of himselfe saith Psal. 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so farre from my health and from the words of my roring The remedie is double First the operatioÌ„ of the holy spirit stirring vp faith increasing the same Phil. 1.6 I am perswaded of this same thing that he that hath begunne this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. Luk. 17.5 And the Apostles said vnto the Lord Increase our faith The second is an holy meditation which is manifold I. That it is the commandement of God that we should beleeue in Christ. 1. Ioh. 3.22 This is then his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement II. That the Euangelicall promises are indefinite and doe exclude no man vnlesse peraduenture any man doe exclude himselfe Esay 55. 1. Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buie and eate come I say buie wine and milke without siluer and without money Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Ioh. 3.15 That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Also the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper doe to euery one seuerally applie indefinite promises and therefore are very effectuall to enforce particular assurance or plerophorie of forgiuenes of sinnes III. That doubtfulnes and despaire are most grieuous sinnes IV. That contrarie to hope men must vnder hope beleeue with Abraham Rom. 4.18 Which Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken to him so shall thy seede be V. That the mercie of God and the merit of Christs obedience beeing both God and man are infinite Esai 54.10 For the mountaines shall remooue and the hills shal fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shal my couenant of peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Psal. 103.11 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him 1. Ioh. 2.1 My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust 2. And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Psal. 130.7 Let Israel wait on the Lord for the Lord is mercie and with him is great redemption VI. That God measureth the obedience due vnto him rather by the affection and desire to obey then by the act and performance of it Rom. 8.5 For they that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit 7. Because the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Rom. 7.20 Now if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwâ—lleth in me 21. I find then by the law that when I would doe good euill is present with me 22. For I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his sonne that reuerenceth him VII When one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are remitted also for remission being giuen once without any prescriptioÌ„ of time is giuen for euer Rom. 11.29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Act. 10.43 To him also giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes VIII That grace and faith are not taken away by falls of infirmitie but thereby are declared and made manifest Rom. 5.20 Moreouer the law entred thereupon that the offence should abound neuerthelesse when sinne abounded there grace abounded much more 2. Cor. 12.7 And least I should be exalted out of measure c. there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrise that it might depart from me 9. He said May grace is sufficient for thee IX That all the workes of God are by contrarie meanes 2. Cor. 12.9 My power is made perfect through weakenesse CHAP. 43. Of the third Assault THe third Assault is concerning Sanctificatioâ— The tentation is a prouoking to sinne according as the disposition of eâ—â—ry man and as occasion shall offer it selfe 1. Chron. 21.1 And Satan stâ—â—d vp against Israel and prouoked Dauid to number Israel Ioh. 13.2 And when supper was done the deuill had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne to betray him In this tentation the deuil doth wonderfully diminish and extenuate those sinnes which men are about to commit partly by obiecting closely the mercy of god and partly by couering or hiding the punishment which is due for the sinne Then there are helpes to further the deuill in this his tentation First the flesh which lusteth against the spirit sometimes by begetting euill motions and affections and sometimes by ouerwhelming and oppressing the good intentents and motions Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh and thesâ— are contrarie one to another so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would 19. Moreouer the works of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse 20. Idolatrie witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditioÌ„s heresies 21. Enuy murthers drunkennesse gluttonie and such like whereof I tell you before as I also haue told you before that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of god Iam. 1.14 But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Secondly the world which bringeth men to disobedience through pleasure profit honour and euill examples Eph. 2.3 Among whom we also had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 1. Ioh. 2. 16. For all that is in the world as the lusts of the flesh and the lust of the eies and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world Resistance is made by the desire of the spirit which worketh good motioÌ„s and affections in the faithfull and driueth forth the euill Gal. 5.22 But the fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith 23. Meeknes temperancie against such there is no law 24. For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and the lusts thereof 26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another The preseruatiues are these whereby Men are strengthened in resisting I. To account no sinne
the Iewes and all nations vnder his dominions to signifie that Christ was borne at the very time foretold by Iaacob when the crowne and scepter was taken from Iuda and withall to shew that his kingdome was not of this world And it was the good pleasure of God that Christ should not be borne either later or sooner but so many ages from the beginning of the world And this consideration of the very time it selfe serues greatly for the confirmation of our faith For thus may we reason with our selues If God who in the beginning made a promise to our first parents concerning the seede of the woman deferred it almost 4000 yeares and yet at length accomplished the same to the very full then no doubt God hauing promised the resurrection of the dead and life euerlasting will in his good time bring them to passe though as yet we see them not And thus by the accomplishment of all things past should we confirme our hope concerning things to come The place was not at Ierusalem nor Nazareth nor any other citie but onely a village of Iuda called Bethleem that the prophesie of Micheas might be fulfilled Thou Bethleem Ephrata art little to be among the thousands of Iuda yet out of thee shall he come forth vnto me that shal be the ruler in Israel And here we may obserue a memorable example of Gods prouidence which ouerruleth the proceedings of cruell tyrants to the accomplishing of his owne will they themselues for their parts intending nothing lesse Augustus not so much as dreaming of the birth of the Messias gaue commandement that euery man should goe to his owne citie to be taxed and hereupon Ioseph and Marie take their iourney from Nazareth to Bethleem which iourney God himselfe appointed and disposed to this ende that the Messias might be borne in the place which he preordained and foretold by his Prophet The manner of Christs birth was very base and poore for the place where he was borne was a stable and the cradle where he lay was a cratch And he willingly tooke vpon him this pouertie for sundrie causes I. That the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith that he should be the shame and contempt of the people and that he shall grow vp as a roote out of a drie ground and haue neither forme nor beautie II. That he might afterward from this base condition be exalted euen in his manhoode to that rich and glorious estate in which he should manifest himselfe to be Lord of heauen and earth III. He was borne in exceeding pouertie that he might shame the wise men of this world who exceedingly esteeme of their riches power and glorie perswading themselues that without such meanes no good thing can be done And yet for all this they can not so much as reconcile one man to God by all their might wealth wheras Christ himselfe hath done the same both in pouertie and weaknesse and can enlarge and preserue his kingdome without earthly helps When he hung vpon the crosse the souldiers stript him of his garments and beeing naked he brought that to passe which all the Monarchs of the earth in all their royalties could neuer haue performed And