is that which mightily strengtheneth the ministrie of the Church and without which all the preaching in the world will doe vs little good Acts 17. 11. 12. Q. What is the third priuate dutie A. Conference with others when it may be had at the least to talke in the way of Iesus as the Disciples Luke 24. 17. to the 20. Q. What is the end of Conference A. That others may supply that which we want and so we may reape double fruit of that which our selues remember and then of that which others haue learned If euery one of vs had but one coate or but one sticke vpon his fire it would cast but a little heate but if all wee should bring our fewell together and lay it on one hearth it would make a mightie blaze So while euery man catcheth but a little at a Sermon that little doth him but a little good but if euery man would bring his little then we might make as it were one common stocke we should be better able to set vp and goe through with Christianitie then we doe Q. What gather wee of this A. That their sinne is exceeding great who so soone as their backs are turned vpon the Preacher runne presently into the world and fall immediately into speech of worldly matters as if they had beene at a Market or a Beare-bayting vnbeseeming the Gospell of Christ the holinesse of the day and the honour of the place from whence they came Q. What is the fourth priuate dutie A. Reading of the Scriptures for the further strengthening and settling of our faith For if the godly Christian must reade somewhat in the Bible euery day this exercise may not in any wise belayd to sleepe on the Sabboth day Psal. 1. 2. Q. What is the last priuate dutie of the Sabboth A. Comforting of our brethren both relieuing them when they be in need and instructing them when they want instruction Math. 12. 12. Q. Why hath the Lord appointed so many Exercises vpon the Sabboth A. Not to burthen vs and tyre vs out with the number of them but to make the Sabboth more easie for vs for how tedious would it be if we should doe nothing else but pray or nothing else but reade But now the Lord hath appointed vs varietie and change of duties that being weary in one wee might recreate and refresh our selues in another Q. How long doth the Sabboth last A. Not some few houres of the day but the whole day Leuit. 23. 32. Q. What is the reason hereof A. Because on the Sabboth day we are to make our prouision and to store our selues for all the weeke so that all the rest of the daies may feele the benefite and comfort of this one day and therefore men must not thinke it is some few houres a little in the morning and a little in the afternoone that will store vs with all that faith loue patence humilitie that is needfull for vs The greatest part being scant able to get vp in many daies so much as will serue them for one Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who thinke it enough to spend an houre in the forenoone and an houre in the afternoone at Church neglecting the rest of the day know not what it is to sanctifie a Sabboth to the benefite of their soules Q. If the whole day must be holy to the Lord why then doe wee eate and drinke and sleepe on the Sabboth day A. Because these are workes oâ— necessitie Secondly because they lend their helpes to the sanctifying of the Sabboth For by sleeping in the night and eating in the day moderately men are the better enabled to goe through with the duties of the Sabbeth not being able to hold out in them if these comforts and refreshings should bee taken from them Q. When doth the Sabboth begin A. Ouer-night at the shutting in of the day as appeareth euidently Leuit. 23. 32. Q. What is the reason hereof A. That the night before might be as it were a preparation to the Sabboth both to put them in minde what they are to looke for the next day and also by priuate prayer and repeating that they heard the weeke before to make them the readier and the fitter for it Qu. Was not this Law particular for the Iewes onely A. No For the Christian Churches obserued it as well as the Iewes and therefore St. Augustine in his 251. Sermon De tempore grounding his iudgement on this place of Leuiticus faith Let vs wholly imploy our selues in the seruice of God leauing off our husbandry and all other businesse from Saturday at night till the Lords day at night againe So long Charles the great Emperour enacted the Lords day should bee kept in French Churches and the Councell of Torragon in the Churches of Spaine which vse the Spaniards they say hold euen to this day Qu. Is this all that is required in the Christian life A. Besides these generall Duties there are many particular duties required of vs. He that is a Father must thinke that hee stands charged with the duties of a Father He that is a Master must thinke that the duties of a Master will bee looked for at his hands and so of a Seruant of a Subiect and the like Q. What learne wee by this A. That a man must not thinke himselfe discharged if he haue walked with some care in the generall duties of a Christian vnlesse also he performe the same in those particular duties which in regard of his particular state and calling are layd vpon him Q. What is the Husbands dutie to the wife A. It is layd down in the 1. Peter 3. 7. in three points first he must dwell with his wife That is he must liue in a sweet and louely communion with her Hee must not absent himselfe more then needs Nor make himselfe strange to her when he is at home Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meet withall A. It condemneth those that vpon euery light occasion will be shifting from their wiues For howsoeuer shee sure not with thee yet thou must remember that she is the companion of thy life whom God and thy owne choice hath ioyned to thee Math. 19. 16. Secondly it condemneth those who not settling their hearts at home loue to be rouing and ranging much abroad for the Lord would not haue the least occasion of suspition to bee left to the iealous wife and therefore hath tyed the husband the more strictly to delight himselfe at home Prou. 5. 18. 19. Q. What is the second Dutie A. First he must dwell with her according to knowledge knowing that God hath made the man the head of the woman and therefore he must not lose the honour of his place but by wisedome grauitie and all good aduise seeke to direct her in an honest course Ephes. 5. 25. 26. The husband is charged to loue his wife as Christ loued his Church But Christ so loueth his Church that he sanctifieth it and
wring them off hurts himselfe more then the Irons doe Luke 21. 19. Q. What is the fourth point of godlinesse A. Wee must be diligent in commending our whole estate by earnest prayer vnto God For therein we doe the Lord this honour that we acknowledge our whole welfare to depend on him and it is he alone that blesseth all things that wee take in hand And therefore we must neuer begin any thing without prayer Wee must not eate vnlesse wee first pray God to blesse that we eate Wee must not giue vnlesse wee pray God to blesse that wee giue 1. Thessalonians 5. 17. Q. What is the Reason A. There is a double vse of the good things of God A lawfull vse An holy vse Q. What be they A. As when a man eateth or refresheth himselfe or sleepeth moderately when he vttereth his Comodities at a reasonable rate then he doth these things lawfully But when he sanctifieth and performeth all these things with holy prayer vnto God Then he vseth them not onely lawfully but holily too So that by this meanes our thoughts are holy and our workes holy our recreations holy yea and our sleepe is holy to the Lord 1. Sam. 3. 5. Q. What thinke you then of giuing thankes before meate A. It is a holy vse sanctified by the example of Christ and much commended by the Scriptures our Sauiour Christ looked to heauen and blessed the loaues and fishes Math. 13. 19. So did Paul Acts 27. 35. And wee reade of the people in the 1. Sam. 9. 13. That they would not eate of the Sacrifice till Samuel had blessed it And therefore their boldnesse is great that dare vse the creatures of God with greater boldnesse then Paul or Samuel yea and the Sonne of God himselfe would vse them Q. Is it not good to haue certaine sette times of Prayer in our houses A. It is very needfull the rather thereby to draw our selues into Gods presence and to bring our selues in remembrance of this great dutie that lyes vpon vs as Daniel 6. 10. Q. What are the fittest times to set apart for Prayer A. The Morning and the Euening In the morning we must pray that the Lord will leade vs throughout the day That hee will shrowd vs and shadow vs vnder the wings of his grace and be with vs in euery thing we take in hand And this may be termed the morning Sacrifice of a Christian Psal. 5. 3. At night againe we must reckon with the Lord for the sinnes of the day that we lye not downe in Gods displeasure but hauing reconciled and as it were made euen for our faults wee may sleepe in the lappe and bosome of the loue of God And this may be termed The euening Sacrifice of a Christian Psal. 141. 2. Q. How is this further declared A. As Noahs Doue hauing wandred all day abroad yet returned in the Euening to the Arke So we hauing toyled and laboured all day in the world yet at night we must bee carefull to returne and take vp our rest as it were with God Q. Are wee to rest our selues in this thing A. Wee must not thinke our selues discharged when these sett times of prayer be performed but many times in the day we must lift vp our hearts to God in the heate of all our businesse bethinke vs of the Lord who alone can prosper and blesse that which we haue in hand Q. What is the fift Point of godlinesse A. Wee must lift vp our hearts with great thankfulnesse vnto God for all his blessings and benefites that are vpon vs. For therefore Moses declareth in the first of Genesis how God made the Heauen and the Earth the Sunne and the Moone and all things here below To shew that if we haue any comfort in any thing in this world God the Creatour is to be blessed and thanked for it 1. Thess 5. 18. Q. Is it enough to thanke God for his mercies A. Surely no but as we are thankfull for his blessings so we must be thankfull for his iudgements too and therefore we must blesse God as well for our pouerty as we doe for our plenty as well for our weakenesse as we doe for our strength as well when we lose our comforts as when we haue them Iob 1. 21. Q. What is the Reason that so few are thankefull for their troubles A. Because men are not able to looke through the present euills that are vpon them into the speciall fauour and loue of God who by this meanes compasseth and procureth their greater good And therefore men thinke it an vnreasonable thing that they should thanke God for the losse of their wealth of their peace of their libertie and the like because they see not into that good which the Lord by this meanes will bring vpon them Rom. 5. 4. Q. How may we prouoke our selues to thankefulnesse A. First if we keepe a faithfull Register of the blessings of God and engraue them as it were vpon the gates of the soule that wee may behold in one sight and in one view all the rich blessings of God that are vpon vs Psalme 103 1. 2. c. Secondly if we consider how vnworthy we are of the least of those blessings which we inioy For we are not worthy the earth should beare vs the heauens should couer vs the Sunne should shine vpon vs. And therefore it is the Lords exceeding fauour that we are blessed in any measure and regarded of him 2. Sam. 7. 18. Thirdly if we consider our preferment in many of our blessings aboue other men and how they are thankfuller for halfe our happinesse then we are for the whole Math. 13. 17. Fourthly if wee consider how the number of Gods blessings groweth daily towards vs. So that if wee had cause to thanke God yesterday we haue greater cause to thanke him to day And if we haue cause to thanke him this yeare wee shall haue greater to thanke him the next yeare the Lords mercy still more and more increasing on vs Ezek. 36. 11. Q. What is the last Point of Godlinesse A. The sanctifying of the Sabboth which is one of the chiefest duties of a Christian as being the very sinnewe and the life of all the rest For though a man be neuer so sicke and diseased yet so long as he lyes at Physicke and vseth good meanes of health there is some hope he may doe well but when he lets his disease runne and will not come vnder the Physitians hands then his case is desperate wee haue little hope that hee will euer mend Euen so though a man be neuer so sicke and diseased in his soule yet so long as he hath care to sanctifie the Sabboth to partake in the holy Prayers and the Ministry of the Church there is some hope that in time these good things may worke vpon him But if he will not come to ioyne in these exercises of the Church if he haue no care to heare to
pray to meditate and the like then his state is wofull we haue little hope of amendment Isay 38. 13. 14. Q. How must wee sanctifie the Sabboth A. First in setting our selues apart from our worldly businesses that we may with greater libertie bestow our selues in the seruice of God And therefore it is not lawfull to iourney about our worldly matters vpon the Sabboth day Exod. 16. 29. Secondly it is not lawfull to keepe Fayres or Markets on the Sabboth Nehem. 13. 13. 16. 17. Thirdly it is not lawfull to sowe or reape or to load our cart or to weed in our corne on the Sabboth Exod. 14. 21. Fourthly it is not lawfull to buy or sell bargaines vpon the Sabboth Nehem. 10. 31. Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meet withall A. First it condemneth those that take vp that day for their worldly affaires and many times cast the greatest burthen of their businesse vpon the Sabboth Secondly it condemneth those who though they rest from their labours outwardly yet notwithstanding they haue their heads and their hearts so fraught with worldly matters that indeed they doe not performe the tenth of the Sabboth Amos 8. 5. Qu. Are all workes forbidden on the Sabboth A. Not all but such onely as be lets and hinderances to the Sabboth And therefore we learne Math. 12. That three sorts of workes are lawfull on the Sabboth Qu. What are they A. First workes of necessitie as if our enemies inuade vs it is lawfull to repulse them If our house be on fire it is lawfull to quenchit If a gappe be made into our corne or pasture it is lawfull to mend it Math 12. 3. 4. Secondly workes of holinesse such as lend their helpes to the Sabboth As a man may goe forth on the Sabboth day to preach by the example of Christ Math. 12. 9. or to heare a Sermon by the example of the Noble women in the 2. Kings 4. 23. Thirdly Workes of mercie as a man may dresse his meate and pull his beast out of the pit and minister vnto a sicke body vpon the Sabboth day Math. 12. 11. 12 Q. What is the other thing wherein wee must sanctifie the Sabboth A. In practising the holy Exercises of the Sabboth And therefore they that rest from their labours and yet are not carefull to sanctifie the Sabboth in the holy duties thereof doe not indeed truely keepe a Sabboth to the Lord Exod. 3. 2. 3. Qu. What are the exercises of the Sabboth A. They are of two sorts Some are Publike and Some are Priuate Q. What are the publique Exercises of the Sabboth A. The first is hearing of the word of God with feare and reuerence Nehem. 8. 3. to the 9. Q. What gather we of this A. That they which either loyter at home or when they come either gaze or sleepe or reade when they should heare doe not indeed sanctifie a Sabboth vnto the Lord. Q. What if they haue no Preacher in the towne where they dwell A. Yet they must seeke abroad as the little bird leaueth her warme nest and flies for her food where shee can get it So must they by the famous example of the Noble woman in the 2. Kings 4. And also of the Queene of the South Math. 12. 14. Qu. What is the second Exercise of the Sabboth A. Thankes-giuing to God for his many and geeat blessings bestowed vpon vs all the weeke before together with earnest prayer for the continuance of the same all the next weeke and euer after Acts 16. 13. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That they which thinke it enough to bee at the Sermon and withdraw themselues from the Prayers of the Church doe not Sanctifie the Sabboth in all the duties of it Q. Are none else faultie in this point A. Yes euen they also which runne out before the end of the exercise turning vp the heeles to God and departing before the Lord giue them libertie to depart Ezek. 46. 10. Q. What example haue wee of this A. Mathew 26. 30. Wee reade that the Disciples of Christ went not out till the Psalme was sung onely Iudas was so hotly set vpon his businesse that wee could not tarry the Psalme Iohn 13. 30. 31. Q. What is the third Exercise of the Sabboth A. Receiuing of the Lords Supper at the appointed times and attending to Baptisme if occasion serues that thereby wee may be brought in better remembrance of the vow and promise which we haue made to God and also lend our helpes too in prayer to the little Babe then presented to the Church Act. 20. 7. Q. What are the priuate exercises of the Sabboth A. They are of two sorts 1. Such as prepare vs to the publique duties of the Sabboth 2. Such as must bee performed afterwards Q. What are the Exercises in the holy Preparation of the Sabboth A. Priuate prayer that the Lord will fit and inable vs to the sanctifying of the Sabboth so that we may reuerently attend vnto the ministry of the word and the prayers of the Church and profite thereby and that God will be the mouth of our Minister that he may speake with grace and power to the hearts of the hearers Eccles. 4. 17. Secondly Rising early and making the shorter meales that we may haue the more time to bestow in priuate prayer and bee the more cheerefull in the rest of the exercises that are behinde Psal. 119. 148. Q. What is the equitie of this Dutie A. That if wee cut short our sleepe when our owne busâ—nesse is in hand much more should wee doe for the Lords and if we cannot make a good meale when we haue a worldly matter in hand much lesse should we dwell vpon our dishes when the glory and honour of God calls vs from them Q. What learne wee by this A. That their sinne is very great who being content to rise early all the rest of the weeke yet giue themselues to sloth and sluggishnesse exceedingly vpon the Sabboth day bewraying thereby their prophane and worldly minde that they carry more good will to their owne businesse then they doe to the Lords Q. What are the priuate duties of the Sabboth after we haue beene at Church A. A ioyfull thanks-giuing to God for the gratious and good things that we haue heard blessing the Lord in our soules that it hath pleased him to poure out his whole heart vnto vs in the ministry of the Word and to reueale those things in our dayes which many yeares haue beene shut vp and sealed from the world Nehem. 8. 12. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That as Iohn saith Reuel 5. 4. That he wept much when the Booke was sealed and no man was found to open it So men should weepe to see the Booke of God lye clasped in their Churches and no man to open it and expound it to them Qu. What is the second priuate dutie of the Sabboth A. Meditation and beating ouer by our selues that which we haue heard For this
the Scriptures to our selues not reading them as strange stories that concerne vs not But to think that we shall finde him the same God to vs in our troubles prayers sinnes and repentance which Abraham and Dauid and Iob and Iacob haue found him before vs Iam. 5. 11. Fiftly if wee insist and dwell longest vpon those places which meet most with our corruptions Sixtly if wee meditate of it afterwards and lay vp that which wee vnderstand and aske of that which wee doe not Acts 8. 34. Praying to make it profitable Qu. What is the sixt Helpe A. To reade twice or thrice in a weeke as our leisure will afford those places of Scripture which concerne our particular calling to consider with what faithfulnesse we haue walked in the duties that are there commanded As he that is a seruant to peruse those Scriptures that lay downe the duty of a Seruant and he that is a Master those places that describe the duties of a Master This will bee a great aduantage to godlinesse to haue the Lord so often calling vs and ringing dutie continually in our eares Deut. 17. 18. 19. Qu. What is the seuenth Helpe A. To be alwayes meditating on good things and set the minde on worke in holy thoughts especially to consider the cursed estate of the wicked to auoide it and the happie estate of the godly and to be heartened to the like Psal. 119. 97. Q. What difference is there betweene the state of the godly and of the wicked A. Great difference while they liue but greater when they die For the godly die like lambes they make a sweet close they fall asleepe in the armes of Christ Whereas the wicked die like hogges that goe grunting and whyning to their death so they struggle for life and sticke to the world and are loth to die Numb 23. 10. Q. What is the eighth Helpe A. To make an holy vse of our Troubles to remember they are as whippes in the hand of God to scourge vs home to him Psal. 119. 67. Qu. How is this declared A. By a Similitude For if a sheepe runne from his fellows the sheepheard sets forth his dogge after him yet not meaning to weary the sheepe but to hunt him home to the flocke againe So when we wander astray away from God the great sheepeheard of our soules sets out his dogge after vs sometimes pouerty sometimes sicknesse sometimes dearth of corne to chase vs from our sinnes and to driue vs to God againe Qu. What is the ninth Helpe A. To bring our selues oft in rememberance of the vowes and couenants which we haue made with God and to call vpon our selues for the performing of them For if it be dishonest to breake with men how much more if wee shall not keepe touch with God Psal. 66. 13. 14. Q. What is the tenth Helpe A. To vse the company of the godly that we may bee the better by it Psal. 119. 63. Q. What good is gotten by it A. First Wee are thereby prouoked to bee like them As Saul a wicked man falling into the company of the Prophets and seeing how godly they spent their time was made ashamed of his owne life and began to prophesie with them 1. Sam. 19. 24. Secondly we haue our benefite in all their gifts wee are the wiser for their wisedome and their zeale kindles ours as one candle lights another Prou. 13. 20. Thirdly we are therby kept in some compasse and our corruptions nipt in the head that they dare not stirre Iosh. 24. 31. Fourthly we fare the better many times for their sakes God reuealing that to them which he would not haue done to vs 2. Kings 3. 14. Qu What is the eleuenth Helpe A. To withstand and auoyd all the lettes which may stop and hinder vs in our Christian courses be it pleasure or profite or company or friend away with euery thing that may hinder vs from Christ Math. 5. 29. Q. What is the last Helpe A. To bring this to euery dayes practise that our whole life may be nothing else but a walking with God and a continuall iourneying towards our heauenly home 1. Tim. 4. 7. Q. What is required in the daily Practise A. First a certaine Preparation to the day and then the holy spending of the day it selfe Q. Why is the Preparation needfull A. Because as a man in time of a common plague taketh somewhat in the morning next his heart to keepe out the infection So the world being mightily poysoned with sinne the Christian must lay some good thing next his heart else euery thing that he deales in will infect him Psal. 119. 148. Q. What is the first thing wherewith wee must begin the day A. Wee must seeke to awake with God to haue our mindes running on him as soone as we looke vp For wee cannot awake so soone but with Gods Blessing and Gods Mercyes be vp afore vs And therefore let God be in the beginning of our thoughts and let him haue the first place in the day Marke 1. 35. Q. What are wee then to consider of A. That wee haue slept more sweetly vnder the Lords defence then if we had had Iron walls and Brazen doores to defend vs When we were fast asleepe and could not watch our selues then the Lord watched ouer vs and he set a guard of Angels to keepe vs. And therefore seeing we haue rested with such safetie vnder Gods defence let vs thanke him for his mercy and seeke to diue vnder the wing of the Almightie and to goe shadowed with the hand of his protection all the day Psal. 17. 8. Qu. What are wee to consider else A. That we rise the seruants of God as wee went to bed and therefore that wee must spend the day in his seruice not in doing what we list but in performing those duties that hee requireth For seeing this is the cause why we were borne and why God lets vs liue here in this world that wee may serue him Wee are to thinke euery morning when we rise that God lets vs liue one day more but to haue one dayes seruice more at our hands and if he let vs liue another day it is but to haue another dayes seruice at our hands Therefore as our seruants get vp to doe our businesse so must we rise to doe the Lords 1. Cor. 15. 34. Qu. What are wee to doe then A. Then we are to take a view of our worke to cast in our heads what are the dayes wherein we must spend the day The consideration of our owne state and calling will soone lead vs to this For many times we are to thinke I am a Christian and therefore I must spend this day like a Christian I am a Father and therefore I must peforme the duties of a Father I am a Preacher or a Master or a Seruant c. Luke 14. 28. Q. What learne wee by this A. That it is not possible for
