must not be more hasty then his and it becomes not us to be impatient for our own interestâ— when himself is patient in the wrong done to his own Let the cause of our anger be never so holy and just yet that of James is a perpetual truth chap. 1.20 The wrath of man works not the righteousnesse of God If it be the cause of God that we defend we must not use that good cause to bring forth evil effects and the evil of that which incenseth us can hardly be so grievous as the losse of humanity and right reason of which a man is deprived by excessive wrath For Prov. 27.4 VVrath is cruel and anger is outragious It resteth in the bosome of fooles Eccl. 7.9 Fifâ—hly the good opinion and love of our selves which when all is said are the chief causes of anger ought also to be motives to abate or prevent it For would any man that thinks well of himself and loves his own good make himself vile and bruitish But this is done by letting the reines loose to our choller whereas the way to deserve the good opinion of our selves and others is to maintain our selves calme and generous never removed from the Imperial Power over our selves by any violence of Passion Prov. 16.32 He that is slow to anger is better then the mighty and he that rules his spirit then he that takes a City Alexander M. deserves not the name of a great Conquerour who was a slave to his anger Ob. But I have many provocations from those with whom I must necessarily live servants espâ—cially thâ—y are so bad c Answ. Anger is a remedy worse then the disease and no houshold-disorder is worth the disordering of our soules with passion Better were it for us to be ill served or not served at all then to make our servants our Masters giving them power of dispossessing us of the Command of our selves whensoever it pleaseth them to provoke us to anger Yet a wise man may expresse indignation without anger making others tremble himself standing unmoved Quest. How may we from seeing anger in others learne to cure it in our selves Answ. First learne to hate it and take heed of it by observing how imperuous and servile it is together How ugly unbecoming unreasonable and hurtful it is to others and more to a mans self Secondly mark carefully the wholesome warning which an angry adversary will give us For he will be sure to tell us all the evil that he seeth in us which our selves see not A benefit not to be expected from our best friends Thirdly Study the Science of discerning mens spirits considering with a judicious eye the several effects of every mans anger For no passion doth so much discover mans nature as this If a man be a contemner of God as soon as he is angry he will wreak his teen upon God with blasphemies If he hath Piety and Ingenuity he will make them plead for him yet but lamely as discomposed by anger If he be a Coward he will insult over the weak and if he find resistance you shall see him threaten and tremble together like base dogs then barking most when they run away If he be haughty he will expresse his anger by a scornful smile and will boast of his blood and valour as Lamech did And from hence let us reflect upon our selves He that mindes well how wrath betrayes a man and layes open his infirmities and that a man that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a City that is broken down and without walls Prov. 25.28 will fence himself against that treacherous passion by Christian meeknesse and moderation and will learn to be wise by his neighbours harmes and will observe Christs Precept Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly c. Quest. What is hatred Answ. It is an indignation for an injury received or imagined or for an ill opinion conceived of a person or action It differs from anger in this Anger is sudden and hath a short course but hatred is more durable and lasting Anger seeks more a mans vindication then the harme of others but hatred studies the hurt of his adversary Quest. Whence doth hatred proceed Answ. It s a compound of pride and sadnesse and it proceeds out of Ignorance of ones self and the price and nature of things Hence 1 John 2.11 He that hates his brother is in darknesse and knows not whither he goes because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes As then blinde men are commonly testie so the blindnesse of ignorance makes men prone to hate their neighbours Quest. Is there no good use of hatred Answ. Yes First it s naturally good serving to make us avoid things that are hurtful Secondly it s morally good when we use it to oppose that which is contrary to the Sovereign good which is God For when we hate that which God hateth we cannot do amisse so we be sure that God hates it as when we hate the unjust habits and actions which are condemned by the Word of God But as for mens persons because God hath not declared his hatred or love to this or that man we must love them all not fearing to offend God thereby though he should hate any of them for we cannot offend him by obeying his Commandment which is that we should love our neighbours as our sâ—lves There is indeed an hatred of iniquity in God against those that oppose his glory which obligeth us also to hate them with that hatred of iniquity and to oppose them so long as they oppose God So David Ps. 139.21 Do not I hate them that hate thee c I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies But we must take heed lest the hatred of iniquity bring a hatred against the person For to love our enemies and to overcome the evil with good is the most ingenuous imitation of God himself Hence Mat. 5.44 Love your enemies c. that you may be the children of your heavenly Father c. There is need of a great measure of wisdom and grace to observe these two Precepts together Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil and Thou shalâ— love thy neighbour as thy self Mat. 22.39 Hating iniquity in the wicked and loving their persons and both for Gods sake Quest. What is the chief use of hatred Answ. It is to be incited to good by the hatred of evil For which end it is not necessary that the greatnesse of hatred equal the greatnesse of the evil We are not obliged to hate evil things as much as they deserve for then the great current of our affections would run into the channel of hatred and leave the channel of love dry whereas the hatred of evil is not requisite of it self but by accident as a consequence of the love of good For if the hatred of vice perswade us to vertue we shall be yet more perswaded to it by the love
durable and mould us into their likenesse else they will be but flashes and bear no fruit as Râ—v 2.4 Gal. 4.15 John 5.35 2. Cherish holy affections and blow them up from a smoke to a flame by the bellowes of prayer and fewel of the Word 1 Thes. 4.9 10. Ninthly Distinguish affections and act them 1. Distinguish them by the Objects about which they converse and by the Roots from whence they grow and by the heads to which they rise 1. The Objects about which affections are conversant are either good or evil as apprehended so by the understanding As when the understanding apprehends a thing to be good the affections embrace it with love Cant. 5.2 5 6. and this good is either present and then we rejoyce in it or absent and then we desire it If it be improbable to be attained then we fear If impossible then we despair If obstructed it stirres up anger If the evil be future we fear it c. 2. The Roots from whence the affections grow are love or hatred All the affections which arise from the apprehension of good grow from love As desire is love in motion the continual sallies of love Delight is love acquiescing in the possession of it Fear is love in awe of the beloved Hope is love in expectation Zeal is love in a flame All the affections which arise from the apprehension of evil grow from hatred 3. The heads to which they arise and are referred Thus all the affections which are conversant about good have some delight in them as Love Desire Hope All that are conversant about evil have some grief mingled with them as Hatred Fear Repentance Anger 2. Act them according to the nature of them For Affections are the first principles or movers of actions and action is the end or proper work of affections To act affections consider why God hath placed them in the soul and act them accordingly Concerning which see each particular affection under their proper heads Tenthly try affections whether they be true or false real or counterfeit and that 1. By their properties 1. Are they set upon right objects as to love desire delight in and hope for God and good only To hate feare flie and mourn for and be angry with that which is evil 1. Are they sincere for their acts and ends Are their acts real or feigned as Mar. 12.30 1 John 3.18 Do you hate and mourn for sin really Do ye prefer God and his glory before self Do ye prefer publick good before private 2. Are they sincere for their ends Do we affect goodnesse for goodnesse-sake and God his Word Servants c. for the goodnesse that is in them Do we hate evil for evils sake Do we affect spiritual things for spiritual ends Do we desire gifts and graces to glorifie God subdue corruptions c 3. Are they moderate Do you keep them within bounds Are you fearful of exceeding in them 4. Are they seasonable for time and occasion then they are good fruit Psal. 1.3 unseasonable affections are like Snow in Summer or Raine in Harvest 5. Are they constant in their course not sudden flashes or fleeting motions stirred up by fits or upon extraordinary occasions but the constant pulls of our soul. 6. Are they unchangeable and invincible in their bent Can nothing take of our affections for God and goodnesse our hatred and mourning for sin our delight in Gods Ordinances and Duties c. Unchangeable love is true love Such is Gods to us and invincible hatred against sin is right hatred John 13.1 Jer. 31.3 2. Try them by their effects First do they draw us nearer to God Christ Heaven to walk with him and wait on him for grace and strength Do they further our Communion with God and conformity to him Secondly do your affections prepare you to holy duties put you forward to them in them and further your obedience as the wheeles and sailes of your soul Thirdly do they help you in eschewing and overcoming evil as well as in the obtaining good Do they turne you from and set you against evil so that you dare not sin because you hate it and feare God But on the contrary if your affections 1. Disturb Reason and hinder it or cause you to call good evil or evil good or to stand in defence of evil as Jonah did of his passion Jonah 4.9 I do well to be angry c. 2. Draw you away from God to go a whoring after vanity 3. If they indispose you to duties take off your edge to them or put you out of frame for them as Exod. 6.9 1 Pet. 3.7 4. If they disquiet your souls trouble and unsettle them and cause a tempest in them as grief did in David Psal. 42.11 So Act. 16.27 Gen. 30.1 5. If they put the body into a languishing condition as Amons love or lust rather did him 2 Sam. 13.4 6. If your affections misguide tongue or hand as passion did Moses tongue Psal. 106.33 Jeroboams hand 1 Kings 13.4 they are not right Quest. Why should we try our affections Answ. First Because they are the pulse of the soul and by the temper of them the state of the soul may be discerned Secondly Because there is much deceit in them For a great part of the hearts deceitfulnesse lies in the cheats of the affections Quest. Why should we so diligently govern our affections Answ. First Because such as the affections are such is the man Good affections are good treasure hid in the heart which makes the Owner a good man God accounts a man according to his affections and describes him by them as he did Job ch 1.1 And so Ps. 112.1 Deut. 5.29 Secondly God accepts our persons and services according to our affections As Abrahams willingnesse to sacrifice Isaac Gen. 22.16 17. and Davids to build him an house 1 King 8.18 2 Sam. 7.11 For 2 Cor. 8.12 It is accepted if there be a willing minde c. 2 Cor. 9.7 So Eph. 6.7 8. Col. 3 2â— 24. Yea God is much taken with his peoples affections 1 Cor. 8.3 Cant. 4.9 Thirdly Affections are the root of spiritual Worship in us and of our Communion with God therein they make Ordinances profitable and comfortable to us Luke 8.15 Mal. 2.2 Deut. 6.6 Act. 2.41 Isa. 66.2 Jam. 5.16 Eph. 5.19 Mal. 3.16 4thly Affections make the life either comfortable or miserable What comfort and solace of life lies in love joy desire hope c. and how much discomfort in feare grief anger hatred envie c The greatest troubles that ever befel many were procured by their own disordered passions So 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 2 Tim. 3.1 to 5. John 12.43 The best men are subject to discover humane infirmities in their affections as Moses Psal. 106.33 Iob ch 40.5 David 2 Sam. 1â— 33 Abraham Gen. 12.18 19. Peter Mat. 14.30 31. Paul and Barnabas Act. 14.15 Elias 1 Kings 19.4 Affections make us convertible to God marriageable to Christ
oâ— goodnesse Quest. What are the effects of hatred which may make it hateful Answ. First many of them are the same with the effects of anger For there is no anger without some degree of hatred if not to the person yet to the action But there is some hatred without anger when in cold blood men premeditate the destruction of an adversary Secondly all the destructions in the world wherein mans Will is an Agent are immediately wrought by hatred For though they may have remote causes of ambition covetousnesse carnal love emulation and all the violent Passions yet these destroy not but by accident till some opposition hath driven them into hatred which is the Executioner and Avenger of wrongs Thirdly unto hatred all the cruelty of Tyranny and malice must be imputed and therefore it s no marvel if by hating our neighbours we become Gods enemies 1 John 4.20 If a man say he loves God and hates his brother he is a liar Fourthly hatred is a bitter venome which being once diffused and soaked into the soul turnes a man into an Hell-fury makes him contrary to all good and ready and industrious to all evil yet doth it more harme to a mans selfe then to any other consuming his spirits with a continual malignant Feaver and banishing from his soul serenity and meeknesse which should nourish other vertues and give rest to the soul. Fifthly it s often seen that whilest men consume themselves with hatred of others the person hated is healthful merry and quiet as if imprecations made him prosper Ill-grounded hatred drawing Gods blessing upon the party unjustly hated and persecuted as David hoped Psal. 109.28 Let them curse but blesse thou Quest. What means may we use to prevent or cure hatred Answ. Consider that hatred is conceived for one of these two ends First either to avenge our selves or Secondly to avenge injustice which is the cause of God First Now before we think of revenging an injury we must consider whether we have done or received the greater wrong For its ordinary that the offender is harder to be reconciled that it may not be thought that he is in the wrong Secondly calmly consider whether the revenge may not do us more harme then the injury Foâ— besides that there is no enemie so despicable but it is better to let him alone then provoke him the harme that hatred doth within us cannot be recompenced by any sweetnesse of revenge though there were no other harme in it then to delight in robbing God of that which he hath reserved to himself seeing he challengeth revenge as due to him excluding all others Heb. 10.30 Thirdly strive against the tendernesse which makes you quick to pick offences and slow to make satisfaction Be also ingenuous to devise arguments for patience Art thou condemned being guilty acknowledge Justice Art thou innocent bow under Authority Art thou lately offended It s too soon to resent it Is the Sun gone down since It s then too late Art thou wounded look to thy cure not to revenge Art thou well again let not thy minde be harder to heal then thy body Art thou offended by a friend Remember the friendship more then the offence Is it done by an enemy Labour to make him thy friend by returning good for evil Is he too strong for thee It s folly to contend with him Is he too weak It s a shame to do it Is he thy Superiour Thou must yield â—o him Is he thy Inferiour Thou must spare him c. Fourthly since pride represents our enemies to us under a vile and unworthy notion let us fetch some good out of that evil Let contempt help patience to bear their provocations For if 〈◊〉 dog bite me should I bite him again Or if an Asse did kick me should 〈◊〉 kick him again Fifthly when another offends thee remember thaâ— thou hast offended others It is too great a flattery of self-love to think to be excused by others whilest we will excuse none we must therefore put on a resolution of mutual forbearance Sixthly above all we must remember that we are all guilty before God and stand in need of his mercy and unlesse we forgive we pray against our selves and beg condemnation every time we say the Lords Prayer Seventhly meditate often upon death which will conduce much to the laying down of hatred Let us not be so hot in our dissensions death will quench our heat within a few dayes as when two little fishes are contending for a Fly the Pike comes and devoures them both so whilest we quarrel about small things death is coming which will swallow up him that is in the right and him that is in the wrong the Vanquisher and the vanquished and send both to plead their causes before the great Judge and it will go ill with us if we appear in Judgement without Repentance and Faith and without charity to our neighbours they cannot be sound why should our hatred be long since our lives are so short Ira mortalium debet esse mortalis Secondly to temper our hatred against injustice and sin let us consider that for the most part this is but a pretence whereby we cozen our selves and others to palliate personal hatred If we take Gods cause sincerely in hand we must conforme our selves to his Will and Wisdom expecting till he send his Messenger Death to attach and bring the wicked before his Tribunal Psal. 37.8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath Fret not thy self in any wise to do evil for evil doers shall be cut off v. 10. yet a little while and the wicked shall not be If we hate wickednesse we may be sure that God hates it more and will punish it but in his own time to satisfie his Justice not our humours Certainly if we hated iniquity in good earnest we would hate it more in our selves If our enemies be wicked we must love them for Gods sake and for our own because we also are subject to the like infirmities Dr. Peter du Moulin of governing the Passions Quest. How is immoderate anger a sin Answ. First in regard of the impulsive cause of it when a man is excessively angry where he hath no just reason for it Mat. 5.22 Secondly in regard of the degree and measure of it when though we have a just cause yet our anger exceeds the cause Gen. 49.7 Thirdly in regard of the end when it is not directed to Gods glory and the restraint of sin but that therein we seek our own glory or profit or the satisfying of our proud mindes Prov. 13.10 and 21.24 and 28.25 Fourthly in regard of the direct effects of it as when we break out into curses execratious and reviling speeches in our Passion Ps. 106.33 Fifthly in regard of the indirect effects of it as when we thereby lose the use of our reason Prov. 16.32 Luke 21.19 or when it works not the righteousnesse of God that is when by our anger we are
the Nuptials for the full consummation of its joy Say Is there such sweetnesse in one cluster of Canaan what shall there be in the full Vintage Is there such glory in one beam of Gods face what shall there be in an eternal Sunshine Quest. Who are the great enemies to this doctrine of Assurance Answ. Principally the Papists and Arminians Quest. Upon what account do they so oppose it Answ. First the Papists lay too much stresse upon good works Now assurance is too goodlie a structure to be built upon such a foundation they part stakes between grace and merit and so leave the soul in a tottering condition For they that would build their hopes upon their own good meanings and their own good wishes and good resolutions and good works when they have done all they have built but the house of the Spider But if men would but look to the ebbings and flowings of their own spirits to the waxings and wainings of their own performances surely they would acknowledge that they cannot fetch a Plerophory out of these Assurance cannot be founded on a bubble It must be built upon the free love of God in Christ upon his royal word and oath upon the witnesse of the Holy Ghost and seale of God himself or it can never be had Hence dying Bellarmine was forced to acknowledge that the nearest way to Assurance was only to rest upon the free grace of God in Christ. Secondly they take away the clasping and closing power of faith it self by which it should sweetly and strongly embrace its own object they would have the soul dwell in generals they resolve all the sweetnesse of the Gospel either into this universal Whosoever believes shall be saved or into this conditional If thou believest thou shalt be saved Now this is so farre from Assurance that the devils themselves do thus beleeve and yet tremble They will not allow the soul to break the shell of a Promise so as to come to the kernel They allow not faith to say My Lord and my God Thirdly they deny Perseverance and therefore must needs deny Assurance Yet the Arminians would reconcile Assurance and non-Perseverance They allow a man a little brief Assurance for a moment a brâ—ve fulgur a little shining of joy that only shews it self that it may vanish their meaning amounts to thus much For that moment that thou art in the state of grace thou mayest be sure of it but thou canst not be sure that the next moment thou shalt be in the state of grace and thus they think the grace of God to be as mutable and inconstant as themselves are whereas all Gods children are preserved by the Power of God through faith unto salvation and many of them can say with Paul Rom. 8. ult I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels c. Fourthly they never had any assurance themselves and so deny it unto others Thus the fool saith in his heart there is no God because he never had communion with him A blinde man saith there is no Sun because he hath not eyes to see it A deaf man believes not that there is such sweetnesse in Musick Upon this account Mr. Baxter denies assurance because he never met with any nor can hear by others of any that have it except some melancholy women that pretend to it and that for a moment only But if he reade the life of Mr. Ignatius Jordan of Excester and of Mr. John Bruen of Bruen Stapleford he shall finde that they not only had assurance but maintained it for many yeares without interruption the like he may finde of many others in my first Part of Lives and in my Mirrour or Looking-glasse Ob. But Solomon saith Eccl. 7.1 No man knows love or hatred therefore no man can be assured of his salvation Answ. They leave out the latter words by all that is before him which shew Solomons meaning to be this that no man can know whether God loves him or hates him by any outward thing as by prosperity or adversity by health or sicknesse c. wherein all things fall alike to all good and bad Ob. But he saith again Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth always and if we must alwayes feare then we cannot be assured of our salvation Answ. First we must distinguish of feare It is either filial or servile the former is here meant and so a childe may feare his fathers anger though he feare not to be cast off by him This child-like feare abolisheth not confidence but confirmes it Secondly though we must feare our selves and our own weaknesse to provoke us unto watchfulnesse yet withal we may feare to offend God for his goodnesse which strengthens our confidence Ob. But Saint Paul saith Rom. 11.39 Who knowes the minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellour therefore we cannot know that we shall be saved Answ. First his meaning is that we cannot know the minde of God à priori before he hath revealed it but then we may Thus we know our election by our vocation 2 Pet. 1.10 Secondly Or thus we know not the reasons of many of Gods actions and dispensations neither are they curiously to be searched into as David professeth for himself Psal. 131.1 But aÌ„ posteriori we may as the cause may be proved by the effect the Sun by its beams the fire by heat c. Ob. But Psal. 19.13 David prayes that presumptuous sins might not prevail over him therefore he feared they might and so had no assurance Answ. First David was not in doubt because he prayed so but rather certain of the contrary because of this prayer of faith as 1 John 5.14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his VVill he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him Secondly Prayer is a meanes of certainty no signe of uncertainty we pray for pardon of sin and yet believe it Ob. But Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but he that judges me is the Lord therefore he had not assurance Answ. First Paul was not justified by any good thing in himself had he therefore no assurance Can a man say I know that I live not by stones therefore I cannot know that I live this is a non sequitur Secondly though he was not justified by his own righteousnesse yet he was assured of Gods grace and of his Justification by faith as appears Rom. 8.38 Gal. 2.16 20. Phil. 3.8 9. Ob. How can a childe of God be assured of his salvation being conscious to himself of so many and great sins Answ. First all sins are remitted to those who are in Christ and therefore there is no condemnation to them Rom. 8.1 Secondly only reigning sinnes hinder assurance not the remaining of sinne Thirdly God hath
11.14 therefore we have need to watch Sin is of a bewitching nature It insensibly soaks into a man as it did into David 2 Sam. 11.2 c. and when once it hath possessed him the heart cannot be withdrawn from it as in Davids example 2 Sam. 11.13 14. and Sampsons Judg. 16.5 c. Secondly in regard of Satan he is a mortal enemie implacable sedulous restlesse and very terrible 1 Pet. 5.8 For 1. His name devil declares him to be an accuser and therein one that seeketh all advantages he can against us 2. An adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contralitigator who will do us all the despight he can as an adversary in Law 3. He is a Lion strong ravenous fierce and cruel 4. He is as a roaring lion doing what he can to affright us and make us yeeld to him 5. He walks up and down wherein he shews himself to be sedulous and restlesse Mat. 12.43 6. He seeks whom he may devoure This declares him to be a deadly enemy that aimes at our death even the damnation of our souls and is there not just cause to watch against such an enemy Thirdly for our selves we are exceeding foolish like the silly fish that with a bait is soon taken By reason of the flesh that is in us we are prone and forward to yeeld to every temptation as dry tinder soon takes fire as gun-powder c. Besides there is in us a natural pronenesse of our selves to decay in grace and to fall from it as a stone to fall downward or for water to wax cold if removed from the fire Fourthly for God who is oft provoked by mens security and carelesnesse to leave them to the tentations whereunto they are subject which if he do we cannot stand as we see in Peter Matth. 26.33.70 Hence 1 Corinth 10.12 Rom. 11.20 Quest. Why must every one be circumspect over himself Answ. First because every one is nearest to himself now our greatest care must be of the nearest to us Secondly every one hath a special charge of himself Act. 20.28 whereby they may save themselves 1 Tim. 4.16 Thirdly every one best knows himself and can best discern when he begins to decay 1 Cor. 2.11 Hence we are exhorted to examine our selves c. 2 Cor. 13.5 Fourthly every one is especially to give an account of himself Rom. 14.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Quest. Why must every one be circumspect over others Answ. First because of the near union of all Christians they are brethren Mal. 2.10 Secondly because of the like common condition of all Others as well as our selves are subject to manifold infirmities and to all sorts of tentations and have the same enemies Thirdly because of the extent of brotherly love Matth. 22.39 This is the summe both of the Law and Gospel If we do this we shall do well Jam. 2.8 Fourthly because of the zeal that we ought to beare to the glory of God For to keep others from falling addes much to Gods honour Dr. Gouge on Heb. Quest. What benefit shall we have by this circumspect walking Answ. It will conduce much to the comfort of our lives For our understandings and judgements are not given us only to plot for the world and to be circumspect for our temporal welfare but to be wise for the maine end to glorifie God and save our souls to get out of the corruption of nature and to maintaine our communion with God the end of our living in the world is to begin Heaven upon earth and whatsoever is done in order to this end is good but without circumspection nothing can be done to this end Quest. What are the impediments that hinder us from this circumspect walking Answ. First the rage of lusts that will not give a man leave to consider of his wayes but are impetuous commanding and tyrannous making men without consideration to rush into sin as the horse into the battel Secondly too much worldly businesse when men are distracted with the things of this life are overloaden with cares they cannot be circumspect for their souls they are like to Martha and neglect Maries part Thirdly Christian circumspection is an hard and difficult work It s an easie matter to talk of others to consider of other mens wayes but to come home and to look to a mans self is an hard taske that few undertake Quest. What is Christian circumspection or watchfulness Answ. It s an heedful observation of our selves in all things and a serious and diligent circumspection over all our ways that we may please God by doing his will and neither commit any sin that he hath forbidden nor omit any duty which he hath commanded This is required Deut. 4.9 23. Mar. 13.33 34. Ephes. 5.14 15 16. and 6.18 Col. 4.2 1 Cor. 15.34 and 16.13 1 Thes. 5.5 6 7 8. Acts 20.28 31. Quest. Wherein doth this circumspection consist and in what is it to be used Answ. First in general it is to be used in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 In all places at all times upon all occasions when wee are alone or in company abroad or at home in the work of our callings general or special in our recreations in our civil affairs morall actions religious duties Luke 8.18 for Satan laies his nets and snares to catch us in all these therefore we had need to look to every step Secondly neither must this watch be kept over some of our parts only but over the whole man and that in all the powers and parts of soule and body that in our inward faculties and outward actions we may please God by doing his will But especially we must keep this watch over our soul Deut. 4.9 over our reason and judgement that it be not darkned with ignorance Matth. 6.23 nor corrupted with Errors and Heresies Over our memories that they retain not vanity and sinful impressions that should be blotted out nor forget those things with which God hath betrusted them Over our wills that they go not before but wait upon holy reason chusing that which it commendeth and refusing that which it disalloweth over our consciences that they be pure and clean not slack in doing their duty nor we negligent in giving heed to their evidence over our thoughts which naturally are only evill and that continually c. Thirdly But above all our other internal parts we must keep this watch over our hearts Prov. 4.23 Heb. 3.12 For the heart is the treasury either of all good or evil and from it the tongue speaks and the hand works and if this fountain be corrupt it will defile all Now by heart we chiefly understand the affections and desires both concupiscible and irascible all the passions of love hatred hope despaire joy sorrow anger and fear and by keeping them we mean their holding in subjection unto reason it self being first made subject to the word and will of God we must watch our hearts to keep out carnal concupiscence from entring and must shut the door
Whether the children of profest Papists may be baptized Or of profane Christians p. 175 How oft and in what place baptism is to be administred ib. What use are we to make of our baptisme ib. CHAP. XVIII About Blasphemy What is Blasphemy p. 177 What is blasphemy against the holy Ghost ib. How many waies doth blasphemy break out p. 178 How may we prevent or cure tentations to blasphemy ib. How doth the hainousnesse of the sin of blasphemy appear p. 179 How comes Satan to tempt Gods children to blasphemy p. 180 How many sorts are there of such Hellish suggestions ib. How are we to resist those blasphemous suggestions ib. What is another kinde of blasphemous tentations p. 181 What is Satans chiefest scope in these tentations ib. How may we comfort our hearts against these blasphemies ib. How may we know that they are from Satan and not our own thoughts ib. How may we be freed from these Blasphemous thoughts p. 182 Objections answered p. 183 CHAP. XIX About our Bodies What is the state of our bodies in this life p. 185 How doth it appear that our bodies are vile ib. Is there no glory belonging to our bodies ib. How can our bodies be base for which Christ died ib. Shall these vile bodies be raised up at the last p. 186 Who shall raise them up ib. What lessons may this teach us p. 187 When shall this blessed change be ib. How shall our bodies be fashioned to Christs glorious body ib. What lessons may this teach us p. 188 How may our bodies be made serviceable to our minds and instruments of Gods glory ib. Why should we be careful of the health of our bodies p. 189 How may our bodily health be preserved ib. How doth serenity of minde preserve our bodily health ib. How is a sober diet a means to preserve it ib. What should such do as use a spare Diet ib. How doth exercise conduce to bodily health ib. How may bodily health be repaired when it s decaied p. 190 What just honour is is due to our bodies p. 191 How manifold is the care of our bodies ib. CHAP. XX. About Borrowing and Lending What rule must the borrower observe towards the lender p. 193 How may the borrower hurt the lender in his outward estate ib. Why must the borrower restore the thing lent as good as it was or make it good ib. What must he do when he is disenabled by Gods hand to do it p. 194 What if the Lender be dead and none left to require it ib. How else may the borrower sin in borrowing ib. How may the lender sin in lending ib. What if the borrower dissembled pretending that he was able to repay when he was not or being able refuses â—o pay what he borrowed ib. Whether is it lawful to lend upon Usury ib. VVhether may money meerly considered as the price of all other commodities be let out for profit p. 195. CHAP. XXI About Brethren and Brotherly Love Are all Gods Children Brethren and why so p. 197. VVhat comfort may the consideration hereof afford and what duties may it teach ib. VVhat evills must they avoid upon this consideration ib. How shall we know who are Gods Children and so our Brethren p. 198 VVhat good shall we get by them ib. Why should we love them ib. How shall we know that we love them unfeignedly ib. VVhat are the impediments of Brotherly love ib. How may the ferventness of our love be known ib. VVhat may nourish love amongst godly brethren p. 199. VVith what kind of love must we love them ib. VVhat must we doe that brotherly love may continue ib. CHAP. XXII About Buying and Selling. What Rule must the Buyer observe p. 201. How may he sin in Buying ib. What is to be thought of Jacobs Buying the birth-right ib. What rule must the Seller obserue and how so to doe as not to sin ib. How the Seller may sin by hurting his neighbour p. 202. VVhether every man may make the best of his own ib. How are we to prise commodities that we are to sell ib. VVhether may we sell as dear as we can ib. VVhether must the seller make known the faults of what he sells to the Buyer p. 203. VVhat generall rules are we to observe in Buying and Selling p. 204. VVhether may we raise the price for giving dayes of payment ib. VVhat must the Seller do if he be caused to call for the money before those dayes ib. How farre doth a fraudulent bargain binde in point of Conscience p. 205. Whether may we buy stollen goods ib. What must we observe in generall in our dealings with others p. 206. VVhat Rules in particular are we to observe ib. VVhat evills are to be avoided in our dealings with others ib. What duties are required in buying and selling ib. How to avoid sin in buying and selling p. 208. CHAP. XXIII About our Callings and Vocations Ought every one to have a Calling p. 209. Is it a sufficient calling to be a Servingman ib. How must we behave ourselves in our callings ib. Must rich men that need not have a calling ib. How else may it be proved that all must have callings ib. Why must we use faithfulness and diligence in our callings ib. Why is diligence in a calling so acceptable to God p. 210. Doe all that are diligent please God ib. How is Consciencious walking in a calling a furtherance to a godly life ib. What else may move us to diligence in our callings p. 211. Whether may a man change his particular calling ib. How may we live by Faith in our callings p. 212. Why is it necessary to live by faith in them ib. What are the acts of Faith herein ib. How may we live by Faith for successe in our labours which are above our strength or means p. 213. How many sorts sin about their callings ib. What must we propose to our selves in following the duties of our callings p. 214. What other Rules are to be observed in our particular callings ib. CHAP. XXIV About our holy Calling or Vocation Of how many sorts is the Calling of God p. 217. Of how many sorts is the generall calling ib. What is the externall calling what the internall ib. VVhy is Conversion termed our calling ib. What are the effects of it p. 218. Wherein appears Gods great mercy in our calling ib. How may we walk worthy of our calling ib. Why should we be carefull to know our calling ib. Doth a Christian always know that he is called p. 219. How may it be proved that we may certainly know it ib. By what signs may it be known ib. How may we be made partakers of it ib. VVhat may move us to embrace Gods call p. 220. How may it be described ib. How manifold is it ib. What are the parts of effctuall calling p. 221. VVhat is the means of it ib. VVhat necessity is there of it ib. VVhy should we carefully attend upon the
