of the things comprised vnder it 31 21. Of Gods making knowne himselfe 33 22. Of Hallowing 34 23. Of the creatures hallowing the Creator 35 24. Of the excellencie of holinesse 35 25. Of the extent of mans desire to haue Gods name hallowed 36 26. Of mans disabilitie to hallow Gods name 36 27. Of the force of this word thy in the first Petition 37 28. Of mans honouring God because God honoureth him 38 29. Of Saints honouring God because they are sonnes 38 30. Of preferring Gods honour before all other things 39 31. Of aiming at Gods honour in all things 40 31. Of the pâ—rticulars to bee prayed for vnder the first Petition 41 32. Of the particulars for which thankes is to bee giuen vnder the first Petition 44 33. Of the duties required by reason of the first Petition 45 34. Of the thâ—ngs to be bewailed in regard of the first Petition 46 2. PETITION § 35. OF Gods kingdome what it is and what be the kinds of it 47 36. Of Gods reigning ouer rebels 48 37. Of the kingdome of Grace and Glorie 49 38. Of the difference betwixt the kingdome of Grace Glorie 50 39. Of the Churches gouernment 51 40. Of the encrease of the Church 52 41. Of the Churches imperfection 52 42. Of mans disabilitie to come vnto God 54 43. Of the force of this word THY in the second Petition 54 44. Of Gods power to make his kingdome come 55 45. Of the best meanes and fittest persons to hallow Gods Name 55 46. Of the spirituall blessings to be craued for the whole Militant Church 56 47. Of praying for the outward temporall estate of the Church 59 48. Of the extent of our prayer for the good of the Church after our time 60 49. Of praying against euils that annoy the Church 61 50. Of the things to be craued for particular Churches that we know 61 51. Of praying for the Churches whereof in particular we are members 62 52. Of things to be desired for the Church Triumphant 64 53. Of the things for which thankes is to be giuen by reason of the second Petition 66 54. Of the duties required vnder the second Petition 67 55. Of the things to be bewailed vnder the second Petition 68 3. PETITION § 56. OF the will of God here meant and doing it 71 57. Of the extent of our desire to haue Gods will done 73 58. Of the rule of our obedience to Gods will 73 59. Of practising Gods will 74 60. Of mans disabilitie to doe Gods will 75 61. Of the force of this word THY in the third Petition 75 62. Of preferring Gods will before all others 76 63. Of praying onely for men in earth 77 64. Of the meaning of this phrase in heauen 77 65. Of the manner of following a perfect patterne 78 66. Of the matter of Patience which the inhabitants of heauen haue 79 67. Of well doing goâ—d 80 68. Of propounding a perfect patterne before vs. 81 69. Of aiming at more then we can attaine to 82 70. Of the order of the third Petition 83 71. Of the honour done to God by doing his will 84 72. Of shewing our selues to be Gods subiects by doing his will 84 73. Of particulars which we are taught to pray for in the third Petition 85 74. Of the things to be prayed for in the direction of the third Petition 89 75. â—f the distinct heads of the manner of doing Gods will in heauen 89 76. Of the things for which thankes is to be giuen in the third Petition and in the direction annexed to it 91 77. Of the duties to be obserued by reason of the third Petition 92 78. Of sinnes against Gods will reuealed by his word 95 99. Of sinnes against Gods will manifested by euents 96 80. Of sinnes against the manner of doing good 97 4. PETITION § 81. OF the meaning of the word Bread 98 82. Of the Arguments alledged for spirituall foode to be meant by Bread answered 99 83. Of praying for temporall blessings 101 84. Of mens right to the things of this world 101 85. Of sundry blessings arising from this particle OVR 103 86. Of the meaning of this word Dayly 104 87. Of desiring no more then is needfull 105 88. Of couetousnesse ambition and voluptuousnesse 106 89. Of Gods giuing temporall blessings That he giueth them How he giueth them 106 90. Of the instructions taught vs by asking bread of God 108 91. Of Gods free-giuing the things of this world 108 92. Of praying both for our selues and for others 109 93. Of praying for others outward wellfare 110 94. Of resting contented with our present state 111 95. Of seeking things which concerne our owne good as well as the glory of God 112 96. Of the principall end of this life 113 97. Of plasing the Petition for temporall blessings before those for spirituall 114 98. Of rising from temporall to spirituall blessings 115 99. Of sundry particulars comprised vnder the generall words of the fourth Petition 116 100. Of the extent of our Prayers for the temporall good of others 117 101. Of the things for which by vertue of the foruth Petition wee ought to giue thankes 118 102. Of the duties required by vertue of the fourth Petition 120 103. Of the sinnes whereof the fourth Petition shewes men to be guiltie 122 104. Of neglecting the welfare of others and of sundry branches of improuidence 123 105. Of carking too much for this world 124. 