whether Christ lie in the manger betweene the Oxe and the Asse or in the pallace of the King it matters not in regard of our saluation IV. He came in this maner that there might be a difference betweene his first comming in the flesh and his last oomming to iudgement In the first he came onely for this ende not to make any outward alterations in the world but to chaunge the conscience and to put in execution the worke of our spirituall redemption and therefore he hath reserued the ouerturning of all earthly estates with the manifestation of his owne glorie to the latter V. Lastly he was borne in a poore estate that he might procure true riches for vs in heauen and withall sanctifie vnto vs our pouertie vpon earth As Paul saith Ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that he beeing rich for your sakes became poore that ye thorough his pouertie might be made rich He was content to lie in the manger that we might rest in heauen This serues to teach vs to be content to beare any meane condition that the Lord shall send vpon vs for this is the very estate of the sonne of God himselfe And if for our cause he did not refuse the basest condition that euer was why should we murmure at the same for what is the best of vs but miserable sinners and therfore vtterly vnworthie either to go or lie vpon the bare earth and though we fare and lie better then our Lord himselfe yet such is our daintinesse we are not pleased therewith whereas he for his part disdained not the manger of the Oxe And if the Lord of heauen and earth comming into the world finde so little entertainment or fauour we for our parts beeing his members should willingly prepare our selues to take as hard measure at the hands of men The last point is the manifestation of Christs birth that it might be known to the world Where consider two circumstances the first to whome namely to poore shepheards tending their flockes by night and not to great or mightie men louers of this world nor to the priests at Ierusalem contemners of Gods grace and that for two causes one because the shepheards were the fittest persons to publish the same at Bethlehem the other it was Gods pleasure to manifest that in the birth of Christ which Paul saith Not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise The second is by whome by the angels of the Lord appearing in great glorie vnto the shepheards For the priests of Ierusalem and the rulers of the Synagogues to whome this oâ—fice did belong held their peace beeing blinded in their manifold errours wicked waies The duties to be learned of the birth of Christ are these First we are admonished hereby to magnifie and praise the name of God saying with Mary My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour And with Zacharie Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And with the Angels of heauen Glorie to God in the highest heauens For in this birth is made manifest the wisdome the truth the iustice and mercy and goodnesse of God towards vs more then euer it was before yea as Christ God and man is more excellent then the first Adam created according to Gods owne image and as the spirituall life is better then the naturall life and as the eternall and most holy marriage of Christ the husband and his spouse the Church arising as it were out of the bloode that trickled out of his side is more wonderfull then the creation of Eve of the rib of
elect For the better knowing of it there is to bee considered First what faith is Secondly how God doth worke it in the hearts of the elect Thirdly what degrees there be of faith Fourthly what are the fruits and benefits of faith IIII. Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which the elect doe apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits vnto themselues particularly Here first it is to be coÌ„sidered that the very nature of faith staÌ„deth in a certaine power of apprehending and applying Christ. This is declared by Paul whe he saith Ye are buried with him through baptisme by whome ye are also risen againe with him by the faith of the power of God who raised him from the dead Where it appeareth that faith is made a meanes to communicate Christ himselfe his death and buriall and so all other benefits to the beleeuer Againe to beleeue in Christ and to receiue or to lay hold on Christ are put one for another by Saint Iohn which declareth that there is a speciall applying of Christ euen as we see when a man hath any thing giuen him he reacheth out his hand and pulleth it to himselfe and so makes it his owne Moreouer faith is called the putting on of Christ which cannot be vnles Christs righteousnes be specially applyed to the heart as the garment to the backe when it is put on Lastly this may appeare in that faith is called the eating and drinking of Christ for there is no eating of meat that nourisheth but first it must be tasted and chewed in the mouth then it must be coÌ„ueyed into the stomack there digested lastly it must be applyed to the parts of the bodie that are to be nourished And Paul praieth for the Ephâ—sians that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith which plainely importeth this apprehending and applying of Christ. I adde further that faith is a wonderfull grace of God which may appeare first in that Paul calleth it the faith of Gods power because the power of God is especially seene in the begetting of faith Secondly experience sheweth it to be a wonderfull gift of God when a man neither seeth nor feeleth his sinnes then to say hee beleeueth in Gods mercie it is an easie matter but when a man shall feele his heart pressed downe with the waight of his sinnes and the anger of God for them then to apply Gods free mercie to his own soule it is a most hard matter for then it is the propertie of the cursed nature of man to blaspheme God and to despaire of mercie Iudas who no doubt often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the securitie of his heart when Gods hand was vpon him and the Lord made him see the vilenesse of his treacherie he could not comfort himselfe in Christ if one would haue giuen him ten thousand worlds but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged himselfe desperately which sheweth what a wonderfull hard thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sinnes then to apply Gods mercie to himselfe Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can doe this as it may appeare in Dauid In the day of my trouble saith he I sought the Lord my sore ran and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled I praied and my spirit was full of anguish and hee addeth the word Sebah a note very likelie of some wonderfull thing Againe he being almost in the gulfes of hell euen then cried to the Lord for helpe Iob saith If God should destroy him yet he would for all that beleeue in him still Vndoubtedly strange is the band of faith knitting Christ his members togither which the anguish of spirit cannot and the strokes of Gods hand doe not vnloose V. This apprehending of Christ is not done by any corporall touching of him but spiritually by assuraÌ„ce which is wheÌ„ the elect are perswaded in their hearts by the holy ghost of the forgiueuesse of their owne sinnes and of gods infinit mercie towards them in Iesus Christ. According to that of Paul Now we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are giuen vs of God The things which the spirit of God maketh known to the faithfull particularly are their iustification adoption sanctification eternall life and thus when any are perswaded of these things concerning themselues they doe in their hearts distinctly apply and appropriate Christ and his benefits to themselues VI. The maner that God vseth in the begetting of faith is this First he prepareth the heart that it may be capable of faith Secondly he causeth faith by little and litle to spring and to breed in the heart The preparation of the heart is by humbling an softening of it to the doing of this there are foure things requisite The first of them is the knowledge of the word of God both of the lawe and of the gospel without the which there can be no faith according to that saying of Esaiah By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And that of Iohn This is eternall life that they know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The onely ordinarie meanes to attaine faith by is the word preached which must be heard remembred practised and continually hid in the heart The least measure of knowledge without which a man cannot haue faith is the knowledge of Elements or the fundamentall doctrines of a Christian religionâ— A fundamentall doctrine is that which beeing obstinately denied all religion and all obtaining of saluation is ouerthrown This knowledge hath a generall faith going with it which is an assent of the heart to the known trueth of Gods word This faith when it is grown vp to some great measure it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of vnderstanding and it is to bee seene in the martyrs who maintained Gods trueth against the persecutions of the false Church vnto death VII Although both elect and reprobate may be enlightned to know the word of God yet the elect in this thing goe farre beyond all reprobates for it is specially said of them that God is their schoole-master that he sofeteneth their stony hearts and maketh them pliable that hee draweth them that hee openeth their senses hearts eares vnderstandings that the holy ghost is their annointmeÌ„t and their eie-salue to cleare the eies of their minde to conceiue the mysteries of Gods worde And the difference of illumination in them is threefolde I. First the knowledge which the reprobate hath concerning the kingdoÌ„e of heauen is only a generall and confused knowledge but the knowledge of the elect is pure certaine sure distinct and particular for it is ioyned with a feeling and inward experience of the thing