grow not like straw which cannot increase will grow from a little to greatnesse of stature and proportion in time Now there be three Motiues to moue vs to this subiection to the will of God The first is If we will not haue God to be our King wee shall be subiects and slaues in a worse Kingdome as the Lord speakes by Moses to perswade them to admit of Gods Kingdome Because thou hast not serued the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and with gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serue thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger thirst and in nakednesse and in want of all things So the Lord threatens his people with captiuity 2 Chron. 12. 8 for their sinnes saying Neuerthelesse yee shall be his seruants that yee may know my seruice and the seruice of the Kingdomes of the Countrey So that if we will not be Gods seruants we shal sure be subiects and slaues vnto a tyrannous kingdome a kingdome of many Lords of which a Father speakes Oh how many Lords haue they c. For if God be not our King then euery foule lust sinne and temptation will be our King to rule and gouerne vs at their pleasure Therefore it is best to say with holy Dauid Lord I am thy seruant c. So I would haue euery good Christian say I haue no lord to rule ouer me but Iesus Christ Come Lord and possesse me for thine owne Secondly Because of the comfortable fruits thereof Paul sayes of this Kingdome that the fruits thereof are Righteousnesse Peace Ioy in the Holy Ghost so that there is much comfort for a man to liue in this Kingdome We see that all the people of God who most or at all yeelded to Gods gouernment to set him high in their hearts they alwayes passed so much the more comfortably their time in this world And againe the more any of them withdrew themselues from this gouernment of God they became alwayes the more distressed and miserably perplexed with troubles and dangers So Dauid saith As for me it is good for mee to draw neere to God So Hosh. 2. 7. the Church is brought in thus resoluing I will goe and returne to my first husband for at that time was I better than now So must wee say when we haue gone astray It was much better with vs when we dwelt vnder the gouernment of God therefore we will returne to that good gouernment againe A Tenant you know as long as he payes his rent and doth suite and seruice to his lord all is peaceable and quiet with him nobody can molest him but if he deny to pay his Rent and doe no suite or seruice to his lord then the Bailiffes will be busie to arrest and straine his goods yea many times to ceaze on his body Euen so as long as we pay the Lords Rent acknowledge his gouernment be ready to doe suit and seruice vnto him so long we shall find all peaceable and quiet but if we faile in our duty then must trouble and mischiefe come vpon vs. Thirdly Because the Kingdome of grace is the only road-way to the Kingdome of glory No man when he is dead can come to raigne with God vnlesse God first raigne in him being aliue in this world We see no man can enter into a Citie vnlesse first he passe through the Suburbes thereof So Heauen is the great City of the Saints they all seeke and aspire to the Kingdome of grace is the Suburbes thereof by which we must passe therefore there is a necessity to be in the state of grace here ere we can hope to raigne with God in glory hereafter The next thing we pray for in this Petition is For the Kingdome of glory that God would make an end of the Conflicting dayes of sinne and hasten the Kingdome of his deare Sonne the Kingdome of glory So the Church prayes Returne my Beloued and be like a Roâ— or a young Hart vpon the Mountaines of Baether So in the Reuelation Come Lord Iesus Come quickely and Saint Paul shewes That all the Creatures doe groane for this happy day of Christs appearance So that here in the second place we pray that the Lord would abolish and darken all the Kingdomes of this world amongst whom the holy Ordinances of God appointed vnto them for peace are abused to their condemnation So in Daniel This Kingdome of Christ is compared to a tree vnder the shadow whereof the beasts of the field might rest and the birds of the ayre find shelter Therefore the Apostle sayes It is ordained of God so that though we haue no cause to murmure or grudge at the kingdomes of this world but to thanke GOD for them yet we must know euery state hath his abuses and so haue these But as a lame man in a garden though he cannot doe that worke which one that is perfectly able to walke can doe yet hee serues and is vsefull to speake direct and fray away birds keeping much annoyance from the fruit therof which otherwise might be lost So it is with worldly gouernments and states though they be not so well ordered as they might bee yet no body can deny but they fray away enemies many dangers and many rauenous birds that would else deuour vp the fruits of our labours Therefore we pray not for the Kingdome of Christ in any detestation to these earthly kingdomes but onely because we preferre the Kingdome of Christ before them We thanke God for the Kingdomes of this world but we would much more be thankefull for the Kingdome of Christ. As men that vse a Coach to bring them to a house as soone as they come there send away the Coach as hauing no more vse of it So the Kingdomes of this world be but as Coaches helpes and furtherances to transport and carry vs to a better Kingdome the Kingdome of Christ where being arriued farewell all the Kingdomes of the world The reasons why we preferre and especially pray for the Kingdome of glory are diuers First Because in these earthly Kingdomes most of vs are subiects and inferiours but in the Kingdome of glory we shall be all Kings no King in this world can be so glorious but the poorest and meanest Christian there shall be as glorious as hee as Christ speakes Matth. 19. 28. Uerely I say vnto you that yee who haue followed me in the Regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory yea also shall sit vpon twelue thrones Judging the twelue Tribes of Israel Secondly Because many grieuances and annoyances are in these earthly kingdomes euen in the best of them some Gall mingled with Honey some Aloes with the Manna some bitternesse with the sweetnesse of them Therefore as the people could say of Salomons Kingdome which was one of the best that it was but a yoake
parts of his repentance hee may fall to be a Papist againe So Pharoah did in some manner repent him of his sinne yet because hee failed in the due practise and performance of the dutie his heart being corrupted hee remained obstinate So the Lord complaines of the people in the Prophesies of Esay and Ieremie 3. 3. Thou hadst a whoores forehead thou refusedst to bee ashamed So that because of vnsound repentance a man may easily fall into the same sinnes againe Iudas saw his sinnes and confessed them but because he did not pray vnto God to forgiue them nor resolue against them he fell away Wee see in experience if a man haue a Fellon or a soare vpon his hand or a byle about him if hee doe not draw out the corruption the better but suffer it to rankle or swell againe hauing stopt it too soone it will breake out againe and put him to further trouble and paine Euen so it is in the nature of Repentance a number there be who haue not searcht their hearts to the quicke or suffered them to bleed out all the corruption And so hauing dealt partially and vnsoundly in their repentance they finde it a matter of great difficultie to haue the heart perfectly sound this is the first part of the Answer Obiect Yea But if a man haue soundly repented him of his sinnes whether is it possible for that man to fall againe Answ. To this I answer There is a Generall and there is a Particular Repentance Generall repentance is at a mans first conuersion then he repents of all his sinnes Particular repentance is when a man repents of some one particular sinne which is committed after Now a man may repent generally for all his sinnes and yet hee may easily also fall into particular sinnes againe for euery thing so workes as they say in Philosophie according to the propertie of his owne nature And so Generall repentance can but worke a generall dislike of sinne Now therefore a man may mislike sinne in generall and yet fall into particular sinnes of which he hath so generally repented Quest. 3 I but if a man doe repent him of Particular sinnes whether may hee fall into them againe or not Answ. To this I answer that if a man doe Repent truely of particular sinnes such is the grace of God that hee doth not easily fall into them againe and when he doth it is seldome or very rare and is much different from his former falls First not easily for the bitternesse and tartnesse thereof is such that it leaues such an impression behinde it as they tremble to fall into the like sin againe Wee reade Exod. 13. 17. 18. that when God lead the children of Israel out of Aegypt he did not leade them the readiest and neerest way but hee led them through the wildernesse a dangerous and fearfull way full of fierie Serpents and why â—o 〈◊〉 That they might be affraid to returne to Aegypt And euen so doth he deale by his seruants when hee brings them out of the bondage and thraldome of sinne hee leades them a tedious and painfull way by many teares by many sorrows yea the feare of Death and Hell and all this that they may be affraid to returne againe vnto Aegypt to their former lusts and sins againe By which meanes a number of Gods people and seruants haue beene preserued from their sinnes and haue repented Answ. 2 Secondly I say Though a man fall into the same sins after Repentance yet hee very seldome so falleth There be some who thinke that if one haue truly repented of a particular sinne he neuer falleth into it againe but I dare not say so For a man who repents him of the sinne of hastinesse and rash anger and particularly of scolding and rash speeches may fall againe into the same sinne that he hath repented but this I say if a man hath truly repented him of a sinne hee shall very seldome fall into it nor shall euer so often offend in that kinde As wee see in a man that hath beene sicke of an Ague and is recouered againe almost well yet hee may haue some fitts and grudgings of it though not so often or extreame as before hee had Euen so though wee haue repented wee may haue some falls and grudgings but not so often nor in those extreames as formerly Answ. 3 Thirdly though men doe fall into the same sinne againe that they haue repented of Yet they fall not so euidently towards damnation but with apparant difference from the former For first all the falls of those that haue truely repented Bee but particular falls they bee not fallings away from all the graces of God from all the loue of goodnesse from all the conscience of duty but onely from some particulars The wicked of the world when they fall into sinne doe not stay themselues in some one particular sinne but let all goe at randome and make a conscience of nothing But the people of God though they faile in some one dutie yet they liuâ— sincerely and carefully in all the rest as Reuel 2. The Churches are commended for many things though discommended in some things As Asa in Scripture 1. King 15. 14. But the high places were not taken away neuerthelesse Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes So Dauid though a sinner in some things excuseth himselfe Psal. 18. 21. For I haue kept the wayes of the Lord and haue not wickedly departed from my God Yea it is further said of Dauid that hee was a man after Gods owne heart and kept all the commandements of God sauing in the matter of Vriah so howsoeuer the godly Fall they fall not from all the duties of Religion grace and goodnesse but hold themselues to prayer and other holy duties As a man in the climbing of a ladder though his foote slip yet if hee hold surely by his hands hee will not let his hold goe so it is with the people of God though their feet slip through frailtie and weaknesse yet they hold fast by the hands and will not let goe their hold of Heauen which they haue by faith in God Againe If they fall they fall with strife and resistance there is a kinde of loathing and reluctation in their falls The motions of the spirit seeke to hinder the workes of the flesh as Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that you cannot doe those things which yee would Thus though a man doe fall after Repentance yet there is euer ioyn'd with it a certaine vnwillingnesse to fall and follow the motions of the flesh as a man that is loath to doe that which hee is drawne and forced to doe as St. Paul sayes of himselfe Rom 7. 15. For that which I doe I allow not for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that
repentance or confession will serue the turne but we must take heed that we doe not wilfully or willingly forget them in such sinnes wherein a man either in body word or goods does hurt his neighbour hauing no ill intent towards him nor afterward knowing it in this case generalitie will serue But secondly some are such sins as we doe know of and such as in which we well vnderstand and remember that wee haue wronged our neighbour Now if they bee such sins as we doe not know of as I said before or be forgotten or we doe not know to be sinnes then men are not bound to confesse them for else who could be saued for a number of sins were committed against our brethren which we forget and a number of sinnes there are which we doe not know to be sins against them as 2. Sam. 21. 3 Dauid knew not how hee had offended the Gibeonites But if they be such sinnes as one doth know these wee are bound to confesse not onely vnto God but vnto the persons wronged also As Christs counsell is Luke 17. 3. Take heed to your selues if thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him If he repent forgiue him Quest. 2 The second question is whether a man is bound vpon his repentance to make restitution of that which is taken away by vniustice Answ. To this I answer there are in this case two parties offended proportionable to which must be our practise of Repentance 1. God 2. Our neighbour And it being a rule in Iustice that the penalty must stretch as far as the fault therefore it will follow because both God and man is offended in this case that we should not only repent to God but also to men and make satisfaction for the hurt which we haue done to them For It is the Nature of Repentance to bring all things as neere as may be vnto their former estate againe Now wee know that by the sin of iniustice God is offended our neighbour is hurt wherefore by our Repentance we reconcile our selues to God and by our restitution vnto men wee make satisfaction for the hurt wee haue done them so that there must be restitution and satisfaction that wherin we haue indamaged our brother there may be addition vnto his owne For if our brother haue ought against vs God will not heare vs vntill we be reconciled to our brother by restitution and satisfaction as Christs counsell is Math. 7. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the Altar goe thy way and first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy offering Whereby we may see that God will not accept of any duty which we shall doe vntill wee bee reconciled to our brother Thus Exod. 22. 5. God commands that If a man doe hurt to a field or a vineyard hee shall recompence of the best of the field or of the best of the vineyard So NuÌ„ 5. 7. God sayes in such a case of trespasse And they shall confesse their sinne which they haue done and hee shall recompence his trespasse with the principall thereof and shall adde vnto it a fift part also and giue it vnto him against whom hee hath trespassed Obiect 1 Ob. 1. But what if a man bee not able Soll. Then doe what you can or may 2. Cor. 8. 12. Ob. 2. What if the parties be dead Soll. Then giue it to the next of kinne Numb 5. 8. Ob. 3. What if one know none of the kindred or can finde none Soll. Then giue it to the poore or by aduice of the Minister dispose thereof And thus wee see the sin of iniustice to bee a grieuous sin wherein a man is bound to restitution satisfaction and confession If a man haue spoken ill of his neighbour he must be sorry fo it and speake well of him again If seruants steale or purloyne any thing of their Masters they must make it good confesse their fault and restore it vnto them again if euer God bring them home to himselfe So if a man shall get away his neighbours goods by iniustice or by deceit or fraud or cousening of him God will not accept of such a man vntill hee haue made satisfaction the like may be said in forgerie oppression subornation false witnesses and the rest there must follow repentance and satisfaction or no forgiuenesse of sinnes See then what a great sinne this of Iniustice is and what a grieuous burden a man pulls vpon himselfe when he hath gathered together a great deale of ill gotten goods For when hee comes to die he is in hazard to be either a damned sinner or a starke begger And therefore it is a wofull case when Parents put and aduenture their children vpon any bad courses not caring how so they may inrich them There are a number of Vsurers which say they cannot liue otherwise and therefore they put their stocke to vse to raise some profite to themselues But let them know that these sins be sins of iniustice and therfore they must not onely repent for them but also they must make restitution and satisfaction If a man doe sin against God if hee confesse and repent God will forgiue him But if he doe sinne against men hee must not onely confesse to God but also vnto men and make satisfaction for the offence here also such are to bee reprooued who at their death make Wills committing their soules to God and their ill-gotten goods to their friends and children the high way to bring a curse vpon them let Parents beware of this error And so much for this third case LECT X. IIII. THE CASES OF Repentance The case of Teares IOEL 2. 12. 13. Therefore also now saith the Lord turne yee eâ—en to mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And râ—â—t your heart and not your garments c. HItherto wee haue spoken of Repentance with some cases thereof and some yet remaine to bee spoken of The last day wee handled the Case of Confession to men And now in the next place because the want of teares doth so perplexe many in this great work of Repentance The Lord as in this text and many other places of Scripture so exhorting vnto the same sutable vnto which is the Saints practise now and in all ages I haue therefore in the next place chosen to handle The Case of teares in Repentance that is whether euery man or woman who truely repents them of their sinnes must and doe necessarily shed teares for them The answer whereof by your patience I will lay downe in fiue conclusions The first Conclusion shall be this Conclusion 1 A man may weepe for sinne shed teares for it and yet not truely repent teares be not alwayes a true signe of true Repentance The reason whereof is because the very naturall man
The fruits of Affection ibid. c. Adoption with what affection we must pray 1 T. 2. p. 17. 18. Afflictionâ— how to be patient in affliction T. 1. p. 44. Almighty of Gods Almightinesse T. 1. p. 79. the vse of it 80. Amen what it signifies and containes in our Prayers T. 2. p. 141. Angels how they doe Gods will T. 1. p. 116. T. 2. p. 68 69. c. Anger whether we may be angry T. 1. p. 34. Apparell how to be sober in apparell T. 1. p. 31. Application of the application of the forgiuenesse of sinnes to a mans owne selfe T. 1. p. 104. Armour the parts of a Christians Armor T. 1. p. 72. Ascention of Christs Ascention with many circumstances therof necessarily to be known T. 1. p. 91. Assurance whether a man may be assured of his saluation T. 1. p. 76. whether we may not bee deceiued in our assurance T. 1. p. 77. Attention it ought to be in our prayers T. 2. p. 141. B. BAptisme whether children may be saued without baptisme T. 1. p. 130 131. whether it be lawfull for a priuate person to baptise or no T. 1. p. 131. the pretended necessity ibid. c. why there are two signes in the Lords Supper and but one in baptisme T. 1. p. 137. Bargaining how our loue to our neighbours is shewed in it T. 1. p. 39. 40. Beleeue what it is to beleeue in God T. 1. p. 75. vide Faith Blood the resemblances betweene Wine and blood in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 137. how the Wine is the blood of Christ T. 1. p. 138. how Christs blood was shed for many T. 1 p. 140 the benefit of it ibid. c. Bread of that Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread T. 1. p. 117. What is meant by bread ibid. c. T. 2. p. 97. many other necessary questions concerning it T. 1. p. 117 118 119 120. Of Bread in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 133. c. why we pray for bread before remission of sinnes T. 2. p 77. why we pray for bread hauing enough of it T. 2. p. 82. how much bread we may pray for T. 2. p. 84. whose bread we pray for T. 2. p. 86. two breads vnlawfull t. 2. p. 87. daily bread what it should teach vs T. 2 p. 90. Buriall of Christs burial and the circumstances thereof T. 1. p. 89 90. C. CAre of ordering our care for things of this life T. 2. p. 75. of moderating our care T. 2. p. 76. Change what change repentance makes in the inward man T. 3. p 31 32. what in the outward T. 3. p. 34 35. Children their duty towards their parents T. 1. p. 57. 58. Christ what our estate is in Christ T. 1. p. 15. how hee wrought it ibid. by what means we receiue Christ T. 1. p. 8. how hee doth saue vs from the punishment of sin T. 1 p. 82. why t was necessary that Christ should be God T. 1. p. 84. how he may be said to bee the ONELY Sonne of GOD ibid. why he is called a Lord t. 1. p. 85. how he was conceiued by the Holy Ghost ibid why t was needfull that Christ shold be Man ibid. of Christs humiliation and glorification T. 1. p. 86. c. of his being crucified T. 1. p. 87. of his death 88. of his buriall 89 of his resurrection 90 and Ascention 91. Christian the common duties of a Christian T. 1 p. 30. why we are called Christians T. 1. p 83. how Christians are both Kings Priests and Prophets ibid. Church what T. 1. p. 99. what we beleeue concerning it T. 1. p. 100. why holy ibid. c. why Catholicke ibid. the markes of it ibid. c. the Popish markes of it T. 1. p. 101. the benefits that God bestowes on his Church T. 1. p. 102. Communion of the communion of Saints T. 1. p 102 103. vide Fellowship Company that the company of the godly are a good helpe to an holy life T. 1. p. 69 Conference its end T. 1. p. 51. Confession whether in repentance man be bound to confesse his sinnes to men T. 3. p. 110. Consideration It is an helping cause to repentance T. 3. p. 45. which consideration must be of foure things ibid. c. Coueteousnesse the causes of it and remedies T. 1. p. 41. Creator why God is so called T. 1. p. 80 81. Creed why called the Apostles Creed T. 1. p. 75. its parts ibid. Crucifie of Christs being crucified T. 1. p. 87. Cup the Cup in the Sacrament whether to be administred to all or not T. 1. p. 138. D. DAy how we are to spend both Sabaâ—th and weeke dayes T. 1. p. 72 73 74. Death of Christs Death T. 1. p. 88. with many circumstances thereof p. 89 90. whether a man may pray for his owne Death T. 1. p. 114. of the death of Chirst whether any forget it T. 1. p. 136. how a man may desire his own death T. 2. p. 54. That a man may truely repent and yet shew but little signe of it at the day of death T. 3. p. 138. their causes of it T. 3. p. 140 141. the generall cause of want of comfort in death T. 3. p 145 the way to dye comfortably T. 3. p. 146 147. In this way there are two things T. 3. p. 149 150. Reasons to prepare vs for death T. 3. p. 150 151 c. Preparation for death stands in fine things T. 3. p. 152 c. there must be an holy disposition in death T. 3. p. 162. which stands in sixe things 162 163. c. Debts why sins are called debts T. 1. p. 121. T. 2. p. 99. that we are all fallen into this debt T. 2. p. 101. that we are not able to pay this debt T. 2. p. 103 Delay fiue reasons why we should not delay our repentance T. 3. p. 52 53 54 55. Deprecation what it is T. 3. p. 77. E. EArth why there are in the Lords Prayer but one Petiti on for earthly things two for heauenly T. 2. p. 94 95. End of desiring the end without vsing the meanes T. 2. p. 32. Estate what it is in our selues t. 1. p. 15. what in Christ t. 1. p. 15 Euill of all euills the euill of sin is the greatest T. 2. p. 127. what vse to make of it p. 128 129. we desire to be deliuered from three euils T. 2. p. 131 133. Examination of its necessity before we come to the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 141 142. about the Examination of our repentance T. 3. 68 69 70. the rule for it T. 3. p. 70. the heads vpon which we must examine T. 3. p. 72 c. Excesse against it T. 2. p. 84 85 F. FAlling vide relapse of falling damnably T. 3. p. 92. cautions ibid c. of the comfort which a man may haue of falling into sinne after repentance T. 3. p. 95. whether a man falling into the same sinne againe after repentance may be renued
if any thing of his shall not finde honest and trustie dealing at our hands there shall be iust cause to arrest and indict vs of the want of loue Rom. 13. 9. Qu. How must wee loue them in their goods A. First we must preserue them the best we can Secondly wee must not withhold or detaine any thing from them Thirdly wee must not take away either by force or fraud any thing that is theirs Q. What doth the first point teach vs A. That if our neighbours house or cattell or corne bee endangered euery man must lend his helping hand to preserue them safe If our neighbours house be on fire euery man runnes with his bucket to quench it So if our neighbour bee oppressed in law euery man must helpe to defend his right If by sicknesse he be cast behinde we must further him and helpe him the best we can Exod. 23. 4. 5. Q. Who be they that offend in this Dutie of loue A. First they that suffer their cattell through negligence to breake into other mens grounds and when they haue trespassed him are not willing and ready to make ull recompence for their hurts Exod. 22. 5. Secondly they who hurt or lugge their neighbours cattell excessiuely For what conscience or equitie is this that a man for halfe a penny-worth of grasse should doe his neighbours beast a shillings-worth of harme Exod 22. and the 5. 6. verse Thirdly they that turne their owne dangers vpon their neighbours necke as they that turne the ouershoote of their water vpon their neighbours land or by many meanes draw him into perill that themselues may scape Luke 6. 31. Fourthly they that can giue euidence in a matter and yet by their silence suffer their neighbour to bee defeated of his right Leuit. 5. 1. Fiftly they that will runne to law for euery iniury and for euery wrong For though a man haue done vs some harme yet that is no reason why we should waste him in the law and turne him out of all he hath But wee must seeke as neere as may bee that his punishment may be answerable and equall to his offence 1. Cor. 6. 7. Q. What is the second thing whereby we must shew loue to our Neighbours goods A. Wee must not with-hold or keepe backe any thing that is his but restore with conscience and care whatsoeuer in any right or equity belongs vnto him Prou. 3. 27. Q. Who be they that offend in this A. First they that keepe backe the labourers hyre not onely they that defeate him of his wages but euen they also that keepe it in their hands when it should doe them good Deut. 24. 15. Secondly they that are not carefull to discharge their owne debts Psal. 37. 21. Thirdly they that finde any thing that was lost and are not carefull to restore it For as a Master layes certaine loose money vp and downe his house to try whether his seruants will steale it So when wee light vpon any thing that was lost let vs remember the Lord makes tryall of our honesty whether we will possesse with an euill Conscience one penny-worth of our neighbours goods or no Deut. 21. 3. Fourthly they that haue hired or borrowed or taken any thing to keepe and are not carefull as much as in them lyes to restore it as good as it came Exod. 22. 14. Q What is the third thing whereby wee must shew loue to our Neighbours goods A. Wee must not get away by force or fraud any thing that is his wee must suffer him to rest in a peaceable possession of those things which the Lord in mercy for the comfort of his life hath cast vpon him 1. Thess. 4. 6. Q. What learne wee by this A. That in bargaining we must alwayes give him a penny-worth of ware for his penny Couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine must not rate our Commoditie and set price vpon our Wares but we must looke as neere as may be that the goodnesse of the Commoditie we sell euen in truth and good conscience bee quall to that money the Buyer payes for it Leuit. 25. 14. 15. 16. Q. Who be they that are condemned hereby A. First it condemneth all vttering of deceitfull and naughty wares Amos 8. 6. 7. Secondly it condemneth those that ouersell their Commodities and labour to driue the price as high as possibly they can Amos 8. 4. 5. Thirdly it condemneth those that vse false Measures and false weights or if they be true yet they can so cunningly conuey the matter and helpe it with a sleight that the Buyer is sure to come short of his due Deut. 25. 15. to the 16. Fourthly it condemneth those that lye in the winde to prey vpon a man that must needs sell his Commodities for ready money to get them for halfe the worth For what is it to oppresse our brethren in bargaining if this bee not to oppresse them Q. What other Dutie are wee charged with A. We must not take Interest or Vsurie of our Neighbours for all vsurie is biting vsurie howsoeuer some can licke themselues whole againe yet the greatest part carry the print of the Vsurers teeth to their dying day Exod. 22. 25. Qu What is Usurie A. Vsurie is a certaine gaine exacted by Couenant aboue the Principall onely in lieu and recompence of the lending of it and it is cleerely condemned by the Lord Deut. 23. 19. Q Doth not the Princes law allow Usurie 10. pounds in the 100. pounds A. The Princes Law restraineth Vsury but allowes it not The Prince had rather men would lend freely to their brethren but if they will not for the hardnesse of mens hearts he permits 8. in the 100. lest they should take 20. in the 100. Q Why is not Usury condemned in the New Testament A. Because it is sufficiently condemned in the Old For the Morall law alwayes standeth in strength and is neuer repealed And therefore Vsury being a branch of the morall Law in as much as it concernes loue and good dealing too with our neighbour is as strictly forbidden in the New Testament as it was in the Old Math. 5. 17. Q. What is the last dutie we learne from hence A. Wee must not filch or pilfer the least pinne or point from our Neighbour for it is not the value but the dishonest manner of comming by a thing that makes it theft Ephes. 4. 28 Qu. What is the roote of all hard dealing with our brethren A. Couetousnesse and greedy desire of gaine for why doe men racke the prises of their Wares Why doe they scant their measures Why doe they sell they care not what Why are they Vsurers oppressours pilferers and the like But because their hearts runne after couetousnesse and they are mightily ouertaken with greedinesse of gaine 1. Tim. 6. 10. Q What are the causes of Couetousnesse A. There are two causes of it First discontentment with our present state not resting in it as in our portion with great