5. PETITION § 106. OF sinnes stiled debts and of the kinds of debts 126 107. Of Christs Actiue righteousnesse imputed to vs. 128 108. Of mans subiection to sinne 129 109. Of falling into sinne daily 131 110. Of the difference betwixt Gods absolution and mans apprehension thereof 132 111. Of Popish Indulgences for sinnes to come and shriuing in Lent 133 112. Of neglecting to seeke discharge of sinne till Easter or till a day of visitation or death 134 113. Of the wofulnesse of the debt of sinne 135 114. Of euery sinne being mortall yet not equall 136 115. Of the distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes 137 116. Of duties to be obserued because euerie sinne is mortall 141 117. Of the many debts wherein we stand bound to Gods instice 142 118. Of the appropriation of sinne to our selues 144 119. Of Gods free and full discharge of mans debt 145 120. Of the concurrence of Gods mercie and iustice in the discharge of mans debt 145 121. Of mans disabilitie to discharge his debt 147 122. Of Popish satisfaction 148 123. Of Humiliation and Abnegation 150 124. Of the remissiblenesse of sinne 151 125. Of Gods Prerogatiue in forgiuing sinne 152 126. Of Papists blaspheming in giuing men power to forgiue sinnes 153 127. Of confession of sinne to God and Man 153 128. Of confessing sinne to God and seeking pardon of him 155 129. Of going to God for Pardon 155 130. Of Gods free and full discharge of sinne 156 131. Of Merit of Congruitie 158 132. Of Popish
that penalty which is due to these debts is death Instance b Gen. 2. 17. the first sinne that was committed And to shew that the like holdeth in euery sinner the Prophet without any limitation reseruation or exception at all saith c Ezek. 18. 4. The soule that sinneth it shall dye If it be a sinne in that it is sinne deadly it must needs be bee it great or small in thought word or deed For d Rom. 6. 23. the wages of sinne euen of whatsoeuer is sinne is death Being a sinne it is a transgression of the Law For these two words sinne transgression are conuertible and reciprocall termes one importeth as much as the other e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is a transgression e 1. Ioh. 3. 4. And f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All vnrighteousness or euery transgression is sinne But euery transgression is deadly For g Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law And all vnrighteousnesse is deadly For h Rom. 1. 18. the wrath of God is reuealed against all vnrighteousnesse And that not without iust cause For all vnrighteousnesse euery transgression euery sinne is against the good will of God who is of infinite excellency and Maiestie See my Treatise of the sinne against the holy Ghost §. 31. and in that respect it is of an infinite praultie and deserueth an infinite punishment eternall death Obiect Thus all sinnes are made equall A. Nothing lesse For neither doth the same kinde of punishment make all the crimes for which it is inflicted equall nor doth the same kinde presuppose the same measure of punishment Robbers and murtherers are put to the same kinde of death yet is murther a more hainous sinne then robberie Besides among such Malefactors as are put to death the kinde of death whereunto some are put is much more terrible then that whereunto others are put Will any thence inferre that all crimes which are capitall are equall Much more absurd is the inference of Papists that all sinnes are made equall because all are made mortall They themselues doe not hold all the sinnes which they iudge mortall Mat. 11. 22 24. to bee equall There are degrees of torment in hell Though all such in their nature and kinde if they be not forgiuen implunge men into death and damnation yet not into the same degree of torture §. 115. Of the distinction of Veniall and mortall sinnes Q. ARe then no sinnes at all Veniall A. The distinction of Veniall and mortall sinnes rightly and wisely limited may safely be admitted and that in foure respects especially 1. In regard of the order that God hath by his Word reuealed 2. In regard of the subiect or person in whom sinne is 3. In comparison of one sinne with another 4. In regard of the Churches manner of proceeding against sinners 1. Concerning the order which by Gods Word is reuealed there is an irreuocable Decree passed vpon the sinne against the Holy Ghost Math. 12. 31. that it shall neuer be forgiuen Heb. 6. 4. c. 10 26 c. Howsoeuer the secret Decree of God bee as inuiolable against all the sinnes of euery Reprobate yet because that determined doome is not reuealed against any one sinne but that of It onely it is said There is a sinne vnto death 1. Ioh. 5. 16. The sinne therefore against the Holy Ghost is mortall But in opposition to it Christ saith All sinnes shall be forgiuen Mar. 3. 