estate whereas he might as iustly haue damned all men for the fall of our first parents as he did the wicked angels for theirs for God is not bound to any creature behold then a matter of vnspeakeable ioy let vs therefore receiue and embrace Christ our Sauiour flie to him for the pardon of all sinnes and praise his name therefore Now we come to the second title of the sonne of God whereby he is tearmed Christ which title is as it were the surname of the second person as some doe thinke yet according to the opinion of some others it is no name at all but onely a meere appellation as when in the like case a particular man is called a Duke or a King It is all one with Messiah in Hebrewe wherewith the redeemer was named in the old Testament and both signifie annointed Among the Iewes before the comming of Christ three estates or orders of men were annointed with oile First of all Kings as Saul Dauid and the rest of the Kings of Iuda Secondly the priests that serued in the Tabernacle and Temple before the Lord when they were ordained and as it were installed into the priesthood were annointed with oyle as first of all Aaron and his sonnes but afterward the high priests alone Thirdly Prophets were thus annointed as Elisha Nowe this legall annointing was a type and figure of the annointing of Christ which was not with bodily oile but by the spirit and it was more excellent then all other annointings were For Dauid saith he was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes signifying that neither king priest nor prophet was euer annointed in the same manner as he was Christs annointing is according to both his natures for in what nature â—e is a Mediatour in the same he is annointed but according to both his natures ioyntly he is a Mediatour the godhead is no mediatour without the manhood nor the manhood without the godhead and therefore his annointing extends it selfe both to his godhead and to his manhood Christs annointing hath two parts both of them figured by the annointing of the Iewes The first is his consecration whereby he was set apart to do the office of a Mediatour betweene God and man and therfore to be a king a priest a prophet a king to gather and withall to gouerne his Church and people a priest to make satisfaction and intercession for the sinnes of the elect a prophet to reueale and teach his people the will of God his father And though it be true that Christ is set apart to the work of mediation as he is mediatour or as he is man yet as he is God he doth designe and set himselfe apart to the same worke For to designe the mediatour is a common action of the three persons the father the sonneâ— and the holy ghost and yet considering the father is first in order and thâ—refore hath the beginning of the action for this cause he is said especially to designe as when S. Iohn saith Him hath God the father sealed The second part of Christs annointing is the powring out of the fulnesse of the spirit or grace into the manhood of Christ and it was particularly figured by the holy oile For first that oile had no man but God alone to bee the author of it so the most excellent and vnspeakeable graces of the manhood of Christ haue their beginning from the godhead of Christ. Againe though the same oile was most precious yet was it compounded of earthly substances as myrrhe calamus and Casia and such like to signifie that the spirituall oile of grace whereof the manhood of Christ was as it were a vessell or storehouse did not consist of the essentiall properties of the godhead as Eutiches and his followers in these daies imagine but in certaine created gifts and qualities placed in his humaine nature otherwise we should not haue any participation of them Thirdly the sweete sauour of the holy oile figured that the riches of all grace with the effect thereof in the obedience of Christ doth take away the noisome sent of our loathsome sinnes from the nosthrilles of God and withal doth make our persons and al our actioÌ„s acceptable vnto him as a sweete perfume as Paul saith we are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ c. And Christs death is for this cause tearmed a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour And we must further vnderstand that theâ—e gifts of Christs manhood are not conferred in a small scantling or measure for Iohn saith God giueth the spirit not by measure because the graces which are in Christ are farre more both in number and degree then all men or angels haue or shall haue though the good angels and the saints of God in heauen are very excellent creatures stored with manifold graces and gifts of God For this cause Christ is called the head of man because he is euery way the most principal and glorious man that euer was Yet for all this are not the gifts of Christs manhood infinite any way because it is a creature and finite in nature and therefore not capable of that which is infinite By Christs annointing the people of God reape great benefit comfort because they are to be partakers thereof For this cause the oile wherewith he was annointed is called the oyle of gladnes because the sweete sauour of it gladdeth the hearts of all his members and brings the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding The holy oyle poured vpon Aarons head came downe to his beard and to the very skirts of his garments and it signified that the spirituall oyle of grace was first of all poured vpon our head Christ Iesus from thence consequently deriued to al his members that by that meanes he might be not onely annointed himselfe but also our annointer Nowe the benefits which we receiue by his annointing are two The first is that all the elect when they are called to the profession of the Gospell of Christ are in and by him set apart and made spirituall kings priests and prophets as S. Iohn saith He hath made vs kings and priests vnto his father And S. Peter out of Ioel I will poure saith the Lord my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie The second benefit it that all the faithfull receiue the same oile that is the same spirit of God in some little conuenient measure which he receiued aboue measure as Saint Iohn saithâ— The annointing which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you and teacheth you all things where by annointing is meant the holy Ghost And hence it is that men are called Christians of the name of Christ that is annointed with the same oyle wherewith Christ was annointed And the holy oyle might not be giuen to a straunger to signifie that to haue the spirit of Christ and to be guided by it is peculiar
away the equalitie of essence and power but declareth the order of the persons Ioh. 5â—18 Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not onely because he had broken the Sabboth but said also that God was his Father and made himselfe equall with God Phil. 2.6 Who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God Although the Son be begotten of his Father yet neuertheles he is of by himselfe very God for he must be considered either according to his essence or according to his filiatioÌ„ or Sonship In regard of his essence he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. of and by himselfe very God for the Deitie which is commoÌ„ to all the tâ—ree persons is not begotten But as he is a person and the sonne of the Father he is not of himselfe but from another for he is the eternall Sonne of his father And thus he is truely said to be very God of very God For this cause also he is the WORD of the father not a vanishing but an essentiall word because as a word is as it were begotten of the mind so is the Sonne begotten of the Father and also because hee bringeth glad tydings from the bosome of his Father Nazian in his Oration of the Sonne Basil in his preface before Iohns Gospel The propertie of the Sonne is to be begotten His proper manner of working is to execute actions from the Father by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 8. 6. Our Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him Ioh. 5.19 Whatsoeuer things he doth the same doth the Sonne also The holy Ghost is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Ioh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth which proceedeth of the Father he shall testifie of me Rom. 8. 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit seeing the spirit of God dwelleth in you But if there be any that hath not the spirit of Christ he is not his Ioh. 16.13,14 But when the Spirit of truth shall come he shall conduct you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he heareth he shall speake and shall declare vnto you such things as are to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shew it vnto you What may be the essentiall difference betwixt proceeding and begetting neither the Scriptures determine nor the Church knoweth The incommunicablâ— propertie of the holy Ghost is to proceed His proper manner of working is to finish an action effecting it as from the Father and the Sonne And albeit the Father and the Sonne are two distinct persons yet are they both but one beginning of the holy Ghost CHAP. 6. Of Gods workes and his decree THus farre concerning the first part of Theologie the second followeth of the workes of God The workes of God are all those which he doth out of himselfe that is out of his diuine essence These are common to the Trinitie alwaies reserued the peculiar manner of working to euery person The end of all these is the manifestation of the glorie of God Rom. 11.36 For him are all things to him be glorie for euer The worke or action of God is either his decree or the execution of his decree The decree of God is that by which God in himselfe hath necessarily and yet freely from all eternitie determined all things Eph. 1. 11. In whome also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worâ—eth all things after the counsell of his owne will and vers 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and not one of them falleth on the ground without your Father Rom 9. 21. Hath not the potter power on the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell â—â— dishonour and another to honour Therâ—fore the Lord according to his good pleasure hath most certainely decreed eâ—ery both thing and action whether past present or to come together with their circumstances of place time meanes and ende Yea he hath most iustly decreed the wicked workes of the wicked For if it had not so pleased him they had neuer beene at all And albeit they of theiâ— owne nature are and remaine wicked yet in respect of Gods decree they are to be accounted good For there is not any thing absolutely euill 1. Pet. 3.17 For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for euill doing The thing which in the owne â—ature is euill in Gods eternal counsel comes in the place of a good thing in that it is some occasion and way to manifest the glorie of God in his iustice and his mercie God his foreknowledge is conioyned with his decree and indeâ—â—e is in nature before it yet not in regard of God but vs because knowledge goeth before the will the effecting of a worke For we doe nothing but those things that we haue before willed neither doe we will any thing which we know not before God his foreknowledge in it selfe is not a cause why things are but as it is conioyned with his decree For things doe not therefore come to passe because that God did foreknow them but because he decreed and willed them therefore they come to passe The execution of Gods decree is that by which all things in their time are accomplished which were foreknowne or decreed and that euen as they were foreknowne and decreed The same decree of GOD is the first and principall working cause of all things which also is in order and time before all other causes For with Gods decree is alwaies his will annexed by the which he can willingly effect that he hath decreed And it were a signe of impotencie to decree any thing which he could not willingly compasse And with Gods will is conioyned an effectuall power by which the Lord can bring to passe whatsoeuer he hath freely decreed This first and principall cause howbeit in it selfe it be necessarie yet it doth not take away freedome of will in election or the nature and propertie of second causes but onely brings them into a certaine order that is it directeth them to the determinate ende whereupon the effects and euents of things are contingent or necessarie as the nature of the second cause is So Christ according to his Fathers decree died necessarily Act. 17.3 but yet willingly Math. 25. 39. And if we respect the temperature of Christs bodie he might haue prolonged his life and therefore in this respect may be said to haue died contingently The execution of Gods decree hath two branches his operation and his operatiue permission Gods operation is his effectuall producing of all good things which either haue beeing or moouing or which are done Gods operatiue permission is that
that which hee from his heart detesteth Rom. 7.19 I doe not the thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. The fourth difference is presumptuous sinning vpon knowledge Psal. 19. 13. Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer me Hitherto belongeth I. euery sinne committed with an high hand that is in some contempt of God Numb 15.30 The person that doth presumptuously c. shal be cut off from amongst his people because he hath despised the word of the Lord and and hath broken his commandement II. Presumption of Gods mercie in doing euill Eccles. 8.11 Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes c. not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance c. The fift difference is to sinne vpon knowledge and set malice against God and to this is the sinne against the holy Ghost referred CHAP. 14. Of the punishment of sinne HItherto we haue intreated of sinne wherewithall all mankind is infected in the next place succeedeth the punishmeÌ„t of sinne which is threefold The first is in this life and that diuerse waies The first concerneth the bodie either in the prouision with trouble for the things of this life Gen. 3. 17. or a pronenesse to disease Matth. 9.2 Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Ioh. 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing fall vpon thee Deut. 28.21,22 The Lord shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill he hath consumed thee from the land c. Or shame of nakednesse Gen. 3.7 Or in womens paines in childbirth Gen. 3. 16. Vnto the woman he said I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes and conceptions in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children II. The soule is punished with trembling of conscience care trouble hardnesse of heart and madnesse Deut. 28.28 The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse and with blindnesse and with astonying of heart III. The whole man is punished 1. with fearefull subiection to the regiment of Satan Col. 1.13 Which freed vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne Heb. 2. 14. He also himself tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had power of death that is the diuell 2. A separation from the fellowship of God and trembling at his presence Eph. 4. 18. Hauing their cogitation darkned and beeing straungers from the life of God Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voice in the garden and was afraid because I was naked therefore I hid my selfe 3. Vpon a mans goods diuers calamities and dammages Deut. 28.29 Thou shalt euer be oppessed with wrong and be pouled and no man shall succour thee c. to the ende of the chapter To this place may be referred distinction of Lordships and of this commeth a care to enlarge them and bargaining with all manner of ciuill seruitudes 4. The losse of that Lordly authoritie which man had ouer all creatures also their vanitie which is not onely a weakning but also a corrupting of that excellencie of the vertues and powers which God at the first put into them Rom. 8.20 21. The creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope c. 5. In a mans name infamie and ignominie sometimes after his death Ierem. 