enuie let vs auoid it by modestie let vs auoid all ostentation and for the time separate our selues from the company of the enuious and suppresse hide whatsoeuer might make vs to bee noted for some enemies are no better ouercome then by our humility and obscurity Fourthly if wee would approue our selues good men let vs enuy at no mans prosperity be he neuer so wicked for they shal be soon cut down like grasse and shal wither as the gréen herbe Lastly let vs pray vnto God feruently so direct and preserue vs. Q. What comfort against hatred and malice A. First the world the wicked hate vs vniustly for they hate vs not for our sins imperfections but for the better paâ—ts namely because we are separated froÌ„ them in profession life and because wee séeke the ruinating of satans kingâ—ome and because they will not bée reproued and conuinced of sinne Secondly the world is addicted to traditions and little estéemeth Gods blessed Word it is in loue with earthly thinges and neglecteth those that are heauenlie no maruaile then that it so distasteth and maligneth Gods children they loue not God and then how can they but hate his seruants Thirdly Abel Lot Dauid Elias Paul the Prophets Apostles Christ himselfe and his Saints in all ages haue béene causlesly hated of the wicked and this is a pregnant proofe that they were Gods children and that wee are likewise for if either they or we had been of the world the world would loue his owne Fourthly wee must remember that wee haue deserued greater euils and therefore we ought more patiently to endure this Lastly let it content vs that we are known loued and liked of God good men who loue vs in the truth And if the losse of the loue of the common people grieue vs we must note that their loue is light and without iudgement and discretion and therefore their loue ofteÌ„times endeth in ill will and hatred Q. How are we to demeane and behaue our selues when wicked men maligne and hate vs A. First seeing that malitious men are good neither actu nor potentia that is neither in act nor in possibility and that they doe but sucke the greatest part of their owne poison seeing they are peruerted in iudgement and opposite to sincerity let vs beware how we nourish occasions of hatred and that we be not too sociable and familiar with them Secondly let vs loue God and his word for then we cannot hate mens persons much lesse any vertues in them Thirdly let vs decline hatred what in vs lieth by dutifulnes and good seruice for in so doing we shall eyther gaine and pacifie our enemie or at least leaue him without excuse for this is to heape coales of fire on his head Q. May we lawfully hate them that hate vs A. Wee must not nor may not hate them in regard of their persons or as they are Gods creatures or in priuate respects but it is lawfull for vs to hate their vices and to abhorre them as they are Gods enemies and aduersaries of the Church but we must not hate them as they hate vs namely our persons and the better parts in vs but onely hate their errours and vices c. which are contrary to Gods nature will word and commandements Q. What are the persecutions of the tongue A. Slander and false imputations Q. How are wee to comfort our selues against slander A. First that the life and profession of the Church and Saints of God hath beene traduced and slandered in al ages and therefore no singular extraordinary matter befalling vs it is with more contentment to be endured Secondly wee herein are like vnto Christ who though he were more holy then all men and Angels yet he was called a wine-bibber a friend of Publicanes and sinners an enemy to Caesar and he was said to haue the Diuell Thirdly slander cannot make a man miserable for where sinne raigneth there is misery indeed nay it is a matter of honour and glorie to be ill spoken of for well doing for they hate vs because that we are better then they and because wee runne not to the same excesse of riot the more that wicked men belie slander and raile at vs the more in the end will they make our vertues known Fourthly false imputations cast vpon vs will not continue long they are as so many blasts and fumes that will soone be dispersed and blowne away for God will at length cleare our innocency as the noone day and our reproach shall bee turned into the glory of an Angell Psal 37.6 8. Fifthly though the wicked doe willingly derogate from our good name yet they doe addere mercedi nostâ—ae id est encrease our reward albeit against their wils for blessed are wee when men reuile vs and say all manner of euill against vs for Christ his sake for then great is our reward in heauen Sixthly if the titles and attributes of the iustice truth power and mercy of God bee not frée from slanderous imputations let vs much lesse looke to be exempt and priuiledged from euill tongues Psal. 10.11 12. Mal. 3.14 15. Seuenthly if the raskall multitude or the scumme of the people raile vpon vs and belie vs wee must note that they doe it rather of humour then of knowledge and of an ill