daies without the compasse of the weeke The reason is plaine The Church of the New Testament hath more knowledge and more grace then the people of the old Testament had and in that regard ought to haue more zeale and greater alacritie in the worship of God then they had that it may exceede the Iewes according to the measure of grace receiued And thus the first and principall question touching the Sabboth is answered and resolued Sect. 3. Now before I come to the next let vs in the meane while see and examine the Reasons that are brought against the answer presently made First therefore it is alleadged that in the new Testament there is no difference of daies For if we haue or make difference of daies we are in truth no better then Iewes That there is no distinction of daies they prooue out of two places The first is Col. 2. 16. where the Apostle saies Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabboth day The second Gal. 4. 10. where the same Apostle reprooues the Galatians for obseruing daies and moneths and times and yeares To this I answere that both the places speake of the Feasts of the Iewes and of difference of daies that stands in force by the Iewish Ceremoniall law Paul to the Colossians warnes them to giue no occasision to others whereby they might iustly condemne them for obseruing of daies in superstitious manner vpon opinion of holines and necessitie as if mens consciences were bound to such obseruation And he reprooues the Galatians for obseruing daies as it is likely they did not onely in the Iewish but also in the Heathenish manner To which purpose Paul saith v. 11. He is afraid of them His meaning was because they placing their saluation in part in their Iewish obseruation of daies after they had beene informed touching their libertie in Christ did thereby mixe the Gospel with the Law and therefore he feared least by that meanes Christ should become vnto them vnprofitable and so his preaching to small or no purpose Againe they alleadge Rom. 14. 5. where Paul saith One man esteemes one day better then an other and an other man counteth euery day alike In which words the Apostle blameth not them which thinke all daies as one Ans. In the New Testament all daies be as one in regard of the aptnes thereof to the worship of God and yet there may be a difference of daies in regard of order and this Paul no where condemneth That we may the better conceiue this distinction we must consider a difference betweene the Iewes Sabboth and ours which is this That the Iewes Sabboth was both the time of the worship of God and also a part
this sinne but God in mercie accepted a generall repeÌ„tance for the same And the like is the case of all the Elect in regard of their secret hidden faults for vnles God should accept of a general repentance for vnknown sinns few or none at all should be saued And herein doth the endles mercy of god notably appeare that he vouchsafeth to accept of our repeÌ„tance wheÌ„ we repent though not in particular as we ought to doe Neuertheles this must not incorage or imbolden any man to liue in his sinnes without turning vnto God For vnlesse we repent in particular of all the sinâ— we know not only our knowne offences but euen our secret sinnes shall coÌ„demne vs. Many sinnes are committed by men which afterwards in processe of time are quite forgotten Others are coÌ„mitted which notwithstaÌ„ding are not knowne whether they be sins or no. And in doing the best duties we can we offend often yet when we offend we perceiue it not all these in the regenerate through the mercy of God are sinnes of ToleratioÌ„ in respect of particular repentance The third kind of sinnes of Toleration are certaine particular facts of men not approved of in Scripture and yet remitted in respect of punishment Such was the fact of Zipporah in circumcising her child in presence of her husband he beeing able to haue done it himselfe and shee hauing no calling to doe that which she did For though the hand of God was against him yet was he not sick as some would excuse the matter neither is there any such thing in the text but it is rather to be thought that she her selfe circumcised her sonne in hast to preuent her husband for the deede was done in some indignation and shee cast the foreskin at his feete And yet because this fact was some manner of obedience in that the thing was done which God required though not in the maÌ„ner that he required God accepted the same staied his hand froÌ„ killing Moses Thus god accepted of Ahabs humility thogh it were in hypocrisie because it was a shew of obedience and for that deferred a temporall punishmeÌ„t til the daies of his posteritie God sent Lyons to destroy the Assyrians that dwelt in Samaria for their Idolatrie yet so soonâ— as they had learned to feare the Lord after the maÌ„ner of the god of Israel though they mingled the same with their own Idolatric God for that halfe obedience suffered theÌ„ to dwel in peace Sect. 6. The Sixt distinction of Sinnes may be this Some are sinnes against God some against men This distinction is grounded vpon a place in Samuel If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall plead for him Sinnes against God are such as are directly and immediately committed against the maiestie of God Such are Atheisme Idolatrie Blasphemie Periurie Profanation of the Sabboth all the breaches of the first Table Sinnes against men are iniuries hurts losses and damages whereby our neighbour is in his dignitie life chastitie wealth good name or any other way iustly offended or by vs hindred And such actions must be considered two waies First as they are iniuries and hurts done vnto our neighbour and fecondly as they are anomies or breaches of Gods law forbidding vs to doe them and in this second respect they are called sinnes because sinne is properly against God and therefore by sinnes against man we are to vnderstand iniuries losses or damages done vnto them In this sense must that place in Matthew be expounded If thy brother sinne against thee c. Sect. 7. The seauenth Difference of sinnes is noted by S. Paul where he saith Euery sinne that a man doth is without the bodie but he that commits fornication sinneth against his owne bodie In which place it is implyed that some sinnes are without the bodie some against mans owne bodie Sinnes without the bodie are such sinnes as a man committeth his bodie beeing the instrument of the sinne but not the thing abused Such are Murther Theft Drunkennesse for in the committing of these sinnes the bodie is but a helper and onely a remote instrumentall cause and the thing abused is without the bodie For example in drunkennes the thing abused by the drunkard is wine or strong drinke in theft another mans goods in murther the instrument whereby the fact is committed The bodie indeede conferres his helpe to these things but the iniurie is directed to the creatures of God to the bodie and goods of our neighbour And such are all sinnes adulterie onely excepted Sinnes against the bodie are those in which it selfe is not onely the instrument but the thing abused also Such a sinne is Adulterie onely and those that are of that kind properly against the bodie first because the bodie of the sinner is both a furthering cause of the sinne and also that thing which he abuseth against his owne selfe Secondly by this offence he doth not onely hinder but loose the right power and propertie of his bodie in that be makes it the member of an harlot And lastly though other sinnes in their kind doe bring a shame and dishonour vpon the bodie yet there is none that sitteth so nigh or leaueth a blot so deepely imprinted in it as doth the sinne of vncleannes Sect. 8. The eight distinction of sinnes is grounded vpon Pauls exhortation to Timothie Communicate not with other mens sinnes Sinnes are either Other mens sinnes or CommunicatioÌ„ with other mens sins This distinction is the rather to be knowne and remembred because it serues to extenuate or aggrauate sins committed Communication with sinne is done sundry waies First by counsell thus Caâ—phas sinned when he gaue counsel to put Christ to death Secondly by commandement so Dauid sinned in the murther of Vrias Thirdly by consent or assistance Rom. 1. 