28. that is they are remissible pardonable and in the respect veniall 2. Concerning the subiect or person in whom sinne is after that by faith the Elect are ingraffed into Christ though sinne remaine in them yet is it not imputed to them for condemnation There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8. 1. All the sinnes therefore of true Beleeuers are veniall They shall be pardoned but all the sinnes of vnbeleeuers are mortall they shall be punished with euerlasting damnation Ioh. 3. 36. The wrath of God abideth on him that beleeueth not Quaedam peccata mortalia in poenitentia fiunt venialia Mag. Sentent lib. 4. dist 20. Besides the true Beleeuer though he may fall into many sinnes will impenitently lye in no sinne So as such sins as in another would incurre death and proue mortall in him by repentance become veniall and are pardoned 3. Concerning comparison of sinnes it cannot bee denied that some sinnes are very small as a by-thought in an holy duty an idle word a little tap with the hand and that other sinnes are very hainous as blasphemie periurie murther adulterie and such like Therefore comparatiuely smaller sinnes may bee stiled veniall in relation to hainous and notorious sinnes which are called mortall in that they doe more apparantly and more deepely implunge into death and damnation Thus all Ecclesiastical Writers both ancient and moderne haue vsed this distinction 4. Concerning the Churches manner of proceeding against sinners many sinnes doe dayly passe from men which though by Ministers they be reproued and Gods iudgements be denounced against them yet passe not vnder the Churches publike censure These haue been called veniall There are other sinnes which euen before men seeme so intollerable as the Church thinketh not the committers of them worthy to bee admitted to the holy ordinances of God but denounceth against them some publike censure of suspention excommunication or execration and anathema till publike repentance be manifested and satisfaction giuen to the Church Thus because one of the Church of Corinth had committed such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles 1. Cor. 5. 1 5. Saint Paul deliuered him to Satan These sinnes worthy of such censure haue been called mortall But as our Aduersaries vse the distinction of veniall and mortall sinne Sinne not veni all in its owne nature it cannot stand with the forenamed nature of sinne implyed vnder this Metaphor Debt They say that many sinnes are a Rhem. annot on Rom. 1. 32. veniall because they are pardonable of their owne nature and not worthy of damnation They giue these and such like instances of veniall sinnes Sudden motions of lust b Bâ—llar de Stat. pecl 1. cap. 3. anger and enuie Immoderate laughter an idle word deceit in a small thing as an halfe-peny c. Their great Champian doth thus expresse the meaning of their Church in this point Veniale peccalum ex natura sua distinguiturà mortali ac sinc vlla relatione vel ad Praedestinationem vel ad miscricordiom Dei vel ad statum renâ—lorum est eiusmodi vt poenam aeternam non mereatur Bellar. de Stat. pec lib. 1. cà p 9. Veniall sinne is in its owne nature distinguished from mortall and without any respect to predestination or to the mercy of God or to the state of the regenerate it is of that kinde as
to man 154 Confession of sin to God 155 Auticular Confession 133. 153 CONTENT See Needfull Content with that which is preseÌ„t 111 COVETOVS Couetousnesse 106 D DAily bread What ment thereby 104 Daily need 111 Sin Daily committed 131 Duties thence arising 131 DEATH Death how prayed for 265 DEBTES See Sinnes Kinds of Debts 127 Wofulnesse of the Debt of sinne 135 Many Debtes wherein man stands bound to God 142 Duties thence arising 143 Gods discharge of mans Debt 145 Man vnable to discharge this Debt to God 147 Kindes of Debts to men 174 Man to forgiue his owne debters 180 All sorts of them 178 Debts may be required 188 DELIVER Deliuerance from euill manifold 249 God onely deliuerer 251 Depart from right 177 DEPRECATION to bee added to Petition 203 DEFER Danger of Deferring repentance seeking pardon 112 DIVELL See Satan E ETERNALL VVHat things are Eternall 303 Eternity diuersly taken 304 Duties due to the Eternall 307 Eternity of God a ground of faith 316 320 EVILL Euill to be ouercome with goodnesse 165 Euill to be prayed against 204. 247 Euill to what extended 246 The Euill in euery thing to bee obserued 232 The Diuell an Euill one 249 From Euil deliuered many waies 249 Graces for deliuerance from Euil 264 EXCELLENCY See Glory Excellency of God 295. c. Excellency maketh God praise-worthy 327 F FAITH FAith and Feare mixed 8 Faith grounded on Gods power and will 315. 318 Faith supported by Gods vnchangeable eternity 316 Faith vpheld by Gods being our king 317 What in Faith may bee expected by prayer 337 Fallen recouered 250 FATHER In what respects God is stiled a Father 10 Instructions arising from Gods Father-hood 11 The Dignity and Duty of those whose Father God is 13. 14. 19. 