church yet the truth is they are not wholly cut off from the societie of the faithfull For the seede of faith remaineth in them and that knits the bond of coniunction with Christ though the sense thereof be lost vntill they repent In this case the partie excommunicate is as a free man in bonds who vntill he get out of prison hath no vse of his freedome and yet continues a free man still though he remaine in prison So also the childrē of God may still be the children of God though excluded from the cōgregation of the church for some offences From this that hath beene said ariseth the Answer to the Question propounded namely that the children of such persons as are excommunicated are notwithstāding their excommunication to be baptised because they are indeede and in the iudgement of charitie true members of the bodie of Christ though in some other regards they are not in present holden so to be Yet further besides the former grounds consider these reasons First children of parents that are professed members of the church though cut off for a time vpon some offence committed haue right to baptisme because it is not in the power of man to cut them off from Christ though they be excommunicated Secondly the personall sinne of the parent may not keepe the blessing from the child and therefore not depriue him of participation of the ordinance of God Thirdly we must alway put a difference betweene them which doe not make separation from the church and yet are grieuous offenders and open Apostataes that ioyne themselues with the enemies of the Church to the ruine and ouerthrow of the truth of the Gospel Fourthly we must put a difference betweene those that haue giuen vp their names to Christ though fallen grieuously and Turks and Infidels that are forth of the Couenant and neuer belonged to the Church Lastly if the mercie of God inlarge it selfe to thousands yea to infinite generations why should man be so hard hearted as to make question whether such Infants belong to the Couenant and consequently keepe them from the Sacrament of Baptisme Out of this Question ariseth a second Whether children borne in fornication haue right to baptisme Ans. They are not to be kept from it For the wickednes of the parent ought not to preiudice the child in things that belong to his saluation Yet in this case some Cautions are carefully to be obscrued as first that the parent hold the true faith and religion secondly that he be by the Minister exhorted to a true humiliation of himselfe and to earnest repentance for his sinne committed and that before the child be baptized Thirdly that their be some appointed to answere for the Infant besides the parents and to make solemne promise openly to the Church that it shall be carefully brought vp and instructed in the faith And the same is to be obserued and practized before the baptizing of the children of parents excommunicate IV. Question How men are to make a right vse of their baptisme when they become to yeares The not obseruing hereof is the cause of many sinnes and corruptions in the liues of men It is commonly holden a great fault in ciuill matters for a man not to keepe his couenants Much more is it a hainous sinne before God not to keepe the promises and pay the vowes made vnto him For answere therefore to the Question wee must first take this for a ground That baptisme both for signification force vse and fruit continues not for a moment of time but for the whole course of a mans life It doth not respect onely the time past or present but that which is to come yea that whole time that a man hath to spend from the very act of his baptisme to his death Againe baptisme is the true Sacrament of Repentance for remission of sinnes which being once receiued remaineth a perpetuall testimonie and pledge of the everlasting couenant of God and of the continuall washing away of sinne in the blood of Christ. This Ground premised I come to the vse of baptisme which is two fold The First is that it serues to be a token and pledge of Gods fauour towards vs and that principally three waies First in that it sealeth and confirmeth to vs the free pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes Thus Cornelius was baptized of Peter after he had heard the Gospell preached and receiued the Holy Ghost that it might be vnto him a pledge of the remission of his sinnes Act. 10. 48. And in like manner doth Peter exhort the conuerted Iewes to repent them of their sins to receiue the Sacramēt of Baptisme as a seale and pledge of Gods mercie in the forgiuenes thereof by Christ Act. 2. 38. In regard of this vse baptisme is of great force to releeue the hart in distresse For when any childe of God feeles himselfe loden with the burden of his sinnes the consideration and remembrance hereof that God hath pardoned them all and giuen him a speciall and certaine pledge of his pardon in baptisme will serue to stay and support his soule Yea though his sinnes were of force to make a separation betweene God and him Yet remembring that his name is written in the Couenant of God and that he hath by Gods mercie receiued the seale of the Couenant he shall not neede to be much dismaied When Satan tempteth him to doubt of his owne estate in regard of his corruptions even then let him haue recourse to his baptisme and thinke of the earnest and pledge of Gods fauour which he hath receiued Let him draw out his euidences signed with the seale of Gods couenant made vnto him in Iesus Christ and that shall be sufficient to stoppe the mouth of Satan and to repell his temptations Secondly Baptisme is as a pledge of the vertue of Christs death Doe you not know saies Paul that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death Rom. 6. 3. For they that beleeue are by baptisme conformed to Christ their head because they are by it buried together with him into his death vers 4. This point is of excellent vse in our liues For it teacheth a man when his owne corruption mooueth him to sinne and he is now euen in the Combate the Spirit lusting against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit even then to call to memorie his baptisme wherein it pleased God to seale vnto him the mortificatiō of his sinne by the power of Christs death and consequently to pray earnestly vnto him for the continuance of the same power in his his heart for the continuall crucifiing of the old man and the vtter destroying of the body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. Thirdly baptisme is a pledge vnto vs of the Life of Christ of our Fellowship with him therein For looke as he beeing dead in the graue raised himselfe to life by his owne power euen so and more then so being now
so much for their sinne committed as for their lying therin without repentance And this is the manner of Gods dealing with those that haue liued within the precincts of the church they shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance This should admonish euery one of vs to take heed least we lie in any sin and that being any way ouertaken we should speedily repent least we aggrauate our sinne by continuance therein and so bring vpon our selues swift damnation Thirdly the same sinne is made greater or lesser foure waies according to the number of degrees in the committing of a sinne noted by S. Iames Temptation Conception Birth and Perfection Actual sinne in the first degree of tentation is when the minde vpon some sudden motion is drawne away to thinke euill and withall is tickled with some delight thereof For a bad motion cast into the mind by the flesh and the deuill is like vnto the baite cast into the water that allureth and delighteth the fish and causeth it to bite Sin in conception is when with the delight of the minde there goes consent of will to doe the euill thought on Sinne in birth is when it comes forth into an action or execution Sin in perfection is when men are growne to a custome and habit in sin vpon long practise For the often committing of one and the same sinne leaues an euill impression in the heart that is a strong or violent inclination to that or any other euill as hath bin taught before And sinne thus made perfect brings forth death for custome in sinning brings hardnes of heart hardnes of heart impenitencie and impenitencie condemnation Now of these degrees the first is the least the last is the greatest One and the same sin is lesser in tentation then in conception lesse in conception then in birth and greater in perfection then in all the former Sect. 11. Now from this doctrine of the increasing and lessening of Sin in these respects we may gather that all sins are not alike or equall as the Stoicks of auncient times and their followers haue falsely imagined For it hath bin prooued at large by induction of sundrie particulars that there are degrees of sinnes some lesser som greater some more offensiue and odious to God man some lesse And â—hat the circumstances of time place person and manner of doing doe serue to enlarge or extenuate the sinne commited If it be here alleadged that Sin is nothing but the doing of that which is vnlawfull to be done and that this is equall in all men that sinne and therfore by consequent offences are equall I answer that in euery sin meÌ„ must not consider the vnlawfulnes thereof onely but the reason why it should be vnlawfull and that is properly because it is a breach of Gods law and repugnant to his will reuealed in his word Nowe there is no breach of a diuine Law but it is more or lesse repugnant vnto the will of the Lawgiuer God himselfe And many transgressions are more repugnaÌ„t thereunto then fewer for the more sin is increased the more is the wrath of God inâ—lamed against the sinner vpon his due desert If it be said againe that the nature of Sin stands onely in this that the sinner makes an aberration from the scope or marke that is set before him and doth no more then passe the bondes of dutie prescribed by God and that all are alike in this respect The answer is that it is a falshood to affirme that he which makes the lesse aberration from the dutie commanded is equall in offence to him that makes the greater For the same sin for substance hath sundrie steps and degrees in respect whereof one man becommeth a more heinous offender then another For example in the seauenth commandemeÌ„t when God forbiddes the committing of Adultery he forbiddeth three degrees of the same sinne to wit adulterie of the heart consisting of inordinate and vncleane affections adulterie of the tongue in corrupt dishonest and vnseemely speeches and the very act of vncleannesse and filthinesse committed by the bodie Now it cannot be said that he which breakes this commandement onely in the first degree is as great a transgressour as he that hath proceeded to the second and so to the third And therefore it remaines for an vndoubted truth that Sinnes committed against the Law of God are not equall but some lesser some greater Sundrie other Distinctions there are of sinnes as namely That the main sinnes of the first Table are greater then the maine sins of the second Table And yet the maine sinnes of the second are greater then the breach of ceremoniall duties against the first table But this which hath beene said shall suffice The vse of this doctrine is manifold First by it we learne what the heart of man is by nature namely a corrupt and vncleane fountaine out of which issueth in the course of this life the streames of corruptions infinite in number noysome in qualities hainous in degrees daÌ„gerous in effects For from thence doe flow all the differences of sinnes before named with their seuerall branches and infinite many more that cannot be rehearsed This must mooue vs humbly to sue vnto God earnestly to entreat him to wash vs throughly from our wickednes clense vs from our sinnes yea to purge and to rinse the fountaine thereof our vncleane and polluted hearts And when by Gods mercie in Christ apprehended by faith our hearts shall be purified theÌ„ to set watch ward ouer them and to keep them with all diligence Secondly it teacheth vs that miserable mortal man is not guiltie of one or more sinnes but of many sundrie corruptions both of heart and life Who can vnderstand his faults saith Dauid Now the alowance of sinne beeing death by gods ordinaÌ„ce God being iustice it selfe answerably to the number of our offences must we needes be lyable to many punishments yea to death it selfe both of the bodie and of the soule This beeing our wofull estate little cause is there that any man should thinke himselfe to be in good case or presume of Gods mercie in regard of the small number of his sinnes And much lesse cause hath he falsly to imagine with the Popish sort that he can merit the fauour of God by any worke done by him aboue that which the Law requireth considering that it is impossible for him to know either the number or the nature or the measure of his sinnes Lastly the consideration of this point must be a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure or presumptuous of our owne estate for as much as we learne out of the word of god that in respect of the multitude of our corruptions this our life is full of much euill and many difficulties that wee haue whole armies of enemies to encounter with all not onely out of vs in the world abroad but within vs
Paul exhorts the Galatians to walke in the Spirit and then marke what followes and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. Secondly this new obedience must be the keeping of euery commandement of God for as S. Iames saith He that breakes one commandement is guiltie of all that is he that doth willingly and wittingly breake any commandement and makes not conscience of some one maketh not conscience of any and before God he is as guiltie of all as if he had broken all Thirdly in new obedience the whole man must endeauour to keepe the whole law in his minde will affections and all the faculties of soule and bodie As it is said of Iosiah that he turned to God according to all the lawes of Moses with all his heart This last point added to the rest is the very forme and life of new obedience from hence it followes First that therepentant person must not liue in the practise of any outward sinne Secondly that there must be in him an inward resisting and restraining of the corruption of nature and of the heart that he may truly obey God by the grace of the spirit of God The heart of Ioseph was readie prest to resist the euill request of Potiphars wife And Dauid staid his affectioÌ„ from reuenging himselfe vpon Shemei when he cursed him Thirdly that he ought to stirre vp and exercise the inward man by all spiritual motions of Faith Ioy Loue Hope and the praise of God Now touching this point there are 2. principal Questions propouÌ„ded First How may a man frame his life to liue in New-bedience Ans. Though all the bookes of the old and new Testament are direction sufficient for a good life yet a more speciall answer may be made out of the same plainly and briefly That there are three maine grounds or rules of New Obedience The first is laid downe by our Sauiour Christ Luk. 9. 23. If any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me The meaning is this Euery one that will become a scholer in the schoole of Christ and learn obedience vnto God must deny himselfe that is he must in the first place exalt and magnifie the grace of God and become nothing in himselfe renouncing his owne reason will affections and subiecting them to the wisdome will of God in all things yea esteeming al things in the earth euen those that are dearest vnto him as drosse and dung in regard of the kingdome of Christ. Againe he must take vp his Crosse that is he ought alwaies to make a forehand reckoning euen of priuate crosses and particular afflictions and when they come to beare them with chearefulnesse This done he must follow Christ by practising the vertues of meekenes patience loue and obedience and by beeing conformable to his death in crucifying the bodie of sinne in himselfe The second rule is propounded by Paul Act. 24. 