31. thus Saul sinned in keeping the garments of them that â—â—oned Steuen Act. 22. 20. 7. 58. Fourthly by prouocation thus they sinne that prouokâ— others to sinne and hereof Paul speaketh when he saith Fathers must not prouoke their children to wrath Eph. 6. 4. Fiftly by negligence or silence This is the sinne of the Minister when men are called to reprooue sinne and doe not Sixtly by flatterie when men sooth vp others in sinne Seauenthly by winking at sinnes or passing them ouer by slight reproofe Eph. 5. 11. Thus Eli sinned in rebuking his sonnes and thereby brought a temporall iudgement vpon himselfe and his familie 1. Sam. 2. chap. and 4. Eightly by participation Eph. 5. 7. thus they doe sinne that are receiuers of the eues Ninthely by defending another man in his sinne for he that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the iust euen they both are an abomination to the Lord. Sect. 9. The Ninth distinction followeth Some mens sinnes saith Paul are open before hand some follow after Which place by some is
a twofold relation to God or to Man As he stands in relation to God he beares the name of a Christian that is a member of Christ or a sonne of God whose dutie is to know and to worship God according to his will reuealed in his word As he stands in relation to man he is a part of a bodie and a member of some societie Now the Questions that concerne him as a member of a societie are of three sorts according to three distinct kinds of societies For euery man is either a member of a Familie or of the Church or of the Common-wealth And answerably some Questions concerne mā as a member of a familie some as he is a member of the Church some as he is a member of the Commonwealth In a word therefore all Questions touching man may be reduced to three generall heads The first whereof is concerning man simply considered as he is a man The second touching man as he stands in relation to God The third concerning man as he is a member of one of the three societies that is either of the Familie or of the Church or of the Commonwealth QVestions of the first sort concerning man simply considered in himselfe as he is a man are especially three The first What a man must doe that he may come into the fauour of God and be saued The second How he may be assured in conscience of his owne saluation The third How he may recouer himselfe when he is distressed or fallen Of these in order CHAP. V. Of the first maine Question touching Man I. Question What must a man doe that he may come into Gods fauor and be saued FOR answer to this Question some Groundes must be laid downe before-hand The first is this That we must consider and remember how and by what meanes God brings any man to saluation For looke how God saueth others so he that would know how to be saued must vse the meanes whereby God saueth them Sect. 1. In the working and effecting of Mans saluation ordinarily there are two special actions of God the giuing of the first grace and after that the giuing of the second The former of these two works hath X. seuerall actions I. God giues man the outward meanes of saluation specially the Ministerie of the word and with it he sends some outward or inward crosse to breake and sub due the stubbornnesse of our nature that it may be made plyable to the will of God This we may see in the example of the Iaylour Act. 16. and of the Iewes that were conuerted at Peters sermon Act. 2. II. This done God brings the minde of man to a consideration of the Law and therein generally to see what is good and what is euill what is sinne and what is not sinne III. Vpon a serious consideration of the Law he makes a man particularly to see and know his owne peculiar and proper sinnes whereby he offends God IV. Vpon the sight of sinne he smites the heart with a Legall feare whereby when man seeth his sinnes he makes him to feare punishment and hell and to despaire of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe Now these foure actions are indeede no fruits of grace for a Reprobate may goe thus farre but they are onely workes of preparation going before grace the other actions which follow are effects of grace V. The fifth action of grace therefore is to stirre vp the minde to a serious consideration of the promise of saluation propounded and published in the Gospel VI. After this the sixt is to kindle in the heart some seedes or sparks of faith that is a will and desire to beleeue and grace to striue against doubting dispaire Now at the same instant when God beginnes to kindle in the heart any sparkes of faith then also he iustifies the sinner and withall begins the worke of sanctification VII Then so soone as faith is put into the heart there is presently a combat for it fighteth with doubting dispaire and distrust And in this combate faith shews it selfe by feruent cōstant earnest inuocatiō for pardon and after inuocation followes a strength and preuailing of this desire VIII Furthermore God in mercie quiets and settles the Conscience as touching the saluation of the soule and the promise of life where vpon it resteth and staieth it selfe IX Next after this setled assurance perswasion of mercy followes a stirring vp of the heart to Euangelicall sorrow according to God that is a griefe for sinne because it is sinne and because God is offended and then the Lord workes repentance wherby the sanctified heart turnes it selfe vnto him And though this repentance be one of the last in order yet it shewes it selfe first as when a candle is brought into a roome we first see the light before wee see the candle and yet the candle must needs be before the light can be X. Lastly God giues a man grace to endeauor to obey his commaundements by a new obedience And by these degrees doth the Lord giue the first grace The second worke of God tending to saluation is the giuing of the second grace which is nothing else but the continuance of the first grace giuen For looke as by creation God gaue a beeing to man all other creatures and then by his prouidence continued the same beeing which was as it were a second creation so in bringing a man to saluation God giues the first grace for example to beleeue repent then in mercie giues the second to persevere continue in faith and repentance to the end And this if we regard man himselfe is very necessary For as fire without supply of matter wherby it is fedde continued would soone goe out so vnlesse God of his goodnesse should followe his children and by new and daily supplies continue his first grace in thē they would vndoubtedly soone loose the same finally fall away The second Ground for the answere of this Question is taken from some speciall places of Scripture where the same is mooved and resolued The men that were at Peters sermon being touched with the sense of their owne miserie vpon the doctrine which had beene deliuered as the Holy Ghost saies were pricked in their hearts and cried one to an other Men brethren what shall we doe Peter mooued by the spirit of God answers them Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sinnes The like was the case of the Iaylor who after that the stubbornnesse of his heart was beaten downe by feare of the departure of the prisoners he came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and mooued this question vnto them Sirs what must I doe to be saued to whome they gaue answer Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold The young man in the Gospel sues to Christ and askes him What shall I doe to be saued Christs answers him Keepe
