more we ought to haste to humble our selues vnto God sith the blood of Christ is the only sacrifice for sinne Is the guilt of sinne in all men alike Esra 9.6 No for as the sinne increaseth so doth the guilt both in regard of the greatnes and of the number of our sinnes as appeareth out of this text whereas sin is said to bee gone aboue their heads so the guilt to reach vp to the heauens When the sinne is gone and past is not the guilt also gone and past No but when the act of sin is gone the guilt remaineth alwaies as the strong sauour of garlick whē the garlick is eaten or as the marke of the burning when the burning is past What is contrary to the guilt of sinne The testimonie of a good conscience which is perpetuall ioy and comfort yea and a heauen to him that walketh carefully in Gods obedience as the other is a torment of hell ROM chap. 6. vers 23. 23 For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. SO much of the guilt what is the punishment It is the wages of sin sent for the guilt Is the punishment limited in the word which shall come for sinne It cannot wholly be laid downe Deut. 29.20 28.61 it is so manifold and so diuers and therefore it is said that they shall come written and vnwritten Against what are these punishments addressed Against the whole estate of him that sinneth for whereas executions vpon obligations vnto men are so directed as they can charge either the person alone or his goods and lands alone so as if the Creditor fall vpon the one he freeth the other as if hee fall vpon the person he cannot proceed further then vnto his bodie the execution that goeth out from God for the obligation of sinne is extended to the whole estate of the sinner Can you draw this great number and diuersitie of punishments to certaine heads Yes for they are either in this life or in the life to come What are they in this life They are either in the persons themselues or in the things that belong vnto them What are they in the persons themselues They are either in the whole person bodie and soule ioyntly or in the parts seuerally What are they in the whole ioyntly Matth. 12 33.34.35 A necessitie of sinning but without constraint vntill they be borne againe by the grace of God What are they in the persons seuerally In the soule and in the bodie apart What are the vpon the soule apart Ephe. 4.17.18.19 When God striketh it with an ignorant spirit with want of iudgement to discerne betweene good and bad with forgetfulnes of holy things or hardnesse of heart which although they be for the time least felt yet are they more fearfull and dangerous then those the sense whereof is presently sharpe VVhat are they vpon the body apart Deut. 28. Hunger thirst wearinesse want of sleep all kinde of diseases euen to the itch which few make account of thereby to feele the anger of God and punishment of sinne VVhat are they in the things belonging vnto them Matth. 15.22 7.1.2 Calamities vpon their wiues children families goods and good name Hitherto of the punishments in this life What are they in the life to come Luke 16.22 They are most horrible first in the soule of the wicked 23. which after this life goeth immediatly to hell vntill the day of iudgement Secondly at the day of iudgement the bodie shall bee ioyned to the soule Matth. 10.28 both to be tormented in hell euerlastingly so much also the more as they haue had more freedome from paine of bodie and anguish of soule and losse of outward things in this life Is the punishment of all sinnes alike No for as the guilt increaseth John 19 11. Matth. 11.20.21.22.23.24 so doth the punishment and as the smallest sinne cannot escape Gods hands so as we heap sins he will heap his iudgemēts Hauing heard of the miserable and vnhappie estate of man by his sin guilt and punishment what is the remedie appointed of God for the recouerie of this cursed and damnable estate The word of God especially preached 2. TIM 3. vers 13 14 15 16 17. WHat is the word of God It is the will of God contained in the scriptures of the old and new Testament What is the Scripture It is a doctrine of sauing men written by inspiration Who is the author thereof God alone who inspired the hearts of holy men whom he chose to be his Secretaries to write it Which be those Scriptures The Testament Old and New What is contained in the old In the old Testament are the Law Prophets 1. The Law which are the fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie 2. The Prophets which are either in Poesie and the same either Doctrinall only as Salomon Prouerbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Ieremies Lamentations Iob. both doctrinal and foretelling things to come also as Psalmes Prose which are either Historical as Iosuah Iudges Ruth 1. Samuel 2. Samuel 1. Kings 2. Kings Ezra Nehemiah Hester 1. Chronicles 2. Chronicles Doctrinal and foretelling things to come which are Prophets called Greater 4. Esay Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel Smaller 12. Hoseas Ioel. Amos. Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Habbacuck Sophonie Aggei Zachary Malachy Hitherto of the bookes of the old testament what are the bookes of the new They are of things reuealed before the writing of them which are either Historicall either of Christ Matthew Marke Luke Iohn His Apostles as the Acts. Doctrinall as the Epistles of Paul to the Romanes 1. Corinthians 2. Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1. Thessalonians 2. Thessalonians 1. Timothy 2. Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrewes Iames. 1. of Peter 2. of Peter 1. of Iohn 2. of Iohn 3. of Iohn Iude. After the writing of them as the Apocalyps What are the proper markes by which these bookes may be discerned from all other First they are perfectlie holy in themselues and by themselues whereas all other writings are prophane further then they draw some holines from them which is neuer such but that their holines is vnperfect Secondly they are perfectly profitable to instruct to saluation in themselues and all other imperfectly profitable thereunto further then they draw from them Thirdly a perfect concord between these writings notwithstanding the diuersity of persons by whom places where and times when and matters whereof they haue written Fourthly the admirable maiesty and force that is in them to incline mens hearts from vice to vertue 1. Cor. 1.17.21.24 2.15 Fiftly that in so great a plainenesse and easines of stile there shineth so great a maiesty 1. Tim. 5.21 Sixtly that there is such simplicity in the writers who neither spare their friends nor themselues Lastly the working of the spirit in the hearts of Gods children to assure them that these are
the poyson of the vncleane spirit and haue drunke more deeply of his cup. Seeing our nakednes commeth by sin and is a fruite thereof it may seeme that little infants haue no sin because they are not ashamed So indeed doe the Pelagian Heretikes reason but they consider not that the want of that feeling is for the want of the vse of reason and because they doe not discerne betweene being naked and clothed What followeth That at the noise of the Lord in a winde they fled from the presence of God and hid themselues where the trees were most thick What learne you from thence First Job 18.11.14 Prou. 15. Rom. 5. that the guilt of an euill conscience striketh horror into a man And therefore it is said that terrors terrifie him round about and cast him downe following him at the heeles and leaue him not till they haue brought him before the terrible King thereof it is that the feast of a good conscience is so greatly extolled as to be a continuall feast Secondly the fruite of the sinne comming from the feare which is to flie from God as from an enemie Whereof it is that the Apostle affirmeth that hauing peace of conscience we haue accesse and approch vnto God Rom. 5. Thirdly their blindnes which esteemed that the shadow or thicknes of trees would hide them from the face of God Psal 139.7.8.9.10.11.12.13 whereas if we goe vp into heauen he is there if into the deepe there he is also he being not so hidden in the trees but that a man might finde him out VVhat followeth That God asketh where hee is which knew well where he was VVhat learne you from thence Esay 65.1 First that we would neuer leaue running from god vntil we come to the depth of hell if God did not seeke vs and follow vs to fetch vs as the good shepheard the lost sheepe Luke 15. Secondly that the meanes of calling vs home is by the word of his mouth What followeth That Adam being asked assigneth for causes things which were not the causes as namely the voice of the Lord his feare and his nakednes which were not considering that he had heard the voice of God and was naked when he fled not dissembling that which his heart knew to be the true cause of his sinne What learne you from thence That it is the property of a man vnregenerate to hide and cloake sin and therefore that the more we hide and cloake our sinnes when we are dealt with for them Iob. 31.33 the more we approue our selues the children of the old man the cursed Adam What followeth The Lord asketh how it should come that he felt his nakednes as a punishment and whether he had eaten of the forbidden fruit What note you from thence That before that our sinnes be knowen in such sort as the deniall of them is in vaine and without colour we will not confesse our sinnes What learne you out of Adams second answere vnto God That the man vnregenerate dealt with for his sinnes goeth from euill to worse for his sinne that he hid before now he cannot hide it he excuseth and for excusing it accuseth the Lord as those doe which when they heare of the doctrine of predestination and prouidence thereupon would make God a partie in their sinnes What learne you further That howsoeuer Adam alleaged it for an excuse because he did it by perswasion of another yet God holdeth him guilty yea dealeth with him as with the principall because his gifts were greater then his wiues What learne you from the answer of Eue to the Lords question why she did so The same which before that the vnregenerate man doth goe about to excuse the sinne he cannot denie for she casteth her sinne vpon the serpent and said that which was true but kept backe the confession of her concupiscence without the which the serpent could not haue hurt her How commeth it to passe that the old Serpent the author of all is not called to be examined Because that the Lord would shew no mercy vnto him wherfore he only pronounceth iudgement against him What learne you from thence That it is a mercy of God when we haue sinned to be