14. To beleeue all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and that is to hold and embrace the same faith which was embraced by the Saints and seruants of God in auncient times and which was written by Moses and the Prophets Againe in all reuerence to subiect himselfe to the true manner of worshipping and seruing God reuealed in his word and not to depart from the same doctrine and worship either to the right hand or to the left The third and last rule is to haue and to keepe faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 19. Now faith is preserued by knowledge of the doctrine of the Law and the Gospel by yeelding assent vnto the same doctrine beleeuing it to be true and by a particular application of it vnto a mans selfe specially of the promise of righteousnesse and life euerlasting in and by Christ. Againe that a man may keepe a good conscience he must doe three things First in the course of his life he must practise the duties of the generall Calling in the particular so as though they be two distinct in nature yet they may be both one in vse and practise Secondly in all euents that come to passe euermore in patience and silence he must submit himselfe to the good will and pleasure of God Thus it is saide of Aaron that when God had destroied his sonnes for offering vp strange fire before him he held his peace Levit. 10. 3. And Dauid shewes that it was his practise when beeing afflicted he saith I was as dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it Psal. 39. 9. Thirdly if at any time he falleth either through infirmitie the malice of Satan or the violence of some temptation he must humble himselfe before God labour to breake off his sinne and recouer himselfe by repentance And these three be the principall and maine grounds of New-obedience The Second Question Considering that all good works are the fruits of a regenerate person and are contained vnder New-obedience How may a man doe a good worke that may be accepted of God and please him For resolution whereof it is to be carefully remembred that to the doing of a good worke sundrie things are required Whereof some in nature doe goe before the worke to be done some doe accompanie the doing thereof and some againe doe follow the worke beeing required to be done when the worke is done Before the worke there must goe Reconciliation whereby the person is reconciled vnto God in Christ and made acceptable to him For it is a cleare case that no worke of man caÌ„ be accepted of God vnles the person of the worker be approoued of him And the workes of men of what dignitie soeuer are not to be esteemed by the shewe and outward appearance of them but by the minde and condition of the doer Againe before we doe any good worke we must by praier lift vp our hearts vnto God and desire him to inable vs by his spirit to doe it and to guide vs by the same in the action which we are about to doe This did the Prophet Dauid oftentimes as we may read in the Psalmes but especially in Psal. 143. 10. when he saith Teach me to doe thy will O God for thou art my God let thy good spirit lâ—â—d me vnto the land of righteousnes And oftentimes in the 119. Psalme Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes vers 33. Giue me vnderstanding 34. Direct me in the path of thy commandements 35. Againe Teach me iudgement and knowledge 66. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes 80. Stablish me according to thy promise 116. Direct my steppes in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me 133. In the doing of the worke we are to consider two things the matter and the manner or forme of doing it For the matter it must be a worke commanded in the word of God either expressely or generally For it is Gods reuealed will that giues the
they were olde To adde no more examples by these we see the Lords dealing euen with holy men and women his owne deare seruants that he doth not alwaies grant their requests nor condescend to their desires at the first but as it were holds them off and suspends his grace and fauour for a time And therefore if it shall please him thus to deale with any of vs we must from these examples be taught to possesse our soules with patience resting contented in his will and waiting on his good pleasure to the ende To conclude this point Suppose that the condition of Gods seruants be such as that they finde no ende of their afflictions but that they doe continue euen vnto death what shall they doe in this case Ans. Besides that which hath beene said before for the resolution of this Question I answer further that first they must still euen vnto death liue by faith and say with holy Iob Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Secondly they must stay and releeue their soules in the meane time with these and such like meditations I. That it is the will and pleasure of God that we should through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14. 22. Now it is the propertie of a true child of God to rest content in his fathers good will and pleasure euen when he is afflicted Prov. 3. 11. My sonne be not grieued at my correction that is let it not be tedious vnto thee be content to beare it Our dutie therefore is meekely to subiect our selues vnto the hand of God as the child doth vnto the correction of his father II. That though afflictions be long and tedious yet God will at length giue a ioyfull and comfortable issue For so himselfe hath promised Math. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord wil deliuer him out of them all Psal. 37. 73. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the ende of that man is peace III. Afflictions be they neuer so heauie in regard of continuance yet they are in no sort comparable to those eternall ioyes that God hath prepared for them that loue him This was Pauls meditation who indured the crosse euen to his dying day Our light affliction saith he which is but for a moment worketh vnto vs an excellent and eternall waight of glorie And else where he professeth that he did not count the afflictions of this present time answerable in value to the glorie which shall be reuealed vnto Gods children Rom. 8. 18. Saint Peter tells them to whome he wrote that in regard of their assured hope of eternall life they should reioyce though now for a season they were in heauines through manifold tentations 1. Pet. 1. 6. Lastly the Author to the Hebrewes comforteth the Church by this reason because it is yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie IV. Though God withholdeth his hand in respect of deliuerance euen to death yet his loue is constant and vnchangeable and the crosse which we vndergoe cannot separate vs from that loue wherewith he hath loued vs in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. 35. And thus much of the first particular distresse of minde arising of outward afflictions Sect. 3. The Second particular distres is bodily and temporarie Death which consisteth in the separation of the soule from the bodie And touching this affliction it is demanded How any seruant of God may be able to indure with comfort the pangs of death For the answer hereof two things are required a preparation to death and helps in the time of death Concerning preparation there are three duties to be performed The first and most principall is commended vnto vs in the booke of Psalmes where Dauid praies vnto God Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my daies And Moses in like manner Lord teach me to number my daies that I may applie my heart vnto wisdome In which places is remembred a notable dutie of preparation to wit that a man should resolue himselfe of death continually and before-hand number his daies This is done by esteeming of euery day as the day of his death and accordingly doing alwaies that which he would doe if he were now to giue vp the ghost Secondly in way of preparation we must endeauour to disarme and weaken death who is as an armed man that hath his weapons whereby he seekes to destroy vs. And in this case we must deale with death as the Philistims dealt with Sampson They saw by experience that he was a mightie man and by his power and strength had giuen them many foyles and therefore they laboured to know in what part of his bodie his strength did lie And after inquirie finding it to be in the haire of his head they neuer rested till they had spoiled him thereof And questionlesse the time will come when we all must encounter with this strong powerfull Sampson Death In the meane while it is a point of wisdome to inquire wherein his power and might consisteth When this search hath bin made we shall finde that his weapons are our manifold sinnes and corruptions both of heart and life For as Paul saith The sting of death is sinne Therefore that we may spoile him of this his furniture we must exercise our selues in the practise of two duties First vse all meanes for the cutting off of the locke of our sinnes whereby alone Satan hath the vantage of vs and these means are the duties of humiliation inuocation and true repentance We must therefore humble our selues before God be instant in praier for the pardon of our sinnes past and present and in this point giue the Lord no rest vntill we haue obtained in our consciences the sweet certificate of his fauour and mercie in Christ whereby our mindes may be staied and comforted This done it stands vs in hand to turne vnto God to be carefull to leaue sinne to entertaine in our hearts a resolued purpose and intention of new obedience and conformitie to the will and commandement of God in all things And this is the onely way in the world to bereaue this our enemie of his armour to pull the sting out of the mouth of this serpent and consequently euen in death to prèuaile against him Thirdly in way of preparation our dutie is euen before-hand while we liue in this world to indeauour to haue some true taste of life euerlasting and the ioyes of heauen The due consideration whereof will be of great vse For it will stirre vp in our hearts a desire and loue of perfect happines in heauen yea a feruent expectation of Christs comming to iudgement and it will further cause vs to say with Simeon Lord now let thy seruant depart in peace and with the Apostle I desire to
rooted in the heart that it cannot be remooued thence Your ioy shal no man take from you saith Christ. It must needes therefore be true and sound yea able to swallow vp all matter of griefe and heauinesse whereas the other is neuer sincere but with the sweetnes thereof hath alwaies mingled some bitternes Euen in laughter saith Salomon speaking thereof the heart is heauie When the face of the wicked man shineth and his countenance is pleasant euen then is he inwardly sorrowfull and his minde is troubled Lastly the ioy of the Spirit is eternall abiding in the mind of man not onely for the terme of this life but for euer in the world to come So is not the reioycing of the world in earthly things for it is fading and deceitfull as the things themselues be wherein it is placed it hath the beginning in corruption and endeth with this present life The examples of the two rich men in the Gospel doe manifest this truth And to this purpose is the speech of Zophar in the booke of Iob that the reioycing of the wicked is very short the ioy of hypocrites is but a momeÌ„t c. By these fiue properties may we put a true difference betweene earthly and heauenly reioycing and consequently discerne of them euen in our seleues And if we perceiue this ioy of the Spirit rightly conâ—ceiued and grounded in the right vse of the word and Sacraments as also in the exercises of inuocation faith and repentance to take place in our soules and consciences we shall finde it of force to moderate and alay the very terrours of death And so much for Preparation Now the helpes to be vsed in the time of death are manifold the summe of all may be reduced to two heads Meditations and Practises Touching Meditations we must in the first place consider Death in a double respect one as it is in it owne nature and another as it is changed and qualified by the death of Christ Death in it owne nature is a Curse or fore â—…er of comdemnation the very gates and suburbs of Hell it selfe but beeing qualified by Christ it is a blessing an end of all miseries a full freedome from all dangers a short passage vnto ioy an entrance into euerlasting life a quiet sleepe voide of all annoyance by dreames and fantasies And the graue a resting chamber yea a bed perfumed by the death of Christ for the bodies of all the Elect out of which when they awake they shall be admitted receiued into the presence of God in heauen Secondly we are to consider that there be three degrees of eternall life The first whereof is in this world before we die and it is then wheÌ„ we begin to repent beleeue in Christ and to be assured in conscience that God the father is our father Christ our redeemer the holy Ghost our comforter For this is eternall life to know God and him whome he hath sent Iesus Christ. The next degree is in death for death cuts off al sin originall actuall death frees vs from al wordly miseries death prepareth the bodie that it may be fit to enter into eternall happinesse together with the soule which is alreadie in heauen The last degree is when bodie soule reunited goe both together into eternall and euerlasting glory Our third meditation is that that there is a mysticall vnion and coniunctioÌ„ betweene Christ and euery beleeuer that not onely in regard of soule but of bodie also which beeing once knit shall neuer be dissolued but is eternall Wherevpon the dying dead rotten and consumed bodie remaineth still a member of Christ abideth within the couenant and is and shall be euer a temple of the Holy Ghost Thus Adam and Abraham which are dead so many thousand yeares agoe yea euery true beleeuer from them to the end of the world shall arise at the last day in body to glory by the power of their coniunction with Christ. In the winter season we see the most trees voide of leaues buddes and blossomes so as they seeme to vs to be dead and yet neuerthelesse there is a sappe in the roote of them which in the Spring wil ascend reuiue the decaied braÌ„ches Euen so it is with our bodies which though they be corrupted rotten burnt or eaten with wormes or deuoured by wild beasts so as they may seeme to be vtterly perished yet there is as it were a secret and hidden sap in them by reason of their vnion with Christ by which they shall be raised reuiued and quickned being made like vntothe glorious bodie of Christ their head with whome they shall raigne and liue for euermore Helpes in practise are two First he that will beare with comfort the pangs of death must labour that he may die in faith and that is done by laying hold of the promise of God touching forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ. All these saith the holy Ghost died in faith namely Abel Enoch Noâ— Abraham and Sarah all laying hold of the promise of life by Christ. When Iacob on his death-bed was blessing of his children he brake forth into this heauenly speach O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In which words it is plaine that his faith rested on the mercie of God and by hope he waited for his saluatioÌ„ our Sauiour Christ saith As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Out of which words the forenamed duty may be learned that looke as the childreÌ„ of Israel being stung with fiery serpeÌ„ts that vnto death weâ— healed by looking vp to the braseÌ„ serpeÌ„t erected by Moses so wheÌ„ we are stuÌ„g with sin death we must euer remeÌ„ber by faith to looke vpon Christ. But specially when we are dying then it is our part to sixe the eies of our soules by faith vpon him and thereby shall we escape death and be made partakers of eternall life and happinesse Notable is the example of Christ who as he was man alwaies fixed his trust and considence in his fathers word especially at his end For when he was dying and the pangs of death seazed vpon him he cries vnto the Lord My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and againe Father into thy hands I commend my spirit which words are full of faith and doe bewray what great affiance he placed in his fathers loue c. When Dauid in an extremitie saw nothing before his eies but present death the people in tending to stone him at the very instant as the text saith he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God but how by calling to minde the mercifull promises that God had made vnto him and by applying them vnto his heart by faith And Paul saith of himselfe the rest of the faithfull that they receiued the