euill spirit could not goe forth to deceiue Ahab vntill the Lord had said vnto him Goe and thou shalt preuaile 1. King 22. 22. Thus the Deuill could not touch the bodie children goods or friends of righteous Iob whilest he was fenced and fortified by the power and prouidence of God But when the Lord in regard of Iobs outward estate had giuen leaue and said Loe all that he hath is in thine hand then did he exercise his power to the vtmost yet so farre onely as he was permitted and no further Iob. 1. 12. The consideration of this first point that Satans power is determined by God will serue to stay the minds of those whose persons houses or friends are molested by him For hereupon it followeth that God who hath the Deuill bound vp as it were in chaines will not suffer his power to be inlarged against his owne children to their destruction and confusion but so farre forth alone as shall be expedient for their good and saluation Againe that God beeing their father in Christ Iesus they may in the time of such affliction haue accesse vnto him call vpon him for the restraint of Satans power and malice and consequently for the deliuerance of them and theirs A second Rule is this Such persons must haue recourse to God in his word in which he promiseth his presence and protection to his children in their greatest dangers And namely that there shall no euill come vnto them neither any plague shall come neere their dwelling because he will giue his Angels charge ouer them to keepe them in all their waies Againe that he will be a wall of fire round about his people Zach. 2. 5. that he will extend peace ouer his Church like a flood Isa. 66. 12. And that there shal be no sorcery against Iacob nor soothsaying in rael Numb 23. 22. And yet if God sees it to be good for his children to be tried by possessions or witchcraft in this case the promise frees them not For all temporall blessings are promised conditionally so farre forth as they may stand with Gods good will and pleasure and withall may make for the good of his children Howbeit herein lies the comfort that though such calamities befall them yet they shall turne to their good rather then to their hurt This point well considered by the way bewraieth the great presumption of some who are not afraid to say their faith is so strong that the Deuill cannot touch them Thirdly it must be considered that the best seruants of God haue beene in their times molested by the Deuill Christ in his second temptation was carried by the Deuill from the wildernessé to a wing of the Temple of Ierusalem The children of Iob were destroied by the Deuill he himselfe was filled with boâ—ches and sores A certaine woman euen a daughter of Abraham that is one following the faith of Abraham was troubled with a spirit of infirmitie eighteene yeares together And the daughter of the woman of Canaan was grieuously vexed with a Deuill Math. 15. 21 22. Fourthly men in this case ought by faith to lay fast hold vpon the promise of life euerlasting and wait the Lords leisure not limiting him in respect of time or meanes of deliuerance This was the practise of Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him And of holy Abraham who did not limit God but was content to doe with Isaac what the Lord would and though it was in likelihood a meane to bereaue him of all posteritie yet still he kept himselfe to the promise Lastly men must in this case seeke and sue vnto God by praier either for deliuerance if it may stand with his good will and pleasure or els for patience that they may meekly and patiently beare that particular affliction II. In the molestation and annoyance of houses by spirits two things are to be remembred First men must not consort together and abide there where it is certenly knowne that the Lord hath giuen the Deuill power and libertie least in so doing they tempt the Lord. Our Sauiour Christ did not of his owne priuate motion and will betake himselfe into the wildernes but by the direction of the Holy Ghost Math. 4. 1. Paul in like manner did not of his owne head goe to Ierusalem but vpon the motion of the Spirit Act. 20. 22. In the light of these examples men arc taught not to cast themselues into any places of apparant danger much lesse to frequent those which God hath deliuered vp into the power of Satan And this condemneth the rash and headie conceits of some persons who vpon confidence of their owne strength doe put themselues into needelesse dangers hauing neither extraordinarie calling from God nor any sufficient warrant out of his word If it be asked what men are to doe in this case I answer First that they ought rather to flie to God by praier and to draw neere vnto him in their hearts and he in mercie will draw neere vnto them Secondarily that which we doe in meats and drinkes is also to be done in the houses and places where we dwell And what is that we must sanctifie them to our vse by the word and prayer Noah at Gods commandement went into the Arke abode in it and came out againe and when he came forth of it into the earth afterward it is said of him that he built an Altar gaue thaÌ„ks to God for his deliuerance and praied the Lord to vouch safe him the vse of the earth as he had before Though Abraham had a promise of the land of Canaan to him and his posteritie for euer yet he went not out of his countrey toward it till the Lord commanded him and when he was come thither he built an Altar for the worship and seruice of God The like he did afterward at Bethel And many yeares after did Iacob offer sacrifice vnto God in the same Bethel when he came to dwell there And for this very end in the law by a speciall ordinance the first fruites of the haruest were offered to sanctifie the rest of the corne And so much touching the second distresse CHAP. X. Of the third Speciall Distresse arising of the Tentation of Blasphemie THe third kind of trouble of mind is that which ariseth of the Tentation of Blasphemie which in regard of the vilenes and vglinesse thereof is not amisse tearmed by some the foule Tentation And it is when a man is troubled in his minde with blasphemous cogitations and thoughts directly against the Maiestie of God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost As for example to thinke that God is not iust or mercifull that he accepteth mens persons that he hath not knowledge of things that are done here below or at least that de doth not regard them that God cannot doe this or that that he is iniurious to some men and partiall to others c. These
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