24.9 The second is at the last gaspe namely death or a change like vnto death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death The third is after this life euen eternall destruction from Gods presence and his exceeding glorie 2. Thess. 1.9 Who shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of God and the glorie of his power CHAP. 15. Of Election and of Iesus Christ the foundation thereof PRedestination hath two parts Election and Reprobation 1. Thess. 5.9 God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. Election is Gods decree whereby on his owne free will he hath ordained certaine men to saluation to the praise of the glorie of his grace Eph. 1.4 5 6. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glorie of his grace This decree is that booke of life wherein are written the names of the Elect Revel 20.12 Another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things that were written in the bookes according to their workes 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his The execution of this decree is an action by which God eueÌ„ as he purposed with himselfe worketh all those things which he decreed for the saluation of the Elect. For they whome God elected to this ende that they should inherite eternall life were also elected to those subordinate meanes whereby as by steppes they might attaine this end and without which it were impossible to obtaine it Rom. 8. 29 30. Those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne amongst many brethren Moreouer whome he predestinate them he called whome he called them â—ee iustified and whome hee iustified them also he glorified There appertaine three things to the execution of this decree First the foundation Secondly the meanes Thirdly the degrees The foundation is Christ Iesus called of his father from all eternitie to performe the office of the Mediator that in him all those which should be saued might be chosen Heb. 5.5 Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to bee made the high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day begate I thee gaue it him c. Esa. 42.1 Behold my seruant I will stay vpon him mine elect in whome my soule delighteth I haue put my spirit vpon him he shall bring foorth iudgement to the Gentiles Eph. 1.4 Hee hath chosen vs in him meaning Christ. Question Howe can Christ be subordinate vnto Gods election seeing he together with the Father decreed all things Answ. Christ as he is Mediator is not subordinate to the very decree it selfe of election but to the execution thereof onely 1. Pet. 1.20 Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world Augustine in his booke of the Predestinaiion of the Saints chap. 5. Christ was Predestinate that he might be our head In Christ we must especially obserue two things his incarnatioÌ„ his Office To the working of his Incarnation concurre First both his Natures Secondly their Vnion Thirdly their distinction Christs first Nature is the Godhead in as much as it belongeth to the Son whereby he is God Phil. 2.6 Who beeing in the forme of God thought it
He is able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Secondly according to his Deitie partly by applying the merit of his death partly by making request by his holy Spirit in the hearts of the Elect with sighes vnspeakable 1. Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father to the sanctification of the Spirit Rom. 8. â—6 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed We are not therefore to imagine or surmise that Christ prostrateth himselfe vpon his knees before his Fathers throne for vs neither is it necessarie seeing his very presence before his father hath in it the force of an humble petition The end of Christs intercession is that such as are iustified by his merits should by this meanes continue in the state of grace Now Christs intercession preserueth the elect in couering their continuall slipps infirmities and imperfect actions by an especiall and continuall application of his merits That by this meanes mans person may remaine iust and mans works acceptable to God 1. Ioh. 2.2 Hee is a reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee as liuely stones be made a spirituall house and holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Reuel 8.3,4 And another Angell came and stood before the altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden altar which is before the throne and tâ—â— smoke of the odors with the prayers of the Saints went vp before God out of the Angels hand Thus farre concerning Christs priesthood nowe follow his Propheticall and Regall offices His Propheticall office is that whereby he immediately from his Father renealeth his word and all the meanes of saluation comprised in the same Ioh. 1.18 The Son which is in the bosome of his father he hath declared vnto you Ioh. 8.26 Those things which I heare of my father I speake to the world Deut. 18.18 I will raise them vp a Prophet c. The word was first reuealed partly by visions by dreames by speech partly by the instinct and motion of the holy ghost Heb. 1.1 At sundry times in diuers manners God spake in old time to our Fathers the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his sonne 2. Pet. 1.21 Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy ghost The like is done ordinarily onely by the preaching of the word where the holy ghost doth inwardly illuminate the vnderstanding Luk. 24.45 Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures v. 21.15 I I will giue you a month and wisdome where against all your aduersaries shall not bee able to speake nor resist Act. 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended on the things that Paul spake For this cause Christ is called the Doctor Lawegiuer and Counsellour of his Church Matth. 23.10 Be ye not called Dâ—ctors for one is your Doctor Iesus Christ. Iam. 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy Esa. 9.6 He shall call his name Counsellour c. Yea he is the Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 The Angell of the couenant Malac. 3.1 And the Mediatour of the new couenant Heb. 9.15 Therefore the soueraigne authoritie of expouÌ„ding the Scripture only belongs to Christ and the Church hath onely the ministerie of iudgement and interpretation committed vnto her Christs Regall office is that whereby he distributeth his gifts and disposeth all things for the benefit of the elect Psal. 2. and 110.31.2 The Lord said vnto my Lord sit tâ—ou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footestoole The execution of Christs Regall office comprehendeth his exaltation Christs exaltation is that by which he after his humiliation was by little and little exalted to glorie and that in sundrie respects according to both his natures The exaltation of his diuine nature is an apparant declaration of his diuine properties in his humane nature without the least alteration thereof Rom. 1. 4. Declared mightily to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Act. 2.36 God hath made him both lord Christ whome ye haue crucified The exaltation of his humanitie is the putting off from him his seruile coÌ„dition and all infirmities and the putting on of such habituall gifts which albeit they are created and finite yet they haue so great and so marueilous perfection as possibly can be ascribed to any creature The gifts of his minde are wisdome knowledge ioy and other vnspeakeable vertues of his bodie immortalitie strength agilitie brightnesse Philip. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Math. 17.2 He was traÌ„sfigured before them his face did shine as the sunne and his cloathes were as white as the light Heb. 1.9 God euen thy God hath annointed the with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellows Eph. 1.20.22 Christs bodie although it be thus glorified yet is it still of a solide substaÌ„ce compassed about visible palpable and shall perpetually remaine in some certaine place Luk. 24.39 Behold my hands and my feete it is euen I touch me and see a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye se me haue There be three degrees of Christs exaltation I. His resurrection wherein by his diuine power he subdued death and raised vp himselfe to eternall life 2. Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified concerning his infirmitie yet liueth he through the power of God Matth. 28.6 Hee is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord was laid The ende of Christs resurrection was to shewe that his satisfaction by his passion and death was fully absolute For one onely sinne would haue detaiâ—ed the Mediatour vnder the dominion of death though he had fully satisfied for all the rest 1. Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is in vaine yee are yet in your sinnes Rom. 4.25 Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification II. His ascension into heauen which is a true locall and visible translation of Christs humane nature from earth into the highest heauen of the blessed by the vertue power of his Deitie Act. 1.9 When he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards heauen as he went beholde two men stood by theÌ„ in white apparell which also said Ye men of Galile why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen
neither filthinesse nor foolish talking neither iesting which are things not comely 7. Vndecent and vnseemely pictures 1. Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all appearance of euill 8. Lasciuious dauncing of man and woman together Mark 6.22 The daughter of the same Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod c. 9. Companie with effeminate persons Prou. 7. 25. Let not thine heart decline to her waies wander thou not in her paths V. To appoint some light or sheet-punishment for adulterie such as that Romish Synagogue doth For this is nothing els but to open a gap for other lewd persons to runne headlong into the like impietie The affirmatiue part Thou shalt preserue the chastitie of thy neighbour Chastitie is the puritie of soule and bodie as much as belongeth to generation The minde is chaste when it is free or at the least freed from fleshly concupiscence The bodie is chaste when it putteth not in execution the concupiscences of the flesh 1. Thess. 4. â— This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication 4. That â—uery one of you should knowe how to possesse his vessell in holines and honour 5. And not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Cor. 7.34 The vnmarried womâ—n careth for the things of the Lord that shee may be holy both in bodie and spirit There are two especiall vertues which preserue chastitie Modestie and Sobrietie Modestie is a vertue which keepeth in each worke an holy decorum or comelines and it is seene I. in the countenance and eyes namely when they neither expresse nor excite the concupiscence of the heart Iob. 31.1 I made a couenant with mine eye why then should I thinke on a maid Gen. 24.64 Rebekah lift vp her eyes and when she saw Izhak she lighted downe from the camel 65. So she tooke a vaile and couered her face Prou. 1â— 13 Shee caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him c. II. In words when a mans talk is decent in speaking of such things we cannot but be ashamed of Gen. 4.1 Then Adam knew Heuah his wife who c. Psal. 51.1 A Psalme of Dauid when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him after he had gone into Bethsheba Esay 7.20 In that day shall the Lord shaue with a rasor that is hired euen by them beyond the riuer by the King of Ashur the head and the haire of the feete and it shall consume the beard Iudg. 3.24 When he was gone out his seruaÌ„ts came who seeing that the doores of the parlar were shut they said Surely he couereth his feete that is he doth his easement in his summer chamber Againe a mans talke must be little and submisse Matth. 12.19 Behold my seruant whome I haue chosen he shall not striue nor crie neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes Prou. 10.19 In many words there cannot want iniquitie but he that refraineth his lips is wise And it is a note of a strumpet to be a giglot and loud tongued Prou. 7.11 Shee is babling and loud In apparell we must obserue an holy comelinesse Tit. 2. â— The elder women must be of such behauiour as becommeth holinesse Holy comelinesse is that which expresseth to the eie the sinceritie that is the godlines temperance and grauitie either of man or woman This decencie wil more plainly appeare if we consider the endes of apparell which are in number fiue 1. Necessitie to the ende that our bodies may be defended against the extremity of parching heate and pinching colde 2. Honestie that that deformitie of our naked bodies might be couered which immediately followed the transgression of our first parents 3. Commoditie whereby men as their calling worke and trade of life is different so do they apparell themselues and hence it is that some apparell is more decent for certaine estates of men then other 4. Frugalitie when a mans attire is proportionable to his abilitie and calling 5. Distinction of persons as of sexe ages offices times and actions For a man hath his set attire a woman hers a young man apparelled on this fashion an olde man on that And therefore it is vnseemely for a man to put on a womans apparell or a woman the mans Deut. 22.5 The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth to the man neither shall a man put on womans raiment for all that doe so are an abomination to the Lord thy God To set downe precisely out of Gods word what apparrell is decent is very hard wherefore in this case the iudgement and practise of modest graue and sincere men in euery particular estate is most to be followed and men must rather keepe too much within the bounds of measure then to step one foot without the precincts Concerning the purging of excrements of nature care must be had that they bee cast foorth into some separate and close place and there also couered Deut. 23.12 Thou shalt haue a place without the host whither thou shalt resort 13. And thou shalt haue a paddle among thy weapons when thou wouldest sit downe without thou shalt digge therewith and returning thou shalt couer thine excrements 14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the middest of the camp to deliuer thee therefore thine host shall be holy that he see no filthy thing in thee turne away from thee 1. Sam. 24.4 And he came to the sheepe-coats by the way where there was a caue and Saul went in to couer his feete Sobrietie is a vertue which concerneth the vsage of our diet in holines For the better obseruation thereof these rules may serue I. The cheifest at the banket let him consecrate the meates to God by saying grace 1. Sam. 9.13 The people will not eate till he that is Samuel came because he wil blesse the sacrifice and then eate they that be bidden to the feast Mark 6.39 He commanded theÌ„ to make them all sit downe by companies vpon the grasse c. 41. And he tooke the fiue loaues and two fishes and looked vp to heauen and gaue thankes Act. 27.35 When he had thus said he that is Paul gaue thankes in the presence of them all when he had broken bread he began to eate II. It is lawefull to furnish a table with store of dishes not onely for necessity but also for the good entertainment of a friende and for delight Luk. 5. 29. Leui made him that is Iesus a great feast in his owne house where there was a great company of Publicans and of other that sate at tabe with him Psal. 104.15 He giueth wine that maketh glad the heart of man oyle to make the face shine bread that strengtheneth mans heart Ioh. 12.2 There they made him a supper and Martha serued but Lazarus was one of them that sate at table with him 3. Then tooke Marie a pound of oyntment of Spikenard very costly and annointed Iesus feete III.