affection rather then of iudgement and aduisement and they will be silent when they haue much barked and bawled and as for their lying tales and reports because they arise from false grounds and trifling occasions they will soone be dead buried extinct Eighthly the slanderer doth but hurt and discredite himselfe and foame out his own shame for his slander like an arrow shot against a stone wall or a tennise ball cast against it redounds vpon the slanderer Lastly God discrediteth his deare children with the world letteth them fall sometimes into the mire of wicked imputations that they should not bee stained with the corruptions of it Q. How shall wee behaue our selues when wee are thus belyed and slaundered A. First let vs descend into our own soules and if we find our selues innocent then let vs comfort our selues in the witnesse of our owne conscience neither let vs thinke that ther is more waight in their detractions then in our owne testimonies Secondly in this case let vs rather looke vnto God who permitteth them then at the howling barking and biting dogs that annoy vs this course tooke Dauid Thirdly whereas the rude and iniudicious multitude doth cast false imputations vpon vs let vs not only with the spunge of honest Apologies wipe away these pretended spots but also labour to haue a precious report and an immortall memory amongst Gods children Fourthly if wée desire to be well spoken of let vs not rashly thinke euill of others for the better that any man is the more hardly doth he iudge another to be euill much lesse
of God exempted and freed from the Crosse A. No certainely for euery Christian hath the procuring cause of the crosse 1. Sinne in himselfe whch cannot but much affect afflict euery child of God who is troubled at nothing so much as at the offence of God Secondly Vita nostra est bellum non triumphus our life is a warfare and not a triumph Et cuiuslibet Christiani viâ—â— qui secundum Euangelium vixerit crux est atque Martyrium that is the life of a Christian who liueth according to the Gospell is a Crosse and Martyrdome Q. What shal we iudge of them that haue experience of no Crosses neither inward nor outward A. They are Bastards and no Sons of God for God chastiseth euery Son whom hee loueth Secondly God doth not in mercy spare and exempt them but distrust them neither doth he fauour them but refuse them and cassiere them as vnprofitable and vnseruiceable Q. What vse are we to make of this point A. Wée must neuer vainely dreame of the continuance of outward prosperity and happines for this is one of the peculiarities and prerogatiues of the Church triumphant in heauen but we must in our ease and prosperity looke for trouble trial and aduersity and prepare our selues against it that when it commeth wée may more holily and happily vndergoe and ouercome it Q. Then the Crosse is good and profitable for Gods children is it not A. Yes for God in his loue mercie and wisedome doth temper order and dispose it to their temporall and eternall profite peace and comfort Hos. 5.15 Ier. 31.18 Heb. 12.11 Psal. 50 5. Ioh. 15.2 For it is the Schoole of experience the Field of Patience the wrestling place of glory the life and reuiuing of Gods graces and in a word the exercise of a Conquerour Q. For what speciall ends doth God exercise his children with the Crosse A. First if they haue fallen or committed some grosse sinne as did Dauid others God doth correct and chastice them for their amendment and for the killing of pride worldlinesse licentiousnes and other sins sometime preuailing against them For hereby the Lord remoueth the mist of errour from their eyes that they may see their former follies and what is acceptable in Gods sight he hereby as by a fire purifieth their hearts from the drosse of corruption and by this wind fanneth them from the chaffe of vanity Secondly he snibbing and displing them for sins committed doth preuent sinne to come and maketh them better to looke to themselues for the time to come lest a worse thing happen vnto them yea and more to depend vpon him for grace and supportance And herein God may be compared to a skilful physitian for as the Physitian sometime letteth a man bloud not that hee should be sicke but to preserue him from sicknes so God doth now and then depriue and rid vs of those delights profites and pleasures which would otherwise bée the matter tinder and nourishment of sinne in vs. Thirdly God doth hereby as it were bring them vpon the stage and theater and make knowne to themselues and others that they may be lights and guids of godlines to the dark and blind world that they may be mirrours of admiration and patternes of constancy and patience to the people For as the Mariners skill is tried and made manifest in a tempest the captaines valour wisedome in the battaile and the Physitians experience and cunning in the curing of a desperate disease so are the graces and vertues of the godly and the swéete sent and perfume thereof made knowne in aduersity Afflictions to them are