we read Gen. 19. 1. that Lot seeing twoo Angels comming towards Sodome rose vp to meete them and bowed himselfe with his face to the ground By which example it appeareth that though Angels may be adored yet not with Religious or that which is mixed with Religious worship but with worship purely meerely ciuill Wherevpon it was that the Angell refused the worship done vnto him by Iohn saying See thou doe it not I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren c. Rev. 19. 10. I adde moreouer that sith at this day the Angels appeare not vnto vs we may not worshippe them at all either in ciuill or religious manner albeit we must euer haue a reuerent estimation of them As for liuing men Adoration meerely civill is onely due vnto them and that in respect of the gifts of God which we see to be in them as also of their authoritie and place which they haue amongst men This is expressely inioyned in the fist Commandement Honour thy father c. and confirmed also by the example of Abraham who stood vp and bowed himselfe before the people of the land of the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. Prouided alwaies that this Adoration be according to the laudable custome of the countrey where they liue But for worship either simply religious or mixt it is in no sort to be yeelded them Thus Peter when Cornelius met him and fell downe at his feete refused to accept of the honour done vnto him which notwithstanding was not a diuine but a mixed kinde of worship performed vnto Peter in a reuerent opinion of his person as beeing more then an ordinarie man Act. 10. 25 26. In like manner Mordecai the Iewe denied to worship Haman because the honour which the King appointed to be giuen vnto him was an excessiue honour hauing some diuine worship in it such as was done to himselfe Of the same sort is the kissing of the Popes feete which indeede is ciuill worship but mixed with religious For it is tendered vnto him as to the Vicar of Christ and one that cannot erre the like to which is not done to any Emperour or Potentate on earth Lastly touching dead men or Saints departed as Peter Paul and the rest all the worship we owe vnto them is no more but a reuerent estimation of their persons and imitation of their â—…es Religious or ciuill Adoration due vnto them we acknowledge none because neither we haue to deale with them nor they with vs. Therefore Romish Adoration of them we renounce as flat Idolatrie considering it giues vnto them a Diuinitie making them present in all places to know our hearts and heare our praiers at all times which is the prerogatiue of God alone Now for vnreasonable creatures no Adoration at all appertaineth to them but onely a reuerent and holy vse of them For Adoration is a signe of Subiection of the inferiour to the superiour but man is their superiour and therefore he is to doe them no worship or seruice And hereupon we iustly condemne the Adoration of the reliques of Saints of the bread and wine in the Sacrament c. The Third sort of things is the Worke of the Creature to wit Images Where if it be demanded what Adoration is due to them I answer None at all Reasons 1. We haue an expresse inhibition to the contrarie in the third Commandement Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them c. 2. The superiour must performe no adoration to the inferiour Now though it should be granted that they were the Images of God yet man is a more excellent Image then they and they are inferiour not onely to him but euen to the baser sort of creatures The woâ—…e is one of the basest creatures vpon the earth yet it is a worke of God The Image is a worke not of God but of man Man therefore may as well in all reason and better worship the worme then the Image CHAP. XII Of outward Confession THe fift Head of Gods outward worship is Confession I meane not the Ordinarie or Ecclesiasticall Confession but that which is made before the Aduersarie Concerning which there be many Questions commonly made I. Question Whether Confession of faith be necessarie and when Ans. That Confession is necessarie it appeares by manifest testimonies of Scripture 1. Pet. 3. 15. Be readie to giue an answer alwaies to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Here is a flat Commandement for Confession Againe Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth and beleeue with thy heart thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation And Mark 8. 38. Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me in this adulterous generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glorie of his Father with his holy Angels This is graunted of all Diuines saue onely of some pestilent Heretikes The second part of the Question is When Confession is to be made For answering whereof this must be remembred for a Ground that there is a distinction to be made betweene Commandements affirmatiue and negatiue The Negatiue bindeth at all times and to all times For it is not lawfull at any time for a man to doe euill The Affirmatiue binds at and in all times but not to all times For it commands a dutie to be done which neuerthelesse is not at all times to be done For example To giue almes is prescribed by an affirmatiue commandement and yet almes are to be giuen onely at fit times and occasions Hereupon it pleased the Lord to propound part of the Morall Law in negatiue tearmes because negatiues are of greater force Now Confession beeing commaunded not by a negatiue but by an affirmatiue commandement we are not bound thereunto at and to all times but when iust occasion is offered What then may some say are the especiall times in which Confession is to be made before the Aduersarie Ans. There are two principally to which all the other may be reduced The first is when we are examined touching our Religion by them that are in authoritie as by Magistrates Princes Iudges c. For at such time we are lawfully called to make confession of our faith and may doe it with boldnes Thus much the place before-named importeth where we are inioyned to be readie to giue an account c. 1. Pet. 3. 15. that is not to euery Examiner but to those alone who haue power and authoritie giuen them by God for that purpose And the same is implied in Christs speech to his Apostles Math. 10. 19. And ye shall be brought before gouerners and Kings for my sake in witnes to them and to the Gentiles And in this case not to make profession of our faith is in effect to denie Christ to scandalize the Church and greatly to preiudice the truth The second time of Confession is when in
haue release from any creature Therefore our Sauiour Christs commandement is Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thy oathes to whome to the Lord. Math. 5. 33. And the oath that passed betweene Dauid and Ionathan is called The Lords oath 2. Sam. 21. 7 and 1. Sam. 20. 8. God will haue the oath to binde as long as seemeth good vnto him yea and cease binding when it pleaseth him And that which himselfe bindeth or will haue to be bound no creature can loose The things which God hath coupled let no man separate Math. 19. 6. And herein the Pope shewes himselfe to be Antichrist in that he challengeth power to dispense with a lawfull oath made without error or deceit of things honest and possible Out of this answer another Question may be resolued namely when doth a man commit Periurie Ans. 1. When a man sweares that which he knowes to be false 2. When he sweares that which he meanes not to doe 3. When he swearing to doe a thing which he also meanes to doe yet afterwards doth it not In these three the not performing of an oath made it flat periurie That we may yet be informed concerning the sinne of Periurie one Question of moment is to be skanned In Societies Corporations there be Lawes and Orders to the keeping whereof euery one admitted to an office takes a corporall oath Afterward it falls out vpon occasion that he breakes some of the saide Statutes The Question is whether he be not in this case periured Ans. Statues are of two sorts Some are principall or fundamentall which serue to maintaine the state of that bodie or Corporation Others lesse principall or mixt that serue for order or decencie In the statutes principall the lawmaker intends obedience simply and therefore they are necessarie to be kept But in the lesse principall he exacts not obedience simply but either obedience or the penaltie because the penaltie is as much beneficiall to the state of that body as the other The breach of the former makes a man guilty of periurie but it is otherwise in the latter so be it the delinquent party be content to beare the mulct if it be imposed Thus students