Solomon the wise to run into idolatry against common sense and Sampson the strong though he knew the harlot would betray him could not forbear It will damne men in hell except they repent 1 Cor. 6.9 10. No Adulterer shall enter into the Kingdome of God So 2 Pet. 2.9 10. Being convinced of the hainousnesse of this sin in the next place the Marriage-bed must be preserved in all purity The tentation is strong to fornication but stronger to Adultery for the worser a sin is the stronger is the impulsion of Original lust unto it and Satan is more eager to draw us to it Labour for an hearty love to thy yoke-fellow which is a special means to preserve conjugal chastity It s not the having but the loving of a yoke-fellow that keeps us chaste Hence Prov. 5.19 20. Keep in with God in other matters For that man with whom the Lord is angry for other things shall fall into the hands of a filthy woman Prov. 22.14 Eccl. 7.26 Married persons must be chaste between themselves Beware of excesse or defect in the use of the Marriage-bed 1 Cor. 7.5 There must be quenching not provoking of lust Raging lust is a great enemy to love and will not be content with one Married persons must avoid also 1. Words and talk full of obscenity they must not by words corrupt one anothers chastity which is worse then corrupting the chastity of a stranger What if no body be by yet God is by 2. Their eyes must be pure and chaste else it will follow that their eyes will be full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 Adam and Eve made coverings to hide their nakednesse each from other Modesty is the best Preserver of Nuptial chastity Love doth no unsightly or unseemly thing 3. The bed must be sanctified and kept undefiled by the Word and Prayer The Word is a mighty healer of corruptions to which we must joyne Prayer or else we relie too much on the Physick Prayer will keep us that we shall not surfet and so come to a loathing Nor fall into a defect There must be a satisfying and drinking away of our thirst at our own Cisterne Prov. 5.19 least we hanker after a strange fountain Prayer will keep us from base and abusive dalliances It will keep the bed undefiled and encrease love and mutual affection See Capell on Temptations p. 386. Consider how the Lord approveth and urgeth Matrimonial chastity 1 Thes. 4.3 This is the Will of God that ye should abstain from fornication and every one possesse his vessel in holinesse c. Remember how the Lord interposeth and challengeth the Covenant between persons at their Marriage as made to himself so as she that forsaketh the guide of her youth forgetteth the Covenant of her God Prov. 2.17 yea he professeth that he narrowly watcheth and clearly sees when this Covenant is broken For Prov. 5.15 17 20 21. this is made the reason of the Precept The wayes of men are before the eyes of the Lord though no other eye seeth it Remember the Lord watcheth sinners of this kinde to destroy both their souls and bodies Pro. 5.22 He destroys his own soul He shall be shut out of the heavenly Hierusalem Rev. 22.15 and by Gods Law the Adulterer and Adulteresse should die because he would not have the land defiled nor the guilty person live to be an eye-sore to the innocent It s worse then theft Prov. 6.30.31 Consider further the odiousnesse of this sin 1. It directly corrupts the fountain of honest civil and godly life which is the inviolable preservation of Gods Ordinance of Marriage 2. It s infamous for the Church to be accounted an Assembly of harlots 3. It brings confusion in the Common-wealth to have a bastardly brood inheriting 4. It s an injury to families to bring in unlawful and usurping heires 5. All other sins are without the body this is against the body 1 Corinth 6.18 6. Whereas all other sins may be committed by one party this winds in two into the sin So that if one party repent the other may not which will be a great burden to the Penitent whilest he lives 7. It s an high sin against the price of Christs blood wherewith their bodies were bought to be members of Christ that by this sin are made members of an harlot 8. The curse of God follows this sin 1. In the soul of the sinner Hebr. 13.4 Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge 2. In his body Prov. 5.11 He shall mourn having consumed his flesh and his body 3. In his Name Prov. 5.9 which precious thing is irrecoverably lost 4. In his estate It brings him to a morsel of bread Pro. 6.26 It s a fire that consumes all his substance Job 31.12 As we see in the Prodigal 5. In his bastard-brood we never reade of any that came to good besides Jephthah Quest. By what means may we preserve our chastity Answ. Get a pure heart because out of it issue Adulteries Mat. 15.19 Let thy soul become a pure Spouse of Christ love him and cleave to him this is a good beginning Preserve in thy soul the feare of God Eccl. 7.26 He that is good before God shall be preserved Prov. 2.10 16. Consider Gods Presence who sees thee Get an hearty love to thy wife Prov. 5.19 20. Avoid occasions of wantonnesse As 1. Idlenesse one of Sodoms sins standing waters putrifie 2. Intemperance and delicacie in meat and drink the more the fuel the greater the flame especially avoid wine and strong drink for they are mockers Avoid intemperance in sleep and apparel Let thy diet be sober and sleep moderate 3. Avoid the company and sight of persons that may become snares as Joseph avoided his Mystresses presence Death oft enters by the windows of the eyes Beware of amarous books pictures speeches c. 5. Use all good means appointed by God for this purpose As first resist lustful thoughts at first and exercise thy mind in holy thoughts Secondly consider thy calling of a Christian and remember that thereby thou art called to holinesse 3. That the pleasure of sin is short but the gnawing of a guilty conscience durable 4. Apply the sword of the Spirit the Word of God against it which is a sharp two-edged sword c. 5. Fly to God by prayer make thy case known to him and crave his assistance See Dr. Tailor on Titus p. 386. CHAP. VI. Questions and Cases of Conscience about Affections or Passions Quest. HOw many sorts or kindes of Affections be there Answ. Two 1. Sensual 2. Intellectual or Rational Quest. What are sensual Affections Answ. They are such as belong to the sensual appetite are sented in the body for the instruments of them and are suited to the body for the obiects and ends of them and are guided by the phancie and are common with us to beasts The objects of them are sensible things as meats drinks marriage recreations c. A natural or bodily good to be obtained
or evil to be avoided Quest. How may it appear that these sensitive Affections are not to be abandoned but only moderated according to the Rules of Reason and Faith Answ. 1. Because vertue never ruines that which is wholly conformable to Reason As its Reasonable to see a man moved with pity and compassion towards his friend in misery and a mother to be grieved when she sees her children in pain or torment It s reasonable that a vertuous man should be touched with indignation when he sees the wicked and wickednesse advanced To apprehend evil to fear punishments to attend recompences with Joy to long after Promises are they not encouragements to Piety Temperance and other vertuous Actions so that they which would have no passions quench the fruits of vertue and deny it the content which is due to it The Passions of our souls are the objects of many excellent vertues which do moderate them and reduce them to Reason when they seek to flie out As Fortitude is a vertue by means whereof we moderate excessive fear and immoderate boldnesse c. 4. The sensitive appetite is a gift freely bestowed upon us by God but vertue never destroys nature but addes to it the perfections which it wants It must then suffer the sensitive Appetite to act according to its inclination yet moderating its motions and restraining them under the Lawes of Reason As to make exact musick we must not take away the diversity of tunes but reduce them to a good accord and perfect harmony so the strivings of vertue ought not wholly to root out all natural passions from the soul but to moderate and govern them by the rule of Reason Passions indeed if they be immoderate are infirmities of the soul if they submit to Reason and Faith they are instruments and objects of Vertue the armes of Reason and as it were lively sparks which inflame desires in our soules Quest. What are the Rational Affections Answ. They are such as appertain to the Will of which they are immediate acts directed by the Understanding Quest. How may it be proved that there are Affections in the highest and chiefest part of the soul Answ. 1. Because the Scriptures ascribe to God love hatred anger zeal c. who cannot be subject to any sensitive aberrations and therefore as in him they are perfections we are commanded to imitate him in them so there is no reason why they should be denied to us in such sort as they be perfect and that is principally in the Intellectual power of the soul. We certainly know that our sensitive appetite cannot love hate fear hope c. but what may be conceived by imagination or sensitive apprehension for we may love an evil thing but we cannot love an unknown thing and experience shews that men may fear God love him and hope in him that they may hate sin and exercise many notable affections that Reason prescribes and whereunto the sensitive apprehension ascendeth not As our Wit understandeth whatsoever our senses perceive even so our Will may affect whatsoever our Passions do follow For as the object of the Wit is all truth whether real or apparent so the Object of our Will is all good either so indeed or carrying the glosse thereof But these Affections which reside in the reasonable part of the soul differ much in nature and quality from those in the inferiour parts of the soul because they are immaterial spiritual and independent of any corporal subject but the other are material corporal and depending upon some bodily instruments Quest. How may it be proved that these Rational Affections are motions of the Will Answ. Because they are conversant about spiritual coelestial yea eternal objects as of God Christ Heaven c. Col. 3.2 of which the sensitive appetite is uncapable They remain in the soul when it s separated from the body the Saints carry them to heaven with them as love joy hope but the sensitive appetite will then be of no use to them after the Resurrection of the body which will be raised a spiritual body to be sustained without any bodily meanes having no need of food cloathing marriage c. about which the appetite was here conversant They are to be found in the Angels both good and bad which have neither bodies nor sensitive appetites The Angels in heaven rejoyce at the Conversion of a sinner Luke 15.10 and desire to look into Gospel-mysteries 1 Pet. 1.12 and the devils feare and tremble Jam. 2.19 Paul makes the Will the seat of the Affections and joynes them together 1 Thes. 2.8 being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel only but our own soul. Quest. Are these rational Affections so elevated above the body as that they have nothing to do with it no not whilest the soul is in the body Answ. Yea though they are originally and radically in the Will yet the Will stirs up the sensual Affections and they stir the humours and patts of the body especially the spirits and the blood and so make the whole man to suffer both body and soul. Hence they are called Passions As Feare chills the blood Anger boiles it Grief contracts and closeth up the Heart Joy dilates it c. Quest. Why must our Affections be carefully looked to and ordered by Gods Word Answ. The first sort of reasons may be taken from the effects of disordered passions As 1. Because Passions when unruly blinde Judgement and Reason Passions are like green spectacles that make all things look green so he that loves hates or is vehemently possessed with any other passion judgeth all things that concurre in favour of that passion to be good and agreeable with Reason Passions seduce the Will because the Understanding being the eye and director of the Will which of it self being blinde and without knowledge followeth that which the Will representeth and propoundeth as good wherefore the waves and billowes of apparent reasons so shake the sandy shelfe of a weak Will that they mingle it with them and make all one Besides the Will by yielding to the Passions receiveth some little pleasure which moveth her to let loose the Bridle to inordinate appetite having in her two inclinations one to follow reason the other to content sense Passions mightily change the quiet temper and disposition of the minde For the minde is at peace when the Will ruled by Prudence moderates and governes the Passions but the soul is troubled when Passions oppose themselves against the Rule of Government For 1. Passions rebel against Reason and undermine the Understandings of men to their great molestation For no sooner doth the Minde ascend Heaven-ward by Meditation but inordinate Passions hale it back and draw it down to the earth 2. One passion fights with another as fear opposeth Anger Covetousnesse Prodigality and on a sudden men fall from one extream to another as from great â—oy to great grief 3. Passion is unsatiable
not away sadnesse but makes us mourn for our deadnesse barrennesse c. Gratia non tollit sed attollit naturam It takes not away nature but lifts it up Therefore Saint Paul calls our affections members Rom. 6.19 Because by them grace worketh Affections are arguments what we are As our affections are so are our soules The goodnesse or vainnesse of our affections shew that we are godly or ungodly men Affectus virum indicat Our affections shew what we are Quest. How may it be proved that affections in themselves are not sinfull Answ. Because Adam and Eve had affections in innocency who were created without sin Christ took our affections upon him which if they were sinful he could not have done He rejoyced Luke 10.21 He sorrowed Mat. 26.38 He was angry Mar. 3.5 He desired Luke 22.15 God commands us to be angry Eph. 4.26 and to mourne Joel 2.12 to feare Luke 12.5 to be ashamed Jer. 3.3 which if they were sinful in themselves he could not do Yea it s a great blessing that we have affections For 1. Had we no affections we should be like stocks and senselesse stones as is implied Lam. 1.12 q. d. Are you such blocks that ye are not at all affected with my sorrowes therefore it s reckoned as a symptome of a desperately hardened heart not to be affected with any thing 2. Were it not for affections nature would be idle and lazie For they are as winde to the sailes of a ship as wheels to a Chariot Hence Psal. 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart i. e. my affections Though a mans reason tells him that he is bound to repent to be godly to obey c. yet if he hath no affections thereto he cannot move towards them Hence Cant. 1.4 Draw me viz. by the affections of love and I will run after thee Affections are whetstones to good Hast thou love It s a whetstone to obedience Hast thou grief It s a whetstone to repentance Hast thou anger It s a whetstone to zeale c. 3. Affections are good channels for grace to run in Art thou covetous and full of desires It s easier for thee to covet the better things Art thou cholerick It s a fit channel for thy zeal for Gods glory to run in Art thou melancholy It s a fit channel for repentance to run in Art thou fearful It s a fit channel for the fear of God and his judgements to run in c. Jeremy was of a sad constitution and see what advantage he made of it Jer. 9.1 Oh that my head were waters c. Quest. How are unmortified Passions to be subdued Answ. To bridle unlawful pleasures its good to accustome our selves to abstain from lawful He shall not fall in things unlawful that warily restrains himself somtimes in things lawful As if a man be given to drunkennesse he shall the easilier overcome it if he abstain from strong drink when he might use it If a man be prone to pride its best for him not to go so fine as he might do He that takes his liberty in all things that are lawful will quickly be a slave to his lusts Hence 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawful but all things â—re not expedient c. Fly the occasions which may incense the Passions whereunto we are enclined Occasions and opportunities oft make thieves The Nazarite to prevent drunkennesse must drink no Wine nor eat Grapes or Raisins lest thereby they should be tempted to drink Wine Numb 6.1 c. When a vehement and rebellious motion assaults us when we are almost yielding consent to it then we should turne the force of our soul with our utmost endeavour to the contrary good For as in Warre the valiantest souldiers are best tried in the greatest encounters So in the most vehement passions the resolutest mindes are best proved This ennobled Josephs chastity Jobs patience Abrahams faith c. Resist Passions at the beginning Principiis obsta c. Cure the wound whilest its green Take Physick before the disease be rooted As he that will be rid of an ill guest the worser that he entertaines him the sooner he will be gone To mortifie passions we must chasten the body For he that pampers his body feeds his enemy and he that feeds it with dainties will finde it rebellious 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection c. He that would quell his passions whilest he pampers his body is like him who would quench a fire by adding more fewel to it We must arm our selves with a resolute VVill and endeavour to attain to this perfect Government of a mans self from whence will follow a diligent exercise of mortification and such a man will be daily importunate with God by prayer for grace to overcome his rebellious nature and resist tentations c. For which end we should consider that the pleasure which our Passions yield is short wherefore its better for us to crosse them a while and so winne a Crown of glory then to please them for a moment and to be condemned to Hell for ever When passions are most vehement humble thy self with shame and sorrow before God seek for succour from Heaven flie under the wings of Christ beat at Mâ—rcies Gate by the Prayer of Faith and crave Grace to overcome them Open thy sores to this good Samaritane and he will poure wine and oyle into them and so thy passions will melt and fall away as clouds before the Sun By serious Meditation of the Death and Resurrection of Christ we must work our hearts into the similitude of him that his vertues may be stamped upon our souls The healing vertue of Christs death applied to our hearts will heal our affections and conform them to their first integrity Quest. How may affections be divided Answ. Into two kindes First some embrace their Object as Love Joy Desire c. Secondly others shun and decline them as Hatred Fear c. Quest. Wherein consists the sanctified exercise of those affections that embrace or prosecute their Object Answ. In this that they move to all good soundly orderly in fit season and constantly at the command of a lively and well-rooted faith Quest. What Reasons may move us to affect that that is good Answ. By the Law of nature imprinted in our hearts like a Lanthorn to direct us continually in the night of this miserable life In a well-ordered Common-wealth vertuous men are exalted therefore the desire of credit and reputation should quicken us unto vertue The consideration of the decayes of our body and the approach of death should move us to lead a vertuous life By vertue we acquire peace and tranquillity of minde and a quiet and serene conscience Christ was nailed to the Crosse to draw us to vertue He was crucified to kill sinne in us and he rose again to quicken us to newnesse of life The internal Gifts of
God the Armour of Faith and Charity with other Graces wrought in us by the Holy Ghost are to fortifie us against vice and to enable us to a vertuous life All the good motions from God tend to perswade us to vertue and to disswade us from vice God therefore gives us so many Teachers and Preachers to keep us from sin and to allure us to Godlinesse The Scriptures were written as letters of love from God to invite us to vertue and dehort us from vice The Sacraments those Seales of the Covenant were instituted for the spiritual refreshing and watering of our soules to the encrease of vertue in us God in infinite mercy besides his Word hath given us the examples of godly and vertuous men but especially of Christ himself to draw us to the imitation of their vertues By vertue of the Communion of Saints we enjoy the prayers of all the faithful who continually beg this mercy for us God by his continual Providence doth watch over us for our good to sustain our weaknesse to raise us when we fall to direct us when we erre to succour us in our wants to mitigate the tempests of tentations and to moderate the waves of wicked occasions Vertue of it self if neither reward had been promised nor judgments threatned because of her internal beauty grace and excellency might move us to love and follow her Remember the rare and precious Promises that are made to those that follow after righteousnesse Quest. Is it not mercenary to yield obedience to God upon hope of reward Answ. No for if the Lord use such meanes and motives to quicken us in Heavens way it s not mercenary but lawful to make use of them for that end So John 3.16 18. Rom. 2.7 Heb. 11.26 Quest. Wherein stands the sanctified exercise of those affections that flie from their object Answ. In that they shun all evil soundly orderly and constantly according to the direction of Gods Word Quest. What Reasons may induce us to shun that which is evil Answ. The remorse and pangs of conscience in the very act of sinning may deter us from it The infamy and disgrace which attends wickednesse For no man can truly love a vicious man All well-governed Common-wealths appoint punishments for vices to root them out By sin we deface Gods Image in us and so are injurious not only to our selves but to God our Father and King Vicious persons profane their bodies and soules the Temples of the Holy Ghost whom they put forth of his just possession by their wickednesse The dreadful judgments threatned in Scripture and inflicted for sin should deter us from it It cast Adam out of Paradise drowned the old world cast the Angels out of Heaven c. But especially the bitter suffering of our crucified Saviour in soul and body are the monuments of sin and memorials of our wicked life The extream wrong we offer to God by it transgressing his Law perverting his order injuring his infinite goodnesse despising his Majesty and shâ—wing our selves ungrateful for his love should above all disswade us from sin By vice our soules are spoiled of their riches their most precious robes and heavenly attire are made the very dens of devils and therefore we should avoid it No day nor hour passeth wherein appear not some silent Sermons to perswade us to avoid sin and follow goodnesse As sicknesses plagues pains diseases c. and death of others shew us what is the wages of sin By sin we abuse Gods mercies to his great dishonour Like ungrateful debâ—ois who oppose their Creditors with their own goods By it we abuse our soules and bodies with all the powers and parts which we have received from God by making them instruments of his dishonour All creatures made by God for our use exclaim against a vitious life the Sun gives light to works of light and not of darknesse c. The exquisite and eternal torments of Hell and the losse of the beatifical vision should warne us to flie from sin and pursue good Quest. But is it not servile to foregoe sinne for fear of punishment Answ. The Scripture commands the godly to fear him that is able to cast both soul and body into hell Mat. 10. â—8 Heb. 4.1 and 2.3 and 10.26 Feare of eternal wrath as it makes men avoid sinne may well stand with confident assurance of eternal happinesse and final perseverance Quest. May the state of our soul be discerned by our affections Answ. Yea we may know our estate to be good by our embracing of good things by our joy and delight in them and by our wonderment at them As Oh how I love thy Law Psal. 119.97 One day in thy Courts is better thâ—n a thousand elsewherâ— Psal. 84.10 Oh the depth of his Mercy Rom. 11.33 One thing have I desired of the Lord and I will desire it c. Psal. 27.4 when the soul stands in admiration of God and good things ready to welcom Christ and heavenly things and in comparison thereof to count all but dung c. A man is then in a good estate when hearing of the excellency of heavenly things he is exceedingly affected therewith and gives them a room in his heart It shewes our faith to be true For where there is true faith there is alwayes love joy and delight in the things believed and on the contrary deadnesse in affections discovers Atheism and Unbelief in the heart Quest How happens it then that Gods children sometimes even when their judgements are convinced yet finde their affections so flat crying out Alas that I should believe such happinesse as heaven such glory and yet should have my affections no more stirred in me Can I be a childe of God Answ. Sometimes the Judgement may be convinced and yet the affections not so quick 1. Because there may be some division at the same time as some present crosse or some present thing lawfully loved that may take up our affections at that time Gods children are sometimes deceived in judging of their affections but when opposition comes then they are discovered As for want of stirring up the grace of God in themselves or for want of good means or by bodily indisposition their affections may seeme dull But let religion be disgraced or opposed any way and then you shall finde that their affections are deeply rooted towards heavenly things but they appeared not before because there was no opposition This is a certain rule that a mans affections are as his perswasion is and his perwasions as his â—ight is As he hath a heavenly light discovering heavenly things so is his perswasion of a better state then the world can yeild and answerable to his perswasion so is his soul raised up to delight in the best things Quest. What rules are to be observed for the better goverment of our affections Answ. They must be guided by the word of God If they have not this rule to guid them they will wander
out of the right way These are good Servants but bad Masters They must not run till Reason bid them goe They are the feet of the soul now the eye must guide the foot or else it will goe it knows not whither Hereby affections are directed to right Objects to love what should be loved and to hate what should be hated as Christ directs Luke 12.3 4 5. and so Col. 3.2 1. Pet. 2.2 1. John 2.15 Affections misplaced are like members out of joynt which will one day cause paine Moderate affections and keep them with in due bounds Proportion them to their objects in measure more or less according to the kinde and degree of good or evill wherein they are to be ruled by judgement Grieve for the greatest evils most wherein God is dishonored grieve for afflictions less which are less-evills So for joy Luk 10.20 Psa. 41. 16.3 Quest. Why should the affections be thus kept within their bounds Answ. Because whilst affections are kept within bounds they are kept in order every affection keeps his place like soldiers in their ranks but when they break their bounds they break their bancks like a swelling water Whilest they are kept within bounds they are kept in vse ate helpful one to another and obedient to reason otherwise they hurt and devoure one another as excessive grief devoures joy c when they exceed they make themselves unuseful and the man in whom they are unfit either for the service of God or man yea they captivate reason and draw us to doe things both contrary to judgment and conscience Whilest they are kept within bounds they are kept in credit and esteem but it is their shame to fall into extreams To be much affected with small and triviall matters is great levity to be little affected with great matters is stupidity To have our affections deffective in spirituall things and excessive in temporall argues an ill goverment of the soul we see the contrary Cant. 5.8.2 Cor. 5.13.14 Exod 32.19 Quest. How may these immoderate affections be prevented or cured Answ. Forsee by prudence such things before they come which may prove great Provocations to our selves of joy Grief Anger Fear c. and set bounds to them in our resolutions before hand how much we will be affected with them when they com to pass and noe more Set up a Master affection in your hearts to rule all the rest and keep them in awe in order and in measure and let that be the holy fear of God that your hearts may not dare to love any Creature overmuch nor to grieve for any worldly loss too much c. and that because you fear God who will reward and punish your affections as well as actions When affections grow exorbitant turne the streams of them into other Chanels wherein they may flow without prejudice to your souls as Phisicians open a vein to divert the course of blood As when you are angry overmuch at persons or things turne it against sin c. When one Affection is predominate set an other to Check it and tame it as immoderate love by hatred of sin excess in anger by shame and grief for it Oâ— grief for temporalls by joy for spiritualls c. Command affections so as to have them at your beck to make them come and goe when you bid them For Prov 16.32 He is better than he that takes a City Contrarily Pro. 25.18 Hence 1 Cor 7 30.31 Psa. 131.2 To this end pray to God for strenâ—th For to command our affections requires power as well as Skill Eph. 3.10 Psa 38.2 The weaker the person is in his understanding and parts the stronger are his passions and as Persons grow weak their passions grow strong the minde may out-reason affections but strength must over-master them Purg affections from all sinfull mixtures that rhey may be full of themselves empty of all things that are heterogeniall to them as 1 From mixtures of the flesh as of spirituall and carnall together Hence 1 Pet. 1.22 see that yee love one another with a pure heart c. 2 Purge them from mixtures of self as the people followed Christ not for himself but for the loaves 3 From mixtures of deceit as of abundance of shew of affections when there is little reality as those hearers Ezek. 33.31 Hence Rom. 12.9 Let love be without â—ssimulation 4 From all mixtures of corruption As your zeale from passions and bitterness your anger from revenge your joyes from levity c. 4 Suit your affections to Gods Ordinances and Providences to Gods words works to your conditions and occasions when the word threatens tremble when it speaks comfort rejoyce For this end God gives us variety of affections to answer the diversity of his dealings Contrary Luke 7.32 c. The administrations of Gods providence call for suitable affections as Jsa 22.12 In that day did the Lord God call to mourning c. yea we should suit our affections to the conditions of others Rom. 12.15 To weep with them that weep c. So Psa 17.1.6 Neh. 1.4 Psa. 119 136. we should mourne for the sins of the times Ezek. 94. Jsa 57.1 Yea they should be suitable in degree Great sins or calamities call for great sorrow great salvations for great joy c. For which end 1 We must sanctifie God in our hearts and make him our feare joy hope c. 2 To be affected contrary to our condition or Gods dispensations makes a discord in Gods ears and pulls downe judgement Isa. 22.12.13.14 Amos 6.4 c. 3. To be affected with things as God would haue us is a means to make that good use of them God intends us by them Mingle affections not onely to allay and moderate them but to corroborate and make them mutually helpfull one to another So with joy for your own Prosperity mingle grief for others adversity joy not allayed with sorrow is madness with grief for afflictions mingle joy for comforts with fear of evil mingle hope in God with love to the persons of others mingle hatred of their vices and that 1 Because this will keep the heart whole and entire and prevent heart divisions when the affections goe hand in hand and flow together in one chanell 2. It will the better vnite their forces and make them more strong what is spoken of persons is true of affections Eccles. 4.9 c. Two are better then one c. Seventhly Spiritualize affections as 1. Sorrow for affliction into sorrow for sin turn worldly sorow into godly sorrow So your delight in the creatures to promote your joy in the Lord and in communion with Christ and in holy duties your hopes of favours from men to raise expectation of spiritual blessing from God your fear of man into an awfull dread of God Isa. 51.12 Eighthly Root and encrease good affections in you as Eph. 3.17 and that 1. Because when they are rooted in the heart they will be