like vnto the spring-showers which cause the buds and blossoms of Gods graces to appeare and shew forth themselues Fourthly God by afflictions doth exercise cherish reuiue encrease his graces in them For Crosses are by Gods gracious disposition so many whetstones to sharpen the dul and blunt edge of their affections so many bellowses to enkindle and encrease in them the gifts and graces of God and they are so many Aâ—arams of his iudgements to awaken them out of the sléepe of security and to prepare them against the spirituall battell Fiftly God by afflictions crosses doth seasonably make known the glory of his power truth goodnes in their temporary and eternall helpe and deliuerance Lastly God doth bring all their troubles to a finall and to a most blessed issue and conclusion for hee doth bring them through the red sea of affliction through the wildernesse of this worlds temptations vnto the heauenly Canaan where they haue happy and euerlasting rest Q. But seeing that the most wicked and reprobate doe suffer the same euils and troubles that Gods children doe in euery particular griefe for sin and persecution for Christ his sake onely excepted why should not the ends effects and euents be the same in them as in the godlie and elect A. First because the persons of the elect are accepted with God they are the gold that is not consumed but made more pure and bright by afflictions fire but the very persons of the reprobate are refused being ordained to hatred and they are as drosse that is wholly consumed by the sire of affliction Secondly God did neuer in his euerlasting counsell purpose and intend to refine and reforme by afflictions the vessels of wrath for who then could resist his decree neither doe the reprobates at any time by pure meanes and in an holy manner endeauour the same Thirdly the reprobate being void of the spirit of grace and sanctification doe neuer in right manner acknowledge Gods hand that striketh them but with the impenitent theef that reuiled Christ they fret and fume they murmur and repine against God and his iudgements Lastly the reprobates are made worse by afflictions and their corruptioÌ„s hereby more breake out For as the winde doth not suppresse but encrease the flaming fire and as the oyle though a liquid matter doth not coole the furnace but the more heate it so affliction and aduersity doth not amend the vnbeléeuers but through their owne fault and corruption make them the worse Contrarily Gods children by reason of grace preuailing in them doe in their troubles comfortably call vpon God they patientlie subiect themselues to his correction finally they finde helpe in time of néede and praise God for it Q. What motiues haue we vnto patience A. First we are commanded to possesse our soules by our patience Secondly wee haue the example of Gods Saints in all generations for our imitation and therefore as God armed theÌ„ with patience so we must not doubt but he wil vs if we begge it at his handâ— Thirdly heereby we frustrate the expectation of our enemies and are more then conquerours ouer them for in the spirit of zeale and strength we challenge and defie them Fourthly wee must remember that our sinnes haue deserued farre
body and flesh Thirdly he that in any conceited opinion of enioying present blisse or in any impatiency and impotent passion dispatcheth himselfe out of the way doth nothing but damne and destroy his own soule examples whereof wee haue in Saul Achitophel Iudas c. Fourthly he may not depart out of this earthly Tabernacle nor forsake his standing vntill his heauenly Generall and Commaunder God almighty call and warrant him so to doe for hée is no absolute Lord of his owne body neither hath he the Frée simple of it but is a tenant at will to God whose pleasure hée must attend and abide Lastly he must practice and put in vre fortitude and patience he must not misdread any euill but trust in the Lord to stand fast in his calling and Christ will by faith enable him to ouercom all temptations Q. Is death to bee feared or not A. A distinction must resolue this point namely that it is partly to bee feared and partly not to be feared Q. In what respects is it to be feared A. In thrée respects First as it is the destruction and dissolution of nature for in this signification Iesus Christ feared it when he swet water and bloud in the garden Secondly as it is a paineful correction though wee must most feare death the cause of it Lastly as it is a meane to bereaue vs of many worthy guides and gouernors lights and pillers in Church and common-wealth Esay 3. v. 1.2.3 Q. Is it necessary and good in some regards not to feare death A. Yes for it is not profitable nor expedient for vs to liue alwaies here nor is it possible for vs so to doe Q. In what regards then is death not to be feared A. First because as hath béene formerly declared death doth disburden vs of all sinne and giueth vs our quietus est from all euill Secondly as it is the beginning and gate of immortality Lastly because hereby