and others belonging to such societies may in some sort excuse themselues from the sinne of periurie though not from all fault in breaking some of the lesser locall statutes els few could liue in any societie without periurie Yet one more Question is propounded touching periurie whether a man may exact an oath of him whome he feares or knowes will forsweare himselfe Ans. A priuate man must not but a Magistrate may if the partie offer to take his oath not beeing vrged therto and be first admonished of the greivousnesse of the said sinne of periurie In the execution of Ciuil Iustice Magistrates must not stay vpon mens sinnes Moses expected not the Israelites repentance for their Idolatrie but presently proceeded vnto punishment Neither must the publicke good of the Common wealth bee hindred vpon the likelyhood or suspition of a mans periurie CHAP. XIIII Of Vowes THe Seuenth head of the Outward worship of God is concerning a vowe All the Questions whereof may be reduced to these foure I. Question What is a Vowe Ans. A Vowe is a promise made to God of things lawfull and possible I call it a promise to distinguish a vowe from a single purpose For a purpose may be chaunged but a vowe lawfully made cannot Againe there is great difference betweene these two for in a vowe there is first a purpose to doe a thing secondly a binding of our selues to doe that we pupose For this cause I tearme it a promise because it is a purpose with a bond without which there can be no vowe made In the next place I adde a promise made to God not to Saint Angel or Man The reasons are these First a vowe is properly the worke of the heart consisting in a purpose Now God alone knowes the heart and he alone is able to discerne of the purpose and intent of the same which no Angel Saint or other creature can possible doe Secondly when the vow is made none can punish and take revenge of the breach therof but God Thirdly in the old Testament the Iewes neuer vowed but to God because the vowe was a part of Gods worshippe Deut. 23. 21. When thou shalt vowe a vowe vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not bestack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and so it should be sinne vnto thee Where by the way we may take notice of the superstition of the popish Church that maketh vowes to Saints and Angels which is in effect to make thē gods to worship thē as the Iewes worshipped God in the old Testament II. Question Whether a vowe be now in the newe Testament any part of Religion or Gods worship The answere is threefold First if a vowe be taken for a promise of morall obedience the answer is that a vowe is indeed the worship of God and so shal be to the ende of the world For as God for his part promiseth mercie in the couenant of grace so wee in Baptisme doe make a vowe and promise of obedience to him in all his commandements and therefore Peter calleth Baptisme a stipulation that is the promise of good conscience to God This promise once made in Baptisme is renewed so oft as we come to the Lords Supper and further continued in the daily spirituall exercises of Invocation and Repentance But it may be said we are already bound to the obedience of the Law by order of diuine Iustice therefore we cannot further binde our selues Ans. He that is bound by God may also bind himself Dauid though he was boūd by god in conscience to keepe the Law yet he binds himselfe freely by oath to helpe his own weaknes to keepe himselfe from falling when he saith I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal. 119. 106. And the same bond is no lesse necessary and behooffefull for vs if we consider how prone and readie we are to fall from the worshippe of God The second Answere If a vowe be taken for a promise of some ceremoniall dutie as of Sacrifices and Oblations or of giuing house lands and goods to the Temple then we must put a difference betweene the Olde Testament and the New In the Old Testament the vow of such duties was part of Gods worshippe but in the Newe it is not and that for these Reasons First The Iewish ceremonies were to the Iewes a part of Gods worshippe but to vs Gentiles they are not cōsidering they are all in Christ abolished and none of them doe now stand in force by Gods Law to vs. Thus the Passeover was a ceremonie or seruice appointed by God to be obserued of the Israelites and their posteritie Exod. 12. 24. 25. and therefore stood as a part of Gods worshippe to them
be chargeable to the Church and so there might be sufficient almes to them that are truly poore V. The fift Reason They bring in againe Iudaisme for Iewish religion by Gods appointment stood in bodily rites and outward ceremonies actions and gestures yea in outward things as garments meats drinks And their rule was Touch not tast not from all which we are wholly freed by Christ. VI. Sixtly these vowes are Idolatrous and superstitious for they are made and obserued with an opinion of Gods worship of merit and of the state of perfection whereas nothing can be made Gods worship but that which himselfe commandeth And bodily exercises are vnprofitable as Paul saith and therefore they can not be meritorious And further to dreame of a state of perfection beyond the Law of God is to make the Law it selfe imperfect whereas contrariwise the Law of the Lord is perfect righteous and pure Psal. 19. 7 8. VII Lastly these vowes are against the preseruation of Nature for by them specially that of perpetuall chastitie men are brought to destroy euen their owne bodies and liues which they are bound to preserue and maintaine Ephes. 5. 29. No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it The Apostle euen in his daies noted it as a fault in the voluntarie religion that was then taken vp by some that for the maintenance thereof they spared not their owne bodies Coloss. 2. 23. And like vnto that is the practise of Popish Votaries which tendeth to the ruine and ouerthrow of nature and life it selfe These be the Reasons In the next place we are to consider the Allegations that are commonly made in the fauour and defence of Popish vowes And first it is obiected In the Old Testament Vowes were a part of Gods worship therfore they are so to be holdē in the New Ans. There is great difference betweene them For first they had their warrant out of Gods word these haue not so nay there be expresse testimonies of scripture against these Vowes Secondly in their vowes there was alwaies right reserued to superiours to reuerse them if they liked them not But in Monasticall vowes all right is taken from superiours For children are permitted to vow and their promises must stand against parents consent And wiues according to Popish doctrine may vow against the expresse consent of their husbands Thirdly they were not perpetuall but ceased with the ceremoniall Law But these are supposed to haue a perpetuall equitie that must continue till the ende of the world Secondly they alleadge that which is written Matth. 19. 12. Some haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen Ans. The meaning of the text is not that some haue vowed single life but that there are some who beeing assured that they haue the gift of continencie vpon that gift doe endeauour to maintaine their present estate that so they may the better serue God and aduance his kingdome both in themselues and others Thirdly they obiect 1. Tim. 5. 12. where Paul speakes of certaine young women which haue damnation because they haue broken their first faith that is as they interpret it their vow of single life Ans. The words are not to be vnderstood of the faith of the vowe but either of that faith and promise which was made to God in their Baptisme or the faith and promise of seruice and releefe to be performed to the poore and for the breach of either of these they may be said to incurre damnation Fourthly they say Christ himselfe was a begger and therefore why may not we also be beggers Ans. Though Christ was poore yet was he no begger For he kept a familie and had a treasure Iudas was the steward of his familie and bare the bagge Ioh. 13. 