we shall reap the fruit of our sufferings we shall conclude that it was not too long See Mr. Valentines Parl. Sermon Quest. What are the benefits of receiving our afflictions as from God Answ. First it will put us upon serious humiliation for our sins whereby we have provoked him against us the rather because no hand can heal us but the same that hath wounded us Hosea 6.1 2 Chro. 7.14 Secondly it will bear up our spirits not to sink when our afflictions come thickest and lie heaviest upon us For it is our Fathers Cup and that only for correction Psal. 76.10 Thirdly it would restrain us from using any unwarrantable meanes for our deliverance Quest. What is especially to be feared when afflictions are heavy and long upon us Answ. First then especially fear and look to the seeds of rage and madnesse which are in thy heart Never more need to look to the banks then when a tempest is upon the sea Have you seen a beast break his teeth upon the chaine that ties him or a dog poure forth his revenge upon the stone that hurt him then have you seen some dark shadowes of that fiercenesse and fury that is apt to rise out of our hearts when Gods hand lies close upon us When thou hearest of the strange impatience of Jonah at the beating of the Sun upon his head unto whom yet it was a wonder that he did now see the Sun when thou hearest of those deep expostulations of David with God Psal. 77.9 10. Hath he forgotten to be gracious forgotten his Promises forgorten his Truth forgotten his Power and Mercy and shut up all his kindnesse in displeasure when thou hearest the impatiencies of Job yet a man renowned for his patience Jam. 5.11 expostulating and charging God Is it good for 〈◊〉 that thou shouldest oppresse Iob 10.3 when thou hearest of those deep curses of Jeremy against the day of his birth Ier. 20.14 18. of those froward expostulations and debates of the people of Israel with Moses and of Moses with God VVhy hast thou evil entreated this people why hast thou sent me Exod. 5.28.22 Oh then reflect upon thy selfe and be afraid of thine own evil heart which is farre more likely to break out against God then any of those were and for prevention hereof keep in thy sight the history of thy sins make them as hainous to thy own view as they are in their own nature The way not to rage against afflictions is to know our selves aright that will make us to confess as Ezra That the Lord hath punished us less then our iniquities have deserved Ezr. 9.13 The way to bear the hand of God with patience is to confess our sins and to be humbled for them Levit. 26.40 41. Wherein is shewed that the sight of our sinne and humiliation for it is the way to make us accept of the chastisements of God so Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment 〈◊〉 his sins Where are three strong reasons why we should not murmure in our affliction First We are men and what an impudency is it for the clay to swell against the Potter that formed it and complaine why hast thou made me thus Secondly We are sinners all the punishments we suffer are the wages of our owne iniquities an◠what a madness is it to complaine against the justice of our Judge Thirdly We are living men and therefore God hath punished us less then our sins deserve for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 and what ingratitude is it to repine against mercifull and moderate punishments and yet we are prone hereunto But it is the cure See v. 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turne again unto the Lord our God the more that we grow acquainted with our sinful estates and marvellous provocations with the patience and promises of God the more we shall justifie God and wait upon him the more we shall judge our selves less then the least of Gods mercies forbearances as Mich. 7.9 q. d. I have pressed and vexed and wearied him with my sins without any care of his glory but he hath visited me in jugdment not in fury In wrath he hath remember mercy and not consumed me as he might have done he hath not rewarded me according to my sins c. but hath spared me as a son when I dealt with him as a Traytor See Dr. Raynolds sinfulness of sin p. 175. Quest. How shall we beare afflictions rightly Asw. First If we count it no strange thing to lie vnder it 1 Pet. 4.12 but rather that it is that whereunto we are ordained of old to be conformed to Christ in afflictions that we may be like him in glory Rom. 8.29 Yea if we esteem them as the beaten path by which God will have all his Children to enter into heaven Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 2ly If we observe the example of all or the most excellent of Gods servants and especially of his only Son from the beginning of the world to this day Heb. 12.1.2 Thirdly If we inure and accustome ourselves to beare the yoak from our youth it will tame our proud and rebellious hearts and frame us to beare afflictions the better ever after Lam. 3.27 Fourthly If we consider that Satan every day invents new mischief against us Job 1.6 c. Fifthly if we remember that it 's a sign of Gods love Heb. 12.7 Rev. 3.19 and that the issue will be good and blessed Psal. 37.5 Esth. 4.16 Sixthly If we remember the many good uses of afflictions For hereby Gods power appears in our weakness and we have the better proofe of his grace dwelling in us 2 Cor. 12.9 as Faith Hope Love humbleness of minde patience c. that these light and momentany afflictions work an exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Quest. How shall we be sure to profit by afflictions Answ. First by the confessions of the Saints who have experimented it as David Psal. 119.67 71. Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.13 Qu. How come we by wisdom not only patiently to bear but to profit by afflictions Answ. First it 's obtained of God by prayer Jam. 1.5 6 17. Secondly by a due consideration of the end fruit and uses of afflictions Quest. What are the ends of afflictions Ans. First To keep us from wandring or to bring us back when we have erred to make us tractable schollars in the school of Christ. Ps. 119.67.71 2 Cor. 1.10 Secondly To make us know God and our selves as they did Manasseh 2 Chron. 3 13. Thirdly To give us experience of Gods gracious hand in our deliverance Psa. 34.17 19. Fourthly To discover to us our faith and patience Rom. 5.4.5 Jam. 1.3 Fifthly To keep us from being condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Sixthly To purge out our dross of profanness and unbeliefe Dan. 12.10 and as mustard laid upon the breast to weane us from the world Psal. 131.2 Seaventhly
Moses was angry Exod. 11.8 Lev. 10.16 c. Quest. What is bad Anger Answ. It s a desire to be revenged upon the person of our neighbour either by words or deeds threatned Mat. 5.22 Quest. Why is Anger placed in the heart Answ. First to be an Harbinger or Usher to prepare the way for obtaining some good desired and to remove the obstacles that lie in the way Secondly to be as it were the hearts dagger for the defence of love desire delight and hope Quest. How must we act Anger Answ. First against sin as the open enemy and grand Obstructer of Gods glory and good to our selves Isa. 59.2 especially against sin in our selves and in those that are near and dear to us So Moses Exod. 32.19 Nehemiah ch 13.17 21. Secondly For the removal of the impediments of Gods glory and our good Thirdly for the Reformation of the person and the abuse Quest. How may it be proved that there is a good and lawful Anger Answ. First because it s attributed to God himself Rom. 1.18 John 3.36 Secondly it was made by God and was in man before the fall Thirdly yea it was in Christ himself as man Mar. 3.5 Mat. 10.14 Joh. 2.15 Fourthly many holy men in Scripture are commended for it Exod. 16.20 Act. 8.20 Act. 7.24 and 13.11 12. Neh. 5.6 Fifthly in true repentance there must be anger and revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 Sixthly the Scripture commends it Eccles. 7.3 and commands it Ephes. 4.26 Mat. 5.22 Seventhly there be just occasions for anger and if we be not angry at them we fail in our duty to God and man Quest. When is anger rightly ordered Answ. When it 's moved quickned and guided by faith stirring up godly sorrow for sin in our selves or others joyned with an holy and just desire of revenge to the saving of the person appeasing of Gods anger and promoting the Kingdome of Christ. Holy anger must have a just and weighty occasion so we read of Moses he was angry when contrary to the command of God Mannâ—h was reserved till the next morning Exod. 16.20 when they tempted God in worshipping the golden calf Exod. 23.19 When Corah c. rebelled Numb 16.15 The causes of just anger are First when we see God dishonoured and his glory defaced So in Phineas Numb 25.7 8. and Elias 1 King 19.14 Secondly when injury is unjustly offered to our selves For by Gods law we are bound to seek the preservation of our own good name and estate So in Paul Acts 23.2 and in Christ John 18.23 But this gives no place to private revenge when out of bitternesse of spirit we seek the hurt of them that wrong us Forbidden Matth. 5.39 Rom. 12.17 yet when wronged we may implore the aid of the Magistrate yet without a desire to hurt him that wrongs us as Luke 18.3 Thirdly when injury is offered to our brethren for by the law of charity we are bound to love them as our selves so in Moses Acts 7.24 in David 2 Sam. 13.21 in Nehemiah ch 5.6 hence James 1.9 we are commanded to be slow to anger For the object of holy anger is sin not the person so in David Ps. 119.139 in Jeremy ch 6.10 11. Quest. What are the properties of holy anger Answ. First It must begin at home we must be most angry with our own sinnes Secondly it must be mixed with love God himself in wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3.1 2. So in Moses he prays for those with whom he was angry Exod. 32.31 c. Thirdly anger for an offence must be mixed with sorrow for the offence So in Christ Mark 3.5 Hence Gal. 61. Fourthly we must shew Christian modesty in our anger by abstaining from malicious speeches and unjust actions So in Michael Jude 9. Fifthly We must observe a due decorum and fit respect in it and that 1. In regard of our selves we must have respect to our place and calling A Magistrate must shew his anger not onely in countenance and words but in his actions also and so must a father the contrary was Eli's sin but a private person must onely shew it in countenance and words 2. The offenders are not to be used all alike A mean man must not shew his anger to a noble man or Magistrate as he may to his equal the sonne must not shew his anger to his father as the father may to the son Moses a Magistrate useth the sword Exod. 32.27 John Baptist a Minister useth onely the sword of the Spirit Matth. 3.7 Jacob a private man towards Laban useth only mild and gentle admonitions Gen. 31.36 Jonathan by rising from the Table and going out 1 Sam. 20.34 The three children in humble and respective words to the King Dan. 3.16 Paul the like to Festus and Agrippa Acts 25.10 11. and 26.25 29. Sixthly it must be contained within the bounds of our particular callings so as that it make us not to neglect our duty either to God or man Seventhly it must be moderate rising and falling according to the nature of the offence It will not favour sin in one and detest it in another slie out against one offence and connive at another Eighthly it must be seasonable for time and continuance It must not continue longet then the cause continues our safest course is quickly to be appeased if the party offending repent of his sin against God and his wrong against us or our brethren For reformation is the aim of holy anger Ninthly the ends of holy anger must be just and holy which are 1. The glory of God which is set forth by our anger when being private persons we manifest our detestation of sin in word and countenance Being Magistrates we punish sin and execute justice 2. The good of Church and Common-wealth which most properly belongs to Magistrates who are to punish sin not onely that civil justice may be maintained but that Gods anger which hangs over whole countreys where sin is countenanced or not justly punished may be averted 3. The good of the party For hereby the offender is restrained from the like future miscarriages Quest. How are we to stir up just and holy anger in our selves Answ. We are to stir it up by the exaggeration of the injury done or received and that by the consideration of these foure circumstances First from the person that doth the wrong his basenesse wisdome gravity and office if he hath pretended former friendship received from us many kindnesses which he repays with injury and ingratitude if he hath often done us wrong which we never revenged or greatly endamaged himself to endamage us In all which respects we have much more cause to be angry with our selves for sinning against God Think with thy self that if a base Peasant should buffet a Prince what an injury it would be how much more abominable is it for me so vile a wretch to rebel against God That I should sin against him who hath enriched me with such wisdome and understanding
Jam. 1.20 The effects of anger which are caused by others as a deserved punishment of it are 1 It subjects a man to the wrath of God and brings his curse upon him Mat. 6.14 15. Hence Job 5.2 Prov. 19.19 Mat. 5.22 2. Such are a prey to Satan whilest they plot and devise that mischief which pleaseth him and when once by passion he hath blinded the eye of reason he can easily lead us into all wickednesse As Crows first pick out the sheeps eyes and then prey upon them 3. It brings contempt from men whence by it they blaze abroad their folly whereas wisdome procureth honour and respect 4. An angry man lies open to the malice fraud and violence of his adversary For having no power over his passion when provoked he rusheth himself head-long into danger not caring what he saith or what he doth though tending to his own prejudice and to his adversaries advantage Fourthly consider the high account the Lord makes of a heart well fortified and purged from this base passion Prov. 23.26 God calls for the heart i. e. a heart well drained from sinful affections and a Christian may fetch a surer evidence of his spiritual estate from his reformation herein then from any particular duty to the affirmative Commandments of the morall Lawe Object But I am chollerick by nature and cannot expel it Answ. This excuse is no better then Adams fig-leafe to hide the nakednesse of thy sin It will not excuse us before a temporal Judge to say we are prone by nature to such a sin much lesse before God God gave us not such a nature but it comes from original sin therefore we must not excuse one sin with another and what serves grace for but to reforme nature If thou beest regenerate by the Holy Ghost he makes of a Leopard a Lamb c. Esay 11.6 7. Object Though I be somewhat hot for the time yet it 's quickly gone Answ. Eccles. 7.9 Be not of an hasty spirit for anger rests in the bosome of fools Many are the mischiefs of sudden anger as it begins without son so it ends without shame and repentance Gods children should resemble their heavenly father who is slow to anger Exodus 34.6 7. Object I say nothing in my passion what would you have me doe Answ. Concealed anger if nourished in the heart and hidden to have a better opportunity for revenge or being dissembled for credits sake is worse then professed anger First in respect of the party that is angry because turbulent affections kept in torment the more like a raging fire that hath no vent or a violent streame that is stopped Secondly in respect of the person with whom we are angry because it makes him lesse wary and more secure Hence a secret enemy is more dangerous then a professed enemy Prov. 12.20 and 14.17 as we see in Caine Gen. 4.8 In Absolon 2 Sam. 13.22 23. in Joab 2 Sam. 20.9 in Judas Luke 22.47 Object But he hath often offended me I can bear no longer Answ. Love covers a multitude of sins Prov. 11.12 we must forgive to seventy times seven times Mat. 18.22 as David did to Saul Joseph to his brethren Object But except God give us the gift of patience we can never put up injuries contentedly Answ. Such would have God do all and will do nothing themselves For if they sincerely desired the grace of patience they would use Gods meanes to get it Quest. But by what means is corrupt anger to be subdued and mortified Answ. First faith as it moderates all passions so this of sinful anger and that 1. By stamping Gods image of goodnesse patience and long-suffering upon the soul A man cannot have fellowship with God by faith but he shall be like him Faith teaches us to imitate our heavenly father as Exod. 34.6 Psal. 103.8 9. see his long-suffering 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Ezek. 4.5 therefore Col. 3.12 Look upon Christs example and imitate him 2. By acknowledging the providence of God without which the least injury could not befal us the least being a portion of that cup which Gods hand reacheth out to us So in Job chap. 1.21 in Joseph Gen. 50.20 in David 2 Sam. 16.10 11. This perswasion that all our sufferings come from God is a forcible motive to patience For 1. It constraines us to confesse that all our chastisements are just yea lesse then our sins deserved being but light and momentany we have cause therefore to admire Gods goodnesse in such gentle rods rather then to be angry at them 2. It teacheth that the manner of Gods dealing is exceeding tender and compassionate Psal. 25.10 when we deserve to be cast into hell fire he doth onely lop and prune to make us more fruitful therefore we have more cause to be thankful then to be offended 3. It shews that God in his infinite wisdome will dispose of every thing for our good as he hath promised Rom. 8.28 why then should we be angry seeing God will turn the injuries of men into blessings say therefore with Christ Iohn 18.11 shall I not drink of the cup c. 4. It acknowledgeth the present course that God taketh to be best and most behooful for us For God is wisest and his prescriptions most safe and healthful we have therefore no reason to be angry unlesse we will fight against God 3. It looks up to Christ and imprints the vertues of his death upon the soul He that believes in Christ crucified is made like unto Christ in love meeknesse and all other graces that he manifested in his death For it thus pleadeth Christ endured scoffs reproaches railings revilings buffetings scourgings yea and death it self not for any demerit of his but for our sakes and shall we grudge to suffer small injuries from men at our Saviour Christs request seeing we have deserved far greater 4. It submits to the absolute sovereignty of the Lord and will not encroach upon his Prerogative Royal Now all revenge is Gods right and he hath not given it to man Rom. 12.19 A private man in the Common-wealth may not usurp the place of a Judge nor a servant of a Master much lesse may a Christian by revenging his own quarrel in word or deed intrude himself into Gods office 5. Faith works humility and lowlinesse and banisheth self-love and pride For it minds a man of his sin and the desert thereof and that whatsoever good he enjoys he holds as an almes of grace whatsoever he suffers he acknowledgeth lesse then his desert and a just chastisement of love and therefore is patient 6. It raiseth the heart to an earnest desire of spiritual things and treadeth under feet all vaine and transitory things and therefore a believer is not much disquieted when he is crossed in them As the upper region of the aire is not molested with winde raine haile c. so a heavenly minded Christian is lifted up far above these sublunary things and cannot be afflicted with them
mercy What comes naturally comes easily without pain as beams from the Sun water from the spring heat from the fire Hence Psal. 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Quest. How can Gods anger be said to be turned away from his children when yet oft-times they finde the effects of it in the course of their lives Answ. There is a double anger in God 1. Vindicative 2. Fatherly Now God after our first conversion removes his vindicative anger from us after which though he sometimes threatens and frowns upon us yet it is with a Fatherly anger and this is that which God removes together with the shame and correction attending it when we repent of our sins and reform our ways Or There is A childe of anger A childe under anger Now Gods children after their conversion are never children of wrath and anger though sometime they be children under anger if they make bold with sin so that then though they have the right of Sons yet they cannot make use of it to go boldly to the Throne of grace conceiving God to be angry with them and so continue till they humble themselves reform their ways God was so angry with Moses that he suffered him not to go into the land of Canaan Numb 20.12 so he was with David when he had numbred the people 2 Sam. 24.1 and with the Corinthians for their unworthy receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.30 These were all children under wrath but not children of wrath Quest. How may we know Gods anger to be removed when yet we â—ndure the afflictions Answ. God is infinitely wise and in afflicting hath many excellent ends as First when he afflicts us it 's to correct us for our sins after which when we have pulled out the sting of sin by confession and humiliation though the affliction doth continue yet his anger doth not Secondly affliction somtimes is only for the exercise of our faith and patience and trial of our graces and for the exemplary manifestation unto others of Gods goodnesse to us But even then we may know that afflictions come not in anger to us when after repentance God speaks peace to our consciences so that though the grievance continue yet it 's attended with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost See Dr. Sibs his returning Back-slider Quest. How is God said to be angry with his children Isa. 64.5 Answ. Gods anger toward his children doth not exclude them out of his love seeing it is not the anger of an enemy but of a gracious father who is not angry with their persons to destroy them but with their sins to convert and save them As children by their miscarriages may anger their parents and provoke them to frown upon them yea sharply to correct them and yet at the same time their parents entirely love them and seek their amendment So Gods children when they sin provoke him to anger and are said to be out of his favour not that God changes his fatherly affections or purposes utterly to reject them but only changes the effects of his love into effects of hatred by suffering them to be vexed with terrours of consciences and outwardly scourges them with temporary afflictions not out of hatred to their persons whom he hath once loved in Christ and therefore for ever loves them but for hatred of their sins and love to their persons whom by this means he brings to repentance and reformation of their ways Quest. What is anger in God Answ. The ancient Fathers do unanimously agree that anger in God is nothing but the Divine revenge or punishment that he inflicts for sin For there are no perturbations or troubled affections in God as there are in men Hence St. Austin saith Ira Dei non est perturbatio concitati animi sed tranquilla constitutio justi supplicii And again Cum irasci dicitur Deus non significatur perturbatio qualis est in animo irascentis hominis sed ex humanis motibus vindicta ejus irae nomen accepit So then Gods anger being nothing but his revenge or punishment that he inflicts for sinne it must needs follow that the anger of God is always provoked by sinne so Gen. 6.11 with 17. and 18.20 Job 31.3 Quest. Why doth God poure out his anger upon sinners Answ. First because of his justice for though God be not delighted with our suffering yet he is delighted with his own justice according to which punishment is due to sin It is not evil therefore in God to punish wicked men because it proceeds from his love of justice But it s evil for men to deserve punishment because it proceed from the love of wickednesse Secondly because it s for our profit For this is the principal end of all Gods punishments that they amend the sinner Hence St. Austin saith Quicquid Divinitus ante ultimum judicium vindicatur non ad interitum hominum sed ad medicinam valere credendum est Neither will it weaken this argument to say that wicked men are so far from being warned by their punishments to avoid sin as that they are hardened by them to the aggravation of their condemnation because notwithstanding this they have this profitable effect on the godly For by the punishment of fooles wise men are reformed As Cyprian saith supplicia imprudentium prudentibus conferunt sanitatem Thirdly because of the ordination of Divine providence For God is the Author of order in the world and suffers nothing that wants order But sin is in its own nature nothing but disorder Hence Aquinas saith rightly Aequum ordinatum est ut qui contra voluntatem Divinam percipere voluit peccati voluptatem ut contra voluntatem propriam cogatur experiri supplicii acerbitatem It 's but just and equal that those which will needs solace themselves with the pleasures of sin contrary to the will of God should taste of the bitternesse of punishment contrary to their own wills D. Daunant on Col. CHAP. XI Questions and Cases of Conscience about some of the Antinomian Errours Quest. THe Antinomians say That through the blood-shed and righteousnesse of Christ in their free Justification God sees no sin in them and therefore they should see no sin in themselves Or if they do see it with the eye of Reason yet they should not see it with the eye of faith Quest. Is this true Doctrine Ans. No for the blood of Christ was never shed to destroy all sense and sight of sin in believers But he died rather to make them sensible of their sins For he died to save his people from their sins 1 John 3.5 Tit. 3.14 but by the sight of sin they come to be weaned from it and so saved out of it and hence it is that the greatest and deepest spirit of mourning for sin is poured out upon believers when God hath poured upon them the
Hence the promise of regeneration is Ier. 31.33 to put the Law of God into their inward parts therefore grace is called the inwaâ—d man the hidden man of the heart If therefore thy repentance hath been deep enough If thy faith and love be rooted the gates of hell shall never prevail against thee Thirdly good beginnings will end well when we professe Christ out of love to Christ and sincere intentions not from sinister and worldly respects The wolf will at last discover himself for all his sheeps cloathing as we see in Judas To follow Christ for the loaves or to know him only after the flesh will never endure Jehu begins with zeal as hot as fire yet his latter end was like Jeroboams and all because his ends were not pure Observe therefore thy heart diligently in the motions and intentions of it Is it to get applause to be reputed of to compasse great things for thy self If so the time will come that thy building will fall though so many did admire it Fourthly thy beginnings will end coldly when thy judgement is not well instructed and informed in the truth Hot affections but a weak judgement will quickly stagger and is apt to be carried up and down with every winde of doctrine Christ therefore prayeth John 17.17 that they may be sanctified through the truth Hymenaeus and Philetus when they made shipwrack of the faith they then cast away a good conscience so that a sound mind and judgement is a special help to perseverance they which are tossed up and down with every new doctâ—ine are called children Ephes. 4.14 because their understandings are weak Fifthly they that will persevere must be well advised about the nature of grace how dear it wil cost them to be Disciples of Christ what they must do and suffer for his Name This Christ expresseth under two Parables One of a King going to war the other of a man undertaking a great building Luke 14.31 c. so think thou with thy self shall I joyn my self to those that fear God am I fit for such a great work Am I mortified to all sin Can I endure to lose all for Christ Do I love him better then my relations then my life it self c. Mr. Burges on Joh. 17. p. 383. Sixthly if thou wouldst not Apostatize practice so much as thou knowest and the more thou practisest the more thou knowest and the more thou knowest thus the more thou lovest and the surer doest thou bind it upon thy self and this is the surest hold John 7.17 Seventhly call no grounds of Divine truth into question suspect not that which thou canst not reach but rather accuse thy own weaknesse and ignorance Our first Parents by questioning the truth of Gods threatning lost Gods image which consisted in truth as well as holinesse Eighthly beware of indifferency in the matters of God many think it better to be like the flexible willow then the sturdy Oke or as wax to take all forms of Religion These can never hold out when trials come Dr. Taylor on Tit. CHAP. XIII Questions and Cases of Conscience about Apparel Quest. HOw are we to use Apparel Answ. Men and Women are to cover their bodies with decent and comely Apparel and so to attiâ—e themselves as that in their Apparel they do expresse the vertues of their mindes and the graces that be in their hearts especially modesty shamefastnesse and frugality Quest. Wherein stands dâ—cency and comelinesse of Apparel Answ. First in covering the whole body with it except such parts as are left bare for necessities sake as the face and hands Gen. 3.10 21. By sin came shame upon the whole body and the Lord made and appointed the wearing of garments for the covering of the deformity of our naked bodies Deut. 28.48 Nakednesse is threatned as a curse therefore affected nakednesse is monstrous and vile Secondly in the fashion making our garments in a decent manner which is 1 When its fitted for the sex Deut. 22.5 2. According to the condition office and calling we are in and according to our estate and after the ancient customes of the Countrey and place we live in and to the example of the most grave godly and sober men and women of our own rank Mat. 11.8 Zeph. 1.8 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Phil. 4.8 1 Pet. 3.3 4 5. Quest. May not ornaments of gold silver pearles precious stones lace silk sattins velvets c. be used Answ. Yea some necessary cautions in using them being observed as may be proved Gen. 24.22 47. and 41.42 Exod. 32.3 Psal. 45.13 14. Mat. 6.29 Ob. But the Prophets seem to condemn and threaten such ornaments Isa. 3 18 c. Answ. Some of those ornaments were indeed meer vanities and therefore not to be used Others were in themselves lawful and are not simply condemned but only in the abuse of them as they were made instruments and ensignes of pride wantonnesse and the lightnesse of the women as appears v. 16. Ob. But 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 the Apostles forbid the wearing of gold or costly Apparel Answ. In these texts the Apostles do not simply forbid the wearing of such things but the abuse of them in riot and excesse directing their speeches to women who it seems were excessive in adorning their outward man and neglected the inward ornaments of modesty and humility the chief ornaments of Christians Hence 1 Tim. 2.9 10. 1 Pet. 3.4 the latter are chiefly commended Quest. VVhat are those cautions to be observed in using these ornaments Answ. First they must be used sparingly and with moderation according to the rank place and calling wherein God hath set us and the example of the gravest and godly persons of our own rank and place Dan. 5.16 17 29. with Mat. 11.8 Secondly they must not be used alwayes alike but according to the times and seasons Jer. 2.32 Luke 16.19 It was the rich mans fault to weare them every day Thirdly they must be used to a right end not to get honour and esteem amongst men much lesse to inveigle others as the harlot did Prov. 7.10 16. but to the honouring of the body that therein God may be honoured Gâ—n 24.15 1 Cor. 12.23 1 Thes. 4.4 Quest. How do men and women sin in their Apparel Aâ—s First When they weare strange fashions and guises threatened even in Kings children Zeph. 1.8 the general rule is whatsoever things are of good report these do Phil. 4.8 Secondly When with their Apparel they cover not their nakednesse but as having put off all shame they discover those parts which modesty requires to be covered Thirdly when they have their Apparel so made as disfits them for employment and makes them like pictures in a frame you cannot stir one part except you stir all they can scarce feed themselves Solomons good Huswife was not so clothed Prov. 31.13 c. Fourthly when by their Apparel they confound Sexes forbidden Deut· 22.5 Fifthly when they weare any garment in
with marrow and fatnesse For the two great ends of this Sacrament to a Christian are 1. Growth in grace 2. Sense of grace Christians come hither ad corroborandum Titulum to confirm their Title and yet we must not think that every true Christian that comes to the Sacrament must needs have assurance For 1. Believers themselves may receive unworthily as the Corinthians came together for the worse and not for the better and therefore were chastened of the Lord c. 1 Cor. 11.32 2. Many that have much joy and sweetnesse from the Sacrament yet may not have it in so high a measure as to amount to Assurance All that truly partake of these heavenly dainties do not go away equally satisfied Some have but a taste to cherish them others have a full draught which doth mightily cheer them Thirdly times of employment are sealing times when God intends us for some great and eminent service he first sheds some of his love into their hearts which constrains them to obedience and encourageth them in it Moses would not stir without assurance of Gods presence So God calls Joshua to an honourable emploiment and prepares him for so great a work with a promise of himself and his love Fear not be of good courage I am with thee I will never faile thâ—e nor forsake thee So when God called Abraham to that great work of sacrificing his son he first warmes his heart with his love and seales up the Covenant of grace to him and tells him I am God alsufficient I am thy Buckler and thy exceeding great reward And thus he dealt with the Prophets and Apostles when he sent them upon great and dangerous messages he assures them that his directing and protecting mercy shall accompany them and this made them so undaunted Fourthly praying times are sealing times the same Spirit that endites the prayer seales it up When Hannah had prayed 1 Sam. 1.18 the text saith that her countenance was no more sad As its priviledge of Assurance that then we may with confidence cry Abba Father so also it s a great means to get assurance Besides we may pray for assurance and be importunate for one smile of his face and his bowels will not let him deny us Hence such as are most frequent and powerful in Prayer are most blest with assurance Fifthly times of outward exigencies are sâ—aling times 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward man decay yet our inward man is renewed daily when all provision failed the Israelites then Mannah was rained down so is this hidden Mannah provided for sad and cloudy times except in the case of total desertion when the soul hath not the least glimpse shining upon it But in outward and temporal distresses God uses to reveal himself more immediately unto them and though the creature frown yet he smiles upon them Believers are Gods friends and it is not the part of a friend to forsake them in the saddest times When Saint John was banished into the Isle of Paâ—mos God shews him that glorious Revelation Paul and Silas when in prison are full of joy and so with Hezekiah Sixthly times of victory and conquest over lusts and tentations are sealing times God after such victories will give his people a triumph Rev. 2 17. To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden Manna Thus when Paul was conquering that great tentation 2 Cor. 12.9 God then strengthens him with this My grace is sufficient for thee So it was with that noble Marquess of Vico He never had such joy at Naples as he had at Geneva when he had conquered all tentations and had trampled upon all relations for a Saviour So the Mourners in Ezekiel that would not yield to the abominations of the times must have a seale set on them So that Virgin-company in the Revelations Ezek. 9.4 Rev. 7.3 Quest. What use must Christians make of Assurance when God gives it in to them Answ. First Times of assurance should be times of humility and dependance upon God when Moses had been so long conversing with God on the Mount presently at the foot of the Mount he meets with matter of humiliation the people having made them a golden Calfe When Paul had been in the third Heavens then comes a Messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted aâ—ove measure Pride as it twines about the sweetest graces so it devoures the sweetest comforts Yet there is nothing that tends more to self-abasement then the beholding Gods face and the seeing of his glory this will make the soul abhor it self in dust and ashes None here ever saw more of Gods face then Moses and Paul and there were none that ever had lower apprehensions of themselves Secondly Times of assurance should be times of trampling upon the creature and scorning of things below we should not take care for corne and wine and oile when God lifts up the light of his countenance upon us when we are in our Fathers house and the fatted Calfe is slain we should not still feed upon husks when we are clothed with the Sun we should trample the Moon under our feet and let others scramble for the world who have nothing else to live on Thirdly Times of assurance should be times of more watchfulnesse and accurate walking with God To sin against revealed love is a killing aggravation To sin against light is too much but to sin against love is a great deal more This aggravated Solomons Idolatry 1 Kings 11.9 that he turned from the God of Israel that had appâ—ared to him twice To provoke God in a wildernesse is not so much as to provoke him in a Paradise Take heed therefore of turning the grace of God into wantonnesse but if God give thee a sense of his love walk moâ—e stedfastly and accurately before him Fourthly Times of assurance should be times of inviting and encouraging others in the wayes of grace as David did Psal. 34.8 O taste and see how gracious God is Men look upon Religion as a rigid and austere thing that comes to rob them of their joy but thou canst tell them of the sweetnesse that is in the wayes of grace thou canst assure them that all the wayes of wisdome are pleasantnesse Thou canst shew them the goodly fruits of Canaan that were cut down at the brook Eshâ—l Thou canst assure them that there is no such joy to be found in the wayes of sin that spiritual joy is the most clarified joy that its solid joy and lasting joy All the creatures make but a blaze but the least spark of this is immortal Fifthly Times of assurance should be times of storing up comforts against times of scarcity Now treasure up beams heap up light store up hidden Manna though kept it will not breed wormes storing up of former evidences is a good provision against a cloudy day Sixthly Times of assurance should be times of breathing after full possession The espoused soul should long after
