others Fourthly the professors of the Gospel doe exceedingly dishonour God when they are wicked c Rom. 2.24 IV. Wee dishonour God in our lives if we doe not by our lives glorifie his Name If we be but negative Christians we are nothing for God created us unto good workes Ephes 2.10 that thereby we might glorifie his Name Matthew 5.16 VERS 10. Thy Kingdome come thy Will be done Vers 10 in earth as it is in Heaven § 1. Thy Kingdome come Sect. 1 What is meant by Kingdome Quest 1 Kingdome is taken either Figuratively to wit Sometime for the word of God The Kingdome of God shall be taken away and given to another nation Matth. 21.43 that is the word shall be taken from them Sometimes for the infusion of grace by the Spirit of God Mark 4.26 Sometimes for persons to wit either the Saints or the Church of Christ Literally for that dominion which God exerciseth which is either Generall to wit his Lordship over all men all creatures yea all the world specified in these places Psalme 29.19 and 47.7 and 97.1 Particular which is either Of vengeance anger power and wrath And thus he rules over the wicked Psalme 99.1 Of mercy and love and thus he rules over his children according to a double time viz. either Of grace in this life Or Of glory in the life to come Reade Psa 24 7. and. 44.5 Quest 2 What is meant by this word Adveniat let it come Heaven comes not unto us but wee goe unto it wherefore it should rather be Adveniamus Let us come unto thy kingdome then Adveniat let it come Answ These words may be understood two waies namely First for Declaretur let it be made known as if our Saviour would say let the world know that thou art King and that thou rulest over all And this is to be referred to the Kingdome of vengeance Secondly for Perficiatur let it be consummated and finished as if hee would say that which thou hast decreed and determined concerning thine elect fulfill and perfect both in us and in all thine Now this hath reference to the Kingdome of mercie First Adveniat regnum id est Declaretur regnum Thy kingdome come that is let thy Kingdome be made knowne This cannot bee understood of Gods generall Kingdome over all the world mentioned in the former question for God hath this already yea no Christian makes question but that God is Lord ruling and governing all the world It is therefore to be understood of his particular Kingdome to wit the Kingdome of vengeance the words being taken from the declaration of Gods wrath anger power and vengeance Teaching us Observ That every Christian ought to pray that God would shew himselfe the potent King of all the world by destroying all his enemies and the enemies of his Church Thus David prayes powre forth thy anger upon the Gentiles yea smite and destroy them in thy wrath Quest 3 Why should we pray for the confusion of the enemies of God and his Church Answ 1 First because it makes for Gods glory hee is dishonoured and contemned by the wicked who will not obey his behests but oppose his injunctions who will not be subject to his lawes but validis remis with all their might set themselves against his rule and government and will not have him to rule over them â—â—d therefore the glory and honour of God is highly advanced when as such impious obstinate stubborne and rebellious people bee cut off and destroyed Secondly because it is good for the godly Answ 2 As wee pray for the ruine of Gods enemies through our zeale to Gods glory so also wee pray for the perdition and destruction of the enemies of the Church of God through our love to the Church and true members thereof because their destruction is good and profitable for the children of God who are oppressed injured wronged and persecuted by them Bonos punit qui malis parcit d Seneca he punisheth the righteous who spares the wicked because the impunitie of the wicked increaseth their impietie towards the righteous Hence wee finde a double practise in the people of God namely I. They pray for the destruction of the Lords enemies Iudg. 5.31 Psalme 83.8 c. II. They give thanks for their destruction when God hath revealed his vengeance and declared his power in their utter ruine and downfall Read Exodus 15. Judg. 5. Ps 136. How may we pray for the enemies of God Quest 4 and Church Not onely in zeale nor onely in love but Answ 1 both mixt together For I wee may be zealous with a wrong zeale thus Paul breathed forth threatning against the Disciples of Christ and the Apostles were too ready with Elias to call for fire from Heaven but the Lord checks them for this their forward cruell zeale because it was not mixed with love but proceeded from a desire of revenge II. Some naturall respect unto the person of the enemie of God and the Church makes us oftentimes to pray only in love for his health prosperity preservation and the like and not in zeale Because he is of affinitie or acquaintance or by some bond of friendship knit neare unto us therefore we pray for him in love towards our selves but not in zeale unto Gods glory or love unto Gods Church carnally preferring our particular interest and relation unto any enemie of God or his Church before either the glory of God or good of his Church unto whom hee is an enemie And therefore whatsoever the enemies of God or his Church bee in regard of our owne Particular it is our dutie thus to pray for them First with a condition that if it may stand with the Lords pleasure and good will he would be graciously pleased to convert and turne them and of persecuting Sauls to make them preaching and professing Pauls Secondly but if not that they may bee destroyed lest they bring the people of God unto ruine or the Lords name bee prophaned by them Object Worldlings and wicked men object This prayer for the destruction of Gods and the Churches enemies ariseth out of envie and therefore can be neither good nor warrantable Answ It proceedeth not from envie but from zeale aâ—â— love Quest 5 How can a man pray for the judgements of the Lord to bee effused upon any out of love and charitie Answ 1 First wee may desire it out of our love to Gods glory who is dishonoured by their lives Answ 2 Secondâ—y out of our love unto others who are in danger to bee corrupted and tainted by their evill example when some perceive others to be wicked and to set themselves against God his law truth and children and yet prosper in their wickednes it hearten them on to the like practises And therefore in love unto these we desire tâ—at these stumbling stones may be removed out of the way Thirdly we may pray for the subversion and Answ 3 ruine of the enemies of the
presented Or as when the gates are beate open or the walls of a besiedged City broken downe or a ship of the enemies grappled withall Iosh 6.20 every man thrusts and strives to enter as fast as hee can Even so here the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence that is Christ having broken downe the wall of separation and partition and rent in twaine the veile and opened the gate of heaven to all whether bond or free Iew or Gentile Greeke or Barbarian hence of all sorts from all places many flocke unto the Church of Christ Secondly Respectu ordinis neglecti in regard of the conditions which now were abolished and disanulled namely Circumcision legall sacrifices and that hard and impossible condition Fac vives fullfill the Law and thou shalt be saved by the Law otherwise thou canst not be saved Now these being worne out of date and antiquated wee men runne unto God onely by faith in Christ hoping thereby to be saved Thirdly Respectu interni roboris in regard of inward strength and power God giving under the Gospell ordinarily a more ample spirit or measure of his spirit now of this by and by § 3. And the violent take it by force Sect. 3 These words have the force of an exception As if our Saviour would say the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence but yet not all obtaine it but onely the violent Violenti rapiunt Hence then observe That the kingdome of heaven cannot be obtained or gained Observ without a vehement motion of the heart and a desire enflamed and kindled with the zeale of faith Luke 7.29.30 What was required of the Jewes in regard of the Messias Quest 1 First that they should earnestly and greedily Answ 1 expect him and this they did Rom. 8.23 as appeares by the Proverbe Vt Iudaei Messiam and also by Iohn 1.19 c. and 4 25. Answ 2 Secondly it was required of them that they should beleeve Elias the Messenger and fore-runner of the Messiah and by and by seeke out Christ As Iohn 4.30.39 Luke 7.16 Answ 3 Thirdly it was required that having found out Christ they should follow him with joy forsaking for his sake all other things as Mat. 4.25 and 8.1 and 12.15 and 14.13 and 19.2 and 20.29 and Mark 11.9 and Luke 5.15 and 12 1. and 15.1 Answ 4 Fourthly it was required of them that they should embrace and accept of Christ upon any termes or conditions whatsoever although never so hard to flesh and blood And not like Agrippa who was almost perswaded to become a Christian or like the young man who departed from Christ sorrowfull but felling all leaving all denying themselves and taking up those crosses as Christ enjoyned them they should follow him Answ 5 Fiftly it was required of them that having once embraced and accepted of Christ they should serve him zealously all their daies And then at the end of their life they should be crowned with life eternall Now all these are required of us and all those who desire to be made partakers of the heavenly Kingdome For I. We must above all things long for expect and desire that Christ would come unto our hearts and soules II. We must beleeve his Messengers and Ministers who bring his word and declare his will unto us III. Wee must obey those directions which are taught us by his Messengers for the obtaining of him although the Rules prescribed be difficult and contrary to corrupt nature IV. Having found out Christ and obtained him we must rejoyce in him yea so rejoyce that we would part with and forsake al things rather then him V. We must then learne and labour to be truely zealous in his service and for his glory because this zeale is the fire which mollifies and softens our hearts and makes them the more easily receive divine impressions Now these things beeing well weighed and considered wee may safely conclude That heaven cannot be had without zealous desires motions and endeavours because violenti rapiunt onely the violent take it and that by force Quest 2 Wherein is our zeale to be expressed Answ 1 First in the love of Religion which we can never love too much or affect zealously enough Answ 2 Secondly we must be zealous in the encreasing of our faith and desire unfainedly and earnestly to be sealed by the holy Spirit and thereby to be assured of Christ and salvation Rom. 8.15.16 and 1 Iohn 5.10 Many desire this grace of a true and sure faith but they seeke it fluggishly and expect to obtaine it easily Cantic 3.1 But wee must be zealous in the search and enquity thereof and then we may hope that he whom wee desire should come will come and not tarry Heb. 10.38 Thirdly we must be zealous in our prayers Answ 3 for this is the most true approbation of the heart Here observe that there are two things which sharpen the edge of zeale to wit I. The sense of our want or misery for hee who conceives himselfe or his estate to be miserable will cry aloud unto God with a sad heart and a sorrowfull countenance as we see in the Publicane whereas the proud Pharisee onely gives thankes but prayes for nothing Luk. 18.11 And therefore wee must labour to be sensible of our sins and wants II. A desire of the benefit offred as Christ said to the woman If thou knew the gift or grace of God then thou wouldest aske water of me Iohn 4.10 And therefore we must labour to know what spirituall gifts and graces are excellent and wherin we are indigent and then hunger long and pray earnestly for them but because the gift and grace of prayer comes from above and without the assistance of the Spirit we cannot pray as we ought we must therefore desire the Lord to give us the spirit of prayer as also strength and power to offer up pleasing and spirituall sacrifices unto him Fourthly wee must be zealous in obedience of Answ 4 life and that with humility and submission of our wils to the will of God And thus if wee be zealous in the Profession of Religion zealous in desire and endeavour to encrease our faith zealous in our prayers and in the pious practise of our lives and conversations wee may then be certainly assured that we shall be made partakers of the kingdome of glory for Violoni rapium The violent take it by force VERS 13.14 For all the Prophets V. 13.14 and the Law prophesied untill Iohn And if yee will receive it this is Elias which was to come § 1. All the Prophets and the Law prophesied untill Sect. 2 Iohn What is the meaning of these words Quest 1 First it is expounded De scope Prophetâ—num Answ 1 thus this Iohn is he at whom all the Prophets and this Law almed and marked Thus Calvin Muscul s Why did they levell rather at Iohn then at Quest 2 Christ or why doth Christ say they all prophesied of Iohn and not rather that they all