ouer the seruants of Saul and said I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob to Abimelech the sonne of Ahitub 10. Who asked counsell of the Lord for him and gaue him victualls and he gaue him also the sword of Goliah the Philistim Of this deede Dauid thus speaketh Psal. 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in thy wickednesse O man of power the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer 2. Thy tongue imagineth mischeife and is like a sharpe rasor that cutteth deceitfully 3. Thou doest loue euill more then good and lies more then to speake the trueth 4. Thou louest all wordes that may destroy O deceitfull tongue VIII To open or declare our neighbours secret to any man especially if he did it of infirmitie Mat. 18.15 Moreouer if thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother Pro. 11.13 He that goeth about as a slanderer discouereth a secret but he that is of a faithfull heart concealeth a matter IX All babling talke and bitter wordes Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all vncleannesse let it not be once named among you 4. Neither filthinesse neither foolish talking neither iesting which are not comely but rather giuing of thankes Ioh. 9.34 They answered and said vnto him Thou art altogither borne in sinnes and doest thou teach vs so they cast him out This iesting or as it is nowe tearmed wit which Aristotle the Philosopher maketh a vertue is by Paul the Apostle accounted a vice and that not without cause I. Such quipps as sting others though they be a great pleasure for some to heare yet are they very offensiue to such as are so girded II. It is very hard to make Christian both godlinesse and grauity to agree with such behauiour Obiect But salt and tart speeches are vsull in the scriptures 1. King 18. 27. Eliah mocked the Priests of Baal Esa. 14.9 Answer Such speeches are not spoken to please others but are sharply deuounced against Gods enemies to his glorie X. Flatterie whereby we praise our neighbour aboue that we knowe in him Prou. 27.6 The woundes of a louer are faithfull but the kisses of an enemie are to be shunned 14. He that praiseth his friende with a loud voice rising early in the morning it shall be counted to him as a curse Act. 12.22 And the people gaue a shout saying The voice of God and not of man This is a grieuous sinne in the ministers of the word 1. Thess. 2.5 Neither did we euer vse flattering wordes as ye knowe nor coloured couetousnesse God is record Ier. 6.13 For from the least of thē euen vnto the greatest of them euery one is giuen vnto couetousnesse and from the Prophet euen vnto the priest they all deale falsely 14. They haue healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweete wordes saying Peace peace when there is no peace Rom. 16.18 For they that are such serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple XI Foolish and ouer confident boasting Prou. 27.1 Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a daie may bring forth 2. Let another praise thee and not thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lips XII To accuse or witnesse against one falsely 1. King 21.13 Naboth blasphemed God and the king The affirmatiue part Preserue the good name of thy neighbour Eccles. 7.3 A good name is better then a good ointment Here is commanded I. A reioicing for the credit and good estimation of thy neighbour Gal. 5.22 But the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace gentlenesse Rom. 1.8 First I thank my God through Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is published throughout the whole world II. Willingly to acknowledge that goodnes we see in any man whatsoeuer and onely to speake of the same Tit. 3.2 That they speake euill of no man that they be no fighters but soft shewing all meekenes to all men Moreouer wee must with all desire receiue and beleeue reports of our neighbours good Act. 16.1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certaine Disciple was there named Timotheus a womans sonne which was a Iewesse beleeued but his father was a Grecian 2. Of whome the brethren which were at Lystra Iconium reported wel 3. Therefore Paul would that he should goe forth with him and tooke and circumcised him Notwithstanding this must so be performed of vs that in no wise wee approoue and allowe of the vices and faults of men 2. Chron. 25.2 And hee did vprightly in the eies of the Lord but not with a perfect heart And chap. 27.2 And he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Vzziah did saue that he entred not into the temple of the Lord the people did yet corrupt their waies III. To interpret a doutfull euill to the better part Cor. 13.5 Loue thinketh not euill 7. It beleeueth all things it hopeth all things Gen. 37.31 And they tooke Iosephs coate and killed a kidde of the goats and dipped the coat in the bloode 32. So they sent that parti-coloured coate and they brought it to their father and said This haue we found see now whether it be thy sonnes coate or no. 33. Then hee knew it and said It is my sonnes coate a wicked beast hath deuoured him Ioseph is surely torne in peeces And here obserue the religiō of that Ioseph which was betrothed to Mary who when he sawe that Mary was with child was readier to conclude that before her betroathing she was with child by committing fornication then after by cōmitting adulterie Mat. 1.19 But for all this men must not be too too credulous or light of beleefe Ioh. 2.24 But Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them◠because he knewe them all IV. Not to beleeue an euill report running abroad amongst the common people by the whisperings of talebearers as it were by conduit pipes Psal. 15.3 Hee that slaundereth not with his tongue nor doth euill to his neighbour nor receiueth a false report against his neighbour Ierem. 40.14 And they saide vnto him Knowest thou not that Baalis the king of the Ammonites had sent Ishmac◠the sonne of Nethaniah to slay thee but Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam beleeued him not 16. But Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam said vnto Ionathan the sonne of Kareah thou shalt not doe this thing for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael But we ought also to be angrie at such whisperings Pro. 25.23 As the North wind driueth away the raine so doth an angrie countenance the slaundering tongue V. To keepe secret the offence of our neighbour except it must of necessitie be reuealed Prou. 10.12 Hatred stirreth vp contention but loue couereth all trespasses Mat. 1.19 Then Ioseph her husband beeing a iust man and not willing to make her a publike example
be entertained and receiued in the closet of the heart III. The least cogitation and motion the which though it procure not consent delighteth and tickleth the heart Of this kinde are these foolish wishes I would such an house were mine such a liuing such a thing c. And hitherto may we referre all vnchast dreames arising from concupiscence The affirmatiue part Couet that onely which is auaileable to thy neighbour Here are commended I. A pure heart towards our neighbour 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained II. Holy cogitations and motions of the spirit Paul praieth 1. Thess. 5.23 that the Thessalonians may be holy not onely in bodie and soule but also in spirit Eph. 4.23 III. A conflict against the euill affections and lusts of the flesh Rom. 7.22 I reioyce in the law of God in regard of the inward man 23. But I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and making me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members 24. Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death 2. Cor. 12.7 8 9. CHAP. 30. Of the vse of the Law THe vse of the Law in vnregenerate persons is threefold The first is to lay open sinne and make it knowne Rom. 3.20 By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne The second vse is accidentarily to effect and augment sinne by reason of the flesh the which causeth man to decline from that which is commanded and euer to encline to that which is prohibited Rom. 7.8 Sinne tooke occasion by the commandement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sinne is dead 9. For I once was aliue without the Law but when the commandement came sinne reuiued 10. But I died and that commandement which was ordained vnto life was found to be vnto me vnto death The third vse is to denounce eternall damnation for the least disobedience without offering any hope of pardon This sentence the law pronounceth against offendours and by it partly by threatning partly by terrifying it raigneth and ruleth ouer man Rom. 3.19 Wee know that whatsoeuer the Law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the Lawe that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world be culpable before God Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all that is written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them 2. Cor. 3.7 If the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones was glorious 8. Howe shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation were glorious c. The ende why sinne raigneth in man is to vrge sinners to flie vnto Christ Galat. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue 24. Wherfore the law was our schoolemaster to Christ. Heb. 12.18,19,20 The continuance of this power of the law is perpetuall vnlesse a sinner repent and the very first act of repentance so freeth him that he shall no more be vnder the lawe but vnder grace 2. Sam. 12.13 Then said Dauid to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord wherfore Nathan said to Dauid The Lord also hath forgiuen thy sinne and thou shalt not die Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace If therefore thou desirest seriously eternall life first take a narrowe examination of thy selfe and the course of thy life by the square of Gods lawe then set before thine eies the curse that is due vnto sinne that thus bewailing thy miserie and despairing vtterly of thine own power to attaine euerlasting happinesse thou maiest renounce thy selfe and be prouoked to seeke and sue vnto Christ Iesus The vse of the Law in such as are regenerate is far otherwise for it guideth them to new obedience in the whole course of their life which obedience may be acceptable to God by Christ. Rom. 3.31 Doe we therefore through faith make the Law of none effect God forbid nay we rather establish the Law Psal. 119. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight they are my counsellers v. 105. Thy word is a lantarne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes CHAP. 31. Of the couenant of Grace HItherto concerning the couenant of works and of the Law now followeth the couenant of grace The couenant of Grace is that whereby God freely promising Christ and his benefits exacteth againe of man that he would by faith receiue Christ and repent of his sinnes Hos. 2.18 In that daie will I make a couenant for them c. 19. And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer yea I will marrie thee vnto me in righteousnesse and in iudgement and in mercie and in compassion v. 20. I will euen marrie thee vnto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt knowe the Lord. Ezech. 36.25 I will poure cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I clense you v. 26. And I will giue you a newe heart and a newe spirit will I put within you v. 27. And cause you to walke in my statutes Malach 3.1 The Lord whome ye seeke shall speedily come to his temple euen the messenger of the couenant whome ye desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts This couenant is also named a testament for it hath partly the nature and properties of a testament or will First it is confirmed by the death of the testator Heb. 9.16 Where a testament is there must be the death of him that made the testament 17. For the testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force so long as he that made it is aliue Secondly in this couenant we doe not offer much and promise small to God but in a manner doe onely receiue euen as the last will and testament of a man is not for the testators but the heires commodity The couenant albeit it be one in substance yet it is distinguished into the old and new testament The olde testament or couenant is that which in types and shadowes prefigured Christ to come and to be exhibited The newe testament declareth Christ already come in the flesh and is apparantly shewed in the Gospel The Gospell is that part of Gods word which cōtaineth a most worthy welcome message namely that mankind is fully redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ the only begotten sonn of God manifest in the flesh so that now for all such as repent and beleeue in Christ Iesus there is prepared a full remission of all their sinnes togither with saluation and life euerlasting Ioh.