thankfulnesse of heart to God for it For when we are once falne into loue with a better state and grow discontented with the present blessings of God that are vpon vs then we fall to scraping and fetching in we care not how 1. Tim 6 9. Secondly Infidelitie and distrust in God mistrusting the Lords care that hee will leaue vs in the dust and not prouide sufficiently for vs wee thinke to make shift for our selues and to be furnished for a rainie day though the Lord should leaue vs. Heb. 13. 5. Qu. What are the remedies of it A. The remedies are two First to rest contented with our present estate as in the portion which the Lord in wisedome knowes to be fitrest for vs Phil. 4. 11. Secondly to haue hearts strongly perswaded that the Lord will not leaue vs nor forsake vs in our need but gratiously will supply vs with the riches of his power whatsoeuer is wanting in vs 1. Pet. 5. 7. Qu. What is the last thing wherein we must loue our brethren A. Wee must loue them in their names taking care for their credite and estimation that we bring not any blot or blemish vpon them but by loue maintaine and vphold their good report Tit. 3. 2. Qu. What is the first dutie wee are charged with in this behalfe A. Whensoeuer occasion serues we must be willing to make report of those graces and good things that be in them and to bestow their iust and deserued commendations on them We must not be giuen to smother and conceale our brethrens praise to bury and rake vp their commendations in the dust but be forward in remembring those things whereby credite and estimation may grow vnto them 3. Iohn 12. verse Q. What is the second duty required of vs A. If we heare them falsly charged with any crime we must stand out in their defence being content to hazard and aduenture some part of our owne credite and welfare for them 1. Sam. 20. 32. Q. What is the third dutie required of vs A. Wee must not raise vp any slander or lying tale against them It is a foule sinne to gadde vp and downe from house to house whispering in this bodyes eare and that bodyes eare this tale and that tale to the discrediting of our brethren Leu. 19. 17. Q. What is the fourth dutie required of vs A. Wee must not open our eares to giue entertainment to them that carry tales For the law of God not onely condemneth those that first set them on foote but euen those also that by approuing them and lending an eare vnto them doe as it were vnderproppe and vphold the same And therefore it shall be no excuse to say that we were not the authours and first bâ—oachers of them But if we be hastie to harken to flying tales or giue countenance to euery busie body that will fill our eares there shall be iust cause to condemne vs in this behalfe Exod. 23. 1. Prou. 25. 23. Q What is the fift Dutie required of vs A. Wee must not blaze abroad the infirmities and offences of our brethren if by any priuate dealing they may bee reformed Prou. 11. 13. Q. What is the last Duty required of vs A. Wee must not amplifie and aggrauate mens faults though they be bad yet we must not make them worse then they bee For this shall euen make our enemies say wee loue them when they see we doe not racke and tenter their faults but speake so sparingly and so tenderly of them as possibly wee can Acts 16. 22. Q. What is the dutie wee owe to God A. That wee liue godly and holily in this present world So that it is not enough to discharge our duties towards men vnlesse also wee walke carefully in those duties that concerne the Lord 1. Tim. 4. 7. Q. What is the first Point of godlinesse A. We must labour to shew in our life that we loue the Lord That we haue him in high account and in high regard that wee reckon more of him then we doe of all the world besides Deut. 10. 12. Q. How may wee shew that wee loue the Lord A. If wee be more carefull to please the Lord and to keepe his fauour then wee be to please all the Princes and powers in the world besides Iohn 14. 15. Secondly if we loue the children of God for louing the wisedome the righteousnesse and the holinesse which is in God wee cannot but loue euen the least sparke of these excellent things in whomsoeuer we finde them 1. Iohn 5. 1. Thirdly if wee be zealously affected for the glorie of God so that wee be ready to stand out in the Lords defence and to oppose our selues against euery prophane head that lifts vp it selfe against him Iohn 2. 17. Fourthly if wee reioyce and take sensible comfort in the fauour of God and contrariwise grieue and mourne whensoeuer wee finde him displeased with vs Psal. 4. 6. 7. Q. What is the second Point of godlinesse A. Wee must shew that wee trust in God that we are strongly perswaded in our hearts that seeing God hath taken vpon himselfe the care and prouision for vs Therefore it shall goe well with vs and he will store vs and prouide vs of euery thing that is needfull for the comfort of our life 1. Pet. 5. 7. Q. How shall wee shew that wee trust in God A. If wee be ioyfull and comfortable in our wants not cleane out of heart and at our wits end as the wicked are Math. 8. 25. 16. Secondly if we fall not to vnlawfull shifts winding our selues out of danger we care not how 1. Sam. 27. 1. Q. What is the third point of godlinesse A. Wee must humble our selues vnder the mighty hand of God bearing patiently and contentedly those crosses and troubles that he brings vpon vs 1. Pet 5. 6. Q. How may wee strengthen our selues to bee patient in troubles A. First to consider that it is our owne sinne that hath pulled these iudgements on vs Micah 7. 9. Secondly to consider that it is the Lord that afflicteth vs who hauing absolute power ouer vs may dispose of vs either by pouertie or plentie by sicknesse or health by life or death as best pleaseth him 1. Sam. 3. 18. Thirdly to consider that they shall turne to their greatest comfort in the end So that God may seeme to afflict his children onely to sweeten and relish their prosperitie 2. Sam. 16. 12. Fourthly to consider that though the Lord haue depriued vs of one blessing yet he hath left vs many others to reioyce in Euen as if a man hauing forfeited an hundred pounds and the Creditour should take but 100. shillings of him So when we by sinne haue forfeited all our blessings and all the comforts of our life yet the Lord straineth but some one part and portion of them Lamen 3. 22. Fiftly to consider that impatiencie doth but increase our crosse like one in Irons that strugling and striuing to
humblenesse and feare Leu. 19. 3. Q. What if the Parent be a meaner man A. Yet the childe must performe him that reuerence and honour that is his due Though a King should not bee the wisest nor the grauest nor the learnedst man in the kingdome yet because the Lord hath stated him in his royall Throne therefore they that are grauer and wiser and learneder then he must bow before him So though the Parents in many things come short of their children yet in that they are their Parents they haue their honour and their excellencie aboue them Gen. 48. 12. Qu. What learne we from hence A. That Parents must keepe the dignitie of their place and looke for due reuerence at their childrens hands as Iacob though but a sheepheard yet was well content that Ioseph his sonne should bow before him Q In what else must wee honour our Parents A. In being obedient to them and performing their wills both when they be aliue and when they be dead so farre forth as lawfully we may especially in the waightie matter of Marriage which may not be dealt in without their consent Prou. 23. 22. Q. Who are they that are condemned hereby A. Such as make light of their Parents doing all vpon braine neuer caring for their counsell or consent Prou. 30. 17. Q. What is the best thing wherein wee must honour our Parents A. In maintaining and relieuing them in comfortable sort according to our abilitie when they be in need 1. Tim. 5. 8. Q. What is the reason hereof A. Wee haue receiued much more at our Parents hands and they did but trust vs with their wealth till themselues were old and therefore we cannot in any equity but render and repay them their owne when they be in need 1. Tim. 5. 4. Qu. Are these duties to be performed to our own Parents only A. They belong also to our Parents in law Christ was obedient to his stepfather Ioseph Luk. 2 5. And Micah notes it as one of the sinnes of the People ca. 7. 6. That the daughter in law set vp her selfe against her Mother in law a sinne too common in these wofull dayes Q What is the Masters duty to their seruants A. They must teach them religion and the feare of God that their seruants may continue the Lords worship when our selues are in the graue For why is the Centurion said to feare the Lord with all his house Acts 10. 2. but to teach vs that it is not enough to be godly our selues or to haue one good Seruant like a Ioseph in the house but it must be our care that all within our gates and vnder our power and authoritie may feare the Lord Gen. 18. 19. Q. How may masters be stirred vp to some care of this duty A. If they consider That their owne good and their owne welfare is procured thereby for many a master is blessed for his godly seruant as Potipher was for Ioseph and he fares euery day in the weeke the better for him But where bad seruants be there falls the curse of God for the seruants sake Gen. 39. 5. Q. But what if the Master teach and the Seruants will not learne A. If the Master do his faithfull endeauour his conscience is discharged Man can but persuade it is God onely that must change the heart Noah preached to his owne familie as well as to the old world 120 yeares and yet when the godly man entred into the Arke hee had not one godly seruant after all his paines that would enter with him So Lot was a iust a righteous man and that had care of his house yet when he was called out of Sodom he had not one seruant in all his house that would go out of Sodom with him Q What is their second dutie to their seruants A. Tâ—…y must cause them to liue peaceably and honestly towards mâ—â— not bearing them out in their wrongs but brideling and remaining them the best they can 1. Sam. 22. 2. with 1. Sam. 25. 7. Q. What gather we of this A. That as Dauids seruants were the better for his seruice so we should seeke to make our seruants not the worse but the better for our houses For what a fearefull saying will it be at the iudgment day In such a mans seruice I tooke my bane I may curse the houre that euer I came into his house there were my righteousnesse wounded and all my graces taken from me Q. What is their third dutie to their seruants A. They must not ouer-labour their seruants laying more vpon them than their strength will beare A man would be loath to ouer-worke his beast how much more his seruant in whose face hee may see the image of God shining as well as in his owne Iob 31. 13. Q. What is their fourth dutie A. They must pay them truly for their pains for the labourer is worthie of his hire 1. Tim. 5. 10. Q. What gather we of this A. That their sinne is great who send away their seruants emptie after all their toyle Laban is the patterne that such men may be painted by they can well be content that their seruants should labour and toyle and spend out their hearts and strength in their seruice but care not though they go away without one halâ—epenie for their paines Deut. 11. 13. 14. Q What is their fift dutie A. They must chasten them with discretion and moderation for their faults for the Lord would not haue the seruants life by any hard dealing of ours to be made wearisome and bitter to them We read of furious Saul That his spirit was mastring at any little word and of Nabal so fierce that a man could not speake to him To the like reproch of those that will heare nothing when they be in heat but let euery thing flie that first comes to their hands Leu. 25. 49. How many blessings did Laban lose onely by entreating a good seruant ill This makes our Seruants euen the Iewels of our house wearie of our seruice Q. How may they keepe a moderation in their punishments A. If they looke that the cause be iust Secondly That the punishment be equall as may be to the offence keeping vnder it rather then any whit aboue it Deut. 25. 2. 3. Q. What is their sixt Dutie to them A. They must winke at many slippes and passe by many faults through loue For if the Master should take the forfeit of euery offence he shall neuer liue in any peace but vexe himselfe more then his seruants that offend him Eccles. 7. 23. Q. What reason is there to moue vs to this A. As they are seruants vnder vs so we are seruants to a greater Lord. Wherefore if wee would not haue God take vs at aduantage for euery sinne wee must not take our seruants short for euery fault Ephes. 6. 9. Q. What is their last Duty to their seruants A. They must esteeme best of their best seruants accounting of euery one
those simple soules to liue well which know not what are the particular duties which their owne place and calling require at their hands For how can they spend the day Christian-like that know not what Christianitie meanes And how can they liue like Fathers that know not what belongs to the duty of a father And therefore euery one that will liue well must haue at his fingers ends the draft of duties mentioned before Ephes. 4. 18. Qu. And may wee then safely enter vpon the day A. No in no wise till our spirituall furniture be on and we haue taken vnto vs the whole armour of God without the which wee enter into the world like a naked man into the field And therefore when our cloathes goe on then let vs remember to put on our vertues to Eph. 6. 13. Q. What are the parts of this Armour A. The Parts are 6. First Sinceritie and a faithfull and a true heart to God that we make not shew of more then wee haue but seeke that our inward care zeale loue of God may be answerable to that which we outwardly professe Secondly Righteousnesse and an vpright and honest minde to our brethren that whatsoeuer of theirs shall come into our hands shall passe in peace and safetie as good as it came Thirdly Preparation for afflictions to be readie to lay down our liues and all we haue at the feet of Christ and to vndergoe patiently those troubles which the euill of these euill dayes shall cast vpon vs. Fourthly Faith to perswade our selues that God is at peace with vs in Christ and therefore that he will blesse vs and bee with vs in all our paines Fiftly Knowledge of Gods will to direct vs what wee haue to doe and to beate backe the sundrie temptations that shall seâ— vpon vs. Sixtly Prayer in the spirit and feruent and earnest prayer vnto God that he will be with vs and leade vs throughout the day and enable vs by his power to discharge in some measure the duties that are layd vpon vs. Q. Yea but poore men will say they haue no time no pray A. They might rather say they haue no will to pray For they that can finde alwaies time to eate in their greatest businesse would sure finde a time to pray if they minded God as they minde their meate Againe when they haue most businesse it is but rising a quarter of an houre sooner Little doe they care for Gods blessing that will not take so little paines to haue it Q. How is the Christian to spend the day A. If the day bee a Sabboth day wee must set our selues wholly apart for the Lord we must not let any worldly businesse take vs up but resort diligently to the Ministry of the word Isay 58. 13. Q. What are wee to doe as we come A. Wee are to thinke with our selues whether wee are going we are going into Gods presence into the presence of that Maiestie that is greater then all the Kings and Princes of the world and therefore with what feare and reuerence should we come into his sight at whose feet all the Kings in the world must cast downe their Crownes and the Angels stand with couered faces as not being able to behold the excellent glorie that shineth in him Eccles. 4. 17. Q. What are we to doe when we are come A. Then we must attend with care and conscience to the Ministry of the word of God remembring that though the voyce be the voyce of a man yet the word is the word of God and therefore we may not let it fall to the ground but set open all the doores of our hearts that it may haue free accesse and entrance to worke vpon vs 1. Thess. 2. 13. Q. What are we to doe after A. Wee are to lift vp our hearts with great thankfulnesse to God for the good things that we haue heard and then wee are to examine our selues what we haue profited what wee know now which we knew not before what vertue is strengthened what vice is weakened in vs and when we goe home then we must remember that we talke as the two Disciples did of Iesus Christ. We must not runne out into the world and speech of worldly matters so soone as we be come out of the Church but then meditate with our selues or conferre with others of that which we haue heard Acts 8. 39. Q. What are we to doe when we are come home A. To call our Children and our seruants to account to see what profite they haue made of the day and to spend the rest of the day in reading and in praying in comforting the sicke This is to sanctifie a Sabboth to the Lord. Q. What if the day be a working day how are we to spend it then A. If the day be a working day then after prayer is performed we are to set vpon the dutyes of our Calling cheerefully and to walke in them with such faithfulnesse and trust that wee may approue of our care and good conscience not onely to men but to the Lord himselfe Q. What is the second thing A. Wee must looke that our godly care in the meane while be not layd asleep but euen in the middest of our businesse lift vp our mindes to God and craue his blessing vpon euery thing that we take in hand and many times in the day thanke him for his goodnesse reioycing in him as in the greatest portion and treasure that we haue Prou. 3. 6. Qu. What is the third thing A. Our next care must be that we vse well our lawfull liberties which God hath giuen vs for the comfort of our life that we exceed not in our apparell going beyond our abilitie or those bounds which modestie hath set vs Then that we exceed not in our meates and drinkes feeding either too daintily or too cormorantly on those meane dishes which wee haue Thirdly that we exceed not in our mirth either in immoderate lightnesse or babishly reioycing in things which we ought not And lastly that we spend no more time idle then may serue to refresh vs. Q. What is the fourth thing A. Care must be had that we hurt not our brethren in their bodyes goods or names or any thing belonging to them but that we be helpefull and comfortable to them all the wayes wee may That we commend their estate by earnest prayer vnto God that we labour for the recouering of them in their falls that we stirre them vp as we are able to good things that wee oppresse them not deceiue them not c. Q. What is the last thing A. For the better performing of all these duties we are to vse the meanes that God hath giuen vs as daily prayer reading of the Scriptures trying of our estate c. And though wee cannot vse all these euery day yet to vse so many of them as conueniently we may and to adde the rest as our leisure and opportunitie will afford This
Q. How doth hee saue vs from sinne A. By deliuering vs from the guiltinesse of sinne 1. Iohn 17. And secondly by freeing vs from the power of sinne that it raigne not in vs Ioh. 8. 24. Q. How doth Christ saue vs from the punishment of sinne A. First by deliuering vs from the wrath of God that was kindled against vs 1. Thess. 1. 10. Secondly by deliuering vs from the clamours and cryes of our owne guiltie conscience which continually accuseth vs Rom. 5. 1. Thirdly by deliuering vs from the paines of Hell Rom. 8. 1. Fourthly by deliuering vs from the power of the Deuill who before ruled vs as a Lord Heb. 2. 14. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Iesus A. The meaning is that I beleeue there is a life and Saluation in Iesus Christ for all that come vnto him And that as he is Iesus so I shall finde him a Iesus that is a Sauiour to saue me from sinne and all the punishments due to it So that though I be a sinner yet through the Spirit of Christ working in me I shall sinne euery day lesse then other and through the Lords mercy I shall not come into condemnation for any of those sinnes which through frailty and weakenesse I commit Q. What is the second title of our Sauiour A. Hee is called Christ who was annoynted and it is the same that Messias is in Hebrew Ioh. 4. 25. Q. How was Christ annoynted A. Not with bodily oyle as the Kings and Priests and Prophets were in the old Law but with the holy Ghost the Spirit of God without measure being poured on him Acts 10. 38. Q. Whereunto was Christ annoynted with the holy Ghost A. To bee the King the Priest and Prophet to his Church Q. Why is Christ said to bee the King of the Church A. Because it is gouerned by the Law of Christ and secondly because it is defended by his power against the rage of the deuill of sinne and of all the enemies that oppose it Luk. 1. 32. 33. Q. Why is Christ said to be the Priest of the Church A. First because hee hath made an attonement for it offring vp his owne Body vpon the Altar of the Crosse. And secondly because he maketh intercession in Heauen continually intreating God for the peace and safetie of it Heb. 24. 25. Q. Why is Christ said to be the Prophet of the Church A. Because hee hath reuealed the royall will of God vnto his people sometimes by his owne mouth and sometime by the ministry of the Prophets and the Apostles fitted and enabled by his Spirit thereunto Acts 3. 22. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Christ A. The meaning is I beleeue that our Sauiour Christ is the true Messias the Lords annoynted hee that was ordained of God to bee the King Priest and Prophet of our Church the King to rule it the Priest to purge it and the Prophet to teach it Q. Why are wee called Christians A. Wee are called Christians of Christ because all true Christians are members of Christ and in some measure partakers of his annoynting so that wee are Kings and Priests and Prophets too Acts 11. 26. Q. How are all true Christians Kings A. They are Kings ouer their owne hearts to command them of God and ouer their owne corrupt affections to subdue them and keepe them vnder that they raigne not in them Rom. 1. 6. Secondly because all the comforts of this life and the life to come belong vnto them Qu. How are they Priests A. They are Priests to offer vp their owne bodyes and soules by holy seruice vnto God And secondly to intreate God for themselues and their brethren 1. Pet. 2. 5. Q. How are they Prophets A. They are prophets both to stand out vnto the death for the maintainance of the truth and also to teach that which they know to others that knew it not Acts 2. 17. Qu. What thinke you of those who doe not so A. Howsoeuer they carry the name of Christians yet indeed they be none but meere hypocrites and dissemblers whatsoeuer they pretend Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Person of Christ A. Wee are to beleeue two things 1. That hee is very God 2. That hee is very man Q. How doth the Creed shew him to be God A. First because he is the Sonne of God For as hee that is the Sonne of naturall man must needs be a man So he that is the naturall Sonne of God must needs be God And therefore he is called the mighty God Isay 9. 6. the blessed God Rom. 9. 6. and the true God 1. Ioh. 5. 20. Q. Why was it needfull that Christ should be God A. Hee that must redeeme vs must beare the infinite wrath of God But no creature in Heauen or Earth was able to beare the infinite wrath of God and to rise vnder it And therefore none but God was able to redeeme vs Iob 9. 13. Qu. What is the second Reason A. That the death of Christ might be of infinite value and of infinite price to redeeme vs. For it was more that God was scourged that God was nayled to the Crosse that God was killed for vs then if all the Angels and men in the world had suffered Act. 20. 28. Qu. What gather wee of this that Christ is God A. That if Adam being but a man was able to condemne vs much more Christ being God is able to saue vs Rom. 5. 17. Qu. How is Christ said to be the onely Sonne of God seeing all the faithfull are so also A. Christ is the onely Sonne of God by Nature and wee are the sonnes of God by Adoption and Grace Christ is the Sonne of God because he was borne of God And we be the sonnes of God because it pleaseth God in fauour to accept vs for his sonnes Psal. 8 15. Qu. What is the second Title whereby it is shewed that Christ is God A. In that hee is called our Lord. For God is our onely Lord Deut. 8. 14. and therefore seeing he must bee acknowledged to be our Lord he must also bee acknowledged to bee our God Ioh. 20. 28. Q. Why is Christ called our Lord A. Because the godly ones are ruled by him the wicked euer labouring to shake off their yoake Luk. 19. 14. Secondly because he ruleth for our good wee hauing the whole fruite and benefite of his gouernment in the world Deut. 33. 26. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord A. I beleeue that he was but a bare man but the Sonne of God that came to redeeme the world euen he that ruleth with all power both in Heauen and in Earth and therefore is most mighty to saue all those who by true faith flie vnto him Qu. Why was it needfull that Christ should bee man A. Because he could not suffer in his diuine Nature First and therefore