to me a sinner As for confession of sinne to men it is not to be vsed but in two cases First when some offence is done to our neighbour secondly when ease and comfort is sought for in trouble of conscience The third dutie in the practise of Repentance is Deprecation whereby we pray to God for the pardon of the sinnes which haue beene confessed with contrition of heart with earnestnes and constancie as for the weightiest matter in the world And here we must remember to behaue our selues to God as the poore prisoner doth at the barre who when the iudge is about to giue sentence cries vnto him for fauour as for life and death And we must doe as the cripple or lazar man in the way sit downe vnlappe our legges and armes and shew the sores of our sinnes crying to God continually as they doe Looke with your eye and pitie with your heart that we may find mercie at Gods hands as they get almes at the hands of passengers Thus Oseah instructeth the people O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie take vnto you wordes and turne vnto the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so we will render thee the calues of our lippes Of Daniel We doe not present our supplication before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne names sake O my God Of Dauid Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnes according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities The last dutie is to pray to God for grace and strength whereby we may be inabled to walke in newnesse of life Of Dauid Behold I desire thy commandements quicken me in thy righteousnesse And Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse CHAP. VIII Of legall motiues to Repentance MOtiues to Repentance are either Legall or Euangelicall Legall are such as are borrowed from the law and they are three especially The first is the miserie and cursed estate of euery impenitent sinner in this life by reason of his sinnes His miserie that I may expresse it to the conceit of the simplest is seuen-fold 1. within him 2. before him 3. behind him 4. on his right hand 5. on his left hand 6. ouer his head 7. vnder his feete His miserie within him is two-fold The first is a guiltie conscience which is a very hel vnto the vngodly man For he is like a silly prisoner the conscience like a gayler which followes him at the heeles and dogges him whither soeuer he goes to the end he may see and obserue all his sayings and doings It is like a register that sits alwaies with the pen in his hand to record and inroll all his wickednes for euerlasting memorie It is a little iudge that fittes in the middle of a man euen in his very heart to arraigne him in this life for his sins as he shall be arraigned at the last iudgement Therefore the pangs terrours and feares of all impenitent persons are as it were certaine flashings of the flames of hell fire The guiltie conscience makes a man like him which lies on a bedde that is too strait and the couering too short who would with all his heart sleepe but can not Belshazzar when he was in the midst of his mirth seeing the hand writing on the wall was smitten with great feare so as his coūtenance changed and his knees smote together The second euill within man is the fearefull slauerie and bondage vnder the power of Satan the prince of darknesse in that his minde will and affectictions are so knit and glued to the will of the deuill that he can doe nothing but obey him and rebell against God And hence Satan is called the prince of this world which keepes the hold of the heart as an armed captaine keepes a skonse or castle with watch and ward The miserie before man is a dangerous snare which the deuill laies for the destruction of the soule I say it is dangerous because he is in setting of it twentie or fourtie yeares before he strikes when as God knowes men doe little thinke of it It is made of three cordes with the first he brings men into his snare and that he doth by couering the miserie and the poison of sinne and by painting out to the eye of the minde the deceitfull profits and pleasures thereof With the second he hopples and insnares them for after that a man is drawne into this or that sinne the deuill hath so sugered it ouer with fine delights that he cannot but needes must liue and lie in it By the third he drawes the snare and indeauours with all his might to breake the necke of the soule For when he seeth a fit opportunitie especially in grieuous calamities and in the houre of death he takes away the vizar of sinne and shewes the face of it in the true forme as ougly as himselfe then withall he begins as we say to shew his hornes then he rageth in terrifying and accusing that the soule of man may be swallowed vp of the gulfe of finall despaire The miserie behind him is the sinnes past The Lord saith to Cain If thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore Where sinne is compared to a wilde beast which followes a man whither soeuer he goeth and lieth lurking at his heeles And though for a time it may seeme to be hurtlesse because it lies asleepe yet at length vnlesse men repent it will rise vp seaze on them rende out the very throates of their soules Iob in his affliction saith Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possesse the sinnes of my youth And Dauid praieth Forgiue me the sinnes of my youth If the memorie of sinnes past be a trouble to the godly man oh what a racke what a gybbet will it be to the heart of him that wants grace The miserie on the right hand is prosperitie and ease which by reason of mans sinnes is an occasion of many iudgements In it men practised the horrible sinnes of Sodome it puffes vp the heart with deuillish pride so as men shall thinke themselues to be as God himselfe as Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar Antiochus Alexander Herod Domitian did It steales away mans heart from God and quenches the sparkes of grace As the Lord complaineth of the Israelites I spake vnto thee when thou wast in prosperitie but thou saidest I will not hear this hath beene thy manner from thy youth It is like the Iuie that embraces the tree and windes round about it but yet drawes out the iuice and life of it Hence is it that many turne it to an occasion of their destruction Salomon saith Prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them
nature namely as he is the Word Now the Word is middle betwixt the Father and the faithfull I. In regard of order because the Word was begotten of the Father and by it we haue accesse vnto the Father This subordination which is of the Sonne to the Father is not in the diuine essence seuerally and distinctly considered but in the relation or manner of hauing the essence And after this manner those things which are subordinate cannot be vnequall if they haue one and the same singular essence II. In regard of his office the which beeing imposed on him by his Father he did willingly vndergoe and of his owne accord Christ doth exercise this office according to both natures vnited in one person and according to each nature distinct one from the other For in reconciling God and man together the flesh performeth some things distinctly and the Word other things distinctly Againe some other things are done not by the Word or flesh alone but by both together This office is so appropriate to Christ that neither in whole or in part can it be translated to any other Hebr. 7.24 This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthood or a priesthood that cannot passe from one to another Therfore Christ as he is God hath vnder him Emperours Kings Princes to be his Vicegerents who therefore are called Gods Psal. 82.1 But as he is Mediator that is a Priest a Prophet King of the Church he hath no Vicegerent Vicar or Lieuetenant who in his either Kingly or Priestly office in both or but one can be in his stead Christs office is threefold Priestly Propheticall Regall Psal. 110.1,2,3,4 Esai 42.1 Christs Priesthood is an office of his wherby he performed all those things to God whereby is obtained eternall life Heb. 5.9 And being consecrate was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him and is called of God an high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec Chap. 7. 