In whome ye are also built togither to be the habitation of God by the spirit This albeit it be a most neere and reall vnion yet we must not thinke that it by touching mixture or as it were by souldring of one soule with another neither by a bare agreement of the soules among themselues but by the communion and operation of the same spirit which beeing by nature infinite is of sufficient abilitie to conioyne those things togither which are of themselues farre distant from each other the like we see in the soule of man which conioyneth the head with the foote Eph. 2.22 2. Pet. 1.4 Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Phil. 2.1 If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit c. The things vnited In this vnion not our soule alone is vnited with Christs soule or our â—lesh with his flesh but the whole person of euery faithfull man is â—erely conioyned with the whol person of our Sauiour Christ God man The manner of their vnion is this A faithfull man first of all and immediatly is vnited to the flesh or humane nature of Christ afterward by reason of the humanitie to the Word it selfe or diuine nature For saluation and life dependeth on that fulnesse of the godhead which is in Christ yet it is not coÌ„municated vnto vs but in the flesh and by the flesh of Christ. Ioh. 6 5â— Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the blood of the Sonne of man ye haue no life in you 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him The bond of this vnion This vnion is made by the spirit of God applying Christ vnto vs and on our parts by faith receiuing Christ Iesus offered vnto vs. And for this cause is it tearmed a spirituall vnion Christ because he is the head of the faithfull is to be considered as a publike man sustaining the person of all the elect Hence is it that the faithfull are â—aid to be crucified with Christ and with him to die to be buried Rom. 6.4 5,6 to be quickened Eph. 2.5 to be raised vp and placed in heauen v. 6. Col. 3.1 the which is not onely in regard of the hope of the faithful but because they are accepted of God certainely to haue done all these things in Christ euen as in Adams first sinne all his posteritie afterward was tainted of sinne A member of Christ is diuersly distinguished and is so either before men or God Before meÌ„ they are the members of Christ who outwardly professing the faith are charitably reputed by the Church as true members But such deceiuing at length both themselues and the Church may be reprobates therefore in Gods presence they are no more true members then are the noxious humours in mans bodie or a woodden legge or other ioynt cunningly fastened to another part of the bodie Againe members before God they are such as either are decreed to be so or actually are so already Such as are decreed to be so are they who being elect from all eternitie are either as yet not borne or not called Ioh. 10. 16. Other sheepe haue I which are not of this fold them also must I bring Actuall members of Christ are either liuing or dying members An actuall liuing member of Christ is euery one elected which being engraffed by faith and the spirit into Christ doth feele and shewe forth the power of Christ in him An actuall dying or decaying member is euery one truely engraffed into Christ and yet hath no feeling of the power and efficacie of the quickening spirit in him He is like vnto a benummed legge without sense which indeede is a part of mans body and yet receiueth no nourishment such are those faithfull ones who for a time doe faint and are ouercome vnder the heauie burtheÌ„ of tentations and their sinnes such are also those excommunicate persons who in regard of their engraffing are true members howesoeuer in regard of the externall communion with the Church and efficacie of the spirit they are not members till such time as they being touched with repentance doe begin as it were to liue againe God executeth this effectuall calling by certaine meanes The first is the sauing hearing of the word of God which is when the said word outwardly is preached to such an one as is both dead in his sinnes and doth not so much as dreame of his saluation And first of all the Law shewing a man his sinne and the punishment thereof which is eternall death afterward the Gospel shewing saluation by Christ Iesus to such as beleeue And inwardly the eyes of the minde are enlightened the heart and eares opened that he may see heare and vnderstand the preaching of the word of God The second is the mollifying of the heart the which must be bruised in pieces that it may be fit to receiue Gods sauing grace offered vnto it Ezech. 11. 19. I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within their bowels And I will take the stonie heart out of their bodies and will giue them an heart of flesh There are for the brusing of this stonie heart foure principal hammers The first is the knowledge of the law of God The second is the knowledge of sinne both originall and actuall and what punishment is due vnto them The third is compunction or pricking of the heart namely a sense and feeling of the wrath of God for the same sinnes The fourth is an holy desperation of a mans owne power in the obtaining of eternall life Act. 2.37 When they heard these things they were pricked in heart and said vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38. Peter said vnto them Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus into the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Luk. 15.17 Then he came to himselfe and said How many hired seruants at my fathers haue bread ynough and I die for hunger 18. I will rise and goe to my father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee 19. And am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants c. Matth. 15. 24. He answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of Israel The third is faith which is a miraculous and supernaturall facultie of the heart apprehending Christ Iesus being applied by the operation of the holy Ghost and receiuing him to it selfe Ioh. 1.1,2,6.35 Iesus said vnto them I am the bread of life he that commeth vnto me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Rom. 9.30 What shall we
they which speak euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of thy visitation II. To exhort Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne Rom. 1.12 That I might be comforted togither with you through our mutuall faith both yours mine III. To comfort 1. Thess. 5.14 Comfort the feeble minded beare with the weake be patient towards all men Iam. 5. 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed 20. He that conuerteth a sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes 1. Thess. 4. 18. Comfort your selues one another with these words IV. To admonish Rom. 15. 14. I my selfe am perswaded of you brethren that yee also are full of goodnes and filled with all knowledge and are able to admonish one another 1. Thess. 5. 14. We desire you brethren admonish them that are vnruly They shall obserue an holy manner of admonition who in the spirit of meeknes and as it were guiltie of the like infirmitie themselues doe admonish forthwith all their brethren of such faults as they certenly know by them and that out of Gods word Gal. 6.1 Brethren if any man by occasion be fallen into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meeknes considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Matth. 5. 7. Thou hypocrite cast out first the beame out◠of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see to take the mote out of thy brothers eye 2. Tim. 4.2 Preach the word be instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Math. 18. 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother Rom. 15.14.2 Tim. 4.2 Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Reliefe peculiar to the godly among themselues is a dutie whereby the rich doe out of their plentie supplie the wants of the poore both according to their abilitie and sometimes beyond their abilitie 2. Cor. 8.3 To their power I beare record yea beyond their power they were willing Act. 2.44,45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all things common and they solde their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede CHAP. 48. Of the fourth degree of the declaration of Gods loue and of the estate of the Elect after this life THe fourth degree of the declaration of Gods loue is Glorification Roman 8.30 Glorification is the perfect transforming of the Saints into the image of the Sonne of God Philip. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe 1. Cor. 15.44 It is sowne a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie there is a naturall bodie and there is a spirituall bodie 45. And it is also written The first man Adam was made a liuing soule the last Adam was made a quickning spirit 49. And as we haue borne the image of the earthly so shall we beare the image of the heauenly Psal. 17. 15. I will behold thy face in righteousnes and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine image The beginning of Glorification is in death but it is not accomplished and made perfect before the last day of iudgement The death of the Elect is but a sleepe in Christ whereby the bodie and soule is seuered The bodie that after corruption it may rise to greater glorie The soule that it being fully sanctified may immediatly after departure frō the bodie be transported into the kingdom of heauen Against the feare of death note these preseruatiues I. Death it freeth the godly from the tyrannie of Satan sinne the world the flesh and eternall damnation yea from infinite both perills and losses and doth place vs both safe and happie vnder the shadow as it were of Christs wings II. Christ by his death hath sanctified vnto vs both death and the graue III. Christ is both in life and death gaine to the godly Phil. 1.12 IV. Those consolations which the spirit of Christ doth suggest to the soules of the faithfull doe by many degrees surmount the dolours of death V. The desire of that most bright and glorious beholding of God and the presence of those Saints which are departed before vs. VI. In stead of our bodies we shall be clothed with glorie 2. Cor. 5.1 VII The stings of death namely sinne is then so taken away as that that serpent can no more hurt vs. 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie Heb. 2.15 That he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage VIII We should not so much thinke of our death as to take an exact account of our life For that man can not die ill who hath liued well and he seldome dieth well that hath liued badly IX The Angels they stand at our elbowes that so soone as a Saint departeth they may with all speede immediatly transport his soule into heauen Soules being once in heauen remaine there till the last day of iudgement where they partly magnifie the Name of God and partly doe waite and pray for the consummation of the kingdom of glorie and full felicitie in body and soule Reuel 5.8 And when he had taken the booke the foure beasts and the foure and twentie Elders fell downe before the Lambe hauing euery one harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints 9. And they sang a new song saying Thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euery kinred and tongue and people and nation Reuel 14. 2. I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and they cried with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest not thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth CHAP. 49. Of the estate of the Elect at the last day of iudgement THe last day of iudgement shall be on this manner I. Immediatly before the comming of Christ the powers of heauen shall be shaken the Sunne and Moone shall be darkned and the starres shall seeme to fall from heauen at which sight the Elect then liuing shall reioyce but the reprobate shall shake euery ioynt of them II. Then the heauens beeing all set on fire shall with a
Matth. 11.28 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whoâ—â— the Sonne will reueale him Luke 8. To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Philip. 2. It is God which worketh in you to will and to doe 1. Cor. 12. 13. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Briefly he who according to God is to be created to righteousnes and holiness Eph. 4.24 cannot any waies dispose himselfe to iustification or new creation For it is impossible that a thing not yet created should dispose it selfe to his creation The IX errour That preparation to grace which is caused by the power of free-will may by the merit of congruitie deserue iustification The Confutation These things smell of more then Satanicall arrogancie For what man but such an one as were not in his right mind would beleeue that he vnto whom so many millions of condemnations are due could once merit the least dramme of grace The prodigall sonne he was not receiued into fauour by reason of his deserts but by fauour Luk. 15.21 His sonne said vnto him I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne The X. errour The faith of the godly or that which iustifieth is that whereby a man doth in generall beleeue the promised blessednes of God and by which also he giueth his assent to other mysteries reuealed of God concerning the same The Confutation Faith is not onely a generall knowledge and assent to the historie of the Gospel but further also a certaine power both apprehending and seuerally applying the promises of God in Christ whereby a man doth assuredly set downe that his sinnes are forgiuen him and that he is reconciled vnto God Reasons I. A particular assuraÌ„ce of the fauour of god is of the nature of faith Eph. 3.12 By whom we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him Rom. 4.20 Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glorie vnto God 21. Beeing fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw nere with a true heart in assurance of faith II. Particular doubtings is reprehended Mat. 14. â—â— O thou of litle faith why didst thou doubt Luk. 12.29 Hang ye not in suspence III. That which a maÌ„ praieth for to god that must he assuredly beleeue to receiue Math. 11.24 But the faithfull in their praiers make request for adoption iustification and life eternall And therefore they must certainely beleeue that they shall receiue these benefits IV. Rom. 5.1 We beeing thâ—refore iustified we haue peace with God But there can be no peace where there is not a paâ—ticuâ—ar assurance of Gods fauour V. That which the spirit of God doth testifie vnto vs particularly that must also be beleeued particularly But the spirit of God doth giue a particular testimonie of the adoption of the faithfull Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 This therefore is in like sort to be beleeued Whereas they say that no man hath a particular assurance but by especiall reuelation as was that which Abraham and Paul had it is false For the faith of these two is set downe in Scripture as an example which we should all follow For this cause Abraham is called the Father of the faithfull and Paul testifieth the very fame of himselfe 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause saith he was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life Againe whereas they say that we haue a morall assurance but not the assurance of faith it is a popish deuise For Rom. 8.16 The spirit of adoption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together beareth witnesse to our spirits Where we see two witnesses of our adoption our owne spirit and the spirit of God Our spirit doth testifie morally of our adoption by sanctification and the fruits thereof and therefore also the spirit of God witnesseth after