God is the installing of him in his Kingdome and in his Throne the aduancing and lifting of him vp to bee the head of the Church and that person by whom God will rule all things both in Heauen and in Earth Phil. 2. 9. Q. What learne we of this A. That Christ is now exalted in his kingdome and in his Priesthood So that now he administreth both his kingly his Priestly office with greater might and Maiestie then euer hee did before Q. What fruit haue wee by the lifting vp of Christ in his Priesthood A. Wee know thereby that Christs Intercession shall bee more profitable for vs. For if Christs prayer on Earth was alwayes heard wee may well thinke that being Sutour for vs in so great Maiestie and glory hee shall not bee denied Rom. 8. 34. Q. What fruit haue we by the lifting vp of Christ in his kingdome A. First wee know that now he is more able to blesse the Church and euery member of it And therefore if hee then healed the sicke fed his followers with small prousion made the ministry of the Word effectuall much more is hee able to doe it now 2. Cor. 9 8. Secondly wee know that Christ is more able to defend the Church and subdue all the enemies of it and stampe them vnder foote And therefore if hee then cast out deuill he is now much more able to cast out sinne and if then hee were able with one word to calme the Sea hee is now much more able to scatter all our troubles and to disperse them Rom. 26. 20. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who doubt of Gods fauour or feare they shall not be able to liue this hard yeare or thinke they shall neuer get Religion or ouercome the lets howsoeuer they say they beleeue yet doe not indeed beleeue that Christ sits at the Right hand of God that is that hee more mightily administreth his Kingdome and Priesthood now then euer hee did before Q. What is the last degree of Christs Exaltation A. From thence hee shall come to iudge quick and dead Q. What is the meaning hereof A. That Christ in the end of the world when the sinnes of men be ripe shall descend in a Cloude and sit downe vpon his throne and all both great and small shall stand before him and the Bookes shall bee opened and they shall bee iudged according to the things that they haue done be they good or bee they euill Qu. What note wee hence A. 1. That there shall be a Iudgement 2. The generalitie of the Iudgement 3. The Person of the Iudge 4. The Time of it Qu. How know wee that there shall be a Iudgement A. First by the Scriptures Secondly by the light of Reason Q. What Scriptures proue it A. Iude 14. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 10. Act. 17. 31. Q. What is the Reason A. We know that God is a iust and righteous God and therefore hee cannot but make the state of the godly better then the state of the wicked But in this world it is not so For godly Lazarus lyes pyning at the doore while the wicked Glutton sits surfetting at the Board And therefore there must bee a Iudgement that the godly may bee blessed and the wicked punished Q. What fruit haue we by this A. Wee know that Christs comming is for the further glorifying of his Church and the punishing of the enemies of it And therefore howsoeuer we are here pressed and afflicted for a while and crowned with contempt as our Master was with thornes yet a day will come when all our infirmities and miseries shall haue an end and the faces of our enemies shall be filled with shame 2. Thess. 1. 6. 7. 8. Q. What are wee taught concerning the generality of the Iudgement A. That all shall be iudged both quicke and dead Q. Who are meant thereby A. By the quicke are meant they whom Christ shall finde aliue at his comming And by the dead they are meant that shall bee dead before So that all shall be iudged Rom. 14. 10. Q. What gather wee of this A. That a day will come when euery one of vs shall giue an account to God for his whole life for euery oath that he hath sworne for euery lie that he hath told for euery penny that he hath deceiued for euery Sabboth that he hath prophaned And therefore that wee must be carefull to flie these sinnes and the like as wee will answer to God for the contrarie at the Iudgement seate Q. Who shall be the Iudge A. Christ in his humane Nature Iohn 5. 22. 27. Q. What learne wee by this A. That Christs comming shall be comfortable to the godly and fearefull to the wicked Comfortable to the godly because he shall be their Iudge who is their Sauiour Luke 21. 28. Fearefull to the wicked because he shall be their Iudge whose blood they haue despised whose Ministers they haue disgraced whose name they haue blasphemed whose Sacraments they haue contemned whose Sabboths they haue prophaned Reu. 6. 15. 16. Q. When shall the Iudgement bee A. In the end of the world what yeare or what day or what houre knoweth no man no not the Angels but God alone Math. 24. 36. Q. Why would the Lord haue it secret A. That men might be alwayes vpon their watch and preparing for it For the count day will come suddenly and therfore we must euer keepe our reckonings streight lest it come like a thiefe in the night to steale away all our peace and prosperitie and pleasures for euer Mark 30. 35. Q. What is the third Person in whom wee must beleeue A. The Person of the Holy Ghost Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Holy Ghost A. Two things First that he is the effentiall Power of the Father and of the Sonne the same God in nature but distinct in Person That hee proceedeth from the Father the Scripture is plaine Iohn 15. 26. That hee proceedeth from the Sonne is as plaine Gal. 4. 6. That he is a distinct person from them both is cleare Iohn 14. 16. Secondly that he is the Sanctifier of Gods elect and therefore hee is called the Holy Ghost not onely because he is holy in himselfe but also because he makes vs holy sanctifying both our bodyes and our soules vnto God Q. What learne wee by this A. That by nature wee are more barren then the barrenest ground in the world hauing no sparke of grace or goodnesse in vs And therefore if there be any loue of vertue any hatred of sinne we may well know it is not of our selues but the Spirit of God which wrought it in our hearts Phil. 2. 13. Qu. What doth the Spirit of God worke in vs A. First knowledge of the will of God For whereas by nature a man hath no more true Religion then a very beast The Spirit of God opening and enlightening the eyes of his minde makes him able to conceiue the secret things
Q. What doe wee here pray for A. That God would make an end of this wicked world and hasten to Iudgement to the vtter confounding of the wicked and the more full and perfect Saluation of those that belong vnto him Qu. Why are wee to pray for the day of Iudgement A. Chiefely for this end that the name of God may be no more dishonoured in the world but the kingdome of sinne and Sathan may haue an end Q. Doe all wish for the day of Iudgement A. No many had rather it would neuer come For O! if God should come to Iudgement what should become of a number in the world they should cry to the hills couer vs and to the mountaines fall vpon vs. And therefore though they say Thy kingdome come yet they would be glad in their hearts that Gods kingdome might neuer come Q. What is the second thing wee pray for A. Secondly wee pray for the day of our owne death for no other end but that wee may make an end of sinning and displeasing of God For seeing how prone wee are to euill and how the number of our sinnes increaseth euery day like old trees that gather mosse This must make vs weary of the world and so to sigh and groane in our selues desiring to bee dissolued and to be with Christ. Q. May a man then pray for his owne death A. A man may not pray for it of impatience as a number doe who bee running out of the world so soone as they feele the crosse But onely in the desire to be disburdened of the body of sinne and to serue God in the holy heauens with greater freedome and libertie of spirit then here they can doe Q. What are the Euills that wee pray against A. First wee pray that whereas wee haue kept open house for sinne and Satan these many yeares they may no longer ouercome vs and preuaile against vs. Secondly wee pray against all the letts and hinderances of Gods kingdome both at home and abroad as the Turkes and the Pope Thirdly wee pray against the loue of this world that wee may not dote vpon it desiring to prolong our dayes in it but that wee may be alwayes ready to depart in peace and to haste hence to our heauenly home Q. What doe wee pray for in the third Petition A. That wee may doe Gods will in Earth readily and willingly as the Angels doe in Heauen Q. How doth this Petition depend vpon the other A. Before wee prayed that God would rule vs and now wee pray that God would giue vs sort and plyable hearts that wee may yeeld our selues to be ruled by him Q. What is the will of God A. The will of God is that which is reuealed in his Word and may bee considered in three things First it is Gods will wee should leaue our sinnes before they leaue vs. Secondly it is Gods will wee should lead a Christian and a godly life 1. Thess. 4. 3. Thirdly it is Gods will wee should beare quietly and contentedly whatsoeuer it shall please him in his wisedome to lay vpon vs. So that wee pray that Gods will may be done A nobis both of vs De nobis nostris and of vs and ours Qu. What are the good things wee pray for A. Wee pray that wee may leaue our sinnes that wee may leaue our swearing because it is Gods will wee should not sweare our coueting because it is Gods will wee should not couet Qu. What is the second thing A. Wee pray that wee may liue righteously and holily in the world that wee may loue our brethren because it is Gods will wee should loue them that wee may make conscience of all our wayes because it is Gods will wee should make conscience of them Q. What gather wee of this A. That they which pray that they may doe Gods will and yet haue no care to doe it They that pray against sinne and yet hugge it and keepe it warme in their bosomes doe but mocke God in their prayers Q. What is the third thing wee pray for A. That wee may humble our selues with patience and contentment to those seuerall troubles and tryalls which the Lord shall bring vpon vs. Q. What learne we by this A. That their sinne is great who pray euery day that Gods will may be done on them And yet when it is done fret and fume and rage against it and had rather a great deale their owne wills were done then the Lords Q. How must wee doe the will of God A. As the blessed Saints and Angells in Heauen doe it though not in the same measure yet in the same manner Q. How doe the Angells doe it A. First they doe it willingly and chearefully and therefore they are described to bee winged to shew that they flie about it Secondly they doe it faithfully and not by halfes Thirdly they doe it constantly as well at one time as at another Qu. What then doe wee pray for in this later part of the Petition A. First wee pray that wee may cheerefully obey God like Christ that said it was meate and drinke to him to doe his Fathers will Secondly Wee pray that wee may not doe Gods will by halfes but faithfully obey God in euery dutie required of vs. Thirdly wee pray that wee may be constant in this course not to serue God by moodes and fits but at all times and in all companies as well in one state as in another Q. Wee cannot possibly doe the will of God so perfectly as the Angels doe it A. Indeed we cannot so long as wee dwell in these weake houses of clay Yet wee must still aspire to a better life desiring in a greater measure to serue God Q. What gather wee of this A. A cleere difference between the godly and the wicked For the wicked euer thinke they haue religion and good liues enough though they haue neuer so little But the godly neuer satisfie themselues in it but still desire to walke more obediently faithfully and vprightly with God Qu. What doe wee aske in the fourth Petition A. All things needfull for this life Q Why doe wee pray for the things of this life first A. First to the end that being dispatched of our worldly eares and hauing things necessarie aforehand wee might with more libertie seeke after those things which concerne the soule Secondly that finding the Lord easie to yeeld in these things of lesse good wee might bee the more imboldened to sollicite him for the greater For hee that will not trust the Lord for his meat and drinke will not trust him for the sauing of his soule And hee that thinkes the Lord will stand with him for a peece of bread will easily thinke that God will stand with him for eternall life Q What is meant by Bread in this place A. Not onely bread but whatsoeuer is as needfull and as comfortable as bread as health and strength to worke in our Callings houses to
dwell in peace and friends and good seruants c. Qu. Why doth the Lord â—ame nothing but Bread A. To teach vâ—to bee content if wee haue no more but bread seeing wee aske no more if God giuemore wee are to take it thankfully and to vse it well But if God shall cut short our fare and bring it to bread onely yet wee are to rest with contentment in it Phil. 4. 11. 12. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That they who pray for heapes of gold and siluer for stately and gay houses for sumptuous fare for great liuings and the like sinne in praying because not Christ but Couetousnesse taught them to pray so Q. Why doe wee aske our Bread of God seeing many of vs haue meanes euer to get it A. Because all our paines is not able to procure vs one morsell of bread without the Lords blessing bee vpon it and therefore wee pray God euen to giue vs that Bread that wee labour for knowing that without his blessing wee may as soone perish when we haue the greatest meanes to feed vs as when wee haue no meanes at all Psal. 127. 1. 2. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That wee must as hardly begge bread of God that is good succession in our affaires when wee haue the greatest meanes in the world as when wee haue no meanes at all neither money nor friend nor counsell to compasse it Q. What need they aske bread who haue bread enough A. First though wee haue bread yet the bread that wee haue is none of ours For by sinne wee forfeit euery day all wee haue into the hands of God and wee dispossesse our selues of all right and title to it And therefore vnlesse the Lord restore vs and giue it vs againe wee doe but vsurpe vpon any thing that wee haue Secondly though wee haue the substance of bread yet wee haue not the staffe of bread that is the nourishing and feeding of it but from God alone Vnlesse God blesse it as good take a mouthfull of grauell as a mouth-full of meate And therefore euen then when wee haue our Tables full of bread yet we had need pray still for our daily Bread because our bread without his blessing shall no more nourish vs then a stone Q. Why doe wee say giue vs our bread and not giue mee my Bread A. To shew that wee must not regard our selues alone but in a fellow feeling pray for other mens wants as well as for our owne Q. Whom doth this condemne A. First it condemneth the couetous man who had rather say Giue mee my Bread then giue vs our bread wishing well indeed to no body but himselfe Secondly it condemneth those who bee spoylers of their brethren For it is as much as if hee should say to God Lord doe thou giue him bread and I will take it from him Doe thou make him rich and I will make him poore Doe thou make him merry and I will make him sad Q. Why doe wee pray but for the Bread of one day A. Christ teacheth vs thereby to restraine and cut short our cares for the time to come and not to bee tormented with the feare of any hard estate afore hand but to resort to the Lord for the necessitie of the day in the day thereof Math. 6. 34. Qu. What incouragement haue wee to doe so A. Gods care for the little Birds For when they haue dyned they know not where to suppe and when they haue supt they know not where to dyne and yet God feedeth them from day to day how much more safely may we rest vpon the prouidence of our God assuring our selues that he that feeds vs this day wil feed vs the next day the next so to our liues end Q. What other reason is there A. The Lord would bring vs euery day in prayer to him For seeing wee aske but the bread of one day when that day is past our patent and our grace is out And therefore wee must come to the Lord the next day to renue it againe Q. What else doe wee learne by this A. Wee aske our bread euery day of God as being not able to liue any one day without him and therefore it must bee our chiefest care to stand fast by God to keepe him our friend whosoeuer bee our foe and that hee may bee pleased whosoeuer is displeased with vs. Qu. Why doe wee say our Bread A. Wee are hereby taught to aske our owne Bread that which wee haue laboured for in some honest calling or other for that onely is ours which is gotten by lawfull and by honest meanes That which is vnlawfully gotten is none of ours it is not our bread which wee haue of God but the diuill and sin is the purueyer and prouider of it Qu. What gather wee of this A. First that a man cannot eate his Bread with a good conscience that hath not done something according to his abilitie strength and place to make himselfe in some sort fit and worthy of it Secondly that their sinne is great who desire other mens bread and are not contented with their owne And therfore breake in vpon their brethren seeking to defeate either their neighbours of their houses or their seruants of their wages or their labourers of their hyre or the poore of their reliefe which in right and conscience is due vnto them Q. What is meant by daily Bread A. That which is meete and conuenient for the day The Nobleman hath need of more then the meane man hee that hath a greater charge hath need of more then hee that hath a lesse charge And therefore in asking our daily bread wee aske so much as may bee fit and conuenient for our state Prou. 30. 8. 9. Q. And how much is conuenient for vs A. The Lord bids vs not aske any set and certaine stint but to leaue that to him and to his most wise disposition who knowes better then wee what will serue our turnes Q. What learne wee hence A. That it can bee no small comfort to vs that the Lord is most priuie to our estate and knowes what children what seruants what charge wee haue what earnings what commings in and what goings out and accordingly will fit vs with that which hee shall iudge to bee meetest for vs 1. Pet. 5. 7. Qu. Doe wee aske these things absolutely of God A. No wee aske them no further then they may stand with Gods glorie and therefore if they may bee any meanes whereby wee may glorifie God the better wee pray that wee may haue them if they may not wee pray that both bread and friends and strength and health and all may bee taken from vs. Q. What doe wee aske in the fift Petition A. Wee pray for the forgiuenesse of the sinnes that bee past Q. Why is this Petition knit to the former A. For two causes First because without the forgiuenesse of our sinnes all the bread in the world will not doe
vs any good For what shall it profite a man to haue a mountaine of gold and yet to carry a fire-marke in his soule the brand and marke of a condemned man and to know that whensoeuer he goes hence hee goes damned to the deuill Math. â—6 26. Q. What learne we by this A. That euery Christian man and woman must make it their chiefest study and their chiefest care to finde Mercy and fauour with God in the forgiuenesse of their sinnes rather then to inioy ten thousand worlds without it Q. What is the second reason A. Our sinnes are so many and so grieuous against the Lord that wee are not worthy of one morsell of meate to put into our mouthes yea wee deserue euen to bee starued and famished vpon the face of the earth And therefore because our sinnes are the barre and stop that let and hinder Gods blessings from vs therefore wee pray God to forgiue our sinnes that the true hindrance of our comforts being taken away all his blessings in most rich and plentifull sort may flowe vnto vs Ier. 5. 25. Qu Why are our sinnes called debts A. Because as a debt bindes a man either to satisfie the partie or to goe to prison So our sinnes binde vs either to satisfie Gods Iustice or to goe to hell Qu. What learne wee from hence A. First that wee are all in the Lords debt and it is not some dribling somme that wee owe him but a thousand Talents at the least more then wee and all the friends wee haue be able to discharge Secondly that vnlesse God be contented for them wee are sure to goe to hell where wee shall endure not a moneths or a yeares imprisonment But wee shall lye bound in the chaynes of horror and darknesse as long as there is a God in heauen to reuenge our sinnes and the Deuill in hell to torment vs for them Thirdly that there is no way to deale with God but onely by intreaty and by request Wee cannot choppe and change with him as the Pope thinkes Lord I haue so many sinnes and here are so many good deeds for them But wee must begge our pardon and become humble sutours to the Throne of grace that God for Christs sake would shew Mercy vpon vs. Fourthly that we shall finde the Lord ready for to yeeld vnto our sute especially seeing the Lord Iesus who sitteth at the right hand of God is an Intercessour for vs Q. Must wee pray thus euery day A. As wee pray euery day for our daily Bread so we must also pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes The pardon of our sinnes being as needfull euery day as the bread that wee liue by Qu. What may this teach vs A. That wee sinne euery day howsoeuer God shall blesse vs or punish vs or teach or touch vs with his Spirit yet wee know aforehand that wee shall sinne tomorrow and the next day and so euery day to our dying day Secondly that wee sinne often euery day and therefore wee speake in the plurall number Forgiue vs our sinnes as hauing many sinnes to be forgiuen And though wee bee able to discerne but a few of our sinnes yet our ignorance is the greater who sin many times when wee thinke we doe not sinne Thirdly that as wee sinne daily so it must be our care euery day to make euen with the Lord that wee come not with after reckonings with sinnes of 10. 20. or 30. yeares old not repented of but that euery day wee reconcile our selues to God for the sinnes of that day that whensoeuer wee shall die wee may haue but the sinnes of one day Q. What is meant by these words For euen wee forgiue them A. They containe 1. A Comfort 2. An Instruction Qu. What is the comfort A. That if wee who are full of hatred and reuenge can forgiue our brethren much more wil the Lord who is full of Mercy and compassion bee ready to forgiue vs. For wee are not to thinke that wee can goe beyond the Lord in any grace and therefore if wee can loue him that loues not vs and passe by many wrongs wee may well thinke wee shall finde the Lord much more fauourably inclyned to vs. Q. Is our forgiuenesse a cause why God forgiues vs A. No For if wee forgiue our brethren some little fault that is no reason why God should forgiue vs our huge and mightie sinnes But the Lord addes this as a sure testimonie of our soules that if we who haue but a drop of Mercy can forgiue our Brethren much more will the Lord who is euen full of goodnesse forgiue vs. Q. What is the Instruction A. That wee shall neuer finde fauour at Gods hands till such time as our brethren finde loue and mercy and good dealing at our hands For looke what wee bee to others when they offend vs the same wee shall finde God to vs when wee offend him Q. Whom doth this Doctrine condemne A. First it condemneth those who wil vse extremity to their brethren that will not by any meanes bate of their right but eagerly pursue euery aduantage they can get against them Secondly it condemneth those that will say they forgiue and forget and yet notwithstanding the memorie of it is most quicke in their hearts and vpon euery little occasion they breake out againe Alas doe wee looke for such forgiuenesse at Gods hands how is it then that our Brethren can finde no better at our hands Thirdly it condemneth those that can bee content to forgiue some small offences of their brethren but if it touch them somewhat neere in their goods or names oh then the matter is heynous and so preiudiciall it toucheth vs so deeply that it may not in any wise finde fauour at our hands Why alas our brethren cannot commit any so grieuous offence against vs but wee commit farre greater against the Lord and therefore as wee except against them so wee may well looke the Lord will except against vs. Q. What doe wee pray for in the sixt Petition A. Wee pray for strength and grace against sinne Q. Why are there two Petitions for the Soule and but one for the Body A. The Lord would teach vs thereby that our care for heauenly things should be twice so much as our care for earthly and therefore where wee are once vpon our knees for the blessings of the body wee should bee twice vpon our knees for the blessings of our Soules Qu. How doth this Petition depend vpon the former A. In the former Petition we prayed for the pardon of our sinnes that be past and now wee pray for grace and strength against those euills that be to come Q. What learne wee by this A. First that none are more subiect to Tentations then the godly For of all men they are most layd vnto sinne will bee euer nibling and the diuell will labour mightily to regaine his hold Secondly that it is not enough to haue our sinnes pardoned