20. Benefits of Gods Father-hood 16 FORGIVE Forgiue one another 163 Forgiuenes vsefull necessary difficult rare 166. c. Forgiue presently 169 Forgiue againe and againe 171 Saints most bound to Forgiue 172 Man must Forgiue all sorts of debts to himselfe 178 Man must Forgiue his owne debters 180 True and vnfained Forgiuenesse 183 Free Forgiuenesse 184 Forgiuenesse to be offered 185 Full Forgiuenesse 186 Forgiuenesse how manifested 187 Our Forgiuing giueth assurance of Gods Forgiuing vs. 198 Graces which make men Forgiue 216 222 Meanes of Gods Forgiuing vs. 218. 2â—1 After Forgiuenes man prone to sin 255 G GLORY See Hallow GLory What it is 295 Glory of God incomprehensible 295 Glory of God how manifested 296 Glory how proper to God 297 Glory how giuen to or taken from God 298 Duties due to Gods Glorie 299 How others brought to Glorifie God 301 Who to set out Gods Glory 302 Enemies of Gods Glory 303 How Gods Glory setleth the soule for obtaining her desire 315. 319 GOD. Gods goodnesse and greatnesse ioyntly considered 8 Gods Impartiality 18 How God is in Heauen 22 Directions thence arising for prayer 25. c. Gods Name See Name 31. c. God makes himselfe knowne 33 Gods Honour See Honour 38 Gods Kingdome See Kingdome 48 God giueth temporall things 107 Vses thence arising 108 Gods Prerogatiue to pardon sin 152 Gods patterne a motiue to shew mercy 193 How God leads into temptation 233 God no Author of Sinne. 235 Gods ouer-ruling power in Temptation 238 God to be depended on for all things 258 Gods Attributes proper to himself 285 God hath all at command 286 Gods Power See Power Gods Glory See Glory Gods Eternity See Eternall Gods Immutability See Immutable God to be praised See Praise GOOD Good to be well done 80 Goodnesse ouercometh Euill 165 Goodnesse of God maketh him praise-worthy 329 H HALLOVV See Glory HAllowing Gods Name 34 Man vnable thereto 36 Graces fit to Hallow Gods Name 42. c. Duties by reason thereof 45 Vices contrary thereto 47 Best meanes fittest persons to Hallow it 55 HEAVEN How God is in Heauen 22 Directions from Gods beeing in Heauen for prayer 25. c. Saints in Heauen a patterne of patience 79 Holinesse excellent 35 I IMprouidence Sundry branches thereof 123 Imputation of Christs actiue righteousnesse 128 IMMVTABLE What is Immutable 308 Kinds of Immutability 309 Difference betwixt Immutability of God and of Creatures 311 Duties due to Gods Immutability 312 Immutability of God a ground of Faith 316. 320 Indulgences Popish 133 Ingratitude an odious sinne Cause of many Iudgements 325. 326 IVSTICE Iustice and mercy meete in God 145 Iustification before Sactification 211 K KIndnesse of God maketh him praise-worthy 329 KINGDOME See Church Kingdome of God What it is 48 The Kindes thereof 49 Kingdome of Grace and Glory 50 Kingdome of God vniuersall 286 God onely King 287 Duties due to God as he is King 288 Kingdome of God workes confidence in prayer 313. 317 KNOVVLEDGE Knowledge of God 42 Why God is made Knowne 33 Prayer in a knowne tongue 332 L LAw how to be waged and vsed 190 Life of man for Gods glory 113 Lords Prayer See Prayer M MAgistrates how they may punish wrongs done to others to themselues 192 Manner of doing good 80 Manner of doing Gods will 89 MERCY Mercy and Iustice meete together in God 145 Mercy of God to bee answered with duty 256 Mercies of God make him Praiseâ—-worthy 329 MERIT Merit of Condignity and Congruity 158 MORTALL Euery sinne Mortall 136 Distinction of Mortall and veniall sins discussed 137 Duties because euery sin is Mortall 141 N NAME NAme of God What it is 31 Name of God how hallowed 34 See HALLOVV NEEDFVLL What may be accounted Needfull 105 No more then Needfull to be desired 105 O OBEDIENCE OBedience ruled by Gods will 73 P. PARDONS See Forgiue DAnger of neglecting to seek Pardon of sinne 134 Gods free and full Pardon 145 156 Free Pardon stands with Christs satisfaction 146 Sinne Pardonable 151 Pardon of sinne proper to God 152 Popish Pardons 153 Pardon to be sought of God 155 Comfort of Gods free and full Pardon 159 Pardon of our owne and others sinnes to be prayed for 161 Pardon how recalled 167 Pardon of sinne makes the things of this world blessings 210 Graces requisire to get pardon of our owne finnes 213 And pardon of others sinnes 215 Duties for obtaining pardon 221 Patience of Saints in heauen 79 Patterne must be perfect 81 How a perfect patterne may bee followed 78 Gods patterne a motiue 193 Perfection to be aimed at 82 POWER Power of God what it is and how large 289 Power in God absolute actuall 291 What things God cannot doe 290 How power proper to God 292 Duties due to God by reason of his power 293 Power of God causeth much comfort 294 Power of God strengtheneth faith in Prayer 314. c. PRAYER Excellencie of the Lords Prayer 1 c The Lords Prayer may be vsed 3 4. Mutuall participation of one anothers Prayers 21 Prayer to bee made for men on earth 77 Prayer to be made for our selues especially 109 And for our owne good 112 Prayer for pardon of our owne and others sinnes 161