Goodnesse in things and actions The third touching the degrees of Sinne. The fourth and last concerning the Subiection and Power of conscience Of these in order Sect. 1. The first Ground is That in the troubles of conscience it is meete and conuenient there should alwaies be vsed a priuate Confession For Iames saith Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another thereby signifying that Confession in this case is to be vsed as a thing most requisite For in all reason the Physitian must first know the disease before he can applie the remedie and the griefe of the heart will not be discerned vnlesse it be manifested by the confession of the partie diseased and for this cause also in the griefe of conscience the scruple that is the thing that troubleth the conscience must be knowne Neaerthelesse in priuate confession these caueats must be obserued First it must not be vrged as a thing simply or absolutely necessarie without which there can be no saluatioÌ„ Againe it is not fit that confession should be of all sinnes but onely of the scruple it selfe that is of that or those sinnes alone which do trouble and molest the conscience Thirdly though confession may be made to any kind of mâ—n Confesse one to another saith Iames yet is it especially to be made to the Prophets and Ministers of the Gospell For they in likelyhood of all other men in respect of their places and gifts are the fittest and best able to instruct correct coÌ„fort enâ—orme the weake wounded coÌ„science Lastly the person to whome it is made must be a man of trust fidelity able willing to keepe secret things that are reueiled yea to burie theÌ„ as it were in the graue of obliuion for Loue couereth a multitudeof sinnes Sect. 2. The next Ground is touching the degrees of Goodnes in humane things and actions Goodnesse in things is twofold vncreated and created Vncreated is God himselfe who neuer had beginning and who is Goodnesse it-selfe because his nature is absolutely and perfectly good and because he is the author and worker thereof in all things created Created goodnes is that whereby the creature is made good and it is nothing els but the fruit of that goodnesse that is essentially in God Now the degrees thereof are these There is a generall or naturall Goodnesse in creatures a more speciall or morall Goodnesse Generall Goodnesse is that whereby all creatures are accepted and approoued of God by whome they were both created ordained Thus euery creature is good partly by creation and partly by ordination By creation it is that the substance of each creature as of the Sunne the Moone the Earth Water Meate Drink c. is good hauing the beeing thereof from God Hence also the essentiall properties quantities qualities motions actions and inclinations of the creatures in themselues considered with all their euents are good By the same generall goodnesse also euen the Deuill himselfe and his actions as he is a substance and as they are actions hauing their beeing from God are good Things againe doe take vnto them the condition of Goodnesse not onely by creation but also by Gods ordination whereby they are directed and appointed to some certen vses endes Thus the euill Conscience Hel Deathare good because they are ordained of God for the execution of his iustice howsoeuer in themselues to vs they be euill Besides this generall and naturall goodnesse there is also a speciall or morall goodnes properly so called and it is that which is agreeable to the eternall and vnchangeable wisdome of God reuealed in the Morall Law wherin it is commanded and things as they are therein commanded to be done by God are good morally Now of actions morally good there be two degrees for they are either good in themselues alone or good both in themselues and in the doer In themselues alone some things be morally good for example when a wicked man giues an almes it is a good worke onely in it selfe but not good in the doer because it is not done in faith and from a good conscience and so are all the vertues of the Heathen morally good in themselues but they are not good in heathen men for in them they are but beautifull sinnes The next degree of goodnesse is whereby things and actions are both good in themselues and in the doer also Of this sort were the praiers and almes of Cornelius good in themselues and in him also because he was a beleeuer Now opposite to things and actions morally good or euill are actions and things of a middle nature commonly tearmed Indifferent which in themselues being neither good nor euill may be done or not done without sinne In themselues I say for in their circumstances they are and may be made either euill or good And here we must remember to put a difference betweene conueniencie and inconuenience which ariseth from the nature of indifferent things Conueniencie is when a thing or action is so fitted to the circumstances and the circumstances fitted to it that thereby it becomes a thing Conuenient On the other side Inconuenience is when the thing or action is done in vnmeete circumstances which bring some hurt or losse to the outward man or stand not with decencie and therefore doe make it to be Inconuenient And by this that hath been said we may discerne when an action is good euill indifferent conuenient or inconuenient CHAP. II. Of the nature and differences of Sinne. THe third Ground is touching the degrees or differences of Sinne. And here we must first of all search what is Sinne properly and what is properly a Sinner Sect. 1. Sinne in his proper nature as Saint Iohn saith is an anomie that is a want of conformitie to the lawe of God For the better vnderstanding whereof we must know that there were in Adam before his fall three things not to be seuered one from the other the Substance of his bodie and soule the Faculties and Powers of his bodie and soule and the Image of God consisting in a straightnes and conformitie of all the affections and powers of man to Gods will Now when Adam falls and sinnes against God what is his sinne Not the want of the two former for they both remained but the very want and absence of the third thing namely of conformitie to Gods will I make it plaine by this resemblance In a musicall instrument there is to be considered not only the instrument it selfe and the sound of the instrumeÌ„t but also the harmony in the sound Nowe the contrarie to harmonie or the disorder in musicke is none of the two former but the third namely the discord which is the want or absence of harmonie which we call disharmonie In the same manner the sinne of Adam is not the absence either of the substance or of the faculties of the soule and the bodie but the want of the third
this sinne but God in mercie accepted a generall repeÌ„tance for the same And the like is the case of all the Elect in regard of their secret hidden faults for vnles God should accept of a general repentance for vnknown sinns few or none at all should be saued And herein doth the endles mercy of god notably appeare that he vouchsafeth to accept of our repeÌ„tance wheÌ„ we repent though not in particular as we ought to doe Neuertheles this must not incorage or imbolden any man to liue in his sinnes without turning vnto God For vnlesse we repent in particular of all the sinâ— we know not only our knowne offences but euen our secret sinnes shall coÌ„demne vs. Many sinnes are committed by men which afterwards in processe of time are quite forgotten Others are coÌ„mitted which notwithstaÌ„ding are not knowne whether they be sins or no. And in doing the best duties we can we offend often yet when we offend we perceiue it not all these in the regenerate through the mercy of God are sinnes of ToleratioÌ„ in respect of particular repentance The third kind of sinnes of Toleration are certaine particular facts of men not approved of in Scripture and yet remitted in respect of punishment Such was the fact of Zipporah in circumcising her child in presence of her husband he beeing able to haue done it himselfe and shee hauing no calling to doe that which she did For though the hand of God was against him yet was he not sick as some would excuse the matter neither is there any such thing in the text but it is rather to be thought that she her selfe circumcised her sonne in hast to preuent her husband for the deede was done in some indignation and shee cast the foreskin at his feete And yet because this fact was some manner of obedience in that the thing was done which God required though not in the maÌ„ner that he required God accepted the same staied his hand froÌ„ killing Moses Thus god accepted of Ahabs humility thogh it were in hypocrisie because it was a shew of obedience and for that deferred a temporall punishmeÌ„t til the daies of his posteritie God sent Lyons to destroy the Assyrians that dwelt in Samaria for their Idolatrie yet so soonâ— as they had learned to feare the Lord after the maÌ„ner of the god of Israel though they mingled the same with their own Idolatric God for that halfe obedience suffered theÌ„ to dwel in peace Sect. 6. The Sixt distinction of Sinnes may be this Some are sinnes against God some against men This distinction is grounded vpon a place in Samuel If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall plead for him Sinnes against God are such as are directly and immediately committed against the maiestie of God Such are Atheisme Idolatrie Blasphemie Periurie Profanation of the Sabboth all the breaches of the first Table Sinnes against men are iniuries hurts losses and damages whereby our neighbour is in his dignitie life chastitie wealth good name or any other way iustly offended or by vs hindred And such actions must be considered two waies First as they are iniuries and hurts done vnto our neighbour and fecondly as they are anomies or breaches of Gods law forbidding vs to doe them and in this second respect they are called sinnes because sinne is properly against God and therefore by sinnes against man we are to vnderstand iniuries losses or damages done vnto them In this sense must that place in Matthew be expounded If thy brother sinne against thee c. Sect. 7. The seauenth Difference of sinnes is noted by S. Paul where he saith Euery sinne that a man doth is without the bodie but he that commits fornication sinneth against his owne bodie In which place it is implyed that some sinnes are without the bodie some against mans owne bodie Sinnes without the bodie are such sinnes as a man committeth his bodie beeing the instrument of the sinne but not the thing abused Such are Murther Theft Drunkennesse for in the committing of these sinnes the bodie is but a helper and onely a remote instrumentall cause and the thing abused is without the bodie For example in drunkennes the thing abused by the drunkard is wine or strong drinke in theft another mans goods in murther the instrument whereby the fact is committed The bodie indeede conferres his helpe to these things but the iniurie is directed to the creatures of God to the bodie and goods of our neighbour And such are all sinnes adulterie onely excepted Sinnes against the bodie are those in which it selfe is not onely the instrument but the thing abused also Such a sinne is Adulterie onely and those that are of that kind properly against the bodie first because the bodie of the sinner is both a furthering cause of the sinne and also that thing which he abuseth against his owne selfe Secondly by this offence he doth not onely hinder but loose the right power and propertie of his bodie in that be makes it the member of an harlot And lastly though other sinnes in their kind doe bring a shame and dishonour vpon the bodie yet there is none that sitteth so nigh or leaueth a blot so deepely imprinted in it as doth the sinne of vncleannes Sect. 8. The eight distinction of sinnes is grounded vpon Pauls exhortation to Timothie Communicate not with other mens sinnes Sinnes are either Other mens sinnes or CommunicatioÌ„ with other mens sins This distinction is the rather to be knowne and remembred because it serues to extenuate or aggrauate sins committed Communication with sinne is done sundry waies First by counsell thus Caâ—phas sinned when he gaue counsel to put Christ to death Secondly by commandement so Dauid sinned in the murther of Vrias Thirdly by consent or assistance Rom. 1. 31. thus Saul sinned in keeping the garments of them that â—â—oned Steuen Act. 22. 20. 7. 58. Fourthly by prouocation thus they sinne that prouokâ— others to sinne and hereof Paul speaketh when he saith Fathers must not prouoke their children to wrath Eph. 6. 4. Fiftly by negligence or silence This is the sinne of the Minister when men are called to reprooue sinne and doe not Sixtly by flatterie when men sooth vp others in sinne Seauenthly by winking at sinnes or passing them ouer by slight reproofe Eph. 5. 11. Thus Eli sinned in rebuking his sonnes and thereby brought a temporall iudgement vpon himselfe and his familie 1. Sam. 2. chap. and 4. Eightly by participation Eph. 5. 7. thus they doe sinne that are receiuers of the eues Ninthely by defending another man in his sinne for he that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the iust euen they both are an abomination to the Lord. Sect. 9. The Ninth distinction followeth Some mens sinnes saith Paul are open before hand some follow after Which place by some is