called to account and to be examined either by the father of the houshold or by the magistrate or by the gouernour of the church and a token of Gods fearefull iudgement when we are suffred to rot in our sinnes without being drawne to question for them VVhat obserue you in the sentence against the serpent That the first part contayned in the 14 verse is against the instrument of the Diuel and that the other part contained in the 15 verse is against the Diuell What learne you of this proceeding to sentence That after the cause well knowne iudgement should not be slacked Why doth God vse a speech to the Serpent that vnderstandeth it not It is for mans sake and not for the beasts sake Why for mans sake To shew his loue to mankinde by his displeasure against any thing that shall giue any helpe to do hurt vnto him In which respect he commandeth that the oxe that killeth a man should be slaine Exod. 21.18 and that the flesh thereof should not be eaten Like a kinde father that cannot abide the sight of the knife that hath maimed or killed his child What manner of curse is this when there is nothing laid vpon the Serpent but that which he was appointed to at the beginning before this seruice hee was abused vnto It is true that he crept vpon his belly before and ate dust before as appeareth in the Prophet Esay 65.25 But his meaning is that he shall creepe with more paine and lurke in his hole for feare and eate the dust with lesse delight and more necessitie What learne you from thence Not to suffer our selues to be instruments of euill to any in the least sort if wee will escape the curse of God For if God did punish a poore worme which had no reason or will to chuse or refuse sinne how much lesse will he spare vs which haue both What is the sentence against the Diuell The ordinance of God that there shall be alwaies enmitie betweene the Diuell and his seed of the one side and the woman and her seede on the other side together with the effect of this enmitie What doe you vnderstand by the seede of the Diuell seeing there is no generation of the Diuels for that there is no male or female amongst them neither haue they bodies to engender The seed of the Diuell are all both wicked men and Angels which are corrupt as he is Iob. 8.4 Iob. 3.8 Act. 13.10 and carrie his image in which respect the wicked are called the children of the Diuell and euery where the sonnes of Belial What learne you from thence That the warre of mankinde with the Diuell is a lawfull warre proclaimed of God which is also perpetuall
this That not onely mens hands but also their hearts are here bound to the good abearing not so to desire their neighhours goods as is aforesaid What is contrarie to this desire Heb. 13.5 2. Tim. 6.6 Phil. 4.11 A mind contented with it owne and with that which is present So much of the inward breach What is the outward First the instruments and practises of theft secondly the theft it selfe What are the instruments of theft here charged Prou. 1.11.12 Iosh 7.21 First the tongue that it professe not the desire of our neighbours goods secondly the eie What kinds of theft are there Either priuat or publicke and the same either with colour or without colour the first being oftentimes more hainous then the second Wherein is priuat theft occupied It is either in abuse of our owne or in pursuit of our neighbours goods How doe we abuse our owne goods Either in lauishing and lashing them out or in couetous holding of them What is the abuse of our goods in lauishing them out When men in their diet apparrell furniture of houses building Deut. 12.15 Prou. 11.15 2. Thes 3. or otherwise exceed either their estate and ability or the vse and custom of their Country whither refer suretiship vnnecessarie and causelesse also to giue to stout and lustie rogues How are our goods abused in fast holding in of them When we withhold those things from the poore which we ought in dutie to bestow vpon them Prou. 3.28 or delay the giuing in time What is priuat theft in pursuit of our neighbours goods with colour When in buying and selling bartering snapping scorsing changing the buier concealeth the goodnes or the seller the faults Leuit. 25.14 Prou. 20.14 Luke 19.8 Exod. 22.26 Deut. 24.6 Deut. 25.13.14 Amos 8.4 Prou. 22.28 Hos 4.8 1. Cor. 6.7 and blindfoldeth the truth with coloured speeches Likewise when in borrowing and lending setting and taking gaging and waging men either make no conscience or haue no skill to doe that which is equall and profitable as well for others they trade with as for themselues where false measures come to be considered Hitherto belongeth forestalling engrossing monopolies vsurie bankerouts that to enrich themselues endamage others remouing of ancient bounds hitherto referre suits in Law for light matters How is it without colour of Law Either priuatly without his knowledge Deut. 22.1 Iames 5.4 Rom. 13. Luke 3.4 as theeues and pickers whither referre the not restoring of things found or violently he knowing it and sometimes beholding it as pirats robbers Hither is referred oppression as when the rich withhold the hire of the labourer or when debt is withholden Souldiers not content with their pay goe a freebooting c. What is the right vse of our owne Prou. 22.5.17 12.27 2. Cor. 8.13 Pro. 13.11 A frugalitie and good husbanding of it What