it deserueth not eternall punishment He inserteth these phrases without respect to Predestination or to the mercy of God or to the state of the regenerate because orthodoxall Diuines haue granted that the title veniall may be applied to sinne in regard of Gods eternall predestination and purpose to pardon sinne and in regard of the mercy of God which is greater then the desert of sinne and in regard of the regenerate whose faith gaineth an absolution for sinne To shew therefore that hee and his hereticall Church whose cause hee maintaineth goeth beyond the limits of all truth hee reiecteth the fore-named limitations wherein truth is bounded and will haue ventall sinnes to be of themselues in their owne nature not worthy of damnation In their sence these two termes Sinne Veniall are contradictorie Sinne is according to the doctrine of the Scripture worthy of damnation Vâ—niall according to their sence is not worthy fo damnation Rom. 6. 23. To say therefore that sinne is veniall is to say that worthy of damnation is not worthy of damnation But I demand are their veniall sins pleasing or displeasing to God one of them they must be A meane cannot bee giuen betwixt these two contradictorie termes which is neither of them They dare not say that veniall sinnes are pleasing to God Then doe they displease him If they displease him they offend an infinite goodnesse an infinite excellency an infinite Maiestie and in that respect are worthy of an infinite punishment As for their owne instances of veniall sinnes 1. The suddennest motions that can be though no consent should be yeelded to them are against the first and last commandements Besides the perfect Law of God is spirituall It requireth integritie in the innermost parts euen in the spirits of men The fore-mentioned thoughts are against spirituall integritie and in that respect against the Law and deserue the curse thereof Yea further the secretest suddennest thoughts are acts and motions of the soule as manifest to God as outward actions of the body If therefore they be euill they are in his sight apparant transgressions As for motions to lust though neuer so sudden at the very sight of a woman Math. 5. 22 28. Christ accounteth them a kinde of adulterie And motions to anger hee accounteth a kinde of murther But Adulterie and Murther are against the Law and deserue the curse of the Law 2. Of idle words Christ saith Math. 12. 36. Men shall giue account at the Day of Iudgement When the account is taken shall idle words at the barre of that Iudgement be approued or condemned To say they shall be approued were much to impeach the perfection of Christs purity and iustice If then they be condemned eternall death is their due There is then no other penalty to be inflicted All standing at that Barre are pronounced blessed or denounced cursed 3. For stealth of an halfe-penny doth the Law which saith Thou shalt not steale exclude halfe-pennies or no If no where is the exception The words are indefinite Thou shalt not steale He that stealeth an halfe-penny stealeth In stealing an halfepeny therefore he is a transgressor of the Law and guilty of the penalty and curse thereof To conclude God shall bring euery worke into iudgement Eccl. 12. 14. with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill The smallest things that can bee imagined are comprised vnder these phrases euery â—orke euery secret thing If they be brought to iudgement it is either to be rewarded or reuenged If they be good to be rewarded For a cup of cold water onely giuen to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall in no wise lose his reward Math. 10. 42. But if they bee euill to be reuenged If at the Day of Iudgement they be reuenged surely the reuenge is eternall death But veniall sins are euil not good They shall therefore be brought into iudgement condemned punished with eternall death I speake of sinnes not repented of not washed away by the bloud of Christ of sinnes as they are in their own nature in their own desert For so standeth the controuersie betwixt vs and Papists §. 1. Learne to know sinne 116. Of duties to be obserued because euerie sinne is mortall THe knowledge of the nature of euery sinne 2. Auoid sinne and of the due desert thereof 3. Be not accessarie to others sinnes ought to make vs diligent in searching into the Law of God that thereby we may know what is sinne for a Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of sinne And knowing sinne carefully and conscionably to auoide it For b Rom. 6. 23. the wages of sinne is death 4. Repent And no way make our selues accessarie to the sinnes of others for so c Ezek. 3. 18. we bring the bloud of others vpon our owne heads 5. Search our selues And if we haue committed sinne our selues or made our selues accessarie to the sinnes of others 6. Get a discharge not to sooth our consciences with the smalnesse thereof and thereupon remaine secure 7. Be watchfull not caring to repent thereof d Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall perish To worke the more through repentance we ought throughly to search our selues 8. CoÌ„temne the reproches of precisenesse and from time to time strictly to e 1. Cor. 11. 