indeauour in the course of our liues afterward to performe obedieÌ„ce to God in all his commandements that thereby we may shew our selues thankefull to him for his mercie and profit in our obedience For proofe hereof First consider the examples of this practise in Gods children All that Dauid that worthie seruant of God could doe after his sinnes committed to bring himselfe againe into the fauour of God whome he had offended consisted of these very heads which haue beene named Repentance Confidence and Affiance in Gods mercie and Performance of new obedience And this his practise was verified amongst many other places specially in the 119. Psalme in all the Psalmes commonly called penitentiall Againe the Prophet Daniel was accepted of God onely for the doing of these things Dan. 9. And in like manner was Paul and the rest of the Apostles Rom. 7. 1. Tim. 1. 12. Againe for further proofe let it be considered what it is that makes a man to become a Christian and seruant of God not this that he is pure from all sinnes and neuer slides or swarâ—es from obedience vnto God but because when he sinneth and falleth he is grieued with himselfe and laboureth euery day to mortifie his corruptions which are the matter of sinne in his heart and life and suffereth not sinne to reigne in his mortall bodie but crucifieth the flesh with the affections and lusts therof Yet here remaines a great difficultie Many a good seruant of God may and doth truly say of himselfe I bewaile my sinnes and doe in some sort rest on Gods mercie and withall I endeauour to performe new obedience but alas here is my griefe I cannot doe these things as I would In matter of sorrow and griefe I am troubled with hardnes of heart in occasions of boldnes and confidence with doubtings 〈◊〉 endeauour to obey with many slippes and sundrie falls For the staying moderating of this griefe these rules may further be remembreâ—… The first Rule If there be in the minde a purpose not to sinne in the will a desire to please God and in the whole man â—n endeauour to performe the purpose of the minde and the desire of the will marke what followes vpon this God in mercie accepteth the purpose and will to obey for obedience it selfe Yea though a man faile in the very act and do not so well as he should the Lord accepteth the affection and endeauour for the thing done Excellent is the saying of an auncient Father God accepteth that which is his and forgiues that which is thine his is the grace whereby we are inabled to endeauour to obey in the want of obedience and that he accepteth ours iâ— the sinne and weakenes in performance of the dutie which he requireth and that he doth in mercie forgiue Herein appeareth the great goodnes of God vnto vs and we can neuer be sufficiently thankfull for the same But yet that we may not here delude our hearts with conceits and blessâ— our selues in vaine we must knowe that God doth not alwaies accept the will for the deede vnlesse there be a constant purpose in heart a true desire in will and some resolued indeauour sutable in the life Malacâ— 3. â—7 God spares them that feare him â—s a father spares his own child How is that though the sick or weake child beeing comâ—…ed some busines goeth about it very vnhandsomly and so the deede be done to little 〈◊〉 no purpose yet the father accepts it as well done if he see the childe yoelde vnto his commandement and doe his indeauour to the vttermost of his power Euen so will God deale with those that be his children though sicke and weake in obedience â—…r how will some say can God accept a worke of ours that is imperfect Ans. So farre forth as the obedience is done in truth so farre forth God accepts it because it is his owne worke in vs and as it is ours he pardons it vnto vs because we are in Christ. A second Rule is laid downe Rom. 7. 19. where Paul saith to this purpose the good which I would doe I doe not and the euill which I would not that do I. In these words is set down the state of all regenerate men in this life and the meaning is this The good things which God hath commanded I doe them but not as I would and the euill forbidden I auoid but not as I would This we shall see to be true by comparing the voices of three kindes of men together The carnall man saith I doe not that which is good neither will I do it and that which is euill I doe and I will doe it Contrariwise the man glorified he saith That which is good I do and will doe it and that which is euill I doe not neither will I doe it The regenerate man in a middle betweene them both he saith The good things commanded I do but not as I would the euill things forbidden I avoid but not as I would And this is the estate of the child of God in this life who in this regard is like vnto a diseased man who loues his health and therfore obserues both diet and physick and yet he often falls into his fit againe though he be neuer so carefull to obserue the rules of the Physitian by reason of the distemperature of his bodie and hereupon is saine to goe to the Physitian the second time for new counsell In like manner Gods children haue indeede in their hearts a care to please and obey God but by reason of sinne that dwelleth in them they â—aile often and so are â—aine to humble themselues again before him by new repentance Againe the seruants of God are like to a man by some suddaine accident cast into the sea who in striuing to saue himselfe from drowning puts to all his strength to swim to the shore and beeing come almost vnto it their meetes him a waue or billow which driues him cleane backe againe it may be a mile or further and then the former hope and ioy conceiued of escape is sore abated yet he returnes againe and still labours to come to the land and neuer rests till he attaine vnto it III. Ground He that is indeede regenerate hath this priuiledge that the corruption of nature is no part of him neither doth it belong to his person in respect of diuine imputation Paul saith of himselfe Rom. 7. 17. It is no more I but sinne that dwelleth in me In which words he distinguisheth betweene his owne person and sinne that is in him For in man regenerate there be three things the bodie the soule and the gift of Gods image restored againe Now touching the corruption of nature that is in his person and so may be said to be his but it belongs not to the man regenerate it is not his because it is not imputed to him and so indeed is as though it were not in him The Apostle 1 Thess. 5. 23. praies
no. If he hath it is so much the better If he hath not as vsually such persons are meere naturall men then the first dutie is to vse all meanes to stirre vp in him some godly sorrow for his sinnes to bring him to the exercises of inuocation and to some confidence in Gods mercy for pardon Secondly this beeing done meanes must be vsed to take away the opinion conceiued which will be done by giuing him information of the state of his bodie and what is the true and proper cause of the alteratioÌ„ therof This being knowne the griefe or feare conceiued will easily be staied For take away the false opinion and inform the iudgement and the whole man will be the better Thirdly the opinion beeing altered and reformed it may be the alteration in the bodie will remaine the partie therefore in that case must be taught that it is a correction of God and that God doth not barely suffer the correction to be inflicted but is the very author of it and therefore the partie is to be well pleased and to rest himselfe in that will of God For euery present estate whether it be good or badde is the best state for vs because it comes by Gods will appointment And thus much touching the distinct kindes of distresses of minde whereunto I adde this one thing further that if we make examination of the estate of persons as are troubled with any of these fiue temptations we shall not vsually find them single but mixed together especially Melancholy with terror of Conscience or some other temptations For the distraction of the mind will often breed a distemper in the body and the distemper of the bodie likewise will sometimes cause distraction of mind Again Melancholy wil ofteÌ„be an occasion though no direct cause of terror of Conscience in the same manner the conscience touched and terrified with sense of the haynousnesse of sinne and the Heauinesse of Gods wrath will bring distemper of bodie by sympathy and cause Melancholie In this Case if Question be made what is to be done I answere that for mixt distresses we must haue recourse to mixt Remedies using in the first place the best meanes for the rectifying of the minde the principall growndes whereof haue beene before deliuered and then taking the seasonable aduise of the Phisitian whose calling and seruice God hath sanctified for the cure and releefe of the bodie in case of extremitie And so much of the first Sort of Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe The ende of the first Booke THE SECOND AND THIRD BOOKES OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE CONCERNING MAN STANDING IN RELATION to God and Man Wherein are handled the Questions touching the worship of God and the practise of Christian vertue Now newly added vnto the former and carefully examined according to the Authors owne breefes and published for the common good by T. P. Bachelour of Diuinitie Rom. 14. 23. VVhatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1606. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDWARD LORD DENNIE BARON of Waltham c. RIght Honourable It vvas not vvithout speciall cause that the famous Apostle of the Gentiles entring into a serious meditation of the Calling and vvâ—…ke of the Ministerie and grovving at length to some issue of his thoughts crieth â—ut as it vvere in tearmes of Complaint And who is sufficient for these things For if â—nquirie be made into the reason of his demand thâ— Scripture shall ansvver for him That Ministers are the Angels of the Lord of Hosts the Interpreters of his vvill thâ— Salt of the earth the Light of the World And their Calling is to carrie the Embassage of Reconciliation to manifest vnto man the pleasure of the Highest to season the corrupted heart instrumentally vvith gracâ— to inlighten the darkened minde by the dispensation of sauing knovvledge as the Sunne doth the Aire by the brightnesse of his beames Novv these high Tiâ—les and greatvvorkes euidently declaring the vveight and vvorth of that Honourable Commission are not either giuen or assigned onely in respect of publike and ordinarie duties vvherein by Diuine ordinance they be made the mouth of God vnto Man by preaching and againe of Man vnto God by prayer For these are determined vpon certaine times and places vvhen and vvhere they are to be put in execution according to the laudable Constitutions and Canons of particular Churches But in a further regard as they haue receiued from God the Tongue of the Learned and are indued vvith knovvledge and abilitie to informe the Consciences of men touching euery action vvhether personall appertaining to particular states or relatiue emploied in the vvorshippe of God and practise of Christian vertues A gift as no lesse necessarie so of a farre larger extent then the other and consequently performable vvithout limitation of time or place in season out of season vvhensoeuer the minde requireth resolution in Case of doubt or Comfort in distresse The light of this candle is therefore erected vp on high and set in open viâ—vv that it may communicate it selfe not to all in grosse but to euery one in person The Lords Interpreter in this sense is to dispense his vvill in euery place time to the poore vvidovv of Sarepâ—a at her ovvne home to the Noble â—…uch of Ethiopia in his trauell to Dauid that he may be dravvne to Confession of his sinne to Peter for his restoring after his fall to the vveake that they may be supported to the strong that they may stand to thâ— VVauering minde for resolution to the Troubled soule for comfort and releefe Hence it is apparent that this Messenger of God must be as Paul saith a complete man in euery respect armed and well appointed vvith necessaries appertaining for all purposes to the honour of his Lord and the credit of his Calling He should be not onely a learned Text-man mightie in the Scriptures a positiue Diuine established in the truth a man prouided ad oppositum to vvithstand and conâ—… the Aduersarie but a skilfull Casâ—ist readie at all assaies vpon good grounds of knovvledge and obseruation to giue a Rule to yeelde a Reason to speake a vvord in time to him that is vvearie VVhich last propertie to omit the rest beeing so essential as it is to the Calling and condition of a Minister yea of that importance as heretofore I haue declared to your Lordsâ— it seemeth strange at least in my poore conceit that among so many graue and learned discourses published by vvay of Definition and Disputation in matter of Religion â—evv or none haue beene framed and conâ—riued to this purpose that in this florishing estate both of our Church and Commonvvealth none haue emploied their indeauours in the vnfolding and displaying of this Subiect yea vvhereas they of the Popish Church haue beene so plentifull or rather lauish in their Summes Manuels
in heauen glorified doth he by the power of his Deitie raise vp vs his mēbers frō death to life Rom. 6. 4. A certaine pledge whereof he hath giuen vs in this Sacrament Which also affordeth singular comfort and ioy vnto a man euen in his greatest extremity True it is that man by nature is dead in sinne yet God of his mercie sealeth vnto him in baptisme his rising from the death of sinne to newnesse of life True it is againe that all men must die Yet this is our comfort that in baptisme God hath sealed to vs euen our rising from the graue to life euerlasting and all by the vertue and power of Christs resurrection This is a comfort of all comforts able to vphold the soule of man euen in the houre of death The second Vse of Baptisme is that it serues to be a notable meanes of our death vnto sinne and that three waies First by putting vs in minde of mortifying the flesh and crucifying our owne corruptions For if we be baptized into the death of Christ as Paul saith Rom. 6. 3. then ought we not to continue in sinne but to labour by all meanes as by praier by fasting by the word preached and by auoiding all occasions of offence to kill and destroy the corruption of our nature and the wickednes of our hearts Gal. 5. 24. Secondly it causeth vs to dedicate our selues wholly vnto God and Christ remembring that we once offered our selues to be baptized in the presence of the whole congregation in token that we should euer afterward consecrate our soules and bodies vnto the Lord and wholly renounce and forsake the flesh the world and the Deuill Thirdly it causeth vs to labour to keepe and maintaine peace and vnitie with all men but specially with Gods people For Baptisme is a solemne testimonie of the bond of mutuall loue and fellowship both of Christ with his members and of the members one with another To this ende Paul saith that we are all by one spirit baptized into one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 13. yea and Baptisme is one of those things whereby the vnitie of the Spirit is preserued in the bond of peace Eph. 4. 5. V. Question Whether a man falling into sinne after he is baptized may haue any benefit of his Baptisme Answer He may if he repent And the reasons are these First his Indentures and Euidences remain whol in respect of God his name is not put out of the couenant Which is otherwise in the Evidēces of men For if they be once cancelled a man cannot haue his name put into them againe Secondly Baptisme is indeede as hath beene said the Sacrament of Repentance and as it were a plancke or board to swimme vpon when a man is in danger of the shippewracke of his soule Therefore if a man repent and be hartily sorie for his sinnes committed he may haue recourse to his baptisme wherein was sealed vnto him the pardon of all his sinnes past present and to come he standing to the order of his baptisme beleeuing and repenting Thirdly to them that fall euen after Baptisme there is hope of repentance and consequently of the fauour of God if they be touched in hart with true remorse and sorrowe for their offences For hence it was that Paul calls the Galatians fallen after they had beene baptized to the remembrance of the fauour of God promised vnto them in the Couenant and sealed in their Baptisme Gal. 3. 3. 19. 27. In the same manner doth Iohn call the Churches of Asia that had left their first loue to repentance conuersion Apoc. 2. 