29. Againe there is mention made of 200 pence Ioh. 6. 7. which in likelihood was in the bagg that Iudas kept yea of the money which he had the Disciples are saide to buie meate Ioh. 4. 8. And though it were graunted that Christ was a begger yet it followes not that we should be so For his pouertie was expiatorie and part of his sufferings So saith the Apostle He beeing rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouertie might be made rich 2. Cor. 8. 9. Fiftly they alledge that the Disciples forsooke all and liued in pouertie and their example is propounded for our imitation Ans. They forsooke all indeede yet how not for euer but for a time and that not by vowe but onely in affection and disposition of their hearts For after they had forsaken all we read that they came to their nets and boates againe Ioh. 21. 3. Againe the Apostle Paul speakes of himselfe and the rest when he saith Haue we not power to lead about a wife beeing a sister 1. Cor. 9. 5. By which it is plaine that they put not away their wiues Sixtly Mat. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfite saith Christ to the young man goe sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and followe me Here saith the Papist our Sauiour prescribes perpetuall pouertie by expresse counsell Ans. The words are no counsell but a speciall Commandement of triall directed to this yoūg man And the ende of it was to discouer vnto him his secret pride and hypocrisie in that he boasted that he had kept all the commandements when as indeed he knew not what they meant Lastly they obiect the example of the Recabites who according to the commandement of their father Ion adab would drinke no wine nor dwell in houses nor build nor plant nor sowe Ierem. 35. and the Lord approoueth their practise Ans. They did obey their fathers command in these things as beeing things indifferent but not as parts of Gods worshippe in the doing where of they placed Religion And they obeyed it carefully for this ende that they might inure themselues vnto hardshippe Secondly this their obedience touching these things stood not by any vowe much lesse was it perpetuall For then they should haue obserued all the things which they vowed equally which they did not for they dispensed with their fathers voluntarie iniunction for dwelling in Tents and as we read vers 11. They came vp for feare of the Chaldeans that were in the land and dwelt at Ierusalem And so much touching Popish Vowes whereof to conclude this may be said That they are all but a meere will-worship standing vpon no ground or warrant of Gods word and therefore of no force to bind the consciences of men but are to be holden as they are in truth wicked and abhominable CHAP. XV. Of Fasting THe eight Head of the outward worship of God is Fasting By Fasting I vnderstand the Religious Fast which is ioyned with the duties of Religion and namely the exercises of Praier and Humiliation Touching it there are three principall Questions to be handled in their order I. Question What is a
the measure and manner of our apparell and therefore the wise and graue presidents of good and godly men that are of the same or like degree with our selues ought to stand for a rule of direction in this behalfe To which purpose Paul exhorteth Whatsoeuer things are pure honest of good report if there be any vertue c. thinke of these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me those things doe Phil. 4. 9. Examples hereof we haue many in the word of God Of Iohn the Baptist who had his garments of Camels haire Mat. 3. 4. Of Elias who is said to be a hairie man in respect of his attire and to be girded as Iohn was with a girdle of leather about his loines 2. King 1. 8. For these rough garments were the principal raiments of Prophets in those times and places as we read Zach. 13. 4. And it was the ordinarie fashion of the Iewish nation to vse goats-hair not onely for making of their apparel but euen of the curtaines that were made for the vse of the sancturie Exod. 36. 14. If this Rule were practised it would serue to cut off many scandalous behauiours in the conuersations of men For now a daies men doe striue who shal goe before another in the brauest and costliest attire hauing little or no respect at all to the examples of godly and sober persons of their degrees and places And this their excessiue pride and vanitie is ordinarily maintained by vniust dealing in lying and deceipt by couetousnes and vnmercifulnesse to the poore sinnes which are so greatly dishonourable vnto God that the very earth wherupon men doe liue can hardly endure the same Wherfore those that fear God and haue a care to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse ought to hate and detest these courses renouncing the curious vanity of the world and testifying the graces and vertues of their minds vnto men even by their graue and sober gestures and habits of their bodies §ect 2. The Second thing to be considered in the right vse of apparell is the wearing and putting of it on Touching which two speciall Rules are to be obserued I. Rule That we weare and put on our apparell for those proper Ends for which God hath ordained the same The Ends of apparell are specially these First for Necessitie sake that is for the defending of the body from the extremitie of parching heate and the pinching cold and consequently the preseruing of life health This was the end for which garments were first made after the fall And the reason of it is this Whilest man was yet in the state of Innocencie before his fall ther was a perfect temperature of the aire in respect of mans bodie and so there was no need of garments and nakednesse then was no shame vnto man but a glorious comelines Now after that Adam and in him al mankind had sinned vanitie came vpon all the creatures amongst the rest vpon the aire a maruelous distemperature in respect of heat and cold For the remedie whereof it was ordained that Adam should weare apparell which God hauing once made and appointed he hath euer since blessed it as his owne ordinance as daily experience sheweth For our attire which is void of heat and life doth notwithstanding preserue mans bodie in heat and life which it could not doe if there were not a speciall prouidence of God attending vpon it The Second Ende of apparell is Honestie For to this ende doe we put it on and weare it for the couering and hiding of that deformitie of our naked bodies which immediately followed vpon the transgression of our first parents and in this respect also were garments after the fall appointed by God for the vse of man It is obiected that Esay prophecied naked and bare-foot Esa. 20. 〈◊〉 and so did Saul 1. Sam. 19. 24. I answer first that which the Prophet did was done by commandement as may appeare in the second verse of that Chapter For the Lord gaue him commandement so to doe Againe he is saide to be naked because he put off his vpper â—…ent which was sackcloath or some other rough garment that Prophets vsed to wenre but it cannot be prooued that he put off that garment which was next his flesh and skinne Concerning Saul there be two answers giuen One that he put off his vpper garment as Esay did For we are not to imagine that he prophecied naked it beeing so vnseemely a thing and euen against the Law of nature since the fall The other answer and that according to the true meaning of the text is that Saul before the Spirit of prophecie came vpon him had put on and wore his warrelike attire wherewith he went out to take Dauid But when the Spirit came vpon him then he put off his militarie habite and went in other attire after the manner and fashion of a Prophet and so prophecied And therefore whereas he is saide to goe naked the meaning is that he stript himselfe of his armour which both himselfe and his messengers vsed in pursuing after Dauid Now touching the Couering of the bodie with apparell these things are to be remembred First that it must be couered in decent and seemely sort Thus Ioseph wrapped Christs bodie that was dead in a cleane linnen cloath together with the spices Matt. 27. 