part of the Church which is triumphant is lively portraied Revel 21.18 ad vers 25. but that beauty which is in the Militant Church is especially internall and spirituall not externall and corporall according to that of the Psalmist The Kings daughter is all glorious within r Psal 45.13 And therefore if we desire to be assured that we are members of the Church militant and shall be of the triumphant let us then learne I. to be subject to the lawfull and decent rites of the Church II. To be obedient to the Lawes of God and behests of Christ III. To love to agree and accord one with another in brotherly and christian-like love And IV. to endevour that we may be pure and unspotted in the hidden man of the heart Quest 4 Secondly having thus considered of the Citie set upon a hill let us now proceed to the Hill upon which this City stands And first hence it may be demanded what this Hill or Mountaine is Answ 1 First some hereby understand heaven Who shall dwell ô Lord saith David upon thy holy hill Psal 15.1 and 24.3 Hee that beleeves shall possesse thy holy hill Esa 57.13 But the word is not thus taken in this place Answ 2 Secondly some understand righteousnesse and thus Augustine sup Answ 3 Thirdly some understand Christ Chrysost imperf alluding unto Sion which is called the holy Mount Obser Psal 2.6 and 43.3 Teaching us that we are founded onely upon Christ who is the true corner stone Ephhes 2.20 21 22. the head beginning and first-borne of the faithfull Coloss 1.18 yea our alone Saviour Acts 4.12 And therefore we may not seeke helpe from any other Quest 5 May we not pray unto the Saints for succour in our distresses Answ No because he unto whom we pray or from whom we expect any blessing ought to have these three properties which are proper onely unto God and not communicable unto any other First he must have Scientiaminopiae a knowledge of our wants and necessities The Papists dispute that the Saints know our wants in speculo Trinitatis seeing them in the face of God as in a glasse But 1. this glasse is but a foolish fiction and braine-sicke phansie of their owne and it is false at the least doubtfull whether the Saints know any of our particular griefes or not 2. It is necessary that they should heare all at one time who pray unto them Yea 3. understand the hearts and hearty desires of all in distresse but these are peculiar unto God as shall be shewed Math. 6.9 Secondly hee must have Potentiam juvandi power and ability to helpe that is be able 1. to give all good things unto us which we want 2. To preserve us from all dangers we are incident unto 3. To overcome Satan our deadly enemie 4. To direct all things that befall us unto our good Now the Saints cannot give all things unto us for they are but creatures and this is proper to the Creator and Lord of all things in heaven and earth When a Papist prayes to any Saint in heaven for any blessing if that Saint should heare his prayer I perswade my selfe he would answer as Christ did to the Mother of Zebedees children who desired that one of her sonnes should sit upon his right hand and the other on his left That it was not his to give but it should be given to them for whom it was prepared of his Father u Mat. 22.23 prosperity promotion preferment and the like being ordered and disposed by him Againe the Saints cannot deliver from danger This Eliphas the Temanite knew right well when he said To which of the Saints wilt thou turne v Job 5.1 But if wee call upon the Lord he can deliver us Psal 50.15 Againe the Saints cannot enable us to overcome Satan for this power is derived unto us from God who being stronger than he can take away his armour wherein hee trusts and his captives whom he possesses binding him in chaines and setting them at liberty Lastly the Saints cannot order and dispose of all our actions to our good because they doe not know what may come to passe w Eccles 8.7 Omnia in futurum reservantur incerta But the Lord calls those things which are not as though they were knowing things to come as well as present or by-passed and hath promised by his speciall providence so to dispose of all the actions of his children that all things shall worke together for the best unto them x Rom. 8.18 And therefore we must pray to no other Thirdly hee must love us cordially having Voluntatem juvandi as well a will to helpe us as power and ability to assist us Now none hath equalled the Lords love unto us for that was infinite y Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 4.16 And thus much for the third exposition of the word Hill Fourthly some more generally understand Answ 4 by this word Mountaine and Hill onely a more glorious and conspicuous estate of the Church And thus the name of a Mountaine is given to the Church it selfe Yee are they that forsake the Lord and forget my holy Mountaine z Esa 65.11 that is the Church How and wherein is the Church of God like Quest 4 unto a City set upon a Mountaine First it is more conspicuous and in that regard Answ 1 more prone and subject to be assaulted by enemies because they can see it from farre but this followes in the next § it cannot be hid Secondly it is defended with Towers Walls Answ 2 Gates Rockes Now the Ministers of the Word of God are all these as appeares in Ieremiah Behold saith the Lord I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against the Kings Princes Priests and people a Jer. 1.18 As the wall repelles and beates backe the darts and keepes out the enemies so in like manner doe the Ministers they oppose themselves against sinne and boldly reprove sinne not fearing the favour or frowne of any Christ calls Herod Fox Elias reproves Ahab telling him that it was hee and his Fathers house who had troubled Israel Thirdly a City built on a Hill hath watch-towers Answ 3 as we see Ezekiel 3.17 Sonne of men I have made thee a watch-man unto the house of Israel and therefore give them warning And the Ministers of the new Testament are made overseers Acts 20.28 and Heb. 13.17 And therfore they are no faithful Ministers who do not admonish their people of danger in warre if he sleepe who is appointed to stand centinel and to watch for the safeguard of the army hee is hanged by Marshall law Wherefore Preachers who are the Watch-men of this city the Church had need to bee vigilant lest they incurre the Lords displeasure against them to cut them off for their negligence and remisnesse Answ 4 Fourthly such cities as are founded upon Mountaines are most safe and
Church out of our love unto the children of God who are offended by them and with them as was said before Fourthly wee may begge this even out of Answ 4 our love unto themselves who are for the present both Gods enemies and the Churches for I. We desire the Lord to lay some affliction upon them though it be heavie that thereby they may learne to feare God And so by the punishments of their bodies their soules come to bee saved in the day of the Lord. This is good and profitable for them II. If temporall affliction will not humble and bring them home then we desire God to remove them away by death speedily that so their punishment may bee lesse in hell fire For if they should live longer they would sinne more and worse wicked men growing daily worse and worse and consequently their eternall judgement would bee so much the greater and more insupportable And the lesse their punishment is the better it is for them Will God heare these imprecations Certainely hee will hee hath promised to Quest 6 heare his childreÌ„ when they pray for vengeance against their owne particular enemies Answ and persecutors Luke 18.7 much more then when they pray against those who are both the enemies of God and adversaries also unto his Church Who are these enemies whom we must pray Quest 7 against First those who by their sinnes dishonour Answ 1 God the Lord is displeased with all sinnes but his name is dishonoured by some sinnes more then others and by the sinnes of some men more then others Now the more that any man dishonours God by his sins the more sure he is of perdition destruction except he repent because he is one of the Lords chiefe enemies Secondly those who by their sinnes glve a Answ 2 publike scandall to the profession of religion are great enemies both to God and his Church Thirdly those who sinne with a high hand Answ 3 and are insolent in their wickednesse against either God or his Church are some of these enemies who shall certaineâ—y perish Fourthly those who sinne desperately without Answ 4 repentance being obstinate in their transgressions and not mourning for their iniquities are of this number which the Lord will be avenged of when his children cry unto him to declare himselfe unto the world to bee King of Kings by the destruction of his and their enemies And thus much for this exposition of these words Thy kingdome come Secondly Adveniat regnum Thy kingdome come is taken for perficiatur and hath reference to the Kingdome of mercy Now in the words thus understood we begge many things at Gods hands To wit both that we may be Freed from the false Church to wit both of Sathan and His Ministers that is Persecuters And Seducers which are either Atheists Or Superstitious persons Brought into the true Church and this we desire both for All the godly that First the Church may be consummated Secondly that it may bee glorified to wit by the extension of the Limits and bounds thereof And Holy profession thereof And Pure life and good examples of professors Thirdly that they may enjoy the meanes viz. The word and The power of the Spirit with the word Our selves that we may be brought both into the Kingdome of Grace in this life Glory in the life to come Having all these severall particulars to handle in another place I will here onely speake a word or two of the two last wherin we pray that both wee and all the elect may first bee brought into the kingdome of grace and afterwards into the kingdome of glory Quest 8 Can we of our selves or by our owne power come unto the Kingdome of grace Answ To this Gerson answers Signanter dicitur in oratione Dominicà Adveniat regnum tuum id est ad nos veniat quia virtute nostra ad ipsum pervenire non possumus Very significantly doth our Saviour in this verse say Thy Kingdome come that is let it come unto us because wee by our owne power and strength are not able to come unto it Quest 9 If it be thus then how can wee promote or helpe forward this Kingdome of grace and Christ Answ We must strive to advance propagate and enlarge this Kingdom of grace by these meanes namely First by prayer as in this verse Secondly by submitting of our selves unto God by true obedience suffering him wholy to rule beare sway in our hearts by his blessed spirit Thirdly by opposing and resisting as much and as farre as lawfully we may the enemies of Christ and his Church Fourthly by comforting and helping the Church and children of God to our abilities we must doe good unto all but especially unto the houshold of faith that the faithfull who are in any distresse may be comforted and others thereby encouraged to strive to be of that societie and fraternitie who will not see one another lacke Fifthly by a good life and holy conversation for that is a meanes to convert others unto the faith and bring home erring sheepe unto Christs fold Phil. 2.15 and 1 Pet. 2.12 Quest 10 Why must we be thus carefull by all waies and meanes to bee made members of Christs Kingdome upon earth Answ 1 First because we have an expresse Commandement for it Mat. 6.33 Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Answ 2 Secondly because wee have the constant example of all the faithfull for it whose principall care hath beene still for this Answ 3 Thirdly because wee have bound our selves with an oath both in Baptisme and the Supper of our Lord that we would forsake the kingdome of Sathan and submit our selves to this Spirituall kingdome of Christ Answ 4 Fourthly because the subjects of this Kingdome are interested and made heires of all good things in this life both temporall and spirituall Mat. 6.33 Rom. 8.32 and 1 Cor. 3.21 Answ 5 Fifthly because the Citizens of this spirituall Jerusalem shall be made eternally happie and blessed in that Jerusalem which is above in the Quest 11 life to come Who are carelesse and negligent of helping forward this Kingdome of Christ and grace First those who are altogether negligent in praying fervently for the amplification and extension of this kingdome Answ 1 Secondly those who cannot endure the Answ 2 yoake of Christ but disdainefully and reproachfully cast it off from their necks Psal 2.2 3. Thirdly those who maniâ—estly and openly Answ 3 or closely and secretly warre and fight for the sworne enemies of Christ sinne sathan and the wicked opposers of the Church truth These are I. Secure sinners who sleepe in their iniquitie and cry tush no evill shall come unto them although they be not the servants of Christ but the slaves of sinne and sathan II. Those who dispute and pleade sinnes and the devils cause that is argue and reason for the upholding bolstering and maintaining of sinne III. Those who speake for side and take part with wicked
worse then Manasses Sauls called afterwards Paul and the theefe upon the crosse and yet these repenting found remission Whose sinnes are greater then Davids Lots Noahs Peters And yet upon their repentance these were received into favour Wherefore repent and all our sinnes shall bee blotted out Esay 1.18 How must we be truely disposed unto this repentance Quest 4 First delay it not but while it is said to day Answ 1 turne from sinne Secondly labour to change thy affections Answ 2 both thy love unto sinne and thy tediousnesse and carelesnesse in that which is good Thirdly learne to change thy life and conversation Answ 3 for the time to come that is strive to bee a new creature Gal. 6.15 Cor. 5.17 Fourthly labour for faith in Christ because Answ 4 his death is the onely price of our redemption Fifthly use the meanes unto humiliation Answ 5 that is the word and examination of our selves thereby together with the fruits effects and reward of iniquitie not forgetting whom wee have offended by our sinnes our gracious God and most mercifull Mediator And thus wee have seene how the Lord pardons our sinnes freely Secondly God forgives our Debts Totaliter wholy Or the Lord remitts unto the faithfull both the whole sinne fault and guilt and the whole punishment Quest 5 How doth this appeare Answ 1 First from these phrases used by the Lord in Scripture viz. I. Obliviscendi Of forgetting I will pardon them and I will remember them no more Reade Esay 43.25 Ierem. 31.34 Ezech. 