another manner namely by the certaintie of faith declaring and applying the promises of God Obiect I. We are commanded to worke our saluation with feare trembling Ans. This feare is not in regard of Gods mercie forgiuing our sinnes but in respect of vs and our nature which is euer prone to slide away and starting from God Obiect II. In respect of Gods mercie we must hope for saluation but in respect of our vnworthines we must doubt Ans. I. We may not at all lawfully doubt of Gods mercie because doubtfulnes is not of the nature of faith but rather a naturall corruption II. If we consider our owne vnworthines it is out of all doubt that we must be out of all hope and despaire of our saluation Obiect III. There be many sinnes vnknowne vnto vs and so also vncertaine whether they be pardoned vnto vs. Answer He that certenly and truly knoweth that but one sinne is pardoned him he hath before God all his sinnes remitted whether they be knowne or vnknowne Obiect IV. No man dare sweare or die in the defence of this proposition I am the child of God or in Gods fauour and iustified Answ. They which haue an vnfained faith will if they be lawfully called not onely testifie their adoption by an oath but seale it also by their blood Obiect V. A man may haue this faith which the Protestants talke of and lie in a mortall sinne and haue also a purpose to perseuere in a mortall sinne Ans. It is farre otherwise for Act. 15.9 True faith purifieth the heart These Sophisters doe further affirme that this faith which to them is nothing but a knowledge and illumination of the mind concerning the truth of Gods word is the roote and foundation of iustification The which if it be true why should not the deuill be iust for he hath both a knowledge of Gods word and thereunto by beleeuing doth giue his assent who notwithstanding he haue such a faith yet can he not be called one of the faithfull Here they except and say The deuils faith is void of charitie which is the forme of faith But this is a doting surmise of their owne braine For charitie is the effect of faith 1. Tim. 1.5 But the effect cannot informe the cause The XI errour Mans loue of God doth in order and time goe before his iâ—stification and reconciliation with God The Confutation Nay contrarily vnlesse we be first perswaded of Gods loue towards vs we neuer loue him For we loue him because he loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 Againe it is impossible that Gods enemie should loue him but he which is not as yet iustified or reconciled to God he is Gods enemie Rom. 5.9,10 Neither is any man before the act of iustification made of Gods enemie his friend The XII errour Iufused or inherent iustice is the formall cause of iâ—stification
wise doe Secondly by the manner of perswasion for the holy Ghost draweth not reasons â—rom the workes or worthinesse of man but from Gods fauour and loue and this kinde of perswasion is far different from that which Satan vseth Thirdly by the effects of that testimonie For if the perswasion arise from presumption it is a dead perswasion but contrarily it is most liuely and stirring if it come from the holy Ghost For such as are perswaded that they are elected and adopted children of GOD they will loue god they wil trust in him and they will call vpon him with their whole heart IV. If the testimonie of Gods spirit be not so powerfull in the elect then may they iudge of their election by that other effect of the holy ghost namely Sanctification like as we vse to iudge by heate that there is fire when wee cannot see the flame it selfe V. And of all the effects of sanctification these are most notable I. To feele our wants and in the bitternes of heart to bewaile the offence of GOD in euery sinne II. To striue against the flesh that is to resist and to hate the vngodly motions thereof and with griefe to think them burthenous troublesome III. To desire earnestly and vehemently the grace of God and merite of Christ to obtaine eternall life IV. When it is obtained to account it a most pretious iewel Phil. 3.8 V. To loue the minister of Gods word in that he is a minister and a Christian in that he is a Christian and for that cause if neede require to be readie to spende our blood with them Mat. 10.42 1. Ioh. 3.16 VI. To call vpon God earnestly and with teares VII To desire and loue Christs comming and the day of iudgement that an ende may bee made of the daies of sinne VIII To flie all occasions of sinne and seriously to endeauour to come to newnesse of life IX To perseuere in these things to the last gaspe of life Luther hath a good sentence for this purpose Hee that will serue God must saith he beleeue that which cannot bee seene hope for that which is deferred and loue God when he sheweth himselfe an enemie and thus remaine to the ende VI. Nowe if so be all the effects of the spirit are very feeble in the godly they must know this that God trieth them yet so as they must not therewith be dismaied because it is most sure that if they haue faith but as much as a graine of mustard seede and bee as weake as a young infant is it is sufficient to ingraffe theÌ„ into Christ therefore they must not doubt of their election because they see their faith feeble and the effects of the holy Ghost faint within them VII Neither must hee that as yet hath not felt in his heart any of these effects presently conclude that hee is a Reprobate but let him rather vse the word of God and the Sacraments that hee may haue an inward sense of the power of Christ drawing him vnto him and an assurance of his redemption by Christs death and passion VIII No man may peremptorily set downe that himselfe or any other is a reprobate For God doth oftentimes preferre those which did seeme to be most of all estranged from his fauour to be in his kingdome aboue those who in mans iudgement were the children of the kingdome Hence is it that Christ saith The Publicanes and harlots goe before you and many an one is called at the eleuenth houre as appeareth by that notable example of the thiefe vpon the crosse The vses which may be made of this doctrine of predestination are very many First for our instruction we are taught these things I. That there is neither any iustification by workes nor any works of ours that are meritorious For election is by the free grace of God and therefore in like sort is iustification For as I saide before the cause of the cause is the cause of the thing caused And for this reason in the worke of saluation grace doth wholly challenge al to it selfe Rom. 11.5 At this time there is a remnant through the election of grace 2. Tim. 1.9 Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you iâ— is giuen for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake Rom. 3.24 Wee are iustified freely by grace Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Ezech. 36. 27. I will cause you to walke in my statutes Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternall life II. That Astrologie teaching by the casting of Natiuities what men will be is ridiculous and impious because it determineth that such shall be very like in life and conuersation whom God in his predestination hath made vnlike Iacob and Esau borne of the same parents and almost in the same moment of time for Iacob held Esau by the heele as he was borne were of most vnlike dispositions and had diuers euents The like may we see in all twinnes and others which are borne at the same time III. That God is most wise omnipotent iust and mercifull O the wonderfull riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding on t Eph. 1.5 Who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Secondly beeing the seruants of Christ we are admonished I. To fight against all doubting and diffidence of our saluation because it neither depeÌ„deth vpon workes nor faith but vpon Gods decree which is immutable Math. 24.24 Luk. 10.20 Reioice that your names are written in the booke of life Rom. 8.33 Who shall any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne 2. Tim. 2.19 This teacheth that the anker of hope must be fixed in the trueth and stabilitie of the immutable good pleasure of God so that albeit our faith bee so tossed as that it is in danger of shipwracke neuerthelesse it must neuer sinke to the bottome but euen in the middest of danger take hold vpon repentance as on a board so recouer it selfe II. To humble our soules vnder the mightie hand of God for wee are as clay in the hand of the potter Rom. 9.21 They through infidelitie are broken off but thou standest through faith Be not high minded but feare III. To giue all glorie to God 2. Thess. 2.13 We ought to giue thankes alwaie to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation IV. To beare crosses patiently Rom. 8.29 Those which he knewe before he hath also preâ—estinate to be made like to the image of his sonne This likenesse
enemies You haue therefore my good brother iust cause why you should be greatly displeased with many things past but there is no cause why you should despaire Briefly you haue inwardly and as it were dwelling with you euident testimonies of you future reconciliation with God especially if you cease not to pray vnto him earnestly who hath laid the foundation of repentance in you to wit a dislike of sinne and a desire to be reconciled vnto him The sheep which wandered out of the fold ceased not to be a sheep albeit it went astray for a time you now are that sheep to whome that faithfull sheapheard of al those sheep which the father hath committed to him leauing those ninetie and nine doth not so much by my ministerie declare that he seekâ—th you as hauing alreadie sought you though you not seeking him hath indeede founde you Knocke saith he and it shall bee opened vnto you And haue you nowe forgotten those promises which were so often made to them that repent and also which they had experience of who in the sight of the world were in a desperat case But I saith he againe feele no motions of the Comforter I haue nowe no sense of faith or hope but I feele all the contrarie Nay say I you deceiue your selfe as I tolde you before For it is the Comforter alone which teacheth you to hate sinne not so much for the punishment as because it is euill and disliketh God albeit hee shewe not himselfe so fully at the first because you had so many waies grieuously offended him as that he seemeth for a while quite to forsake you And that you haue not quite lost him but that hee is yet in some secret corner of your soule from whence at your instant praiers he will shewe himselfe vnto you this will plainely declare vnto you which I now admonish you of the second time But let vs graunt as much as you can say yet sure it is that your faith was not dead but onely possessed with a spirituall lethargie You liued in the wombe of your mother and there were ignorant of your life A drunken man although hee loose for a time the vse of reason and also of his limmes yet he neuer looseth reason it selfe You would think that in winter the trees were dead but they spring againe in the sommer season At night the Sun setteth but in the next morning it riseth againe And howe often see wee by experience that he which at one time tooke the foile in a combate at another did win the price And knowe this that in the spirituall combate of the flesh with the spirit the like we may see in many partly by reason of the weaknes of our nature partly through sloth to resist and partly for default to beware To these he replieth for such temptations are very hardly remooued I would to God saith he I could perswade my selfe that these promises belonged to me For my present estate constraineth me to doubt whether I am the childe of God or not Laus Christo nescia finis A briefe table directing the Reader of this booke to the principall things in the same ABsence in a Pastor when allowed 77 externall Abstinence 48 Abstraction 21 Abuse of Gods name creatures 55 Accusations on malice 97 vniust Accusations 98 Accusing conscience 18 to Acknowledge God what 39 Acknowledge others good gifts 98 Actuall sinne 20 Adam representing all men 16 his estate in innocency 12 his fall 15 priuate Admonition 141 Adoption 124 Adulterie what 82 lightly punished 85 Affections corrupted 19 Afflictions 124,137 Affiance in God 39 All how said to be saued 169 Allowance of others sinnes 21 Ambition how healed 135 our Ancestours how saued 104 Andreas opinion confuted 180 Angels with their nature office 11 their fall 13 it was more grieuous then mans 15 they serue the elect 142 rash Anger 73 preseruatiues against Angerâ— 135 slowe to Anger 78 snappish Answers 75 curteous Answers 78 Antichrist Satans subiect 35 his sinne 72 when first at Rome 36 Apologie 136,139 Apostates Satans subiects 35 Apostasie 166 Iasciuious Aparrell 84 decent Apparell 86 ApprobatioÌ„ of idolatry coÌ„deÌ„ned 45 Approching to God how 52 to his throne 119 Application of Gods promises necessarie 119 Armour complet with parts 129 Arrius condemned 41 Astrologie 56,57 Artes which are vnlawfull 91 Assaults of a Christian about his calling 130 his faith 131 sanctification 134 assent 139 Asseueration 59 Assurance of knowlege 118 Atheisme 40 Atheists Satans subiects 35 Authoritie ouer creatures lost 23 Authoritie must be obeyed 68 B Babling 97 Ballades 85 Banketting 85,87 on the Sabbath day vnconuenient 65 Bankerupts 90 Baptisme 107,152 the matter water 109 the forme 109 the couenants in Baptisme 109 vse of it 111 Bargaining 89 the Beast who 47 pleasures with Beasts 82 to Beare what it signifieth 95 the Birth of sinne 21 Bitter speaking 73,97 Blasphemie 19,55 Blessednes 144 in what 144 Blessing of children 67 Boasting 97 the Bodie corrupted 19 punished 19 amorous Bookesâ— 85 Booke of life 144 to Bow downe to what 43 Bounds not to be remooued 91 Brawling 73 Buriall of the dead 79 Burning of the flesh 82 Buyers sinne 89 Buying 89 Buggerie 82 C Callings must be sanctified with praier 60 a Calling to liue in 92 effectuall Calling 114 how wrought 116,117 vneffectuall Calling 164 all are not Called 174 Calling on God 52,139 Carelesse vsing of Gods name 55 Ceremonies 121 Chastitie 85,88 Charming 51 Cherubims defend not images 45 Children must obey parents 67 ChildreÌ„ freed from it by the pope 72 Cherubims why painted with wings 11 Choice of one God 42 Censures 95 Christ the foundation of election 24 how subordinate to election 24 why God and man 24,25 his infirmities ibid. vnion of two natures 25 Conception ibid. sanctification ibid. assumption of flesh ibid. Communion of properties 26 distinction of both natures 27 how two wills in him ibid. his natiuitie ibid. Circumcision 28 office ibid. princes his vicegerents ibid. as Mediatour he hath none 29 his Priesthood ibid. he satisfied onely for the elect 29,168 how he did it 29 his passion 9,29 agonie 30 sncrifice ibid. he is the altar ibid. how a priest ibid. humiliation 31 accursednesse ibid. dead ibid. power of it 32 buried 31 descension into hell what 31 abolishing of death 32 fulfilling of the Law 32 intercession 32,33 his propheticall office 33 regall office 33,34 exaltation 33 bodie is visible 34 resurrection 33 power of it 125 ascension 34 his sitting at Gods right haud 34 prerogatiue royall 35 his iustice ours 123 things spoken of him as God and man 26 his manhood exalted 27 he that onely lawgiuer 33 his merits infinite 133 his surrendring his kingdome to his father 36 Christ when receiued 118 Christian conuersation 128 Church goods are not to be sold. 89 the Church may appoint holy daies 62 Ciuill authoritie in Bish. of Rome Antichrist 36 Comedies â—5 Combats vnlawfull 75 CoÌ„forts for affâ—cted coÌ„sciences 132 Combat