24,25 This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood wherefore he is able also perfectly to saue all them that come vnto God by him His Priesthood consisteth of two parts Satisfaction and Intercession Satisfaction is that whereby Christ is a full propitiation to his Father for the Elect. Iob. 23.23 If there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnes then will he haue mercie vpon him and will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue found a reconciliation Rom. 3.24 And are iustisied freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus v. 25. Whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough faith in his blood 1. Ioh. 2. 2. He is a propitiation for our sinnes Christ satisfied Gods anger for mans offence according to his humanitie by performing perfect obedience to the will of God according to his Deitie by ministring such especiall dignitie to his perfect obedience as was both full of merit and efficacie before God for the saluation of the Elect. Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Act. 20.28 To feed the flocke of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Satisfaction comprehendeth his passion and fulfilling the Law His passion is the first part of satisfaction by which he hauing vndergone the punishment of sinne satisfied Gods iustice and appeased his anger for the sinnes of the faithfull His passion was on this manner Somewhat before his death partly feare arising from the sense of Gods wrath imminent vpon him partly griefe possessing as it were each part of him so disturbed his sacred minde that inwardly for a while it stroke into him a strange kinde of astonishment or rather obliuion of his dutie imposed vpon him and outwardly made him pray vnto his Father if he would to remooue that cuppe from him the which he did expresse with no small crie many teares and a bloody sweate trickling from his bodie vnto the ground But when he came againe vnto himselfe he freely yeelded himselfe vnto his Father to satisfie vpon the crosse for the transgression of man After this his agonie was ouerpassed by Iudas his treacherie Christ is apprehended and first he is brought to Annas after to Caiaphas where Peter denieth him from Caiaphas is he lead bound to Pilate Pilate posteth him ouer to Herod he transposteth him backe againe to Pilate who acknowledgeth his innocencie and yet condemneth him as an offender This innocent thus condemned is pitifully scourged crowned with thornes scoffed spitted at spitefully adiudged to the death of the crosse on which his hands and feete are fastened with nayles Here staied not his passions but after all these he became accursed to God the Father that is God poured vpon him beeing thus innocent such a sea of his wrath as was equiualent to the sinnes of the whole world He now beeing vnder this curse through the sense and feeling of this straunge terrour complaineth to his Father that he is forsaken who notwithstanding encountring then with Satan and his Angels did vtterly vanquish and ouercome them When this was ended his heart was pierced with a speare till the bloode gushed out from his sides and he gaue vp the ghost and commended his spirit to his Fathers protection the which immediately went into Paradise His bodie whereof not one bone was broken was buried and three daies was ignominiously captiuated of death In this description of Christs passion we may note fiue circumstances especially I. His Agonie namely a vehement anguish arising vpon the conflict of two contrarie desires in him The first was to be obedient to his Father The second to auoid the horror of death Luk. 22.44 Beeing in an agonie be prayed more earnestly and his sweate was like droppes of blood trickling downe to the groūd Hebr. 5.7 In the daies of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared II. His Sacrifice which is an action of Christs offering himselfe to God the Father as a ransome for the sinnes of the Elect. Hebr. 9.26 Nowe in the ende of the world hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe In this sacrifice the oblation was Christ as he was man Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified euen by the offering of Iesus Christ once made The Altar also was Christ as he was God Heb. 13.10 We haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the bloode of Christ which through
not except we would say that Christ redeemed his owne humanitie which cannot be any waies possible II. Euery woman doth partake the humane nature of euery man yet is not euery man each womans husband but hers alone with whome by the couenant in matrimorie he is made one flesh and in like sort Christ did by his incarnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take also vpon him mans nature and that common to all Adams progenie yet is he the husband of his Church alone by another more peculiar coniunction namely the bond of the spirit and of faith And by it the Church is become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Eph. 5.20 And therefore shee alone may iustly claime title to the death of Christ and al his merits Obiection II. Christs redemption is as generall as Adams fall was and therfore it appertaineth to all Adams posteritie Answer Adam was a type of Christ and Christ a counter-type correspondent to Adam Adam was the roote of all his successors or all that should come of him from the which first Adam was sinne and death deriued againe Christ he is also a roote but of the elect onely and such as beleeue to whome from him proceede righteousnes and life eternall He cannot be said to bee the roote of all and euery singular man because that all doe not drinke and receiue this his righteousnesse and life neither are they actually by him made righteous Romans 12.17.19 Obiect The benefit of Christs death redounded to all Answer It did to all that beleeue For as Adam destroyed all those that were borne of him so Christ doth iustifie and saue all those that are borne anewe by him and none other Obiect If thaâ— Adams sinne destroyed all and Christs merit doth not saue all then is Adams sinne more forcible to condemne then Christs mercie is to saue Answer We must not esteeme of the mercie of Christ by the number of men which receiue mercie for so indeede I grant that as Adams fall made all vniust so the mercie of Christ and his redemption should actually iustifie all but we muâ—t rather measure it by the efficacie and dignitie thereof then by the number on whom it is bestowed For it was a more easie thing to destroy all by sinne then by grace to saue but one Man being but meere man could destroy all but to saue euen one none could doe it but such an one as was both God and man Obiect III. Many places of Scripture there are which affirme this that the benefit of Christs death doth appertaine vnto all Rom. â—1 God hath shutte vp all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all 1. Tim. 2.4 God would haue all men to bee saued 2. Pet. â— 9 God would not haue any to perish but all come to repentance Answer I. You must vnderstand all that beleeue as it is Math. 11.28 All that are wearie and heauie laden Ioh. 3.6 All that beleeue Gal. 3.23 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them which beleeue Act. 10.43 All which beleeue And surely there is as well a generalitie of them that beleeue as of the whole world II. We may vnderstand by all of all sorts some not euery singular person of all sorts So Reuel 5.9 Christ is said to haue redeemed some out of euery kinred and tongue and people and nation And Gal. 3.28 There is neither Iew nor Grecian neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Matth. 