remission of sins through the blood of Christ v. 7. Object But how may this pardon of sin be known Answ. He answers First by our humble and hearty confession of them to God v. 9. Secondly if our consciences are pacified by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.1 1 Joh. 3.21 2. By the sanctifying spirit whereby we are renewed in holiness and righteousnesse 1 Joh. 3.24 3. By holiness and uprightnesse of heart and life 1 John 1.6 7. 4. By perseverance in the knowledge and obedience to the Gospel 1 John 2.24 2. He that is the adopted Son of God shall be undoubtedly saved 1 John 3.2 Rom. 8.17 Object But how shall we know our Adoption Answ. By these signs 1. If thou truly beleevest in the Sonne of God Gal. 3.26 1 John 3.23 2. By a hearty desire and earnest endeavour to be cleansed from thy corruptions 1 Joh. 3.3 3. By the love of a Christian because he is a Christian 1 John 3.10 11 12 c. 3. They that are assured of the love of God to them in particular may also be assured of their salvation 1 John 4.9 and Gods love to us may be known 1. By our love to the brethren 1 Joh. 4.20 21. 2. By our love to God 1 Joh. 4.19 which is also known by two signes 1. By our conformity to him in holinesse A child that loves his father will tread in his steps 1 Joh. 4.17 not in equality and perfection but in similitude and conformity 2. By the weanedness of our affections from the things of the world 1 John 2.15 Fourthly by 2 Tim. 2.19 the foundation of God remains sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his c. i. e. the decree of Gods election stands firm and sure So that they which are elected shall never totally and finally fall away Quest. But how shall I know that I am elected Answ. Paul answereth By the spirit of prayer and invocation and by a care to forsake all sin Let every one that cals upon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity Fifthly by 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure c. and this he tells may be done by getting and exercising those graces mentioned v. 5 6 7. Mr. Perkins 2. Vol. p. 18 c. Is there any good to be gotten by departing from Christ by leaving our first love by quenching the spirit and making Apostasie from former degrees of grace and holinesse can any son of Iesse do for us as Christ can Or do we think to mend our selves by running out of Gods blessing into the worlds warm Sun as Dâ—mas did O call me not Naomi may such say but call me Marah for I went out full but come home empty For indeed so do revolted Christians when they come from the act of sinning when they have been seeking after their sweet-hearts they went with their hearts full of peace and hands full of plenty and meeting with a bargain of sinning they thought to seek out their happinesse and make it fuller as Solomon did but they come home empty empty of comforts but laden with crosses they have lost their evidences are excommunicated from the power of Ordinances are under the terrour of wounded spirits are buffetted by Satan are out of hope of ever recovering the radiancy of their graces have their back-burden of their afflictions so that they are enforced to confess it to be the greatest madnesse in the world to buy the sweetest and profitablest sin at so dear a rate So David found it and the Sulamite Cant. 5.1 2. Quest. Wherein stands the difference betweene assurance and presumption Answ. First assurance is built upon the righteousness of Christ the grace of God the Word of God and the true knowledge of sin and of our selves what we are by nature and what by grace This was one principle of Pauls assurance 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am But presumption is built 1. Upon self-ignorance men know not what themselves are not what sin is Hence they think themselves righteous when they are great sinners Rom. 7.9 Luke 18.9 c. so Rev 3.17 2. Upon self-love which is that false glass that most look themselves in which makes all seeme good that they are have or do Hence Prov. 16.2 and 30.12 3. Upon self-righteousness which flows from the two former 4. Upon ignorance and mistakes about the nature of grace or upon false principles such as these 1. That shews are substance or that to seem religious is to be so So Mat. 23.28 2. That common gifts are special grace that Parts are Piety or that a civil and moral conversation is a regenerate condition This will be discovered to be the presumption of many at the last day Mat. 7.22 23. 3. That profession is practice that trimming of Lamps is having of oyle So Matth. 25.6 7. and that the forme of godliness is the power thereof and outwards performances the substance of Piety whereas 2 Tim. 3.5 4. That restraint of sinne is mortification or putting off the old man or that cutting off the branches of sinne is plucking it up by the root That outward cleansing is inward purifying So Math. 23.25 5. That mens hearts may be good though their tongues hands and lives be bad 5. It 's sometimes built upon outward prosperity They hope God loves them and will save them because he hath given them so many good things all these bottomes are like the house built upon the sands Mat. 7.27 Secondly they differ in the means by which they are obtained and maintained For assurance is obtained by 1. Godly sorrow for sin For Christ gives rest to such Matth. 11.28 so Luke 7.38 48. 2. Soul-searching and self-examination or by a frequent comparing our hearts with Gods Word and communing with them about the proper effects of grace and fruits of the Spirit in us 3. By the illumination and testimony of Adoption 4. By the Ordinances of the Word Sacraments prayer and a holy and constant use of them 1 Job 5.13 5. By conflicts with doubts and by resistance of unbelief as Mark 9.24 so that assurance is not ordinarily obtained without much paines Hence 2 Pet. 1.10 But presumption is gotten without means or paines without sorrow for sin self-examination c. sponte nascitur It grows up of its own accord which is a signe that its a weed and not an herb of grace Again as assurance is bred so it 's fed and maintained by meanes viz. the constant exercise and discovery of grace the careful performance of duties avoiding sin maintaining communion with God c. whereas presumption as it s gotten so it 's maintained without care or cost Thirdly they differ in their effects which are seven 1. Assurance endears God to the soul to love him delight in him long after him and fear to offend him and to be careful to serve and please him Eph. 4.29 30.31 but presumption stirs up no affections
sorting with them makes thee more holy and humble Ninthly if thou doest to them as thou wouldst be done by Quest. What are the impediments of brotherly love Answ. Either ignorance will blind thee or envy will corrupt thee or pride and inequality of gifts and place will swell thee or infirmities will dull thee or forgetfulnesse will disappoint thee or objections and excuses will deceive thee or trespasses will alienate thee or the scorns of the world will discourage thee Quest. How may the ferventnesse of our love to the brethren be known Answ. First if thou accountest it thy greatest felicity on earth next to the enjoyment of Gods favour to have delightful fellowship with the brethren Psalm 16.3 Secondly if thou hast enflamed desires after their fellowship Thirdly if thou canst cover a multitude of faults in them 1 Pet. 4.8 Fourthly if thou canst be at pains for them Love is laborious Fifthly if thou art speedy in doing them good Prov. 3.28 Sixthly if thou lamentest thy absence from them as a bitter crosse Seventhly if thou doest daily and heartily pray for them and give thanks without ceasing â—uest What may nourish affections amongst Godly brethren Answ. First remember often Gods love to thee in Christ 1 Joh. 4.9 10 11. Eph. 5.1 2. Secondly think much of Gods command for it and his acceptation of it Eph. 5.1 2. 1 Pet. 1.22 Thirdly meditate often of our dwelling together in heaven Jam. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.8 Fourthly converse much together have fellowship in Gospel duties Fifthly consider the promises made hereunto Eph. 4.15 16. 2 Pet. 1.9 10 11. Phil. 2.1 Quest. With what kinde of love must we love the brethren Answ. First it must be a natural love even such an one as ariseth out of our dispositions as we are made new creatures in Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8.8 Secondly it must be a sincere love without dissimulation Rom. 12.10 not in word but in deed 1 Joh. 3.18 Thirdly it must be a fervent love they must be loved above all other people 1 Pet. 4 8. 2 Pet. 1.7 Fourthly it must be a pure love that comes from a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 A love in the spirit Col. 1.8 Fifthly it must be a diligent love that will expresse it self upon all occasions A labouring and working love 1 Thes. 1.3 Heb. 6.10 Sixthly it must be a speedy love Prov. 3.28 Seventhly it must be an humble love a love that would ever serve the brethren Gal. 5.13 Eph. 1.15 and 4.2 Prov. 19.7 Eighthly it must be a constant love Gal. 4.18 Ninthly it must be a growing love Phil. 1.9 1 Thes. 4.10 Quest. What rules are we to observe that brotherly love may continue amongst us Answ. First some things are to be avoided as 1. We must not fashion our selves according to this world but avoid all needlesse conversation with wicked men Rom. 12.1 2. 2. We must take heed of and avoid such as low discord or cause divisions amongst men whether such as go about to seduce men into opinions Rom. 16.19 Gal. 5.12 2 Pet. 3.16 or such as make contention in practise 3. Take heed of being insnared with vain-glorious desires after worldly greatnesse either in Church or Common-wealth Mat. 23.8 Gal. 5. ult 4. Take heed of conceitednesse or willfulnesse in judgement we must not be wise in our own eyes but rather in lowlinesse of minde esteem other mens gifts and judgements better then our own Phil. 2.3 Rom. 12.10 16. Prov. 12.15 5. Take heed of worldlinesse and self-love and minding of our own things and studying our own ends in conversing with others 1 Cor. 13.5 Phil. 2.4 6. Take heed of overmuch retirednesse and neglecting comfortable fellowship with our brethren Heb. 10.25 Phil. 1.6 Psal. 133.1 Secondly some things are to be practised as 1. We must provoke one another to love both by words and actions which must be without flattery and dissimulation Heb. 10.24 2. We must strive without complement to shew the sound proofe of our love in all our actions and by the fruits of it in all well-doing strive to approve our selves to God and before men in this thing 2 Cor. 8.24 3. In all that we do to or for the brethren we should do them in a loving and respectful manner 1 Cor. 16.14 4. We must strive to be rightly ordered towards our brethren in case of sin against God or trespasse against us Quest. How may this be done Answ. First if we know a fault in our brother and finde that it tempts us to alienation from him we must follow Gods counsel Lev. 19.17 Reprove him plainly Secondly we should be convinced that there are infirmities in the best though we know them not and therfore so to look for it that when they do break out we should be ready to bear with their infirmities and forbear them if they be meer frailties choosing rather to crosse our selves then to provoke them in their weaknesse Rom. 15.1 2. Thirdly if our brother trespasse against us we should shew our selves to be easie to be intreated and forgive to seventy seven times if he say he repenteth Mat. 18.21 Fourthly if we have done wrong we should make haste to be reconciled and seek it with willing acknowledgement and readinesse to make satisfaction Mat. 5.23 24. Mr. Byfield on Peter CHAP. XXII Questions and Cases of Conscience about Buying and selling Quest. WHat Rule is the Buyer to observe in Buying Answ. That therein he doe nothing that may tend to the hurt and prejudice of his neighbour in his outward welfare and estate Quest. How may the Buyer sin in buying Answ. First When the Buyer debaseth the Commodity which he would buy dispraising it above measure and that against his own knowledge and conscience Or sets another to undeâ—bid for the Commodity that he may get it the better cheap Prov. 20 4. Isa. 5.20 Matth. 7.12 Secondly When he takes advantage of the Sellers simplicity or present necessity to buy his Commodity for less then its worth whereas Gen. 23.9 13. Abraham would give the full price and Levit. 25.14 15 16. Object But Jacob took advantage of Esau's present need to buy his Birth-right of him for a mess of pottage Answ. This fact of Jacobs was extraordinary and therefore is no rule for us to walk by besides he was informed by his Mother that Gods purpose was to deny the blessing to him and therefore he took this opportunity of buying the Birth-right being probably moved thereto by the Spirit of God Thirdly When the Buyer makes bad payment for the commodity he buyes as when he either paies not at all or payes less then was agreed for or delaies payment after the time appointed or willingly and wittingly pays counterfeit coyn or bad Commodities or miâ—ells the money Thus did not Abraham Gen. 23.16 Quest. What rule must the Seller observe in selling Answ. He must not hurt or prejudice his neighbour in his outward estate thereby Quest. How is this done Answ. First By
or strongly suspects to be stollen Or if he hath ignorantly bought such goods whether may he lawfully after the knowledge of the owner keepe them Answ. To buy such goods as you know or have just cause to suspect that they are stollen makes you accessary to the theft For if there were no receivers there would be no thieves But if making use of Saint Pauls rule concerning meats you extend your liberty to whatsoever is sold in the market and shall in the exercise of that freedom upon a just and valuable consideration ignorantly buy those goods which you afterwards hear and know to be anothers your contract is faultlesse since your invincible want of knowledge acquits you from any guilt of consent yet withal you are bound to acquaint the true owner with the matter and to proffer your selves ready to joyne with him in the prosecution of the Law upon the offender and upon an equal satisfaction to tender him his own B. Halls Cas. of Conscience Quest. What are the general rules that Christians should observe in all their dealings with others Answ. That we carry and behave our selves simply and uprightly honestly and with a good conscience as in the sight of God who sees not only our outward actions but the inwards thoughts of our hearts and therefore they should do as Paul Heb. 13.18 We trust that we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly and on the the contrary in all our contracts we must shun all guile and deceit and all double dealing tending to the undermining and circumventing our neighbours as Paul exhorts 1 Thes. 4.6 Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother c. and David tells us Psal. 5.6 that God abhors the deceitful man Quest. What particular rules are to be observed Answ. First in all our dealings we must observe truth in all our words and not only speak it from our lips but from our hearts hating and avoiding all subtil equivocations and mental reservations tending to deceive those with whom we deal Zac. 8.16 Secondly we must use fidelity in all our promises performing them though it be to our own hindrance unlesse he to whom we make them do release us Psal. 15.2 4. Thirdly justice in all our actions giving every man his due and dealing with others as we would have them deal with us Fourthly charity and compassion in remitting our right in whole or in part when the bargain proves hard and to the hindrance of our poor neighbour who is not able to bear it Fifthly patience and contentednesse when we sustain damage or be otherwise crossed or overreached in any of our contracts either purposely by those with whom we deal or by some casualty which could not be foreseen Quest. What evils are to be avoided in our dealings with others Answ. First lying and equivocation which is as bad Prov. 21.6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity c. Prou. 13.11 wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished c. yea though a man could get the whole world by it what would it profit him seeing thereby he loses his soule Rev. 22.15 and 21.8 Secondly all perfideousnesse and breach of promise though it tend to our great advantage seeing God will never blesse goods gotten by such meanes Or if we should thrive by it our worldly gaine will never recompence our spiritual losse Prov. 10.2 Treasures of wickednesse profit nothing c. Thirdly uncharitablenesse raising our gain out of our neighbours losse whereas as fellow members we should labour to thrive together Fourthly we must not through impatience fret and murmur when we meet with crosses and losses in our contracts but be content sometimes to lose as well as to gain For which end we must not look so much to inferiour means which oft are exceeding faulty but fix our eyes upon the wise providence of our good God who governs all things even such as seeme most contingent to his own glory and the spiritual and eternal good of them that love and fear him Quest. What duties are required of us in buying and selling Answ. These were mentioned before yet I shall runne them over with some additions 1. The seller must be the truly and lawful owner of the things which he sells or his deputy appointed by him and that the buyer do not for his private gaine buy any thing from any whom he thinks not to have any right to sell it therefore they offend which buy stollen goods if they know it or who sacrilegiously buy and sell Church-livings and such things as have been freely consecrated to the service of God of which sort are they that have bought Bishops and Deanes and Chapters lands and Impropriations Secondly the seller ought to sell and the buyer to buy such things as are vendible and may justly be bought and sold. Such therefore offend as sell or buy the gifts of the Spirit as Simon Magus Acts 8.18 or holy thingâ— which belong to God and those who sell and buy justice or injustice by bribery given or taken to fill their own purseâ— and to pervert right Isa. 1.23 and 5.23 Amos 2.6 They also who sell and buy truth and lies as false witnesses and such as hire them to give in false testimony But most of all such as for corruptible things sell their souls unto sin as Ahab did 1 King 21.20 and those 2 King 17.17 Thirdly we ought also to sell only such things as are fit for sale or knowing them to be otherwise to acquaint the buyer with it and so to pitch a lower price according to their lesser value We must not otherwise sell things that are falsified in respect of their substance and such as are mixt and corrupt for such as are good which is a common fault amongst Merchants and tradesmen who for their greater gaine adulterate their wares and mingle things of different degree in goodnesse selling them all at the best rates Fourthly we must sell such things onely as are some wayes profitable to the Church of Common-wealth either for necessary use or for ornament and delight they therefore offend who sell such things as are unprofitable to others much more they that sell such things as are pernicious and hurtful in their nature as they that sell Popish and heretical books to ignorant people who are like to be seduced by them obsceane or Popish pictures books full of ribaldry and profannesse fit only to corrupt such as read them Fifthly we ought in selling and buying to set our wares at an equal price the best rule whereof for the most part is the market which values things not simply in their own worth but with consideration of circumstances of scarcity plenty time and place and not according to the price we gave whether lesse or more nor only respecting whether we gain much or little whether we get nothing or lose thereby For as necessarily through the change of prices we must sometimes lose so we may gain at
the Sovereigne remedy against these and such other mischiefs is a lively faith which lifteth up the heart to better things quietly submitting to the good pleasure of God commending the successe of all their honest employments to his Highnesse and resting upon his grace for present help and future supply in the use of such meanes as he hath ordained Heb. 11.6 Quest. What are the acts of faith in this particular Answ. First it informeth us to make choice of an honest calling for which we are fitted and into which we may enter by direct good and lawful means Prov. 16.20 Secondly faith instructeth not to meddle above our knowledge but to lean upon the living Lord not on our own skill and cunning Prov. 3.5 6. For if we do either it shall not effect what we do intend or if we bring it to passe yet it shall not succeed or avail to those honest uses which we intended Psalme 127.1 2. Hag. 1.6 9. Eccl. 9.11 Thirdly it quickens the most skilful workman to strive with God in prayer that the work he sets upon may succeed and prosper Fourthly it causeth diligence care uprightnesse and faithfulnesse in all the businesse of our calling as knowing that whilest we walk honestly therein we do service to the Lord Jesus Psal. 128.2 Eph. 6.5 6. Faith awakens the sluggard rowseth the lazie makes the idle lay his bones to work Prov. 31.13 15. and him that was a purloiner to deal truly justly and honestly Fifthly it encourageth to the most painful difficult and in the Worlds esteem the most disgraceful works of our callings Distrust breeds nicenesse feare and sluggishnesse but faith produceth hardinesse valour and activity for it assures of divine protection and good successe Isa. 7.4 Jos. 7.5 Prov. 31.17 2 Tim. 1.7 8 9. Heb. 11.7 Mark 6.18 Heb. 11.9 10. Sixthly it strengthens against manifold troubles disgraces oppositions and discouragements that we meet with in our places and enables us to go through ill report and good report honour and disgrace Heb. 11.35 36 37. 1 Cor. 4.3 1 Thes. 2.6 9. Phil. 3.7 8. It directs us to order the affaires of our callings wisely and to go about them in a good manner i. e. in obedience to God to right ends and with an heavenly mind exercising the graces that God hath bestowed on us Eccl. 2.26 1 Sam. 18.14 Eighthly it teaches to moderate our cares confine desires of earthly things and to commit our selves to God for the successe of our work as Psal. 55.22 Mat. 6.32 1 Pet. 5.7 Psal. 127. â— Prov. 16.3 Ninthly it supporteth with strength patiently to bear the miseries and calamities which accompany us in our callings which ever since the fall of Adam we are subject unto and worketh the soul to contentation in every estate Phil. 4.11 12. Tenthly it restraineth distrustful cares about the successe of our labours but is not slack to crave Gods blessing upon our labours Phil. 4.6 Eleventhly if we finde wished successe it makes us vigilant frugal humble merciful and thankful For it receives blessings as gifts of grace to be employed according to Gods Will and appointment to the glory of his Name and comfort of his people and teaches so to use the world as willing to renounce it c. 1 Cor. 7.31 Prov. 21.25 26. Psal. 112.9 Twelfthly Faith coupleth the labours of our callings with the practice of Christianity For God hath commanded us both to seek his Kingdome to work out our salvation to make our election sure to exercise our selves in good works to walk in love and to exercise our selves honestly in our particular callings which faith will not separate Quest. But how may we live by faith touching the successe of our labours which we finde too much above our strength or means Answ. First faith in such cases causes self-denial in respect of our judgement wisdome and power Prov. 3.5 and 16.2 and 21.2 Jer. 10.23 Lam. 3.37 Secondly it teaches submission to Gods direction and dependeth upon his help and assistance and asks counsel at his Word Jude 1.1 and 20.18 23 28. Isa. 8.20 It chooses what God approves though to humane wisdome it seems bootlesse and improbable It trusteth God for ability to the work provision of the means the disposition of them and the good successe to come by them Mat. 6.25 and 10.19 Psal. 32.8 Ezra 5.5 Thirdly it brings forth industry and endeavour to serve Gods providence He that is most confident to speed is most vigilant to take all opportunities and most diligent to use all lawful means Fourthly it cannot be silent in such a case but sends us to God by prayer 2 Chron. 20.12 Psal. 5.2 3. Fifthly it puts life and hardinesse in us to play the men Judg. 5.8 Sixthly it waits upon God for good successe and triumpheth before the victory Prov. 16.3 Seventhly its ready and forward to praise God for good successe Psa. 103.1 2. Judg. 5.9 10 11. See Ball on Faith Quest. How many sorts of men transgresse about their callings Answ. First such as run into callings before God sends them Many such intruders there are into the Ministry Secondly such as live by such ways as God calls them from as by usury lottery deceit oppression c. Thirdly such as do the work of their calling at an unlawful time as on the Sabbath c. Fourthly such as abide not in their Callings Fifthly such as meddle with many callings being called but to one Sixthly such as live without a calling Seventhly such as are slothful in the execution of the Callings wherein God hath set them Mr. Byfield on Peter Quest. What must we propose to our selves in following the duties of our particular callings Answ. We must not make gain our end therein as Heathens and Turks do and all that do so are servants and drudges to Mammon but Christians ought to follow their work because God hath so appointed aiming also at the good of the Church and Common-wealth and our own gain must come in on the by as it shall please God to send it We must follow our callings as a means God hath appointed to keep us from idlenesse and to humble us thereby and that we may be instruments of the common good Rogers on Pet. Quest. What other Rules are to be observed in our particular callings Answ. First that our calling be lawful and agreeable to Gods Will and Word such an one as our labour in it may tend to Gods glory and to the good of the Church and Common-wealth and the furthering not only of our temporal but our spiritual good and the eternal salvation of our souls Secondly that we be in some measure qualified with such gifts as are fit for our callings for when God calleth men to any place he furnisheth them with such competency of gifts as that they may profitably performe the duties required in it that we may with cheerfulnesse and comfort go on in it expecting his blessing upon our labours and in the
non paâ—perem sustentat sed paupertatem He cures not the disease but onely gives some present ease Sixthly we must so give to one as that wâ— neglect not many Non est beneficium nisi quod ratione datur quoniam ratio omnis honesti comes est Sen. It 's not a benefit which is not given with reason because reason is the guide and companion of all vertuous actions Eccl. 11.1 2. cast thy bread upon the waters not water 1 Tim. 6.18 Quest. Who should be the object of our bounty Answ. The poor Luk. 14.12 they are the ground in which this seed is to be sowen if we expect an harvest of happinesse they are the Bankers to whom we must deliver Gods talents if we will be faithful they are Gods factors to whom we must deliver our goods and then God himself will acknowledge the debt and will surely pay with advantage Not canting companions lazy lossels sturdy rogues profuse prodigals For 2 Thes. 3.10 12. such should not eat except in case of extremity and then non homini sed humanitati not to the person but to the common nature of mankinde But To the honest labourer and poor hous-keeper who either through the greatnesse of their charge or deadnesse of trade crosses losses sicknesse c. are not able to get their bread or the blinde and maimed the aged and decrepid Weak widows or young orphans Lev. 25.35 Pars sacrilegii est res pauperum dare non pauperibus It 's a kind of sacriledge to give the poors portion to those which are not poor Tunpissimum gâ—nuâ— perdâ—ndi est inconsulta donatio Unadvised giving is the worst kinde of loosing Yet we must not be overscrupulous in making our choice we must not be so busie in examining their estate and desert that we can finde no leasure to relieve their wants Hence 2 Thes. 3.13 Mat. 10.41 and 25.40 Quest. What are the true causes from whence this charity ariseth Answ. First Faith which formalizes all the Christians actions and mainly differences their works from the same works done by worldlings Now to do a work in faith and approved in the sight of God is not only to be truly perswaded and assured that the thing we do is warranted by Gods Word and allowed by him but that we also in Christ are accepted of him otherwise they are not accepted but are sin Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 Secondly obedience to God because he hath commanded it therefore such almes as are given without respect to Gods command out of natural pity or for worldly ends as profit and vain glory are no properties of an infallible blessed man Mat. 6.2 Thirdly Love unfeigned Hence 2 Cor. 8.4 It s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because given out of meer good will else it 's not accepted â— Cor. 13.3 such love not God 1 Joh. 3.17 and this must arise 1. From our love to God 2 Cor. 8.5 2. From our love to our brethren 2 Cor. 9.5 Fourthly mercy and compassion when we relieve them as fellow members with a sense and feeling of their misery Isa. 58.10 1 Joh. 3.17 It s required Hos. 6.6 Heb. 13.3 Job 31.17 18. such are blessed Prov. 14.21 2 Cor. 8.9 else all our pity is unprofitable Jam. 2.15 c. Hence 1 Joh. 3.18 Lâ—t us not love in word or tongue but in deed and truth Quest. How may we best perform these works of mercy Answ. If we not only take notice of the wants by report but by often visiting the poor and so being eye-witnesses â—f their wants and miseries Jam. 1.27 Mat. 25.36 43. and that for these reasons 1. By visiting the poor we shall be the better enabled to make a good choice and to discover who are truely poor from those who are counterfeits as also who are religious and industrious in their callings from the profane and idle drones 2. Hereby we shall be the better enabled to fit our alms to their necessities both in respect of the proportion and also the special kinde of their wants whereby the benefit will be much encreased Psalme 112.5 and 41.1 3. It would prevent their stragling abroad to begg necessaries which is forbidden Deut. 15.4 and such as neither care for house or home like idle drones would finde little relief unlesse they earn it with the sweat of their browes 4. It would provoke us to be the more compassionate when we see their small provision hungry fare thin cloaths and hard lodging children crying for hunger and parents crying because they have not food for them c. their eye would affect the heart 5. Hereby we may do them double good by distributing spiritual as well as temporal almes to them instructing the ignorant blaming the faulty admonishing counselling and comforting them as God hath comforted us 2 Cor. 1.4 and our words will finde more easie entrance into their hearts when as our good works have prepared the way 6. By seeing the wants of our brethren we shall be provoked to be thankful to God for his goodness and bounty to us in not only supplying our wants but enabling us to be helpful to others 7. Hereby we shall learn temperance and sobriety in the use of Gods blessings and not to abuse them to superfluity and excesse seeing many as good as our selves do want them but to husband them frugally that we may be the more able to relieve others 8. Hereby we shall have occasion given us to prepare against the day of affliction and want which may befall us as it hath done others 9. When we visit the poor we visit Christ in them and he accounts it as done to himself Mat. 25.40 Quest. What are the right ends of giving almes Answ. First the principal end is Gods glory which should be the chiefest motive to all Christian duties Mat. 5.16 2 Cor. 9.13 Secondly the subordinate ends are the good of our brethren who are hereby refreshed the adorning of our profession by these fruits of piety the edification of others by our good example the stopping of the mouths of adversaries when they see our love to God manifested by our love to our brethren our own temporal and spiritual good and the furthering and assuring our eternal salvation Quest. What must we give Answ. We must give onely that which is our own by just and lawful means derived to us therefore to be liberal of that which is not our own is to take goods from the right owners to give them to others at our own pleasure which is no better then plain theft in the sight of God If the hire of an harlot and price of a dog might not be consecrated to God Deut 23.18 then may we not offer that which we have gotten by stealth deceit oppression c. Isa. 61.8 we must deal justly and love mercy Mic. 6.8 Hence Eccles. 11.1 Prov. 3.9 Isa. 58.7 1 Cor. 16.2 The Civilians say Bonus usus non justificat injuste quaesita the good use justifies not the
father and be bountiful like him Secondly thou art a Steward and therefore must bestow thy Masters wealth as he commands thee Thou mayest need and in thy need wouldst be relieved and its reason that thou shouldst do to others as thou wouldst they should do to thee Thirdly they to whom thou givest are thy brethren tied to thee by many bonds they have the same Father Faith Baptisme c. and is not this reason enough to move thee to give them Fourthly thy wealth is uncertain and fickle therefore do good with it whilest thou hast it for when it s gone nothing will comfort thee but the remembrance of the good thou didst with it as in â—obs case Fifthly it doth good to the soul for the present assuring it of our uprightnesse so can no other expending It doth good to our name making it like a precious ointment To our Religion adorning it To our Estate for like a plentiful sowing it brings in a plentiful harvest it secures from want which no riches can do To our posterity who shall enjoy the blessing and all these in the greatest quantity for no other giving hath half so many promises and our good shall be according to Gods promises It doth good for the longest continuance for it doth good after death yea at the resurrection for then shall these gifts be remembred praised and rewarded It doth good with most ease Here needs no toiling nor sweating as in other things for God will bring the fruit to our hand by a secret blessing and if we will live by faith here is no hazard at all he that hath Gods Word cannot lose his reward Whatlies poor mans advocate Sixthly consider that Christ though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that through his poverty we might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 yea he became so poor that whereas the foxes have holes and the birds of the aire have nests yet he had not whereon to lay his head Mat. 8.20 and this he did that through his poverty and pouring out his hearts blood he might crown us with the inestimable riches of heavenly glory and that for ever and ever and shall not we worms and wretches most unworthy of the least bit of bread we put into our mouths part with our superfluities to relieve the fainting soul of him for whom Christ died and which he takes as done to himself Mat. 25.40 were it but a cup of cold water only Mat. 9.41 Seventhly remember that the last and everlasting doom at that great and dreadful day must passe upon us according to our carriage in this kinde Then shall there a severe and sincere search be made after works as signs and evidences of faith in the heart or of unbelief and rottennesse there Matth. 25.34 c. Of Spiritual Almes Quest. What are spiritual almes Answ. Such as flow from the fountain of truest mercy and compassion and are of greatest consequence tending to relieve repair and refresh the poverty wants and miseries of the soul and it consists in these particulars 1. In instructing the ignorant Prov. 10.21 and 15.7 2. In giving counsel to them that need and seek it Exod. 18.19 Ruth 3.1 c. 3. In reducing the erroneous Exod. 23.4 4. In endeavouring the conversion of others Psal. 51.13 Luk. 22.32 5. In exhorting one another Heb. 13.13 6. In reproving such as offend Lev. 19.17 7. In admonishing such as are out of order 1 Thes. 5.14 8. In considering one another to provoke unto love and good works Heb. 10.24 9. In comforting the heavy and afflicted heart 1 Thes. 5.14 10. In forgiving from the heart our brethren their trespasses Mat. 8.35 11. In chastening delinquents Prov. 22.15 12. In raising such as are falne through infirmity with the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 13. In mutual encouragements against the cruelty and confusion of the times and in the way to heaven Mal. 3.16 14. In supporting and mercifully making much of weak Christians 1 Thes. 5.11 15. In using patience towards all men 1 Thes. 5.14 16. In praying one for another Jam. 5.16 Boltons general Directions c. Quest. What is Christs meaning when he saith Lend looking for nothing again Luke 6 35. Answ. For answer hereunto let us consider First what we may look for again Secondly what we may not look for again Thirdly what is Christs sence First we may look for again 1. What justly answers to the thing lent Hence Elisha 2 Kings 4.7 chargeth the widow to pay her debts 2. In case the borrower can pay and will not and there be no other remedy we may have recourse to the Law for our relief For the Law is good being used lawfully and the sword of the Magistrate is to defend the oppressed Rom. 13.4 3. The like courtesies in time of need For it s but equal that we should support one another in love 4. Love and thankfulnesse This Paul paid cheerfully to Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16.4 To whom I give thanks These things we may look for yet we must not lend for these things sake for then we are self-seekers Secondly we may not look for again the like good turn to be done to us for lending sake as lending because its a free act nor any gain for lending wishing that what we lend may come home with advantage because this overthrows the nature of lending which ought to be free and it takes away the equity of lending which is onely that the lender be no loser Exod. 22.14 15. Thirdly this appears to be Christs sense in the word nothing because herein he doth onely oppose the Pharisees who used to lend only to those that were able and willing to benefit them again and from whom they looked for the like Luke 6.32 33 35. Quest. What are the reasons why we must so lend Answ. First Because of the command of God for it Secondly the promise of Christ Your reward shall be great in heaven Luke 6.34 35. Thirdly it s a sign of our sonship Ye shall be the children of the highest Fourthly the example of God He is kind to the unthankful Fifthly it differences us from ungodly men Sinners lend to sinners to receive as much again Quest. What are the reasons why it s a blesseder thing to give then to receive Answ. First because he that gives feels not the poor receivers troubles and tentations He need not say What shall I eat what shall I drink c. Mat. 6.31 Secondly he most resembles God and heaven which spend and are spent by perpetual blessings and influence Thirdly he is in this an Actor and Doer in the providence of God whereas the receiver is a sufferer and the more active we are the more God-like we are who is a pure act Quest. What is it to be a giver Answ. A giver is such an one as freely makes that which is his to become another mans Quod meum est tuum efficere nullo vire cogente Quest. What is it to