18.22 and Heb. 10.17 II. Of washing and clensing I will make you as white as wooll Esay 1.18 III. Of peace Thy faith hath saved thee goe in peace Luke 7.50 And Christ hath made peace betweene us and God through his blood Col. 1.20 Now if God have forgot our sinnes and washed away our sinnes and is in Christ at peace with us then certainely both the sinne and punishment is pardoned Answ 2 Secondly because those who are once purged have no more cōscience of those sins from which they were purged Heb. 10.2 And therefore both the sinne and punishment are taken away together Thirdly either all punishments are remitted Answ 3 with the sinne or none let the Papists shew us where there is a distinction of punishments in Scripture whereof some are pardoned in this life and some reserved to bee satisfied for after this life or in this life for to my understanding this no where appeares Fourthly because our sinnes are not twice Answ 4 punished once our sinnes were laid upon Christ who suffered for us Esay 53.56 and therefore with the guilt the punishment is taken from us Is a man bound then to make no satisfaction Quest 6 unto God There is a double satisfaction first by action Answ Secondly by passion First there is a satisfaction which consists in action or doing This is twofold to wit either To our neighbour this is necessary for the sinne is not pardoned nisi restituatur ablatum except the injured person be recompensed To God which is either of Thankfulnesse What recompence shall I make the Lord for all his mercies this is lawfull and our duty Psal 116.12 Atonement this is unwarrantable because Christ by his death hath done this Secondly there is a satisfaction which consists in Passions or suffering and thus wee cannot satisfie the justice of God for our sinnes Obiect 8 God first pardons David and then punisheth him 2 Sam. 12. and therefore the justice of God must be satisfied by temporall punishment Answ David was punished for mans sake not for Gods who never respects what is by past after it is once pardoned God correcteth David not for the satisfying of his justice for that was fully satisfied by the sufferings of Christ but that the enemies of God might not blaspheme and that others by his afflictions might learne to feare to offend the Lord. Hence then Purgatorie is but a meere trifle because after wee are washed from our sinnes by the blood of Christ wee have no neede of a second purging 1 John 1.7 Quest 7 What may we thinke of the afflictions crosses and calamities of the righteous Ans 1 First that they are not inflicted upon them in anger If Solomon sinne God will visit his sinnes with a rod and his iniquitie with a stripe Psal 89.32 but yet this correction shall bee in love Psal 89.33 and 2 Sam. 7.15 For God loves his alwaies Iohn 13.1 Ans 2 Secondly we may thinke that God in his corrections never respects the time by past but alwaies the time to come that is either I. His own glory as he did in Iobs tribulation and Pauls temptation 2 Cor. 12.9 Or II. The Churches satisfaction as he did in punishing of David 2. Sam. 12.14 Or III. The benefit and good of the person afflicted Here then observe Affliction is profitable in these three regards viz. First it saves and preserves from condemnation yee are corrected that ye may not be damned 1 Cor. 11.32 The spirit of bondage leades us unto repentance p 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Secondly it encreaseth the hatred of the by-past sinnes David sees not his sinne untill affliction be threatned 2 Sam. 12. and then hee cries out with loud clamours Psal 51. Thirdly it preserveth from future sinnes hence Davids tribulation made him more warie for for the future time Psal 119.67 and Pauls temptation kept him from pride q 2 Cor. 12 8.9 Fourthly it teacheth us the waies of the Lord. Now in affliction have I learned thy law r Psalme 119.71 Fifthly it breedes in us a wearines of the world and a tediousnesse of this life Phil. 1.23 VERS 13. And leade us not into Temptation Vers 13 but deliverer us from evill for thine is the Kingdome and the power and the glory for ever Amen This is the last petition which some cut and divide into two distinguishing it diversely First into Spirituall temptation and Temporall evill Canisius Secondly into future evils not to bee induced and present evils to be removed Thirdly into the effect Temptation and the cause that evill one and this is most probable Fourthly here is the Evill or danger and that is Temptation and the remedie which is a freedome from evill Sect. 1 § 1. And leade us not into temptation Quest 1 What doe wee in generall pray for or desire in these words Answ 1 First wee desire that seeing Sathan cannot tempt when whom or as farre as he would but onely when whom and as farre as God permits and grants that therefore our heavenly father would not give us into the hands or power or policie of the Devill that Tempter but that himself would be pleased to dispense and moderate our temptations and not to suffer us to bee tempted above our strength ſ 1 Cor. 10.13 Secondly we desire that when Sathan sifts Answ 2 and tempts us God would not forsake us or leave us to our selves or deprive us of his grace and helpe but that
he would be graciously pleased to be present with us to stand by us and to assist us in the houre of temptation rebuking restraining and expelling sathan yea so supplying us with strength of grace that wee may not be overcome of sathan or sinne but may overcome them and endure couragiously the brunt of the combate Answ 3 Thirdly seeing that naturally wee are secure unprovided for an assault drowsie in temptation not weighing and thorowly pondering the sleights and enticements of the Tempter together with his strength and our manifold weaknesses neither seriously considering the danger of temptation we therefore pray unto our God that hee would awake us from the sleepe of securitie and make us watchfull arming us also with the whole armour of a Christian giving us wisedome and fortitude that so we may rightly withstand temptation Answ 4 Fourthly we desire here also that the Lord would give unto us patience consolation and hope that we may bee enabled to indure and patiently beare whatsoever temptation the Lord shall lay upon us and as long as he shall please to exercise us there with And that his grace in the meane time may be sufficient for us Answ 5 Fifthly we desire that when we are so assaulted and insnared by temptation that we neither know what will be the end of it nor how to escape out of it that the Lord would so dispose of it that we may be able to sustaine and endure it and that he would put such an end unto it as may be for his glory and our good Answ 6 Sixthly because the Lord knowes wee have but small strength and power we therefore desire that Christ would preserve us from the perillous and pernitious houre of temptation Apoc. 3.3 Seventhly we desire that in temptation God Answ 7 would keepe us from the presumption of Peter and from the desperation of Saul Eighthly we intreate the Lord not to punish one sin with another by permitting us to be led Answ 8 for some former rebellion into some dangerous temptation as he permitted David to number the people 2 Sam. 24.1 Or by giving us over to our owne hearts lusts Psal 81.3 Or by giveing us over to a reprobate sense Rom. 1.28 or to worke wickednesse and that with greedinesse Ephes 4.18 Chemnit harmon Chap. 51. pag. 621. What is meant by temptation Quest 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tempt Answ hath these three principall significations namely First properly it signifies to try prove or make triall of Hence Secondly it is taken for the triall or probation of God when he proves our patience faith and obedience as was shewed before Chapter 4. Thirdly it is taken for the tentation of sathan when hee tries whether he can deceive and seduce us or not What is the meaning of this word leade Quest 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not to constraine Answ or compell to sinne but to deliver us up to the will of sathan to be seduced and deceived or wee pray that God would not give us into the hands and power of the tempter or temptation Here then foure things offer themselves to be considered of viz. First that it were needlesse to pray against temptation except there were both feare and danger of it Secondly that except wee move God by our prayers wee are in danger to be led into temptation Thirdly that seeing prayer is to be offered up in faith we may therefore hope that this request shall be granted Fourthly that the devill hath many waies to deceive us when God leaves us in his power Fifthly Christ teacheth nothing in vaine unto us Obser 1 but now except we were daily in feare of temptation it were needlesse to pray against it And therefore wee may hence learne that our life is miserable and full of temptation our life is a warfare we are souldiers and sathan is the enemie which fights against us Reade these places Iob 7.1 and 1 Pet. 5.8 and 2 Cor. 7.5 and 1 Tim. 1.18 and 2 Tim. 4.7 and 2.3.4 and Heb. 10.32 Iam. 4.1 and 1 Pet. 2.11 Why is our life so full of temptations Quest 4 First because wee must not bee received into Answ 1 glory untill we have beene proved and tryed Secondly because wee must not be crowned Answ 2 with a reward untill wee have laboured and wrought Thirdly because afflictions and temptations Answ 3 quicken our desires after heaven there being there neither temptation nor tribulation Fourthly because those who are not tempted Answ 4 are bastards and not sonnes Heb. 12.8 Secondly by our Saviours teaching us here to pray against temptation it appeares that God himselfe except he be moved and perswaded by our supplications doth sometimes leade into temptation Doth God tempt any Doth not Saint Iames Quest 4 say flatly let not any man when he is tempted say he is tempted of God for God tempts no man James 1.14 Ans 1 First some distinguish here between good temptations and evill saying I. Good comes from God thus Abraham was tempted Gen. 22.1 Israel and Exod. 15.25 and 16.4 II. Evill temptations come from sathan But First wee pray not against good temptations but evill the former being not onely allowed but also requested Tenta me prove me saith David Psal 26.2 Secondly yea God sometimes permits evill Temptations for tryall thus he tryed Israel by false Prophets t Deut. 13.3 and thus hee tryed Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.31 Ans 2 Secondly some distinguish here of the end saying sathan tempts that we may be destroyed the flesh tempts that we might sinne God tempts that he might try us Vrsians But this doth not fully satifie the question concerning the Actor or Authour of temptation Thirdly some distinguish between the actiō Ans 3 permission God hath a hand in the act of tempting for the action is from God in as much as it is an action not in asmuch as it is sinne u Camara pag. 71. Deus agit materiale peccati non formale c. God is the author of the action but not of the obliquitie of the action Camara ibid. Fourthly some distinguish here of tempting Ans 4 immediately and by meanes and this is true but it holds not universally Ans 5 Fifthly God works in his actions two manner of waies viz. First generally and that both By directing them unto a good end Thus all things worke together for the best Rom. 8.28 Moving them in the beginning For in him we live moove v Act. 17.28 and have our beeing Secondly particularly and that either by Exciting the meanes thus God moves the Angels and good men by quickning and enclining the will Permitting the meanes and thus he permitted Ahab to be tempted 1 King 22.21 and Iob 1.9 and 2.4 Therefore to conclude God tempts these waies I. By moving and causing the action in as much as it is an action II By regulating disposing of it to a good end to wit to his glory though it bee the death and
waies to deceive us when God leaves us in his power or unto his will But of this much hath been spoken before Chap. 4. § 2. But deliver us from evill Sect. 2 What doe we generally pray against in these Quest 1 words Answ 1 First seeing that sathan goes about like a roareing Lyon seeking whom he may devoure wee therefore pray unto God that hee would graciously keepe protect and defend us from him and all his deceits baits allurements and temptations And that if he should ensnare or intrap us by his craft and subtiltie that he would be pleased to free us and deliver us out of his power Secondly we desire that God would preserve Answ 2 us from sin and every evill worke and not suffer us to fall thereinto And if wee should bee overcome by any sin that he would free and redeeme us there-from and inable us to cease from evill and to do good to dye unto sin and to live unto righteousnesse Thirdly wee pray here against all evils Answ 3 to wit I Against the evils of the life to come namely eternall punishment and condemnation II. Against the evils losses crosses casualties and dangers of this life both spirituall and corporall both externall and internall And if wee be subjected under any of these evils that he would be pleased to take it away from us principally if hee see that it be perillous or pernicious and not profitable or beneficiall unto us Fourthly because wee often desire many Answ 4 things which we thinke are good and profitable for us and to be freed from many things which wee thinke are evill and hurtfull yet because we doe not know for the time to come what they may prove wee therefore desire that the Lord who calls those things which are not as though they were and knowes as well what is to come as what is present would preserve us and with-hold all things from us which he sees and knowes to be evill for us Fifthly if it seeme not good unto God to Answ 5 take the temptation or buffet of Satan from us or to free us from any affliction which lieth upon us then we desire that hee would give us patience obedience consolation and hope lest otherwise that which hee sendeth unto us or layeth upon us for our good should become evill unto us Sixthly because all our protections preservations Answ 6 and deliverances in this life are imperfect we being no sooner free from one evill and temptation but we fall into another we therefore desire that God would bring us unto that place life and kingdome where we may bee fully and perfectly delivered from all danger temptation and evill for ever and ever Amen Quest 2 What is the meaning of these words Deliver us from evill Answ 1 First some expound this of the Neuter gender de omni malo futuro vel praesenti August s Of all evill whether present upon us or to come Answ 2 Secondly some expound this of the Masculine gender de malo illo of that evill one the devill thus Chrysostome and Beza sup And that for these reasons I. Because he is the Tempter and therefore as in the former words we pray against temptation so in these against the author thereof Sathan II. Because saith Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth rather signifie the person then the thing But Beza himselfe doth rather ascribe it to the thing then to the person upon 1 Iohn 5.19 yea our Saviour himselfe doth attribute it sometime to things An evill man out of the evill treasure of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringetb forth evill things b Mat. 12.35 III. Because the Masculine article is here added and not the Neuter IV. Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Sathan elsewhere as Mat. 13.19 38. and 1 Iohn 2.13 14. and 3.12 V. Because Tertullian lib. de fuga renders it Malignum Deliver us from that malicious creature who is set upon a mischiefe Answ 3 Thirdly wee need not contend much about the meaning of the words whether wee expound it of the Neuter gender or of the Masculine seeing they come both unto one that is it matters not much whether wee understand by evill that evill one Sathan or those evils which proceed from him as it is most generally interpreted Quest 3 What is the evill one whom from we desire to be delivered Answ 1 First he is a Tempter Mat. 4.3 The Tempter came unto him in which title we may observe these things I. He tempts the best and spares none hee assaults Noah Lot Abraham David Ioseph Iob Paul Peter yea Adam in Paradise and Christ in the wildernesse II. Hee ensnares the wicked taking them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 III. Hee is the father of all sinne Iohn 8.44 and 1 Iohn 3.8.10 who sowes the seeds of all iniquitie in the hearts of men Mat. 13.25 IV. The place of sinne is the habitation of Sathan Revel 2.9 13. and 3.9 V. Hee hinders the fruit of the word Mat. 13.19 1 Thess 2.18 Answ 2 Secondly he is a Lyar Iohn 8.44 and the father of lyes in whose mouth are as many untruthes as words all his promises of good which hee makes unto us being like the promise of knowledge which he made unto Adam Thirdly he is an Accuser who when he hath Answ 3 tempted us unto sinne then he accuseth us unto God Luke 10.18 Revel 12.9 10. Fourthly hee desireth to destroy us In this Answ 4 title of Destroyer wee may take notice of these things He was a murderer and destroyer from the beginning Iohn 8.44 II. He is like a roaring Lyon who seeketh up and downe whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 III. He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destroyer Apoc. 9.11 although I thinke that there this is the name of Antichrist not of the Divell How doth the Divell tempt and assault us Quest 4 that knowing it we may learne to avoid him Sathan comes unto us sometimes cloathed Answ sometimes armed First sometimes the Divell comes unto us cloathed and that with the shew 1. Sometimes of pleasure 2. Sometimes of riches 3. Sometimes of glory and honour 4. Sometimes of humane Lawes 5. Sometimes of honesty 6. Sometime of Religion tempting unto curiositie and superstition Secondly sometimes the Divell comes against us armed and that 1. Sometimes assaulting us by the good things of the world 2. Sometimes with the terrour of evill things 3. Sometimes by the example of others 4. Sometimes by the counsell of wise men or perswasion of friends 5. Sometime by the power of our own affections and lusts And therefore how hard is it for us to resist him yea how impossible of our selves to overcome him Wherefore let us walke circumspectly and pray fervently that the Lord would deliver us from this evill one How doth it appeare that the Lord both can Quest 5 and will deliver his children when they pray unto him both from tentation and affliction both from evils and