4. Christ is said to haue healed euery disease that is euery kind of disease And Augustine to this purpose hath a fit rule All is often vsed for many as Rom. 5.18,19 Augustine in his Manuel to Laur. chap. 103. It is thus saide saith Augustine God would haue all to be saued not because there was no man which he would haue damned who therefore would not doe miracles amongst them which would as he saith haue repented if he had done miracles but that by all men we should vnderstand all sorts of men howsoeuer distinguished whether Kings priuate persons c. And in his booke de Corrept gratia chap. 14. It is saide he would haue all to be saued so as we must vnderstand all such as are predestinate to be saued because amongst them there are all sorts of men as he said to the Pharises You tythe euery hearb III. These two to be willing to saue man and that he should come to the sauing knowledge of the truth are inseparably vnited together 1. Tim. 2.4 But the second we see doth not agree to all and euery singular person therefore the first cannot Obiect IV. In many places of Scripture Christ is said to redeeme the world as 1. Ioh. 2.2 He is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world Ans. This word world signifieth I. the frame of heauen and earth II. All men both good and bad together III. The companie of vnbeleeuers and malignant haters of Christ. IV. The congregation of the Elect dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth and to be gathered out of the same In this fourth signification we must vnderstand such places as are aboue mentioned Abraham is called the heire of the world Rom. 4.13 that is of many nations Gen. 17.45 Obiect V. God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue Ezech. 18.23 Answer Augustine in his 1. booke to Simplicius 2. quest answereth this question You must saith he distinguish betwixt man as he is borne man and man as he is a sinner For God is not delighted with the destruction of man as he is maÌ„ but as he is a sinner neither wil he simply the death of any as he is a sinner or as it is the ruine and destruction of his creature but in that by the detestation and reuenge of sinne with eternall death his glorie is exceedingly aduanced God therefore will the death of a sinner but as it is a punishment that is as it is a meanes to declare and set out his diuine iustice and therfore it is an vntruth for a man to say that God would haue none condemned For whereas men are once condemned it must be either with Gods will or without it if without it then the will of God must needes suffer violence the which to affirme is great impietie if with his will God must needes change his sentence before set downe but we must not presume to say so Obiect VI. God is the Father of all Malach. 2.10 Ans. This place is meant of Gods Church out of which all men standing in that corrupt estate by AdaÌ„ are the children of wrath and of the deuill Eph. 2.2 Ioh. 8.44 Obiect VII If God did elect some and reiect others he must needes be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a respecter of persons Ans. I. One is said then to accept or haue respect of persons when as he
wise from him but onely permitted againe that in actuall sinne the motion of the bodie or minde is from God but the euilnes and disorder of the motion is not from him but freely permitted to be done by others As for example in the act of murder the actions of moouing the whole bodie of stirring the seuerall ioynts and the fetching of the blowe whereby the man is slaine is from God for in him we liue mooue and haue our beeing but the disposing and applying of all these actions to this ende that our neighours life may be taken away and we thereby take reuenge vpon him is not from God but from the wicked will of man and the deuill Gods second action in the gouernment of sinne is after the iust permission of it partly to restraine it more or lesse according to his good wil and pleasure and partly to dispose and turne it against the nature thereof to the glorie of his owne name to the punishment of his enemies and to the correcting chastisement of his elect As for the second kind of euill called the punishment of sinne it is the execution of iustice and hath God to be the author of it And in this respect Esai saith that God createth euill and Amos that there is no euill in the cittie which the Lord hath not done And God as a most iust iudge may punish sinne by sinne himselfe in the meane season free from all sinne And thus the places must be vnderstood in which it is said that God giueth kings in his wrath hardeneth the heart blindeth the eies mingleth the spirit of errours giueth vp men to a reprobate sense sends straunge illusions to beleeue lies sends euill spirits giuing them commandement to hurt and leaue to deceiue c. Thus hauing seene in what manner God gouerneth all things let vs nowe come to the means of gouernment Sometimes god worketh without means thus he created all thinges in the beginning and he made trees and plants to growe and flourish without the heate of the sunne or raine sometimes hee gouernes according to the vsuall course and order of nature as when he preserues our liues by meate and drinke yet so as he can and doth most freely order al things by meanes either aboue nature or against nature as it shall seeme good vnto him As when he caused the sunne to stand in the firmament and to goe backe in Achas diall when he caused the fire not to burne the three children when he kept backe dewe and raine three yeres in Israel when hee made waters to flowe out of the rocke when he caused Elias cloake to deuide the waters of Iorden when he caused Iron to swimme when he preserued Ionas aliue three daies and three nights in the whalles bellie when he cured diseases by the strength of nature incureable as the leprosie of Naaman the issue of blood and blindnesse c. Among all the meanes which God vseth the speciall are the reasonable creatures which are no passiue instrument as the toole in the hand of the workman but actiue because as they are mooued by God so againe being indued with will and reason they mooue themselues And such instruments are either good or euill Euill as wicked men and angels And these he vseth to do his good will and pleasure euen then when they doe least of all obey him And considering that the sinning instrument which is mooued by God doth also mooue it selfe freely without any constraint on Gods part God himselfe is free from all blame when the instrument is blame-worthie In directing the instrument God sinneth not the action indeede is of him but the defect of the action from the instrument which being corrupt can it selfe doe nothing but that which is corrupt God in the meane season by it bringing that to passe which is very good The whole cause of sinne is in Satan and in vs as for God he puts no wickednes into vs but the euill which he findes in vs he mooues that is orders and gouerns and bendes it by his infinite wisdome when and in what manner it pleaseth him to the glory of his name the euil instrument not knowing so much nay intending a farre other ende As in the mill the horse blindfolded goes forward and perceiues nothing but that he is in the ordinary waie whereas the miller himselfe whips him and stirres him forward for another ende namely for the grinding of corne And this is that which we must hold touching Gods prouidence ouer wicked men and angels and it standâ—s with the tenour of the whole Bible Iosephs brethren sold him into Egypt very wickedly euen in the testimonie of their own consciences yet Ioseph hauing respect to the counsell and worke of God which he perfourmed by his brethren saith that the Lord sent him thither And the Church of Ierusalem saith that Herod and Pontius Pilate did nothing in the death of Christ but that which the hand counsell of god had determined to be done because though they wickedly intended nothing but to shewe their malice and hatred in the death of Christ yet God propounding a further matter by them then euer they dreamed of shewed forth his endles mercy to man in the worke of redemption On this manner must all the places of Scripture be vnderstood in which it is said that God gaue the wiues of Dauid to Absalom that God mooued Dauid to number the people that he commanded Shemei to raile on Dauid that the Medes and Persians are his sanctified ones that the reuolt of the tenne tribes was done by God c. By all these examples it appeares that wee must not seuer Gods permission from his wil or decree and that we must put difference betweene the euill work of man and the good worke of God which he doth by man the whole matter may yet be more clearely perceiued by this comparison A theefe at the day of assise is condemned the magistrate appoints him to be executed the hangman owing a grudge to the malefactour vseth him hardly prolongeth his punishment longer then he should Now the magistrate and the hangman doe both one and the same worke yet the hangman for his part is a murderer the magistrate in the meane season no murderer but a iust iudge putting iustice in executioÌ„ by the hangman so god though he vse euil instruments yet is he free from the euil of the instrumeÌ„ts And further we must here marke the difference which must be made in Gods vsing of all kinds of instruments When he vseth good creatures as angels he worketh his will not onely by them but also in them because hee inspires them and guides them by his spirit so as they shall will and doe that which he willeth and intendeth As for euill instruments he worketh by them only and not in them because he holds backe his grace from them and leaues them to themselues to put in