be a receiver Answ. He is a receiver that accepts as his own that which is given him from a right owner either out of bounty as when Solomon received gifts from the Queen of Sheba or out of misery as when the poor receive from the rich Mr. Abbots Christian family c. CHAP. XXVII Questions and Cases of Conscience about Chastity Quest. HOw many sorts of persons may be said to be chast Answ. First such as are borne with some natural impediment This is natural chastity Secondly such as are gelded or made chaste by men This is artificial chastity Thirdly such as are fitted by God for the gift of continency This is Christian chastity All mentioned by Christ Mat. 19.22 Quest. What are the things that hurt and hinder chastity Answ. They are of two sorts either inward or outward Quest. What are the inward things Answ. Filthy imaginations unchast thoughts and inward lusts and motions of the heart to uncleannesse whereunto the heart gives consent or purposes of the heart to any act of uncleannesse Matth. 5.28 Col. 3.6 Quest. When are these inwards lusts most vile Answ. When they are so violent and strong that they continually boile and burn within us giving us no rest but continually provoking to some filthy act of uncleannesse 1 Cor. 7.9 Col. 3.5 Hos. 7.4 Quest. What are the outward things that hurt or hinder chastity Answ. They are either such things as precede the act of uncleannesse or the act of uncleannesse it self Quest. What are they that go before it Answ. Either such things as more remotely provoke lust or things neerer to it Quest. What are the remoter provocations to it Answ. First gluttony or excesse in eating and pampering the belly with meats or when we use curious and dainty meats deliciously and unseasonably especially such as have greatest force to provoke lust purposely to encrease it in us Jer. 5.8 Ezek. 16.49 Rom. 13.13 Hos. 7.6 Secondly drunkennesse and immoderate drinking using wine and strong drink unseasonably and wantonly principally to stir up lust Isa. 5.11 Rom. 13.13 Eph. 5.18 Thirdly lustful dreames proceeding from surfeiting drunkennesse causing nocturnall pollutions mentioned Deut. 23.10 Fourthly idlenesse when we spend our time in immoderate sleeping ease and doing nothing but following sensual delights 2 Sam. 11.1 2. Ezek. 16.49 1 Tim. 5.13 Quest. What are the neerer provocations unto lust Answ. First Light vain and immodest setting out of the body oâ— carriage of it as by gayrish wanton and new fangled attire Curling frizling and powdering the haire painting and spotting the face laying out naked breasts mincing with the feet Ezek. 16.49 Prov. 7.10 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 1 Cor. 11.14 2 King 9.30 Jer. 4.30 Isa. 3.16 c. Zeph. 1.8 Quest. May not such as have some deformity in the body labour to cover it Answ. Yea so as they set not a new form upon the body for dissembling is as unlawful in deed as in word Secondly keeping company with wanton and unclean persons frequenting of lewd houses especially at unseasonable times Gen. 39.10 Psal. 50.18 Prov. 5.8 and 7.7 8 c. Eph. 5.5 7. Thirdly immodest and filthy speaking or singing unclean songs Eph. 4.29 and 5.3 4. Col. 3.8 Fourthly reading unchast and filthy books fitter to be burnt as those were Acts 19.19 Fifthly idle and curious looking of men upon women or women upon men Gen. 6.2 and 39.7 and 34.1 2. Sixthly looking upon lascivious and filthy pictures or unseemly behaviour used in Stage-plays c. Numb 25.1.2 3. Ezek. 23.14 Eph. 5.3 4. Seventhly mixt dancing of men and women together wherein light and immodest behaviour is used Exod. 32.6 Job 21.11 12. Mark 6.21 22. Eighthly wearing of apparel not fit for the sex that they may the more easily commit filthinesse Deut. 22.5 Job 24.15 Gen. 38.15 Ninthly wanton kissing and unchast dalliance Gen. 39.12 Prov. 7.13 Deut. 25.11 12. Tenthly moving entising and perswading to the act of uncleannesse as Gen. 39.7 10. Prov. 7.13 c. Elton on the Commandments Quest. What means are we to use for the preserving of our chastity Answ. First a constant and conscionable performance of private religious exercises as reading praying meditating c. will so purifie the heart and sweeten the soul with divine comforts and mortifie the flesh and confirme the Spirit of grace and beat down tentations by meanes whereof a Christian shall be conquerour over them Secondly painfulnesse in ones calling will divert the mind from all inflaming fancies and find the soul and body so much imploiment in things of a lawful and useful nature that there will be no leasure for wicked and unlawful conceits Otia si tollas c. Thirdly Temperance in diet is a great furtherance to the chastity of the body as withdrawing the fuel puts out the fire Fulnesse of bread will make a man an unclean Sodomite Ezek. 16.49 beat down thy body by abstinence 1 Cor. 9.27 Fourthly to prevent uncleanness we must shun the corner of the harlots house and resolutely avoid the society of such as may entice us to wickednesse we must pull out the right eye Mat. 5.29 for Prov. 6.29 Dalliance will breed whoredom Fly fornication 1 Cor. 6.18 as Joseph did Gen. 39.10 12. Fifthly if these prevaile not we must have recourse to marriage and to the due and lawful enjoyment of it 1 Cor. 7.2 Whatelies Brid-bush Sixthly because from the heart issue adulteries we must get a pure heart making the inside first clean and let thy soul become the Spouse of Christ to love and cleave to him Seventhly preserve in thy soul the fear of God Eccl. 7.28 He that is good before â—od shall be preserved Prov. 2.10 16. If knowledge enter into thy soul thou shalt avoid her snares Consider Gods presence who sees thee Eighthly hearty love betwixt married persons is a great preserver of chastity Prov. 5.19 20. Ninthly use all good means appointed by God for the preservation of thy chastity As 1. Resist lustful thoughts at first busying thy minde in holy thoughts Prov. 23.26 27. 2. Consider thy calling to and profession of Christianity by both which thou art called to holinesse 3. Remember that the pleasure of sin is short but the gnawing of a guilty conscience will continue to eternity 4. Apply the Word which is the sword of the Spirit especially such places of it as tend directly to the cutting down of this sin 5. Fly to God by prayer and if thou beest strongly assaulted complain to him as a woman tells her husband to be rid of a tempâ—eâ— 6. If these prevail not see whether thou hast not been guilty of uncleannesse before marriaâ—e if so thou must truly repent of it for marriage without repentance abates not the power of lust and therefore thou must with many prayers and tears beg pardon thou must as it were wash thy selfe in the tears of true repentance 1 Cor. 6.9 11. 7. Get sound knowledge in the Woâ—d of God which is an excellent
one that must undertake this Mediation betwixt God and us which was otherwise also most requisite as well for the better preservation of the integrity of the blessed Trinity in the Godhead as for the higher advancement of mankind by meanes of that relation which the second Person the Mediatour did beare unto his Father For if the fulnesse of the Godhead should thus have dwelt in any humane Person there should then a fourth Person have been necessarily added to the Godhead and if any of the three Persons besides the second had been borne of a woman there should have been two Sons in the Trinity whereas now the Son of God and the Son of the blessed Virgin being but one Person is consequently but one Son and so there is no alteration at all made in the relations of the Persons of the Trinity Again in respect of us God sent his own Son made of a woman that we might receive the Adoption of sons Gal. 4.4 5 7. and if a son then an heire of God through Christ intimating thereby that what relation Christ hath to God by nature we being found in him have the same by grace John 1.14 and 3.16 with John 1.12 For though he reserve to himself the preeminence which is due to him in a peculiar manner of being the first-borne amongst many brethren Rom. 8.29 yet in him and for him the rest likewise by the grace of Adoption are all of them accounted as first-borne Exod. 4.22 23. Heb. 12.23 Rom. 8.17 Quest. VVhat is the Nature assumed by the Son of God Answ. The seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 the seed of David Rom. 1.3 the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 the Word the second Person of the Trinity being made flesh 1 John 5.7 Neither did he take the substance of our nature only but also all the properties and the qualities thereof yea he subjected himself in the dayes of his flesh to the same weaknesse which we find in our fraile nature and was compassed with the like infirmities being in all things made like unto his brethren Acts 14.15 Heb. 5.7 2 Cor. 13.4 Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 yet as he took upon him not an humane person but an humane nature so it was not requisite that he should take upon him any personal infirmities as madnesse blindnesse lamenesse and particular diseases which are incident to some only but those alone which do accompany the whole nature of mankind as hunger thirst wearinesse grief pain and mortality Quest. What is further considerable about Christ Answ. That as he had no Mother in regard of one of his natures so he was to have no Father in regard of the other but must be borne of a pure Virgin without the help of man Jer. 31.22 and this was requisite as for other respects so for the exemption of the assumed nature from the imputation and pollution of Adams sin For sin having by that one man entred into the world every father becomes an Adam to his children conveying the corruption of his nature to all whom he begets Rom. 5.12 but he being made of man but not by man and so becoming the immediate fruit of the womb and not of the loynes must necessarily be acknowledged that holy thing Luke 1.35 the Virgin was but the passive and material principle of which that precious flesh was made and the Holy Ghost the Agent and Efficient yet cannot the man Christ Jesus be thereby made the son of his own Spirit because fathers beget their children out of their own substance but the Holy Ghost did not so but framed the flesh of him from whom himself proceeded out of the creature of them both the handmaid of the Lord Luke 1.38 48. whom from thence all generations shall call blessed That blessed womb of hers was the Bride-chamber wherein the Holy Ghost did knit that indissoluble knot betwixt our humane nature and his Deity the Son of God assuming into the unity of his Person that which before he was not and yet without change for so must God still be remaining that which he was whereby it came to passe that this holy thing which was borne of her was in truth called the Son of God Luke 1.35 which wonderful connexion of two so infinitely differing natures in the unity of one person how it was there effected is above our shallow capacities yea the Angels stoop and desire to look into it 1 Pet. 1.12 This we may safely say that as the distinction of the persons in the Holy Trinity hinders not the unity of the nature of the Godhead though every person holds intirely his own incommunicable property so neither doth the distinction of the two Natures in Christ any wayes crosse the unity of his person although each nature remaineth entire in it self and retaineth the properties agreeing thereto without any conversion composition commixtion or confusion Quest. What is further considerable about Christ Answ. That as there is one God so there is one Mediatour between God and man even the man Christ Jesus c. 1 Tim. 2.5 6. and in discharge of this his Office he being the only fit Umpire to take up the controversie between God and man he was to lay his hand as well upon God the party so highly offended as upon man the party so basely offending In things concerning God the Priesthood of our Mediatour is exercised Heb. 5.1 and 2.17 Quest. What are the parts of his Priestly Office Answ. Satisfaction and Intercession the former whereof gives contentment to Gods Justice the latter soliciteth his mercy for the application of this benefit to Gods children in particular whereby it comes to passe that God in shewing mercy upon whom he will shew mercy is yet for his Justice no loser Rom. 3.26 By vertue of his Intercession he appears in the Presence of God for us and maketh request for us Heb. 9.24 and 7.25 Rom. 8.34 Heb. 4.14 15. and he must be such a sutor as taketh our case to heart Hence Heb. 2.17 he must be made like his brethren c. In which respect as it was needful he should partake with our flesh and blood that he might be tenderly affected to his brethren So likewise for the obtaining of so great a suit it behoved that he should be most dear to God his Father and have so great an interest in him as he might always be sure to be heard in his request John 11.42 and therefore he must be his beloved son Matth. 3.17 so then it was fit our intetcessor should be man like our selves that we may come boldly to him Heb. 4.16 It was fit also he should be God that he might go boldly to the Father without any way disparaging of him as being his fellow and equal Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.7 Quest. Why must Christ be a propitiation for our sins Answ. Such was Gods love to Justice and hatred to sin that he would not have his justice swallowed up with mercy nor sin pardoned without making a fit
not propound Christ as a Saviour to them in the first place but must do as Paul when he preached to Foelix Act. 24.25 laying open the wrath of God to him for his sins so that he trembled So must they humble them by the Law before they preach the Gospel 3. Reprobates have this advantage by Christ that they enjoy all the mercies they have For all being forfeited by Adams sin by Christ who is the heire of all things they come lawfully to enjoy the mercies they have For its Christ that beareth up the world Indeed they have not a sanctified use of what they enjoy for to the impure all things are impure Tit. 1.15 but otherwise they have a lawfull right before God and man to what they enjoy Psal. 115.8 4. It s by Christs death that many wicked men are partakers of the common gifts of Gods Spirit It s the Spirit of Christ that gives several gifts to men 1 Cor. 14. Christ is the vine and so not only grapes but even leaves come from his sap and juice 5. Christ by his death is made Lord of the whole world and hath conquered all the inhabitants that are therein so that they are Christs as a Lord who hath bought them by his death 2 Pet. 2.1 they denied the Lord that bought them Wicked men are bought by him to be his Vassals and servants and he may dispose of them as he pleases for his Churches good Quest. How may it be proved that Christ gave himselfe onely a ransome for some Answ. First because we are said to be elected in Christ our Head For though election be originally from the meer will of God yet we are chosen in Christ as the Mediatour If then election be only of some as is proved Rom. 9. then Christ died onely for some For Christ is but the medium whereby election doth bring about all the effects thereof Seeing therefore election is onely of some and that is in Christ as the medium Christ also must be onely for those that are elected Secondly whom Christ as Mediator would not pray for those he would not die for but he prayed not for the world John 17.9 shall he give his blood and will he not voutsafe a prayer his intercession and oblation go together Thirdly for whom Christ died he died not only for their salvation but that they might have grace to fit them for it Tit. 2.15 but the wicked have not faith and repentance given them Therefore Fourthly there cannot be a greater love then Christ to die for one and if God hath delivered up Christ for us how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 therefore to say that Christ died for all and yet will not save all is to grant the greater and deny the lesse Quest. How then shall we know who they are that have an interest in Christs death Answ. First such as are dead to sin Christs death and sins death go together Rom. 6.10 11. Gal. 5.24 If Christ be crucified for thee the lusts of sin are crucified in thee Secondly such are not onely dead to sin but to the world also So Paul Gal. 6.14 Col 3.2 3. so then not only grosse sinnes exclude from a propriety in Christs death but also an inordinate frame of heart to these lawful things below Indeed if this inordinate affection be a burden and grief to thee they hurt not non sensus sed consensus nocet Thirdly such make the death of Christ a pattern of all patience and humble resignation 1 Peter 2.21 24. for Christs death is not onely efficacious and meritorious but exemplary Christ learnd obedience by his sufferings Heb. 5.6 when he was reviled he reviled not again c. so should it be with us Fourthly such look upon the bitternesse and uglinesse of sinne as being so foule that nothing but the blood of Christ could wash it away the very thoughts of Christs death makes them cry out of the cursed and filthy nature of sinne Fifthly such are infinitely affected with the love of God and Christ in this his death So 2 Corinth 5.14 considering from what a dying damning state Christs death freed them it works in them unspeakable affections and enlargments towards God and Christ. Sixthly Such will resigne up to Christ all that they have and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motions but unto Christ Rom. 6.10 11. 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Cor. 6.20 they look upon their bodies estate health parts c. not as their own but resign up all to Christ. Quest. What are the priviledges which come by Christs death to such 〈◊〉 have interest therein Answ. First such as can plead Christs death can also plead his resurrection intercession and whatsoever glorious actions are done by him for his people Rom. 8.34 Secondly such have a propriety in all the benefits of his mediatourship justification sanctification and glorification Rom. 8.33 34. Heb. 10.14 Thirdly such shall have no other good thing either in heaven or earth denied to them Rom. 8.32 He that hath Christ hath enough and if thou wantest any thing it s not because God doth not love thee or because his merciful thoughts are not towards thee but because many good things are not absolutely good in themselves and so not wholly necessary for thee Fourthly such may from this special love to them rather then to others have an assured perswasion of their perseverance in grace till they attain to glory For Christ will not lose any of those for whom he suffered such bitter things Rom. 8.35 Fifthly such can rejoyce in all tribulations and especially are above the fear of death Christs death having taken away sinne which is the sting of it 1 Cor. 15.55 c. Quest. What are the benefits we have by Christs ascension and exaltation Answ. First hereby his holy Spirit is given more plentifully and abundantly implied John 7.39 So John 16.17 If I depart I will send the comforter c. Secondly hereby we are enabled with all holy and heavenly gifts either in a sanctifying or ministerial way So Eph. 4.8 Christ when he ascended gave gifts to men that we have a Ministry and Ordinances with the spiritual effect thereof it s wholly from this Yea John 14.12 all miraculous gifts descend from this Yea our Faith Repentance love to God and delight in holy things is because of this truth Thirdly hereby he prepares a place for his children John 14.3 He is gone to heaven to see that Thrones of glory be provided for his people Fourthly Christ is gone to heaven to be our Advocate and to plead our cause 1 John 2.1 Hâ—b 7.25 In his greatest glory he forgets not his children as Pharaohs Butler did Joseph Yea when we cannot minde our selves Christ is commending our estate to the Father and pleading our cause when any accusation is brought against us Fifthly though Christ be gone to the Father yet he is not departed from us for ever but will
friends from the bed of sicknesse It s Gods property alone to do what he pleases Psal. 115.3 Yea Christ wrought such miracles by his own power as never man wrought John 9.32 Yea he raised up his own dead body Hence Joh. 15.24 If I do not the works which no man ever did c. Yea Christ did the same works which his Father did and after the same manner Joh. 5.17 Yea he wrought his miracles by his own power and virtue Mark 4.39 Yea he gave power to others to work miracles in his name Mark 16 17 18. Act. 2. and 3.12 16. Yea Christ by his working of miracles was demonstrated to be the Son of God and equal with the Father Joh. 5.18 19. Mat. 9.5 See Act. 4.10 12. Arg. It was requisite that Christ should not only be a true man but very God also for the accomplishment of Gods glorious designe and purpose of mans Redemption It is true Christ was Mediatour before his incarnation by his Word and Spirit acting in reference to the nature which should in the fulnesse of time be assumed into his person but he was not so perfectly a Saviour as now he is This second person of the glorious Trinity is named Jesus and he is so called from the end which is most excellent to save men from their sins and hell and to confer righteousnesse and life upon all beleevers and the name Messias and Christ import his offices which are the divinely instituted means to attaine that end viz. the salvation of mens souls A meer creature Priest a meere creature Prophet and a meer creature King could not perform those several actions which were necessarily to be done by Christ who was a Priest a King and a Prophet all three meeting happily in him and in him alone Christ in regard of his Priestly office which was after the order of Melchizedeck offered up his body as a propitiatory sacrifice by his eternal spirit to reconcile us to God his Father to obtain remission of sinnes spiritual graces and life eternal by an alsufficient price laid down for us Indeed God is said to love the world and from thence to give his Son to die for the Elect Joh. 3.16 and freely to forgive all our sinnes but this is not opposite to the merits and satisfaction of Christ which belong to him as a Priest and Sacrifice For we must consider a double reference of Gods love One towards the creature the other towards his justice and hatred of sin God would have his Son to satisfie them both with due recompence He satisfied his love to the sinful creature when he gave his Son to be our Mediator He satisfied his love to justice and hatred of sin when he gave his Son to die for us and by his blood to expiate our sin He satisfied his love to the creature because out of love he forgives sins freely in regard of the creature though he laid the punishment on his dear Son to satisfie his justice For notwithstanding his love to justice and hatred of sin he out of his love to his Elect forgives their sins and gives them eternal life in which respect it may be truly said God satisfied himself and appeased himself in his beloved Son Now the blood of a meer man could not satisfie Gods justice for those innumerable and grosse sins which man had committed against the infinite Majesty of God The Church is redeemed by the blood of God Acts 20.28 Not was it sufficient that Christ should be a Saviour in regard of merit but he must be so also in regard of efficacy and he executes his offices most powerfully and gloriously being exalted after he had overcome death above all principalities and powers where he is our advocate yea such an advocate as can plead the worthinesse of his person his perfect obedience and meritorious sufferings and can do whatever he pleaseth to promote our happinesse Hence 1. Conversion illumination and all saving graces are his free gift Joh. 5.26 and Paul oft prays Grace and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ. 2. He governs them by his holy Laws protects them by his grace and power and singularly cares for them as his precious jewels is tenderly affected to them as a father to the child c. John 10.28 and bâ—ings them at last to his eternal inheritance 1 Pet. 1.5 3. He sends his holy Spirit to dwell in them and to be their comforter and this proves him also to be the true God in that he can send the holy Ghost who is also the ever living God 4. As he quickned his own body so he will raise them up at the last day Hence he calls himself the resurrection and the life Joh. 6.40 So 1 Cor. 15.21 22. 5. He will send his Angels to gather them together and shall passe sentence on the Devils and the wicked and force every knee to bow to him Isa. 45.23 Rom. 14.10 11. Tit. 2.13 6. He will give unto his sheep eternal life Joh. 10.28 and 17.24 See all these Arguments enlarged and vindicated from all the cavils and objections of the adversaries by Mr. Estwick in his answer to Bidle Quest. How far forth are the actions of Christ to be imitated by us Answ. For answer hereunto we must distinguish of Christs actions As 1. Such as were done by his divine omnipotency as all his miracles were These are admirandae adorandae non imitandae To be admired and adored not to be imitated 2. Such as were done by his prerogative As his sending for the Asse without his owners consent These are amandae non imitandae To be loved not to be imitated 3. The actions of his Mediatorship as his dying for sin rising from the dead ascending into heaven c. These are not to be imitated but only analogically Thus as he died for sin we must die to sinne As he rose again so we must rise to newnesse of life As he ascended into heaven so must we daily in our Meditations and affections As he was a King so must we be to conquer our lusts As he was a Priest so must we be to offer up spiritual sacrifices 1. Of a contrite heart Psal. 51.17 2. Of righteousnesse Psal. 51.19 3. Of praise Heb. 13.15 4. Of almes Heb. 13.16 5. Of our selves our soules and bodies Rom. 12.1 As he was a Prophet so must we be to instruct our families 4. His ministerial actions wherein especially two things are considerable 1. His unction or fitting with gifts 2. His mission and sending by his Father and these are to teach Ministers not to run before they be gifted by God and sent by the mediate means of the Presbytery 5. His natural actions as eating drinking sleeping c. wherein though we do the same yet we cannot be said to do them in imitation of him because we do them by a natural instinct 6. His occasional and accidental actions As his instituting and celebrating of the Sacrament
of Christ wherein there are so many corrupt persons Answ. They may and are true Churches Look upon Jerusalâ—m Matth. 23.37 you shall see that the eleven Tribes were Apostates there were in it dumb dogs Isa. 56.10 there were Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites they had corrupted the Doctrine of the Law with their false glosses the Temple was made a den of thieves yet the Evangelist calls it the holy City and that 1. Because there was the service of the true God in the Temple the Word preached Sacrifices offered the meetings of the Church of God 2. Because as yet they had not received a bill of divorcement So have not we the word of God preached the Sacraments truly administred c. and when did the Lord give us a bill of divorcement and therefore to encourage us against the cavills of the Separatists let us remember 1. That the word of truth is truely preached amongst us which appears by the conversion of thousands whereas never was any converted by a word of errour Jam. 1.18 2. That our Ministers are of God because by them so many are begotten to God Christ thought it a good reason when he said believe me that I came out from the Father for the works sake the blind man saw this Joh. 9.30 3. Our meetings are holy meetings For 1. Our people are outwardly called by an holy calling and to an holy end 2. They profess faith in Christ which is an holy profession and therefore in charity they are to be judged Saints 3. Congregations are called holy in Scripture from the better part not from the greater as an heap of wheat mingled with chaff is called an heap of wheat so 1 Cor. 6.11 with chap. 2.12 4. Mixt Congregations are holy in Gods acceptation who esteems them not as they are in themselves but as members of Christ Israel at the best was a stiffnecked people ye Balaam said that God saw no iniquity in them Numb 23.21 Quest. How is the Church Gods peculiar Answ. First Because Believers are the most precious of men even the most noble upon earth Hence Cant. 6.7 they are the sons of God brethren of Christ heirs of heaven Secondly In regard of God they are a peculiar people distinct from others by the grace of Election by which they are chosen out of the world and advanced in Gods favour above all others Hence they are called an holy Nations the Spouse of Christ the dauhgter of God the choice of God and Gods delight Thirdly in regard of their whole manner and condition of life Hence they are said to dwell alone and not to be numbred amongst the Nations Numb 23.9 as for instance 1. Their Original are not some few families coming out of some corner of the Earth but they sprung of Christ of whom all the families of Heaven and Earth are called 2. Their Countrey is not of the Earth here they are Pilgrims and strangers but Heaven is their home from which they look for their Saviour Ephe. 3.15 3. Their King is neither born nor created but the everlasting King of glory who rules not some one Countrey but from Sea to Sea c. and not for an age but for ever 4. Their Lawes are Spirituall reaching the Conscience as well as the outward man most perfect never changed nor abrogated as mens be 5. Their war and weapons are not carnall but Spiritual as their chiefest enemies be their Captain was never foiled nor can be and therefore they are sure of victory befoâ—e they strike a blow and as for their corporal enemies they overcome them non feriendo sed ferendo not by striking but sufring 6. Their Language is that of Canaan their Speech shews them to be Citizens of Heaven therefore called a people of a pure language c. Zeph. 3.9 7. Their garments are devised and put on by God himself even the garments of innocency long robes dyed in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 8. Their diet springeth not out of the Earth but descends from Heaven Jesus Christ the bread of life c. of whom whosoever feeds shall continue to eternal life Quest. Why is the Church compared to a woman Rev. 12.1 Answ. First as simply considered in her self and that for three causes 1. Because to the Woman was first made the promise of the blessed seed that should break the Serpents head and it s still made good to the Church under the same similitude for to her all the promises of God doe properly belong 2. Because she is feeble and weak as a woman without her Husband Joh. 15.5 3. Because she is a pure and chast virgin not defiled with Idolatry as the Romish strumpet is 2 Cor. 11.2 Secondly As she stands in relation to others and that 1. To God and in this relation she is the daughter of God Cant. 7.1 Psal. 45.10 2. To Christ in which relation she is the Spouse of Christ. 1. Contracted to him in his Incarnation So Cant 4.10 2 Married to him as his Bride and taken home in his second cominâ— to dwell with him for ever 3. To Christians and in this relation she is their Mother For a woman through the company of her husband brings forth children So the Church by her conjunction with Christ and the power of his word brings forth nurceth and brings up many children to God Quest. What duties doth this relation of a Spouse to Christ teach her Answ. First to cleave to her husband For God seeing that it was not good for Adam to be alone he made the woman of his rib being cast into a sleep and brought and married her unto him saying for this cause shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife c. Gen. 2.24 So God seeing after the fall that it was much less good for man to be alone he institutes a second marriage with the second Adam whom he casts asleep by death and brings his Spouse out of his side pierced and marries the Church to him that renouncing all Loves and Lovers but him she might cleave undevidedly to him and this she must doe foure wayes 1. In person For as the wife delivers up her person to her husband alone So Believers must deliver up their souls and bodies to Jesus Christ. For 1 Cor. 6.19 20. we are no longer our own c. 2. A faithful Shouse is married but to one man 2 Cor. 11.2 So the Church 3. Christ our Husband communicates his whole person to us he gives his life for his sheep only prayes for no other 4. Christ as a faithful Husband leaves Father in Heaven and Mother on Earth and cleaves to his Wife 2. To cleave to Christ in faithful affection loving our Husband Christ as our selves nay better then our selves not loving our selves to the death for his sake seeing his love to us was stronger then death and more to us then to his own life 3. To cleave to him in affliction as a Wife takes her Husband
for better and worse A Kingdom is promised to such Luke 22.29 30. Secondly The Church must depend upon Christ her Husband as upon he head and that 1. For direction subjecting her self as owing obedience to all his commands Ephes. 5.24 and this she must doe seeing he is the true light the Sun of Righteousness the Pillar able to direct her 2. For protection Christ is the Saviour of his body the Church Ephes. 5.23 the only Phineas that turns away the wrath of God kindled against his Israel the onley Moses that stands in the gap where Gods wrath had made a breach 3. For provision None else but Jesus Christ can supply the Church with such things as she needs he can bestow pardon of Sin righteousness life and salvation He paies her debts both of obedience to the whole Law and satisfaction for the breach of it Thirdly She must rejoyce to honour her Husband even with her own dishonour For Christ rejoyced to honour her even with his own infinite dishonour the joy of Heaven pleased him not without her presence and fellowship in it Fourthly She must as a good Spouse doe all things to please her Husband thereby testifying her love to him This is to walk worthy the Lord c. Col. 1.10 Quest. How must she please her Husband Christ Answ. First She must not seek to please her self in any thing that is displeasing to him She must deny her self her own will reason affections and desires much more her sinnes and lusts to please him Rom. 15.1 2 3. Secondly she must not seek to please others for then she cannot please Christ Gal. 1.10 Thirdly she must labour for a conformity to him in manners and affections 1. Of vertues as humility innocency patience c. 2. In will willing holily what he willeth and nilling what he nilleth 3. In practice chearfully observing what he commands Fourthly She must deck and trim her self with graces Psal. 45.13 She must put on lowlinesse meeknesse c. so 1 Tim. 2.9 Fifthly She must shew her love to Christ by loving and gladly intertaining his friends Sixthly She must shew her delight in him in his presence and long after him in his absence Isa. 26.8 Rev. 22.20 crying Even so come Lord Jesus Quest. What priviledges hath the Church as the Spouse of Christ Answ. First Free election he hath made choice of her and not she of him Joh. 15.16 He was not bound any way to chuse her neither did he finde any reason in her as other young men doe no disposition no work of preparation no freewill no affections toward him neither is he bound to render a reason if he had passed by us as he hath many others Secondly Divine pacification By this marriage all hostility and enmity is removed betwixt God and the Church For Ephes. 2.14 15. He is our peace Col. 2.14 Hereby we have daily entrance and access unto God not as strangers or ordinary friends but as friends yea as children in prayers praises c. Ephes. 2.18 19. Thirdly Gracious assimulation and fitness between the Bridegrom and Bride For whereas 1. She was of base Parentage a daughter of the Earth her Father an Amorite c. Ezek. 16.3 now she is made a chosen generation the daughter of a Prince of near alliance to God 2. She was poor and needy had no worth no dowry to prefer her now by this contract she hath an estate made her fit for a Prince that as her Husband is heir of all things his love is so liberal that he hath made her a co-heir of his own heavenly inheritance Rom. 8.17 3. She was deformed without beauty or comelinesse she hath now attained perfect beauty in righteousness and the beauty of her husband makes her beauty perfect Ezek. 16.14 without wrinkle or spot Ephes. 5.27 4. She was naked covered with nothing but shame excepting a few rags and fig-leaves now her cloathing is of wrought gold Psal. 45.13 garments of salvation Isa. 61.10 Fourthly Free and liberal donation as young men give Jewels and Love-tokens For 1. What he Covenants and promises he also pledgeth with many graces shining as so many Jewels thereby testifying his bounty towards her 2. He bestows his person on her and by becoming hers she becomes his and so of twain they become one flesh 3. With his person he bestows his goods upon her i. e. all his merits and obedience all his sufferings all his glory all his prayers 4. He invests her not only into his goods but into his inheritance and in due time consummates the marriage bringing his Spouse home into his house of glory a mansion prepared for her putting her into possession of all the wealth of Heaven where she enjoyes his immediate presence Fifththly high and honourable exaltation and advancement as Ahashuerus made Esther a poor captive maid a sharer in all the honour of his Kingdom by marrying her Yea the Churches honour exceeds that of the greatest Queens For 1. They are matched with and laid in the bosoms of men but she is admitted into the bed with him that is God and Man Cant. 1.15 2. They are married to Kings but such as are mortal who often leave them miserable Widows But she to the King of glory who only hath immortality 3. They are married to consort in some one kingdom and part of the Earth But she to a King that rules from sea to sea to whom all Kings are subject and by whom they rule To a Kingdom unshaken that fades not away c. 1 Pet. 1.4 Sixthly Strong and eternal consolation in that by reason of this marriage a firm and constant happinesse is assured which all the contracts in earth cannot perform Quest. How may the true Church be known Answ. First By her face now the face of a true visible Church is discerned by 1. By the sincere preaching and professing of the Word of God 2. The due and true administration of the Sacraments according to that Word 3. The exercise of Discipline appointed in and by the Word The first is absolutely requisite to the face and being of a Church The two latter serve for the beauty and stability of it So Joh. 8.30 and 10.4 my sheep hear my voice c. where Christ is there is the Church but where two or three consent in his name there Christ is Matth. 18.20 Act. 2.42 Secondly By her voice she speaks the language of Canaan She enjoyns not nor commands in her family any thing but what she hath direction for from her husband revealing his will in the Scriptures and dares impose no yoke on her children where her husband hath left them free She conceives her self so the Spouse of Christ that yet she still remaines the handmaid of the Lord. Thirdly By her virtues or qualities as 1. She is holy in respect 1. of holinesse of the Doctrine which she teacheth what she receives from the Lord she teacheth 2. Of the better part of the visible Church