we are presented blamelesse to our Lord and Sauiour Christ in heauen and are there solemnly wedded to our heauenly husband and Bridegroome the Lord Iesu. Q. How are we to be defended and strengthned against the feare of it A. By remembring that Christ by his death hath disarmed and cassiered death and hath taken away the second death the sting and strength of the former Secondly God is by his spirit present with his children in the agony of death and doth support them against the feare of it Thirdly that God doth hereby bisburden vs of all sinne and frée vs from all maladies and miseries Fourthly wee are not to tremble at death but rather to triumph because now we haue a speciall time and opportunity to declare our subiection and obedience to God Lastly death bringeth vs forthwith iâ—â—to Gods chamber of presence where 〈◊〉 shall see him face to face and enioy 〈◊〉 gratious and glorious presence for euâ—â— more Q. What are the Positiue benefites 〈◊〉 death or the good things wherewith 〈◊〉 doth possesse vs A. They are manifold and marâ—â—â—lous For first death bringeth vs intâ— the immediate fellowship of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 therefore it may be called the gate of life and a passage to the Father Secondly it bringeth vs into the heauenly communion company of many millions of glorious Saints and Angels with whome we shall haue perfect rest and security Lastly it is to vs not onely the consummation of victory against Satan sinne the world the flesh but doth also inuest vs with glory and put vs into an actuall possession of the new heauen and the new earth and of all good things promised vs and prouided for vs. Heb. 12. ver 22.23 Q. What vses are we to make of these affirmatiue or positiue benefites A. First wee are to distast this present and infectious world wherin there is no true contentment nor any thing that can make vs blessed before God but rather matter of all sinne griefe euill falshood wrong c. and we must let the loue of heauen swallow downe the loue of all earthly things let vs not linger in this earthly Egypt or Babylon but make hast vnto the heauenly Canaan a land not abounding with milk corn oil hony but abounding in peace righteousnesse and ioy of the spirit where wee shall be satisfied with the fatnes of Gods house and shall drinke out of the riuers of Gods pleasures and that for euermore Secondly it serueth to comfort vs against all the miseries and maladies of this present life which shall be so abundantly recompensed with the infinite waight of euerlasting glory Q. Whether may a man in this mortality haue a true taste of euerlasting life A. Yes vndoubtedly for so had Iob Dauid Stephen Paul the holy Martyres and infinite others Secondly the godly haue already eternall life viz. in beginning and assurance and therefore in time they shall haue the fulnes of it Lastly they earnestly pray for the comming of Gods kingdom ergo they haue some taste thereof Q. By what meanes shall hee attaine thereunto A. By remembring considering and meditating vpon these directions and conclusions following Q. What things must he consider weigh A. Diuers things First the sinnefull miserable and vncertaine state of this mortall life Eccles. 1.1 Heb. 13.14 Secondly the blessed and vnspeakable happines of all Gods Saints by reason of their immediate fellowshippe with God and with Christ from which we are absent so long as we liue in this present world For by vertue of this glorious and euerlasting communion wee are not onely perfectly freed from all sinne afflictions and all euil things but possessed with fulnes of ioy and of al good things for euermore Thirdly the incomparable difference betwéen the glory ioy happines oâ— this world and the infinite and eternall glory ioy blessednes of the world to come and the consideration hereof will separate and sequester vs from the loue and affectation of this world and make vs willing and desirous to goe to God Fourthly euery mans death is deserued and procured by his owne sins and that death with all the seueral circumstances of time place manner person is foreséene and appointed in Gods eternal decrée and counsell the due obseruation whereof will preserue vs when we are dying from distrust impatience and the seruile feare of death Lastly the speciall promise of Gods presence and assistance in death which we must before hand be by faith perswaded of and hope after albeit wee see it not and though all things may séeme desperate Q. What are the properties and effects of this taste and ioy A. First it ariseth from sense griefe of sinne and from the knowledge of and faith in Christ crucified Secondly it bringeth with it sound and swéet peace of conscience Thirdly it is grounded vpon the holy ministery of the Word Sacraments Prayers and vpon the practise of holy duties Fourthly it is déepely