conceive that our Saviours scope is here to argue from verse 19. and that thus Lay not up for your selves treasures on earth because then you will adhere and cleave to them Obser Teaching us that hee who studies to lay up treasures on earth will hold to them Eccles. 4.8 6.1 2. Quest 1 How doe men adhere and hold to riches Two manner of wayes viz. Ans First Voluntarie willingly when a man makes choice rather of riches then of God and graces this is shamefull and monstrous for a man wittingly and willingly to preferre his body before his soule the world before the Lord and goods before grace Secondly Coacté by constraint when his affections are so captivated with the love of the world that like Birds in lime-twigs he cannot free himselfe but video meliora proboque deteriora sequer although he see what is best and approve thereof yet still he followes what is evill It is a miserable thing for a man to know that he runneth on the high way to destruction and yet cannot stay himselfe Why may wee not labour to be rich Quest 2 First because riches are not necessary Answ 1 Natura pancis contenta A little sufficeth nature a little meat will feede us and a few cloathes will keepe us warme And therefore there is no necessity of being rich Secondly because riches are full of troubles Answ 2 being acquired by labour kept with care lost with griefe and spent with much unwillingnesse as shall else-where be shewed Thirdly riches are full of perill and danger Answ 3 being hurtfull Both for the Body as shall be shewed amply in another place in the meane time Reade Eccle. 5.10 11 12 13 14. Soule because they hinder us from holy duties namely First from Prayer because either First they distract the Minde in Prayer the thoughts and heart being about some worldly things while the lips pray Secondly or the power of Prayer is conversant about earthly things that is the most and most fervent petitions are for earthly things Secondly from following of Christ as wee see in the young man who chose rather to leave Christ then his riches Matthew 19.20 Thirdly from turning unto God riches so bewitching and inchanting us that we cannot leave them though we dye for it Quest 3 Why may wee not lay up treasures on Earth Answ 1 First because this is a brutish thing to spend all our time about earthly things The Swine never lookes up unto Heaven Plutarch but alwaies beholds the earth and being violently cast and laid upon the backe so as that shee sees the Heaven the admiration of the sight thereof makes her cease her yelling Thus many live here on earth as though there were no other life as though they should live here for ever yea as though God had created them for no greater or higher ends then to be rich Answ 2 Secondly because riches are uncertaine yea shall not abide with us The Frenchmen say that sicknesse comes to men on horse-back but returnes from them on foote that is comes suddenly but goes leasurely Now riches are contrary here unto they come creeping like a snayle but flye away like an Eagle they are long a getting but quickly lost Wee are deprived of our riches three manner of wayes I. Sometimes they are taken away from us by some casualtie either of fire water theeves or the like Read for the proofe hereof Psal 76.3 and Prov. 12.27 and Eccles 5.11 12. II. Sometimes wee are taken from them when we make most account to take pleasure in them as wee see in the rich man who had no sooner said Now soule take thy rest but the Lord saith Stulte hà c nocte Thou foole this night shall thy soule be taken away u Luke 12.20 III. Sometimes they remaine with us and wee with them and yet are taken away in regard of use and comfort sometimes a man is so hindred either by sicknesse or imprisonment or some domesticall vexations of wife or children or the like that he hath no more joy or comfort in his possessions or riches then if he possessed none at all And therefore why should wee wast and spend our daies in treasuring up that which will take the wings of the morning and flye away Thirdly because for the most part they Answ 3 make us worse A man who seriously desires to bee good will not seeke for or after that which may make him evill But riches are of this nature And therefore we should not consume and wast our time in labouring to heape them up Alexander sent a great reward unto Phocion because he heard that hee was an honest man But he refused the present and returned this answer That hee thanked the King for his bounty and good conceit of him and intreated him to let him bee an honest man still As if hee would say such a summe as Alexander sent was enough to corrupt him and to make him worse and therefore he durst not meddle with it Certainly riches and the things of this world are snares impediments lets yea the baites of Sathan as appeares by him who had married a wife and him who had bought a Farme and him who bought the Oxen w Luk. 14.18 19 20 and therefore as wee should avoide the coards of vanity that draw on iniquity so wee should not heape up and gather together that which will bee a meanes to make us rather worse then better Quest 4 Is it not lawfull at all to lay up treasures here one earth doth not Saint Paul say that he who provides not for his family is worse then an infidell 1 Tim. 5.8 yea doth not Salomon say Bee thou diligent to know the state of thy flockes and looke wel to thy herds Prov. 27.23 Answ 1 First in generall it is lawfull to possesse riches as followes afterwards Answ 2 Secondly in generall it is lawfull to procure and acquire riches honestly Iacob increased his estate when he was with Laban and Ioseph gathered exceeding much riches from Pharaoh Thirdly it is lawfull to lay up treasures and to Answ 3 provide some estate for our children 1 Tim 5.8 yea it is the duty of parents as Saint Paul saith The children ought not to lay up for the parents but the parents for the children a 2 Cor. 12 14 Answ 4 Fourthly our Saviour forbids to lay up treasures not absolutely but respectively For the understanding hereof marke well these two things namely I. That some treasures are lawfull and necessary to wit wherein riches lawfuâ—ly acquired are laid up whether publickly in Exchequors or Halles or privately by private persons onely remembring that they must be laid up without injury of any and with thankesgiving unto God II. There are some treasures unlawfull which our Saviour forbids vers 19. Quest 4 How may wee know whether our hoording and heaping up of riches be unlawfull Answ 1 First if there be no necessity of laying up riches either for our selves or
Quest 6 in us as it was By these plaine markes namely Answer 1. Are thy affections as strongly set upon sinne as ever they were dost thou love sin as well as ever thou didst then certainely thou art yet sinnes slave 2. Are thy temptations as frequent as ever they were doth the devill tempt thee as often as ever he did then it is an argument that hee hath too much in thee 3. Art thou as stupid dull and blinde in seeing the craft and subtlety of Sathan as ever thou wert art thou still as ignorant of his devices as ever it is a signe then that sinne hath a commanding power in and over thee 4. Art thou as unable to resist sinne as ever thou wert as weake as ever as naked as ever as feeble and faint-hearted as ever this showes that corruption is too strong in thee On the contrary if wee finde that our love is not so much unto sinne as it was but that the edge of our affections is taken off if temptations be more rare in us and we more quick sighted unto Sathans subtlety and more strong to resist him both by Faith Prayer and the Word then it is a comfortable signe that sinne is growne weaker in us and our feet reduced from this broad way § 3. That leads unto destruction Sect. 3 Our Saviour in these words showes that the broad way of sinne brings at last unto perpetuall paine How doth it appeare that sinners shall perish Question 1 for there are many who thinke otherwise perswadeing themselves that they may walke in this way and yet at last come unto salvation First it appeares evidently from Christs owne Answer 1 words in this place where hee showes that the end of the Broad way is perdition Narrow way is salvation And therfore it matters not what others thinke Secondly it appeares from other plaine and positive Answer 2 places of Scripture reade Psalm 9.17 and 11.6 and 83.10.13 and Jsa 5.24 and 1 Corinth 6.9 Thirdly sinne is the foundation of condemnation Answer 3 or all and onely sinners shall bee damned And therefore it is cleare that the broad path leades to perdition reade Isa 50.1 and 59.2 and Ierem. 5.25 Hose 13.1 Rom. 6.23 Psalm 1.5 and 5.4 and 34.16 Prov. 16.4 Isa 3.10 11. Fourthly the arrowes of the Lord are levelled against Answer 4 such as walke in the broad way And therefore they must needs come to destruction at the last Psal 34.16 Fiftly the reward of sinne is death The locusts Answer 5 having brought forth their young die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist so lust having conceived brings forth sinne and sinne when it is finished brings forth death Iames 1.15 and Rom. 6.28 Sixtly otherwise God should not bee just For Answer 6 1. Hee hath made a law that if we sinne we shall dye Genes 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Pope Iulius the third caused this sentence to bee written about his coyne That nation and people shall perish which will not obey me so the Lord hath made a law and threatned to inflict condigne punishment upon all those who disobey it Rom. 3.23 2. Mankinde hath broken this Law in Adam and wicked men daily breake it themselves in their owne persons And therefore the justice of God requires that they should be punished whose sinnes are not done away in Christ Question 2 Shall no wicked men at all escape this destruction None who continue to walke in this way untill they come to the end thereof For Answer First Kings and great men shall suffer if they run with the common sort Isay 41.2 Daniel 5.27 Secondly Wisemen shall bee punished if they thus play the fooles Exod. 1.10 and 15.7 and Rom. 1.22 Thirdly Proud men shall be ruined notwithstanding all their high conceits of themselves Malach. 4.1 Fourthly Hypocrites shall perish who walke in this broad way secretly and unseene Matth. 23. Question 3 Why must wee thus labour by all meanes to renounce sinne Answer 1 First because there can bee no true repentance without the reformation of the life from sinne Answer 2 Secondly because there can bee no true faith without this Faith purgeth and purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and the heart being purged the life must needs bee pure Wherefore there is no truth of faith where sinne is not forsaken Answer 3 Thirdly wee cannot bee made partakers of the blessed Spirit of God untill wee have left sinne for the Holy Ghost will not come to a polluted soule And therefore it is to bee renounced Answer 4 Fourthly there is no way to escape the wrath of God or eternall destruction without the forsaking of sinne And therefore wee should bee carefull to leave it Question 4 How may wee avoid and leave sinne Answer 1 First shunne and beware of all the occasions of sinne Answer 2 Secondly use all holy meanes to bee good and pure and sincere Answer 3 Thirdly deplore thy infirmities speedily and heartily wash thy soule with teares for thy former transgressions sorrowing with a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 Answer 4 Fourthly promise unto God to fight manfully against thy former sinnes and all sinnes for the time to come and labour to performe thy promise Answer 5 Fiftly Pray fervently unto God to free thee from the commanding power of sin and to preserve thee from sinne and to make thee the free-man of Jesus Christ Question 5 What things hinder us from turning aside out of this broad way of sinne Answer And what are the remedies against these impediments The Impediments are these First insensibility when a man is not sensible of his sin he is not carefull to forsake it Secondly presumption when men either presume that they are not sinners or that their sinnes are small or that though great yet they shall be pardoned it makes them more carelesse and fearelesse of sin and more slack to leave it Thirdly Procrastination and delay when wee promise repentance but put off the performance thereof from day to day Fourthly key-coldnesse in performing perfecting of the worke not striving against sin unto blood Hebr. 12.4 The Remedies are these First a tender circumcised heart which is sensible of the least touch of sinne Secondly a godly feare remembring that wee are sinners yea great sinners and neither able to satisfy for our sins our selves not sure that they shall bee pardoned in Christ except wee strive to forsake and leave them Thirdly not to deferre but while it is said to day to turne from our sins and turne unto the Lord our God Fourthly zeale alacritis and industrie in the resisting of sinne striving against it with manfull wrastlings till wee have prevailed § 4. And many there bee which goe in thereat Sect. 4 What is the meaning of this word Many Question 1 Our Saviour shewes hereby Answer that there are not onely Many simply which walke in the broad way but that there are so many that in comparison of them they who