distrust God as appeares by their couetousnes Againe by this order we are taught as earnestly to seeke for the pardon of our sinnes as we seeke for temporall blessings 2. The meaning DEbt By debts sinnes are meant as it is in Luke 11.4 and they are so called because of the resemblance betweene them For euen as a debt doth bind a man either to make satisfaction or else to goe to prison so our sinnes binds vs either to satisfie Gods iustice or else to suffer eternall damnation Forgiue To forgiue sinne is to couer it or not to impute it Psal. 32.1 And this is done when God is content of his mercy to accept the death and passion of Christ as a sufficient payment ransome for mans sinnes so to esteeme them as no sinnes And here vnder this one benefit of remission of sinnes all the rest of the same kinde are vnderstoode as iustification sanctification redemption glorification c. 3. The vses of the words HEnce we may learne many lessons the first is that seeing we must pray thus Lord forgiue c. we are to hold that there is no satisfaction to gods iustice for sinne by our workes no not in temporarie punishments but that the doing away of our sinnes is of Gods meere fauour for to forgiue and to satisfie be contrarie wherefore the doctrine of humane satisfactions taught in the Church of Rome is vyle and deuilish 2. Secondly whereas we are taught thus to pray continually from day to day we note the great patience long suffering of God that suffers and forbeares still and doth not poure out his confusion vpon vs though we offend his maiestie day by day This teacheth vs like patience towards our brethren we our selues can not put vp the least iniurie and forbeare but one day and yet we desire that God would forgiue vs daily to the ende of our liues 3. Again we may obserue that there is no perfect sanctification in this life seeing we must euery day to the end craue the pardon of our sinnes Therfore wicked is the opinion of the Catharists or Puritans which hold that men may be without sinne in this life 4. And when we say forgiue not me but vs we are put in mind to pray not onely for the pardon of our owne sinnes but likewise for our brethren and enemies Iam 5.17 Confesse one an other and pray one for an other for the praier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent And as some thinke the praier of Steuen was a meanes of the conuersion of Saul 5. Also we note that before praier for pardon of sinne must goe a confession of sinne for whereas we say forgiue our debts we confesse before God that we are flat bankrupts and not able to discharge the least of our sinnes this appeares 1. Ioh. 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull to forgiue vs. And it was practised by Dauid Psal. 51. and 32.5 The manner of making confession is this knowne sinnes and those which trouble the conscience are to be confessed particularly but vnknowne sinnes generally Psal. 19.12 6. Lastly hence it is manifest that there is no iustification by workes Our sinnes are debts and so also are all workes of the law and it were a fond thing to imagine that a man might discharge one debt by another 4. Wants to be bewailed THe wants to be bewailed are the burthen of our sinnes and the corruptions of our natures and the wickednes of our liues and the sinnes of our youth and of our old age Psal. 40. 12. My sinnes haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp they are more in number then the haires of my head therefore mine heart hath failed me Thus with Dauid we are to trauel grone vnder this burthen but this griefe for sinne is a rare thing in the world Men can mourne bitterly for the things of this life but their sinnes neuer trouble them Againe this sorrow must be for sinne because it is sinne though there were neither hell to torment nor deuill or conscience to accuse nor iudge to reuenge 5. Graces to be desired THe grace which we must desire is the spirit of grace and deprecations Zachar 12.10 which is that gift of the holy Ghost whereby we are inabled to call to God for the pardon of our sinnes A man hauing offended the laws of a prince and beeing in daunger of death will neuer be at quiet till he haue gotten a pardon euen so they which feele and see them sinnes hauing this spirit are so mooued that they can neuer be at rest till in praier they be eased of the burthen of their sinnes A man may I graunt babble and speake many wordes but he shall neuer pray effectually before he haue this spirit of praier to make him crie Abba father For worldly commodities all can pray but learne to pray for the want of Christ. As we forgiue our debts 1. The Coherence THese wordes be a part of the fifth petition which is propounded with a condition Forgiue vs as we forgiue others and these words depend on the former as the reason thereof which seemes to be taken from the comparison of the lesse to the greater thus if we who haue but a sparke of mercie doe forgiue others then doe thou who art the fountaine of mercie forgiue vs but we forgiue others therefore doe thou forgiue vs. Thus Luke 11.4 hath it Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue Rhem. Test. on Luk. 7. 47. the Papists take it otherwise who say Forgiue vs as we forgiue making our forgiuing a cause for which God is mooued to forgiue vs in temporall punishments whereas our forgiuing of men is onely a signe or effect that God doth forgiue vs. 2. The meaning 1. Quest. Whether is a man bound to forgiue all debts Ans. The word debt in this place is not vnderstood of debt that is ciuill and comes by lawfull bargaining but of hurts and dammages which are done vnto vs in our bodies goods or good name As for the former ciuill debts a man may exact them so he doe it with shewing of mercie 2. Quest. How may any man forgiue trespasses seeing God onely forgiues sinne Ans. In euery trespasse which any doe to their neighbours there be two offences one to God another to man In the first respect as it is against God and his commaundement it is called a sinne and that God onely forgiues in the other respect it is called an iniurie or dammage and so man may forgiue it When a man is robbed the law is broken by stealing the iniurie that is done is against a man that hath his goods stolne This iniury as it is an iniury a man may forgiue but as it is a sinne he can not but God onely 3. Quest. Whether may a man lawfully pray this petition and yet sue him at the law who hath done him wrong Ans. A man may in an holy manner
art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whom thou louest but surely O Redeemer in eternall mercies thou wilt shew thy compassions For when thou leauest vs O Lord thou doest not leaue vs very long neither doest thou leaue vs to our losse but to our lucre and aduantage euen that thy holy spirit with bigger portion of thy power and vertue may lighten and cheere vs that the want of feeling of our sorrow may be recompenced plentifully with the liuely sent of hauing thee to our eternall ioy and therefore thou swearest that in thine euerlasting mercie thou wilt haue compassion on vs. Of which thing to the end we might be most assured thine oath is to be marked for thou saiest as I haue sworne that I will neuer bring any more the waters to drowne the world so haue I sworne that I wil neuer more be angrie with thee nor reprooue thee The mountaines shall remooue and the hills shall fall downe but thy louing kindnes shall not mooue and the bond of thy peace shal not faile thee thus saiest thou the Lord our mercifull redeemer Deare father therefore I pray thee remember euen for thine owne truth mercies sake the promise euerlasting couenant which in thy good time I pray thee to write in my heart that I may know thee to be the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent that I may loue thee with all my heart for euer that I may loue thy people for thy sake that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ that I may alwaies not onely striue against sinne but also ouercome the same daily more and more as thy children doe aboue all things desiring the sanctification of thy name the comming of thy kingdome the doing of thy will on earth as it is in heauen c. through Iesus Christ our Redeemer Mediatour and Aduocate Amen A DECLARATION OF CERTAINE SPIRItuall Desertions seruing to terrifie all drowsie Protestants and to comfort them which mourne for their sinnes AMong all the works of Gods eternal counsel there is none more wonderfull then is Desertion which is nothing els but an action of God forsaking his creature Furthermore God forsakes his creature not by withdrawing his essence or beeing from it for that cannot be