supped before had so moderately vsed the matter that they were fit to receiue the Sacrament afterwards which may teach vs to vse such sobriety and moderation in our meates that wee bee not thereby made any way vnfit for holy duties Q. Whom doth this meet withall A. It meetes with those who stuffe themselues with meate especially vpon the Sabboth day That thereby they become vtterly vnfit for any holy Dutie being readier to sleepe then to heare and to seeke ease for the body then any comfort for the soule Qu. Is the Cuppe indifferently to bee administred vnto all A. If the Bread must bee administred vnto all much more the Cuppe Christs commandement being more expresse for the Cuppe Math. 26. 17. Qu. Why did Christ make such expresse mention of the Cuppe A. Christ being a Prophet foresaw in his Spirit that the Pope would denie the people the Cuppe but not the Bread and therefore hee hath giuen a more expresse charge for the Cuppe to breake the necke of this heresie before it rose Q. What gather wee of this A. That the Papists bearing hatred to the truth through the iust iudgement of God vpon them are commonly cast vpon these errours which may most easily and most plainely be conuinced by the Scriptures Qu. How is Wâ—…e the Blood of Christ A. It is not properly indeed his blood For Christs blood was not then in the Cuppe but in the â—…nes and arteries of his Body else how could the souldiers haue shed it the next day but it is called his blood because it is a signe and a figure of his blood Q. How is this prooued A. First the drinking of blood was condemned by the Law as an horrible thing Leu. 7. 27. 〈◊〉 Christ neuer brake the Law Math. 5. 17. And therefore â—ee dranke not his owne blood nor commanded others to drinke it carnally Secondly Christ expounds himselfe For leâ—t some should mistake his meaning he shewes in the very next verse that it was not Blood but very Wine that hee drunke Math. 26. â—9 Q. Why is Christs Blood called the Blood of the new Testament A. Because the new Testament was ratified and confirmed by it Heb. 9. 16. Q. What is a Testament A. It is that which wee commonly call a dead mans Will whereby hee giues away his goods and disposeth of his lands and liuings that belong vnto him Such a will Christ made at his death that hee gaue away all he had The Souldiers had his Garments the graue had his Body heauen had his Soule But his righteousnesse his holinesse his merits his kingdome and glory he bestowed vpon his people Q. How many Wills did the Lord make A. The Lord made two Wills or Testaments An Old Will And a New Will Gal. 4. 24. Q. What was the tenour of the Old Will or Testament A. Therein the Lord bequeathed life and Saluation to those onely that fulfill the Law Rom. 10. 5. Q. What is the tenour of the New Testament A. Therein the Lord bequeathes heauen and the happinesse thereof to those that beleeue in Christ Rom. 10. 9. Q. Why did the Lord make this later Testament A. Because wee were all cut off of all by the former for that gaue vs nothing but vpon condition that wee should fulfill the Law and therefore seeing wee could not performe the condition wee could not recouer one penny by the Will Therefore the Lord to relieue vs made a new will and aâ—â—exed 〈◊〉 easier condition That all should be saued who beleue in Christ Heb. 8 6. 7. Q. What gather wee of this A. That the Papists folly is exceeding great who make our state farre worse by the second Testament then it war by the first For by the first Testament Merits onely were required to Saluation But by the later as they say both our whole taske of workes is required and besides that Faith in the Mediatour So that our condition is now harder then in the Old Testament God requiring then but workes onely but now as they say both faith and workes as needfull to Saluation Q. Why doth Christ say his Blood is shed for many A. To shew that all haue not benefite by the blood of Christ. For though Christs blood bee a fountaine to wash away vncleanenesse Yet wee see a number had rather runne further into the mire then come to the lauour of Christs blood to wash away any one corruption that is in them Q. Why did Christ shed his Blood A. To purchase pardon and forgiuenesse for our sinnes Christ suffering that in his body and soule which wee should haue suffered for our sinnes Q. Haue wee no other benefite by the Blood of Christ A. Yes Through the blood of Christ wee bee not onely discharged of the sinnes that be past but wee haue strength and power against those Tentations and euill motions that bee to come Heb. 9. 14. Qu. How haue wee this A. Euen as a Corrasiue being applied vnto the diseased part eates out the corrupt flesh and drawes out the poyson and the venome that is in it euen so the blood of Christ being applied by faith eates out the dead affections and suckes out the Cankered corruptions that are in it Q. Why then doth Christ mention no benefite but Remission of sinnes A. Because this is the chiefest For euery day wee deserue to bee cast into Hell and wee giue the Lord iust cause to strip vs and to take away all his blessings from vs And therefore if Christs blood did not obtaine pardon for our sinnes we might not looke to liue one day in any tolerable estate Q. May all come to receiue the Sacrament A. No none but they who vpon due tryall finde themselues meet and fit to receiue it 1. Cor. 11. 28. Q How must a man make tryall of his fitnesse A. First whether hee bee Gods seruant or no. For God hath furnished his Table for none but for his owne people and therefore vnlesse a man can approoue himselfe to bee one of Gods Family and of Gods houshold hee may not presse and presume to come vnto it 1. Cor. 10. 21. Qu Wherefore may not others come A. If a man had prouided a good meale for his seruants that haue done his worke and a sort of Râ—…ans and roysters that haue done nothing for him should come in and eate it vp would not hee frowne and take on when hee should spie them at his Board So God hauing prouided this Sacrament for his Seruants will not take it well if heespie any other there that haue not serued him Math. 22. 12. Qu. How shall a man know whether hee bee Gods seruant or not A. By considering whose businesse it is that hee hath laboured in whether it be Gods worke or the deuills worke which he hath done Loue and Patience and Temperance and holinesse be Gods workes But malice and enuie and slandring and lying and swearing bee the deuills workes So that a man may soone see what Master hee hath
serued Rom. 6. 16. Q. What is the second Point of a mans tryall A. If hee bee Gods seruant hee must then see with what faithfulnesse hee hath walked in his seruice how hee hath carryed himselfe towards God the Master of the house whether hee hath loued him feared him serued him obeyed him beene thankfull for his mereies humbled by his Iudgements and how hee hath carryed himselfe towards his fellow Seruants in the house whether hee hath sought their comfort strengthened them in good things tendered their credite c. 3. How hee hath liued towards himselfe in the moderate vse of his Christian liberties in eating drinking sleeping sowing c. Psal. 119. 59. Q. What is the third Point of a mans tryall A. When a man sees how loosely and how vnfaithfully he hath done his worke how ill hee hath performed his taske Then he must consider whether hee be truely sorry for it whether hee be euen ashamed of his negligence and of his sloach that hee hath liued no better towards God towards man towards himselfe and whether he haue no remorse nor feeling of it Exod. 12. 8. Q. What is the fourth Point A. Then hee must consider whether he doe not desire to rise out of his estate and whether hee bee carefull to vse the meanes in reconciling himselfe to his brethren in seeking to be at one with God and so minding to come to the Sacrament and for no other end but to renew the Couenant between God and his soule and to draw strength from Christ to liue better after then before Ier. 50. 5. Q. What is the fift Point A. Lastly whether if God shall set him vpon cleere board againe hee haue a full purpose to watch better ouer his wayes neuer to liue as hee hath liued to auoyde the occasions of sinne and to take more paines for the nourishing and increasing of good things in his heart Qu. What is the vse of this A. That a man finding these things in some measure in himselfe may be bold to come with comfort But they that haue no care to get them may well looke for a cold welcome of the Lord. Q. How are wee to behaue our selues in the receiuing of the Sacrament A. First wee are to come with great reuerence as into Gods presence with great care that wee doe not prouoke the Lord by any light or wanton or vnseemely behauiour of ours that the Lord spie no contempt no loosenesse no prophanenesse in vs Leuit. 10. 3. Q. How is this declared A. If a man were to goe but into the presence of a Prince how carefull would hee bee neither to doe nor to speake any thing that might offend How much more when wee come into the presence of Almighty God must wee take great heed that wee doe not the least things that may be displeasing in his fight Q. What is the second Point A. Secondly we must apply our selues to the Action that we haue in hand bethinking our selues what wee came for namely to haue our sinnes weakened our faith strengthened our zeale kindled our care quickened our Graces nourished and answerably thereunto labouring and indeauouring the supplying of our wants to draw life and strength from the dead body of our Sauiour Christ that as the woman was healed by touching him Mark 5. 29. and streight way the course of her blood was dryed vp and she felt in her body that shee was healed of her plague So wee touching Christ by Faith may haue the course of sinne stopped and the fountaine of vncleanenesse dryed in vs all Q. What is the third Point A. Thirdly wee must looke that our hearts consent with our mouthes in the prayers of the Church That wee lye not to God and say wee bewayle our sinnes when indeed wee bee neuer a whit sorry for them That we repent vs of our faults when intruth wee haue not so much as a purpose to amend Wee lift vp our hearts to God when many times wee doe not so much as thinke of God For what an heauy thing is it to sinne there where wee come to craue pardon of our sinnes Isay 65. 3. Q. What is the fourth Point A. Fourthly wee are to marke what is done in the holy ministration not to sit in a browne study as a number doe but to fire our eyes vpon the Sacramentall signes and when wee see the Bread broken and pulled in peeces Then to thinke euen so was the Bodie of our Lord rent and torne vpon the Crosse for our sinnes When wee see the Wine poured out Then to thinke euen so was the Blood of Christ poured out of his Bodie that I might haue health and comfort by it And therefore when I reach out my hand to receiue the bread Then I must looke that my heart be ready to receiue Christ who is offered to my Faith Q. What is the fift Point A. Fiftly the Lord hauing sealed the Couenant on his part wee are likewise to Couenant on our parts that seeing it hath pleased God to forgiue the sinnes that bee past and to bring vs into fauour againe That therefore by his Blessing wee will neuer liue as wee haue liued wee will neuer spend our time as wee haue spent it wee will neuer loue sinne as wee haue loued it But the rest of the dayes that wee haue to liue shall bee wholly dedicated and vowed vnto the Lord. Q. What is the last Point A. Lastly when our selues haue receiued then wee are to looke how others receiue that seeing wee bee all seruants of one Lord all feed at one Table all nourished with one meat That therefore there may be more mercy more kindenesse more Christian loue among vs And it may bee our shame that wee cannot liue peaceably together on Earth who hope one day to liue ioyfully together in heauen 1. Cor. 10. 17. Q. What are wee to doe after wee haue receiued A. Wee are to giue the Lord great thankes for the death of his Sonne for giuing vs our part in him and for the holy vse of the Sacraments wherein Christ is so freely set forth that wee may after a sort taste him with our tongues feele him with our singers smell him with our noses behold him with our eyes and euen feele him sensibly bestowed vpon vs Psal. 116. 12. 13. Q. What is the second thing A. Secondly wee must haue great care to liue better after then before That wee fall not backe to our old sinnes and suffer our woonted malice and sloth and vanitie to creepe vpon vs and this not for a day or two but all the dayes of our liues euen as long as it shall please God to continue vs here below Iohn 5. 14. Qu. Whom doth this Doctrine meet withall Answ. First it meeteth with those who as soone as they haue receiued runne immediately to prophanenesse spending the best part of the day in gadding and swilling that it may justly bee feared that the Deuill makes a better market that day
then hee doth many dayes beside Secondly it meetes with a number that will Saint it and liue very deuoutly that day But the very next day or few dayes after they returne to their olde bent and runne themselues as deepe in the mire as they were before Qu. What is the third thing Answ. Wee must bring our selues often into minde of the Couenants and vowes which wee haue made to God thinking with our selues that such and such a day wee were before the Lord and there wee sware in his hearing and in the hearing of his People that wee would neuer liue as wee haue liued Wee would lye no more curse no more beare no more malice And therefore what a Iudgement shall wee pull vpon our heads if wee shall not bee carefull in some good measure to performe it Qu. What is the fourth thing Answ. Fourthly wee are to marke how the Sacrament workes vpon vs Whether wee finde our selues the better for it the stronger to resist sinne the cheerefuller in Gods seruice the tenderer to our Brethren And if it doe not worke What is the reason of it Whether want of preparation or want of reuerence or want of care afterwards that the next time wee come wee may come to better fruite Q. What is the last thing Answ. Wee must not bee long away but so soone as we feele any deadnesse or coldnesse or weaknesse to grow vpon vs wee are to make recourse hither againe for the recouering of our strength For as a man in a long iourney had need of many Baites So the Christian that hath a long Iourney to goe from Earth to Heauen from man to God from Mortalitie to Immortalitie had need to come oft to the Lords Table to bee refreshed Quest. What is the reason then that some come so seldome Answer Many of the Passengers doe not feele their need no though they bee ready to droppe downe into euery ditch But such as feele the want they are carefull to vse the Lords helpe against it DEO GLORIA FINIS THE SVBSTANCE AND PITH OF PRAYER OR A BRIEFE HOLY AND HEAVENLY EXPOSITION ON THE LORDS PRAYER Being the Summe and Marrow of diuers Sermons written and preached by that Holy Learned Reuerend and Iudicious Diuine Mr. IOHN SMITH late Preacher of the Word at Clauering in Essex And sometime Fellow of St. Iohns Colledge in Oxonford Vprightnesse hath boldnesse EPHES. 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints And for me c. LONDON Printed by G. P. for George Edwards and are to be sold at his house in the Old Baily in Greene Arbor at the signe of the Angell 1629. AN EXPOSITION ON THE LORDS PRAYER MATTH 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray yee Our Father which art in heauen Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly bread And forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debtors And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for euer Amen HAuing already spoken of the first part of Christian profession the second followeth and that is Prayer wherein we can haue no better guide to direct vs then the Lord himselfe nor sweeter words then those so effectuall of our Sauiour Christ. There are then two things commended vnto vs in the words of our Sauiour Christ. 1 A Duty which is that we must pray 2 A direction in this Duty how and in what manner we must pray both which are implyed in these first words of Christ. After this manner pray ye 1 Concerning the Duty two things are required 1 What it is to pray 2 Why we must pray For the first Prayer is a lifting vp of the heart vnto God whereby we desire things needfull of him as the welspring and fountaine of all goodnesse Whence it appeares that there are three things remarkeable in Prayer Prayer is an action or motion of the heart It is not a mouing of the mouth or an action of the lips onely but properly an action or moouing of the heart as 1 Sam. 1. 13. Anna prayed in her heart but her mouth spake not So Psal. 20. 4. the Prophet prayes And grant thee according to thy hart c. So Eph. 5. 19. the Apostles words are Speaking to your selues in Psalmes Hymnes and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. So that Prayer must needs haue the working of the heart for if it come not from thence if that be not moued to pray it is but lip-labour and an idle sound It is no prayer because in prayer there must be a mouing of the heart The Lord by the Prophet complaines of this neglect And they haue not cryed vnto me with their hearts when they howled vpon their beds c. and 1 Kings 8. 39. Salomon prayeth to God that when any man prayeth the Lord would giue vnto him as hee knoweth his heart For the Lord onely knoweth the hearts of the children of men By which it is euident that the Lord accounteth not of that prayer which comes not from the heart Oh that men of this world did well consider this they thinke that if they tumble out words of prayer though their mindes wander and are vnstedfast though their thoughts be vpon other things though their hearts be transported with diuers wanderings yet they pray vnto God But the truth is that as Prayer is an Action and Motion of the Heart so if the Heart doe not ioyne in prayer though a man vse words neuer so oft hee cannot truely say that he doth pray Nay I would this were the fault of the world onely that euen the good seruants of God did not faile in this For surely the best men haue their stragglings and wanderings in prayer Let a man come to prayer and hee shall haue much adoe to hold his heart fast vnto God As the fowles troubled Abraham in his sacrifice So a number of by-thoughts are ready to trouble vs in prayer Wherefore euery good seruant of God must accuse himselfe for this and pray to God for grace strength to amend it As Abraham Gen. 22. 5. vsed his seruants and his Asse to helpe him in his iourney but when hee came to Mount Moriah the place of worship then he discharged them and left them a farre off So worldly thoughts are tollerable and lawfull if we vse them as seruants to carry vs through this our iourney from Earth to Heauen But when we come home to prayer to present our selues before the Maiesty of God then we must dismisse and discharge them So that this is the first thing to be obserued in prayer that Prayer is an action or motion of the heart The second thing in prayer is that Prayer is a motion of the heart as it
This I take briefly to be the sense and meaning of this Petition Hallowed be thy Name that is Lord that thy Name may be holy in the hearts and mouthes of all men In the Petition we are to consider three things 1 The order of the Petition 2 The discouery of our owne corruption in it 3 What be the speciall graces we pray for The order is such that the first thing prayed for iâ— the glory of God that he may haue his glory and honour whatsoeuer become of all other things of this world this is the thing we must all care for that God may haue his honour may be respected regarded loued feared c. Whatsoeuer become of all things in the world which may teach vs two things Lesson 1 First that there is nothing that we must more desire then the glory of God We must be contented to let all goe for it lay downe our liues for it whatsoeuer become of vs howsoeuer despighted abused yet if God haue his glory be esteemed and regarded it is well For wee see we are here taught to begin all our prayers with the desire of this before we pray for daily bread yea any thing else belonging to our selues Yea as one saith Before the Kingdome of God we pray for the glory of God to shew that if we could redeeme the glory of God with losse I say not of our owne liues onely but our owne soules we must bee contented I could wish my selfe to be separated from Christ for my Brethren c. as if hee should say if God may haue any glory by it then I could be contented to redeeme his glory with my life nay lose my part of eternall happinesse as Moses wisht rather then God should be dishonoured to be blotted out of his Booke Lesson 2 Secondly That we must preferre the glory of God before all other things in this world And what end wee seeke labour for plead for desire or trauell for we must remember in all to preferre God aboue all so that howsoeuer we can be patient and quiet in other Cases yet when it comes to the Case of Gods glory then we must begin to rouze and stirre vp our selues so as to haue all our affections inflamed in vs as Eliah 1 Kings 19. 14. so to say to our selues I haue beene zealous for the Lord God of hostes So did Hezekiah when Sennacherib had sent him a rayling letter he went and opened it before the Lord as that which more touched him when the Lord was dishonoured then when his kingdome and life was threatned So Christ himselfe that patiently heard all the rest of the Diuels temptations yet when he came to take the honour from the Lord then Christ begins to rouze vp himselfe and chide him Auoyd Satan It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Thus euen against the mightiest we must stand out for the glory of God How lamentable a thing then is it for wicked men who can let the glory of God be troden vnder foot and suffer him to be despised dishonoured and blasphemed from day to day and yet let it passe as a thing of nothing O how shall we be able to answer this another day or giue an account for it when God shall come to iudge vs for our sinnes We see in the whole course of Scripture God is alwayes more ready to stirre in our cause when the matter concernes vs then when it concernes himselfe So dealt hee by Caine The Lord let him goe for the wrong he had done to himselfe for his bad sacrifice for his hypocriticall worship but when he began to maligne his Brother then said God vnto him What hast thou done The voyce of thy Brothers bloud cryeth vnto me from the ground So dealt the Lord by Pharaoh hee was contented to put vp all the iniuries against himselfe his Idolatry his blasphemy and such like But when he began to stirre once against the Church and the Lords people then the Lord opposed him and when he would not desist from his cruelty at the last he drowned him and all his hoste in the Red Sea Now if the Lord be thus ready to shew himselfe and stirre in our cause then ought we to be much more ready and rouze vp our selues to stirre in his against all oppositions whatsoeuer The second thing considerable in this Petition is The discouering of our corruption in it that is a neglect of Gods Name and an immoderate care of our owne for when wee pray Hallowed be thy Name there is a secret opposition betweene our name and the Name of God we be all too carefull of our owne name to deriue the credit and glory of things to our selues but Lord teach vs to glorifie thy Name aboue all and before all Gen. 11. 4. Wee reade that the people built a Tower whose top might reach to Heauen and all to purchase to themselues a Name but not at all to get any Name vnto the Lord or inlarge his glory but for the increase of their owne This did Nabuchadnezar in his pride aspire to Is not this great Babylon which I haue built for the house of my Kingdome and for the honour of my Maiestie So that I say this is our owne corruption that we so neglect the Name of God in his glory being so carefull of our owne Thus the Lord complaines of his people Hag. 1. 3. That they built houses for themselues went into the woods fetcht home timber squared it and carued it to make houses for themselues but left the house of God vnbuilt So it is with vs in this case we can build vp our owne names doe any thing to grace and honour our selues but not one amongst thousands thinks of aduancing of the Name of God thus doe we all leane too much to the corruption of our Nature but oh why doe not the thoughts of Dauid come into our mindes See now I dwell in a house of Cedar but the Arke of God dwelleth within Curtaines So say thou I that am but a worme dust and rottennesse I that am but a bulrush in regard of the Lord God I haue my glory in the world I am esteemed and regarded as if some body But what care haue I of God must God glorifie himselfe or not haue glory He that is so glorious and affordeth all the blessings we inioy shall not he be regarded He that is the Fountaine and Store-house of all things the glory and beauty of vs all should not his euer-glorious Name be praised and glorified Thus we should learne to take notice of this corruption in our selues The third thing to be obserued in this Petition is The graces that we pray for 1 That we may glorifie the Name of God 2 That others may doe it 3 That though both should faile that yet the Lord would maintaine his owne glory Concerning the