is further contrary to these effects Labour in some lawfull vocation How may we know the bounds of a lawfull vocation It is occupied first in the information and instruction of the mind with good knowledge 1. Cor. 7.14 1. Pet. 4.10 as those which teach and learne Secondly in the defence of the body as the Magistrate both in peace and warre Thirdly in prouiding for the necessarie helpes of this life as are Artificers and Merchants VVhat manner of men are here condemned All idle persons or those which are occupied in hurtfull or vnprofitable trades as the Romish merchants Image Beade makers and makers of the like trash Iuglers wandring and roguing Minstrels Magicians Astrologers and such like Is there any thing else required to a lawfull calling Yes verily as that it be lawfull to him that vseth it which is when he is able for it secondly when being called thereunto he diligently and continually exererciseth himselfe in it Is there no intermission or recreation granted vnto a Christian man from his labours in the six daies There is to the end he may the better continue his labour so the same bee honest and profitable for the exercise of the mind or of the body hurtfull and dangerous pastimes being auoided for as recreation belongs to the sixth Commandement so farre as health is maintained thereby so it belongeth to this Commandement so far forth as wee may be the better able to labour What sorts of publicke theft are there Either in Church or Common-wealth What is Church theft It is sacriledge consisting partly in things spirituall Malach. 1. and partly in things temporall What is spirituall sacriledge When the Church is depriued of sound doctrine through the insufficiencie or negligence of the Pastors and Teachers What is temporall sacriledge When the goods of the Church are withdrawne from them to whom they belong or when benefices are sold Who are they that sinne in spirituall sacriledge Either Ministers or people What are the Ministers sinning therein First the ignorant insufficient and dumbe Ministers which take wages and cannot doe their duetie Secondly the makers and brochers of them Thirdly the idle negligent Ministers Hitherto refer Monks Friers Nuns c. How doe the people sinne herein When they not onely are content to bee vnder such Ministers as either cannot or will not reproue them of their sins but also desire and seeke for them What is the theft in the Common-wealth When the common goods are either taken away or applied to any priuate vse or when reward is taken for iudgement false coiners of money washers or clippers Hitherto of the Commandement by the whole drift and scope whereof is manifestly ouerthrowne the errour of the Anabaptists touching the communitie of goods What is the punishment for the breach thereof It is either that which God executeth by his iust iudgement or man What is the iudgement God executeth Pro. 20.21 Esa 33. Euill gotten goods are worse or soone spent as experience teacheth and the common prouerb Of euill gotten goods there is not the third heire also he that spoileth shall himselfe be spoiled VVhat else Pro. 19.15 Pouerty VVhat further Deut. 25.15 Shortnes of life for as to those that liue iustly long life is promised so to him that doth otherwise short is threatned What is the speciall punishment by man Josh 7.20.26 Act. 5.1.12 Diuers according to the particular thefts as the stealing of an oxe is greater in proportion then the stealing of a sheepe so should the punishment be and some stealing of goods by reason of circumstances doth deserue death and simplie the stealing of a man as Iosephs brethren which sold him to the Ismalites deserued death And so should bee punished those that steale mens daughters So much of the Commandement concerning our neighbours goods What is it concerning our neighbours good name The ninth Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour What is the summe of it That we hurt not our neighbors good name but maintaine and as occasion is giuen augment and increase it How is this
any preparation required to the receiuing of the Sacraments Yes verily Exod. 3.5 1. Cor. 11.28 for seeing men ought to come with preparation to the hearing of the word they ought by so much more come to the Sacraments as God by them offereth greater grace then by the word alone What is the preparation that is required in one that commeth vnto the Sacraments The children of the faithfull excepted and that alone in the Sacrament of Baptisme whereof they ought to be partakers there is required to a worthie participation of the Sacraments knowledge and feeling VVherein ought this knowledge and feeling to consist In the Law and in the Gospell Seeing no man is able to know the Law and the Gospell perfectly much lesse the simple and common people Tell me how farre is this knowledge and feeling necessarie It is necessarie first in the Law that hee bee able thereby to vnderstand the common corruption of all men both in the bitter root of originall sinne and in the poysoned fruits thereof together with the curse of euerlasting death due thereunto and that he be able to applie both these that is the sin and wages thereof to himselfe How far is the knowledge and feeling of the Gospell required First that hee vnderstand the couenant of grace which God in Christ hath made with the sonnes