considering God is infinite and therefore must needes at all times be euery where but by taking away the grace and operation of his Spirit from his creature Neither must any thinke it to be crueltie in God to forsake his creature which he hath made for he is soueraigne Lord ouer all his works and for that cause he is not bound to any and he may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will And this his will is not to be blamed for men are not to imagine that a thing must first be iust and then afterward that God doth will it but contrariwise first God wills a thing and thereupon it becomes iust Againe sinne is so wretched a thing in the eyes of God that he vtterly forsakes his creature for a punishment thereof Now euery thing so farre forth as it is a chastisment or punishment is good considering that the inflicting therof is the execution of iustice And God neuer forsakes the creature against the will thereof but in the very time of Desertion it voluntarily forsaketh and refuseth grace and chooseth to be forsaken wherefore if any hurt or miserie insue thereof let the creature blame it selfe and praise the Lord. Desertions thus described are of two sorts eternall and temporarie Eternal desertions are those wherby God vpon iust causes known to himselfe forsakes his creature wholly and for euer Thus the deuill with his angels and that part of mankinde which is prepared to destruction is forsaken For first God before all worlds did decree according to the purpose of his owne will to refuse them without the graunt of any mercie Secondly after they are created and liue in the world he giueth them no Sauiour For Christ is onely the redeemer of the Elect and of no more which may thus appeare For whoÌ„ Christ makes no Intercession for theÌ„ he hath wrought no Redemption But for them onely which are elected shall beleeue in him he makes intercession I pray saith he not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me And againe I pray not for these alone but for them also which shal beleeue in me through their word Wherefore Christ is a redeemer to none but to the Elect. Thirdly he reserueth them to eternall damnation for their sinnes which is a totall separation from God and the accomplishment of all other Deseâ—tions For the effecting of this God exerciseth wicked men and reprobates in this life with diuers particular desertions and that after this maner He bestoweth all sorts of benefits on them as on his owne seruants but yet so as that he withdraweth that part of his benefit which hath the promise of life eternal annexed to it in the word And in this matter he dealeth as a maÌ„ that sets many trees in his orchard but so as he takes away the heart or the pith thereof And this the Lord doth either in temporall or spirituall benefits I. For temporall benefits as wealth honour libertie outward peace the Lord dealeth very bountifully with them He makes his sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust he fills their bellies with his hid treasures and as Dauid saith I fretted at the foolish when I saw the prosperitie of the wicked for there is no bondes in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble as other meÌ„ neither are they plagued as other men But yet he holdes backe that which is the principall thing and the very glorie of these benefits that is the right vse of them For that a man may purely vse Gods creatures two things are required First his person must stand iust and sanctifieed before God by faith in Christ. For vntill a mans person please God his worke shall neuer please him Secondly he must vse the same creatures purely which is done partly by inuocation of Gods name and partly by referring them to their set and appointed endeâ— which are Gods glorie a mans owne and his neighbours good But all this is flat contrarie in the vngodly man For first he is forth of Christ so that his person standes vniust before God And therefore all his actions euen those which otherwise are lawfull and good in him are meere sinnes Secondly he vseth Gods gifts and blessings with an euill conscience For by reason of his want of grace to beleeue he cannot resolue himselfe that God as his father doth bestow his blessings on him as his beloued child in Christ yet as a theefe and an vsurper against his conscience he vseth them Adde further the creatures are vsed of him without inuocation for such an one can not pray and therefore he doth but as the swine
but were preuented by death and shall neuer repent II. The longer a man liues in any sinne the greater danger because by practise sinne gets heart and strength Custome is of such force that that which men vse to doe in their life time the same they doe and speake when they are dying One had three poundes owing him to bee paid three seuerall yeares when he was dying nothing could be got of him but three yeres three poūds Againe by deferring repentance men treasure vp wrath against the daie of wrath If a malefactor for his punishment should be appointed euery daie to carrie a sticke of woode to an heap to burne him twentie yeares after it must needs be an exceeding great punishment and miserie and this is the case of euerie sinner who neglecting repentance from daie to daie doth thereby imploy himselfe in heaping vp the coles of Gods wrath to burn his soule in hell when the daie of death comes III. The more the time is prolonged the harder it is to repent the longer a man goes in his sicknesse without phisicke the harder is the recouerie And where the deuill dwels long he will hardly be remooued The best waie to kill a serpent is to crush it in the head when it is young IV. It is as meat and drinke to the deuil to see men liue in their sinnes deferring repentance as on the contrary there is great ioy among the angels of God in heauen when a sinner doth repent V. Late repentance is seldome or neuer true repentance For if a man repent when he can not sinne as in former time as namely in death then hee leaues not sinne but sinne leaues him wherefore the repentance which men frame to themselues when they are dying it is to be feared least it die with thē And it is verie iust that he should bee contemned of God in his death who contemned God in his life Chrysostom saith that the wicked man hath this punishment on him that in dying hee should forget himselfe who when he was liuing did forget God VI. We are with Abel to giue vnto God in sacrifice euen the fat of our flocke nowe they which deferre repentance to the ende doe the contrarie Late repenters offer the slower of their youth to the deuill and they bring the lame broken sacrifice of their old age to God CHAP. XI OF CERTAINE CASES IN Repentance I. Case of a Reuolt WHether a man that hath professed Christ and his religion yet afterward in persecution denies Christ and forsweares the religion may repent and be saued Answere It is a grieuous estate yet a man may come to repentance afterward Manasses fell away to idolatrie and witchcraft and yet was receiued to mercie So did wise Salomon and yet no doubt recouered is receiued to life euerlasting My reason is because God vouchsafed him to be a penman of some parts of holy Scripture And the scriptures were written not by such as were men of God onely but by such as were holy men of God Peter denied Christ of knowledge against his owne conscience and that with cursing and banning and yet came to repentāce afterward as appeares by the testimonie of Christ I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not therefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Obiect I. Mat. 10.33 Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I denie before my father which is in heauen Ans. The place is onely to be vnderstood of such a deniall of Christ which is finall Obiect II. Heb. 6.4 It is impossible that they which were once lightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift c. if they fal away should be renued by repentance And Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne Ans. These places must bee vnderstood of the sin which is to death in which mē of desperate malice against Christ vniuersally and wholly fall away from religion For the H. Ghost saith not if they fall but if they fall away And it is added that they crucifie the sonne of God and make a mocke of him that they trample vnder foote the sonne of God that they account the blood of the newe testament an vnholy thing that they despise the spirit of God And the word translated willingly imports somewhat more namely to sinne because a man will that is wilfully The like answere is to be giuen to the question whereby it is demanded whether men ouertaken with the vnnaturall sinnes mentioned Rom. 1.24,25,26 may come to repentance afterward or no namely that although the sinnes be hainous and capitall yet the grace of repentance is not