earnestly and ardently yea with a true and unfaigned cordiall desire like Esau who sought for a blessing with teares Genes 27.34 And therfore wee should labour to set an edge upon our prayers and to crie mightily unto God as Psal 27.4 and 42.1.2 and 84.1.2.10 Thirdly when thou prayest for temporall blessings Rule 3 then moderate thy requests thus viz 1. Rather deprecate and pray against evils then desire pleasant things like Hezekiah who prayed against his enemies Jsa 37. and against death Isa 38.2 or Iacob who prayed against Esau Or Hannah who desired that her reproach might bâ—e taken away 1. Sam. 1.10 II. Be not desirous of temporall blessings that is First love not temporall good things too wel prize them not too highly neither Secondly complain too much of evils or crosses that is neither fear them too much nor sorrow for them too immoderatly III. Confesse that thou hast deserved greatest evils then lye upon thee if thou want any good or necessary blessing confesse and acknowledge that God justly doth with-hold it from thee if thou praiest against any evil acknowledg that thou hast not deserved that it should be removed or taken away from thee but that it should cleave unto thee untill it had consumed thee Daniel 9.7 c. IV. Pray with this reservation Thy will bee done Matth. 6.11 and 26.39 Question 5 How doth God hear our prayers Answ 1 First Negatively Non ad voluntatem voluptatem he doth not alwayes hear us according to our desires because wee often ignorantly desire a Scorpion instead of fish Luke 11.11 Sick men mad men and children often call and cry for those things which are hurtfull for them but parents and friends will rather deny them then grant to give them because they know they are hurtfull And thus our All-wise Father deales with us Answ 2 Secondly affirmatively he hears us Ad bonum that is in those things which tend both to our good and his own glory Sect. 2 § 2. I will come Quest 1 How doth Christ promise what he doth not perform How is this true which he saith I wil come when it is evident by the consequent verses that he came not to the Centurions house Answ 1 First Christ came unto him Non corpore sed potentia sanandi Coâ—nestor not in person but in power because he healed him although he came not at him Answ 2 Secondly he went untill he was hindred for he begun to go towards the Centurions house as Saint Luke saith and came neer unto it not staying untill the Centurion hindred him by another message Answ 3 Thirdly Christ speaks here hypothetically that is I will come to thy house and come to thy servant if thou desire it And therefor this promise I will come is Promissio benâ—â—olentiae non assertio operis Carthus a promise of good will not of worke or of what hee was content to do not what really hee would do And thus Christs promise is true either Potentialiter or Intentunaliter or Câ—â—dilionaliter potentially or intentionally or conditionally Quest 2 Why doth Christ say J will come Answ 1 First that hee might shew that he did not despise the lowest although he was a servant yet hee would vouchsafe to go unto him He refuseth to go with the Ruler Iohn 4.49 but promiseth to go to this poor servant although this was not desired of him as appears by the second message Secondly Christ promiseth to come although this be not requested to shew how that he is ready to give us more then wee desire or pray for Answ 2 Hee is able to give us more then we are able to aske or think Ephes 3.20 And we have examples both of his power and love in Salomon giving him wisedom in a greater measure then hee desired and over and above riches which hee desired not 1 King 3.13 As also in David 2 Sam. 7.18 and 2 King 3.18 Why doth God give us more then we desire Quest 3 First because he loves us more then wee love Answ 1 our selvs Secondly because hee knows better what we Answ 2 want then we do our selves Thirdly because we often want what wee are Answ 3 ashamed to beg and therfore hee gives it without asking Wherein doth the love and mercy of God Quest 4 appear towards us First in that he bears with and suffer us with Answ 1 much long suffering and patience although we daily and greatly offend him by our manifold transgressions Secondly the love of God appears in this Answ 2 that he greevs for us as a Father for his children when they take lewd courses Reade Amos 2.13 Ezekiel 18.31 32. and 33 11. Thirdly Gods infinit love and mercy shews Answ 3 it selfe towards us by giving Christ unto us and for us all which were more then we begged of him But God often gives not unto his children what they desire for Paul prayes often Object and yet is not heard 2 Cor. 12.8 First if God give us not that individuall and Answ 1 numericall thing which wee pray for yet he wil give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something which may be as profitable for us and thus hee dealeth with Saint Paul not taking away the temptation from him but assisting him so with his grace that hee was not overcome therby which undoubtedly was the greater grace and more rare blessing Secondly although God do not give us what Answ 2 wee demand yet he doth so order and dispose of all things that every thing workes for the good of his children Rom. 8.28 Now it is much better to draw sweet out of bitter then to take away the bitter thing much better to make our affliction good and profitable for us then to take it away from us VERS 9. For I am a man under authority Vers 9 having souldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and hee commeth and to my servant do this and hee doth it § 1. For I also am a man vnder authority Sect. 1 What comparison doth the Centurion make between Christ and himselfe Quest First hee compares the person of Christ and Answ 1 himselfe together and this comparison is Majoris and minoris For I am a man intimating that Christ was more then a man He doth not compare himselfe with Christ as equall out as inferiour unto him hee doth not deny that Christ is a man but acknowledgeth also that he is God Answ 2 Secondly hee compares the condition of Christ and his own condition together and this Comparison is Inferioris superioris I am a man under the authority of another to wit of the Colonell Generall and the Emperour Tiberius But thou art subject to the power of none but like God himselfe art of absolute power Answ 3 Thirdly hee compares the power of Christ and himselfe together and this Comparison is Majoris and Minoris I have souldiers a cruel kind of men under me and I say unto one man go
contemptible shape sometimes in the likenesse of a Frog sometimes of a Mouse sometimes of a Spider sometimes of a Bee or Fly And therefore he is not so bloody or cruell as was affirmed Answ The Devill doth sometimes hide his malice and his sting and the instruments of his cruelty transforming himselfe into an Angell of light 2 Cor. 11.14 that so hee may the more speedily and unexpectedly destroy The Fowler hides the net and shews only the shrap the Panther hides his fangs and holds forth only his sweet and beautifull skin the Crocodile cryes like a child that cruelly he may slay men And thus bloody cruelty is covered with the vaile of crafty simplicity Object 3 The Devill is ruled governed over-swayed and commanded by an old woman yea often by an Idiot which shews that he is not thus cruell as was affirmed Answ They seeme to govern and rule him but hee in truth and very deed rules and commands them Object 4 The Devill gives riches and good things and pleasures unto his servants and therefore hee is not fierce bloody and cruell Answ Certainly the Devill will give a man two Talents of silver for his destruction as he did unto Gehazi yea set men up in slippery places that he may destroy them h Psalme 73.6.18 being willingly contented that they should spend their dayes in good things that thus in a moment hee may bring them down into the pit Iob 21.13 Sathan delivers many from paines and evils Object 5 and that by good prayers and therefore it is clear that he is not bloody and cruell First hee freeth sometimes from those evils Answ 1 which are inflicted by himselfe Non sanando sed cessando he doth not properly heal and cure evils but only cease from inflicting of evils Abdias in S. Bartholomaeo Secondly he freeth men from evils after they Answ 2 have sacrificed prayed sued and sought unto him for untill then hee hath no power over their soules Id. Ibid. And when men are content to bequeath their soules unto him for the health of their bodies then he is content to cure and heale their bodies But the Schoolmen deny fury or concupiscence Object 6 to be in the Devils Quia nil in ijs irascibile vel concupiscibile Thom. 1.59.5 Quia pertinent haecad appetitum sensitivum non intellectivum Ibid. Yea sense memory and phantasie are not properly in devils but only understanding mind or will Aquinas Certainly as these are perturbations Answ arising from sense they are not in devils but are said to be in them Allegorically because they have a cruell and deadly hatred against man-kind out of an implacable envie But the sacred Scriptures witnesse that the Object 8 Devill is fearfull and will fly away if hee be resisted Iames 4.7 for otherwise it were in vaine to resist him Ephes 4.27 First the Devill is not such a Coward as many Answ 1 make him to be the Drunkard Swearer and cruell person will say I defie the Devill and I feare him not But these are lamentably deceived for whilst openly they defie the Devill secretly they are possessed by the Devill Secondly the Devill flies only from the faithfull Answ 2 when he is resisted by them 1 Pet. 5.9 Now this power comes from heaven not from themselves for the Devill is too strong to bee overcome by any arm of flesh as we may see by those dangerous fals and direfull foiles he hath given to the best of the Saints when God but for a while hath with-held his grace If Sathan be thus fierce cruell strong and Quest 2 powerfull then how comes it to passe that hee doth no more harm then he doth Oftentimes hee would do harm and cannot Answ because his power is not absolute but subordinate Si posset quantum vult nemo justorum remaneret i Aug. s Psalme If he were able to do what he desires hee would not leave a righteous man in the world Sathanae voluntas semper iniqua potestas nunquam injusta quia habet voluntatem à se potestatem à Deo Greg. moral The will of Sathan is alwayes wicked but his power is alwayes just because hee hath his power from the good God but his wil from his wicked selfe And therefore as farre as his sleeve or chain or power will reach hee is most cruell How doth it appear that naturally the Devil Quest 3 is fierce cruell and bloody Answ It appears three manner of wayes viz. First from the nature of Sathan or the nature of an Angell For as the spirituall Image of God in man was lost by the fall of man but the naturall Image remained So in Sathan the naturall power of the Angels remaineth still but their spirituall love is changed into hatred Now the power of the Angels we know is great as appears by the slaughter of those 185000. which were slaine by one Angell in one night And therefore if the naturall power of an Angell remaine in Sathan and his spirituall love bee changed into implacable hatred then without doubt by nature he is fierce and cruell Secondly from the names given unto him hee is called a Lyon 1 Peter 5.8 a Dragon a Serpent Revelat. 12.3.9 and 20.2 Psalme 91.13 Leviathan Esay 27.1 Behemoth a strong man armed Luke 11.21 a Murderer from the beginning Iohn 8.44 Lightning Luke 10.18 An Enemy Matthew 13.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adversary 1 Tim. 5.14 Abaddon and Apollyon Revel 9.11 Thirdly from his works consider but how grievously he afflicted Iob in his estate children body mind wife friends and dreames leaving no means unsought to make him miserable as farre as the Lord would permit him And in the New Testament we reade how hee sifted Peter Luke 22.31 and buffetted Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 Quest 4 How is Sathan this fierce and cruell enemy to be expelled and cast out Answ 1 First Negatively because he is strong and fierce therefore he cannot easily or with sluggish endeavours be expelled or cast out Answ 2 Secondly Iacobus de Valentia in Psalm 6. prescribeth unto us three excellent rules for the driving him way I. He must be cast out Cum pudore with shame and blushing that is we must learn and labour to be ashamed and confounded for our sinnes wherby we became the captives of Sathan Read these places and strive to imitate the practise of these Presidents Ezra 9.6 Daniel 9.7 8 Rom. 6.21 and 2 Cor. 7.11 Ier. 31.19 and 3.3 and 6.15 and 8.12 II. He must be cast out Cum violentiâ with force and violence that is we must resist sinne and Sathan manfully striving against them even unto blood Heb. 12.4 like Iacob who wrastled all the night with the Angell Gen. 32.24 that so wee may become strong in faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Nam quo magis videt rebellâ—nes eo acrius expugnare contendit k Greg. moral 29. The more earnestly we strive to overcome Sathan the more earnestly he strives to overcome us and therefore wee