evidence of our graces is a good means of comforting others For its matter of great joy and comfort to the godly who see or heare of it as 1. Of our faith and love Rom. 1.11 12. 1 Thes. 3.6 7. Phil. 2.1 Philem. 7. 2 Cor. 7.7 2. Our constancy in the truth and work of the Lord 1 Thes. 3.8 9. Col. 4.11 2 John 4.3 John 4. Phil. 2.19 Sixthly prayer to God for them is another means and that 1. For comfort to be conveyed into their hearts So did Paul Col. 2.1 2. 2. That God would give us the gift of comforting others the tongue of the learned promised Isa. 50.4 Seventhly consider the persons who are fit to be comforted As 1. In general Gods people above all others its their portion and bread which we must not give to dogges Isa. 48.22 with ch 40.1 2. So Christ Mat. 9.22 2. Weak and faint souls 1 Thes. 5.14 comfort the feeble minded c. Isa. 35.3 4. strong then the weak hands c. so doth God himself 2 Cor. 7.6 contrary is reproved â—zek 34.4 3. Mourners for sin or for want of Gods presence and for misery 1. Mourners for sin who are deeply humbled in the sight and sense thereof and in the apprehension of Gods displeasure So did Peter Act. 2.37 38. and Paul Act. 16.29 30 31. and Christ Luk. 7.37 48. He hath pronounced such blessed Mat. 5.4 and Isa. 57.18 2. Mourners for want of Gods presence and the light of his countenance such have need of comfort the Bridegroom being taken from them Mat. 9.15 3. Mourners for misery ought to be comforted as the Jews whilst captives in Babylon Isa. 40.1 2. implied Job 29.25 with Job 6.14 It s needful for such as wine for those that be of heavy hearts Prov. 31.6 7. 4. Seekers after Christ as Cant. 3.1 3. should be comforted as the Angel did the women Mat. 28.5 c. and Christ Mary Magdalen Joh. 20.11 to 19. Eighthly write letters send messengers and take journeys on purpose to comfort others 1. Write consolatory letters to the afflicted as Paul did his Epistles to Rome Corinth Ephesus Colosse c. and to particular persons as to Timothy Titus and Philemon So did James Peter John Jude and Christ to the Churches of Asia Rev. 2.10 11. and 3.10 11. 2. Send messengers as Paul a prisoner sent Tichicus and Onâ—simus to the Colossians to know their state and comfort their hearts Col. 4.7 8 9. and Tichicus to the Ephesians ch 6.21.22 and Timothy to the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 3.1 2 5. whose returns with good tydings much comforted him 2 Cor. 7.6 7. 1 Thes. 3.6 7. 3. Take journeys to comfort others Paul prayed for it Rom. 1.10 21 11. and long'd for it 1 Thes. 3.9 10 11. Quest. But who should we be so solicitous to comfort others Answ. First because of the necessity and commodity of comfort in afflictions in respect of the souls and bodies of others as well as of our own 1. Comfort is useful and needful for others in six respects 1. To support and bear them up from sinking under the pressures of troubles inward or outward Prâ— 18.14 the spirit of a man being shored up with comfort will bear his infirmities but a wounded spirit that wants the healing plaister of consolation who can bear 2. To quicken them and keep life in their spirits and to preserve or recover them from fainting and swounding Comfort is the life of our spirits yea the life of our lives without which our life would be no 〈◊〉 but a lingring death the damned in hell are said to die eternally because they are void of all joy and comfort 3. To chear and refresh them to raise them up from their sorrow Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me saith David thy comforts breathed into me by thy Spirit or handed unto me by thy servants delight my soul. Comforts poure the oyle of gladnesse into hearts full of heavinesse Comfort is honey in the mouth melody in the eare and a Jubile in the heart 4. It s needful to quiet and compose the Spirits of others when inwardly disquieted and perplexed they cause a calm in a tempest 5. To establish confirm and settle others that are in a good frame of spirit to hold their spirits fast from being shaken Paul wrote his consolatory Epistle to the Corinthians that they might stand fast in the faith c. 1 Cor. 16.13 To the Ephesians that they might not be carried about with every winde of doctrine Eph. 4 14. To the Colossians that they might be rooted and built up in Christ and established in the faith Col. 2.6 7. He sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to establish and comfort them concerning their faith 1 Thes. 3.2 6. It s commodious to edifie others in their holinesse and obedience Comfort as well as councel builds men up further into the body of Christ For it corroborates the heart heightens their spirits with Paul to forget those things that are behinde c. Phil. 3.13 Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to comfort and edifie one another i. e. to edifie by comforting 1 Thes. 5.11 For 1. Comfort is a great encouragement to duties as Hezekiahs comfortable words were to the Levitâ—s that taught the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30.22 and to the hearts of the people to animate them against the fear of the King of Assiria 2 Chron. 32.6 7 8. 2. It s a means to lead others forward on towards perfection Hence they are joyned together 2 Cor. 13.11 Be perfect be of good comfort 2. Comfort may be needful also in respect of the bodies of others or outward man which would perish in their afflictions were not their soules strengthned by comforts to stand under the pressures thereof Secondly the second reason may be drawn from the misery of them that want comfort It s a sad thing to be in affliction and to have no Comforter We to him that is alone Eccles. 4.10 It much aggravated Davids troubles Psal. 69.19 20. and 143.3 4. and Sions miseries Lam. 1.2 8 16 17 21. So Solomon judged it Eccles. 4.1 It was the Jews sad case in their captivity Isa. 54.11 and Ninivehs in her ruine Nah. 3.7 Thirdly from the excellency of the duty in it self It s an high and honourable employment to comfort others For 1. It s the work of God to comfort poor souls Isa. 57.15 2 Cor. 7.6 He glories in it as in a title of excellency 2 Cor. 1.3 Isa. 51.12 v. 3. Ps. 103.13 Isa. 66.13 and 49.15 To comfort is the act as of the Deity so of the Trinity and of every person in it 1. Of God the Father who is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort 2 Corinth 1.3 2. Of God the Son for he as God-man and Mediator is the fountain of all consolation Phil. 2.1 If there be any consolation in Christ He takes it for granted that there is So 2 Cor. 1.5 John 14.18 and
the whole world and to every particular person Answ. Paul answers it himself Rom. 11.15 the casting away of the Jewes is the reconciling of the world i. e. of the Gentiles in the Last age of the world and so must that place to the Corinths be understood viz. not of all and every man that lived in all ages and times but of them that were under the Gospel to be called out of all Nations c. Secondly this way of applying is unfit For the argument must be framed thus Christ died for all men but thou art a man therefore Christ died for thee To which the distressed party would answer Christ died indeed for him if he could receive him but he by his sinnes hath cut himselfe off from him and forsaken him so that the benefit of his death will do him no good Quest. What then is the right way of administring comfort to such Answ. First consider the grounds whereby a man that belongs to God may be brought within the Covenant Secondly the right way whereby they must be used and applied Quest. What are those grounds Answ. First recourse must not be had to all graces and all degrees of grace but only such as a troubled conscience may reach unto which are Faith Repentance and the love of God and that there may be no mistake about these enquiry must be made what be the seeds and first beginnings of them all As 1. The first ground of grace is this A desire to repent and believe in a touched heart is faith and repentance it self though not in its nature yet in Gods acceptation Quest. How may that be proved Answ. All grant that in them that have grace God accepts of the will for the deed as 2 Cor. 8.12 2. God hath annexed a promise of blessedness to the true and unfeigned desire of grace Matth. 5.6 Rev. 21.6 so he promises Psalme 10.17 and 145.19 Object But the desire of good things is natural therefore God will not regard it Answ. Desires are of two sorts 1. Some be of such things as by the light of nature we know to be good as of wisdom learning honour happiness c. and these indeed nature can desire But then 2. Others be above nature as the desire of the pardon of sin reconciliation and sanctification and they which have a serious desire of these have a promise of blessednesse Secondly a godly sorrow whereby a man is sorry for sinne as sinne is the beginning of repentance and indeed repentance it selfe for the substance Hence 2 Cor. 7.9 Paul rejoyced because it was wrought in the Corinthians Quest. But how may this sorrow be known Answ. If the heart of him in whom it is is so affected that though there were neither conscience nor devil to accuse nor Hell to punish yet would he be grieved because God is offended by his sin Quest. But what if a man cannot reach to such a sorrow Answ. Art thou grieved for the hardnesse of thy heart because thou canst not so grieve thou mayst then conclude that thou hast some measure of godly sorrow for nature cannot grieve for hardnesse of heart Thirdly a settled purpose and willingnesse to forsake all sin is a good beginning of conversion and true repentance So in David Psal. 32.5 and the prodigal Luke 15.17 18. Fourthly To love a man because he is a childe of God is a certaine signe that a man is a partaker of the true love of God in Christ 1 John 3.14 Mat. 10.41 Onely remember that these desires must not be fleeting but constant and encreasing Quest. Having heard the grounds what is then the way whereby the party that is in distresse may be brought within the compass of the promise of salvation Answ. First trial must be made whether the party hath in him any of the afore named grounds of grace or no. For which end ask him whether he believe and repent If he say he cannot then ask him whether he doth not desire to do it and so of the other grounds Secondly after this tryal then comes the right applying of the promise of life to the distressed person and it must be done by this or such arguments He that unfeignedly desires to repent and believe hath remission of sins and life everlasting But so doest thou therefore these belong to thee and this is fittest to be done by a Minister who hath ministerial authority to pronounce pardon Quest. That the promise thus applied may have good successe what rules are to be observed Answ. First that the comfort administred be allayed with some mixture of the Law lest the wound be too soone healed For such usually become worst of all therefore bring them on by little and little to comfort the sweetnesse whereof will be greater if it be qualified with some tartnesse of the Law Secondly if the distressed party be much oppressed with grief he must not be left alone lest Satan get advantage against him as he did against Eve when she was alone Hence Eccl. 4.10 Woe to him that is alone then Satan usually tempts him to despair and self-murther Thirdly You must teach him not to rest upon his own judgement but submit himselfe to such as have more judgement and experience then himself Fourthly never tell such of any fearful accident or of any that have beene in the like or worse case then himself For hereby the distressed conscience will fasten the accident upon it selfe and be drawne to deeper griefe or despaire Fifthly the comforter must bear with the infirmities of the distressed as frowardnesse peevishnesse rashnesse disordered affections or actions Yea he must as it were put upon him their persons grieve weep lament with them that he may shew a sympathy Sixthly he must not be discouraged though after long paines he see but little fruit upon the distressed party Thus for the general Now for the particular distresses themselves Quest. What is the speciall distresse arising from the Divine Tentation Answ. It s a combat with God himself immediately when the conscience speaks some fearful things of God and withal the party distressed feels some evident tokens of Gods wrath As we see in the example of Job ch 6.4 and 13.26 and 16.9 so in David Psal. 6.1 c. and 77. Quest. What may be the occasion of this kind of tentation Answ. Usually it follows upon the committing of some notorious sin which wounds the conscience as it did in Caine Saul and Judas Sometimes it comes when there is no such sinne committed as in Job and then there can no reason be rendred for it but the divine will and pleasure of God Quest. What are the effects of this tentation Answ. They are many and strange For sometimes it works a strange change in the body inflames the blood drinks up the spirits dries the bones c. So Psal. 32.4 Job 30.30 Psal. 6.7 Job 16.8 Quest. What remedies must be used for the comforting of such Answ. First the party troubled
to do So Paul 2 Cor. 5.11 that we may make it appeare that we seek not theirs but them 1 Thes. 2.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 10.33 Thus we may commend our selves 1. To uphold the credit of our calling as Paul did of his Ministry 2. To further the successe of our labours So Paul also 3. To promote the efficacy of the counsel or charge we give to others and make it more prevalent So Paul 2 Tim. 1.8 4. To manifest our love to others by opening our hearts to them to let them look in and see the treasures of grace comforts and experiences which God hath laid up in them Also to gain their love to us to insinuate into their bosomes and so be a means of doing them the more good So did Paul 2 Cor. 7.2 We may also commend our selves in some things to approve our sincerity in other things So David Psal. 18.23 and 119.98 100. and Nehemiah ch 5.15 Ninthly when the cause truth wayes and Church of Christ and the Name of God are like to suffer by us if we be silent and do not vindicate our selves in our sufferings from men This made Paul even to magnifie his office c. Rom. 11.13 Tenthly when we leave the place where we lived or over whom we were set or give over the office we did bear it may be seasonable to give an account of our diligent and faithful discharge thereof and of our unblamable carriage therein So did Samuel 1 Sam. 12.2 3 4. So Paul Act. 20.25 Eleventhly to convince others of their sins and that 1. Either against God by declaring to them that they see no such evil in us but the contrary graces and practises that we dare not say or do as they do for a world thereby to draw them to repentance 2. Or against our selves when they reject or abuse us by appealing to their consciences what iniquity they have found in us to deserve the same at their hands Object But is not this condemned Prov. 27.2 2 Cor. 10.18 was it not Simon Magus his sin Act. 8.9 and that Pharisee's Luk. 18.11 So Prov. 20.6 Answ. Self-commendation which proceeds from pride and hypocrisie or from distrust of providence as if God would not take care of our good names c. is vain and sinful Laus proprio sordescit in ore and hereby such do others a treble wrong 1. They take other mens office out of their hands or take that to our selves which is anothers right to give us 2. They give to others a bad example who will learn to imitate them 3. It s tedious to an ingenuous spirit to hear others to boast of themselves Yet The abuse of a thing takes not away the lawfulnesse and use of it Quest. How then shall we know when self-commendation is lawful Answ. First by the matter when the thing for which we commend our selves is 1. Good in it self and praise worthy For if it be evil we glory in our shame Again it must not be for our temporals as Riches honours c. But for spirituals as the righteousness of Christ the grace love and favour of God the work or service of God or for doing or suffering for God So Jer. 9.23 so in Paul Phil. 3.4 5 6. 2 Cor. 11.21 22 23. Rom. 15.17 Phil. 4.8 1 Cor. 4.9 to 14. 2 Cor. 6.4 5 8 9 10. 2. When for the matter we speak only of such things as are really ours or that we have in truth and do in deed so that for the truth of our words we can appeal to the testimony of Gods Spirit and our own consciences as Paul Rom. 9.1 2 3. 1 Thes. 2.10 11. 2 Cor. 12.6 Secondly By the measure when it is our care and fear not to over-reach herein but to speak rather under then over of any good we have or do So 2 Cor. 10.13 c. Rom. 15.18 Thirdly by the manner and that in a threefold respect 1. Of our selves when we commend our selves forcedly humbly and modestly 1. Forcedly not forwardly when we are necessitated or strongly moved thereto as Paul 2 Cor. 12.11 and v. 1. 2. Humbly out of the sense of our own infirmities and unworthinesse notwithstanding all the good we have or do and out of feare lest others should think better of us then we are or deserve So with Paul 2 Cor. 12.6 For Gods humble servants take notice of the evil as well as of the good that is in them as Isa. 59.2 Job 40.4 and 42.5 6. 1 Cor. 15.8 9. Ephes. 3.8 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. 3. Modestly when we speak of our graces and performances soberly not in a boasting way as Nebuchadnezzar did Dan. 4.30 How modest was Paul in speaking of matters that concerned his own praise 2 Cor. 11.5 24 to 29. Heb. 13.18 2. Of God when we speak of the good we have or do thankfully and that 1. With a free acknowledgement of God as the sole authour of all from whom we have received all we have 1 Cor. 4.7 Phil. 4.13 Isa. 26.12 2. Out of a sense of Gods goodnesse to us therein with high and honourable thoughts of God and fear of his name and with an heart inflamed with love to God and joy in him 3. Of others when we commend our selves charitably and tenderly not to despise disgrace or discourage others who are weak as the proud Pharisee insulted over the Publican whom God justified when he condemned the other Fourthly by the end Self-commendation is lawful when the end is good 1. In respect of our selves to do our selves right and to preserve our good names not to get our selves praise from men For see what Christ teaches us Luk. 17.10 When you have done all that you can say we are unprofitable servants c. Hence Paul ascribes all to Gods grace 1 Cor. 15.10 and see what Christ saith John 5.44 Hence Paul 1 Thes. 2.6 2. In respect of God when whatever we speak of our selves that is good we do it that God may be glorified in us and by us and for us and we give God the praise of all our praises Yea if God may be glorified and his name exalted we can be content to be abased and to have our honours laid in the dust So John the Bap. Joh. 3.29 30. So 1 Cor. 1.31 Mr. Reyners Rules for the Government of the tongue To these foregoing add one rule more That when a man is urged to a necessary self-commendation and is forced by the importunity of others to vindicate himself yet to qualifie his speech as much as may be its good to use a word of the plural number as Paul doth 2 Cor. 5.20 We the Ambassadors c. where he distributes the honour to many that he may not seem to attribute too much to himself and so that plural number is a phrase of singular humility Dr. Stoughton CHAP. XXXVI Questions and Cases of Conscience about our communion with God Quest. What is it to be in communion with God Answ. When we
Quest. How did Christ walk that we may know whether we walk as he walked Answ. 1. Christ walked holily purely and inoffensively towards God and man Heb 4.15 and 7.26 Isa. 59.9 So should we 1 Cor. 10.32 33. Act. 23.1 and 24.16 1 Thes. 2.10 11 12. 2. Christ walked most humbly and meekly Mat. 11.28 Phil. 2.5 6 7. 3. Most self-denyingly though rich he became poor for our sakes 2 Cor. 8.9 So Mar. 14.36 4. Most zealously Ioh. 2.15 16 17. 5. Most obedientially to his heavenly Father Rom. 5.19 Ioh. 4.34 Heb. 5 8 9. Phil. 2.8 6. Most profitably he went about doing good Act. 10.38 7. Most lovingly tenderly and compassionately to poor sinners to win and save them Luke 4.18 19 20 21. Mat. 12.19 20. and 11.28 29 30. Luk. 7.37 to the end 8. Most spiritually and Heavenly he lived on earth as if he had been in heaven extracting heavenly contemplations and spiritual lessons from all sorts of earthly objects and occasions presented before him as Ioh. 4.10 c. and ver 31.32 and 6.26 27 c. and 15.1 c. Eighthly Keeping his word and commandments discovers our communion with him 1 Joh. 2.5 and 3.23 24. Quest. How shall we know whether we keepe his commandments as we ought Answ. If we practice righteousness 1 Joh. 2.29 and 3.10 and that First for the substance and matter that whatsoever we do be good forbearing the contrary or Indifferent Secondly From a right ground and principle Luk. 12.33 34. 2 Kin. 10.30 31. which is 1. From a pure heart 1. Purified by the blood of Christ for our justification Zach. 13. 1. Psal. 51.7 Act. 15.9 2. By the spirit of Christ for our sanctification 1 Cor. 6.11 Psal. 66.18 2. From a good conscience purged by Christ from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 and when it s habitually exercised to an inoffensiveness towards God and man Acts 24.16 with 23.1 and when it endeavours to be compleatly and universally good Acts 23.1 Yea when it approves it self good in Gods sight 1 Pet. 3.21 and when from all this the heart gives in a comfortable testimony of its simplicity and godly sincerity able to support under greatest distress 2 Co. 1.8 c. 3. From faith unfeigned without which there is no pleasing of God Heb. 11.6 Faith washes all out duties and acts of obedience in the blood of Christ and so renders them acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.5 Thirdly When for form and manner we doe righteousness so as God requires and that 1. Spiritually and heartily Prov. 23.26 Joh. 4.24 1 Cor. 6.20 2. Sincerely and uprightly Gen. 17.1 as David Psal. 18.22 and 66.18 Paul 2 Cor. 2. ult Peter Joh. 21.15 16 17. 3. Obedientially because God commands it as in Noah Heb. 11.7 Abraham Heb. 11.8 17 c. David Psal. 40.8 and 119.143 Paul Rom. 7.22 4. Vniversally without reservations and exceptions Psal. 119.6 Numb 14.22 Luke 1.6 5. Constantly Psal. 1.2 3. and 92.13 14. and 119.20 Fourthly For right ends Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 and our own and others spiritual and eternal good Mat. 5.16 1 Pet. 4.2 3 4. Rom. 2.7 Ninthly True brotherly love is a sign of our communion with God 1 Joh. 4.12 and 5.1 Mr. Roberts Believers Evidences CHAP. XXXVII Questions and Cases of Conscience about communicating in other mens sins Quest. HOw many wayes may we communicate in other mens sins Answ. First by Counsel and advise when though another is the hand yet thou art the Head and adviser 2 Sam. 16.21 Absolom committed incest but Achitophel counselled it Mark 6.25 The Damsel desired John Baptists head but her mother advised her v. 24. Secondly by command whether by word or writing 1 Sam. 22.18 Doeg murthered the Priests but Saul commanded him Act. 23.3 the servant struck Paul but the High-Priest commanded it The Judges condemned Naboth but Jesabel commanded them by her Letters So David by Letters killed Uriah So 2 Sam. 1â— 28 1 King 12.30 and 13.34 Jer. 28.16 Thirdly by permission Thus all Governours are guilty when their inferiours whom they should restraine commit sinne So in Eli 1 Sam. 3.13 Qui non prohibet malum cum potest facit He that forbids not sinne when it s in his power commits it Pilate was guilty because he restrained not the Jewes from putting Christ to death So Nehem. 13.17 Numb 35.31 Fourthly by provocation Gal. 5.26 Ahab was most wicked whom Jesabel provoked 1 King 21.25 Fifthly by consent and countenancing wicked actions as Saul Act. 8.1 by consenting to Stevens death So Num. 16.19 Quest. How many wayes is sinne countenanced Answ. First by participation in the action as the Receiver to the Thief the Baud to the Harlot the Broker to the Usurer Secondly by silence and concealment when a man hath a calling publick or private to reprove and doth not So Ezek. 3.17 18. or when we conceal sin from such as should reforme it Thirdly by connivence and indulgence when we will not take notice of sin in such as we over-love not correct it as we ought This cost Eli deare 1 Sam. 2.29 Fourthly by abetting sin and that 1. When we undertake to justifie and defend it Or 2. To extenuate it Fifthly by praising and flattering men in sin Prov. 29.5 Quest. Why are Superiours guilty of such sins as they permit Answ. First because every man is commanded to reprove his brother Lev. 19.17 much more must Superiours do it Secondly every man is bound to prevent sin so much as lies in him especially the sins of those under his charge But he that reproves not corrects not c. prevents not sinne Thirdly they are made keepers of both Tables and therefore sin if they see them not both kept Quest. How then may such keep our selves free from other mens sinnes Answ. First they must pry and enquire into the lives of those that are committed to them that they may see what is amisse this a private man is not bound to but publick are Prov. 27.23 Secondly When they cannot prevent sinne they must according to their power punish it and not think it enough to serve God themselves but cause others to do it as Abraham Gen. 18.19 Joshuah chap. 24.13 so it s commanded Exod. 20.10 Masters must come with their train to the House of God Psal. 42.4 Quest. What motives may provoke us to avoid communicating in other mens sinnes Answ. First we must be responsible to God for all our own sinnes and they are enow and too many and therefore we have no need to load our selves ther mens sins Secondly amongst many wicked men and motions remember Jacobs resolution Into their secret let not my soul come Gen. 49.6 so we are exhorted Prov. 1.10 If sinners entice thee consent thou not Nicodemus stands up for Christ when all were against him Joh. 4.51 Thirdly Remember that in Gods esteeme to run with thieves is to be a thief Psal. 50.18 the Actors and consenters are in the same case and it
fountaine of evil thoughts oaths adulteries slanders c. Mat. 15.19 Hence comes so many idle and profane speeches whereof we must give an account in the day of judgement Mat. 12.36 and at best endlesse talking of matters that concerne wordly profit or pleasure This made Job so carefull to sanctifie his children after their love-feasts Job 1.5 Quest. What particular rules are to be observed concerning our carriage in company Answ. First seeing there is such danger in it we are not to rush unadvisedly into it but with fear and trembling and upon good occasion Secondly we are to resolve with our selves before hand to do others as much good as we are able and to help them forward to eternal life purposing also to get some spiritual good to our selves as occasion shall be offered Thirdly we must resolve if we can do no other good at least to be harmlesse and to leave no ill savour behinde us either by our speech or behaviour Prov. 10.20 and 20.5 Col. 3.12 1 Thes. 5.23 James 5.20 Jude 20. 1 Sam. 23.16 Quest. How may we attaine unto this Answ. First we must pray for grace before we go into company as Jacob prayed to be kept from the sword of Esau Gen. 32.11 so we must pray that we be not infected by them Secondly we should think of some profitable matter before-hand and intreat God to enable us to declare the same Thirdly we must wisely and carefully wait for and lay hold on the fittest occasions of doing and receiving good Fourthly we must resolve not to thwart or crosse others but in the spirit of meeknesse and lenity to bear one with another Gal. 6.1 2. Col. 3.12 and for that end to put on love which envies not boasteth not rejoyceth not in iniquity provokes not nor is easily provoked unto anger but suffers long hopeth all things c. 1 Cor. 13.4 c. Prov. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 Quest. How shall we be furnished with matter to edifie one another Answ. If no present occasion be offered as was to Christ Luke 11.27 28. we must have consideration both of the things and of the persons The things we are to think of are either some part of Gods word which we have lately heard preached of or that we have read or meditated upon or some work of God lately fallen out wherein yet we must avoid the common abuse which is either to turne it over as table-talk or matter of news without making any further use thereof Quest. What if we cannot thus furnish our selves Answ. Then let us read or cause to be read some portion of Scripture out of which we may be the better furnished And as for persons we must consider whether they be superiors inferiors or equals whether good or bad whether they need instruction reproof quickning or comfort c. that so we may accordingly apply our speeches to their and our own edification as Christ did Luk. 14.7 8. and 11.27 28. Quest. Why must we be so carefull thus to furnish and exercise our selves Answ. Because we are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works Heb. 10.24 To exhort one another daily Heb. 3.12 To redeem the time Eph. 5.16 Now a woâ— spoken in due season is like apples of Gold c. Prov. 25.11 Our speecâ— must be gracious alwayes c. Col. 4.6 No corrupt communication must prâ—â—â—ed out of our mouths c. Eph. 4.29 30. we must edifie one another 1 Thes. 5.11 So did Paul Act. 26.27 28 29. Quest. What if for all this we cannot bring our hearts to it Answ. It s better for such to keep home to look to our families and attend our callings then to go into company where we neither do nor receive good Quest. What if we meet with such brutish and scornful persons as will not endure good communication Answ. Then follow Christs rule Give not that which is holy unto dogs c. Mat. 7.6 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse Ephes. 5.11 Yet withal we must wisely bear and seek to win them but if we cannot prevaile we must follow Solomons rule Prov. 14.7 Depart from the company of a foolish man when thou seest not in him the words of wisdome Practice of Christianity Quest. What other reason may be rendered why we should so carefully shun evil company Answ. Because the Scripture teaches us to shun all sinful occasions as well as actions therefore we must keep out of the way Quest. Seeing there is so much danger by bad company what must we do that live in bad times and places Answ. First look to thy grace that it be true and then thou mayest be sure that ill company shall not rob thee of it True grace is compared to oile now cast oile into a vessel of water and it will not mingle with it but will swim on the top So grace will swim upon the water of tentation As all the water in the salt sea cannot make the fish salt so all the wicked in the world cannot change the nature of grace A good man will retaine his goodnesse in bad places and company as Joseph did in the Court of wicked Pharaoh Nehemiah in the Court of Artaxerxes Obadiah in Ahabs Court Daniel in Nebuchadnezzars Abijah in wicked and idolatrous Jeroboams house and the Saints in Nero's houshold Secondly yet we ought to bewaile our living in bad places and times It s our misery though not our sin so did Isaiah ch 6.5 and David Psal. 120.5 and Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 8. Thirdly it is our duty the worse the times and places are wherein we live the better and the more blamelesse we should labour to be that thereby we may adorne our profession stop the mouths of the adversaries and winne them to imbrace Christianity Phil. 2.15 As stars shine brightest in a dark night and fire burns hottest in a frosty day so should our profession shine brightest in the darkest places and our zeale burne hottest when the love of many waxeth cold Fourthly we must not think to excuse our wickednesse because we live in bad times and places as Abraham did his lie by his being in Gerar Gen. 20.11 It s the badnesse of thy heart not of the place that makes thee bad As no place though never so good can exempt a man from sinne the Angels sinned in heaven Adam in Paradise Judas in Christs family so no place though never so bad can excuse a man from sin Fifthly if it be so commendable to be good in bad places and company how abominable then is it to be bad in good places and company to be dirty swine in a faire meddow Sixthly delight not in bad places and company To delight in such argues that thou art bad thy selfe Noscitur ex socio qui non cognoscitur ex se Deut. 22.10 Master Love of Grace Quest. Whether is company better then solitarinesse Answ. Though there be a fit time for solitarinesse and every thing is beautiful in