28. examine our thoughts words and actions And as we discerne any transgressions or alterations in any of them instantly to craue pardon for them Yea because we cannot be ignorant that many sinnes vnawares passe from vs to desire a generall discharge of all other sinnes which two points are expresly noted in this fifth Petition As wee craue pardon for all sinnes past so ought we to be g Ioh. 5. 14. watchfull ouer our selues for the time to come euen so watchfull as to h 1. Thes 5. 22. abstaine from all appearance of euill Not i 2. Sam. 6. 21 22 Peccata ignoran tiae vel negligen tiae melius accusantur vt pereant quam excusantur vt maneant Aug. in Psal 105. regarding the common scoffes against precisenesse as the world termeth Christian carefull conscionable watchfulnesse ouer a mans selfe Commonly the wickeder sort do most iustifie themselues Ipsa leuia non contemnantur De minutis guttis flumina implentur Per angustas vimulas insudat aqua naâ—is impletur sentina si contemnatur sentina nauis mergitur Aug. hom 42. in lib. 50. Hom. and the vpright most iudge themselues The vpright vse to iudge themselues for their very ignorances and negligences And surely sinnes of ignorance or negligence were better be iudged that they may be destroyed then excused that they should be nourished For k Eccl. 12. 14. euery thing must be brought to iudgement and l Mat. 12. 36. of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue an account in the day of iudgement Let not
wayes Bellarm. de Poenit lib. 4. cap. 4. By bearing patiently the punishments and scourges which are inflicted by God Concilium TridentinuÌ„ docet tribus modis Deo satufieri Poenâ—â— flagella à deo immissa patienter ferends opera laboriosa sponte assumendo mulctam sacerdotum arbitrio iniunctam subeundo Satisfactio nostra requiritur vt iniuria deo facta compensetur diuina iustitiae satisfiat Debemus satisfacere per ea bona quae nostra sunt Satisfactio condigna esse debet eam proportioneÌ„ cÌ„ peccato exigere vt verè per eam offensio coÌ„pensetur Per opera poenalia verè ac propriè deo satisfit pro reatu paenae qui post culpam dimissam remanet expiandus Accedente gratia dei verè possumus aliquo modo ex proprijs ad aequalitatem ac per hoc iuste ex condigno satisfacere Habemus opera propria indebita quibus pro iniuria satisfaciamus By vndertaking of our owne accord laborious workes and By vndergoing the penaltie imposed by the censure of Priests Our Satisfaction is required Ibid. cap. 9. that the wrong done to God may be recompensed and the diuine iustice satisfied We must satisfie by those good workes which are ours Ibid. cap. 6. Satisfaction must be worthy Ibid. cap. 9. and it must keepe such a proportion with sinne as the offence may be truly recompensed by it By paenall workes satisfaction is made to God Ibid. cap. 7. truly and properly for that guilt of punishment which remaineth to be expiated after the fault is forgiuen Gods grace assisting Ibid. we may after a certaine manner truly satisfie out of that which is our owne euen to equalitie and in that respect iustly and of desert We haue workes of our owne Ibid. whereunto wee are not bound by which wee may satisfie for wrong done to God Our workes as they come from the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs haue a certaine infinitenesse Ibid. and thereby also a certaine equalitie with the wrong whereby wee had troubled God by sinning Full remission of sinne Ibid. cap. 15. so much as concerneth all guilt of punishment Opera nostra vtà Spiritu Christi in nobis habtant procedunt quandam habent infinitatem ac per hoc etiam quandam aequalitatem cum iniuria qua deum peccando affeceramus Plena peccati remissio quoad omnem poenae reatum premium est bonorum operum quae satisfactoria dici solent Opera laboriosa prosunt ad culpae remissimem mortis aeternae liberationem is the reward of those good workes which are wont to be called satisfactorie Laborious workes are profitable Ibid. cap. 12. for remission of sinne and for deliuerance from eternall death If by these and such like positions that which is due to the all sufficient satisfaction of Christ be not attributed to man let any indifferent reader iudge Can the things which in these positions are auouched of recompencing wrong done to God of satisfying the diuine iustice of a condigne or worthy satisfaction of satisfying truely and properly to an equalitie iustly condignely and that out of our owne workes whereunto we are not bound of a certaine infinitenesse of our workes and a certaine equalitie with the wrong whereby wee haue troubled God by sinning of full remission of sinne to bee the reward of fatisfactorie workes of the profit of laborious workes for remission of sinne and deliuerance from eternall death Can these things stand with Gods infinite iustice with mans disabilitie to any good thing with mans vnworthinesse and with the imperfection of mans best workes Then may light and darknesse in their most extreme degrees then may the Arke of God and Dagon then may Grace and Workes stand together and yet the Apostle saith If by grace Rom. 11. 