wrought in and by the outward ministerie of the Gospell accompanied by the inward operation of the spirit and that not suddenly but by certaine steps and degrees as nature frameth the bodie of the infant in the mothers wombe 1. by making the brain and heart 2. by making veines sinewes arteries bones 3. by adding flesh to them all And the whole operation of the spirit stands in two principall actions First the enlightening of the minde the second the moouing of the will For the first the holy Ghost inlightens mens minds with a further knowledge of the law then nature can affoard and thereby makes them to see the sinnes of their hearts and liues with the ouglines thereof and withall to tremble at the curse of the law Afterward the same spirit opens the eye to vnderstand and consider seriously of righteousnes and life eternall promised in Christ. This done then comes the second worke of the holy ghost which is the inflaming of the will that a man hauing considered his fearefull estate by reason of sinne and the benefits of Christs death might hunger after Christ and haue a desire not so much to haue the punishments of sinne taken away as Gods displeasure and also might enioy the benefits of Christ. And when he hath stirred vp a mā to desire recōciliation with god in Christ then withall he giues him grace to pray not onely for life eternall but especially for the free remission and pardon of all his sinnes and then the Lords promise is Knocke and it shall be opened seeke and ye shall finde After which he further sendes his spirit into the same heart that desireth reconciliation with God and remission of sinnes in Christ and doth seale vp the same in his heart by a liuely and plentifull assurance thereof The differences degrees of faith are two I. a weake faith II. a strong faith Concerning the first this weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God namely an vnfained desire not onely of saluation for that the wicked and graceles man may haue but of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of faith in euery touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect and they which haue this haue in them also the ground and substance of true sauing faith which afterwardes in time will grow vp to greater strength Reasons I. Promise of life euerlasting is made to the desire of reconciliation Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore Psal. 143. 6. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie lande Psal. 145. 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Reuelat. 21.6 I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely II. The hungering desire after grace is a sanctified affection where one affection is sanctified all are sanctified where all are sanctified the whole man is sanctified and he that is sanctified is iustified and beleeues III. God accepts the will and desire to repent and beleeue for repenting and beleeuing indeed wherefore this desire of reconciliation if it be soundly wrought in the heart is in acceptation with God as true faith indeede But carnall men will say If faith yea true faith shew it selfe by a desire of reconciliatiō with God in Christ for all our sinnes then we are well ynough though we liue in our sinnes for we haue very good desires I answer That there be many sundrie fleeting motions and desires to doe good things which grow to no issue or head but in time vanish as they come Nowe such passions haue no soundnesse in them and must be distinguished from the desire of reconciliation with God that comes from a bruised heart◠and brings alwaies with it reformation of life therefore such whatsoeuer they are that liue after the course of this world and thinke notwithstanding that they haue desires that are good deceiue themselues Now faith is saide to be weake when a man either failes in the knowledge of the Gospell or else hauing knowledge is weake in grace to applie vnto himselfe the sweet promises thereof As for example we know that the Apostles had all true sauing faith except Iudas and when our Sauiour Christ asked them whome they thought that he was Peter in the person of the rest answered for them all and said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for which our Sauiour commended him and in him them all saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke that is vpon Christ which Peter confessed in the name of them all will I build my Church And yet about that time we shall finde in the Gospell that they are called men of little faith Now they failed in knowledge of the death of Christ and of his passion and resurrection and were caried away with a vaine hope of an earthly kingdome And therefore when our Sauiour shewed them of his going downe to Ierusalem and of his sufferings there Peter a little after his notable confession beganne to rebuke Christ and said Master haue pitie on thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee And vntill he had appeared to them after his death they did not distinctly beleeue his resurrection Again weake faith though it be ioyned with knowledge yet it may faile in the applying or in the apprehension appropriating of Christs benefits to a mans owne selfe This is to be seene in ordinarie experience For many a man there is of humble and contrite heart that serueth God in spirit and truth yet is not able to say without great doubtings and wauerings I know and am fully assured that my sinnes are pardoned Now shall we say that all such are without faith God forbid Nay we may resolue our selues that the true child of God may haue a hungering desire in his heart after reconciliation with God in Christ for all his sinnes with care to keepe a good conscience and yet be weake sometime in the apprehension of Gods mercie and the assurance of the remission of his owne sinnes But if faith faile either in the true knowledge or in the apprehension of Gods mercies how can a man be saued by it Ans. We must know that this weake faith will as truly apprehend Gods mercifull promises for the pardon of sinne as strong faith though not so soundly Euen as a man with a palsie hand can stretch it out as well to receiue a gift at the hand of a king as he that is more sound though it be not so firmely and steadfastly And Christ saith that he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe The Church of Rome beares men in hand that they are good Catholicks if they beleeue as the Church beleeues though in the meane season they can not tell what the Church beleeues And some Papists commend this faith by the example of an old deuout father
Ghost yea and more then this we must hold and beleeue that God the father is our father the Sonne our redeemer the holy Ghost our sanctifier and comforter Well then if we must in this manner beleeue in God then we must also know him for we can haue no faith in the thing which is vtterly vnknowne Wherefore if we would beleeue in the father sonne or holy Ghost we must know them in part Ioh. 17. This is life eternall to know thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Ioh. 14. 17. The world can not receiue the spirit of truth because it hath neither seene him nor knowne him 1. Ioh. 2.23 Whosoeuer denieth the sonne hath not the father Thirdly this doctrine directs vs in worshipping God aright for vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped one God must be worshipped in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost and if wee worship God the father without the Sonne and the holy Ghost or if we worship the Sonne without the father and the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost without the father and the Sonne we worship nothing but an Idol Againe if we worship the three persons not as one God but as three Gods then likewise we make three Idols Note further that of all the three persons the first person the Father is set in the first place and described to vs by three things I. by his title that hee is a Father II. by his attribute that he is Almightie III. by his effect that he is maker of heauen and earth of these in order as they lie in the Creed And first of the title Father It may seeme that he hath some prerogatiue ouer the Sonne and the holy Ghost because he is set before them but wee must knowe that hee is set before them neither in regard of timeâ— nor of dignitie for therein all three are equall but in regard of order onely The Father is the first the Sonne the second and the holy Ghost the third as may appeare by this similitude If three Emperours equall in dignitie should meete all in one place beeing equall also in power and maiestie if all three should sit downe though one be no better then an other yet one of them must needes sit downe the first and an other in the second place and then the third but yet we cannot say that he which sate downe first is the chiefest And so it is in the Trinitie though none be greater or aboue another yet the Father is in the first place not because he is before the Sonne or the holy Ghost in dignitie or honour but because he is the fountaine of the Deitie the Sonne beeing from him and the holy Ghost from them both Now let vs come to the title of the first person The name Father in Scriptures is ascribed either to God taken indefinitely and so by consequent to all the three persons in Trinitie or particularly to the first person alone For the first God is a father properly and principally according to the saying of Christ Call no man father vpon earth for there is but one your father which is in heauen that is principally whereas earthly parents whome we are commaunded to worship and honour are but certaine images or resemblances of our heauenly Father hauing this blessing that they are fathers from him And hereupon this title agrees to men not simply but so farre forth as God honoureth them with fatherhoode in calling them to be fathers whereas God himselfe receiues this honour from none God is tearmed a Father in respect both of nature and grace He is a father in regarde of natureâ— because he created and gouerneth all things In this regard he is called the father of spirits and Adam is called the Sonne of God He is a father in respect of grace because we are regenerate by him and accepted to be his sonnâ—s by adoption thorough the merite of Christ. And in this respect the second person as well as the first is called a Father and saide to haue an offspring or seede and children But when the name of Father is giuen to the first person it is done vpon a speciall consideration because he is a father by nature to the fe 〈◊〉 â—erson begetting him of his owne substance before all worldes By thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—peares that out of the title of the first person we may fetch a â—â—â—cription thereof on this manner The Father is the first person in Trinitie begetting the sonne Nowe to beget is the personall proprietie whereby he is distinguished from the other two If it be saide that creatures doe beget and that therefore to beget is not proper to the father the answer is that in this point there are many differences betweene God the father and all creatures First the father begets the sonne before all eternitie and therefore God the father begetting and the sonne begotten are equall in tâ—me whereas in earthly generation the father is before the sonne in time Secondly God the father begets his Sonne by communicating to him his whole essence or godhead which can not be in earthly parents vnlesse they should be abolished and come to nothing Whereas neuerthelesse God the Father giuing his whole nature to his sonne retaines the same still because it is infinite Thirdly the father begets the sonne in himselfe and not forth of himselfe but in earthly generation the father begetting is forth of the child and the child forth of the father And that must not trouble vs which heretiques alleadge against this doctrine namely that if the father who is of one nature with the sonne did beget the sonne then he did beget himselfe for the godhead of the father doth not beget either the godhead or the person of the sonne but the person of the father begets the person of the sonne both which in one godhead are really distinct Thus we see what the Father is Now to beleeue in the father is to be perswaded that the first person in Trinitie is the father of Christ and in him my father particularly that for this cause I intend and desire for euer to put my truâ—t in him The duties which we may learne hence are manifold And here we haue occasion offered first of all to consider who is our father by nature I shall say to corruption saith Iob thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother seeing God vouchsafeth this great prerogatiue to them that loue him that he will be their father therefore Iob in consideration hereof would haue euery man to haue recourse to his owne naturall condition to see who is his father by natureâ— Iob saith corruption is his father but if we marke well the condition of our nature we shall further see euery man to be the childe of wrath and that Sathan is his father for so long as a man walkes in his sinnes which euery
to make all grace to abound towardes them Where also this dutie is taught vs that seeing God is omnipotent and therefore able to make vs abound therefore wee must giue cheerefully to our poore brethren which want Fourthly whereas there are many in euery place which haue liued long in their sinnes euen from their cradle some in wantonnes some in drunkennes some in swearing some in idlenesse and such like out of this place to all such there is a good lesson namely that euery one of them doe nowe become new men and repent of all their sinnes for all their life past For marke what Paul saith of the Iewes which are cutte off from Christ through vnbeleefe and haue so continued in hardnesse of heart and desperat malice against him almost 16. hundreth yeares If saith he they abide not still in vnbeleefe they may bee grafted into their oliue againe and his reason is this because God is able to graft them in againe Euen so though wee haue liued many yeares in sinne and sure it is a daungerous and fearefull case for a man to liue 20.30 or 40. yeares vnder the power of the diuell yet wee must knowe that if wee will nowe liue a newe life forsake all our sinnes and turne to God wee may be receiued to grace and be made a branch of the true oliue though we haue borne the fruits of the wilde oliue all our life long But some will obiect that they haue no hope of Gods fauour because they haue beene so grieuous sinners and continued in them so long Ans. But knowe it whosoeuer thou art God is able to graft thee in and if thou repent he will receiue thee to his loue and fauour This must be obserued of all but especially of such as are olde in yeares and yet remaine ignorant without knowledge they must turne to the Lord by repentance otherwise if they continue still profane and impenitent they must knowe this that their damnation comes post hast to meete them and they to it And thus much for the duties Nowe followe the consolations which Gods Church reape from this that God the father is omnipotent First the wonderfull power of God serueth to strengthen vs in praier vnto God for hee that will pray truely must onely pray for those things for which he hath warrant in Gods word all our prayers must bee made in faith and for a man to praie in faith it is hard therefore a speciall meanes to strengthen vs herein is the mightie power of God This was the ground and stay of the leper whom our Sauiour Christ clensed Lord saith he if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And in the Lords praier when our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs to make sixe petitions in the end he giueth vs a reason or motiue to induce vs to stand vpon and to waite for the benefits before craued in these wordes Thine is the kingdome thine is the power c. Secondly hence wee