and too heauy for them to beare so the best is but a yoake and many times a heauy yoake too but in the sweet Kingdome of Christ there shall bee nothing offensiue to vs as it is saide of the Angels at that day And they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend saith our Sauiour So it is said There shall bee no more sorrow Bees wee know bee driuen from their Combes and Honey with a little smoake euen so the vexations puthers and smoakes which wee finde on these earthly kingdomes should make vs all long for that happy Kingdome of Christ wherein there shall bee nothing to annoy vs. Thirdly Because earthly Kingdomes they yeeld vs peace and tranquillity but for a time onely for either they end or we end and so all comes to nothing But our happinesse in Christs Kingdome shall be for euer and euer for when we haue liued a hundred thousand thousand yeeres in the full inioyment of it wee haue more and more and more ages without end to possesse it therefore Heb. 12. 28. it is called a kingdome which cannot be shaken good reason then haue wee whose eyes he hath opened to behold this kingdome to pray especially and groane for it Now there be two wayes whereby the kingdome of God may come vnto vs. 1 Generally at the day of Iudgement 2 Particularly at the day of our owne death We pray for both these First that God would bee pleased to sold vp the times make an end of this world hasten the great comming of his deare Sonne Thus the Saints cry vnder the Altar How long Lord Holy and true dost thou not auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth We know this kingdome of Christ cannot come but first there must bee a dissolution of this world when all the glory thereof must turne to nothing as Peter speakes The Earth and all the workes thereof shall be burnt vp God forbid therefore that the world or any thing in it should make vs loath to come to Heauen rather let vs be contented to suffer the losse of all so we come thither to enioy this happy and blessed kingdome of the Lord Iesus for which we are commanded to pray Which as we pray for so must we be carefull to fit and prepare our selues for it that when it commeth it may come to our comfort we all pray Thy Kingdome come But know O man if thou hast not fitted and prepared thy selfe for it if thou dost liue in thy sinnes if thou hast had no care nor regard of reconciling thy selfe to Christ for thy saluation if thou hast not beene throughly washed ouer and ouer in the blood of the Lambe Oh whensoeuer this kingdome comes I foretell thee in the Name of the Lord it will come to thy cost to thy ruine and vtter desolation in the day of Christ. Therefore consider of this all yee that liue in known sinnes without repentance yea pray I say that the Kingdome of God may come and oh what haue you to doe with the day of the Lord This comming shall be sorrow woe confusion darknesse nay Blackenesse of darknesse and tempest vnto you for euer and reiection from the presence of CHRIST but if you would haue comfort of CHRISTS comming liue well and be prepared for it with the Wise Uirgins hauing Oyle in your Lampes and your Loynes girded Secondly wee pray that though this generall comming be deferred yet that by death as by a close doore we may be let in into this kingdome So that whereas the men of this world desire nothing more then to liue still here hang as it were vpon the pleasures of this life sauour nothing but of earth and earthly contentments the true mortified Christian professeth another thing he desireth to leaue all and goe home to Christ as soone as may be So Iob If a man dye shall he liue againe All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come c. and Paul Philip. 1. 23. professes I desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all It is true indeed that no man may desire the day of death out of discontentment with life because of the trouble and crosses of this world It was Jonas fault to doe so yet in two respects one may pray for death yea his owne death First That we may make an end of sinning and offending GOD that whereas hee euery day breakes out in the dishonouring of GOD which vexes and grieues him hee may pray the Lord to shorten these dayes of sinne with abatement of our dayes so finishing our offences as Saint Paul does O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Secondly That wee may enioy the blessed fruition of the presence of God as his holy Angels doe Moses you know desired but to see the backe parts of God on the holy mountaine for hee could not see his face and liue If Moses so desired to see but a glimpse of his glory as it were through a creuice or a chinke how much more excellent will be the shining of his face in full glory therefore because euery day wee liue in this world wee lose a day in Heauen as detained from him who is our true life indeed wee may therefore pray that as soone as may be wee may finish vp our course in this world and cry to be away to goe home to the house of our Father to the possession of a better life the Kingdome of Glory and happinesse prepared for vs for which wee are taught to pray Thy Kingdome come 3. PETITION Thy will be done euen in Earth as it is in Heauen WEe haue heard before that in the first Petition we pray for the glory of God and in the second for the means of his glory that is that the kingdome of God may come into our hearts and rule vs by his Spirit Now in this third Petition we pray that we may be contented to submit vnto it and be alwayes ready to doe the Lords will and not our owne So that whereas in the former Petition we prayed for the inward gouernment of God the worke of grace holy motions striuings in our selues that the Lord would do his part now we pray that we may be willing to doe our part not resist this inward gouernment of God bee ready euer to yeeld obedience vnto it All the Question as one sayes very well betwixt God and vs is whose will shall be done Gods will should but man is vnwilling to haue it so but aspires to haue his own will for the rule of his actions this is that which breeds all the quarrell betwixt God and vs Now our Sauiour Christ he teaches vs in this Petition to giue all the Souerainty to God to take his part against our selues praying to doe his will whatsoeuer may befall vs in this world Thus haue we
care to doe thy will Lord giue vs our daily Bread So that this Petition is conditionall as if hee should say Lord if we haue done these things then giue vs our daily Bread then feed vs then Lord giue vs all things needfull for our life But if wee haue done nothing for thee then we dare not claime that thou shouldest doe any thing for vs for howsoeuer thou hast promised to do vs good yet we must feare thee and first Honour thy Name As Psal. 34. 9. Feare the Lord yee his Saints for noehing wanteth to them that feare him So that first wee must obey and please him ere we may with boldnesse vse the promises to our comfort for with what face can wee stâ—nd vp and lay claime to Gods promises when we haue not performed the conditions and are not qualified like those parties and persons the promises were made vnto as Iehu said to Iehoram when hee demanded Is it peace Iehu what peace said hee so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebell and her witchcrafts are yet in great number So may I say so long as men dishonour God haue no care of his glory loue of his Kingdome no desire to doe his will how doe they looke to haue their daily Bread their peace or things needfull for this life A second relation is To the rest of the members of Christs body and so wee are taught to pray not Lord giue me but Lord giue vs our daily Bread So that a Christian man must not regard himselfe onely but in a fellow-feeling of other mens miseries hee must pray for their wants as well as his owne The couetous man he had rather say Lord giue mee Bread then giue vs Bread but the true Christian extends his care and loue vnto the whole body of Christ whereof he himselfe is a member As Abraham sitting in his tent doore in the coole of the shadow pittyed them which were trauelling in the heate and was ready to refresh them so it is with euery true Christian they are tender-hearted and haue a simpathy with others miseries So we see in Nature when the Sunne shines vpon these inferiour bodies if solid bodies when they reflect their beames they cast their light and heat vpon other bodies that are nearest about them but ifthey be empty and hollow bodies such as haue no solidity they take all into themselues and reflect not So it is in this case they that be sound Christians onely possessed with power of grace they cannot hold any goodnesse to themselues but are ready to reflect it and make others partakers of it so must our labour and care be not be hollow and false but sincere and true affecting the good of others as of ourselues The last thing to be obserued in this Petition is for how long time we pray for bread But a day onely Giue vs this day our daily Bread of which there be three Reasons First To teach vs to depend vpon God from day to day because we vsually rest not in the present blessings of God vpon vs but are euer casting and contributing for the time to come Therefore our Sauiour Christ setteth this downe to preuent our carking and caring for the things of this life for if from day to day the Lord giue vs bread we must be contented and leaue all the prouision for future times vnto the Lord who gaue his owne people Bread but for a day onely Exod. 16. That they might altogether depend vpon Gods goodnesse and heauenly care from day to day The little birds as we all know when they haue dined know not where to suppe and when they are fed one day they know not where to feed the next and yet God prouides for them and if God remember and fauour them much more may we rely vpon his care and mercy towards vs perswading our selues that he who feeds vs to day will feed vs to morrow this weeke next weeke this yeere next yeere and so for euer as we trust in Him Secondly To teach vs to liue exceeding carefully as if our last day were come for our life is so vncertaine and hangs by such a slender thred that wee know not how soone it may be broken and gone and therefore our Sauiour Christ would haue vs liue exceeding carefully and watchfully ouer our selues from day to day euen to our last The people of Israel wee know doe eate the Passeouer with their loynes girded as men ready to depart at a short warning so must we eat our dinners and suppers as ready to depart and take leaue of this world at all times or whensoeuer the Lord will haue vs. Thirdly That euery day we may come to God in prayer to be not a day from him for if we made our suites before men onely we would attend their leisures much more must we wait vpon God wee may well thinke when the day is past our pattent is expired and our grant ended till we haue renewed it againe so that euery day as we haue said we are taught to come to God in prayer to renue our Patents and grants of blessings that God may extend his mercy vnto vs. For it is the corruption of the world yea of our course nature that we would not come vnto God once in a moneth nay not in a yeere if meere necessity do not driue vs. Therefore our Sauiour Christ hath stinted this Petition to a day onely that euery day we may learne to sue vnto God to haue communion with him in begging the things of this life that so wee might be led the more happily vnto those eternall better things of life euerlasting and so to be led by the vse of these weake temporary refreshments to the feeding vpon that bread of life which the Sonne of man doth giue his Saints and seruants So much shall serue for the fourth Petition come we now to the fift 5. PETITION And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debtors OVr Sauiour Christ as we haue seene in the three first Petitions teacheth vs to beg those things tending vnto the glory of God and the meanes conducing vnto the same and in the three last to begge for our owne good things tending both to the comfort of this life and of that to come as the forgiuenesse of sinnes a sanctified and a holy life assisted by the power of grace In the former Petition we haue heard on what conditions and how we ought to beg for the good things of this life which as things necessary tend especially to the bodily preseruation of health and life Now here in this 5 Petition we come to the good of eternall life and this is either the grace of Iustification in this Petition or the grace of Sanctification in the next which yet is no further good then as we apprehend and bring home the comfort of it The world in their ignorance doe vsually say Who will shew vs any good
Meaning a good Lease Purchase or bargaine not knowing any good beyond the good of this life But there is a further good to be aimed at for holy Dauid proceeds and lookes vp higher saying But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Lord let mee haue the feeling of thy fauour and of the forgiuenesse of my sinnes and grace to liue well in thy fauour hating sinne and I shall ioy in it as my chiefest portion So I say after the good of this life our daily Bread we are here willed to pray for the good of a better life pardon of our sinnes and then grace and strength against them But before I come to the Petition two questions must be answered 1 Why there is but one Petition for earthly things and two for heauenly that is daily Bread and in the other First Pardon for sinnes Secondly For graces against them 2 Why this Petition is linked to the former by a coniunctiue practise Giue vs this day our daily Bread And forgiue vs our sinnes Which close coniunction we find not amongst the rest For the first I answer it is for two speciall reasons First Because the Lord would not haue vs too carefull for worldly things but to be holy and heauenly minded as much as may be that we might be discreet in our demands and not dwell too long vpon earthly things It is the custome of the world who vse to pray not to care how long they continue their sute for daily Bread being pleased to conclude all vnder that as Hosh. 7. 14. The Lord complaines They assemble themselues for their Corne and Wine the things that they onely thinke on and care for so as they could be contented continually to pray for them Wherein our Sauiour Christ perceiuing a naturall corruption in vs would therefore haue vs soone to haue done with this thing and by and by to adresse our selues to better to seeke more pertinent matters pardon of sinne saluation of soules strength and meanes to liue holily without which all the rest would turne to nothing though we had as much as Sea and Land could afford vs so that as Birds which dippe into the Sea to get their food soare vp againe and quickly rise lest they should dull their wings and wet their feathers that they cannot flye So in our prayers we must take heed that we doe not diue too deepe into the world bringing our affections so low as we cannot mount and raise vp our heauy hearts to the contemplation of those heauenly blessings and graces as the Lord would haue vs. Numbers of men though they seeme likely in this world yet are like the Lead and Plummets of a Clocke that continually driue downe-ward and had need still to be wound vp So it is with vs in praying for spirituall blessings we decline and draw downe-wards so much to the world as we are heauy and dull in raising vp our selues towards heauen Let vs then recouer our selues and raise vp and winde our hearts vp and our thoughts as high as heauen to the loue and meditation of heauenly things In a Garden you see when men haue store of heauy mould they mingle it with Chalke and Sand to make it high and lighter so when our thoughts be heauy earthly and lumpish our Sauiour Christ would haue vs lift them vp with the cogitation and thinking of better things In the Law things that crept vpon all foure were forbidden yet if they had feet to leape vp withall they were iudged to be cleane Euen so howsoeuer some thoughts are about the things of this world our Trades and businesse yet if we haue legges to leape vp with that we can raise our hearts to God and better things when we come to pray and prostrate our selues before God it is not to bee condemned they may passe for cleane well enough But if they alwayes creep on the ground if neuer raised higher then the earth if no good thoughts of God if no looking vpward to better things O then no doubt they were vncleane not legally vncleane as the beasts were but really vncleane in the sight of God and his holy Angels Secondly To shew vs that our care must be twice so much for heauenly things as for earthly wee must haue twice as much care of our soules as of our bodies begging oftner spirituall then temporall things In the Law the waight of the Sanctuary was double to the common waight which was to shew that the Lord must alwayes haue double waight in matters that appertaine to the Lord in the saluation of our soules in all such things double waight double care double indeuour but how cleane contrary is it with the world who lay all the bent of their care vpon earthly things and their indeuour for transitory things of this life whereas we are taught by our great Teacher alway to ouerweigh our earthly cares with more heauenly meditations that thus hauing quieted our consciences we may the more safely goe about our worldly affaires Againe to the second question I answer this is annexed to the former Petition to shew vs two things First That pardon of sinnes in as necessary as our daily Bread Therefore with praying for Bread wee are taught also to pray for pardon for our sinnes and offences So that it is very necessary to haue these two ioyned together that whensoeuer wee pray to GOD to put meat in our mouthes wee alwayes remember that there is more excellent things to bee lookt after then this temporary food the pardon of sinnes with hope of euerlasting life in Heauen This is the reason why our blessed Sauiour so closely ioyned these together that the thought of this temporary Bread might moue vs to desire the Bread of Life for which cause Christ would haue these two Petitions connected together The Jewes badly enough in other things say well in this A woman takes two children to Nurse the one is a very meane one deformed crooked blinde and not likely to liue long the other as goodly a child as may be beautifull well-fauoured and likely infinitely to out-liue the other Now the foolish woman who bestowes all her care diligence and attendance vpon the worst childe and neuer lookes vnto the best must needs be ignorant and very foolish in so bad a choyce and so great a neglect So is it with vs wee haue taken two children to nurse our Body and our Soule they be the children and the Soule we know is infinitely better then the Body more beautifull and of longer continuance and yet like the foolish Nurse wee bestow all our care labour and paines about the worst wee are all for the body care little for the soule which yet must liue when the body shall die But our blessed Sauiour would haue both children lookt vnto the Body respected the soule remembred wherefore he strictly connects and ioynes these two Petitions together Answer 2
owne so must we doe if we loue our owne peace and quiet safety auoyd this grieuous debt of sinne by all meanes Especially in age take heed we continue not in this wofull debt But doe as a man doth when hee comes into an Inne calles for no more then hee meanes to pay for though hee see a great deale of good cheere before him in the house yet hee considers what his meanes and ability is for otherwise if he neuer thinke of it but cals in for all he sees without thought how to discharge it when the reckning comes and he not able to pay it is shame vnto him besides the danger of imprisonment so fareth it with vs it is good to take vp no more then we are able to pay for but howsoeuer we see a number of goodly things in this world which may allure vs and set our desires on fire causing expence of money let vs take heed of being in debt especially of this debt of sinne the worst of all other The second thing in this Confession is That all men run into this debt of sinne yea and very farre for which wee pray not forgiue vs our debt but forgiue vs our debts because there are a great number of them So that here is a plaine confession that we are all sinners and grieuous sinners euen the best of vs for this is not a prayer for some of the worst but for the holy Apostles the Disciples of Christ yea for the whole Church dispersed all the world ouer So faith Iam. 3. 2. In many things we sinne all and 1 Iohn 2. 2. Christ is said to be the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world And Iob confesses If he would contend with God hee could not answer him one of a thousand So Dauid prayes Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Yea and Salomon in his prayer 1 King 8. 46. confesses That there is no man who sinneth not This we see that no man liuing is exempted from this debt of sinne Vse 1 The vse hereof is to humble vs before God in regard of this debt of sin to confesse our owne vnworthinesse and that the Iudgements of God on vs for our sinnes are iust to say therefore as the Church doth I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him c. Vse 2 Secondly To labour as much as may be to cleare this debt which cannot be done by our selues but by Christ Iesus Therefore let vs doe for our soules as Salomons counsell is for our estates If thou be surety for thy neighbour deliuer thy selfe as a Roe from the Hunter So for vs let vs neuer be quiet for we shall neuer prosper if we belong to God vntill we haue reconciled our selues vnto God by the mediation of Iesus Christ. If a man runne into arrerages with the King and euery yeare the Sheriffes and the Bayliffes come and straine vpon the ground driue away his Cattell impound them disturbe his children and seruants and indanger his person no man that hath any wit in his head but will seek to stay the matter or compound for the debt that he may liue in peace Now iust this is our case we all runne into arrerages vnto the Lord and that euery month euery yeare euery weeke euery day by one offence or other So that in lustice which is euer ready he may straine and imprison vs Oh then why doe we not seeke to stay the matter and to take vp the businesse with the Lord to compose and settle it by our heauenly high Priest Iesus Christ and so walke on hereafter in holinsse and newnesse of lâ—fe The third part of the Confession is That wee be not able to pay this debt of our selues for if wee were able to satisfie it what needed we to pray to God to forgiue it which prayer is a plaine confession that we are not able to discharge it we cannot say with the seruant in the Gospell Master appease thine anger and I will pay thee all We be not able to pay halfe nor whole nor quarter nay not any thing at all towards the satisfaction of diuine Iustice so all our sute is in this Petition that the Lord would pardon and forgiue it seeing wee are not able to discharge it our selues The Papists say though they cannot pay the whole debt of sinne yet they can pay a good part of it and being a little helpt by Christ they may easily discharge the whole making vp the rest with their owne merits But if we looke a little into the Point we may easily see that no man liuing saue the Lord Jesus is able to pay this debt of sinne I proue it thus No man can pay God with his owne But all the good that we haue or can doe is the Lords owne and none of ours but the Lords therefore no man can pay the Lord with it Reason 1 The Proposition I proue by comparison Suppose a Steward owes an hundred pound vnto his Master and hath not a penny of his owne I demand now whether the Steward may lawfully pay his owne debts with his Masters money It is out of question that hee cannot Now this is our case all we haue is but the Lords money nothing of our owne as Dauid confesses 1 Chron. 29. 14. All things come of thee and of thine owne haue we giuen thee So the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 7. askes What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued it why boast est thou as though thou hadst not receiued it Therefore because all wee haue is the Lords it is euident that we cannot pay the Lord with it because no man can pay a man with his owne Reason 2 Secondly we cannot pay one debt with another for it is a Rule in Law that if a man hath two debts due vnto him or if you will oweth two debts by paying of one he shall not cleere the other now all that wee doe or can doe is due debt vnto God as Christ saith When wee haue done all we can doe wee are but vnprofitable seruants Now because we owe a double debt first the debt of sinne secondly the debt of death it is euident by performing the debt of death wee cannot discharge the debt of sinne Reason 3 Thirdly Euery debt must be payed with currant money as the Scripture saith Gen. 23. 16. Abraham payed for his sepulchre 400 shekels of currant money amongst Merchants such as wants nothing of value nor waight Now God knowes all our seruice wants waight when it comes to be waighed for one cannot pay a debt with light and crackt Angels or soothered Gold Nor can we satisfie the Lord with our counterfeit workes for when they shall come into the exact ballance of his lustice they
vnto his Master but when did it appeare so as hee was conuinced of it when the debt booke was searcht into and particulars ript open then and neuer till then was hee found to be so greatly indebted So it is with vs we thinke all well enough till God come to reckon with vs in particular and set our sinnes in order before vs as he speakes Psal. 50 and then this monstrous sight driues vs to a due consideration of our wofull and wretched state Reason 2 A second reason is A blinde and foolish presumptuous perswasion that God will shew vs mercy though we doe not seeke it and though we take little or no paines for it The greatest part of the world as you see liue in their sinnes without repentance neuer come vpon their knees to the throne of grace to aske pardon for them what is the Reason because as they say God is mercifull a good man and they may doe well enough all is not so strict as these preachers would make vs beleeue but the truth is If God be mercifull it is to such as seeke it and repent for their sinnes as Lam. 3. 25. The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him Thus if we seeke for and prize mercy wee may haue it but if we seeke it not and find no want of it nor pray earnestly for it it is a sure signe we are yet in a miserable naturall estate that though 〈◊〉 be an Ocean of Mercy in the Lord no one drop shall runne vnto vs but one day such shall cry like Diues for a drop of such water and shall not haue it nay if we be cruell to deny mercy vnto others when wee haue receiued mercy our selues we shall be sure to be punished for it also The next thing in this Petition is the Extension of it we pray to God to forgiue all our sinnes not of any speciall troubling waighty filthy one but of a release of all whatsoeuer A number of the world according to the false manner of their accounts are onely troublâ—… for some one sinne that doth distresse and lie heâ—â—ily vpon them hauing no remembrance of those sinnes â—â—ich neuer stared them in the face This was Judas case hee was pitiously perplexed for betraying of Christ but neuer thought of his couetousnesse and corrupted heart the fountaine whence this cursed sinne was hatcht and had roote So doe most of vs striue perhaps and pray against some one sinne that troubles vs but we seldome enlarge our hearts to discend down in particulars that our secret faults wantonnesse lusts couetousnesse and the like may be forgiuen as the holy Prophet by his example teacheth vs Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret sinnes The third thing is The time of the Request we see it must be our daily suite vnto God as euery day we pray for daily Bread so must we pray to God for the pardon of our sinnes This is a speciall point that euery day we make attonement and reconciliation with God for our sinnes because euery day we renue our sins and offend God therfore we had need euery day to renue our sutes and prayers vnto God When Adam was fallen the Text saith God came to him in the coole of the day The Lord would not let him sleepe in his sinnes but came and awoke him putting him in remembrance of his sinne So in the Law If a man were vncleane yet when the Euening came he must wash his cloathes and so be reconciled accordingly Euen so though we be vncleane by reason of our sinnes yet if we wash our selues by the true teares of Repentance we shall be reconciled to God and admitted into the Campe againe This then may teach vs that howsoeuer we haue our daily slippes and fals yet if we doe euery day labour to make our peace with God for the sinnes of the day that we doe not let them runne weekely and monthly and yearely we may be sure to find mercy at the hands of God Now there be diuers Reasons to moue vs to this duty and make vs renue our prayers daily without omission First Because we are very prone to forget our sinnes nothing sooner Therefore it is good to remember them the sooner the better A Steward who hath large reckonings and but a short memory he must haue the oftner recknings yea euery dayes account cast vp so because we be forgetfull and a number of sinnes doe easily slip vs we must desire euery day to make euen with the Lord. The Apostle counsels vs Ephes. 4. 26. Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath If then the Sun must not goe downe vpon our wrath to admonish vs not to be mercilesse much more ought we to take heed of that the Lords wrath go not down vpon our sins for want of our repentance Secondly Because the fresher sense of sinnes is at the first for by referring repentance it takes away the sense of sinne as the memory thereof Wounds we know bleed most when they be fresh then they doe most feelingly affect vs let one haue a bruise or straine commonly the greatest sense and paine is at the first but afterwards time will allay and mitigate and so slacke the sharpnesse of sense as we shall nothing so much feele the griefe of them So it is with our sinnes our greatest and quickest sense of them is at the first so the sooner we seeke for reconciliation the more easie will it be for vs to obtaine mercy and we will so much the more eagerly desire it Thirdly Because if euery day we get our sinnes discharged we shall haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Therfore it is good not to suffer them to run on but take theÌ„ in pieces betimes when they are committed and repent of them As a man that would carry home a great tree if he diuide it and breake it in a number of small pieces he may then with ease at seuerall times carry it away So if we doe with the great bulke and body of our sins diuide them euery day apart make our prayers for the daily remission of them then shall we haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Wherfore as sins increase so let vs euery day seeke reconciliation that we bring no after recknings to God for enough are those euery day by themselues Fourthly Because the sooner we repent of them the sooner we shall be quiet and haue peace and rest for so long as the conscience is awake and not seared by sinnes vnrepented of there will be vexation in the heart vntill sins be confessed and pardoned as in Dauids case He roared and had no rest vntill hee had made his peace with God As when an Arme or a Bone is out of ioynt the sooner it is set the more ease one shall haue So it is with