by his spirit if so be that they feare him and beleeue in him Thirdly they must be of pure conuersation and reuerence their husbands the hidden man of the heart must be vncorrupt with a méeke and quiet spirit and subiect themselues vnto their husbands and then they shall either win them or at least leaue them without iust defence of themselues or excuse Q How shall good husbands comfort themselues when they are maried to euill and vnquiet wiues A. First it may be they were rash in their choice and did not consult with God by praier and with good men by conference about it Secondly Dauid Iob Moses c. were this wâ—y somewhat crossed and this is almost a common euill and therefore the more patiently to be vndergone and if we cannot so well practise patience we must during the tempest of chiding absent our selues and retire our selues into some priuaâ—e place Thirdly they must acknowledge that they are thus crossed for their sins and therefore they must the more willingly beare the burthen of their offences Fourthly if they can endure raine and smoak in their houses why not then their wiues Fiftly they must either by gentlenesse good perswasions and admonitions reforme their wiues for then they make them better or else they must beare with their infirmities and so they make themselues better Sixtly let their own consciences bear them witnesse that they faile in no dutie of godlines and loue towards them theÌ„ let them commit the matter to God and what know they whether at length they shall conuert them or not Q. How shall good parents comfort themselues that are troubled and crossed with euill and disobedient children A. First goodnes and vertue in children is not naturall but from aboue commeth not from their first birth but from their second for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh that which is borne of the spirite is spirit and hereupon many good men haue had euill children as Abraham had his Ismael Isaacke had his Esau Dauid his Absolon and Amnon Hezechias his Manasses Secondly sometimes Parents are punished in their children partly because they haue beene disobedient to superiours and to their owne parents and partly because they haue béen negligent in teaching correcting and bringing them vp Thirdly all children are not predestinate to saluation as we haue Elies sons Hophni and Phineas for examples and therefore we must not looke to haue all good and holy for iustification and sanctification followeth onely election and is not common to all Fourthly parents must giue their children holy example and when they are young bend and bow them bring them vp in the nurture and information of the Lord and then if they proue not good their vngodlinesse shall neuer bee imputed to the innocent parents Lastly though for the present they be euill and desperate yet hope wel of them and pray for them and vse all meanes constantly for their amendment then leaue the successe to God the changer of the hearts Q. How shall vertuous children comfort themselues that are crossed with vnkind euill and irreligious parents A. First sometimes seuerity in Parents is for their childrens good who if the parents should not sometimes grow vnkind they would forget God and themselues Secondly we must beare with excuse their infirmities as farre as wee lawfully and honestly may attributing it to old ogeâ— choler melancholy c. and therefore we must either speake gloriously of them or kéepe silence Thirdly the more degenerate and irreligious that they be the more by our humility dutifulnes good exaâ—ple and prayers we must labour to reclaim and winne them Fourthly we must note that our parents haue authority power ouer vs and not we ouer them and therfore we must beare with their manifold infirmities Fiftly let vs ascribe it to our sins and want of duety and reueence to them that we find them otherwise then wee expected Sixtly if we faile in no duty towards them yet wee must remember that good Ionathan was the sonne of wicked Saul Ezechias the sonne of wicked Ahaz and zealous Iosias the sonne of Idolatrous Amon who were no doubt much crossed by and grieued at their vngodly fathers yea and tempted by them Q. What comforts are fitte for good Masters that are crossed by euill and vnfaithfull seruants A. First they must sée and consider whether that they haue giuen them good example and haue béene carefull to traine them vp in true religion and godlinesse otherwise they are as much in â—ault as the seruants and if they performe all offices vnto them they may or will proue like the Captains seruants that attended at his becke for when hée bad any to come he came when to go he went and when he bad him do ought he did it Secondly they must partly by gentle admonitions and partly by seasonable corrections labour to reforme their misdeamenours if this will not serue if thou haue hired many seruants lessen the number of them and they will the better agrée and thou shalt not bee enforced to put them away but if thou haue few and they be incorrigible put them away as Sarah turned out Hagar and Dauid resolued to haue no slanderer no proud no deceitfull nor lying seruant to abide in his house and as the Lord of the vniust