prevalent And therefore they are more like fiends then Fathers that shew unto their children examples of drunkennesse uncleannesse swearing prophanenesse lying covetousnesse and the like Answ 5 Fifthly Parents should nourish cherish and encourage those who are good but bridle the rebellious and stubborn children with the rod of correction and gentle chastisement Now al these may be understood both of Parents and Masters and Magistrates because they all belong unto them all Sect. 2 § 2. And he tooke her by the hand Observ The means wherby our Saviour raiseth this Damosell are his word and hand Marke 5.41 Luke 8.54 to teach us therby the manner of the conversion of a sinner or that the strength of our conversion doth consist in the voice hand of Christ wherby only those who are spiritually dead are restored to life How doth it appear that wee are converted Quest 1 and quickned only by his word and hand It appears thus First because his word is strong Answ and powerfull as thus appears I. It created the world and all that therein is Gen. 1. and Iohn 1.1.2 II. The word shall raise us up at the last Iohn 5.25 III. The word overcomes Sathan Mat. 4. and makes the Souldiers fall to the ground IV. The word converts us Iohn 5.25 Rom. 1.16 Iames 1.18 Secondly because the hand of God signifies his power and providence What method doth Christ use in the conversion Quest 2 of a sinner First wee are dead by nature Ephes 2.1 and Answ 1 can do nothing that is good Rom. 7.14.18 and 2 Cor. 3.5 Secondly Christ speaks unto us in his word Answ 2 that is by his word speaks unto our hearts or with his words gives his Spirit whereby our hearts burne within us Luke 24. and our consciences are awakened Act 2.37 Thirdly then he takes us by the hand and Answ 3 drawes us unto him by the coards of love Cantic 1.3 bending and enclining our wils to consent unto his Fourthly then we rise from sin to grace and Answ 4 with this Damosell from death to life § 3. And the Maid arose Sect. 3 It is controverted between us and the Church of Rome whether the prayers of the living or any other works of theirs doe profit the dead And they hold that the soules who are tormented in Purgatory doe find great ease by the prayers of the living and therfore wee ought to pray for them Bellarm. lib. 2. de Purg. Cap. 15.18 Now they undertake to prove this because wee deny it from this verse thus Christ while he lived profited the dead Object for he raised to life the Rulers daughter in this verse and the Widowes sonne Luke 7. and Lazarus which were dead Therefore even so the members of Christ ought one to helpe another the living the dead Bellarm. ibid. First they must prove these to have been in Answ 1 Purgatory or they prove nothing to the purpose Secondly if they were able which indeed is Answ 2 impossible for them to prove this yet it were but a fresh mans Argument Christ raised Lazarus and some others from death unto life Therfore we ought to pray for the dead Or thus Christ by his divine power did recall the soule againe unto the body either from heaven or Purgatory Therefore the prayers of the living will helpe the soules of the dead which are in Purgatory torments and afford them some case These are strong Arguments and follow faire and farre off Answ 3 Thirdly Christs miraculous actions were not done for our imitation And therfore it followeth not that upon the miraculous works of Christ wee should build the ordinary duties of Christians yea Saint Augustine telleth us that Christ is not to bee imitated in such workes as these Non hoc tibi dicit non eris Discipulus meus nisi ambulaveris supra mare aut nisi suscitaveris quatriduanum mortuum c. He saith not unto thee thou shalt not be my Disciple unlesse thou canst walke upon the sea and raise one unto life who hath been dead foure dayes But learne of me for I am humble and meek Answ 4 Fourthly if prayer for the dead be unto us as the raising of the dead was unto Christ then as all the dead who are in Purgatory should bee prayed for so Christ should have raised againe all that went then to Purgatory or else by the Iesuits conclusion he failed in charity as we doe now if we pray not for the dead as he bears us in hand Answ 5 Fifthly though the Saints departed and the faithfull living are members of the same body and so are bound in love one to the other yet it followeth not that one should pray for the other They with us and we with them do wish and long to see the redemption of the sons of God accomplished But charity bindeth us not to pray one for another because we know not one the particular needs of another Answ 6 Sixthly to pray for any deceased is against the rule of charity for love beleeveth all things and hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 And wee ought to hope the best of the dead to wit that they are at rest but in praying for them wee presuppose they are in misery and so need our prayers And therfore in so doing we hope not the best of them as charitie willeth Vers 26 VERS 26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land Quest Why did Christ prohibite this miracle to be divulged as is plain he did Marke 5.43 Luke 8.56 Answ 1 First he did it lest he should seeme desirous of vaine glory Muscul s Or Answ 2 Secondly he did it lest it should either provoke the Pharisees or excite the people to conferre some vaine worldly honours upon him as elsewhere they did when they would have made him a King Musc s Answ 3 Thirdly this prohibition was but temporary Gualt Calvin s that is they were for a time enjoyned to conceale it and afterwards to publish it Or Answ 4 Fourthly this prohibition was given only to the Parents lest they should be proud of their daughter who was raised unto life Gualt s Or Fifthly our Saviour did rather forbid them to Answ 5 divulge the manner of her raising then the thing it selfe Calvin s Or Sixthly some thought tesie Calv. that our Saviour Answ 6 forbad them that thereby they might be the more carefull in the publishing of it because Nitimur in vetitum But this I would have none to beleeve Seventhly Christ prohibits the publication Answ 7 hereof that the power of God might the more appear in the spreading it abroad VERS 27. And when Iesus departed thence Vers 27 two blind men followed him crying and saying Thou sonne of David have mercy upon us § 1. And when Iesus departed thence Sect. 1 Whether is this the same History which is mentioned by this same Evangelist Chap. 20.30 Quest The time when this was done Answ doth shew that they are two severall Histories Now
Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Sect. 1 § 1. But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven Quest 1 Concerning blasphemy against the blessed Spirit divers Questions will be made to wit What is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Answ 1 First some of the Ancients call it finall impenitency some hatred of all Christian and brotherly love and some desperation of mercy But these are improperly called blasphemy Answ 2 Secondly that sinne whereby the essence and person of the Holy Spirit is hurt or blasphemed certainly is not this irremissible sin and blasphemy for many Sabellians Eunomians and Macedonians Heretickes at first spake wickedly of the holy Spirit and denied his Deity but afterwards repenting found mercy and obtained remission of sinnes Answ 3 Thirdly neither is this unpardonable blasphemy a simple Apostacy from a knowne truth because hope of pardon is not denied to these Apostates neither is the gate of mercy eternally shut against them if they wil but repent This appeares from our Saviours prayers Father lay not this sinne to their charge and yet these for whom he prayes had called him Devill had said he had an uncleane spirit although they were convinced of his Doctrine and divine workes I argue hence thus Those who commit unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost are not to be prayed for But Christ prayed for those who spake evill of him and his Doctrine and workes against their consciences Therefore these had not committed that unpardonable sinne and consequently might have obtained mercy if they had but repented Answ 4 Fourthly Augustine serm 11. de verbis Apost saith it is Impugnatio finalis agnitae veritatis a finall opposing or resisting of a knowne truth Our Divines more largely and clearely define it thus Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is an universall apostacy and totall relapse inseparably conjoyned with an hatred of the truth Or thus it is a deniall and opposition of a knowne truth concerning God and his will and workes of which truth the conscience is convicted and which denying and impugning thereof is done of set purpose and with deliberation We have an example hereof in the Emperor Iulian who was a learned and an eloquent man and a professour of the Religion of Christ but afterwards fell away and turned Apostate and hence is called Iulian the Apostate and wrote a Book against the Religion of Christ which was answered by Cyrill Afterwards being in a battle against the Persians hee was thrust into the bowels with a dart no man then knew how which dart he pulled out with his owne hands and presently blood followed which hee tooke in his hand as it gushed forth and flung up into the Ayre saying Vicisti Gallilae vicisti O Galilean meaning Christ thou hast now conquered me and so ended his dayes in blaspheming of Christ whom he once professed w Theod. lib. 3. hist Ca. 25. Why is this unpardonable blasphemy called Quest 2 the sin against the Holy Ghost First not because the Holy Spirit may bee offended Answ 1 and the sinne not reflect upon the Father and Sonne for he who sinnes against the third person sinnes also against the first and second from whom he proceeds Secondly it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Answ 2 because the manifestation of spirituall and supernaturall truth is a divine worke which worke is immediately wrought by the Holy Spirit and therefore although they who wittingly and willingly oppose this truth sinne against all the persons of the blessed Trinity yet after a more singular manner they sinne against the Holy Ghost because they blaspheme his proper and immediate worke in their minds and maliciously impugne and resist his proper grace and power Thus I say it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost because it is against the operations of the Spirit which are three namely I. To enlighten the Minds with the light of the Gospell and hence it is called the Spirit of Revelation Ephes 1.17 II. To perswade the Mind to receive and embrace those truths which are revealed by the Gospell Heb. 6. for this is to receive the knowledge of the truth III. To worke in a man a certaine perswasion of the goodnesse of those things which he beleeves and this is to taste the good word of God And therefore the sinne against the Holy Ghost is a contumellous and reproachfull rejecting of the Gospel after that a mans mind by the blessed Spirit is supernaturally perswaded of the truth and goodnesse of this word and will of God laid downe in the Gospel Quest 3 Why is this sinne against the Holy Ghost called unpardonable or a sinne which cannot bee forgiven Answ 1 First not because it exceeds in greatnesse blasphemy against the Father and the Sonne Answ 2 Secondly nor because the Father and the Son are lesse then the Holy Ghost For all the three Persons are coeternall and coequall Answ 3 Thirdly neither because the greatnesse thereof exceeds either Gods mercy or Christs merit For both are infinite the mercy of God is above all his workes and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price laid downe by our Saviour is of infinite value and Answ 4 worth Neither Fourthly it is called unpardonable because it is more difficultly pardoned then other sinnes are For every sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breach of Gods Law and therefore he can pardon if he pleaseth the greatest as well as the least Nor Answ 5 Fifthly because it is an inexcusable sinne for in many other sinnes men are altogether left without excuse which yet are frequently pardoned upon their repentance Answ 6 Sixthly but it is called a sinne which cannot be forgiven because simply all remission is denied unto it neither did any man ever obtaine pardon that committed it nor ever shall And that for these reasons to wit I. Because such are punished by God with such a finall blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart that they can never returne either to themselves or unto God by true and unfained repentance and therefore being excluded and debarred of repentance they must necessarily be denied remission because no penitencie no pardon Hence Saint Iohn forbids us to pray for such an one because it is impossible for such to be renewed by repentance Heb 6.5 II. Because such reject the only meanes of salvation as the sicke man who will not be cured For as that disease is incurable which doth so take away or destroy the power of nature that neither the retentive nor concoctive facultie can doe their duties So there is no cure for him who rejects the balme of Gilead no water to wash away his sin who tramples under his feet the blood of the Covenant and despiseth that all healing Iordan Heb. 6.4 and 10.20 and Act. 4.12 and cleare-purging and white-washing Fountaine no sacrifices to take away his transgressions who crucifieth unto himselfe the Lord of glory
the taste that it makes the sicke man refuse all good meat and medicine yea this sinne doth not onely disinable a man from doing good but makes him decline from the right rule and disorder and deprave himselfe more and more for they sinne not only simply out of malice but out of malice and that de industria What are the remedies against this sin or rather Quest 7 the meanes to preserve us from it First let us watch against all sinne yea against Answ 1 all beginning of evill Ephes 4.27 Hebr. 3.11 As those who feare the plague fly farre from the house infected therewith Secondly let us highly prize the presence and Answ 2 grace and operation of the Spirit for if wee so doe then we shall not reject him neither be rejected by him but if wee contemne and despise him then he will give us over unto strange delusions 2 Thess 2.10 11. Thirdly let us learne to esteeme and value Answ 3 Christ above all things and then wee shall not sleight the Gospel but thinke it a joyfull and blessed message Fourthly if with Peter wee have fallen Answ 4 then let us with him labour speedily to recover our selves As the most deadly poyson becomes not mortall if it be suddenly evacuated or purged out or vomited up So the greatest sin becomes not damnable if by and by with teares and sighes wee repent us of it Fifthly while our spirits are something soft Answ 5 and mollified with the sight and sense of our sins and while the Spirit of God workes in our hearts by his good motions let us pray fervently unto our God to pardon our by-past sinnes to plucke us out of the dominion and power of sinne and Sathan and to preserve us from all sins for the time to come § 2. Neither in this world nor in the world to Sect. 2 come Who are confuted by these words Quest 1 The Sadduces Answ who denied the immortality of the foule and affirmed that there were neither Spirits nor Angels Orig. contra Cels Non agnoscunt se Seculum nisi praesens that is they acknowledged not a time to come when there shall be a Resurrection Although our Saviour saith here Neither in this life nor in the life to come whereby is intimated both the immortality of the soule and the Resurrection of the body Hence by the Iewes these Sadduces were called Menaim or Probrosi contentious or calumnious Gabia the sonne of Pesisa reasoneth against the Sadduces thus x Talm. phesikra Si quod non fuit id fuit Ergo quod fuit erit That is if that which was not was Therfore that which was shall be He meant if God created and made the world of nothing may he not make our bodies of something againe Object Bellarmine strongly presseth this place for the proofe of Purgatorie arguing thus Blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come Therefore some sins shall be forgiven in the next world by the prayers and suffrages of the Church But this remission is neither obtained in heaven nor in hell Ergo it is in Purgatory and therefore there is a Purgatory Bell. de purgat lib. 1. Cap. 1. loc 1. ex novo Testam Because this objection is abundantly answered by our men I may be the shorter in the answer of it I referre the Reader to Amesius Bell. enervat tom 2. pag. 197. 