59. Secondly the whole bodie must be couered some onely parts excepted which for necessitie sake are left open and bare as the hands and face because there is an ignominious shame not only on some parts but ouer the whole bodie And here comes to be reproued the affected nakednesse vsed of sundry persons who are wont to haue their garments made of such a fashion as that their neck and brests may be left for a great part vncouered A practise full of vanitie and cleane contrary to this Rule grounded in corrupted nature For if the whole body be ouer spread with shame by sinne why should any man by such practise as much as in him lies vncouer his shame to the view of the world The ende of attire is to hide the shamefull nakednes of the bodie from the sight of men But such persons as these are doe hereby expresse the vanitie and lightnes of their mindes by leauing some parts of their bodies open and vncouered Wherein what doe they else but euen display and manifest vnto men and Angels their owne shame and ignominie Nay what doe they else but glorie in that which is by the iust iudgement of God reprochfull vnto them Let all those that feare God and are humbled in the consideration of their sinnes which are the matter of the shame of mankinde be otherwise affected A Third Ende of apparell is the honouring of the bodie To this purpose S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 12. 23. Vpon those members of the bodie which we think most vnhonest put 〈◊〉 on the greater honour c. v. 24. God hath tempered
you Here first I will speake of the false and then of the true and right fruit of Liberalitie The false Fruit is this that giuing of almes doth merit forgiuenes of sinne and satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment thereof That we may the better see the errour of this doctrine I will answer their arguments Obiect I. First they alleadge out of this text that giuing of almes makes all things cleane vnto vs. Ans. We must vnderstand the text thus If we turne to God beleeue in Christ and leaue all our sinnes then are we cleane and all our actions and consequently our almes-giuing shall be cleane vnto vs for to the pure all things are pure Now almes and other things are then said to be cleane vnto a man when he beeing himselfe pure maketh and hath a pure vse of them Obiect II. Dan. 4. 24. Redeeme thy sinnes by giuing of al◅ Ans. This place maketh against the Papists for by sinnes the Prophet vnderstandeth both the guilt also the punishment Whereas they affirme that the guilt of sinne cannot be redeemed but by Christ alone and man onely is to satisfie for the temporall punishment of sinne Secondly the word which they translate redeeme doth properly signifie as it is in the Chalde paraphrase to breake off As if the Prophet should haue said Thou art O King a mightie Monarch and thou hast vsed much iniustice and crueltie therefore now repent thy selfe and breake off the course of thy sinnes and testifie thy repentance by doing iustice and giuing almes to the poore whom thou hast oppressed Thirdly the word in the ancient Latine translations signifieth to amende and then it beareth this sense Amend thy selfe and the course of thy life and let thine iniustice be turned into iustice thy crueltie into mercie Obiect III. Make you friends with the riches of iniquitie that when ye shall want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Ans. Receiuing here mentioned is not by way of merit as though a man could deserue it by giuing almes but either by way of heartie praiers made by the poore that they may be receiued or els because their almes shall be vnto them a pledge and earnest of their receiuing into Gods kingdome Obiect IV. Prou. 16. 6. By mercie and truth iniquitie is redeemed Ans. 1. Salomons meaning is that by Gods goodnes and not ours iniquity is pardoned 2. If by mercie is meant mans mercie then are we to vnderstand it thus that mercie and truth are euident signes vnto vs that our sinnes are forgiuen and not the working causes of remission Obiect V. Luk. 14. 14. And thou which giuest releefe shalt be blessed because they can not recompense thee therefore almes doe merit Ans. When God promiseth reward to the giuing of almes the promise is not made to the worke but to the worker and that not for the merit of his person or worke but onely for Christ his sake in whome he is by whose meanes he stands reconciled vnto God And so men that practise charitie in giuing of almes are rewarded with blessednes not for their almes but according to the mercie of God in Christ. Now followeth the Right fruit of Almes-giuing and it stands in foure things First they are the way in which we must walke to life euerlasting I say the way not the cause either of life or any other good thing that God hath promised Secondly they are effects and fruits of our faith yea the signes and seales of Gods mercie to vs in Christ. To this purpose S. Paul wisheth Timothie 1. Tim. 6. 17 18 19. to charge them that be rich in this world that they doe good and be rich in good workes and be readie to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Now where is this foundation to be laide vp not in heauen for that is impossible for vs and it is laide vp for vs there alreadie by Christ but in our owne consciences and that is our assurance of Gods fauour in this world and life euerlasting in the world to come of which assurance this and other good works are signes and seales vnto vs. Thirdly almes comes in the way of restitution of those goods that haue beene gotten fraudulently though from whome we know not Thus Zacheus at his conuersion for wrongs that he had done he knew not to whome gaue halfe his goods to the poore and proclaimed restitution to those that could come forth and chalenge him Lastly aimes are a notable remedie against couetousnesse For he that hath a mercifull heart to bestow vpon the poore shall easily be content with that he hath and auoid that sinne whereby otherwise he falls into tentations and snares of the Deuill 1. Tim. 6. 9. CHAP. VI. Of Iustice. Psal. 15. 2. He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnes THe substance of the whole Psalme is a Question and an Answer The Question is who are the members of Gods Church vpon earth that shall come to life eternall in heauē ver 1. The Answer is made in the rest of the Psalme And in this answer is contained a description of the parties by their properties and markes The first marke is walking vprightly that is in truth and sinceritie of religion which standeth in the sinceritie of faith and a good conscience The second note is the practise of Righteousnes Now Righteousnes or Iustice is twofold the Iustice of the Gospel and the Iustice of the Law Evangelicall iustice is that which the gospell reveales and not the Law to witte the obedience of Christ in his sufferings and fulfilling of the law imputed to them that beleeue for their iustification and this is not here meant Legall iustice is that which the law revealeth and withall requireth And it is either vniuersall or particular Vniuersall iustice is the practise of all vertues or that whereby a man obserues all the commandements of the law Of this Paul speaketh Rom. 10. 5. in which place he opposeth it to the righteousnes which is by faith And Zacharie and Elizabeth are said to be iust before God Luk. 1. 6. namely by this vniuersall iustice because they walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord indeauouring in althings to please him Particular iustice is that whereby we giue to euery man his right or due and of this Dauid here speaketh The reason is because if it were not so then this second marke should comprehend vnder it all the rest and so there would be no good distinction of these properties one from the other Particular iustice is two-fold in distribution or in exchange and contract Iustice in distribution is that which keepes a proportion in giuing to euery man that honour dignitie reuerence reward or punishment that is due vnto him Of this there are mooued principally two Questions I. Question What is that iudgement which men are to giue and hold one to