Steward expelled him Thirdly henceforth be more aduised in thy choice and when thou hast good faithfull seruants entreat them kindly and according to their good seruice and deserts doe vnto them that is iust and equall knowing that thou also hast a master in heauen Q. What comforts and instructions are meete for diligent and dutifull seruants that either are wronged misused or at least vnkindly entreated by euill Lords and Masters A. First many right good and trusty seruants haue béene not onely vnkindly but also cruelly entreated both of ancient of latter times Thus was Hagar seuerely handled by Sarah Iacob collogned withall and deceiued by Laban Joseph put out of seruice wrongfully imprisoned by Potiphar Dauid persecuted by Saul and therefore no strange matter hath befallen them Secondly the more griefes wrongs they endure for conscience towards God and for well doing the greater praise and reward shall they receiue from God Thirdly their hard seruice or bondage will one day end Fourthly that they are Gods fréemen for his seruice is perfect freedome Lastly that God in time will right their wrongs and requite them that misused them for he is no respecter of persons Q. What duties are they to performe A. Seruants must feare God vse all good meanes to gaine their fauours and obey them as well in their absence as in their presence in all lawfull actions and doe them seruice as vnto the Lord if their masters wil not yet relent they must comfort themselues in their innocency and recommend their cause to God whose freemen they are
CHAP. XVI Of priuate euils that are occasionall and from without vs. Question HOw shal they comfort and behaue themselus that are crossed with hard and shrewd mothers in law A. First they must content themselues in this that they haue an heauenly Father and good Father in the flesh and that they haue the Church of God for their mother Secondly she is a woman and of the weaker sexe and therfore it is not a part of a valiant man to resist a woman Thirdly that it is a matter far more glorious and acceptable to God and good men to passe by pardon wrongs then to offer them Fourthly it must suffice that the step-mothers loue their Fathers and therefore they must for their fathers sake beare with them and reuerence them Lastly the more insolent that their stepmothers are the more innocent and humble they must be they must reuenge the wrongs that their stepmothers offer them raâ—her by not regarding them then requiting them and the more that the mothers in law hate their sonnes in law the more must the sonnes loue them for then they shall either win them by their well doing or else leaue them without al excuse or defence of themselues before God the righteous Iudge Q. What comforts are to be ministred vnto them that in iust and lawâ—ull suites receiue many foiles and repulses A. First it is arrogancy and presumption ambitiously to desire to obtain all things that wee néede For mighty Emperours haue béene denied in many things yea God himselfe albeit hee demaund them for our good and not for his owne for hee néedeth nothing hée requireth many things of vs which we yéeld him not Secondly they must perswade themselues that if their petition had been condescended vnto it perhaps had not béene for their good Thirdly they must not be ouermuch aggreeued if men denie vnto them small thinges seeing that God gratiously granteth them thinges of farre greater worth vse and excellency Fourthly if Gods children should haue no deniall in worldly things they would affect the world rather theÌ„ Gods word and rather trust in men then in the Lord. Fiftly in this world the mighty are preferred ordinarily before the meane and great men before good men Lastly though they receiue a deniall the first second or third time yet if they be patient and constant they may spéede at last Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First if wee would haue no repulse we must craue things honest and possible Secondly wee must be ready to pleasure others if wee would haue them to gratifie vs. Q. What counsell and comfort is fit for them that are decayed or vndone by rash suertiship A. First it déepely concerneth them to repent of their former vnaduisednes and be wiser for the time to come Secondly they must humbly sue to their creditors for fauour patience and forgiuenes or at least for abasement Thirdly that which their pouerty cannot pay they must lay it and put it on Christ and then God will neuer exact it at their hands Fourthly it fel out through their selfe-will and voluntary disposition and therfore they must take it patiently Fifthly they shall learne by their own hurt how profitable and pleasant a thing it is to owe nothing and to liue without bonds and yrons Lastly if they be onely decaied and not vndone it wil make them when the worst is past alwaies to dread the like daunger and to feare the like fals Q. What vse are wee to make hereof A. First it behoueth vs to be wary for whom we become sureties and for what summes alwayes