of men and then that by faith he be able to applie the the same to himselfe What ariseth from this knowledge and feeling to a further preparation thereunto Mat. 3.13 Acts 8.36 Luk. 22.15 A great and earnest desire to bee made partaker of them VVhat duties are required in the action of receiuing them First a graue and reuerent behauiour Secondly an attentiue heed for comparing the outward signes and actions in the Sacraments with the inward and spirituall things which they betoken VVhat is to bee done after the partaking of the Sacraments Out of the feeling of the gratious worke of God by them to reioyce with thankesgiuing or to enter into iudgement with our selues and to humble our selues for our want of feeling the fruit the Sacraments doe present vnto vs. And as we ought to bee humbled if wee feele not the worke of God in vs in or after the Sacraments as that which argueth want of preparation before or attention in them so yet ought we not therefore to bee altogether dismaied for as the sicke man feeleth not the nourishment of his meate because of his maladie and yet notwithstanding is nourished so is it in such faithfull ones as doe not so sensiblie feele the working of God by them through the weakenesse of faith which is in them And although we cannot feele it immediately yet after by the fruits wee shall be able to discerne of our profiting How many Sacraments are there There are two onely 1. Cor. 12.13 1. Cor. 10.1.2.3 1. Tim. 6.8 Galat. 3.27 1. Cor. 10.16 for first the two seales assure vs of all Gods graces as of our regeneration entrance and engrafting into Christ so of our growth and continuance in him and therefore we need no more Secondly when the number of Sacraments were most necessary as vnder the Law they had but two wherefore we need require no more Thirdly hauing meate drinke and cloth we ought therewith to be content now by the Sacrament of our entrance our spiritual clothing is sealed vnto vs and by that of our growth is sealed our feeding therefore those fiue other of Matrimonie of Orders Pennance Confirmation and of extreame vnction whereof the two latter coined by the Papists to bee made Sacraments are superfluous the other of them are agreeable to the Word but without the nature and number of Sacraments So much of the number of the Sacraments VVhat is the first of those two Baptisme VVhat is Baptisme It is the first Sacrament of the Gospell Tit. 3. whereby our regeneration or new birth or our entrance and ingrafting into Christ and the body of Christ which is his Church is sealed vnto vs. Why call you it the first Sacrament Mat. 28. Exod. 12.48 Because hee saith that after they haue taught men to beleeue they should be baptized thereby to bee enrolled amongst those of the houshold of God or entred into the number of the Citizens and Burgesses of the heauenly Ierusalem What abuse doth this take away That which sometimes the ancient Church was infected withall namely that they baptized men at their deaths and let them receiue the Lords Supper twice or thrice in a yeere whereas this is the first Sacrament of the Couenant How often is this to be done Ephes 4.5 Once only for they are heere charged to administer Baptisme not Baptismes And although in the Hebrues there be made mention of Baptismes Heb. 6.2 yet that is not to teach that one ought to bee often baptized but to declare the outward baptisme of the water and the inward of the spirit which we receiue at one time Act. 2.41 Secondly it is said the Church continued in prayer and breaking of bread not in baptizing Thirdly it is a pledge of our new birth now a man being borne but once hath no need of this Sacrament but once Mat. 28.19 VVhy is it said that we are baptized into the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Act. 11.26 Because by Baptisme wee being consecrated to God are ioyned to him to beare his name as a wife beareth the name of her husband How is our coniunction with God wrought In children by the secret working of Gods spirit in riper yeeres by faith for being naturally after the fall cut off from God wee are as it were ingrafted into him againe as new plants and incorporate as Malchus eare once dismembred Luk. 22.50.51 was againe by the power of our Sauiour Christ set into his head VVhat is Baptisme to this ingrafting A Seale and a pledge of it wherein is grace exhibited and not the ingrafting or incorporation it selfe considering that we are baptized in the right onely of being members of Christ before though ordinarilie we are actually ingrafted by the Sacrament not by force simplie of the worke done but as it is Gods ordinance and a seale of his couenant VVhat ariseth of our vnion with God Another vniting of vs to the Church as a yong hence ingrafted on an arme of a tree is both one with the arme and tree it selfe What fruit ariseth of this vnion A new birth wherof we being once partakers can neuer be depriued What is the outward matter in Baptisme Water VVhat proportion is there of the visible element with the inuisible grace First the whole action of Baptisme Galat. 3.3 sealeth vp vnto vs our regeneration and putting on of Christ which is our receiuing into the house of God What after The couering of the childs head with water Rom. 6. is a seale that the childs sinnes are couered Secondly as the water doth wash and