its season yet civil conversation is to be preferred before solitarinesse as tending more to the glory of God the advancement and enlarging of the Kingdome of Christ the good both of Church and Common-wealth with all the members of them and our own present comfort and future joy which is much augmented when by our Christian conversation and vertuous actions our holy profession and good example our admonitions exhortations counsel consolation our works of justice and charity and by all other good Offices mutually performed we build up those that are about us in their most holy faith and draw many to accompany us to the Kingdome of Heaven Hence Gen. 2.18 It s not good for man to be alone Eccles. 4.9 10. Two are better then one c. and Saint Paul lays it as a charge upon all Heb. 10.24 25. To provoke one another to love and good works c. Quest. How may this be further proved Answ. First God commends it to us by his works of creation For he hath made us in our natures political and sociable creatures who take comfort in conversing together Secondly in his wise providence he hath so disposed of us that we should not be absolute and able to live of our selves but need the mutual help one of another So that the King needs the Subject as much as the subject needs the King the rich help the poor and the poor labour for the rich the City needs the Country as well as the Country the City Thirdly God hath linked all men together into society as it were particular members of the same bodies and hath so furnished them with diversity of gifts and several abilities to sundry offices that no sort of men can be wanting without a maime nor any part utterly pulled from the whole but he must necessarily become a dead and unprofitable member and work his own ruine by this his separation Fourthly in our renovation we are as it were anew created into one body where of Christ is the Head and as diverse members have our several functions and offices allotted to us which are not onely for our own use but for the good of the whole body and every of our fellow-members 1 Corinth 12.1 15 25 26. Quest. What are the benefits which redound to the whole body and to all particular members hereby Answ. First hereby they are linked together by the same Spirit and in the bond of love to performe all mutual Offices of Christian charity which may advance each others good Secondly they communicate in the same blessings and rejoyce in one anothers good having according to their numbers their joys redoubled In their troubles and afflictions they also communicate in one anothers grief each comforting his fellow and so making the burden much more light by compassion and bearing it upon many shoulders Thirdly they stirre up Gods graces in one another both by word and good example helping to remove impediments that lie in the way and exhorting one another to cheerfulnesse in their journey whereby they quicken their speed towards the Kingdom of Heaven Quest. How must we prepare our selves before we go into company Answ. First when we are free and left to our choice we must chuse such company as in all likelihood may either do us good or at least receive some good from us and therefore we must pray unto God to direct us in our choice and make our meeting profitable for the advancement of his glory and our good Secondly we must also pray to God to give us his grace and holy Spirit whereby we may be enabled to prosecute these ends Thirdly seeing the enemy of our salvation layes nets and snares to entrap us in all places and especially in our company we must therefore resolve before-hand to arme our selves against these dangers and to keep a narrow watch that we be not overcome by him Fourthly we must not propound this as our end to passe away the time and to solace our selves with carnal delights but to go with this resolution that we will do our best to receive good especially for our soules or to do good to our companions by our words examples and actions to prevent sin in them or to quicken them to good Fifthly we must put off and cast from us turbulent passions and disordered affections and adorne our selves with the contrary graces of Gods Spirit We must for this end subdue our pride and wrath and frowardnesse envy towards our superiours and disdaine towards our inferiours and we must put on brotherly love See the benefits of it 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. and with it we must put on the spirit of meeknesse and patience to put up injuries and passe by offences and to bear with infirmities The spirit of humility c. Quest. Being thus prepared what must our carriage be in company Answ. First we must sincerely seek Gods glory and our own salvation shunning whatsoever may impeach the same Secondly we must be innocent and unblamable in all our words and actions and give no ill example or offence to any in our company but shine before them c. Matth. 5.16 so we are exhorted 1 Pet. 2.12 so did Paul behave himself 1 Thes. 2.10 Thirdly we must be just and righteous observing truth in our words and equity in our actions as we are exhorted Phil. 4.8 9. This the Gospel teacheth us Tit 2.12 Fourthly we must be fervent in love towards those with whom we consort which will make us ready to perform all other duties towards them as we are exhorted Rom. 13.8 10. Col. 3.14 Fifthly we must labour to be of the same minde as we are of the same company to minde the same things and to have the same affections 1 Pet. 3.8 Rom. 12.15 Phil. 3.16 and to walk by the same rule so farre as will stand with truth and justice Sixthly we must not carry our selves proudly towards one another not being wise in our own conceits Rom. 12.16 but condescending to men of low degree in the truth and in things indifferent and of small moment or if we dissent to do it in a meek and peaceable manner Seventhly we must be patient and peaceable in our conversation more ready to beare them to offer injuries as we are exhorted Rom. 12.17 21. For which end we must follow Saint Paul counsel Col. 3.12 13. Quest. But what if through accident or our necessary occasions we fall into ill company Answ. Then we must not hide our profession lest Christ be ashamed of us Mat. 10.33 nor applaud them in their wicked courses endure their reproaches and taâ—nts at Religion countenance their swearing or profane jests with our smiles much lesse runne with them into the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 but rather labour to reclaime them and gain them to Christ. For which end we must 1. See that in all our carriage we be unblamable Phil. 2.15 that they may have nothing to say against us Tit. 2.7 8. Thus we
humiliation which is necessary Hence Acts 2.36 and 3.14 c. Secondly This is the best course we can take to escape Gods future judgements 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged c. Hieron â—n Psal. 51. Quest. Is it a 〈◊〉 to confess our sins to men also Answ. Yea so Jam. 5.16 confess your faults one to another not only to the Elders of the Church but to your brethren also therefore it s no ground for Popish auricular confession wherein they require that every one at least once a year should in the ear of a Priest confess all his sins together with the circumstances of them a politick invention to know the secrets of others to keep them in awe and to enslave their consciences Quest. In what cases then is confession to be made to others Answ. First In case of scandall given by persons before or after their reception into the Church and fellowship of the Gospel 1. Before their admission such as desire admittance having formerly committed gross sins should solemnly acknowledge their sinfull courses and godly sorrow for them and their resolution against them for the future to give satisfaction to the Church that God hath wrought a change in them So Matth. 3.6 Act. 15.18 20. 2. After their admission such as give offence by walking disorderly either to the whole Church or to some particular members of it they 〈◊〉 to confess their faults to the whole society or to the persons to whom the â—ame is known to testifie their repentance that such as know their sinne may know their sorrow also And 1. If the offence be publick by their open confession to preserve the credit of the society and roll away the infamy from it that it may not be accounted an ulcerous body and also thereby to warn others to fear least they offend 2. If the offending brother be cast out or the brethren withdraw from him they may receive satisfaction by the free and hearty confession of his offence and receive him to fellowship again and renew their love towards him as 2 Cor. 2.6 7.8 yea to forgive and comfort him lest he be swallowed up by overmuch sorrow Secondly in case of injuries done to others then they should willingly acknowledge and be sorry for the same For so confession is a kind of satisfaction and a means of pacification Thus Christ directs Matth. 5.23 24. Luke 17.34 Thirdly In case of scruple about some sin that burdens our conscience As whether we have committed it or no or whether we be not some way accessary to it or whether it be a pardonable sin or a sin unto death and how may we obtain pardon c. To which may be added the predominancy of any lust which is too masterfull for us in such cases we may disburden our souls into the bosome of some wise and godly friend acquainting him with our scruples to obtain the benefit of counsell and prayers c. Oft times the very opening of our griefs eases our conscience as opening a vein cools the blood Fourthly In case of a common Judgement or particular affliction 1. Of a common judgment when a man by his sin hath had a special hand in pulling down the same as Achan Josh. 7. then he must confess it both to God and before men So Jon. 1.10 2. Of a particular affliction as sickness c. then also its good not only to confess our sin to God but to men also as Jam. 5.14 15.16 Fifthly In case of reproof from others when they tell us of our faults we should freely confess them with grief and purpose of amendment So 2 Sam. 12.7 8.13 Sixthly In case of co-partnership with otheâ—s in sin when any one of their consciences are awakened he should confess his sin to his fellow-drunkard thief c. to awaken them and so to help them out of the snares of the Divel So Gen. 42.21 22. Luke 23.39 40. Seventhly To magnifie the riches of Gods free grace to us though we have been guilty of great sins So did Paul 1 Tim. 1 13. Acts 22.4 5. and 26.9.10.11 Eighthly To prevent sin in others when by confessing the sins and the evill we have found in them we may make them to beware thereof So its usefull for Malefactors at their execution to confess their sins that others may be warned Quest. Are we bound to confess every sin to others Answ. First We are bound absolutely to confess every known sin to God but confession to men is necessary only in some cases and that not of all sins Secondly We are bound to confess such sins to others as are open or known to them not our secret sins as 1. Our bosom-sins we need not to confess but to God alone Psal. 19.12 2. Secret sins unknown to men we may conceale them 1. Whilst Providence covers them 2. Whilst Conscience is quiet But when God in his Providence brings them to light or our consciences being awaked terrifie and affright us so that we can have no ease till we have acknowledged them then we are to confess our sins though we suffer for it 3. Yet sometimes we may confess our secret sins to others to obtain ease comfort counsell prayers c. Quest. Who are the persons to whom we must confess our faults Answ. First to such persons or societies whom we have injured and scandalized or consociated in sin with them Secondly Our secret sins we should confess to ministers as to our Spiritual Physitians or to such others as we judge wise godly and faithfull Quest. But hereby we may loose our credit and lie under a blot Answ. If thou choosest such to confess to it will not prejudice thy credit 1. Such will consider themselves that they also may be tempted and may be forced to doe the like and therefore what they would that others should doe to them they will do to thee Mat. 7.12 2. It will rather tend to our credit For it will represent to them the tenderness of our consciences humility hatred of sin and fear of offending Quest. From what principles or in what manner should we confess our sins to others Answ. First Out of zeale for God to give him glory before men and that 1. Of his Omnisciency in knowing our most secret sins 2. Of his Providence in detesting them 3. Of his justice in punishing or righteousness and faithfulness in afflicting us for them 4. Free grace in pardoning them and in accepting imploying and saving us from them 5. Patience in sparing us and mercy in doing us good notwithstanding our sins against him Secondly Out of hatred against sin we must confess with grief hatred and shame as a man would speak of the most loathsome things Thirdly Out of love to others to make sin odious to them and to make them abhor and eschew the sins we have faln into and escape the shame and sorrow we have met with for the same Also out of grief for wronging or
offending others and from a mind to give them satisfaction for the same Fourthly Out of humility to humble our selves for our faults even before men and to take shame to our selves by confessing in the cases and upon the occasions premised and that to make it appear how much we hate sin and our selves for sin and to keep others from thinking too highly of us so Paul 2 Cor. 12.6 Quest. Why are men so backward to confess sin Answ. First because it brings shame and grief along with it which sin cannot endure For sin hath so perverted the soule as to misplace shame in the acknowledging offences which should be placed in offending Secondly Confession is an ejection of sin It layes an engagement on us not to sin again but to hate and put it away this neither sin nor Satan can endure Thirdly Confession brings sin to light which like an horrid monster it cannot endure Joh. 3.20 Sin loves to wear a vaile of secresie or a vizard of counterfeit piety or a garment of excuses to wrap it self like the Divel in Samuels Mantle that the filthy shame of its nakedness may not appear Quest. Why should we confess sin seeing its so filthy and shamefull a thing that it becometh not Saints once to name it Answ. First though sin be filthy it it self yet the confession of it is clean and commendable Secondly There is a twofold naming of sin 1. With delight and boasting of it and indulgence to it This is prohibited to Saints 2. With detestation of it indignation at it and grief for it this is commanded Thirdly To conceal sin when there is just occasion to confess it is sinfull modesty It s to keep Satans counsell To harbor a thief or murderer in our bosoms that will rob us of our souls and cut our throats and is the high-way to destruction Prov. 28.13 and 29.1 Fourthly a serious and religious confessing of sin is a means to clense and heal soul maladies whereas hiding it is but like the skinning over a sore which will afterwards fester and break out more dangerously Many famous men as Origen Austin c. have been free in publishing their sins and errors in judgment to the world Mr Reiners Government of the tongue CHAP. XLI Questions and Cases of Conscience about carnal Confidence Quest. WHat carnal confidence is particularly forbidden in Scripture Answ. First trusting in riches Job 31.24 1 Tim. 6.17 Secondly in men Psal. 118.8 Though Princes v. 9. Thirdly In strength of a City Prov. 21.22 Fourthly in our relations Mich. 7.5 Fifthly in Gods enemies Jer. 2.37 Hos. 14.3 Sixthly in places of idolatrous worship Jer. 48.13 Seventhly in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Quest. What reasons doth the Scripture give against it Answ. First all such confidence shall be rooted out Job 18.14 Secondly its punishable Job 31.28 Thirdly it argues great folly Prov. 14.16 Fourthly its deceitful Prov. 25.19 Fifthly it s rejected by God Jer. 2.37 Quest. Why have men naturally confidence in outward things Answ. Their hearts being not filled with grace they relish not Christ but flie to these outward things for refuge Thus the Jews boasted in the name of Holy people their Law Temple Holy Land c. and many amongst us of hearing the word receiving the Sacrament uncovering the head bowing the knee c. Yet all these could not save them from captivity nor us from destruction Quest. Why are men taken up with carnal confidence in these things Answ. First because outward things are easie and men cannot endure to apply themselves to the hard matters of the Law Secondly they are glorious and men desire to be taken notice of Thirdly men have a foolish conceit that God is pleased with the outward act though inward sincerity be wanting Fourthly men want knowledge of themselves an inward change a sense of their own unworthinesse and Christs worthiness Quest. How shall we know whether our confidence is carnal or no Answ. First Where this carnal confidence is there is bitterness of spirit against sincerity None persecuted Christ more then the Scribes and Pharisees which sat in Moses chair c. Secondly where this is such men secretly bless themselves in their outward performance of good duties without humiliation for their defects Dr. Sibs on Phil. 3.3 Thirdly when we venture on ill courses and causes thinking to be supported by the help of outward means As in warre with multitude of souldiers and Horses c. which cannot prevail Isa. 30.1 2 3 c. and 31.1 c. Fourthly when we rest our souls upon meaner things never seeking to Divine and religious helps Fifthly when men love to sleep in a whole skin and therefore will take the safest courses as they think to secure themselves not consulting with God but with flesh and blood and confiding in creature help whereas 1. The creature yeelds not that we expect it should there is falshood in these things they promise much and perform little and so deceive them that trust in them 2. They are mutable and subject to change All things come to an end save God who is unchangeable 3. They are snares and baits to draw us away from God by reason of the vanity of our hearts which are vainer then the things themselves Psal. 62.9 Eccl. 1.1 Quest. How may we prevent or cure this carnal confidence Answ. A right apprehension of God will do it For the more or less that we conceive of God as we should do so the more or lesse we disclaime confidence in the creature They who in their affections of love joy affiance and delight are taken up too much with the creature say what they will they professe to all the world by their practice that they know not God But the who know and apprehend him in his greatness and goodness in that proportion they withdraw their hearts from the creature and all things else As in a paire of balances so where God weighs down in the soul all other things are light and where other things prevail there God is set light by Dr. Sibs on Hosea Quest. What is confidence Answ. It s a certainty that we conceive of a future desired good or of the love and fidelity of a person whereby the heart is filled with joy and love Quest. What is the only subject proper for mans intire confidence Answ. God All-good Almighty and All-wise without him all things that men use to repose their confidence upon are waves and quicksands Men are mutable and though they could give good security for the constancy of their wills they can give none for the continuance of their life The goods of the earth faile our expectation or come short of our satisfaction or slip from our possession they will leave us or we them No wonder then if they that repose their full and whole confidence in them are seen so often to fall into despaire Here then the true counsel for tranquility is to trust wholly upon none but God on other
bewailing these relicts of corruption before the throne of grace earnestly craving the pardon of them and strength against them whereby we may be enabled to mortifie our corruptions and to fly from all sin for the time to come 5. Through the remainders of these corruptions we have the benefit of spiritual exercise to prevent sloth whilst we make war against them withstand their assaults prepare our selves for the conflict watch over our hearts that they be not surprised exercise our spiritual graces and buckle to all holy duties required by God for obtaining the victory Phil. 2.12 1 Cor. 16.13 Ephes. 6.10 6. It makes us to go on in our Pilgrimage with contentment and patiently to bear all afflictions not only because we deserve them by reason of our sins Lam. 3.39 But also because we know and have experience that these corrections are necessary to mortifie our lusts and to draw out the core of our corruptions and as salt to season us that we be not tainted and perish in our fleshly putrifaction 7. By this conflict our hearts are weaned from the world and it provokes us to long after our heavenly happiness when finding our selves tired with this fight not only with forreign foes but these intestine traitors we cannot but earnestly desire that perfection which is only attainable in a better life Phil. 1.21 with Rom. 7.23 8. It causeth us to long after the crown of victory and when we have obtained it it will hereby become much more glorious For the Lord will have us first to fight and overcome and then he will reward us with the crown of victory He will first have our gâ—aces exercised and manifested and then he will give us a proportion of glory according to the proportion of our graces 2 Tim. 4.8 Secondly As its profitable that these relicts of sin should remain in us so its sutable and seasonable to the time and place wherein we live For God hath determined that here we shall not attain unto perfection but only that we should labour after it and attain it in the life to come that whilst here we should be in our nonage and come to our perfect age in Christ and to our heavenly inheritance after our dissolution This world is appointed for our painfull Pilgrimage and the place of our warfare and it s not seasonable to expect rest and joyes till we be arrived safely in our own Country Quest. What are the formall and essentiall causes of this conflict Answ. Because contraries do best illustrate contraries let us remember that there was a time when this conflict was not to be found in this little world of man the which was twofold First That truly golden age in which man was created after Gods image and lived in the state of innocency at which time there was a blessed peace and heavenly harmony between the body and soul and all the powers and parts of them both But when Satan the arch enemy of mankind saw and envied our happy condition he plotted by all means to work our ruine and despairing to accomplish it by power he had recourse to serpentine policy whereby he perswaded us under shew of love to undoe our selves and thereby he entred in upon us accompanied with a crew of his hellish followers the chief whereof were disobedience unbelief in God and credulity to the Divel damnable pride envy discontent aspiring ambition and unthankfulness all which being let into our souls they dispoiled us of Gods rich graces our created wisdom and holiness making themselves conquerors over all our powers and parts and every one of them chusing for their habitaion those places and parts which they thought most fitting for them As for example ignorance errour curiosity and many thousands of sinfull imaginations surprised and keep possession of our mindes Worldliness and profaneness subdued and held reason in subjection perverseness and rebellion surprize the will But in the heart there are such multitudes of hellish enemies as can neither be named or numbred as legions of unlawfull lusts infidelity wicked hopes hellish despaire hatred of God love of the world pride disobedience deceit cruelty ambition covetousnesse voluptuousnesse c. Secondly In the state of corruption there was no conflict because the strong man Satan having got possession all things were at peace only there was some contention betwixt the will and the conscience and between one unruly passion and another yet both yielded obedience to the Divel as their chief Soveraign who if he saw any disadvantage arising to his Kingdom by this contention he could appease and joyn them together like friends in doing him service But this hellish peace was far more pernitious to our poor soules and bodies then the most cruel war is to the weakest enemy and the rather because we had no apprehension of the danger nor feeling of our own misery being born bondslaves to the Divel and brought up in doing him service in the unfruitfull works of darkness for which we had only the present pay of worldly vanities though when we had laboured most in doing his druggery we were often couzened of our wages notwithstanding which being born and inured to this hellish thrauldom we desired still to live and die in it taking delight in pleasing this our Tyrannicall Master yea though after all we were sure to be cast into Hell fire Quest. How then come wee to be freed out of this miserable condition Ans. Our gracious God of his infinite mercy of his meer free grace and good will sent his only Son into the world to redeem us by his pretious death to vanquish and subdue all the enemies of our salvation and to set us at liberty who were in bondage yea in love with our thraldom not so much as desiring to be freed from it who not only paid the price of our redemption and provided a soveraign salve for all our sores but applies the power and efficacy of his merits unto us whilst by his word made effectuall by his Spirit he discovers unto us this work of our redemption and the promises of grace and salvation made to all repentant and believing sinners by which he begets this faith in us wherewith as with a hand we lay hold on and apply unto our selves his righteousnesse death and obedience for our justification and redemption whence it is that we are freed from our sins Christ having satisfied for them as also from our thraldom to Satan death and condemnation so that they shall never be able to hurt us or to lay any thing to our charge And not resting here our powerfull Saviour sends his Spirit and graces into our hearts to pull us out of the dominion of sin and Satan to regenerate and purifie us from the filth of our sins by the power of the same death wich delivered vs from the guilt and punishment due to it and enabled us to serve God in newness of life by applying also unto us the vertue of his
do strive against themselves and sometimes being cross matched do mutually oppose other affections and passions which are opposite to them Thus the love of God of spiritual and heavenly things is assaulted with self-self-love and love of the world and hatred of those divine excellencies Affiance in God his promises and providences with confidence in the Creature and diffidence in Almighty God Zeal of Gods glory with carnall and blind zeal The fear of God with the fear of men Hope in God with earthly hopes and also with presumption and despaire Sorrow for sin with worldly sorrow and carnall security Joy in the Holy Ghost and spirituall rejoycing in God with carnall joy in the pleasures of sin and moderate grief for worldly losses c. Quest. What are the effects which this conflict between the flesh and spirit produceth in us Answ. The effects are either such as it produceth in the will and desires or in the works and actions Quest. What are the effects which it produceth in the will and desires Answ. From this conflict between the flesh and Spirit arising from the imperfection of our regeneration this effect is wrought in the man regenerate that he cannot with full consent of will either choose and imbrace or refuse and reject either good or evill because being partly regenerate and partly unregenerate his will is divided and accordingly doth at the same time both choose and refuse both the good and the evill For when the regenerate will would do that which is good or avoid rhat which is evill the unregenerate part strugleth and hindereth and when this would embrace the evill and refuse the good the regenerate part resisteth and opposeth And this is that which the Apostle Paul complains of Rom. 7.21 23. And hence arises a notable difference between the sins of the godly and the wicked for though they be all one in respect of the act and deed done yet they are not so in respect of the agent and manner of doing For the regenerate man cannot commit any known sin with full consent of will but there is a reluluctancy against it not only in his conscience but in his heart will and affections and consequently it resisteth the motions of the flesh nilling that which it willeth and if through frailty it be overcome yet it hateth and detesteth that sin with which it is taken captive and makes a Christian much displeased with himself because he hath committed it So we see in David who though by the flesh he was drawn not only to will but to commit some grievous sins yet he truly saith of himself that his heart hated every false way c. Psal. 119.104 But the unregenerate man though sometimes he hath some pangs of conscience checking him for his sinnes that he cannot securely sleep in them yet he likes and loves them with all his heart c. Quest. What are the effects that this conflict produceth in the actions and works Answ. The effects which it workes in the actions of a regenerate man are diverse as First He cannot do the evill at all times which the flesh chooseth Thus Joseph refused the wicked suit of his whorish Mistris Gen. 39.9 Secondly He cannot commit sin as the wicked do with full consent of will For sin being deposed in its regency cannot bear sway as in times past it did it s confined to a part alone and so farre as regenerate we cannot sinne 1 John 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not c. Thirdly He cannot walk in the way of sinners but propounds to himselfe to serve the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all his dayes and though sometimes he slips and falls yet the Spirit of God that dwells in him convinceth him of his sins and stirs him up to rise again and to turn to the right way by renewing his repentance And on the contrary by reason of this conflict the regenerate man cannot do the good he would and desireth Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.15 18. For when he would run his Christian race sin encompasseth and presseth him down Heb. 12.1 and makes him either sit still or move slowly Hence it is that our best obedience is so imperfect that were it not covered with Christs perfect obedience and our pollutions washed in his blood we could never be accepted with God The consideration whereof should move us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling 1 Cor. 10.12 Phil. 2.12 To keep a narrow watch over our hearts Prov. 4.23 Heb. 3.13 It should make us to complain with Paul Rom. 7.23 and to pray fervently for Gods assistance Prov. 4.23 Heb. 12.13 Quest. But seeing that in the carnal man there is a fight or skirmish which hath some appearance of the spiritual conflict how shall we be able to distinguish bâ—twixt them Answ. They differ in many things as First In their ground and cause from whence they arise For the spiritual conflicts ariseth from the grace of regeneration and sanctification whereby Gods gifts and graces being infused into all our powers and faculties they make war against our carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts But the conflict which is in the unregenerate arises from the relicts of Gods image defaced in us opposing the Image of Satan and our fleshly corruption For the minde retains some small sparks of the light of knowledge which may be improved by studying the book of the creatures but much more by studying the book of Gods Word whereby the minde of a meer carnall man may be so inlightned as to be able to distinguish between good and evill truth and error right and wrong and hereby the conscience also being directed it retains a power to excuse when we do well and to accuse terrifie and condemn when we do evill Rom. 2.15 The will likewise retains a kind of freedom not only about things materially evill but such also as are natural civill and meerly morall though herein also it be very weak corrupt and defective and these relicts common to all are in some raised much higher by the common gifts of the spirit and civill graces which are conferred more largely upon some then upon others But there being mingled in all these faculties abundance of corruptions also and many of them in the speciall kinds one contrary to another hence ariseth this war between them Like thieves who all agree together to rob a true man but fall out among themselves when they come to divide the spoil Thus the understanding enlightned by nature or common grace discerns in particular actions what is good and to be chosen and what is evill and to be shunned informs the conscience accordingly and leaveth it to its censure and determination either to approve for doing good or to condemn for doing evil upon which censures sometimes the will is incited to embrace that which the conscience allows and refuse that which it condemneth but other sometimes being transported with its owne sinfull corruption and overswayed with the
violence of the inferiour will carnall appetite and unruly passions it hearkens unto them and stops the ears to reason and Conscience So we see in Laban though reason and conscience told him that he ought to use Jacob well and to reward him richly for his service because for his sake the Lord had blessed all that he had yet his will being corrupted and his affections wholly carried away with the love of the world he changed his wages ten times So Pharaoh in his dealing with Israel Exod. 9.27 34. Thus Saul with David 1 Sam. 24.17 and Pilate with Christ. Secondly They differ in the moving causes of this conflict For the Spirit is moved to assault the flesh by the true love of God which causeth it to make war against carnall lusts because they are odious to God Enemies to his grace and contrary to his holy will And by a filial fear of God which makes a regenerate man loth to yield to any motions of sin least he should displease his heavenly Father But the combate between the conscience and affections ariseth from self-love and servile fear which makes the unregenerate man to withstand the motions of sin in the will and affections for fear of punishment and horror of conscience shame corporall pain eternall death c. They differ also in their ends For the end at which the regenerate aimeth in fighting against the flesh is that he may glorifie God by his victory and be more assured of his love and his own salvation But the end which the unregenerate mans Conscience aims at herein is that he may the better compasse his worldly desires either in the obtaining of som earthly good or avoiding some imminent evil Thirdly They differ in respect of the combatants for in the conflict between the flesh and Spirit there is a combate between grace and corruption in the same faculties Knowledge and ignorance spirituall wisdom and carnal wisdom in the same understanding So willing and nilling good and evill in the same will Accusing and excusing in the same conscience Love of God and of the world fear of God and of men trust in God and in the creature in the same affections Temperance and intemperance in the same appetite c. but in the conflict which is in the unregenerate the combate is between â—ivers faculties which are all carnall and corrupted one of them fighting against another as between the reason and the will the Conscience and the carnall concupiscence passions and affection in which what party soever prevails still the unreâ—enerate man is drawn unto sin They differ also in the manner of the fight For that which is between the Spirit and the flesh is done by a contrary lustinâ— of one against the other in a practicall reall and effectuall manner But that which is between the reason and the will the Conscience and affections is maintained by Logicall disputes and mentall discourses whilst the Conscience infers fearfull conclusions of punishments and Gods ensuing judgements upon the wicked choice of the will and their yeilding to satisfie carnall affections For whilst reason is earnest in perswading by arguments and the will rebellious and violent in crossing it the conscience being rowsed up comes in to the rescue of reason restraining the will from embracing the evill it likes by fear of punishments whereby it begins to stagger and faint but then enters in a troop of tumultuous passions and affections as fresh aids to strengthen the will in rebellion which being themselves first hired and corrupted to do Satan service with the present pay or expected wages of worldly vanities they do by the same profers perswade the will to be obstinate and with all resolution to oppose itself against Reason and Conscience Yet in all this conflict betwixt divers faculties there is no enmity no contrariety in their natures neither is there more grace or lesse corruption in the reason and Consciences then in the will and affections for they all like and love sin with the pleasures and profits of it only they are affriâ—hted with the terror of Gods judgements which they perceive will necessarily follow upon such sinfull premises Fourthly They differ in their contrary effects For by the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit our Faith is confirmed in the assurance of our regeneration seeing Gods Spirit that is one of the combatants dwells in us Of Gods love and favour seeing he hath chosen us for his souldiers and of our own salvation seeing Gods Spirit fighting in us and for us assures us of victory and of the Crown of everlasting glory But from the conflict of Conscience in the unregenerate ariseth doubting and incredulity fears and despaire in the apprehension of Gods wrath and those dreadfull punishments which sin hath deserved 2. From the combate of the flesh and Spirit unfeigned repentance is begun or renued and encreased in the regenerate for there is a change in them principally in their wills hearts and affections whereby in all things they oppose the flesh hating that which it loves and loving that which it hateth willing what it nills and nilling what it wills upon which follows the purifying of the heart from all all sinfull corruptions the hating and forsaking of all sin and an hearty desire and endeavour to serve the Lord in holiness and newness of life yeilding universall obedience both in affections and actions renouncing all sinne and embracing all good duties and that in the whole course of our lives 3. The war between the Spirit and the flesh causeth the most secure peace even peace with God when as becoming his Souldiers we fight undet his Standard against his and our enemies Peace between the faculties of our soules when as the inferiour faculties are subject to the superiour the affections hearkning to and obeying the conscience the will yielding to reason as Gods Vice-roy and all to God as their supreme Soveraign It brings also with it unspeakable comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost because it assures of Gods love and gracious assistance of a full and finall victory over all our enemies and of the crown of everlasting glory But the conflict of the conscience in the unregenerate causeth continuall tumults tyranny in the superiour faculties ruling only by servile fear and rebellion in the inferiour when as they have power to break the yoke of Government horror and anguish of mind disconsolate sorrow and hellish despair when the affrighted conscience bears sway or the mad joy of frantique men when the wild affections and disordered passions by silencing the Conscience get the upper hand which oft times lasting no longer then a blaze of thornes leave behind redoubled grief and desperate despaire 4. The conflict between the Spirit and the flesh makes the regenerate man with more care and diligence to observe his own heart to watch over all his wayes that he give no advantage to his sinfull flesh It causeth him earnestly to endeavour in the use of