learne this comfort that all the gates of hell shall neuer bee able to preuaile against the least member of Christ. I doe not say they shall neuer be able to assault or tempt them for that may be but they shal neuer ouercome them How will some say may we be resolued of this I aunswer By reason of faith for if a Christian man do beleeue that God the father and in Christ his father is almightie no enemie shall euer be able to preuaile against him So S. Iohn reasoneth Litle children ye are of God haue ouercome them that is all false teachers because greater is he that is in you that is Christ Iesus by his holy spirit who is God and therefore almightie then he that is in the world that is the spirit of satan therefore you neede not to feare So Dauid compareth himselfe to a silly sheepe and saith Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death that is as it were in the mouth of the lyon yet I will feare none euill why so because the Lord is with him thy rodde saith he and thy staffe comfort me Thus much for the benefits Now whereas it is said the first person is a Father as also Almightie ioyne these two togither and hence will arise singular benefits and instructions First whereas we are taught to confesse that the first person is a Father Almightie we and euery man must learne to haue experience in himselfe of the mightie power of this almightie father Why will some say that is nothing for the deuill and all the damned soules feele the power of the Almightie True indeede they feele the power of God namely as he is an almightie Iudge condemning them but they feele not the power of an almightie father this is the point whereof we must indeauour to haue experience in our selues Paul prayeth that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glorie would giue vnto the Ephesians the spirit of wisedome to see what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in them which beleeue according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ. Which place must be considered for here the Apostle would haue vs haue such a speciall manifestation of Gods power in our selues like to that which he did once shew forth in Christ. But how did Christ see and finde the power of God as he was manâ— Answer Diuers waies I. On the crosse he died the first death which is the separation of bodie and soule and he suffered the sorrowes of the second death For in his soule he bare the whole wrath of God and all the pangs of hell and after was buried and laide in the graue where death triumphed ouer him for the space of three daies Nowe in this extremitie God did shewe his power in that he raised Christ from death to life And looke as his power was manifested in Christ the head so must it be manifested in all his members for euery man hath his graue which is naturall sinne and corruption which we drawe from our first parents and looke as a man lies dead in the graue and can mooue neither hand nor foote so euery man by nature lyeth dead in sinne Now as God did shew his power in raising Christ from death so euery one must labour to haue this knowledge and experience in himselfe of the mightie power of God in raising him from the graue of sinne to newnesse of life For thus Paul makes a speciall request that he might know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection that is that he might feele in himselfe that power whereby Christ was raised from death to life to raise him also from the bondage of his sinnes to a newe life more and more Furthermore when Christ was vpon the crosse and all the gates of hell were open against him then did he vanquish Satan he bruised the serpents head and as Paul saith he spoyled principalities and powers
wise from him but onely permitted againe that in actuall sinne the motion of the bodie or minde is from God but the euilnes and disorder of the motion is not from him but freely permitted to be done by others As for example in the act of murder the actions of moouing the whole bodie of stirring the seuerall ioynts and the fetching of the blowe whereby the man is slaine is from God for in him we liue mooue and haue our beeing but the disposing and applying of all these actions to this ende that our neighours life may be taken away and we thereby take reuenge vpon him is not from God but from the wicked will of man and the deuill Gods second action in the gouernment of sinne is after the iust permission of it partly to restraine it more or lesse according to his good wil and pleasure and partly to dispose and turne it against the nature thereof to the glorie of his owne name to the punishment of his enemies and to the correcting chastisement of his elect As for the second kind of euill called the punishment of sinne it is the execution of iustice and hath God to be the author of it And in this respect Esai saith that God createth euill and Amos that there is no euill in the cittie which the Lord hath not done And God as a most iust iudge may punish sinne by sinne himselfe in the meane season free from all sinne And thus the places must be vnderstood in which it is said that God giueth kings in his wrath hardeneth the heart blindeth the eies mingleth the spirit of errours giueth vp men to a reprobate sense sends straunge illusions to beleeue lies sends euill spirits giuing them commandement to hurt and leaue to deceiue c. Thus hauing seene in what manner God gouerneth all things let vs nowe come to the means of gouernment Sometimes god worketh without means thus he created all thinges in the beginning and he made trees and plants to growe and flourish without the heate of the sunne or raine sometimes hee gouernes according to the vsuall course and order of nature as when he preserues our liues by meate and drinke yet so as he can and doth most freely order al things by meanes either aboue nature or against nature as it shall seeme good vnto him As when he caused the sunne to stand in the firmament and to goe backe in Achas diall when he caused the fire not to burne the three children when he kept backe dewe and raine three yeres in Israel when hee made waters to flowe out of the rocke when he caused Elias cloake to deuide the waters of Iorden when he caused Iron to swimme when he preserued Ionas aliue three daies and three nights in the whalles bellie when he cured diseases by the strength of nature incureable as the leprosie of Naaman the issue of blood and blindnesse c. Among all the meanes which God vseth the speciall are the reasonable creatures which are no passiue instrument as the toole in the hand of the workman but actiue because as they are mooued by God so againe being indued with will and reason they mooue themselues And such instruments are either good or euill Euill as wicked men and angels And these he vseth to do his good will and pleasure euen then when they doe least of all obey him And considering that the sinning instrument which is mooued by God doth also mooue it selfe freely without any constraint on Gods part God himselfe is free from all blame when the instrument is blame-worthie In directing the instrument God sinneth not the action indeede is of him but the defect of the action from the instrument which being corrupt can it selfe doe nothing but that which is corrupt God in the meane season by it bringing that to passe which is very good The whole cause of sinne is in Satan and in vs as for God he puts no wickednes into vs but the euill which he findes in vs he mooues that is orders and gouerns and bendes it by his infinite wisdome when and in what manner it pleaseth him to the glory of his name the euil instrument not knowing so much nay intending a farre other ende As in the mill the horse blindfolded goes forward and perceiues nothing but that he is in the ordinary waie whereas the miller himselfe whips him and stirres him forward for another ende namely for the grinding of corne And this is that which we must hold touching Gods prouidence ouer wicked men and angels and it standâ—s with the tenour of the whole Bible Iosephs brethren sold him into Egypt very wickedly euen in the testimonie of their own consciences yet Ioseph hauing respect to the counsell and worke of God which he perfourmed by his brethren saith that the Lord sent him thither And the Church of Ierusalem saith that Herod and Pontius Pilate did nothing in the death of Christ but that which the hand counsell of god had determined to be done because though they wickedly intended nothing but to shewe their malice and hatred in the death of Christ yet God propounding a further matter by them then euer they dreamed of shewed forth his endles mercy to man in the worke of redemption On this manner must all the places of Scripture be vnderstood in which it is said that God gaue the wiues of Dauid to Absalom that God mooued Dauid to number the people that he commanded Shemei to raile on Dauid that the Medes and Persians are his sanctified ones that the reuolt of the tenne tribes was done by God c. By all these examples it appeares that wee must not seuer Gods permission from his wil or decree and that we must put difference betweene the euill work of man and the good worke of God which he doth by man the whole matter may yet be more clearely perceiued by this comparison A theefe at the day of assise is condemned the magistrate appoints him to be executed the hangman owing a grudge to the malefactour vseth him hardly prolongeth his punishment longer then he should Now the magistrate and the hangman doe both one and the same worke yet the hangman for his part is a murderer the magistrate in the meane season no murderer but a iust iudge putting iustice in executioÌ„ by the hangman so god though he vse euil instruments yet is he free from the euil of the instrumeÌ„ts And further we must here marke the difference which must be made in Gods vsing of all kinds of instruments When he vseth good creatures as angels he worketh his will not onely by them but also in them because hee inspires them and guides them by his spirit so as they shall will and doe that which he willeth and intendeth As for euill instruments he worketh by them only and not in them because he holds backe his grace from them and leaues them to themselues to put in
practise the corruption of their owne hearts Thus much of the parts of Gods prouidence now follow the kinds thereof Gods prouidence is either generall or speciall Generall is that which extends it selfe to the whole world and all things indifferently euen to the deuills themselues By this prouidence God continues and maintaines the order which he set in nature in the creation and he preserues the life substance and the beeing of all and euery creature in his kinde The eâ—peciall prouidence is that which God sheweth exerciseth towards his Church and â—hosen people in gathering and guiding them and in preseruing them by his mightie power against the gates of hell And therfore Gods Church here vpon earth is called the kingdome of grace in which he shewes not onely a generall power ouer his creatures but withall the speciall operation of his spirit in bowing and bending the hearts of men to his will Thus much concerning the doctrine of Gods prouidence Now followes the duties First seeing there is a prouidence of God ouer euery thing that is we are hereby taught to take good heede of the transgression of the least of Gods commandements If men were perswaded that the Prince had an eye euery where doubtlesse many subiects in England would walke more obediently to the lawes of the land then they doe and durst in no wise worke such villanies as are daily practised Well howsoeuer it is with earthly princes yet this all-seeing-presence is least wanting in God he hath an eye euery where wheresoeuer thou art there God beholdeth thee as Dauid saith God looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God Therefore except thou be brutish and past shame take heede of sinne If men had but a sparke of grace the consideration of this would make them loath the practise of any euill worke Eliah saith to Ahab As the Lord God of Israel liueth before whome I stand there shall be neither dewe nor raine these three yeares Where the Prophet confirmeth his speach with an oath saying As the Lord of hosts liueth it shal be so And least Ahab should think he made no conscience what he said he addeth this clause that he stood in the presence of God As if he should say howsoeuer thou thinkest of me yet as it stands me in hand so doe I make conscience of my word for I stand in the presence of God and therefore know it as the Lord liueth there shall be no raine now dew these three yeares So Cornelius hauing an eye to Gods prouidence doth mooue himselfe and all his houshold to a solemne hearing of the word of God deliuered by the mouth of Peter saying that they were all present before God to heare all things commanded of him As these men had regard to Gods prouidence so we likewise must behaue our selues reuerently making conscience of our behauiour both in words and works because wheresoeuer we be we are in the presence of God Secondly if there be a prouidence of God ouer euery thing then we must learne contentation of mind in euery estate yea in aduersitie vnder the crosse when all goes against vs we must be content because Gods prouidence hath so appointed So Dauid in the greatest of his griefes was dumbe and spake nothing his reason was because thou Lord didst it And when Shemei cursed Dauid Abisha would haue had the king to haue giuen him leaue to haue slaine him but Dauid would not suffer it but said He curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so In whose example we may see a patterne of quietnesse of minde When a crosse commeth it is a hard thing to bee patient but we must drawe our selues thereunto by consideration of Gods especial prouidence Thirdly when outward meanes of preseruation in this life doe abound as health wealth honour riches peace and pleasure then we must remember to be thankefull because these things alwaies come by the prouidence of God Thus Iob was thankfull both in prosperitie and aduersitie The Lord saith he gaue and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Indeede to bee patient in euery estate and thankefull to God is a very harde matter yet will it be more easie if we learne in all thinges that befall vs in this life neuer to seuer the consideration of the things that come to passe from Gods prouidence For as the bodie and the soule of man though we see only the bodie are alwaies togither as long as a man liueth so is Gods prouidence ioyned with the thing done wherefore as we looke on the thing done so we must also in it labour to see and acknowledge the good pleasure appointment of God As for example a mans house is set on fire and all his goods consumed this very sight would make him at his wits end but now as he beholds this euent with one eie so with the other eie he must at that very instant looke vpon Gods blessed prouidence When a man beholds and feels the losse of his friendes he cannot but greiue thereat vnlesse he be more senselesse then stocke or stone yet that he may not be ouerwhelmed with griefe he must euer with one eie looke at the pleasure of God herein This practise wil be an especiall meanes to stay the rage of any headstrong affection â—r all our afflictions In the world the maner of men is if healthâ— wealth and ease abound to thinke all is well but if crosâ—es come as losse of friendes losse of goods then men crie out as beeing straught of their wittes the reason is because they looke onely at the outward meanes and tie Gods prouidence to them not beeing able to see any goodnesse or prouidence of God out of ordinarie meanes Againe when a man is stored with riches honour wealth and prosperitie he must not barely looke on them but behold withal Gods goodnes and blessing in them for if that be wanting all the riches in the world are nothing Likewise in receiuing thy meate and drinke thou must looke further into the blessing of God vpon it which if it be away thy meate and thy drink can no more nourish thee then the stone in the wall And the same must wee do in euery busiâ—es of our callings which if men could learne to practise they would not so much trust to the meanes as honour wealth fauour c. but rather to God himselfe The Lord by the prophet Habaccuc reprooueth the Chaldeans for offering sacrifiâ—es vnto their nets which sinne they committed because they looked onely vpon outward things and like blind moles had no power to see further into them and to behold the worke of God in all their proceedings And this is the very cause why we are vnthankefull for Gods benefits for though we beholde the bare creatures yet are