5. 16. And the said Iohn in Ecclesiasticall historie is said to haue reclaymed a young man who had most grieuously fallen after his Baptisme CHAP. X. Of the Lords Supper THus much concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme Now we come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper concerning the vse wherof there are two principal Questions mooued I. Question How farre forth men haue libertie to vse or not vse the Lords Supper For the answering hereof I propound three Rules The First Euery man of yeares liuing in the Church and beeing baptized is bound in conscience by Gods commandement to vse the Lords supper In the institution of the Supper the Lord gaue a Sacramentall Word whereof there be two parts a Commādement a Promise The Cōmandement is expressed in these termes Take eate drinke doe ye this And it binds all men in the Church that are baptized to the vse of the Lords Supper The second Rule Euery man of yeares baptized is to receiue it often 1. Cor. 11. 26. As oft as ye shall drinke it in remēbrance of me The reason is because we haue need continually to feede on Christ. And herein the Lords Supper differeth from Baptisme because by Baptisme a man is once onely graffed into Christ but being in Christ he hath neede often and continually to be fedde in him to life eternall And this often nourishment of the beleeuer is sealed vnto him by the often vse of this Sacrament The third Rule Euery man is to receiue and vse the Lords Supper according to the laudable custome of that Church whereof he is a member vnlesse there be a iust impediment A iust impediment is that which barres a man from the vse of the Supper as Suspension Contagious and incurable sickenesse Absence vpon a iust and weightie cause as when a man is in his iourney and such like The reason of the Rule is first if any man refuse to receiue it when he may conueniently hauing no iust Impediment so doing he neglects and contemnes the ordinance of God Secondly for a man to abstaine when he is called to receiue it though happily he may be excused in regard of some reason inwardly knowne to himselfe yet his abstinence is a bad example and may giue offence to others Thirdly the man that may receiue and yet will not doth in effect suspend and withhold himselfe from the benefite of this holy Sacrament Now these three Rules as they serue directly to answer the Question in hand so they doe plainly discouer some errours faults in the practise of sundrie persons in these daies Some there be that thinke it sufficient to receiue the Communion once by the yere namely at Easter time Whereas on the contrary it is to be vsed as oft as may be considering that it is nothing but the shewing forth of the Lords death till he come which is not once or twise in the yeare but often yea continually to be remembred Others ther are that take liberty to thēselues to com to this Table abstaine at ther pleasure as if it were a thing arbitrary to themselues which notwithstanding the Lord hath enioyned by expresse commandement as hath beene said But some alledge for this their practise that they are at variance with such and such persons that haue done them wrong and whom they cannot forgiue and in this respect they were better
abstaine then come vnprovided To whom it may be said that their vnfitnes in this and other respects ought to be a strong motiue to induce them at least to vse all holy indeauour to prepare themselues euery day rather then a meanes to keepe them backe For if a man should abstaine vpon euery occasion of variance discontentment and infirmitie he should neuer receiue and so consequently haue no benefit by this ordinance of God Daily preparation therefore is the more necessarie that when they be called and haue opportunitie they may come as welcome guestes vnto that heauenly banquet II. Question How may a man rightly vse the Lords Supper to his comfort and saluation Ans. Three things are required therevnto A right preparation a right Receiuing and a right Vse of it afterward Sect. 1. That Preparation is needefull the commandement of the Apostle plainely shewes which is directed to al Communicants without exception 1. Cor. 11. 28 Let a man that is let euery man examine himselfe Now that a man may be rightly prepared hee must bring with him foure severall things First Knowledge of the foundation of Religion specially of the vse of both the Sacraments That this is necessarie to Preparation it appeareth by that which Paul requireth in a good Communicant 1. Cor. 11. 26. to wit the shewing forth of Christs death which is done by confession and thanks giuing and these two cannot be performed without knowledge The second thing required is Faith For all Sacraments are seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. Now Faith is hereby discerned when the heart of the beleeuer contents it selfe onely with Christ in the matter of saluation and doth beleeue not onely that there is a remission of sinnes in generall but that his sinnes are forgiuen to him in particular The third is Repentance standing in a hearty sorrow for sinnes committed in a hatred and detestation of the same and in a resolued purpose of amendment and obedience for time to come Here we must remember that renewed Repentance for sinnes committed is principally required before the Sacrament For the Apostle chargeth the beleeuing Corinthes with vnworthie receiuing because they came in their sinnes without renouation of their repentance The fourth is Charitie towards man For this Sacrament is a Communion whereby all the receiuers ioyntly vnited together in loue doe participate of one and the same Christ. And therefore as no man in the old law might offer his Sacrifice without a forehand agreement with his brother so no Communicant may partake with others at this Table without reconciliation loue and charitie Now further touching Preparation there are three Cases of Conscience to be resolued I. Case What shall a man doe if after preparation he finds himselfe vnworthie Ans. There are two kinds of vnworthines of an euili conscience and of infirmitie Vnworthines of an euill conscience is when a man liues in any sinne against his conscience This we must especially take heede of For it is proper to the Reprobate and he that comes to the Table of the Lord vnworthily in this sense questionlesse he shall eate his owne iudgement if not condemnation The vnworthines of infirmitie is when a man truly repents and beleeues and makes conscience of euery good dutie but yet sees and feeles wants in them all and in regard hereof himselfe vnfit to the Supper Such vnworthines cannot iustly hinder a man from comming to this Sacrament neither is it a sufficient cause to make him to abstaine The reason is because the Lord requires not therein perfection of faith and repentance but the truth synceritie of them both though they be imperfect If it be demanded how the truth of faith and repentance may be knowne I answer by these notes I. If our faith be directed vpon the right obiect Christ alone II. If there be a hungring and thirsting after his bodie and blood III. If wee haue a constant and serious purpose not to sinne IV. If there follow a change in the life Thus we read that many of the Iewes in the daies of Hezekias came to Ierusalem and did eate the Passeouer which had not clensed themselues according to that which was written in the Law And yet for those among them that had prepared their whole hearts to seek the Lord the text saies that God heard the praier of Hezekias and healed the people though they were not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuarie 2. Chron. 30. 18 19 20. II. Case Whether it be requisite to preparation that a man should come fasting to this supper Ans. It is not necessarie For in the Primitiue Church Christians did first feast and at the ende of their feast receiued the Lords Supper And if receiuers bring with them attentiue mindes reuerent and sober hearts it matters not whether they come fasting or not The kingdome of God stands not in meates and drinkes as Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. III. Case Whether such persons as are at contention and goe to law one with an other may with good conscience come to the Lords table The reason of the Question is because men thinke when they goe to law that they doe not forgiue Ans. There be three kinds of forgiuenes of reuenge of the penaltie and of iudgement Ofreuenge when men are content to lay aside all hatred and requitall of euill Of penaltie when beeing wronged they are content to put the matter vp and not proceede to reuenge by inflicting punishment Of iudgement when a man is willing to esteeme and iudge things badly done as well done and to iudge a bad man no euill person nor an enemie though he be an enemie Of these three the first is alwaies necessarie A man is bound in conscience to forgiue the reuenge and leaue that to the Lord to whome Vengeance properly belongeth But to the forgiuenes of penaltie and iudgement we are not alway bound We must shunne and decline iniuries offered as much as possibly we can but when they be offered we may with good conscience seeke a remedie of them and vse any lawfull meanes to defend our selues Therefore I answer to the Question thus That if a man going to law with an other forgiues him in regard of reuenge when he comes to the Lords table he doth his dutie For doing that he is not bound to the other as hath beene said Sect. 2. The Second thing in the right vse of the Lords Supper is the right Receiuing of it Wherein there be two things required First the renewing of our Knowledge or Generall Faith And then secondly the renewing of our Speciall Faith in Christ. Let the reason of both be obserued This Sacrament cōtaines many particular Signes as not onely the bread and wine but the actions about the same The Signes may be thus distinguished Some of them are representing signes some are signes applying Representing signes are such as doe liuely set forth vnto vs Christ with his benefits as the bread and the wine
imitate God in all things therefore besides them consider further the examples of some of the seruants of God Moses when the people murmured at him did not answer them againe by murmuring but cried vnto the Lord what shall I doe to this people for they be almost readie to stone me Exod. 17. 4. And Steuen when he was stoned praied for his enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Act. 7. 60. IV. Meditation is concerning the goodnes of God towards vs an argument whereof is this that he doth euery day forgiue vs farre more offences then it is possible for vs to forgiue men V. Meditation All reuenge is Gods right and he hath not giuen it vnto man Rom. 12. 19. Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. And man by reuenging his own quarell makes himselfe both the iudge the witnesse the accuser and the executioner VI. Meditation is touching Christs death He suffered for vs the first death and the sorrowes of the second death much more then ought we at his commandement to put vp small wrongs and iniuries without reuenge His commandement is Resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Matth. 5. 39. Againe Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ died Rom. 14. 15. The Meditations concerning our neighbour are two The first is the condition of him with whome we are angrie namely that he is a brother Let there be no strife betweene me and thee for we are brethren Gen. 13. 8. Againe he is created in the Image of God we must not therefore seeke to hurt or destroy that Image The second is concerning that Equitie which we looke for at the hands of all men If we wrong any man we desire that he would forgiue vs and therefore we must forgiue him the iniurie that he doth vnto vs without vniust anger This is the very Law of nature Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe you vnto them Matth. 7. 12. Meditations concerning our selues are sixe First he that conceiueth rush anger makes himselfe subiect to the wrath of God if he cherish the same without relenting Matth. 6. 15. If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses And Matth. 7. 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged Yea when we pray to God to forgiue vs and doe not resolue to forgiue our brethren we doe in effect say Lord condemne vs for we will be condemned Secondly we are commanded to loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs Eph. 5. 2. It is the propertie of loue to suffer and to beare and not to be prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And it is a marke whereby Gods children are discerned from the children of the Deuill that they loue their brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Thirdly we are ignorant of mens mindes in speaking and doing we know not the manner and circumstances of their actions And experience teacheth that much anger comes vpon mistaking and misconstruing them Whereas contrariwise if they were throughly knowne we would not be so much incensed against men as commonly we are Fourthly in rash anger we can doe no part of Gods worshippe that is pleasing to him We cannot pray for he that praies must lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 8. We cannot be good hearers of the word for S. Iames wisheth vs to be swift to heare and slow to wrath because the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God Iam. 1. 20 21. Fiftly we must consider what are the fruits and consequents of vniust anger For first it greatly annoies the health It annoies the braine and pulses it causes the gall to flow into the stomacke and the bowells it killeth and poisoneth the spirits and it is the next way to procure distemper of the whole bodie and consequently losse of health Secondly it makes a man captiue to the Deuill Eph. 4. 27. which we see to be true in Sauls example who beeing a man full of wrath and giuing place to his owne rage and furie an euill spirit entred into him by the iust iudgement of God Sixtly we must consider the Causes of vniust anger It is commonly thought that Anger is nothing but the flowing of choler in the gall and in the stomacke But the truth is anger is more then choler For it riseth first of a debilitie of reason and iudgement in the minde secondly from euill affections as from enuie and selfe-loue thirdly from the constitution of the bodie that is hote and drie Againe we read in histories that men hauing no gall haue notwithstanding beene full of anger and choler indeede is a furtherance but no cause of anger Sect. 2. The Remedies of vniust anger that stand in Practise are especially fiue The first is in the time of anger to conceale the same both in word and deede The indignation of a foole saith Salomon Prou. 12. 16. will be knowne the same day but the wise man couereth his shame that is he restraines his anger which if it should presently break forth wold be a reproch vnto him Answerable to this notable speech of Salomon was the wise counsell of Ambrose to Theodosius that after senteÌ„ce giuen he should take 30 daies respite before execution And not vnlike hath been the practise of the very Heathen in their time Socrates said I had beaten thee but that I was angrie Aâ—â—enodoruâ— gaue Augustus this rule that when he was angrie he should first say ouer the whole Alphabet before he put in execution his anger Secondly we must depart from them with whoÌ„ we are angry For this affectioÌ„ is as a fire take the matter away from fire and it will cease to burne so let a man depart and employ himselfe for the time some other way and he shall soone cease to be angrie Thus did Ionathan depart out of his fathers presence 1. Sam. 20. 34. Abraham in his anger withdrew himselfe from Lot Gen. 13. Iacob in wrath departed from Esan Gen. 27. 43 44. Thirdly we must auoide the occasions thereof as contentions and contentious persons Doe nothing through contention Phil. 2. 3. Make no friendship with an angrie man neither goe with a furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Prou. 22. 26. We must for this purpose be carefull to auoid all meanes that may serue to further the heate of the temperature of such a bodie as is apt and disposed to this vnruly passion Fourthly we are to consider that we sinne against God not once or twise but often yea euery day and therefore the course of our anger must be turned against our own selues for our sinnes For this is one propertie of true repeÌ„tance to work in vs a reuenge vpon our selues in regard of our sinnes committed against God and our brethren 2. Corinth 7. 11. Fiftly we must accustome our selues to the daily exercises