vs whensoeuer we haue sinned against God the soule being out of ioynt the sooner we shall find ease Wounds you know that are not by and by dressed will ranckle and fester so as the cure of them will be much more difficult and dangerous So it is with the wounds of our sinnes if they be long kept from searching opening and laying them before the Lord. Let vs therefore preuent the mischiefe which may follow our delayes making vpon all occasions a continuall and speedy attonement with God The third generall part of this Petition is The Condition of the same We pray to God to forgiue vs as we forgiue others yet this cannot be a cause of Gods forgiuenesse but a condition onely It can be no cause for as the Schoole-men say Finiti ad infinitum nulla est propertio There is no proportion of the Finite to the Infinite thing And so no reason because wee forgiue our Brethren some small matter that GOD should forgiue vs the infinite debt we owe. Therefore no cause but a condition of it Very reason will teach vs this that it is in the power of the giuer to prescribe vpon what condition he giues his gift as Christ saith to Peter Iohn 13. 8. Unlesse I wash thee thou shalt not bee cleane As if hee had said I am content that thou haue part with mee in my kingdome and glory but yet there is a condition annexed Except I wash thee except thou obey me submit thy selfe vnto me thou mayest not haue it So God did giue vnto Paul the liues of all that were with him in the ship yet it was conditionall Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be safe And so must we be contented to rest vpon the meanes which God hath appointed and be willing to performe such conditions as hee inioynes vnto vs. But the wickednesse of the world and corruption of men that willingly will not come to any conditions with GOD but would haue the blessing without the condition like the kinsman of Ruth hee would haue had the land but when he heard the Condition that he must haue Ruth to wife he refused the bargaine So the Rich man in the Gospel would haue had eternall life but when he heard the condition that he must leaue all and follow Christ in a poore estate he would not meddle with it but went away sorrowfull So it is with the world still and so it is with most men they would haue the blessing they would haue life euerlasting forgiuenesse of sinnes and the like but they will none of the condition to forgiue the offences of others But let vs remember if we looke to inioy the Lords blessings we must come to his conditions wee may not haue them vpon what tearmes wee will but be contented to accept of them on what manner the Lord will giue them vs. Now the Conditions that the Lord giues vs are First Easie to be done For the Lord doth not say man must content me for his sinnes let mee haue so many teares so much sorrow from thee proportionable to thy offences spend as many dayes in my seruice as thou hast spent in the seruice of sinne But what saith hee Forgiue forgiue be ready and forgiue others and thou shalt euer find me more ready to forgiue thee So that it is an easie condition which the Lord prescribes O we might thinke it abundantly wel with vs if we were able to purchase so excellent a mercy as the forgiuenesse of sins at any rate whatsoeuer yea though we bought it with a great deale of paines and transitory goods yea life it selfe but the Lord lets it come at an easier rate at such a poore price that it is wonderfull he imposeth no more vpon vs then to forgiue others This shewes his goodnesse loue and mercy and all to make vs confesse the greatnesse of the same As Naamans seruant said vnto his Master If the Prophet had commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not haue done it for thy health But now onely to wash and be cleane what a thing is this So the Lord may say had he prescribed vs any difficult and hard matter for the remission of our sinnes would wee not haue beene glad of it but now when hee hath imposed so easie a taske vpon vs as to forgiue others what shall be said vnto vs if wee neglect it Secondly A condition profitable to our selues of no profit to the Lord at all what doth he gaine by our forgiuing of our brethren but all the profit redounds vnto our selues both because we shall be the more gentle and fitted vnto goodnesse and many times by this meanes we shall haue the more fauour and loue by winning many vnto vs in loue and kindnesse God causing vs finde from others as they receiue from vs so gaining some whom neither sharpnesse threatnings nor sorrowes could reconcile Looke into the Story of the Aramites 2 Kings 6. 22. When the King of Israel hauing them in his power would haue killed them No saith Elisha set bread and water before them that they may eate and drinke and goe to their Master by which occasion the bands of the Aramites it is said came no more into the land of Israel to annoy it So great profit came by this kindnesse and goodnesse so will it turne altogether to our profit and benefit if we can practice this duty in forgiuing of others Thirdly It is a condition which doth much further and helpe vs in the expectation and hope of blessings lookt for For if we who be but men that haue but a drop of mercy can forgiue our Brethren we may well thinke that the Lord who is the Ocean and full Sea of graces must and will be more ready to forgiue vs. When we see the Sunne shine vpon a wall wee easily conceiue that it shines more brightly and gloriously within his owne Orbe So we finding so much more mercy in our selues to forgiue our Brethren may easily conceiue that there is much more mercy in the Lord to forgiue vs because he is the very Fountaine of all that mercy and forgiuenesse we shew to others Thus as the blessing is conditionall so must wee performe the condition if we hope for Gods fauour Quest Here comes a question to be answered Why of all other duties doth the Lord prescribe this condition vnto vs. Ans. Because by all meanes he would nourish and preserue loue amongst vs as much as may be sor whereas by the taint and corruption of sinne we are ready to fall asunder by infinite quarrels and iarres and so to pull in pieces and rent the sweet bonds of brotherly society wherein the Diuell hath played his part by bringing into the world diuision and dissention amongst vs the Lord in his loue seekes to vnite and draw vs into one therefore of all conditions imposing this of loue vpon vs that if the loue of
cause of Repentance 1 The first furthering cause is the Mercies of God and the remembrance of them for when God puts vs in minde what hee hath done for vs or wee our selues consider what wee haue lost or hazarded by reason of our sinnes who cannot but relent and acknowledge the same considering of Gods goodnesse as it is Rom. 2. What dost thou not know O man that the bountifulnesse of God and his goodnesse leadeth thee to Repentance for looke how many mercies God doth bestow vpon vs so many strong motiues they are vnto Repentance So Ierem 2. God shewing his former kindnesses vnto them expostulateth the matter to bring them vnto Repentance and Confession Ezek. 20. 43. the Lord shewes for the other And there shall you remember your wayes and all your doings wherein you haue beene defiled and yet shall Ioathe your selues in your owne fight c. and Iob. 35. 10. hee complaineth that none remembred the mercies of God and therefore they were not heard in their prayers because they wanted faith to repent To vrge the point yet more that the mercies of God moue much to Repentance see Luke 5. when Peter saw the great draught of fishes Lord saith hee depart from me a sinfull man Thus Gods mercies did bring Peter to the acknowledgement of his sinnes Euen so the mercies of God should bring vs to make this vse of it to bring vs to the consideration of our sinnes and to repent for them and to loue the Lord for his goodnesse and for his mercy and fauour bestowed vpon vs. If a wicked wife should slip away from her husband and commit many faults against him If hee not withstanding send her loue tokens from time to time this kindnesse of her husband must needs bee a mighty meanes to drawe her backe againe in loue and obedience vnto him Euen such is the kindenesse and goodnesse of God towards vs that though wee slip and slide from him by our sinnes yet hee sends to vs loue tokens his mercies and his blessings euery day from time to time to bring vs home by Repentance Helping cause of Repentance 2 The second Helping or furthering Cause is The Iudgements of God this is a principall cause in furthering of our Repentance as wee may see Genesis 42. 12. of Iosephs brethren when they were in trouble then they confessed their sinnes being accused Nay but to see the Nakednesse of the land you are come So the Prodigall sonne when hee was in miserie then hee came home to his Father So Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy Chastisement was vpon them so the Lord doth mightily conuince them of sinne and neglecting his Iudgements I hearkned and heard but they spake not arâ—ght no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done euery man turned to his course as the horse rusheth to the battell and Zephan 3. 5. hee sayes The iust Lord is in the midst thereof hee will not doe iniquitie euery morning doth hee bring his Iudgements to light but the vniust knoweth no shame So Amos 4. the Lord there complaines of this that hee sent his Iudgements from time to time hee sent mildewes and blastings and many other iudgements and yet he complaines Yee returned not vnto mee If a sheepe goe astray from his sheepheard out of the flocke hee will set his dogge at him as if hee would kill him or worrie him and yet hee hath no purpose to hurt him but to driue him home to the fould againe for when the sheepe is come home hee rates and calls off his dogge So the Lord doth by vs if wee goe astray and turne from his sheepe-fold then hee sets his dogge at vs as if hee would kill vs the dogge of pouertie or the dogge of lamenesse or of blindenesse or of sicknesse or some crosse or some other iudgements and yet hee hath no purpose to hurt vs it is but onely to bring vs home vnto him for if wee bee once brought home hee calls off his dogge againe and rates him which is Gods end in all afflictions which hee from time to time sendeth The third helping or furthering Cause is our owne Considerations as Psal. 119. Dauid saith I considered my wayes and turned my feete to thy testimonie So vntill wee come to consider our owne wayes wee can neuer turne vnto God Now this consideration must bee in foure things First of the strict account wee must giue vnto God at the day of Iudgement for all those sinnes wee doe not repent of in this world If wee repent then the Lord will forgiue vs but if wee doe not repent bee assured wee must answer for our sinnes wheras vpon repentance Christ will answer for vs and wee may confidently put away the reaccount lying vpon Christ vnto which the Apostle alludes 2. Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our Consolation also aboundeth through Christ. Secondly of the fearefull estate wherein wee liue vntill wee haue repented not being the friends of God but heires of hell not hauing interest in any promise but liable to the Curse of the Law vpon which ensues death and torments Which is the third thing those vnspeakable tortures the soule for euer shall endure with the deuill and his angels for euermore Fourthly the consideration of foure other things First The Necessitie of Repentance that is is such a necessarie grace that wee cannot bee saued without it for there is but two wayes either to Repent or else to perish For if a man weresicke and a Physitian should come to him and temper for him such a Potion which if hee did not take hee could not choose but dye one would thinke a man could not choose but take it though it were against his stomacke Euen so wee are all sicke of the disease of sinne and the Lord hath tempered a Potion for vs to drinke and hee telleth vs if wee doe not take it we shall not escape condemnation Now this Potion which the Lord hath tempered for vs is Repentance therefore wee must bee contented to take it though it bee against our stomacke The Second consideration is The vtilitie and profite wee haue by it for if wee repent God will forgiue vs but if wee repent not God will make vs answer for it at the great day of Iudgement here is our choice Repent and bee forgiuen Repent not and perish so the Lord promiseth Forgiuenesse vpon Repentance Isa. 1. 18. Though your sinnes werâ—red as scarlet hee will make them white as snow if you repent and obey that is in Gods account it shall bee so The Third Consideration is The readinesse of God to receiue vs then hee will turne his frowning anger into louing fauour his cursings into blessings his iudgements into mercies so soone as the Prodigall sonne came home to his Father wee see
the physicke is alwayes tempered to the stâ—ength of the diseased but the longer it is deferred the more dangerous is the cure So it is with vs for our sinnes wee must haue the Physicke of Repentance cure vs according to the measure of our sinnes as I haue shewed If a man haue made himselfe a great burden to carry and should assay it on his backe and so hee findes it vneasie and to presse him very much if he should then throw it downe and put a great deale more vnto it and then begin to lift it againe but vpon the second tryall finding it heauier then before if hee should fall in a great rage till hee adde twice as much strength and labour to carry it the lighter would wee not thinke such a one foolish thus wilfully to increase his burden so is it with the children of this world because they finde Repentance somewhat vneasie at first they cast it from them and by that time they come againe hauing added more sinnes and made their burden heauier they are compelled to their greater sorrow and greater Repentance to wrastle with so grieuous a burden at a wondrous great disaduantage The Fifth Reason why early Repentanâ— is better then late is Because it is more pleasing vnto God for hee for the most part reckoneth more of an old disciple then of a new As wee see in experience vsually one will make more account of an old seruant then of a new hee will commit more trust to him and bee more familiar with him Euen so the Lord makes more reckoning of an old Disciple then of a new wherefore by all these reasons wee may see that early Repentance is better then late And therefore now let vs doe as it is said 1. Chron. 22. 16. Arise therefore and bee doing the Lord will be with thee So seeing wee haue so many sinnes to repent vs of and that God must haue the temple of our soules new built and re-edified let vs vp betimes and be doing with our Repentance As Pro. 3. 28. Say not vnto thy neighbour goe and come againe tomorrow but giue when thou hast it by thee So say not vnto God when he offers thee Repentance goe and come againe I will listen to this another time but listen while it is time and refuse not mercie when it is so neere thee Wee see that in the practise of men they cannot indure to bee put off from day to day in those things they desire to haue but they will take it as an iniurie done vnto them So the Lord takes it as a great iâ—iurie and wrong done vnto him when men put off their repentance from day to day The common course of the world is to deferre Repentance vnto the day of death thinking that to be the fittest time for it But such are deceiued for of all other times this is the worst for it and that because of two impediments 1. One in Nature 2. The other in Grace The first impediment in Nature is The Dolour and paine wherein the partie at that time is for when paines bee vpon a man how vnfit is he then to repent when it is tedious and irksome to speake or heare any noyse O how vnfit is a man then to set all his sinnes in order before him to sorrow and mourne for them and that hee hath offended by them so gratious and good a God In this case it befalls vnto many at such times as it did with the Israelites Exod. 6. 9. Moses told them that the Lord would bring them out of Egypt that hee would take away the burdens from their shoulders and that hee would bring them into the land of Canaan which hee had sworne vnto their Fathers to giue vnto them But the text shewes That they did not hearken vnto Moses for the anguish of spirit and because of the cruell bondage they were in So for the most part when paines and sicknesse are vpon one hee is not fit to listen vnto any good counsell or admonition that any one can bring him be it neuer so comfortable vnto others therefore the time of death is a most vnfit time for the beginning of Repentance Secondly Because the time of death to a naturall man vntill hee hath repented is of all other times the most terrible and fearfull Vntill hee haue obtained the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that heauen and happinesse belongs vnto him If a Physitian should come to take away a legge or an arme from a man what a fearfull thing would it bee how much more fearefull to a naturall man is death which comes not to take away a legge or an arme onely but to rent body and soule asunder to bee at last tormented for euer So that when death comes with so dolefull an errand to seperate two old friends this time must needs bee a most vndisposed season to repent in Thirdly Because of worldly Cogitations as the disposing of wife and children house and lands and other goods all these must needs hinder the motions of Repentance As if a man haue a candle lighted in a Mine vnder the earth if it bee neere or vnder a dampe this will come and put out the candle So when in the time of sicknesse there is a candle lighted of good motions and meditations of Repentance then these new mutinous cogitations enter in to thinke what shall become of wife and children this and that friend and how to bestow our goods these like a dampe extinguish the good thoughts of Repentance The fourth is That God then ordinarily punishes our neglect of this duty in our health with hardnesse of heart on our death-beds As it is Pro. 1. Because hee called then to vs and wee would not answer therefore we call vnto him and he will not answer vs euen when our feares come like a whirlewinde and our desolation posteth vpon vs. O saith Christ to Ierusalem Would to God thou hadst knowne in this thy day the things which belong vnto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Worke saith our Sauiour to the Iewes whilst it is called to day for the night commeth in which no man can worke So that this night time of sicknesse is of all times the most vnfit to repent in when God may iustly leaue vs comfortlesse because wee would not ere that time hearken to the words of instruction and walke in new obedience 2 The Impediments of Grace At that time may bee these First God may deny vs the meanes to worke Faith and Repentance in vs our comforters and helpers then shall be silent tongue tyed or absent when wee most wish desire and languish for comfort and helpe then one of a thousand may be denyed vs. Secondly Though hee doe giue vs meanes yet it may bee hee will not blesse them or make them powerfull and effectuall vnto vs. And though hee doe blesse the
because no man truely conuerted can thinke of his sins with pleasure but with griefe Iob saith thou makest mee to possesse the sins of my youth so wee may bee free and haue little sorrow and few or no teares for sinne at first and yet this case of compassion may affect vs in our riper age or old age or in the time of sicknesse and death at which time wee may come in bitternesse of soule to bewaile them Fourthly againe I say that at one time or other wee shall shed teares for sinne some doe mourne and weepe at their first conuersion and lye a long time vnder the burden ere they can be comforted As a many experiences of troubled consciences amongst vs doe shew Some againe like to the Eunuch Act. 8. 39. and Lydia Act. 16. 14. when God opens their hearts absenting matter of terror and representing full matter of ioy depart away at first reioycing not mourning as others So that I say the case is different in this case according to the representation and diuine impression vpon the soule of ioy or terrour in the present apprehension or according to the former guiltinesse of the party conuerted but this is most sure if we belong to the Lord at one time or other wee shall weepe and mourne for sinnes of our selues and others See Psal 25. 7. saith Dauid Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my youth And 2. King 22. 10. you shall finde how much good Iosiah was affected with the sinnes of the time when Helkiah the Priest deliuered him a booke whereby hee apprehended how the people had offended God so that whosoeuer of Gods children hath not yet felt conuersion throughly hee shall feele it before this life leaue him as I shewed formerly a wound with a sword makes but a white stroke at first but within a while the blood issues aboundantly So euery one doth not by and by bleed vpon his first conuersion and feeling of sinne when hee is smitten by the Law but tarrie awhile till some further working vpon his heart and you shall see vnconcealed sorrow and teares issue forth amaine Now the Reason of this I thinke is Why some men mourne and some doe not but reioyce at their first conuersion because it is with the motions of the minde as it is with the motions of compounded bodies Elements predominate tending still towards their proper orbe or place agreeable vnto them So at that time of conuersion looke what the soule is most possessed with at that time thither it is carryed As fill a bladder with winde and throw it to the ground it will not lye there but bend vpwards to the aire because it is filled with ayre but fill it with earth and it will fall and lye on the earth because of the earth that fills it and our bodies being earthly fall to the earth againe So it is in the minde of a man at his first conuersion if hee apprehend the mercie of God in Christ more then the fearefull iudgements of God for sinne then hee is carryed with comfort but on the other side apprehending iudgements most then hee is cast downe and discouraged Fiftly I say all that are truely conuerted shall shedde teares at one time or other though not in a like measure for some shed teares in a more abundant manner as Mary Magdalen who sate at Christs feete and washed them with her teares Luk. 7. So of Peter Math. 26. who went out and wept bitterly and of Dauid Psal. 6. who watered his couch with teares whom though all cannot follow yet all must wish to imitate in true sorrow for sinne in one measure or other for it is well obserued of a learned man that a man may let out the corruption of a byle as well out of a little hole as out of a great one as one may know that there is life in a man as well by the stirring and wagging of a finger as of the whole hand so may the truth of Repentance as well bee discerned by a few teares as a great many Thus wee haue seene the meaning of the conclusion That there be very few who are truely conuerted if they continue any time after conuersion but will shed teares for their sinnes at one time or other in one measure or other Now I come to confirme it diuersly 1. By Reason 2. By Authoritie 3. By Example First by Reason thus hardly is there any man liuing be he neuer so stout hearted and composed in himselfe but there is one thing or other that will make him weepe though hee set neuer so good a face on the matter the losse of wife husband children or the vnkindnesse of friends or some worldly calamitie but in those that bee truely conuerted the greatest griefe of all is the griefe for sinne all other griefes whatsoeuer are nothing so great or sensible If this bee throughly apprehended nothing so workes on the heart of a renewed man as the heauie and sad remembrance of sinnes past whereby hee hath offended God and grieued him to whom he oweth more seruice and duty then to all the world besides And so seeing there is not any man liuing but some extreamitie will make him weepe and the greatest extremitie in any mans conscience truely considered is sinne or for sinne hardly is there any man liuing but at one time or other the conscience of his sinnes will make him weepe and draw teares from him Secondly By Authoritie thus Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Ierem. 50. 4. Then and in those dayes and at that time shall the children of Israel come they and the children of Iudah going and weeping they shall goe and seeks the Lord their God So Reuel 21. 4. it is promised And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes not onely the teares which they haue shed in regard of their miserie but also those shed in regard of their sinnes so it is most sure that those who are humbled and shed teares for any thing will especially mourne and weepe for sinne Thirdly By Example of other holy people that haue beene before vs they that could hardly weepe for all the things in the world did yet weepe for their sinnes Dauid a souldier and so by consequence a stout-hearted man much acquainted with blood yet his sins made him shed abundance of teares Psal. 6. 6. and so he addes ver 8. Hee hath heard the voice of my weeping And so Mary Magdalen sate her downe at the feet of Iesus and washed them with her teares Luk. 7. which though it bee no strange thing for a woman to weepe yet for such a woman to weepe a Lady a gallant altogether set vpon her pleasures brauery and delights it was as strange a thing as might be The like may be said of the children of Israel a proud insolent hard-hearted people such as would not easily melt yet when the Angel