and everlasting damnation Lastly consider that if we maintain the fight against it we shall be sure to obtain the victory and not only overcome the flesh but with it the world and the Devil and all the Enemies of our salvation Quest. What are the meanes whereby we may be enabled to overcome the flesh Answ. They are principally two First We must take unto us and put upon us the whole Armour of God The battell is against the Flesh and therefore the weapons of our warfare must not be carnall seeing they will rather strengthen and cherish then wound mortifie fleshly corruptions Now this Armour is described Ephes. 6.13 c. And herein we must be sure not to put it on by piece-meal for death may enter by one place unarmed but we must be Armed Cap a pe at all points that all being covered none may be indangered 2. We must be perswaded not to trust in our own strength but in the power of Gods might nor in the weapons themselves which in themselves are too weak to bear the mighty blows of our Spirituall Enemies but in the promises of God which assure us of the victory and in his gracious assistance which we are daily to beg by prayer and by which alone we shall be enabled to get the victory Secondly We must carefully observe and put in practice divers Rules fit for this purpose Quest. What are those Rules Answ. They are of two sorts For they either tend to the weakning and subduing of the flesh or to the strengthening of the Spirit Quest. Which are those that tend to the weakening of the flesh Answ. They also are of two kinds As first that we withdraw and withhold from the Flesh all meanes whereby it may gather strength 2. That we use the contrary means whereby it may be weakened Quest. What is observable concerning the formâ—r Answ. It s the care of all that are to fight against potent Enemies to deal with them as the Philistines did with Sampson curiously to search wherein their chief strength lies and then to use all means to disable and deprive them of it which course must also be held by us in this conflict with the flesh For which end First We must not nourish and strengthen this our Enemy we must not feed our flesh with sinfull pleasures and carnall delights nor give it ease and contentment by glutting it with superfluities we must not pamper it with ease and delicacy with unlawfull sports or immoderate use of lawfull recreations c. for this would strengthen it against the Spirit Neither are we to nourish the flesh nor to leave it to its own liberty to cater for it self remembring that its far unfit to have the liberty of a Son or friend seeing its a base slave and bitter Enemy and if we give it the least liberty it will draw us from one degree to another till at last it bring us to all manner of licentiousness Secondly When the flesh would take its liberty whether we will or no we must forcibly restrain it otherwise it will wax proud and insolent foile the regenerate part and make it live in miserable bondage Hence Cyril saith Si carnem nutriatis ipsam frequenti molitie ac jugi deliciarum fluxu foveatis insolescet necessario adversus spiritum fortior illo efficitur It fares with the flesh and Spirit as with two mortall enemies in the field For he that by any means aids and strengthens the one doth thereby make way for the vanquishing of the other There are saith one two committed by God to thy custody a Nobleman and a Slave on this condition that thou shouldest feed the Slave like a Captive with bread and water and entertain the Nobleman with all provision befitting his dignity Object But what passages must we stop to keepe back provision from the flâ—sh Answ. The provision which we are to with-hold from it are all the meanes whereby it may be nourished and enabled to resist the Spirit and seeing the flesh is resident in all the parts and powers of our bodies and soules we must therefore use our best endeavour to keep from our corrupt minds all sinfull cogitations and from our phansies all vain imaginations we must not entertain ungodly counsels pernicious errors and false Doctrines but cut them off when they are approaching and cast them out when they are entred And on the contrary we must furnish our minds in the regenerate part with holy thoughts and divine meditations with Religious counsels wholesome instructions and pure Doctrine out of Gods Word Col. 3.3 So must we keep our Consciences free from sin and purge them daily from dead works that they may serve the living God Heb. 9.14 endeavouring to keep them pure peaceable and tender we must keep or blot out of our memories the remembrance of sinful pleasures unless it be to repent of them ribald speeches profane jests injuries received with a purpose of revenge with all other lessons of impiety imprinted in them either by Satan the World or our own corruptions and engrave in them all holy lessons which have been taught us out of the Word We must preserve our hearts from all unlawfull lusts wicked desires unruly passions and ungodly affections especially from covetousness ambition and carnall pleasures and labour to have them fixed on spirituall and heavenly things and to have them wholly taken up and constantly possessed with sanctified affections and holy desires we must keep out from our appetite intemperance and all desires of excess and nourish in it temperance sobriety modesty and chastity We must keep our tongues from all corrupt communication 1 Pet. 5.8 9. our ears from ungodly discourses our eyes from wanton objects and lastly our bodies from sloth and idleness effeminate delicacy excessive sleep and all manner of sinfull pleasures and on the contrary entertain watchfulness sobriety c. and when being two full fed it begins to be wanton we must keep it under with fasting and painfull labour Quest. What principall sins be there which most strengthen the flesh which must especially be watched against Answ. First Ignorance of God and his will whereby the eyes of our understanding being hoodwinckt or blinded we may be easily misled into all by-paths of sin Secondly Infidelity which nourisheth the flesh in all impiety whilst neither believing Gods promises nor threatnings we neither care to please him nor fear to offend him Thirdly Security impenitency and hardness of heart which mightily confirms the flesh in all wickedness because hereby it goes on quietly in sin without all check or remorse and puts the evill day farre out of sight Fourthly Especially take heed of the love of the world and setting our affections on earthly things Jam. 5.5 1 Joh. 2.15 For this weakens the Spiriâ— and quencheth all good motions which would cross us in the fruition of this momentary vanities of honour riches and pleasures and roots out of our heart the love of
not in love with any Fifthly The next Rule for the subduing of the flesh is that we must neglect no sin as though we were in no danger of falling into it For we have the seed of all sin in us and need nothing to the committing of it but that God should leave us to our selves and Satans tentations Hence we are commanded to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 and when we think we stand to take heed of falling 1 Cor. 10.12 Sixthly The last Rule is that we set no stint to our mortification but that we endeavour from one degree to aspire to another till we come to perfection we must not deale with these Spirituall Enemies as Joash with the Aramites 2 King 13.18 contenting our selves with two or three victories over them much less as the Israelites with those cursed Nations suffering them quietly to dwell with us on condition that they will contribute something to our pleasure profit c. but we must war with them till we have utterly rooted them out or at least to deal with them as Joshuah with the Gibeonites to make them our slaves Let us not deal with them as Saul and Ahab with Agag and Benhadad get the victory and so suffer them to live least through Gods judgment they kill us because we killed not them neither with Saul let us destroy the meanest of our lusts and keep the fattest alive which bring most pleasure or profit to us Let us not be like Herod that refrained from many sins but would not part with his Herodias But our mortification must be without stint or restraint extending to all lusts in respect of the object and in respect of the time continually even to the end of our liues and thus continuing faithfull to the death we shall receive the Crown of life Rev. 2.10 And lastly in respect of the degrees we must not content our selves that we have mortified our lusts in some measure but we must strive after perfection not suffering sin to live in any of our members but must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh Spirit c. 2 Co. 7.1 Labouring to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5.48 For which end we must pray God to sanctifie us throughout 1 Thes. 5.23 and Christ our Saviour to sanctifie and cleanse us by thâ— washing of water by the Word c. Ephes. 5.25 and to our prayers we must add our endeavours to encrease in the measure of mortification getting daily new victories over all our sinfull lusts True grace is growing grace c. Quest. What means may we use to strengthen the Spirit to the obtaining of the victory Answ. First We must avoid the means whereby it s weakned For in this spirituall warfare both these concur in the same actions for the famishing of the Flesh is the nourishing of the Spirit and the weakning of the one is the strengthening of the other Quantum carni detrahes tantum facies animum spirituals bona habitudine relucere saith Basil. Look how much thou detractest from the flesh so much thou makest thy spirituall part to prosper and flourish in good health and liking Now the chief means whereby the Spirit is weakned are our sins whereby we grieve the good Spirit of God and make him weary of lodging in our hearts but above others such sins weakens the Spirit as are committed against knowledge and conscience wilfully and presumptuously with which kind of obstinate rebellion the spirit is tired that he will no longet contend with us but leave us to our lusts and a reprobate mind to go on to our perdition Gen. 6.3 So it was with the old world Of this God complains Amos 2.13 that he was pressed under their sins as a cart under the sheaves For this God gave the Gentiles up to vile affections c. Rom. 1.26 we must not therefore quench the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 nor grieve him Ephes. 4.30 Quest. But what are those speciall sins which most wound and wâ—aken the Spirit Answ. First Ignorance and blindness of mind which pulls out of the hand of the Spirit his chiefest weapon the Sword of Gods Word whereby it defends it self and offends its Enemies It also dazels the understanding that it cannot discern the slights and subtilties of our Spirituall Enemies nor on which side they strike us nor how to ward off their blows Secondly Infidelity which disables the Spirit whilst it deprives it of the chief comforts and encouragements whereby it s strengthened against the assaults of the flesh viz. Gods sweet promises of grace in this life and of glory in the next to all those who walk in the Spirit and mortifie the flesh Yea it weakens the spirituall bond of our union with Christ which is our Faith by which alone he is applyed and so hinders the influences of his graces by which we are strengthened against the flesh and enabled to withstand the assaults of all our spiritual enemies Thirdly Impenitency which is most pernicious to the health and vigour of the Spirit for besides that it hinders all the operations of Faith the application of Christ and all the promises made in him our communion with God hiding his loving countenance from us in the appehensions whereof consists the life of our lives it also depriveth us of peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost by which our spiritual man is strengthened after we have received wounds by the flesh in the spirituall fâ—ight it hinders their cure and causeth them to rankle and daily to grow more incurable Fourthly Carnal security and hardness of heart greatly weakens the spirit whereby we bless our selves when our state is dangerous and have no sence and feeling either of Gods mercy and love or of his displeasure by the one whereof the Spirit is strengthened in Gods service and by the other we are preserved from sinning against him Carnall security weakens the Spirit as it makes us put the evill day far from us and utterly to neglect our spiritual enemies as though there were no danger It makes us lay aside our watch and so to lie open to the assaults of our adversaries and to neglect the means of our safety Fifthly The love of the world which like birdlime so besmears the wings of of our soul that thereby it is fastened to the earth and worldly vanities more especially the love of honours and the glory of the world makes the spirituall man sluggish in the pursuit of eternall glory The love of riches hinders him from seeking after those incomparable treasures which are reserved for us in Heaven It choaks the seed of the word that it cannot take root and bear fruit It frustrates all the good motions of the Spirit that they cannot take effect It exposes us to many tentations and snaâ—es which drown men in destruction 1 Tim 6.9 10. and so the love of earthly pleasures hinder the pursute of those eternal pleasures
and fulness of joy which is as Gods right hand for ever more For when the flesh is pamperd with these carnall delights the spirit is pined when it s made fat with gluttony the spirit grows lean fulness of wine and the Spirit will not stand together as we see Ephes. 5.18 Secondly We must not provide for the Spirit poison instead of wholesome food nor carnall weapons instead of spirituall As instead of the pure Word of God and heavenly Manna the sincere milk of the Gospel and Sacraments we must not feed our souls with humane inventions and traditions will-worship and superstitious devotions not warranted by Scripture of which the more liberally that we feed the more lean we wax in our spiritual strength and stature yea the more feeble we grow in all spirituall graces 2. We must not provide for this spirituall warfare carnall weapons For 2 Cor. 10.4 the weapons of our warfare are not carnal c. As for example we must not fight against the flesh with fleshly anger and carnal revenge For Jam. 1.20 the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God we must not seek to subdue the flesh with popish fasting called the Doctrine of Divels 1 Tim. 4.1 3. But with our fasting when we have just occasion we must joyn Prayer the one being the end the other the means enabling us thereunto Thirdly We must not remit any thing of our zeal in holy duties and give way to coldness and formality therein For we may the more easily preserve the strength of the Spirit whilst its in the best plight then recover it when it s diminished again the more resolutely we stand in the strength of grace received the more willing the Lord is to assist us in fighting his battels the more carefull we are to encrease his spirituall Talents the more willing he is to redouble them 4. Lastly we must avoid fleshly sloth and negligence and must use Gods gifts and graces in the exercise of Christian duties to the glory of him that gave them Our knowledge must be exercised in the practice of what we know Our Faith in good works our love to God and our neighbours in performing all holy duties we owe them For if we could abound in all graces yet if we did not use them for our own defence and the discomforting our enemies we should be never the neerer in obtaining the victory Quest. How may wee cheare up and comfort the Spirit to this Conflict Answ. First We must earnestly desire to have the Spirit more strengthened and the gifts and graces of it more enlarged and multiplied in us God hath promised that if we want the Spirit and ask it of him he will give it us Luke 11.13 So if we have it and desire and beg an increase of the gifts of it he will satisfie our desires and carry it on to perfection Psal. 145.19 Phil. 1.6 For therefore doth the Lord give us these longings that we may satisfie them we must not therefore rest content with any measure of grace received but go on from grace to grace till we come to perfection and this is an infallible sign of the regenerate who are therefore said to be trees of righteousness of Gods own planting Psal. 92.14 which are most fruitfull in their old age they are like the morning light which shines more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 they are Gods bildings which is still setting up till it be fully finished Ephes. 2.20 they are Gods Children who grow from strength to strength till they come to a perfect stature therefore we must desire to grow in grace Ephes. 4.12 13. Joh. 15.2 2 Pet. 3.18 Secondly We must use all good means for the strengthening of the spirit for which end 1. We must be diligent in hearing reading and meditating on the word of God which is the ministry of grace and salvation not only the seed whereby we are begotten again but the food also whereby we are nourished till we come to a full age in Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 and because a time of scarcity may come we must with Joseph lay up aforehand that we may have provision in such times as those For if food be withdrawn from the spirit it will languish and not be able to stand against the assaults of the flesh in the day of battell 2. To the Ministery of the Word we must joyn the frequent use of the Lords Supper which is a spirituall feast purposely ordained by our Saviour Christ for the strengthening our communion with him by the Spirit and for the replenishing of us with all those sanctifying graces whereby we may be enabled to resist the flesh 3. We must use the help of holy conference instructing exhorting admonishing counselling and comforting one another that we may be further edified in our holy Faith Jude 20. Thirdly If we will strengthen the Spirit we must nourish the good motions thereof neither utterly quenching them nor delaying to put them in practice but presently obeying them taking the first and best opportunity of performing those duties which it requires as when a fit opportunitie being offered it moves us to prayer either to beg the graces which we want or to give thanks for benefits received we are not to neglect this motion utterly nor to cool it by delayes but presently to put it in execution So in other duties either of piety to God or of mercy and charity to men we must not put them off to another time but presently set upon them making hay while the Sun shines c. which will much chear and comfort the Spirit being thus readily obeyed Fourthly We must be careful of maintaining our peace with God and our assurance of his love and favour which is best done by preserving peace in our own Consciences keeping them clear from known and voluntary sins whereby our Father may be angered and we exposed to his judgments For if God be offended his Spirit cannot be well pleased with us neither will he renew our strength nor send us fresh supplies of grace to strengthen us against our spirituall Enemies neither can our regenerate spirit with courage fight against the Divell the World and the Fesh when it wants the light of Gods countenance and its peace is interrupted with him Yea we must endeavour to have not only Gods graces habitually but to feel their severall actions and operations working our hearts to all good duties And these feelings of faith and comforts of the Spirit are best obtained and kept when as we preserve our communion and familiar acquaintance with God in the constant and conscionable use of his holy Ordinances of Hearing Prayer receiving the Sacraments and frequenting the publick Assemblies where God is present by his spirit as Psal. 42.1 2. and 84.1 c. when we labour daily in the mortification of our sins which separate between God and us and exercise our selves in all holy duties of his service thereby glorifying his Name
and edifying our neighbours by our good example Fifthly We must carefully preserve our bodies and souls which are his Temple in purity from all pollution of sin For as a good aire and sweet habitation doth much refresh and strengthen our natural and vitall spirits and preserves our bodies in health So no less doth it chear up the Spirit of God within us if we provide him a cleanly lodging free from sinfull impurity sweetned with the incense of our prayers and adorned with the flowers and fruits of our good works and holy obedience Sixthly If we would strengthen the Spirit and increase in us the gifts and graces thereof we must keep them in continual exercise and cause these habits to shew themselves in their functions and operations For as breathing and moving are necessary for preserving the life of our bodies So fruitfull working and holy walking in all Christian duties is for preserving and cherishing the life of the Spirit Gal. 5.25 If we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit Let the fire of the Spirit have fit vent to send out its flames in holy and righteous actions it will live and blaze but if we stop its vent it will presently die Let Faith exercise it self in apprehending the promises in waiting for performances fighting against doubting and in beaâ—ing the fruits of good works it will from a grain of mustard-seed grow to be a great tree from smoaking flax to a burning flame and from a feeble assent to a full perswasion Let love be exercised in doing and suffering for Gods sake in performing all holy services and Christian duties to God and our neighbours it will grow from a spark to a great fire Let the shoulders of patience be inured to bear the Cross of Christ and suffer afflictions to put up wrongs and overcome evill with good though they be weak at first they will become hardy and strong Exercise encreaseth graces but ease and sloth weakens them we should therefore resolve with David Psal. 119.32 33 34. Seventhly The last and principall means to cherish the Spirit is earnest and effectuall prayer to God that he will strengthen our weakness and quicken our dulness and support our faintness by a constant renewing of his spirit in us and sending a continuall supply of his saving graces to reenforce and refresh our decayed bands that by these Auxiliaries they may be enabled to stand in the day of battell and to get the victory over all our spirituall Enemies It s God that teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight Psal. 144.1 and that gives us at the last a full and final victory and then adds the Crown of victory even everlasting glory Mr. Downhams Christian warfare Quest. But the flesh and Spirit being but qualities how can they be said to fight together Answ. Because the flesh and Spirit are mixed together in the whole regenerate man and in all the powers of his soul as light and darkness are mixed in the air in the dawning of the day and as heat and cold are mixed together in lukewarm water we cannot say that one part of the water is hot and another cold but heat and cold are mixed in every part so the man regenerate is not in one part flesh and another spirit but the whole mind is partly flesh and partly spirit and so are the will and affections c. Now upon this mixture it is that the powers of the soul are carried and disposed divers ways and hereupon follows the combate Quest. How doth the lust of the flesh shew it self Answ. First it defiles and suppresses the good motions of the Spirit Hence Paul saith Rom. 7.21 23. when I would doe good evill is present and the Law of the flesh rebels against the Law of the mind Hereupon the flesh is fitly compared to the disease called Ephialtes or the mare in which men in their slumber think they feel a thing as heavy as lead to lie upon their breasts which they can no way remove Secondly It brings forth and fills the mind with wicked cogitations and rebellious inclinations Hence concupiscence is said to tempt to entice and to draw away the mind of man Jam. 1.14 Quest. What are the contary actions of the spirit Answ. First To curb and restrain the flesh Hence St. John saith the regenerate man cannot sin 1 Joh. 3.9 Secondly To beget good motions inclinations and thoughts agreeable to the will of God as in David Psal. 16.7 My reins instruct me in the night season and Isa. 30.21 thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee c. and thus by the concurrence of these contrary actions in the same man is the combate made Quest. Why is there such a contrariety between the flesh and spirit Answ. Because the Spirit is the gift of righteousness and the flesh stands in a double opposition to it 1. In the want of righteousness 2. In a proness to all unrighteousness Object But naturall men also have a combat in them For they can say video meliora proboque deteriora sequor I see and approve of what is good but doe that which is naught Answ. This combat is between the naturall conscience and rebellious affections and its incident to all men that have in them any conscience or light of reason Quest. Have all believers this combat in them Answ. No For 1. Only such as be of years have it for Infants though they have the seed of grace in them yet do they want the act or exercise of it and therefore they feel not this combat because it stands in action Secondly This combate is in the godly in the time of this life only For in death the flesh is abolished and consequently this combate ceaseth Quest. What are the effects of this combate in the godly Answ. It hinders them that they cannot do the things that they would Gal. 5.17 and that three wayes 1. It makes them that they cannot live in the practice of any one sin 1 Joh. 3.9 2. If at any time they fall it staies and keeps them that they sin not with full consent of will but they can say the evil which I hate that doe I Rom. 7.19 3. Though in the ordinary course of their lives they do that which is good yet by reason of this conflict they fail in the doing of it Rom. 7.18 Hence it follows that all the works of regenerate men are mixed with sin and in the rigor of justice deserve damnation Object Sin is the transgression of the Law but good works are no transgression of the Law and therefore they are no sins Answ. I answer to the Minor The transgression of the Law is two-fold One which is directly against the Law both for matter and manner 2. When that is done which the Law requires but not in that manner it should be done and thus good works become sinfull Object Good works are from the Spirit of God but nothing proceeding from the
seek and procure them by evil 1 Pet. 2.15 A good conscience must not go out of Gods way to meet with sufferings nor out of sufferings way to meet with sinne It s not Poena but Causa the cause not the punishment which makes a Martyr 2. If thou sufferest for ill-doing yet be sure that it be wrongfully 1 Pet. 2.19 and if thou beest charged with any evil that it be falsly Mat. 5.11 that thy conscience may say we are as deceivers yet true as unknown yet well konwn to God 2 Cor. 6.9 10. Thirdly if thou desirest chiefly and especially to suffer in the cause and for the name of Christ this with him is to suffer as a Christian. In the matters of the Kingdom Daniel was careful to carry himself unreprovably but in the matters of God he cared not what he suffered Dan. 6.14 5. Life as it is too little worth to be laid out for Christ so it s too precious to be laid out in any other cause It s an honour if we can call our sufferings the sufferings of Christ Col. 2.24 and our scarrs the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 and can subscribe our selves the prisoners of Christ Eph. 3.1 Fourthly if thou lovest to see the ground thou goest upon that thy cause be clear the grounds manifest that thou beest not thrust forward by a turbulent spirit or a mis-informed conscience but for conscience towards God or according to God that thou mayest say with the Apostle I suffer according to the will of God 1 Pet. 4.19 Fifthly if thou beest careful not only that the matter be good but that the manner be good lest otherwise we disgrace our sufferings 1 Pet. 2.19 c. If thou suffer wrongfullly yet thou must suffer patiently This is to suffer as Christ suffered 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. Sixthly if thou committest thy self in thy sufferings to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 suffering times must not be sinning times He is no good Martyr that is not a good Saint A good cause a good conscience a good life a good death a good matter to suffer for a good manner to suffer in make an honourable Martyr Tenthly a conscience of charity This the Apostle speaks of as the end and perfection of the Law and Gospel too 1 Tim. 1.5 where there is the truth of charity there is the truth of conscience also the more of charity the more of conscience Now this charity is twofold 1. External or civil which respects 1. The poor to whom is to be shewed the charity of beneficence 2. To the neighbour and friend a love of benevolence And 3. To the enemy a love of forgivenesse 1. To the poor a love of beneficence and well-doing this kind of charity is the worlds grand benefactor the poors great Almoner the widows Treasurer the Orphans Guardian and the oppressed mans Patron This lends eyes to the blinde feet to the lame deals out bread to the hungry cloaths the naked and brings upon the Donor the blessing of him that was ready to perish This Zacheus shewed Luke 19.8 and Job Chap. 30.12 c. and Obadiah 1 King 18.13 and Nehemiah Chap. 5.15 Hence Psal. 112.5 Prov. 31.20 26. So Cornelius Acts 10.2 4. Isa. 32.8 2. To our neighbours must be shewed the charity of benevolence we must love them as our selves Matth. 22.39 Rom. 13.8 For Prov. 18.24 He that hath a friend must shew himself friendly It s a pleasant thing to see friends and neighbours living in this mutuall love and benevolence Psal. 133.1 c. 3. To our enemies a love of forgiveness This is the hardest and therefore the highest pitch of love a lesson only to be learned in the School of Christ. The Pharisees taught otherwise which Christ laboured to reform Matth. 5.46 Luke 6.32.33 This makes us like our Father in Heaven who is kind to the thankfull and unkind Luke 6.35 and like his Son on Earth who prayed for his enemies This we are exhorted to Col. 3.12 13. 2. Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall which is to be shewed in the love we bear to the Church and truth of Christ and to the souls of our brethren This Charity is to be preferred before all the former the former may be amongst Heathens and civilized Christians but this is the peculiar badg of the people of God A love of Symphonie in judgment and opinion of Sympathy in heart and affection and of Symmetrie or Harmony in an offensive conversation This is often and earnestly pressed Phil. 2.1 c. 1 Pet. 3.8 It s the end of the Law the adorning of the Gospel the lively Image of God and of Christ the first fruit of the Spirit the daughter of Faith the Mother of hope the sister of peace the kinswoman of truth the life and joy of Angels the bane of Divels It s the death of Dissentions the grave of Schismes wherein all Church rupture and offences are buried 1 Joh. 4.8 16. Joh. 13.34 Gal. 5.22.6 Yea it s the very bond of perfection Col. 3.14 and that which covers all sins 1 Pet. 4.8 Quest. What is the excellency and benefit of a good Conscience Answ. First The excellency of it appears in the honourable titles given to it above all other graces and the reall preheminence it hath if compared with all other things as 1. It hath this proper denomination given it ordinarily of a good Conscience Act. 23.19 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Pet. 3.16 21. whereas other graces though excellent in their place and kind are seldom so called Where do we read of good Faith good Love Holiness c. whereas Conscience is good of it self and makes the good Faith the good Love the good repentance c. which all cease to be good when severed from the good conscience Again compare it with all other good things and it hath the better of them what good is there in a chest full of goods when the Conscience is empty of goodness Quid prodest plena bonis Area si inanis sit Conscientia said St. Austin What if he hath good wares in his shop a good stock in his ground good cloaths to his back c. if he hath not a good Conscience in his heart This man is like Naaman a rich and honorable man but a Leper What are all great parts and abilities without a good Conscience but as sweet flowers upon a stinking carcass It s above all Faith alone therefore they oft go together in Scripture 1 Tim. 1.5 19. and 3.9 If this be put away Faith is shipwract Nothing profits alone without this not Baptisme 1 Pet. 3.21 not Charity 1 Tim. 1.5 not coming to the Lords Supper Heb. 10.22 not any serving of God 2 Tim. 1.3 not obedience to Magistrates Rom. 13.5 not all our sufferings 1 Pet. 2.19 20. Let all duties be performed and Conscience nor regarded and the man is but an Hypocrite Let all gifts remain and profession stay and the man is but an Apostate Hence Bernard Vtilius est
the Devil when God left Satan to buffet and tempt the incestuous person he was almost swallowed up with too much grief Quest. What are the false wayes that a wounded conscience is prone to take Answ. First some when troubled for sin call it melancholly and pusillanimity and therefore they will go to their merry company they will drink it away rant it away or go to their merry pastimes As Herod sought to kill Jesus as soone as he was borne so these seek to stifle troubles of conscience in the first beginnings of them Secondly when this will not prevaile but that still they think they must go to hell for their sins they set themselves upon some superstitious austere ways as in Popery to go on Pilgrimage to enter into a Monastery c. thinking thereby to get peace of conscience but Luther found by experience the insufficiencie of all these courses Mr. Anthony Burges of Original sin Soli Deo Gloria A TABLE Of some of the principal things contained in this VOLUME A ABuse of lawful things how prevented Pag. 4. Adoption marks of it 11 134. Afflictions 350 351. Apparel how men sin in it 2. Assurance no Doctrine of liberty 129 B Backsliding whence it proceeds 100 Baptisme inward the Marks of it 15â— 9 Believers temporary 104 Blasphemy tentations to it 180 c. 354 Bodily deformities whether they may be hidden 114 254 Bodily health how preserved 189 C Callings how men sin in them 3. Charity the best 442 Charms sinful 146 Chastity how preserved 19 Christ when truly affected 25 Christ when he first lives in a Christians heart 276 Christ proved to be God 278 298 Christs actions which to be imitated 302 Christ to walk as he walked 365 Company how men sin about it 3 Conference amongst Christians 377 Confession of Christ. 364 Conflict when none in man 399 D Deadness in Christians 102 Death how to prepare for it 352 Desertion 331 333 Desires true and false 343 Diligence about assurance 131 Drinking see eating E Eating and drinking how men sinne in them 2 Election how known 134 F Faces may not be painted 114 Families how men sin in providing for them 3 Fashions strange sinful 112 Father whether any man may be called so 258 Flight in persecution 387 388 G God may be served upon hope of reward p. 29. and for fear of punishment 30 How a false instead of a true God is set up 149 151 Good works 427 Grace signes when we decay in it 105 H Hardness of heart how manifold 445 I Image worship 14 15 Infants and ideots what to be thought of them 410 Justification how evidenced 95 L Law our rule 89 Love to the godly 198 199 Gods Love how to know that it dwells in us 365 M Marriage how men sin about it 3 Melancholly the distempers of it 357 O Ornaments to be used with cautions 109 110 P Parents consent necessary in marriage of children p. 259.260 and in their contracts 264 Parents caution in naming their children 264 265 Prayer of Christ and ours differ 292 Praying for the Church 313. How to prevaile 314 Presumption how it differs from assurance 135 R Recidivation Cases about it 355 Recreations what should be used 190 191. How men sin in them 3 Redemption uniuersal disproved 279 282 284 346 Repentance diverts Gods anger 86 Reprobates what benefit they receive by Christ. 284 S Sin how it differs in the godly and wicked 172. How to resist it 420. None small 420 421 Sins of others whether to be rejoyced in 369 Sins of inferiors when charged on superiors 368 Sorrow godly 347 Spirit how we may know that we have it 363 Spirits testimony 122 c. 133 Sufferings 440 Sincerity signs of it 434 439 T Thoughts of distrust 152 Thoughts distinguished from Satans suggestions 181 Tongue to be watched 418 How we are guided into all Truth 403 U Usury whether lawful 194 W Watchfulness of Christians 324 326 c. Word of God carefully to be attended 221 FINIS Eccl. 12.12 B. Hâ—lls Epist. to his Cases of Conscience Act. 18.8 Summum apud Deum est nobilitas clâ—rum esse virtutibus Hierom. Psal. 48.11 Isa. 6.13 Col. 3.1 2. 3. Rule VII Rule X. Rule