the measure and manner of our apparell and therefore the wise and graue presidents of good and godly men that are of the same or like degree with our selues ought to stand for a rule of direction in this behalfe To which purpose Paul exhorteth Whatsoeuer things are pure honest of good report if there be any vertue c. thinke of these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me those things doe Phil. 4. 9. Examples hereof we haue many in the word of God Of Iohn the Baptist who had his garments of Camels haire Mat. 3. 4. Of Elias who is said to be a hairie man in respect of his attire and to be girded as Iohn was with a girdle of leather about his loines 2. King 1. 8. For these rough garments were the principal raiments of Prophets in those times and places as we read Zach. 13. 4. And it was the ordinarie fashion of the Iewish nation to vse goats-hair not onely for making of their apparel but euen of the curtaines that were made for the vse of the sancturie Exod. 36. 14. If this Rule were practised it would serue to cut off many scandalous behauiours in the conuersations of men For now a daies men doe striue who shal goe before another in the brauest and costliest attire hauing little or no respect at all to the examples of godly and sober persons of their degrees and places And this their excessiue pride and vanitie is ordinarily maintained by vniust dealing in lying and deceipt by couetousnes and vnmercifulnesse to the poore sinnes which are so greatly dishonourable vnto God that the very earth wherupon men doe liue can hardly endure the same Wherfore those that fear God and haue a care to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse ought to hate and detest these courses renouncing the curious vanity of the world and testifying the graces and vertues of their minds vnto men even by their graue and sober gestures and habits of their bodies §ect 2. The Second thing to be considered in the right vse of apparell is the wearing and putting of it on Touching which two speciall Rules are to be obserued I. Rule That we weare and put on our apparell for those proper Ends for which God hath ordained the same The Ends of apparell are specially these First for Necessitie sake that is for the defending of the body from the extremitie of parching heate and the pinching cold and consequently the preseruing of life health This was the end for which garments were first made after the fall And the reason of it is this Whilest man was yet in the state of Innocencie before his fall ther was a perfect temperature of the aire in respect of mans bodie and so there was no need of garments and nakednesse then was no shame vnto man but a glorious comelines Now after that Adam and in him al mankind had sinned vanitie came vpon all the creatures amongst the rest vpon the aire a maruelous distemperature in respect of heat and cold For the remedie whereof it was ordained that Adam should weare apparell which God hauing once made and appointed he hath euer since blessed it as his owne ordinance as daily experience sheweth For our attire which is void of heat and life doth notwithstanding preserue mans bodie in heat and life which it could not doe if there were not a speciall prouidence of God attending vpon it The Second Ende of apparell is Honestie For to this ende doe we put it on and weare it for the couering and hiding of that deformitie of our naked bodies which immediately followed vpon the transgression of our first parents and in this respect also were garments after the fall appointed by God for the vse of man It is obiected that Esay prophecied naked and bare-foot Esa. 20. 〈◊〉 and so did Saul 1. Sam. 19. 24. I answer first that which the Prophet did was done by commandement as may appeare in the second verse of that Chapter For the Lord gaue him commandement so to doe Againe he is saide to be naked because he put off his vpper â—…ent which was sackcloath or some other rough garment that Prophets vsed to wenre but it cannot be prooued that he put off that garment which was next his flesh and skinne Concerning Saul there be two answers giuen One that he put off his vpper garment as Esay did For we are not to imagine that he prophecied naked it beeing so vnseemely a thing and euen against the Law of nature since the fall The other answer and that according to the true meaning of the text is that Saul before the Spirit of prophecie came vpon him had put on and wore his warrelike attire wherewith he went out to take Dauid But when the Spirit came vpon him then he put off his militarie habite and went in other attire after the manner and fashion of a Prophet and so prophecied And therefore whereas he is saide to goe naked the meaning is that he stript himselfe of his armour which both himselfe and his messengers vsed in pursuing after Dauid Now touching the Couering of the bodie with apparell these things are to be remembred First that it must be couered in decent and seemely sort Thus Ioseph wrapped Christs bodie that was dead in a cleane linnen cloath together with the spices Matt. 27. 59. Secondly the whole bodie must be couered some onely parts excepted which for necessitie sake are left open and bare as the hands and face because there is an ignominious shame not only on some parts but ouer the whole bodie And here comes to be reproued the affected nakednesse vsed of sundry persons who are wont to haue their garments made of such a fashion as that their neck and brests may be left for a great part vncouered A practise full of vanitie and cleane contrary to this Rule grounded in corrupted nature For if the whole body be ouer spread with shame by sinne why should any man by such practise as much as in him lies vncouer his shame to the view of the world The ende of attire is to hide the shamefull nakednes of the bodie from the sight of men But such persons as these are doe hereby expresse the vanitie and lightnes of their mindes by leauing some parts of their bodies open and vncouered Wherein what doe they else but euen display and manifest vnto men and Angels their owne shame and ignominie Nay what doe they else but glorie in that which is by the iust iudgement of God reprochfull vnto them Let all those that feare God and are humbled in the consideration of their sinnes which are the matter of the shame of mankinde be otherwise affected A Third Ende of apparell is the honouring of the bodie To this purpose S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 12. 23. Vpon those members of the bodie which we think most vnhonest put 〈◊〉 on the greater honour c. v. 24. God hath tempered
the bodie together and giuen the more honour to that part which lacked And in 1. Thess. 4. 4. It is the will of God c. that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour These words are spoken of chastitie but they are generally to be vnderstood of any other vertue belonging to the bodie Now the reason of this ende is plaine For the bodie of euery beleeuer is the Temple of the Holy Ghost and a member of Christ in the kinde and place as well as the soule Therefore it ought to be both holily and honourably vsed For the honouring of the bodie with outward ornaments we must remember this distinction Some ornaments are inward and some are borrowed Inward are the graces and gifts of God these are our owne Borrowed are gold siluer pearles and pretious stones and these are outward And of the two more speciall care ought to be had of the inward then of the outward and borrowed For these are indeede faire and honourable in the opinion and estimation of men but the other are farre more honourable in the sight of God And therefore Saint Peter exhorteth weomen that their apparell be not outward as with broidered haire and gold set about or in sumptuous garments but that the hidden man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing pretious 1. Pet. 3. 3 4. Now that we may vse our apparell to the Endes before rehearsed we are yet further to obserue some speciall Rules which may serue for our direction in the right adorning of the bodie First euery one must be content with their owne naturall fauour and complexion that God hath giuen them and account of it as a pretious thing be it better or be it worse For the outward forme and fauour that man hath is the worke of God himselfe fitted and proportioned vnto him in his conception by his speciall prouidence Beeing then the Lords owne worke and his wil thus to frame it rather then otherwise great reason there is that man should rest contented with the same Here comes to be iustly reprooued the straunge practise and behauiour of some in these daies who beeing not contented with that forme and fashion which God hath sorted vnto them doe deuise artificiall formes and fauours to set vpon their bodies and faces by painting and colouring thereby making themselues seeme that which indeede they are not This practise is most abominable in the very light of nature and much more by the light of Gods word wherein we haue but one onely example thereof and that is of wicked Iesabel 2. king 9. 30. who is noted by this marke of a notorious harlot that shee painted her face For what is this but to finde fault with Gods owne workemanship and to seeke to correct the same by a counterfait worke of our owne deuising which cannot but be highly displeasing vnto him A cunning Painter when he hath once finished his worke if any man shall goe about to correct the same he is greatly offended Much more then may God the most wise and absolute former and Creatour of his workes be highly offended with all those that cannot content themselues with the fauour and feature they haue receiued from him but will needes be calling his worke into question and refining it according to their owne humours and fancies Tertullian in his booke de habitu mulierū calls such persons and that deseruedly the Deuills handmaides But may some say if there be any deformitie in the bodie may we not labour to couer it Ans. Yes but we may not set any new forme on the face or habite on the bodie Dissembling is condemned as well in deede as in word and such is this Secondly we must place the principall ornament of our soules and bodies in vertue and good workes and not in any outward things So would Paul haue woomen to aray thēselues in comely apparell with shamefastnes and modestie 1. Tim. 2. 9. Thirdly in vsing of ornaments before-named we must be very sparing and keepe our selues within the meane Gen. 24. 22. Abrahams seruant gaue Rebecca an abillement of halfe a shekel weight and two bracelets of ten shekels of gold which shee put vpon her forehead and hands v. 47. all which were of no great value and therefore not excessiue but comely and moderate And in the Old Testament kings daughters were clad but in parti-coloured garments 2. Sam. 13. 18. There was therefore euen amongst them great plainenesse It will here be demanded What is then the measure that must be vsed Ans. The Scripture giues no rule for our direction in this point but the example and iudgement of the sagest and soberest persons in euery order age and condition and as they doe and iudge so must we As for example whether a man should weare a ruffe single or double or tripled c. the Scripture in particular giues no direction onely we must looke vpon the example of the soberest and discreetest persons of our order and age and that ought to be our president for imitation Fourthly ornaments must be vsed not alwaies alike but according to times and seasons It is noted as a fault in the rich glutton that he went euery day in costly apparell Luk. 16. 19. In the daies of reioycing we may put on more outward ornaments and so they vsed of ancient times at mariages to put on wedding garments Matth. 22. But in the daies of mourning baser and courser attire is to be vsed as fittest for the time Fiftly we must adorne our bodies to a right ende to wit that thereby we may honour them and in them honour God Against this Rule do offend those that adorne their bodies to be praised to be counted rich and great persons and to purchase and procure vnto themselues the loue of straungers This is the harlots practise described by Salomon at large Prou. 6. 25. 7. 10. 16. These are the Endes for which we must attire our selues And so much of the first maine Rule to be obserued in the wearing and putting on of apparell The Second maine Rule followeth We must make a spirituall vse of the apparell which we weare How may that be done Ans. First we must take occasion thereby to humble our selues and that in this manner When we see the plaister vpon the sore we know there is a wound and so the couer of our bodies must put vs in minde of our shame and nakednes in regard of grace and Gods fauour by reason of originall sinne And we are to know that it is a dangerous practise for any man to puffe vp himselfe in pride vpon the sight and vse of his apparell For this is to be proud of his owne shame Nay it is as much as if a theese should be proud of his bolts and of the halter about his necke garments beeing nothing els but the couer of our shame and the signes of our