that death will doe as much for vs as these fierie chariots did for Elias which carried him into heauen and be no more affraid of death then he was of that fierie chariot and horses which carried him into heauen both hauing alike commission though not in the same manner Thirdly We must die in the perswasion of our own blessed and ioyfull resurrection that howsoeuer our bodies shal be dissolued into dust and die as others yet that one day we shal arise liue again Thus Iob fortified himselfe against all his miseries with hope of the resurrection as Iob 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liueth and hee shall stand the last on the earth and though wormes destroy this body yet shall I see him in my flesh c. This also supported the Prophet Dauid Psal. 16. 9. Wherefore my heart was glad and my tongue reioyced and my flesh rested in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption This was the faith of Dauid that hee was perswaded that God would bring this bodie out of the graue at the time appointed and herewith Christ doth also comfort himselfe in the dayes of his flesh Math. 15. 21. That although he should suffer many things at the hands of the Elders and of the high Priests and Scribes being slaine yet that the third day hee should rise againe Now that which was the stay of Christ of Iob of Dauid that must bee the stay of euery faithfull soule in all troubles and afflictions Fourthly Wee must shew forth especiall patience at the houre of death for though wee haue need of patience in the whole course of our life yet at that time most of all So the Author to the Hebrewes shewes For yee haue need of patience that when yee haue done the will of God yee might receiue the promise so all had need of patience This much was our Sauiours practise mentioned Act. 8. 32. Hee was led as a sheepe to the slaughter and like a lambe dumbe before the shearers so opened hee not his mouth Now Peter shewes vs that Christ hath suffered leauing vs an example that wee should also suffer with him 1. Pet. 2. 21. Because saith he Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps therefore as Christ shewed extraordinary patience at the houre of death so must wee meekly and patiently submit our selues vnder the mightie hand of God when wee come to die For our helpe in this case obserue three things which may make vs patient in the day of death First To consider that our paines be alwayes lesse then our sinnes and that wee feele not the thousand part of that which wee deserue to suffer as the Church acknowledgeth Mic. 7. 9. I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill hee pleade my cause and bring mee forth to the light then shall I see his righteousnesse c. So the Theefe vpon the crosse confessed Luk. 23. 40. saying to his fellow Dost thou not feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation and we indeed iustly suffer for wee receiue the due reward for our deeds So Ierem. 10. 19. Woe is mee for my hurt my wound is grieuous but I said truly this is my burden and I must beare it So must euery one say this and this affliction crosse or miserie is for my sinnes all this trouble and vexation is nothing in regard of that which I haue deserued by reason of my sinnes which God might haue imposed vpon me Consideration 2 Secondly to consider That our paines are nothing to the paines of Christ which hee suffered for vs. Hee died on the Crosse wee for the most part die in our beds hee died among soldiers wee for the most part die amongst our friends hee was put to all extremitie at his death and wee for the most part depart of a long lingering disease Augustine to this purpose saith well Let man suffer what he will and let his paines be neuer so great yet hee cannot come neere the reproches the crowne of thornes sweates of blood buffetings reuilings which our Sauiour suffered though he was God and we but sinfull men he our Lord and wee his seruants hee cleane wee polluted hee innocent and wee guiltie and vnrighteous Therefore seeing our paines in death at worst are so farre short of his we should be patient Thirdly To consider these paines are finite not lasting and that they bring vs to euerlasting ease So wee haue it Reu. 13. 14. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hencefoorth for they rest from their labours c. So Isa. 57. 2. it is said of a righteous man Hee shall enter into peace They shall rest in their beds each one walking in his vprightnesse Thus all good men shall be at rest with him when death comes vntill afterwards that they come to eternall full and euerlasting ease therefore this should make vs patient at the day of death because after a little paine we come to a great deale of ease We know when a Iayler knocks off a prisoners bolts fetters and Irons it may bee the wearing of the Irons puts him to a great deale lesse paine then the knocking them off doth yet though euery blow goe to the heart of him hee is content to bee patient and still because he knowes that paine will bring him more ease afterwards So all men lyâ—here fettered and grieued with the bolts and irons of mortalitie and sinne in which case it may be when God comes to knocke off those irons by death that wee feele more paines and extremitie then before yet because this brings to ease and euerlasting peace and rest therefore it should make vs patient hauing thereby these fetters of mortalitie and sinne loosed by death Fiftly a maine dutie is That wee must then indeauour that our speeches bee gratious and heauenly at the time of Death That there bee sweet exhortations sauourie experimentall speeches to the beholders questions of puritie courage and incouragement as grapes shewed vnto them of that countrie whither we are a remouing to as a light shining forth vnto them euen from the confines of death that the beholders our friends may bee as instructed so comforted in our happy and blessed departure Wee finde as a learned man well obserues that a man cannot goe so softly in moist grounds but hee will leaue prints and markes behinde him of his foot-steps so that though hee bee gone by yet one may know which way hee went So a man should not goe hence so softly to heauen but he ought to leaue some markes and prints of his footsteps in his good life good speeches heauenly meditations ioyfull excitations and practise of holy graces contempt of the world c. which shewes whither wee are a going
wickednesse saying what haue I done And Isa. 9. 13 For the people turne not to them that smite them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts So Ezek. 33. 31. And they come to thee as thy people commeth and they sit before thee as thy people they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with the mouth they shew much loue but their hearts goe after their couetousnesse Now there bee Three causes why the state of impenitencie is such a fearefull state to liue in Cause 1 First Because it bindes vs fast vnder damnation and brings vs vnto hell and in a manner shuts the doore of hell and death vpon vs being once there As we reade Reu. 20. 3. That the Angell layd hold on the Dragon that old serpent which is the diuel and Satan bound him a thousand years and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him vp and set a seale vpon him euen so doth impenitencie deale with vs our sinnes fling vs into hell and when wee are there then comes Impenitencie and shuts downe the doore vpon vs ties vs in chaines makes all so fast that we haue no power or way to get out of the fearefull estate wee be in Therefore 2. Tim. 2. 26. indeauour and exhortation in this case is appointed Proouing if at any time God will giue them repentance that they may recouer themselues out of the sâ—are of the diuell who are taken captiue by him at his will So there is a promise that if at any time a man doe come out of the snares of the deuill and repent he shall haue mercie but it is very hard to be done Impenitencie being such a sinne as the Lord euery where cries out on as Amos 3. and Ier. 3. 3. And thou hast a whoores forehead thou refusest to bee ashamed So chap. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done euery one returned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell And Isa. 9. 13. For the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts So Ezek. 33. 11. As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his wicked wayes and liue Turne yee turne yee from your euill wayes for why will you die ô house of Israel Cause 2 Secondly Because it makes voide and frustrates all the meanes of grace and Life As a man dwelling in some poore house comfortably with his wife and his children the Sun with his bright beames shining and breaking in vpon them if one stop vp the window and shut out all the comfortable beams there comfort is gone euen so it is when God brings the sweet beames of grace to shine in vpon the conscience of a sinner impenitencie puts a barre against them and shuts out all the light of the Lord and of grace that shines into our hearts so making all the meanes of Grace and of Eternall Life vnprofitable and fruitlesse vnto vs wherfore with the holy Prophet Dauid wee must beware of this feacefull estate that we may haue boldnesse to say with him Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare me This makes one shamelesse and obstinate as Math. 23. 37. How often would I saith Christ haue gathered thy children together euen as a Henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not Thus Impenitencie shuts out all-thriuing in Grace Cause 3 Thirdly Because Impenitencie brings the guilt of all our sinnes vpon vs It is true if we repent as it is Micah 7. 19. God will pardon all our sinnes and cast them in the bottome of the Sea But if wee liue in sinne without repentance this impenitencie will turne all our sins vpon vs at the day of Iudgement Thus doth it heape vp wrath vpon wrath against the day of Gods fierce indignation euen as a man heapes vp gold and siluer that is euery day adding and increasing it â—â—ll it be a great heape so an impenitent hard heart doth euery day heape vp and gather together by heaping of sinnes wrath vpon wrath against the day of wrath So that I may truely say with a learned man Better be the greatest sinner in the world and to repent it then to bee the least sinner and die in Impenitencie Which is the worst and most fearfull estate that may bee The vses of all which may be these Vse 1 First seeing the state of impenitencie is so dangerous Let vs pray to God often to deliuer vs from it that though through the corruption of our nature wee cannot choose but sinne yet we may see our sinnes bewaile and mourne for them and that wee may neuer come to that insensibilitie and deadnesse of spirit neuer to lament or bee sorry for them but to haue strength to remoue from this estate and rise vp as soone as may bee praying with the Prophet Psal. 119. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy Commandements Here you see was a going astray like a lost sheepe but this was such a straying as might be found out againe Vse 2 Secondly Seeing this estate is so dangerous Let vs labour to get out of it as soone as may be for howsoeuer our sinnes are multiplied by our corruption yet this sinne of impenitencie is more dangerous than all the rest and brings at last a fearefull despaire of mercie vpon vs. Therfore as the women going to the Sepulchre of our Sauior were careful who should roule away the great stone which lay at the mouth thereof So let euerie one of vs now say and bethinke our selues who shall roule away this great stone this hardnesse of heart this impenitencie this deadnesse and dulnesse of Spirit Therefore as Ierem. 31. 18. The Church prayes and confesses her failings so let vs pray Conuert vs ô Lord and we shall be conuerted and let vs vse the meanes diligently whereby our hearts may be touched and subdued to a true remorse and sense of sinne and the Majestie offended The second thing contrary to true repentance is Vnsound repentance This kind of repentance is When a man shewes a kinde of repentance but he does it not in such sort and manner as God requires it as Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a fast as I haue chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread sackecloath ashes vnder him Wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord It is Gods expostulation with his people as if he should say Is this such a Fast as I haue chosen I haue chosen fasting indeed and commanded it but you failed in the true meaning and manner of it I care for no outward shewes so much as the inward humiliation So the Lord hath chosen repentance
herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing from God If a man haue found out an excellent plaister which will cure his sore if he pluck it away and doe not let it lye when he is on the mending hand but expose it to the aire Hee may relapse into a worser condition or kill himselfe So when a man hath got some profite by the vse of good meanes if he doe not then keepe to them but grow loose and idle hee may fall into as bad estate as before he knew of any cure or much worse Trees that grow by the sent of water if the water be drawne from them they cannot thriue thriuingly as before so take away the constant vse of good meanes from a Christian and you take away his life hee cannot thriue or grow Meanes to grow in grace 4 Fourthly Wee must so vse all the meanes as we must be carefull and indeauour to bee bettered by them and not onely grow but grow to a taste of perfection by the vse of them as neere as may bee According to the Apostles Exhortation 2. Cor. 6. 1. Wee then as workers together with him beseech you also that you receiue not the grace of God in vaine Therefore wee must doe as wise merchants who when they haue made a venture at Sea cast vp their bookes and looke into their accounts to see what they haue gained So Christians who beare a part in the house of God and traffique against sinne with his graces must cast vp their accounts looke into their bookes see what they haue gotten or gained what graces bee the stronger and what graces the more weakened in their hearts Lastly it may be obiected is there now remaining any thing else to be said in this Treatise of Repentance I answer for my selfe nothing else I haue to deliuer vnto you concerning this Treatise onely to intreate you that as one hauing passed alongst a goodly pleasant long valley where he hath seene on both sides great store of delightfull Woods Townes Castles Riuers c. when he is readie to leaue that plaine turnes about to view the place once more and make impression thereof in his memorie so that you hauing passed along and heard so many excellent points in this doctrine of Repentance would turne about againe once more to view them all ere wee leaue them First you haue heard of the Necessitie of Repentance that wee cannot be saued without it Secondly The order of it with other Graces Repentance being first seene in the life of a Christian. Thirdly The Nature of Repentance in which was foure things First that it is a changing and turning Secondly a turning in all and euery faculty of the soule Thirdly a turning from all sinâ— Fourthly a turning from all sinne vnto God Fourthly The Causes of Repentance were three 1. God the Efficient Cause 2. The preaching of the Law and Gospell the Instrumentall Cause 3. The helping Causes the Mercies of God his Iudgements and our owne considerations Fiftly The Time of Repentance was twofold Generall and Particular in the Generall two Rules 1. That we must repent in this life 2. That we must repent as soon as we can 2. In the speciall time of Repentance were fiue Particulars 1. When we haue fallen into any new sinne 2. When the iudgements of God are threatned against vs 3. When there is an offer of spirituall meanes of grace 4. When we are to vndertake any great worke 2. To renew our repentance euery morning and eueuing Sixtly The parts of Repentance in which foure things was obserued 1. Examination 2. Humiliation 3. Deprecation 4. Resolution for the time to come Seuenthly The Impediments of Repentance were two First in Iudgement Secondly in Affection In Iudgement foure wayes First either to thinke our selues not sicke of sinne or secondly sicke not so sicke as indeed we be Thirdly if sicke yet that we may recouer without repentance or fourthly if Repentance must needs be yet that it needes not to be so full and strict as Preachers tell vs. Secondly Impediments in our affections were first the loue of the world Secondly the loue of pleasures Thirdly the loue of our owne ease Fourthly the loue of our sinnes Fiftly the desire to keepe credit with the world Then we came to The Cases of Repentance fiue in number First the case of Relapse Secondly the Case of Iteration Thirdly the Case of Restitution Fourthly the Case of Teares Fiftly the Case of Comfort in death Ninthly The Contraries to Repentance First Impenitencie Secondly vnsound Repentance Lastly the Increase of Repentance in two things First that Repentance can neuer bee but imperfect in this life Secondly wherein it failes Thus haue I according to that abilitie God gaue indeuoured to cast the seed of God into your hearts now your wisedome â—â—st bâ—… to water it when you are at home in your houses that as my paines hath beene to preach it vnto you so yours may be to remember and make a right vse thereof and so I end beseeching God that the memorie of these things may remaine with you till your dying day That as euery day you sinne so euery day you may so renew your Repentance as Peter speakes Act. 3. 19. That your sinnes may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. FINIS God Godhead Word of God Scriptures Saluation Fall Sinne. Our sinfull state Sorrow for Sinne. Saluation second thing Christ. Faith Fruites of Faith Iustification Adoption Fruites of Adoption Sanctification Fruites of Sanctification Godlinesse Sinne. Darling sinne Killing of sinne Loue of God Feare of God Spirituall vnderstanding Wisedome Obedience Ordering of our life Sobrietie In Dyet In Apparell In Labours In worke In Sorrowes In our Mirth To men Righteousnesse In our Assections Anger In Words In our Deeds Loue to their Persons Soules In drawing them to Christ. â—o incourage â—hem Admonition We must loue them in their goods Vsurie Couetousnesse Godlinesse Second poiâ—â— Godlinesse Trusting in God Thirdly Humbling Affliction Fourthly Prayer Fiftly Thankes-giuing Sabboth Wiues Parents Children Masters Seruants Officers Subiects Pastors People Helpes to a Holy life 1 Diligence 2 Graces nourished 3 To watch our Life 4 Daily Triall 5 Scriptures reading How to reade with profite 6 Marking Particulars 7 Meditation on good things 8. Affliction Sanctified 9 Remembrance of vowes and Couenants 10 Communion of Saints 11 Withstanding Lettes 12 Daily Practise Daily Practise how Daily Armour â—ay spending Lords day Weeke day The Creede Faith God the Father A mighty Creatour of Heauen and Earth And in Iesus Christ. Onely Sonne Our Lord. Conceiued by the Holy Ghost Borne of the Virgin Mary Hee suffered Vnder Pontius Pilate Was Crucified Dead And Buried Third day Hee rose againe from the Dead Hee ascended into Heauen And sits at the right hand of God The Iudgement day I beleeue inthe Holy Ghost The Church Communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The
Resurrection of the Body Life Euerlasting Prayer Our Father Which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done c. Giue vs this day our daily bread Forgiue vs our sinnes And lead vs not into temptation For thine is the kingdome c. Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper 1 Prayer what it is 1 Sam. 1. 13. Psal. 20. 4. Ephes. 5. 19. Hos. 7. 14. 1 Kings 8. 39. Gen. 13. 11. Fowles Abrahams seruants Gen. 22. 5. Psal. 5. 3. Psal. 25. 1. Damasc. lib. 3. Cap. 24. Fiery Chariot 3 Psal. 10. 7. Psal. 27. 4. Matth. 20. 10. Exod. 17. 4. 2 Chron. 20. 12. Iam. 1. 5. Ground Many hands 2 General point in prayer Iohn 5. 11. Obiections against Prayer answered Malac. 3. 6. 1 Obiection answered Sunne eyes shut Dionis cap. 3. de Diuis Nominibus Sicut si quis slans c. 2 Obiection answered 2 King 20. 5. Act. 27. 31. Reasons why we must pray Psal. 50. 15. Luke 22. 46. Iam. 5. 13. Augustine 2 Reason why we must pray Marke 11. 24. 1 Iohn 5. 14. Iohn 4. 11. Deepe well August Ascendit Precatio discendit misericordia Gregor Oratio in terra o pater in Coelo c. Chrysost. Hom. 53. ad P. idem Feeding fountaine 3 Reason why we should pray Psal. 14 4. Isa. 46. 7. Temple robbery Child weake 4 Reason why we must pray Iam. 4. 2. Gen. 24. 12. and 26. Seed sowne 1 Reason why Christ giues a direction to pray Luke 11. 1. Hosh. 14 3. Gen 47. 12. Iosephs Piety 2 Reason why Christ giues a direction to pray Rom. 8. 26. Cyprian Isa. 58 3. 1 Chron. 15. 13. 3 Reason why Christ giues a direction 10 pray 1 Iohn 14 Woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14. 19. Cyprian 2 Maine Branch Note Psal. 10. 17. Psal. 108. 10. Speech to a King Seamooued A Cloâ—… 〈◊〉 Phil. 4. 6. Iam. 1. 5. Rom. 10. 14. 1 Reason why Prayer must be directed to God onely August lib. de vera Religione cap. 55. 2 Reason why Prayer must be to God onely 1 Cor. 3. A Clocke 1 Lib. de Inuocatione Sanctorum 1. 20. August lib. 114. Enchirid. Maledictus c. Chrysost. Hom. 9. Quandâ— orat quis c. 1 Affection wee must pray in 2 Cor. 6. vlt. Iam. 1. 6. Marke 11. 24. Augustine A Corrasiue Mothers diligence and loue 2 Affection we must pray in Psal. 122. 6. Dan. 9. 20. Iam. 5. 16. Ships trading Two grounds of Faith Psal. 103. 13. Malach. 3. 17. Isa. 63. 16. and chap. 64. 8. Matth. 7. 9. Psal. 27. 10. Isa. 49. 15. 2 Ground of Faith Isa. 3. 7. Psal. 50. Psal. 115. 3. Deut. 33. 26. 2 King 9. 14. Matth. 8. 2. Psal. 8. Matth. 14. 36. Psal. 122. 6. Iam. 5. 6. Sicke man Marke 2. 3. 3 Affection to pray with Heb. 12. 9. Eccles. 5. 1. Gen. 18. 2. Gen. 32. 10. Rudinius in Gen. 24. Rebekah Water conueighed Matth. 3. 14. Iohn 13. 8. 4 Affection of Prayer Elias Ionathans Arrowes 1 Dutie of them that pray Acts 5. 4. Hos. 1. 10. 2 Duty Mal. 2. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 1. 3 Duty 1 Pet 1. 17. Ierem. 3. 5. Meaning 1 Thing prayed for the glory of God Rom 9. 3. Exod. 32. 32. 1 Kings 19. 14. Isa 37. 34. Matth. 4. 10. Gen. 4. 7. Exod. 3. 7. 2 The discouery of our corruption Gen. 11. 4. Dan. 4. 30. Hagg. 1. 3. 2 Sam. 7. 2. 1 Grace we pray for 1 Pet. 3. 15. Rom. 15. 6. 1 Cor. 6. vlt. 1 In our hearts 2 With our mouthes Luke 2. 20. Shepheards Iob 1. vlt. Reuel 14. 7. Reuel 19. 7. 3 In our liues Matth. 5. 16. Rom. 2. 24. 3 Things to quicken our care of Gods glory 1 Psal. 19. 1. Reuel 5. 13. and 14. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Iohn 17. 4 5. Num. 20. 12. 2 Part of this Petition Psal. 96. 7 8. Ierem. 13. 16. Iob 1. 5. Gen. 18. 19. Iob. 12. 2â— Isa. 66. 5. Iohn 9. 24. 1 Sense of the Petition Ephes 2. 2. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Gen. 1. 15. Light House Sea-gaining 2 Thing obserued 1 For others Mat. 20. 31. Amalecke 2 Impediments in our selues Iohn 12. 42 43. Palsie man 3 Thing praid for in this Petition Definition of the Kingdome of grace Luke 19. 14. Esau. Gen. 27. 38. Rom. 7. 22 23. Sicke man Godly Differences and excellency of Christs Kingdome of grace before all others Isa. 32. 1 2. A further scope of the Petition 1 Tim. 2 1. Matth. 9. 38. Exod. 5. 7. Pharaob Pro. 29. 18. Isaac Gen. 22. 7. Colos. 3. 15. Psal. 48 vlt. Zeph. 3. 15. Blindman Deut. 28. 28. 2 Chron. 12. 8. Ambrose o quam multos habent Dominos c. Psal. 116. Psal. 37. vlt. Hosh. 2. 7. A Tenant Citâ—e 2 Thing we pray for is for the kingdome of glory Cant. 2. 16. Reuel 22. 20. Rom. 8. 22. Impertinent Dan. 4. 8. Rom. 13. 1. Lame man A Coach Reasons why we pray especially for the kingdome of Glory Matth. 19. 28. Iuke 22. 50. Matth. 13. 4â— Reuel 21. 4. Bees Hebr. 12. 28. 1 Thing we pray for Reuel 6. 10. 2 Pet. 3. 10. Iob 14. 14. Phil. 1. 23. Respects to pray for death 1 1 Whose will must be done Psal. 49. 8. Psal. 143. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 〈◊〉 Crooked stick Will of God opposed by three other wills 1 Ephes. 4. 25. Act. 5. 3. Hebr. 12. 16. Iohn 8. 44. 2 Ephes. 2. 3. Ierem. 44. 16. Iohn 5. 40. Acts 27. 12. Marriners Acts 4. 19. 2 Thing what will of God must be done Deut. 12. vlt. Psal. 119. 105. Marriners Pole-starre Iohn 5. 39. Iosh. 1. 8. Statute booke Ezek. 33. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Bleeding wounds 2 1 Iohn 5. 23. Shipwracke Luke 22. 42. 3 General thing in the Petition House Field Ploughed Modus rei cadiâ— subpraecepto Heb. 8. 5. Psal. 14. 12. Isa. 64. 6 7. Philip. 2. 2. Marriners Heb. 1. 6. Phil. 3. 20. Ephes. 2. 19. How the Angels doe Gods will Psal. 103. 20. Psal. 119. 56. 2 Sam. 3. Ezek. 9 7. Dan. 8. 16. Luke 5. 5. Iohn 2. 7. Psal. 18. 44. Iohn 4. 34. Gen. 21. 12. Psal. 119. 16. Psal. 4. 7. Ezek. 3. 14. Dan. 9. 21. Deut. 6. Psal. 119. 4. Sound Violl Psal. 119. 33 Psal. 44. 18. Luke 1. 75. Retayners Isâ—l 18. 22. Psal. 119. 6. 1 To order ouâ— care Matth 6. 33. Luke 10. 42. Abrahams seruant 2 To moderate our care Water to a Mill. Why we pray for daily bread before remission of sinnes Iohn 4. 10. Vessell tryed 2 Sam. 9 〈◊〉 Isa. 4. 1. Psal. 78. 18. Iam. 4. 3. Gen. 28. 20. 2 Tim. 6. 8. Psal. 136. 2â— Psal. 145. 15. 1 Chron. 10. 13. Riuers Sea running See for this August Sâ—rm 43 Dâ— plenitudine Dei Isa 3. 1. Gen. 32. 10. 2 Sam. 7. 8. Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 28. 20. Prou. 30. 8. Shippes Low Meddowes ouerflowen Esaâ— Isa. 5. 3. Habak 2. 5. â—… Couetous man Mico Indenting Psal. 128. 2. 2 Thess. 3. 12. Matth. 4. Stones Isa. 11. 7.