First All Superiours must haue reuerence done vnto them whether they be Superiours in age in gifts in authoritie or howsoeuer and that because they are superiours The actions of Reuerence due to all superiours are principally sixe The first is to rise vp before the superiour Levit. 19. 32. Thou shalt rise vp before the boare head and honour the person of the old man The second when they are comming toward vs to goe and meete them Thus when Abraham saw the three Angels comming toward him he ranne to meete them from the tent doore Gen. 28. 2. And king Salomon when his mother Bathsheha came towards him to speak vnto him for Adoniah the text saith he rose vp to meete her 1. King 2. 19. The third to bow the knee before the superiour Thus wee read in the Gospell that a certaine man comming to Christ as he was going on the way kneeled vnto him Mark 10. 17. Thus Abraham ranne to meete the three Angels and bowed himselfe to the ground Gen. 28. 2. And the same Abraham els where bowed himselfe before the people of the Land of the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. The fourth to giue them the first and highest seat or place This our Sauiour Christ meaneth in the parable wherein he willeth those who are invited to a banquet to yeeld the chiefest place to them that are more honourable then themselues Luk. 14. 7. And it is set downe as a commendation of Iosephs brethren that they sate before him in order the eldest according to his age the youngest according to his youth Gen. 43. 33. Here we must remember that though in common practise among men the right hand is a note of superioritie yet in Scripture the practise is contrarie For in the article of our Creede Sitting at the right hand signifieth the inferioritie of the Mediator in respect of the father though it be a token of his superioritie in regard of the Church And so must the place be vnderstood 1. King 2. 19. where it is said that Bathsheba sate at the right hand of Salomon namely that it was an argument of Superioritie whereunto he preferred her before the people but it shewed her infirmitie in regard of Salomō himself And this custome is frequent both in the scriptures in humane writers The fift to giue libertie of speaking in the first place This was the practise of Elihu one of the friends of Iob who beeing the youngest in yeares dared not to shew his opinion till Iob and others who were his ancients had spoken But when they had left off their talke then he is said to haue answered in his turne Iob. 32. 6. 7. 17. The sixt to giue the titles of reverence to all superiours Sara according to this rule called Abraham Lord 1. Pet. 3. 9. The man in the Gospell comming to learne something of Christ cals him by this name Good Master Mar. 10. 17. And Anna rebuked by Eli answered him with reuerence and said nay my Lord. 1. Sam. 1. 15. The second Rule touching honour due to superiours is more speciall touching superiours in authoritie namely that they also must be honoured And this honour shewes it selfe in foure things The first is speciall reuerence which stands in the performance of two duties The former is to stand when our superiors doe sitte For thus Abraham after he had receiued the Angels into his tent and prepared meat for them serued himself by them vnder the tree giuing attendance while they did eate Gen. 18. 8. In like manner when Moses sate in iudgement the people are said to haue stood about him from morning vntill euening Exod 18. 13. The latter is not to speake but by leaue A dutie alwaies to be obserued but specially in the courts of Magistrates Example whereof we haue in Paul who beeing called before Foelix the gouernour did not speake a word vntill the gouernour had beckened vnto him giuē him leaue Act. 24. 10. The second thing is subiection which is no thing els but an inferioritie whereby we do as it were suspend our wills and reasons and withall cause them to depend in things lawfull and honest vpon the will of the superiour This subiectiō is yeelded to the authoritie of the superiour and is larger then obedience The third is obedience whereby wee keepe and performe the expresse commandement of our superior in all things lawfull and honest It standeth in sundry particulars as First it must be in the Lord and as to the Lord himselfe Whatsoeuer ye doe saith the Apostle doe it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men Col. 3. 23. Againe obedience must be performed euen to superiours that are euill Thus Peter exhorts seruants to be subiect to their Masters in all feare not onely to the good and courteous but also to the froward 1. Pet. 2. 18. Thirdly it must be done to Rulers in whome we see weaknesses For their infirmities ought not to hinder or stoppe our dutie of obedience considering that the commaundement of honouring the father and mother is generall without exceptiō Fourthly it is to be performed to them that are Deputies to Rulers yea which are deputies of deputies Submit your selues saith Peter vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernours as vnto them who are sent of him c. 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. Fiftly though punishment be wrongfully and most vniustly imposed by Rulers yet it must be borne without resistance till we can haue our remedie For this is thankeworthie if a man for conscience toward God indure griefe suffering wrongfully 1. Pet. 2. 19. The practise of this we may see in Hagar the handmaid of Sara who is commanded by the Angel to returne againe to her dame and humble her selfe vnder her hands though shee had dealt very roughly with her Gen. 16. 9. The fourth thing due to Superiours in authoritie is Thankesgiuing in praising God for their paines authoritie and gifts principally Thus Paul exhorts that praiers intercessions and thankesgiuing be made for Kings and all that be in authoritie 1. Tim. 2. 1. The reason is because beeing ouer vs in authoritie we haue the benefit of their gifts and authoritie Gen. 45. 9. Sect. 2. In the second place commeth to be considered our honour due vnto our Equalls Concerning which there be two Rules I. Rule Equalls must esteeme better of others then of themselues Thus Paul exhorts all men in meekenes of minde without contention or vaine-glorie to esteeme others better then themselues Phil. 2. 3. II. Rule Equalls in giuing honour must goe one before another Rom. 12. 10. where the Apostle saith not in taking honour because the dutie by him prescribed concernes not all persons but those alone who are of a like or equall condition Sect. 3. A third sort to whome honour is to be yeelded are Inferiours And the honour due vnto them is without all contempt in meeknes of Spirit to