sinnes Secondly by the putting on of our garments we must be admonished to put on Christ. Rom. 13. 14. Quest. How shall wee doe that Ans. Thus We must conceiue Christs obedience actiue and passiue as a couering and therefore by praier we are to come vnto God in his name and intreat him to accept this his obedience for vs yea that Christ may be made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption And we on the other side made conformable to him in life and death in all morall duties Lastly that we may haue the same mind affection and conuersation that he had Thirdly when we put off our clothes we then are admonished of putting off the olde man that is the masse and body of sinnefull corruption And we then put him off when we can by grace hate sinne and carrie a resolute purpose in our hearts of not sinning Fourthly when we cloth our selues and trusse our attire to our bodies this should teach vs a further thing that it behooueth vs to gird vp our loines to haue our lightes burning to prepare our selues to meete Christ whether by death or by the last iudgment If we make not these vses of our attire we doe not rightly vse but rather abuse the same In a word to shut vp this point we are all to be exhorted to make conscience of the practise of these Rules and to take heede of pride in these outward things And in way of motiue hereunto consider first how great hainous a sinne Pride is The greatnes of it may be discerned by foure things First in it and the fruit thereof superfluity of apparell there is an abuse of our wealth to needlesse and superfluous vses which ought to be employed to vses more necessarie as to the good of the Church common wealth and familie and especially for the releife of the poore Secondly in this sinne there is an abuse of time For they that giue themselues to pride spend so much time in the adorning of their bodies that they haue no leisure for the adorning and beautifying of the soule Hence it comes to passe that proud persons abound with ignorance idlenesse wantonnesse and many other enormities Thirdly in this sinne there is an abuse of the attire it selfe in that it is made a signe of the vanitie of the mind and wantonnesse of the heart which should be the signe of a heart religiously disposed Fourthly in it there is a confusion of order in the estates societies of men For whereas one order of men should goe thus attired and another after another manner by this it comes to passe that equall and superior are clothed both alike and that which should be an occasion to humble vs is made an occasion to puffe vs vp Fiftly there is a great iudgement threatned against this sinne Esay 2. 11. 12. Zeph. 3. 11. The greatnes of this vice we are to endeavour by all means possible to redresse in our selues For which purpose we must be careful to see and feele and withall to bewaile the spirituall nakednes of our soules which is a deprauation of the image of God wherein we are created according to him in holines and righteousnesse the want whereof makes vs vgly and deformed in the eyes of God And the true sense and experience of this will turne our mindes and thoughts from the trimming of the body and make vs especially to labour for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed as the onely couering which will keepe vs warme safe from the stormes and tempests of the wrath and furie of God Sect. 4. In the fourth place we come to the handling of those Questions that concerne the Moderation of our Appetite in the Vse of Pleasures and Recreations And these are specially three I. Question Whether Recreation be lawfull for a Christian man Ans. Yea and that for two causes First Rest from labour with the refreshing of bodie and mind is necessarie because mans nature is like the bow which being alway bent and vsed is soone broken in pieces Now that which is necessarie is lawfull And if rest be lawfull then is recreation also lawfull Secondly by Christian libertie we are allowed to vse the creatures of God not onely for our necessitie but also for meete and convenient delight This is a confessed truth and therefore to them which shall condemne fit and conuenient recreation as some of the ancient Fathers haue done by name Chrysostome and Ambrose it may be said be not to righteous be not to wise Eccl. 7. 18. II. Question What kindes of recreations and sports are lawfull conuenient and what be vnlawfull and vnconuenient Ans. I will first lay downe this ground that All lawfull Recreation is onely in the vse of things indifferent which are in themselues neither commanded nor forbidden For by christiaÌ„ libertie the vse of such things for lawfull delight and pleasure is permitted vnto vs. Therfore meete and fitt recreations doe stand in the vse of things indifferent and not in things either commanded or forbidden Hence I deriue three Conclusions that may serue for the better answer of the Question I. Recreation may not be in the vse of holy things that is in the vse of the word Sacraments praier or in any act of religion For these things are sacred divine they doe staÌ„d by Gods expresse coÌ„mandement may not be applyed to any common or vulgar vse For this cause it is well provided that the pageants which haue beene vsed in sundrie cities of this land are put downe because they were nothing els but either the whole or part of the historie of the Bible turned into a Play And therefore the lesse to be allowed considering that the more holy the matter is which they represent the more vnholy are the plaies themselues Againe all such iests as are framed out of the Phrases sentences of the scripture are abuses of holy things and therefore carefully to be avoided The common saying may teach vs thus much It is no safe course to play with holy things Lastly vpon the former conclusion we are taught that it is not meete conuenient or laudable for men to mooue occasion of laughter in Sermons The second CoÌ„clusion Recreation may not be made of the sinns or offences of men They ought to be vnto vs the matter of sorrow mourning Dauid shed riuers of tears because men brake the commandements of God Psal. 119. 136. The righteous heart of Lot was vexed with hearing the abominations of Sodome 2. Pet. 2. 8. Vpon this it followeth first that common plaies which are in vse in the world are to be reprooued as beeing not meet and conuenient matter of Recreation For they are nothing els but representations of the vices misdemeanouâ—s of men in the world Now such representations are not to be approoved Paul saith Fornication couetousnes let them not be named among you as becommeth Saintes Eph. 5. 3. And if vices of men may not be
respect them as brethren This dutie the Lord commands expressely to the King That his heart be not lifted vp above his brethren Deut. 17. 20. The same was the practise of Iob who saith of himselfe that he did not contemne the iudgement of his seruant or of his maid when they did contend with him Iob. 31. 13. Naaman the Syrian thought it no disgrace to be advised and ordered by the counsell of his seruants 2. King 5. 13. And true it is that all superiours ought to keepe their state and place yet so as they haue respect also to such as are inferiour to them without scorâ—â— or contempt Sect. 4. 〈◊〉 Lastly there is a kind of honour to be performed to a mans owne selfe which duty the Apostle exhorteth vnto Phil. 4. 8. where he saith If there be any vertue if there be any pâ—â—ise thinke on these things By which he would teach vs not onely to tender the honour of our superiours equalls and inferiours but euen of our selues in seeking after vertue and praise that followeth after it But how should a man in righteous manner honour himselfe Ans. By obseruing two rules I. Rule We must preserue our selues in body and soule specially we must keepe the body that it be not made an instrument of sinne For when we doe vse our bodies as instruments of vncleanes then doe we bring a shame vpon them And it is the will of God that euery man should know how to possesse his vessel in holines and honour 1. Thes. 4. 4. 5. And that which is said of the bodie is to be vnderstood of the hand the heart the tongue and all the parts and members thereof II. Rule If we would truly honour our selues we must honour God in all our waies For God will honour them who honour him 1. Sam. 2. 30. Now to honour God is to honour him according to his will and word in the duties of good conscience and good life On the contrarie they that dishonour God God will dishonour them before all the world And this must teach vs even to dedicate our selues to God and his providence in the whole course of our callings whether in the Church or Commonwealth c. c. c. c. c. c. Faults escaped in the most Copies are thus to be amended Pag. 2. lin 11. dele and. 19. 16. hedenies he denies 59. 11. mumnednesse nummednesse 222. 〈◊〉 eight eighteenth 250. 16 17. dele and. 290. 16. one Question two Questions 316. penâ—lt ye must yea must 317 8. qualified qualified 318. 18. Nor Now. 351. 21 22 23. Questions about Adoration are two I. Q. read Question about Adoration is To what c. 354. 22. their they 356. 20. appearetht hat appetreth that 363. 2. God Gods 377. 12. delc not 382. 12. vrath wrath l. 25. or of 383. 6. dele the. 392. 25. he be 398. 7. it is l. 17. Statues Statutes 401. 3. possible possibly 409. Margin Quintil. Quimchi 448. 23 Sect. 2. Sect. 3. 449. 11. Sect. 3. Sect. 4. 456. 21. abour labour 464. ult Tthird Third 470. 10. the to the. 478. 25. bed chamber bride-chamber 484. 30. off cut off 493. 3. iudgemen iudgement 553. 28. or selues our selues 619. 27. doe to doe 630. 1. infirmitie inferioritie Kind Reader I intreate thee to be aduertised of two texts of Scripture alleadged pag. 578 579. in way of proofe of a rule there mentioned They were quoted and vttered in those very tearmes by the Author himselfe But because they faulted in some words and were not for matter so well filled to the point in hand as was meete I set vpon them a marke in my Copie either to be explaned or wholly left out Yet beeing in my absence through the Printers hast slipped in much against my will and now past helpe I am forced to desire thee for the time in loue to passe by the examples themselues and onely to take the Rule for thy direction in the vse of borrowed ornaments Farewell Prou. 18. 14. Rom. 14. 23. Hebr. 4. 12. Psal. 6. 6. and 22. 1 2. Psal. 119. v. 49 50. b Decret de poenit dist 6. cap. 1. Caueat spiritual is iudex vt sicut non commisit crimen nequitiae itâ â—oÌ„ careat munere scientiae c Iudices in caufis poenitentium Bell. de poen lib. 3. cap. 2. Concil Trid. sess â—4 can 9. Prolog in Summ Antonni Archicpisc Florentini Mark 2. 10. Reu. 3. 8. 2. Cor. 5. 20. d Theophl comment in Ioan. 3. 34. Hieron l. 3. comment in Math. super verba Tibi dabo claues Emanuel Sa. in Aphor. coÌ„â—essarâ—orum Summa Angelica capit â—ides paragr 6 7. Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 9. a Matth. 14. 31. Iam. 1. 6. Rom. 〈◊〉 20. Concil Trid. â—ess â—4 can 7. Psal. 19. 12. a Peceatum veniale quod non tolâ—…t ordinem ad vltimum finem vnde non meretur poenaÌ„ aeternam sed temporalem Iacob de Graphiis Decision aurcar Cas. Consc. l. 1. cap. 6. 1. Ioh. 3. 4. Concil Trid. sess 1â— can 13. In the Treat Page 4. Iam. 5. 〈◊〉 * Splendida peccata Act. 10. 1. Ioh. 3. 4. 4. Maculâ— Act. 3. 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1. 13. Iob 21. 14. Psal. 36. 〈◊〉 3. a Ignorantâ—◠〈◊〉 b Ignorantia facti Voluntas nâ—â— cogitur Rom. 7. 18. and 22. 23. Psal. 19. 13. Num. 15. 30. Math. 25. 42. 43. 〈◊〉 Gen. 4. 〈◊〉 Gen. 〈◊〉 20. Exod. 〈◊〉 7. alias Exod. â—2 23. 27. Iam. 5. 4. 〈◊〉 o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. 30. Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 10. 〈◊〉 Exod. 〈◊〉 25. 1. Kin. 21. 2. â—in 17. 1. Sam. 〈◊〉 25. Matth. 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 6. 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 2â— Prov. 17. â—5 1. Tim. 5. 24. Rom. 6. 23. 2. Pet. 2. 21. Iam. 1. 15. Act. 15. 9. Proâ— 4. 23. Psal. 19. 12. Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 1 Dubitaâ—te conscientiaÌ„ 2 â—rrante 3 Repugnantâ— How God saueth man Act. 2. 38. Act. 16. 33. Mar. 10. 17. c. Matth. 3. 8. Humiliation 2. Sam. 12 13. Psal. 32. 5. Luk. 15. 18. Psal. 19. 12. 2. Cor. 8. 12. 2. Sam. 18. 33. Faith in Christ. Psal. 51. Repentance Act. 11. 23. Ezek. 18. 21. New Obedience Ioh. 15. 5. Iam. 2. 10. 2. king 23. 25. Gen. 39. 9. 10. 2. Sam. 1â— 1â— Mark 7. 7. 1. Cor. 8. vlt. Rom 14. vlt. 2. Cor. 10. 3â— Psal 143. 2. Dan. 9. 8 9. Rom. 8. 16. Psal. 15. S. Iohns 1. Epistle 1. Ioh. 5 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 1. Chap. 3. 〈◊〉 2. Col. 3. 26. Rom. 8. 7. Gal. 3. â—6 2. Tim. 2. 19. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Distresse of minde in generall Prov. 18. 14. In speciall The Generall Remedie of all Distresses The false way of ministring comfort 〈◊〉 Tim. 2. 4. Act. 17. 30. Esa. 49. 8. 1. Ioh. 5. 16. The Grounds of Comfort 2. Cor. 8. 11. Math. 5. 6. Reuel 21. 6. Psal. 10. 17. Psal. 145. 19. 2. Cor. 7. 9. Psal. 32. 5. Luk. 15. 17. 18. 2. Sam. 12. 13. 1. Iohn 3. 14. Matt. 10. 41.
thing before named that is conformitie or correspondencie to the will of God in regard of obedience But some may say the want of conformitie in the powers of the soule is not sinne properly because in sinne there must bee not onely an absence of goodnesse but be some twentie or thirtie yeares yet the partie offending doth not therefore cease to be a sinner Now then I demaund what is the very thing for which he is named and tearmed still a sinner in the time present the offence beeing past The answer is that euery actuall sinne beside the three former must be considered with a fourth thing to wit a certaine staine or blotte which it imprints and leaues in the offender as a fruit and that is an inclination or euill disposition of the heart wherby it becomes more apt prone to the offence done or to any other sinne For looke as the dropsie man the more he drinks the drier he is and the more he still desires to drinke euen so a sinner the more he sinnes the apter is he to sinne and more desirous to keepe still a course in wickednes And as a man that lookes vpon the Sunne if he turne his face away remains turned vntill he turne himselfe againe so he that turnes from God by any sinne makes himselfe a sinner and so remaines vntill he turne himselfe againe by repentance Thus Dauid was a sinner not onely in the very act of his adulterie murâ—… ther but euen when the act was doneâ—… past he remained still a murtherer and 〈◊〉 dulterer because a new or rather a reâ—… pronenesse to these and all othâ—… tooke place in his heart by his falâ—… strength till he turned to God byâ—… vpon the admonition of the Proâ—… thing then whereby a sinner is tearmed a sinner is the Fault together with the fruit thereof namely the Blot imprinted in the soule so oft as men doe actually offend The Vse of this doctrine touching sinne is twofold First by it we learne and see what is Originall sinne wherby an Infant in the first conception and birth is indeed a sinner Euery Infant must be considered as a part of Adam proceeding of him and partaking of his nature and therby it is made a sinner not onely by imputation of Adams offence but also by propagation of an aptâ—esse and pronenes vnto euery euill receiued together with nature from Adam And thus ought we to conceiue Originall sinne not to be the corruption of nature alone but Adams first offence imputed with the fruit thereof the corruption of nature which is an inclination vnto euery euill deriued together with nature from our first parents Secondly by this we are taught to take heed of all and euery sinne whether it be in thought word or deed because the committing therof though in respect of the act it passeth aâ—… in the doing yet it breedeth and inâ—…seth a wicked disposition in the heart â—…h beene said to the offence done or aâ—… sinne Men deceiue themselues that â—…the euill of sinne to be only in the â—…ng to goe no further wheras inâ—… offence hath a certen blot going with it that corrupteth the heart and causeth man to delight and lie in his offence which lying in sinne is a greater cause of damnatioÌ„ then the very sin it selfe This therfore must admonish vs to take heed least we continue in any sinne and if it fall out that through infirmitie we be ouertaken by any tentation we must labour to rise again and turne from our sinne to God by new and speedy repentance Sect. 3. Thus much of Sinne it selfe Now follow the Differences thereof which are manifold The first sort are to be gathered from the causes and beginnings of sinne in man which are threefold Reason will and Affection The differeÌ„ces of sinne in respect of Reason are these First some are sinnes of knowledge some of ignorance A sinne of Knowledge is when a man offends against his knowledge doing euill when he knoweth it to be euill and this is greater then a sinne of ignorance for he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes A sinne of Ignorance is when a man doth euill not knowing it to be euill Thus Paul was a blasphemer an oppressour and persecuted the Church of Christ ignorantly and in a blinde zeale not knowing that which hee did to be euill Nowe