198. and Chemnitius exam part 3. pag. 135 136. Arg. 7. and Hill of the knowledge of the true God pag. 387. 388. Pareus s And because this place is urged by the Rhemists upon Matth. 12. § 6. I therefore referre the Reader to venerable Fulke and Cartwright upon the place onely entreating him to observe that this is no Categoricall Argument but only an Enthymeme in which the Antecedent is Christs and therefore most true but the Consequent will appeare to be most false Answ 1 First that which is fully paid and satisfied is not remitted But the Papists say that by Purgatory paines the debt is paid and Gods justice satisfied and therefore sinnes are not remitted in Purgatory It is one thing to pardon an offence and another to punish it and therefore if sinnes be punished in Purgatory as they say then how are they pardoned It is one thing fully to satisfie a debt another freely to remit it for how can he be said to remit a debt which makes the debter pay the utmost farthing as they say the soules in Purgatory doe Now this place speaking not of a paying but of pardoning not of recompensing but of remitting It shall shall neither be forgiven in this life nor in the life to come belongs not at all to their Purgatory where men satisfie Gods justice as they wickedly say to the full and wherein for the time men are extremely tormented the paines thereof being as some of them say equivalent to the paines of hell for the time And therefore by this their Argument instead of raising the fabricke of Purgatory they have razed the foundation as appeares thus The scope of their Objection is to prove that the sinnes of beleevers are remitted in the world to come now to remit and to punish are opposites as Chrysostome Hom. de poen confes saith Nemo remittit qui punire vult and therefore if the sinnes of the faithfull be remitted and pardoned in the world to come as they would prove from this place then undoubtedly they are not punished in the world to come And thus instead of confirming they have confuted instead of planting they have plucked up Purgatory by the roots for to deny that soules are punished in Purgatory is to deny Purgatory it selfe Secondly by this world is meant a mans life Answ 2 time in this world from the birth to the dying day and it is certain that in this time sins may be remitted the world to come is after this life is ended but a mans sins may be remitted at the hour of death And therefore by a Synechdoche it may be true that sins are also remitted in the other because the hour of death is the beginning of that other world The sense and meaning of this place therfore is That the sin against the holy Ghost is neither remitted in life nor death Now according to this exposition the place maketh nothing for Purgatory at all Thirdly or by the world to come may be Answ 3 meant as is generally understood the world succeeding this and so answereth to the world present as Mark 10.30 They shall at this present receive an hundred-fold and in the world to come life everlasting Wherefore Purgatory being imagined to be now present it cannot be taken to belong to the world to come And so also Ephes 1.21 and Heb. 6.5 the world to come is taken for the world which shal be after this is ended Willet Synops fol. 405. yea the Papists I think are not able to produce one place of Scripture
unto God and how great thy debt is yea remember if thy brother sin daily against thee so dost thou against God and if thou daily forgive him a few offences thy Father daily forgives thee many But my easinesse and readinesse to pardon him Object 2 will make him more obstinate and injurious against me and therfore why should I forgive him Do thou what is thy duty to do Answ and what the Lord requires of thee and commit the successe and event unto God yea remember that although many wickedly abuse the Lords long suffering and patience unto their own destruction yet the Lord ceaseth not to bestow many mercies upon them making his Sun to rise and his rain to fall even upon such But this pronenesse to pardon those who offend Object 3 me will make others despise and slight me and therfore for this cause it is not good to bee so easie and ready to remit Saint Paul hereunto answers that glory honour Object 4 and peace are prepared by God though not by men for all those who continue in well doing notwithstanding all the lets and hinderances of the world Rom. 2. Yea those who honour God shall be honoured in heaven by God though despised on earth by men But David cursed his enemies for their mischiefe done against him and prayed for their destruction and therefore why may not I Answ 1 First sometimes it is true that David prayed against the Counsels of his enemies and that God would infatuate them and frustrate them as that of Achitophel and thus may wee desire wish and pray for the peace and prosperity of the Church and children of God and that the Lord would infatuate all the plots of the wicked intended againâ—t them Or Answ 2 Secondly David prayed for some temporall calamity to be inflicted upon the bodies of his wicked enemies that therby their soules might be saved and thus wee may desire the Lord to shew his power and justice upon obstinate sinners that therby they may learn to fear and tremble before him and turn unto him and so by a corporall punishment be freed from an eternall Or Answ 3 Thirdly David prayed for the finall destruction of his enemies and that two manner of wayes namely either I. For the destruction of all his enemies in generall whosoever or wheresoever they were Or II. For the destruction of some more particularly whom by divine inspiration he knew to be the enemies of God and his Church Now these are not to be imitated by us wee having in the Gospel both a Precept and President to the contrary First wee are commanded to blesse those who curse us and to pray for those who persecute us Mat. 5. Secondly Christ did not revile when hee was reviled 1 Pet. 2. nor curse those who crucified him but contrarily prayed for them Object 5 Wee are but men and therefore it must not be expected that wee should doe as Christ did Answ The dutie here required hath been performed by men and not only by Christ yea if we bee regenerate men wee also in some measure may perform it Ioseph although he was a man yet hee forgave his brethren who had sold him to be a slave unto heathens David was a man and yet hee forgave Saul his enemy who pursued his life Stephen was but a man and yet he forgave and prayed God to forgive those who stoned him Object 6 But I am never able to forgive my neighbour as God forgives me and therfore it is but lost labour to endeavour it Answ Indeed it is true that wee cannot forgive as the Lord forgives in regard of the quantity but wee may according to the quality if we forgive them candidly cordially faithfully and ex animo for a spark is true fire and a drop is true water Quest 5 Whether can the remission of sinnes be made void or not that is whether doth the Lord remember impute and punish those sins which once hee had pardoned for it seems by this Parable that hee doth hee first pardoning the debt and freeing the servant from his bond verse 27. and afterwards for the debt casts him into perpetuall prison there to endure eternall torments First we must here observe That this is a Parable Answ 1 and that similitudes and parables are not so to be accommodated and applied unto those things for the declaration and manifestation wherof they were propounded that they ought to agree and square with the things themselvs in all things for then they should not be parables but the things themselvs And therfore we must alwayes look to the mind of him that propounds the parable and observe for what end he propounded it and what he would have or principally aims at in the propounding of it for otherwise many absurdities will often follow from Parables Wherfore seeing this is a Parable wee ought not too subtilly to apply or rather to wrest all the words of the Parable unto the thing wherof Christ speaks but onely to consider the mind and purpose of Christ in the propounding of the Parable Secondly Christ had taught his Apostles and Answ 2 in them all of us to pardon those injuries offences and debts which our brethren have committed against us and do owe unto us verse 21.22 And then presently addes this Parable for the confirming and declaring of his purpose Now our Saviours scope herein is to shew that it is necessary that they should forgive their brethren who desire to be forgiven by their Father In this Parable I. Our Saviour propounds the example of a King who forgave a great debt unto one oâ— his servants and hereby would teach us that wee have a Master and Lord in heaven who is gentle easie to be entreated and ready to forgive sin but so that when wee are not able to pay our debts or to satisfie for our sins we beg mercy at his hands and pray unto him for pitty and pardon The King here releaseth not his servant nor remitteth his debt untill he humbleth himself before him and confesseth his present inability to pay and prayeth for mercy Thus although the Lord be naturally slow to conceive a wrath and ready to forgive yet wee cannot hope to be forgiven except we confesse our sins and humble our selvs before our God and crave mercy at his hands because upon these conditions the Lord offers mercy unto us II. Christ in this Parable propounds unto us the example of a servant who would not pardon his fellow servant and lays down the words of the King his Master unto him shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pitty on thee verse 33. And hereby our Saviour would teach us that God requires of us that we should pardon our brethren who have injured us when they aske forgivenesse of us and remit the debts of those who are not able to pay III. In this Parable our Saviour declares the words and deeds of the King unto this
temporall Lord of the Christian world And that First because if the Pope were soveraigne Lord of all the Christian world then Bishops should be temporall Lords of their Cities and the places adjoyning subject to them which the Papists will not affirme Secondly he shewes this out of the confession of Popes Pope Leo confessing that Martianus the Emperour was appointed to the Empire by God he reciteth also the confession of Gelasius writing to Anastasius and also of Gregory III. He shewes that the Pope is temporall Lord of no part of the World in the right of Peters successour and Christs Vicar For First CHRIST neither invested Peter nor his successours with any Kingly authority Nor Secondly was Christ himselfe while he was on the Earth a temporall Lord or King and therefore much lesse gave any temporall dominion or Kingdome to his Apostles Answ 3 Thirdly we answer with divers Romanists that the Pope may not at all intermeddle with the disposition of Earthly Kingdomes or restraine or depose Princes how much soever they abuse their authority Jf the Reader would see both this and the former answer illustrated J referre him to Dr. Field of the Church Lib. 5. Cap. 44 45. Quest 5 What is due unto Caesars and earthly Kings that our Saviour here bids us to give unto Caesar what is due unto him Answ 1 First unto earthly Kings and Princes we owe Honorem honour and therefore St. Peter saith Feare God and honour the King 1. Peter 2. Jf it be demanded Quest 6 How must we honour them J answer I. We must esteeme honourably and venerably of them as the people did of David 2. Sam. 18. II. We must both know and acknowledge their superiority over us III. We must pray for them unto God 1. Timoth 2.1 2. IV. We must shew a fitting submissive reverence in our carriage before them V. We must reverence and honour their Majesty and state as divine Psalm 82.6 What if Kings or Magistrates be wicked or Fooles Suppose they be yet they must be honoured and that First by hiding covering and concealing of their infirmities And Secondly by praying heartily unto God for them Secondly unto earthly Kings and Princes we Answ 2 owe Obedientiam obedience and that generall in politike things because we are commanded to be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 Thirdly we owe unto them Tributum Tribute Answ 3 and therefore St. Paul saith Give tribute to whom tribute is due Rom. 13. § 3. And give unto God that which is his Sect. 3 What doe we owe unto God Quest First it is our duty to worship him as himselfe Answ 1 prescribes And Secondly to preferre his precepts before the Answ 2 command and authority of the Magistrate VERS 23. The same day came to him the Sadduces which say there is no Resurrection Vers 23 What are the principall errours Quest and erroneous opinions of the Sadduces Their Dogmata Canons Answ or constitutions were these to wit First they rejected the Prophets and all other Scripture save onely the five Bookes of Moses Ioseph Antiq. Lib. 13. Cap. 18. Therefore our Saviour when he would confute their errour concerning the Resurrection of the dead he proves it not out of the Prophets but out of Exodus 3.6 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob in this Chapter verse 32. Secondly they rejected all traditions whence I. They were called Minai that is Heretiques in respect of the generall opposition between them and the Pharisees First because the Pharisees were in repute the onely Catholikes And Secondly because in their doctrine the Pharisees were much neerer the truth then the Sadduces And II. In respect of this particular opposition in the ones rejecting the others urging of traditions the Sadduces were tearmed Karaim Biblers or Scripturists Drusius de trib Sect. Cap. 8. Lib. 3 Page 130. Thirdly they said there was no reward for good workes nor punishment for ill in the world to come Hence St. Paul perceiving that in the Counsell the one part were Sadduces and the other Pharisees he cried out Of the hope that is of the reward expected and of the Resurrection of the dead I am called in question Acts. 23.6 Fourthly they denied the Resurrection of the body Acts 23.8 and in this verse Fifthly they said that the soules of men are annihilated at their death Ioseph de Bello Lib. 2. Cap. 12. Sixthly they denied Angels and Spirits Acts 23.8 For a further amplification and illustration of these three latter errours J referre the Reader to Iunius Parallels Lib. 1. Parallel 42. Page 64. 65. Seventhly they wholly denied Fate and Destinie and ascribed all to mans free-will Ioseph Lib. 13. Cap. 9. Vers 28.29 30. VERS 28 29 30. Therefore in the Resurrection whose wife shall shee be of the seven for they all had her IESVS answered and said unto them yee doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God For in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Sect. 1 § 1. Therefore in the Resurrection whose wife shall she be The Sadduces held as was shewed before that there was no Resurrection and here they propound a question as it seemes to prove from an absurdity that there shall be none Whence it may be demanded Quest How doth it appeare against the Sadduces that there is a Resurrection Answ 1 First if there be no Resurrection the reason is either I. Because God is not able to raise up the dead and to affirme this is impiety and blasphemy Or II. Because God is able to rayse them up but yet doth it not because it is altogether unprofitable for men and to affirme this is ridiculous Answ 2 Secondly the godly in this life onely differ from the ungodly in hope and therefore to take away the hope of future glory were to take away the difference of the righteous and wicked which St. Paul points at 1 Cor. 15.19 Answ 3 Thirdly the Martyrs have laid downe their lives for the Resurrection Answ 4 Fourthly CHRIST our Captaine rose againe therefore we also shall rise againe Answ 5 Fifthly God is the Lord over the dead as well as the living and therefore in his appointed time he will rayse up the dead Answ 6 Sixthly because it is a ridiculous thing to beleeve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transmigration of the soule and to deny the Resurrection of the body Answ 7 Seventhly it is in the will and power of God that we should be or not be and therefore it is in his power to make us immortall Answ 8 Eightly the counsell and decree of God concerning the raysing up of the dead is immutable and therefore the dead shall rise againe Answ 9 Ninthly nothing is disobedient to the authority and power of God and therefore the dead shall heare his voyce and come forth of the graves Answ 10 Tenthly it is necessary that there should be a