remembring that the day of payment will come sooner then wee expect and what though for the present we are able to discharge the debt yet wée full little know what losses and empouerishment may befal vs in the meane time Secondly other mens decaies by suertiship must bee our discipline and their woes our warnings Lastly if we be disposed to doe good let vs rather impart our goods to the poore then otherwise to loose our liberty with our liuing Q. What comforts against discontentment conceiued by reason of good seruice towards Church and common-wealth neither respected nor rewarded A. They must take notice of these rules and directions following First this procéedeth from mans weakenesse and forgetfulnesse and therefore this offence must not bee ouermuch aggrauated Secondly many worthy men of good parts and seruice haue béene neglected reiected in the world Ioseph was forgotten of Pharaohs Butler Dauid an humble petitioner vnto Nabal was repelled and reproched good Iacob a faithful seruant was euill entreated of Laban Dauids life was sought of Saul and Christ the Lord of all yet seruant to all was forsaken of all Unthankefull men are vngodly vnwise and wicked and therfore we must the lesse regard them for can men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Thirdly we must alwayes doe good and looke for our guerdon and reward from God and not from men Fourthly the lesse hope and expectation that wee haue of reward from men who are many times vnthankefull the more reuerend and regardfull is our good seruice before God Lastly Gods children are plaine and simple and cannot begge flatter nor dissemble and therefore they are not estéemed in the world much lesse promoted and preferred Q. What duties must wee performe herein A. First we must render to no man euill for euill but good for euill and other mens vnthankefulnes must not hinder vs from doing good Secondly let vs beware lest whiles wee complaine and crie out of other mens vnthankefulnes we bee found vnthankefull our selues especially towards God Lastly the vnthankfulnes of men must not barre vs from doing good lest that we forgoe the comfort of a good conscience Q. How shall a man comfort himselfe whose wife is barren and how shall likewise the woman quiet her selfe A. First they both are freed from euil children and from the feare of sinne and danger that they might otherwise fall into Secondly they are fréed from the contentions of nurses and the yelling of infants Thirdly the husband shall bee sure neuer to nourish and bring vp another mans children for his owne And this is a great benefit for if an adulterous wife be a great euill much more is â—hee that is in this case fruitfull Fourthly the reproch of barrennesse maketh the wife more diligent and dutifull for shee with Hannah weepeth and is silent when many other women are insolent and imperious 1. Sam. 1.9 Fiftly God will hereby correct couetous and worldly affections in theÌ„ which by the number multiplication of childreÌ„ might be caused and encreased Lastly in common calamities especially of the sword war and persecution such shall with more expedition shift for themselues and haue no cause to mourn and howle for bloudy vntimely death of their children Q. Comforts and counsell for godly and innocent persons vniustly cast into and detained in prison First many
defaced Thirdly when men are offended by ill examples especially of the professors of orthodoxe religion Lastly when by the abuse or the vntimely or vnseasonable vse of their liberty men driue the weake from christianity Q. What vse are we to make of scandals giuen A. First in this generall corruption and wickednes of men we are to looke for nothing else but we must arme our selues against it Secondly let vs beware that neither through pride vnseasonablenes or any preposterous word or déede wee bee an offence to others lest wee bring a woe vpon our owne selues Lastly let vs by our words works and behauiour endeauour to draw others to follow vs in vertue and holines Phil. 2.14 15. Q. How shall good Christians arme themselues against and preserue themselues from the gangrene poison and pestilence of false and damnable Doctrine A. First by remembring that false teachers must of necessity arise and false doctrine be broached that they that are approued may be known but woe be to the authors of it Luk. 17.1.2 Secondly by considering that this smoake of the bottomlesse pit doth onely blind their eyes who despise prophecying and will not walke and delight themselues in the cleare light of the sacred Scriptures Thirdly they must note that the true sheepe will not follow a stranger i. one that bringeth strange and false doctrine but they will â—â—ee from him for they know not the voice of strangers neither will they bid God spéed to such but they heare the voice of Christ follow him for he hath the words of eternall life and to whome should they goe besides Ioh. 6.68 Lastly that it being none of Gods plant shall at length be rooted out and the clouds of