denied as appeares in the example of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6.9 10,11 VVHether the child of God after repentance for some grieuous sinne doe fall into the same againe and come to repentance the second time Ans. The case is dangerous as wee may see by comparison in the bodie If one fall into the relapse of an ague or any other strong disease it may cost him his life and the recouerie will bee verie hard Christ said to the man that had bin sicke eight and thirtie yeres after that he had healed him Behold thou art whole sinne no more least a worse thing befall thee And the vncleane spirit returning takes to him other seauen spirits worse then himselfe Indeede we finde no particular example of recouerie after a relapse in the scriptures yet no doubt a recouerie may be Reasons are these I. Promise is made of remission of sins in Christ without any tearme of time without any limitation to any number or kinds of sinne saue onely the blasphemy against the H. Ghost Therefore there may be a repentance and saluation after a relapse II. Christ tels Peter that he must forgiue not til seuen times only which peraduenture he thought to be very much but seuentie seuen times and that in one daie if one returne seuentie times and say it repents me Now if we must do this which haue not so much as a drop of mercie in vs in comparison of God hee will no doubt often forgiue euen for one sinne if men will returne and say it repents me considering that with him is plentifull redemption and he is much in sparing III. Case of Restitution VVHether hee that repents is to make restitution if hee haue taken any thing wrongfully from his neighbour Ans. Yea Zacheus when hee repented and receiued Christ gaue halfe of his goods to the poore and if hee had taken any thing by forged cauillation he restored it foure folde It is but a bad practise when a man on his death bed will verie deuoutly bequeath his soule to God and his goods euill gotten as his conscience wil often crie in his eare to his children and friendes without either restitution or amends making Quest. But what if a man be not able to
debt due vnto him And so soone as any man beginnes to know Christ crucified he knowes his owne debt and thinks of the paiment of it Thus we see howe Christ is to be knowne nowe wee shall not neede to make much examination whether this manner of knowing and acknowledging of Christ take any place in the world or no for fewe there be that knowe him as they ought The Turke euen at this verie daie knowes him not but as he was a prophet The Iewe scorneth his crosse and passion The Popish Churches though in word they confesse him yet doe they not knowe him as they ought The Friers and Iesuits in their sermons at this daie commonly vse the Passion as a meanes to stirre vp pietie and compassion towards Christ who beeing so righteous a man was so hardly intreated and to inflame their hearts to an hatred of the Iewes and Iudas and Pontius Pilate that put our blessed Sauiour to death but all this may be done in any other historie And the seruice of God which in that Church stands nowe in force by the Canons of the Councill of Trent defaceth Christ crucified in that the passions of martyrs are made meritorious and the very wood of the crosse their only help and the virgin Marie the Queene of heauen and a mother of mercie who in remission of â—innes may command her sonne and they giue religious adoration to dumme crucifixes made by the hand and art of man The common protestant likewise commeth short herein for three causes First whereas in word they acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour that hath redeemed them from their euill conuersation yet indeede they make him a patrone of their sinnes The thiefe makes him the receiuer the murderer makes him his refuge the adulterer be it spoken with reuerence vnto his maiestie makes him the baud For generally men walke on in their euill waies some liuing in this sinne some in that and yet for all this they perswade themselues that God is mercifull and that Christ hath freed them froÌ„ death and damnation Thus Christ that came to abolish sinne is made a maintainer thereof and the common pack-horse of the worlde to beare euery mans burden Secondly men are content to take knowledge of the merit of Christs passion for the remission of their sinnes but in the meane season the vertue of Christs death in the mortifying of sin and the blessed example of his passion which ought to be followed and expressed in our liues conuersations is little or nothing regarded Thirdly men vsually content themselues generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their redeemer neuer once seeking in euery particular estate and condition of life and in euery particular blessing of God to feele the benefit of his passion What is the cause that almost all the world liue in securitie neuer almost touched for their horrible sinnes surely the reason is because they did neuer yet seriously consider that Christ in the garden lay groueling vpon the earth sweating water blood for their offences Againe all such a by fraud and oppression or any kind of hard dealing sucke the blood of poore men neuer yet knewe that their sinnes drewe out the heart blood of Christ. And proud men and women that are puffed vp by reason of their attire which is the badge of their shame and neuer cease hunting after strange fashions doe not consider that Christ was not crucified in gay attire but naked that he might beare the whole shame and curse of the lawe for vs. These and such like whatsoeuer they say in word if we respect the tenour of their liues are flat enemies of the crosse of Christ and tread his pretious blood vnder their feete Now then considering this so weightie and speciall a point of religion is so much neglected O man or woman high or lowe young or olde if thou haue beene wanting this waie begin for verie shame to learne and learning truly to knowe Christ crucified And that thou maiest attaine to this behold him often not in the wooden crucifix after the Popish manner but in the preaching of the word and in the Sacraments in which thou shalt see him crucified before thine eies Gal. 3.1 Desire not here vpon earth to beholde him with the bodily eie but looke vpon him with the eie of true and liuely faith applying him and his merits to thy selfe as thine owne and that with broken and bruised heart as the poore Israelites stung with fierie serpents euen to death behelde the brasen serpent Againe thou must looke vpon him first of all as a glasse or spectacle in which thou shalt see Gods glorie greater in thy redemption then in thy creation In the creation appeared Gods infinite wisdome power and goodnesse in thy redemption by the passion of Christ his endlesse iustice mercie In the creation thou art a member of the first Adam and bearest his image in thy redemption thou art a member of the second Adam In the first thou art indued with naturall life in the second with spirituall In the first thou hast in the person of Eve thy beginning of the rib of Adam in the secoÌ„d thou hast thy beginning as thou art borne of God out of the blood of Christ. Lastly in the first god gaue life in commanding that to be which was not in the second he giues life not by life but by death euen of his owne forme This is the mysterie vnto which the angels themselues desire to looke into 1. Pet. 1.12 Secondly thou must behold him as the full price of thy redemption and perfect reconciliation with God and pray earnestly to God that hee would seale vp the same in thy verie conscience by his holy spirit Thirdly thon must behold Christ as an example to whome thou must conforme thy selfe by regeneration For this cause giue diligence that thou maist by experience say that thou art dead and crucified and buried with Christ and that thou risest againe with him to newnesse of life that he enlightens thy minde and by degrees reforms thy will and affections and giue thee both the wil and the deed in euery good thing And that thou maist not faile in this thy knowledge read the historie of Christs passion obserue all the parts and circumstances thereof apply them to thy selfe for thy full conuersion When thou readest that Christ went to the garden as his custome was where the Iewes might soonest attach him consider that he went to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes willingly and not of constraint and that therefore thou for thy part shouldst doe him all seruice freely and frankely Psal. 110. 3. When thou hearest that in his agonie his foule was heauie vnto death know it was for thy sinnes and that thou shouldest much more conceiue heauines of heart for the same againe that this sorrow of his is ioy and reioycing vnto thee if thou wilt beleeue in him therefore Paul saith I say againe reioyce