6. then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace But if of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke They alleadge for grounds of the worth of mens workes that 1. They come from the Spirit of Christ 2. Christ giueth the vertue of satisfaction to mens workes 3. Mans satisfaction is not for the fault but for the punishment 4. The punishment for which man satisfyeth is not eternall but temporall To these I briefely answer that 1. Though the worke of the Spirit bee pure in it selfe yet comming from vs it receiueth a tincture As water that comming from a pure fountaine passeth thorow a foule chanell Besides the Spirit worketh according to the capacitie of the obiect 1. Cor. 13. 12. not all fulnesse and perfection at the first but in part by degrees 2. For Christ to giue the vertue of satisfaction to mens workes is to make men Priests and Sauiours which offices are his glory Isa 42. 8. But he will not giue his glory to others 3. The fault being discharged by Christ the punishment is also thereby discharged Sublata causa tollitur effectus For the fault is the cause of punishment Take away the cause the effect followeth and falleth away As God said to Adam of the forbidden fruit Gen. 2. 17 2. Sam. 12. 13. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the dâ—ath so Nathan said to Dauid The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die His sinne being remitted the punishment was remoued 4. That satisfaction which taketh away the greater punishment by iust consequence taketh away the lesse If temporall punishment as well as eternall were not discharged by Christs satisfaction it were not complete but an imperfect satisfaction But howsoeuer Papists being prest by our vnanswerable arguments to auoid them doe vse the forenamed distinctions of satisfying for the punishment no the fault for the temporal and not for the eternal punishment yet in their fore-named Positions they apply mans satisfaction to the recompencing of wrong dene to God to diuine iustice to remission of sin and to deliuerance from eternall death and thereupon they attribute thereunto a certaine infinitenesse and equalitie to the wrong wherewith by sinning we haue troubled God O blasphemie §. 123. Of humiliation and abnegation AS the greatnesse of the debt wherein man standeth obliged to God so also mans impotencie and impossibilitie to discharge it aggrauateth that wretched estate whereinto man by sinne is implunged and giueth him much more occasion and matter of humiliation If there were iust cause to weepe much Reu. 5. 4. because no man was found worthy to open the sealed Booke how much more cause of weeping and mourning is there that no man is able to cancell the Bils and Bonds whereby wee stand indebted to God or any way to discharge that debt Hath not man in this respect iust cause also to deny himselfe and as a selfe-condemning Debter and Malefactor to cast himselfe downe before the Mercy-Seat of God and to craue mercy and forgiuenesse Math.
saith Micah to the Lord. When a man would haue a thing vtterly gone he will cast it into the bottome of the sea from whence there is no fetching it againe So deales the Lord with the sins which he forgiueth 7. The Psalmist pronounceth him blessed whose sinne is couered Psal 32. 1. A thing couered is not seene So sinne forgiuen is before God as not seene 8. The same Psalmist pronounceth him blessed to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Psal 32. 2. A sinne not imputed is as not committed 9. The Prophet saith of sinne forgiuen Ier. 50. 20. that it shall be sought for and not found Is not that fully discharged which shall neuer be found neuer appeare 10. God himselfe saith Ier. 31. 34. I will remember their sinne no more Surely that which God will not remember hee hath fully discharged Finally Rom. 4. 6 7. the man is pronounced blessed whose sinne is forgiuen If the discharge were not full how could the partie discharged be by vertue thereof blessed Forgiuenesse being an Act of God it must needs be both free and full For whatsoeuer God doth he doth freely for himselfe without any former desert without expectation of any future recompence No creature can deserue any thing at his hands much lesse can sinners and rebels Neither can any creature giue any reward or recompence to him as he needeth none nor expecteth any so he can receiue nothing which is not his owne §. 131. Of Merit of Congruitie THe a Rom. 11. 