it shall bee wholy dispersed when the Sunne-shine of the Gospell breaketh out Q. What duties are wee to practise herein A. First seeing that false doctrine is most dangerous and damnable putting out the sight of our spirituall eyes and infecting the affections of our harts we must so much the more beware of it and for our direction herein heare Christ watch dayly at his gates and giue attendance at the post of his dores that we may know Gods wil grow increase in the knowledge and obedience of it Secondly it standeth vs much vpon to shunne the company of false teachers and seducers lest by their doctrine disswasion and ill example wee be tainted and corrupted for why should sheepe conuerse with Foxes and Lambs with Wolues Lastly we must hold fast that which wee haue learned and confirme it by daily hearing and reading of the holy scriptures but as for those that are false teachers which cause diuision and offence contrary to the truth and by faire words deceiue the hearts of the simple let vs marke them diligently and auoide them Q. How shall weake Christians arme and resolue themselues against a generall declination and apostasie from the Gospel of Christ A. First the wicked and prophane are the greatest in number they know not the law of God and are accursed and therefore we may not in matter of Religion make their example a rule warrant of our faith and practise Secondly they that reuolt from the professed truth and from the communion of Gods saints are those that are none of the Catholicke Church for then they would haue continued in it and they are such whose names were neuer written in the booke of life They are chaffe by the fanne of affliction â—euered from the good Corne they are like the prodigal Child that would néeds depart from his Fathers house where he liued blessedly but yet they with him neuer reuert nor repent and they are spunges that being pressed with tribulation soone lose and let goe all the water of Gods grace which they in some sort had or at least seemed to haue Thirdly these that thus fall away from the soundnesse and sincerity of truth are such that either did neuer content themselues wiâ—h the simplicity of Gods word but did and doe mingle it with the poison of humane Traditions or else did neuer receiue the loue of the truth Fourthly most of them were peraduenture neuer rightly informed in the knowledge of the truth much lesse conuinced of the soundnesse of it in their consciences no maruell then that they fall from that they neuer knew and had no other ground for it but the command of Princes and the example of others Lastly this Apostasie from faith and sound doctrine both in the raigne of Antichrist and that which shall be towards the end of the world was long sithence foretold by Christ and his Apostles and therefore we are the lesse to be offended at it Q. What duties must wee in such an Apostasie performe for our preseruation and the cure of others A. First we must attend diligently to the blessed ministry of Gods word for it is a lanterne to our feet and a light to our pathes without which wee shall stumble in the darke and shall not know whither to goe and we must liue loue and obey it They that heare Gods word and doe it are the wise men who build vpon the rocke Secondly we must if we can separate our selues from the common infection or at least mourning for our hard hap get vs the preseruatiue of faith and a good conscience Thirdly Christian magistrates must maintaine the truth and banish error and false Teachers if they can And all faithfull Ministers must by the word of truth refute all infectious doctrine and exhort them earnestly to be constant in the profession and loue of sound and sincere instruction and they must more labour by the preseruatiue of wholsome doctrine to preserue the sound from the pestilence of error then to cure the infected which are commonly and for the most part vncurable Lastly we must beware of the beginnings of Apostasie for nemo repente fit turpissimus Q. What comforts and preseruatiues are there against the scandall of false and vniust excommunication A. First it is oftentimes incident to Gods children thus to be dealt withall Iohn 9.35 and 16.2 Secondly if the Pope and his adherents excommunicate vs we must note that they are hereticks idolaters and no true members of a true visible Church and therefore their excommunication iâ— but like a Fencers flourishing or rather like a leaden dagger and cannot hurt vs. For the keyes of discipline and doctrine and the eccleâ—iastical censures are proper to the true Church of Christ whereof they are no parts nor members Lastly if any Gouernor officer or Elders of the true visible Church vniustly excommunicate any of Gods children they are so farre from excommunicaâ—ing them from the fauour of God from the kingdome of heauen or from being true members of the Church that they as an antient Father writeth excommunicate themselues wherefore let vs endeuour to be holy innocent and inoffensiue and then we haue no néed