by ignorance here I meane an ignorance of those things which ought to be knowne and this is twofold simple or affected Simple ignorance is when a man after diligence and good paines taking still remaines ignorant this ignorance will not excuse any man if it be of such things as he is bound to know for it is said He that doth not his masters will by reason he knew it not shall be beaten with stripes though fewer And in this regard euen the Heathen which knew not God are inexcusable because they were bound to haue known him For Adam had the perfect knowledge of God imprinted in his nature and lost the same through his owne default for himselfe and his posteritie And it is the commandement of God whereunto euery man is bouÌ„d to performe obedience that man should know him that is his will and word But some may say then how can any man be saued seeing euery man is ignoraÌ„t of many things which he ought to know An. If we know the grouÌ„ds of religion be careful to obey God according to our knowledge hauing withall a care and desire to increase in the knowledge of God and his will God will hold vs excused for our desire and indeauour to obey is accepted for obedience it selfe And the greater this simple ignoraÌ„ce is the lesser is the sinne For hereupon it was that Peter lessened and in some sort excused the sinne of the Iewes in crucifying Christ because they did it through ignorance and so doth Paul his sinne in persecuting the Church when he alleadgeth that it was done ignorantly in vnbeleefe But howsoeuer this sinne by such meanes may be lessened yet remaines it still a sinne worthie condemnation Affected ignorance is when a man takes delight in his ignorance and will of purpose be ignorant not vsing but contemning the meanes wherby to get and increase knowledge and that carelessely and negligently because he will not leaue sinne which he loueth nor forsake the euill trade of life wherin he delighteth This is the sinne of those whereof Iob speaketh who say vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies And of whome Dauid complaineth that they flatter themselues in their owne eyes and haue left off to vnderstand and to doe good This ignorance is damnable and deuilish it excuseth no man but doth rather aggrauate and increase his sinne yea it is the mother of many grieuous enormities Againe Ignorance is twofold of the Law or of the thing the Law requireth Ignorance of the Law is
into the sea did not befall him by lotte but by his owne voluntarie resignation of himselfe into the hands of God willingly vndergoing it as a iust punishment of the neglect of his calling which himselfe confessed in these words For I acknowledge that for my sake the great tempest is vpon you Ion. 1. 12. Sixtly Moses and the Egyptian fought a combate and Moses slew him Ans. Moses took vpoÌ„ him publike revenge in this action as a Magistrate and not priuate as a priuate man For though as yet his calling was not fully manifested to his brethreÌ„ yet the truth is God had called him to be their deliuerer out of the hands of the Egyptians and this very action was a signe of their deliuerance which was to come to passe afterward It was I say a signe thus As he defended his brother and avenged his quarrell vpon the Egyptian so in time to come the Lord would by his hand giue them full freedome and deliuerance from the tyranny of Pharaoh and all his and their enemies Act. 7. 25. Beeing then a publicke person his example can prooue nothing for this purpose II. Question When Anger is a vertue and so good and lawfull and wheÌ„ it is a vice consequeÌ„tly euill and vnlawfull This Question hath two distinct parts of which I will speake in their order Sect. 1. The first part is when Anger is a vertue lawfull For Answer hereof we must vnderstand that in iust and lawfull Anger there be three things a right Beginning or motiue a right Obiect and a right Manner of beeing angry To the right Beginning of anger three things are required First that the occasion of anger be iust and weightie as namely a manifest offence of God Take an exaÌ„ple or two Moses in sundry places is said to be angrie the occasions of his anger were great as appeares in the particulars First because some of the Israelits against Gods commandement had reserued Manna till the next day Exod. 16. 20. Again he was angrie because the Israelites had tempted God in worshipping the golden calfe Exod. 32. 19. In Numb 16. 15. Moses againe is wroth because Coreh Dathan and Abiram rebelled against him and in him against God Phinees Numb 25. 8. 11. is said to haue beene zealous that is angry for God the occasion was because the Israelites committed fornication with Heathenish women Dauid in like manner 2. Sam. 13. 20 21. was angrie vpon this occasion because Ammon his sonne had deffoured his sister Thamar Elias is angry 1. King 19. v. 14. and why because the Israelites forsooke the conenant of God cast downe his altars and had slaine his prophets with the sword Nehemias Chap. 6. ver 5. is very angrie because the Israelites oppressed one another with vsurie and other kinds of exactions Ieremic also Chap. 6. 11. was angrie for this because the Israelites were of vncircumcised hearts eares and the word of the Lord was vnto them as a reproch they tooke no delight therein Secondly it is required that anger be conceiued vpon counsell and deliberation Pro. 20. 18. Establish thy thoughts by counsell If thoughts must be established by counsell then the affections so our anger also And the Apostle saith Iam. 1. 19. Be slow to wrath Now the reason is plaine Counsell ought to be the foundation of all our actions and therfore much more of our affections which are the beginnings of our actions Thirdly iust and lawful anger must be kindled and stirred vp by good and holy affections as namely by desire to maintaine the honour and praise of God by the loue of iustice and vertue by hatred and detestation of vice and of all that is evill One saith well to this purpose that anger must attend vpon vertue and be stirred vp by it against sinne as the dogge attends vpon the sheepeheard and waites vpon his eie and hand when to follow him and when to pursue the wolfe The Second thing in good anger is a fitte Obiect or Matter to worke vpon touching which two thing must be remembred First we must put a difference betweene the person and the offence or sinne of the person The sinne of the person is the proper obiect of anger and not the person but only by reason of the sinne Thus Dauid saies of himselfe that he was consumed with anger not because the men with whome he was angrie were his enemies but because they kept not Gods law Psal. 119. 139. Thus Moses was angrie at the Idolatrie of the Israelites wherewith they had sinned against God fourtie daies togither yet he praies earnestly vnto God for their persons as we read Exod. 32. But it is alleadged to the contrarie that Dauid directs his anger against the persons of his enemies especially in Psal. 109. Answ. First Prophets as hath beene saide heretofore were endued with a speciall measure of zeale and their zeale was a pure zeale taken vp specially for the glorie and honour of God but our zeale against our enemies is commonly mixt with hatred enuy and selfe-loue therefore we must not nay we cannot follow their examples Secondly imprecations vsed by Dauid were predictions rather then praiers for he rather foretold in them what should come to passe then prayed that it might come to passe Thirdly Dauid in his imprecations accurseth not his owne priuate enemies but the enemies of God and not al them but such onely as were incurable for by the spirit of prophecie he knew the state of those against whome he did pray so doe not we Secondly we must put a difference betweene the cause and offence of God and the cause and offence of manâ— Now iust anger must be directed against persons for the offence of God properly and not for priuate offence but onely so farre forth as it tendeth to the offence of God Thus Miâ—iam and Aaron murmured against Moses because he had married a woman of Aethiopia But this was onely a priuate offence and therefore Moses behaued himselfe meekely towardes them Numb 12. 3. The Third thing in good anger is the Right Manner of conceiuing it Wherein these Cautions are to be obserued First that our anger be mixed and tempered with charitie and loue It is the propertie of God himselfe in wrath to remember mercie Hab. 3. 2. and herein we must be like vnto him This was Moses his practise who out of his loue praied for those with whome he was angrie Exod. 32. Secondly anger against any offence must be mixed with sorrow for the same offence Thus Christ was angrie with the Iewes but withall he sorrowed for the hardnes of their hearts Mark 3. 5. The reason hereof is this In any societie whatsoeuer it be if one member sinneth the sinne of that one member is the punishment of the rest that be in that societie euen as it is in the bodie if one part be affected and ill at ease the rest will be distempered Paul saies of himselfe that he was
afraid least when he came to the Corinths God would humble him for their sinnes 2. Cor. 12. 21. Againe he teacheth that those which are fallen into any fault must be restored by the spirit of meekenes because we our selues are subiect to the same tentations Gal. 6. 1. And in this regard he would haue men to mourne with them that haue in them the cause of mourning Rom. 12. 15. Thirdly iust anger must be contained within the bounds of our particular calling and civill decencie that is so moderated as it makes vs not to forsake our duties which we owe to God and man nor breake the rules of comlines Thus Iacob was angrie with Laban and yet he speakes and behaues himselfe as a sonne to his father euen in his anger Gen. 31. 36. Ionathan was angrie with Saul his father and yet he withdrawes not any reuerent or dutifull respect from him 1. Sam. 20. Sect. 2. The second part of the Question is When Anger is a vice and vnlawfull Ans. It is a sinne in fiue regards contrary to the former First when we conceiue it without counsell and deliberation This rash hastie sudden and violent anger is condemned by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 22. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shal be culpable of iudgment Secondly when it is conceiued for no cause or for a light or trifling cause Prou. 10. 12. Loue couers a multitude of sinnes Therefore euery light offence must not be the cause of open anger Prov. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to passe by some infirmities Eccles. 7. 23. Take not notice of all the words that men speake no not of all those which seruants speake vnto their masters Besides that causelesse anger is many times forbidden in the Scripture And Paul saies that loue is hardly provoked because it will not be mooued to conceiue hatred but vpon weightie and important causes 1. Cor. 13. Thirdly when the occasion is iust yet the measure of anger is immoderate Eph. 4. 26. Be angry sinne not and if by infirmitie thou fall into it let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath The reason is added in the next words Giue not place to the Deuill because he is alwaies at hand to inflame the affection as he did Sauls who therefore in his rage would haue killed him that was next him Fourthly when it makes vs to forget our dutie to God or man and to fal to brawling cursing and banning Thus was Shemei angry when he railed vpon the King and flung stones at him and his seruants giuing him bad and vnreuerent tearmes and calling him a man of blood and a man of Belial 2. Sam. 16. 5. 6. 7. Thus did the Disciples forget their dutie of loue vnto their brethren and in anger desired that fire might come down from heauen and destroy the Samaritanes Luk. 9. 59. Thus the Iewes in vndecent and vncharitable manner gnashed with their teeth at Steven Act. 7. 54. And Saint Paul saies that the fruites of wicked anger are clamors and crying speeches between person and person in their fury Eph. 4. 31. And thence it is that we find Balaam in his anger to haue beene more void of reason then his asse Numb 22. 27. Fistly when we are angrie for priuate respects concerning our persons and not concerning the cause of God Thus Cain is said to be exceeding wrothe and to haue his countenance cast downe onely vpon a priuate respect because he thought his brother Abel should be preferred before him Gen. 4. 5. Thus Saul was wrath with Dauid taking himselfe to be disgraced because the people after the slaughter of the Philistimes ascribed to Dauid ten thousand and to him but a thousand 1. Sam. 18. 7. In like manner he was angrie with Ionathan for his loue that he bare to Dauid and for giuing him leaue to goe to Bethleem 1. Sam. 20. 30. Thus Nebuchadnezars wrath was kindled against the three children because he tooke himselfe to be contemned of them Dan. 3. 19. Thus Haman meerely in regarde of priuate disgrace growes to great indignation against Mordecai Esther 3. v. 5. Thus Asa was angry with the Prophet Hanani because he thought it a discredit to him to be reprooued at his hand 2. Chron. 16. 10. And in this sort were the Iewes filled with wrath at Christs reproofe Luk. 4. 28. shewing thereby as it is truly expounded by the Commenter that they were very hotte in their own cause and not in the cause of God III. Question What is the Remedie of vniust Anger Ans. The Remedies thereof are twofold Some consist in meditation and some in practise Sect. 1. The Remedies that stand in Meditation are of three sorts some doe concerne God some our neighbour and some our selues The Meditations cōcerning God are specially sixe I. Meditation That God by expresse cōmandement forbiddes rash and vniust anger and commandeth the contrarie namely the duties of loue Read for this purpose Mat. 5. 21. 22. where we may obserue three degrees of vniust anger The first whereof is that which is inwardly conceiued and not outwardly shewed The second when vniust anger shewes it selfe by signes of contempt as by snuffing rushing changing and casting downe of the countenance The third is railing thou foole which is culpable of Gehenna fire the highest degree of punishment Now all these three degrees are murther and the punishment of a murtherer is to be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 21. 8. Againe Christ commandeth vs to reward good for euill to blesse them that curse vs and to doe good to thē that hate vs if we will be the children of our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 45. And S. Paul wisheth vs to ouercome evill with goodnes Rom. 12. 21. II. Meditation That all iniuries which befall vs doe come by Gods providence whereby they are turned to a good ende namely our good Thus David saith that God had bidden Shemei to curse him 2. Sam. 16. 10. And this was the ground of Christs reproofe of Peter Shall I not saith he drinke of the euppe which my Father hath giuen me to drinke of Ioh. 28. 11. III. Meditation God is long-suffering even towards wicked men we in this point must be followers of him In regard of this God is said to be mercifull gracious slow to anger abundāt in goodnes truth Exod. 34. 6. Hence it was that he spared the old world 120 yeres ◠Pet. 3. 19. He spared the Israelits after their Idolatrie 390 yeres Ezek. 4. 5. Besides this we haue example of the lowlines long suffering of Christ who saith Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am humble and meeke and of whome it is said 1. Pet. 2. 22. When he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously Nowe because some may haply say that these examples of God and Christ are too perfect for man to followe who cannot