men when themselves were armed and set there on purpose to preserve the body from the theft of the Apostles Jf others tell them that the Apostles stole him away then why doe they so boldly relate it of their owne knowledge and not rather produce the authours of the report and make them prove it And thus by infinite absurdities it may be shewed that this speech of the souldiers was a wicked untruth and a wilfull lye Vers 18 VERS 18. And IESUS came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Quest 1 Who gave this power unto CHRIST God the Father or the whole blessed Trinity for where this is ascribed to the Father Answ there Father is understood essentially and not personally Chap. 11.17 Yea who can give all manner of power to the humanity of CHRIST but the onely true God Quest 2 What manner of power is this which is given to CHRIST Answ 1 First in generall it is a plenary power All power is given to â—eâ— c. Secondly againe in generall it is not onely a Answ 2 terrene but also a Celestiall power All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Thirdly more particularly a three-fold power Answ 3 is given unto CHRIST namely I. Of Dominion for he rules over all and al power and dominion is subordinate unto him Now this Dominion is two-fold to wit First Generall over all in generall he being the King of Kings Secondly Particular over all his children and theferore he will protect and defend them II. Of Disp n â—tion and thus he is the Lord and Master overall Matth. 11.27 Iohn 3 30. He is the Head of his Church and all the senses externall and internall lye in the head he is the fountaine of all grace from whom is derived unto us whatsoever is good III. Of Iudgement and that both of this world and also of the last day for he shall judge all men and all matters And thus unto him is given a power of Dominion whereby he rules over all a power of Dispensation whereby he distributes imparts bestowes and gives what he will unto whom he will and a power of Iudgement whereby he punisheth and rewardeth whom he pleaseth here and whereby he wil acquiâ—te and condemne whom he will at the last day And therefore most truly is it said by him All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth Some object this place for the Vbiquity of Christ Object 1 arguing in this manner Christ saith all power is given to me now this power was not given to his Deity for that is equall with God and therefore it must be given of necessity to his humanity If then Christs humanity haue all power it is omnipotent and so can bee every where There are two things which I will distinguish for the better understanding of this Objection herein viz. that Christs humanity is every where to which we give the two first answers and that it is Omnipotent to which we give the third First in generall we must distinguish here between Answ 1 that power which the Gretians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potentia and that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potestas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that power which we call authority and which is grounded upon law and such is the power of Kings over subjects Parents over children Husbands over wives and Masters over servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly a faculty or ability to doe any thing and consisteth in force power and strength and such is the power and puissance of most mighty Kings Now there is a great difference betweene these two neither is one a necessary consequent of the other as for example we have many Kings and Monarches who have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are of power to subdue their neighbours and yet have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any legall power over them and on the contrary many have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legall authority who haue not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power or poetency to represse rebellious subjects that is they have right but they want might Secondly the word here used is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Answ 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To me saith Christ is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifies not an ability to doe all things but authority to rule all things so as when CHRIST saith All power is given to me he meaneth all that Authority rule and Dominion which was given to him after his Resurrection over all things both Celestiall and Terrestriall as to the King of Heaven and Earth so that by vertue of this power he might send his Disciples now to the Gentiles which before went onely to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell And he saith not all power is given to my humanity but to mee even a power of ruling judging condemning absolving and in briefe of doing all things which may worke for the glory of his Father and the good of his Church But this power doth not prove his Humanity either to be of an infinite nature for every where for although his Divinity be of an omnipotent and infinite nature and consequently every where yet his Humanity being created is of a finite nature yea a finite creature and therefore cannot really be every where To conclude as it is impossible for a finite creature to be really every where so this ubiquity cannot so be given to Christs infinite Humanity as in its owne essence properly and really it should be every where Answ 3 Thirdly wee say that this attribute of Omnipotencie is to be given to none but onely to God no not to the humanity of CHRIST which because it could not helpe it selfe in that great agony prayed to his Father to let the Cup passe away from him and being in the like case upon the Crosse he continued his prayer unto his Father Now would the humanity have prayed to God if it had beene Omnipotent Object 2 But Christ saith That all power is given to him in heaven and in earth which power is given to his humanity not to his Deity and therefore his humanity is Omnipotent for where all power is there is omnipotency Answ 1 First as we said before Christ speaketh of that power which we call Authority not of that which we call potencie for hee saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis potentia but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed omnis potestas is given unto me speaking of that authority which was given to him after his Resurrection Answ 2 Secondly he saith not all power is given to my humanity but to mee that is to my person the which power was therefore said to be given to him because whilst he was in the forme of a servant he emptied himselfe of all glory and after his Resurrection it was againe restored unto him and hee
destruction of the sinner 3. By permitting sathan to tempt as was shewed before in Ahab and Iob. IV. By taking away or withdrawing his grace for a time as he did in Hezekiah w 2 Chro 32.31 But these following waies God tempts not to wit Neither I. By compelling or forcing sathan to tempt any Nor II. By moving the heart unto sinne This Saint Iames saith comes from our corrupt nature and not from God Iames 1.13 Nor II. By propounding the occasions and allurements unto sinne thereby to bring us unto death for so sathan tempts Obser 2 Wee may learne then hence that God doth sometimes leade us into temptation namely both by permitting sathan to assault us and by withholding his grace from us To the places above quoted adde these Acts 5.3 Rom. 1.24.28 Thes 2.10 and 2 Tim. 2.25 Sometimes we provoke God by our sinnes and therefore he gives us over to worke all manner of wickednes Sometimes wee incense him by despising his mercy Rom. 2.4.5 sometimes by greeving the holy spirit And therefore hee withdrawes his preventing grace from us giving us over to a spirit of slumber and sleepe And therefore wee should bee principally carefull not to provoke our heavenly Father who onely is able to preserve us from temptation Quest 6 How or by what meanes doe wee provoke God to leave us unto our selves or the will of sathan or to permit us to bee led into temptation that knowing the causes hereof we may labour to avoid them Answ The meanes or causes hereof are these First ignorance of God or a foolish heart and sottish full of darkenesse Ro. 1.21 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly wavering staggering and inconstancy in religion Ephes 4.14 Rom. 1.25 Thirdly a neglect of Gods call abusing the tender of grace and extinguishing the motions of the blessed Spirit Prov. 1.24 c. Fourthly a not fearing the terrors of the law or threatnings of God Prov. 1.29 30. Fifthly an hatred of the word of truth in the mouth of the Prohets as Ahab did 1 King 22.8 Sixthly a cleaving unto sinne and delighting in iniquitie Rom. 1.26.29 2 Pet. 2.12 13. Seventhly a returning unto our vomit and former sinnes 2 Pet. 20 21.2â— Eighthly a calumniating and scandalizing of God and religion Rom. 1.21 and 2 Pet. 2.2 And therefore if we desire not to bee led into temptation let us carefully take heede 1. of Ignorance 2. Inconstancy in religion 3. Of neglecting the day of our salvation that is either the call of the word outwardly or the motions of the Spirit inwardly 4. Let us learne to feare Gods meanes 5. To delight in the word of God though it should reprove us 6. Let us forsake and avoide all sinne 7. Let us never turne unto our old sinnes But lastly labour to glorifie God adorne that profession which we have undertaken Thirdly prayer is to bee offered up in faith therefore our blessed Saviour by teaching us here to pray against temptation doth shew that wee may beleeve that this shall bee done for us which we desire Or that the Lord is ready and prepared to preserve and deliver us from temptation if wee will but seeke unto him by prayer Reade Psalme 34.4 and 50.15 and 1 Cor. 10.13 and 2 Thes 3.3 and 2 Pet. â— 9 and Revel 3.10 Quest 7 How doth this appeare that God is readie to preserve us from temptation if we pray Answ 1 First because it is the office of God to moderate all things and to rule all things by his providence and therefore if he please he can preserve and deliver us Answ 2 Secondly because Sathan himselfe cannot hurt us except God permit he could not touch Iobs body untill God gave him leave hee could not take away Iobs life because God forbad him Iob 1.2 and 2.4 hee could not enter into the swine without leave Mat. 8.31 yea Christ dislodgeth him and casteth him out at his pleasure And therefore it is plaine that he cannot tempt us except God permit and consequently that God is able to preserve us from temptation Answ 3 Thirdly the truth hereof will appeare if wee looke unto Christ who I. was armed for us and overcame sathan for us Mat. 4. and was tempted that hee might succour those who groane under temptation Heb. 2.18 II. Christ was offered up for us and triumphed in the Crosse over death and him that had the power of death even the devill Col. 2.14 and Heb. 2.14 and 1 Cor. 15.55 c. Quest 8 What must we avoide our selves for the escaping of temptation Answ 1 First love no sinne at all for if we have a desire and affection unto any wee cannot withstand the temptations thereunto as we ought Answ 2 Secondly love not the world esteeme it not as a friend for if so we can never beware of or avoid the inticements and allurements thereof as we should 1 John 2.15 James 4.4 Answ 3 Thirdly let us not give place unto the occasions of sinne lest unawares we bee caught in the net or fall into the snare let us consider by what meanes occasions or provocations we are most frequently ensnared that wee may learne and labour carefully to eschew them Answ 4 Fourthly let us refraine vaine thoughts and mortifie all internall corruptions Col. 3.5 and 1 Pet. 2.11 Answ 5 Fifthly let us tame and bring under the flesh unto the obedience of the Spirit 1 Cor. 9.27 Answ 6 Sixthly let us not be negligent in our lives and conversations but warie watchfull and circumspect Ephes 5.15 both over our words works and thoughts Answ 7 Seventhly let us not yeeld unto temptation or surrender the bucklers at the first stroke let us not deliver up the fort at the first onset and suffer our selves to bee taken captive at the first assault but let us fight it out and resist even unto blood Heb. 12.4 Jam. 4.7 like a stout souldier 1 Tim. 1.18 and 2 Tim. 2.3 for if we be faithfull unto the death fighting couragiously the battels of the Lord we shall overcome and be crowned Reade a Revelat. 2. ver 7. â—0 25.26 Quid faciendum What must wee doe both to prevent Temptation and to escape it when thereby we are assaulted Quest 9 We must never goe without our weapons or unarmed but put upon us the whole armour of a Christian Answ principally these three namely First the shield of faith Eph. 6.16 and 1 Joh. 5.4 labour by faith in Christ to withstand all his temptations whether they tend unto presumption or desperation Secondly the sword of the Spirit for if the word of God abide in us we shall be safe 1 John 2.14 but of this we spake before Mat 4. Thirdly prayer this is frequently to be used Ephes 6.18 yea daily according to our Saviours direction in this place where we are taught by him every day to pray against temptation Fourthly our Saviour by teaching thus frequently fervently to pray against temptation doth shew that the devill hath many