6. Illis operibusquae ex fide gratta proficiscuntur fa temur nos mereri remissionem pec colorum Bellar. Indic de lib. concor Mend. 8. Idem de Iustif l. 5. c. 22. free discharge of God directly excludeth all merit of man For that which is done for merit is not freely done Meritum de congruo condigno Bellar. de Poenit. lib. 2. cap. 12. Papists who maintaine mans merit not onely for his saluation after this life but also for his iustification in this life and for remission of sinnes thinke to salue vp all by a distinction of merit of Congruitie or meetnesse and condignitie or desert and worth They say that merit of condignitie followeth iustification but merit of Congruitie goeth before it and meriteth and obtaineth both remission of sinnes and iustification * The whole Armour of God Treat 2. Part. 4. §. 7. on Eph. 6. 14 Of that merit of condignitie I haue elsewhere spoken neither is it pertinent to this place For merit of Congruitie 1. Though it be taken in the fairest interpretation that can be yet can it not stand with free grace with meere mercie but it much impaireth the same 2. When they expound their owne meaning they acknowledge that remission of sins and iustification is due as a recompence or reward to the said merit of Congruitie For say they To euery merit a reward answereth as there is a merit of Congruitie so also a reward of Congruitie Omni merito respondet merces Sicut meritum est ex congruo ita merces ex congruo Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. cap. 21. And the merit of Congruitie is rather founded in some dignitie of the worke then in the promise of God Doth not their owne exposition of Congruitie make it a plaine condignitie and desert 3. When God first acquitteth and iustifieth a sinner hee findeth in him no congruitie Fundatur meritum de congruo potius in aliqua dignitate opeâ—s quà m in promissione Ibid. to meetnesse to receiue mercie but rather an enemie-like Rom. 5. 10. and rebellious disposition against him For when we were enemies we were reconciled to God Eph. 2. 4 5. And God who is rich in mercie for his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead in sinne quickned vs. §. 132. Of Popish satisfactions for sinnes remitted GOds full discharge of sinne excludeth all remainder of punishment to be endured in this world or elsewhere by way of satisfaction for the sin forgiuen For it any satisfaction remaine to be done the discharge is not full Derogatory therefore to the absolute fulnesse of Gods discharge is the doctrine of our Aduersaries in this point For they hold that after sinne is forgiuen Concil Trid. §. 6. cap. 14. §. 14. cap. 12. there may remaine a guilt of punishment to be satisfied for sometimes in this life sometimes in another life namely in Purgatorie sometimes in both Bellar. de Purg. lib. 2. cap. 1. 9. de Poenit. l. 4. cap. 2. But by such punishments for sinne sinne would againe be cald to mind and memorie to view and sight to reckoning and account which cannot stand with the forementioned Scripture phrases of not remembring not imputing couering casting behinde the backe casting into the bottome of the sea blotting out c. We denie not but that Saints whose sinnes are forgiuen may notwithstanding be punished in this life as for the fiction of Purgatorie it deserueth rather to be hissed at then by arguments refuted but withall we say that those punishments are neither expiatorie nor satisfactorie nor yet vindictiue for sinne If they were Christs expiation satisfaction and suffering might be thought insufficient The punishments which are inflicted on them whose sins are forgiuen Dolor medicinalis non sententia poenalis Aug. in Psal 138. are as a medicinable corsiue but not a iudiciall reuenge §. 133. Of the comfort that ariseth from Gods free and full discharge THe free and full discharge which God giueth of sinne Deus sic ex toto indulsit tam liberaliter omnem donauit iniuriam vt iam non damnet vlciscendo nec confunâ—at improperando nec minus diligat imputando Ber. de Euang 7. pan Serm. 3 is a most sound and soueraigne ground of comfort to such as by faith rightly can apply the same to their owne soules For so freely and fully doth God remit all offence that neither by reuenging it doth he condemne vs nor by vpbraiding it confound vs nor by imputing it the lesse loue vs. A due consideration of our many hainous sinnes cannot but astonish vs and make vs ashamed to appeare in the presence of God for pardon of them but knowledge of the free grace of God who of himselfe for himselfe for his owne names sake pardoneth sinne and faith therein emboldeneth poore sinners to draw neare to the Throne of Grace and to cast themselues downe before Gods mercie-seate for pardon Dan. 9. 18. and to say We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies Againe knowledge of the desert of sinne how the least sin deserueth the wrath of God and the least degree of Gods wrath is an vnsupportable burthen cannot but affright the soule of a sinner through the apprehension of any vindictiue punishment to be endured for sinne What then can remaine to satisfie the poore sinner but faith in Gods