of blood but Christ as he is God cannot die For no passion can befall the Godhead Therefore it was needefull that he should become man that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfie Gods iustice for mans offence Lastly he that must make reconciliation betweene God and man must be such an one as may make request or speake both to God and man For a Mediatour is as it were a middle person making intercession betweene two other persons the one offended the other offending Therefore it is necessarie that Christ should not onely be God to speake vnto the father for vs and to present our prayers vnto him but also man that God might speake to vs and we to God by Christ. For howsoeuer before the fall man could speak to God euen face to face yet since the fall such feare possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God but flyeth from it Nowe whereas I say that it was necessarie that the sonne of God for the causes before alleadged must become man the necessitie must be vnderstood in respect of Gods will and not in respect of his absolute power For if it had so pleased God he was able to haue laid downe an other kind of way of mans redemption then by the incarnation of the sonne of God and he appointed no other way because he would not Thus much of the Incarnation in generall Nowe followe the duties which arise of it And first we are taught hereby to come to Christ by faith and with all our hearts to cleaue vnto him Great is the deadnesse and sluggishnesse of mans nature for skarse one of a thousand care for him or seeke vnto him for righteousnesse and life euerlasting But wee shoulde excite our selues euery way to drawe neare to him as much as possibly we may for when he was incarnate he came neere vnto vs by taking our nature vpon him that wee againe whatsoeuer we are might come neere vnto him by taking vnto vs his diuine nature Againe when Christ was incarnate he was made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and therefore proportionally wee must labour to become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh which we shall bee when we are mystically vnited vnto him by faith and borne anewe by his spirit Moreouer Christ by his incarnation came downe from heauen to vs that we being partakers of his grace might ascend vp to heauen by him And thus we see how the meditation of Christs incarnation should be a spurre to prick vs forward still more and more to come to Christ. Secondly Christs incarnation must be a patterne vnto vs of a most wonderfull and straunge humilitie For as Paul saith Being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to bee equall with God made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him forme of a seruant and humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen to the death of the crosse Yea so farre forth he abased himselfe that as Dauid saith he was a worme and no man And this teacheth vs to lay aside al selfe-loue and pride of heart and to practise the duties of humility as the Apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place and that shall we doe when we beginne to cast off that high opinion which euery man by nature conceiueth of himselfe and become vile and base in our owne eies Secure drowsie protestants thinke themselues blessed and say in their hearts as the Angel of the Church of Laodicea said I am rich increased with goods and haue need of nothing whereas indeed they are most miserable and wretched and poore and naked and blind And the same fond opinion possesseth the mindes of our ignorant people who chant it in the very same tune saying that God loues them and that they loue God with al their hearts and their neighbours as themselues that they haue perfect faith in Christ and euer had not once so much as doubting of their saluation that all is well with them and that they are past all danger whatsoeuer in the matter of their saluation and therefore neede not take so much care for it Thus yee may see howe men are commonly carried away with vaine and fond conceits of their owne excellencie And truely so long as this ouerweening of our owne righteousnesse raignes in our hearts let preachers speake and say what they will we can neuer become followers of Christ in the practise of humilitie Some will say peraduenture that they neuer had any such opinion of their owne righteousnes but I answere againe that there was neuer yet any man descending of Adam saue Christ but he had this proud phantasie ruling and raigning in him till such time as God gaue grace to chaÌ„ge alter his heart this inward pride the lesse we discern it the more it is and the more we discerne it the lesse it is Therefore though as yet thou see it not in thy selfe yet labour both to see it to feele it to striue against it casting down thy selfe for thy own miserie after Christs own example who being God abased himselfe to the condition of a miserable man For thou shalt neuer be filled with the good things of god till thou be emptied of selfe-loue and selfe-liking For this cause let vs purge and emptie our selues of all conceit of our own righteousnes that god may fil our hearts with his grace Furthermore the incarnation of Christ is the ground and foundation of all our comfort as the names of Christ seruing to expresse the same doe testifie Iâ—akob in his last Testament saith that the scepter shall not depart from Iudah in Shilo that is the Messias come Nowe the name Shilo signifieth the tunicle or skinne that lappeth the infant in the mothers wombe called by the Phisitians the secundine and by a kind of figure it is put for the Sonne of God in the wombe of the virgine made man And Iob to comfort himselfe in his affliction saith I knowe that my redeemer liueth Nowe the word which he vseth to signifie his redeemer by is verie emphaticall for it signifieth a kinsman neere allied vnto him of his owne flesh that will restore him to life And the Lord by the prophet Esay calleth Christ Immanuel that is God with vs which name importeth very much namely that whereas by nature we haue lost our fellowshippe with God because our sinnes are a wall of partition seuering vs from him yet neuerthelesse the fame is restored to all that beleeue by the Mediatour Christ Iesus because his diuine nature is coupled to mans nature and so the word is made flesh And this strait coniunction of two natures into one person ioynes God to men and men to God yea by Christ we are brought to God and haue free accesse vnto him and againe in him we apprehend God and are made one with him And further whereas Christ beside
people receiued the wretched and abhominable doctrine of the church of Rome And not many yeares after when it pleased God to bring againe the light of his glorious Gospel by our gracious Prince the same people turned from poperie and embraced the true religion againe And thus with the Iewes one while they crie Hosanna to Christ and receiue his Gospel and shortly after they crie Crucifie him crucifie him by embracing idolatrous poperie Let vs therefore learne in the feare of God by the ficklenes of the Iewesâ— that sing two contrarie songs in so short a space to acknowledge our inconstancie and weaknes in the matter of religion whereby if God leaue vs 〈…〉 â—itle to our selues we shall straightway forsake Christ his Gospel and all Tâ—â—â—â—â—ch of the accusation Now followeth Christs examination before â—oâ—â—â—us Pilate for when the Iewes had thus falsly accused him then Pontius Pilate tooke him and brought him into the common hall and asked him this question Art thou the King of the Iewes Now Christ beeing thus examined made as Paul also testifieth a good confession The summe thereof stands in foure heads The first is that he confesseth himselfe to be a King not such an one as they accused him to be yet a true King Whence we may learne diuers instructions first that euery Christian man in the midst of his miserie and affliction hath one that is most sufficient euery way to defend him against all his enemies the world the flesh and the deuill For this King can doe whatsoeuer he will and therefore when the legion of deuills would enter into a herd of swine they could not without his leaue And when the Centurions daughter was dead he but spake the word and shee arose And when Lazarus was dead and had lien in the graue foure daies he but saide Lazarus come forth and he came forth bound hand and foote Yea euen hell and death giue place to his word and nothing can resist his power And therefore he that is a true member of Christ needes not to feare any enemies be they neuer so great or so many And againe as Christ is able so is he readie and willing to saue and defend all that beleeue in him For he it is that gaue his life for his subiects which no King would doe and shedde his blood for their redemption which he would neuer haue done if he had not desired their saluation Secondly whereas Christ is a mightie King which can doe whatsoeuer he will let all such among vs that haue hitherto liued in ignorance and by reason of ignorance liue in their sinnes at length begin to come vnto him and doe him homage and with penitent hearts fall downe before him otherwise if they continue in their old rebellions let them know whatsoeuer they be high or low that he hath a rod of iron in his hand to bruise them in pieces their soules shall smart for it as both Pilate Caiphas and the rest of the Iewes were with a full cup rewarded for crucifying the Lord of life And if Christ cannot draw thee in this life from thy crooked waies be sure at the houre of death he will breake thee in pieces like a potters vessell This must we learne in regard of the first point that he said plainely He was a King Now follows the second part of his confession namely that his kingdome was not of this world Where he sets downe what kinde of King he is he is no earthly king his kingdome stands not in the power of men nor in earthly and outward gouernment but his kingdome is spirituall and his gouernment is in the very hearts and consciences of men His kingdome is not outward to be seene of men but inward in the heart and â—oule and therefore it is onely begunne in this life and is continued and accomplished in the world to come in the kingdome of glorie where Christ shall be all in all in the hearts and consciences of all the Elect. Now then if this be so howsoeuer Satan haue heretofore raigned in vs and made our hearts as it were his pallaces yet now let vs prepare a roome for Christ that he may come and dwell in vs let him rule our hearts wills and affections that they may become conformable to his will let vs resigne our selues wholly to be ruled by him that his spirituall kingdome may be in vs. This kingdome in the heart and conscience is the pearle and hidde treasure which when a man findeth he sells all that he hath and buieth it Let vs therefore in the feare of God esteeme it as the most pretious thing that may be and so liue in this world as that Christ may rule inwardly in vs by his word and spirit And againe seeing this regiment of Christ is heauenly and the full manifestation of it is reserued till the life to come we must therefore vse this world and all things in it as honour wealth ease and libertie as though we vsed them not As a trauailer vseth his staffe in his iourney as long as it doth further him so long he will carrie it with him but when it hindereth him then he casts it away so must we vse the things of this life namely as long as they are helps to further and make vs fitte for the kingdome of heauen but if they be any hinderance to this spirituall regiment of Christ we must renounce them and cast them away be they neuer so pretious to vs. The third point of Christs confession is concerning the meanes whereby he gouerneth his kingdome I came saith he into this world to beare witnesse of the truth that is to preach the Gospell and doctrine of saluation and hereby he teacheth that the outward administration of his kingdome stands specially in the preaching of the word which is a principall ordinance of his seruing to gather his Church from the beginning of the world to the ende thereof And for this cause he hath in all ages set apart chosen ministers for the publishing of the doctrine of the Gospell And hence it is manifest that the gift of prophecie is the greatest gift that God bestowes on his Church for the building thereof And therfore it ought to be most highly esteemed as a most pretious iewell And for this cause also the schooles of learning are to be reuerenced maintained all other meanes vsed for the furthering of them because they are vnder God the fountaines and welsprings of this gift of prophecie The last point is concerning the subiects of Christs kingdome expressed in these words They which are of the truth heare my voice In which he sets down the true marke of his seruants and subiects that they are hearers of that heauenly and sauing word which he reuealed from the bosome of his father It may be alleadged the most wicked men vpon earth yea the deuils themselues may be hearers of the truth of Christ. Ans. There be
two kind of hearers one which heareth onely the outward sound of the word with his bodily eares and he hauing eares to heare doth not heare the secoÌ„d is he that doth not only receiue the doctrine that is taught with his eares but also hath his heart opened to feele the power of it and to obey the same in the course of his life This distinction is notably set forth by Dauid saying Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest not haue but my eares hast thou pierced whereby he insinuates as it were two kinds of eares one that is deafe and cannot heare and thus are the eares of all men by nature in hearing the doctrine of saluation the other is a newe eare pierced and bored by the hand of God which causeth a mans heart to heare the sound and operation of the word and the life to expresse the truth of it Now the subiects of Christs kingdom are such as with the outward hearing of the word haue an inward hearing of the soule grace also to obey therefore all those that make no conscience of obedience to the word of god preached vnto them are no lesse then rebels to Christ. We may perswade our selues that we are good subiects because we heare the word receiue the Sacraments but if our liues abound with sinne and if our hearts be not pierced through by the sword of Gods spirit whether we be high or low rich or poore let vs be what we will be we are no right subiects indeed but rebells traytours vnto the euerliuing God It may be hereafter God will giue further grace but as yet all impenitent persons though liuing in the midst of Gods church are no obedient and faithfull subiects therfore while we haue time let vs labour to performe in deede that which we doe in word professe Thus much of the examination and confession of Christ. Now followeth the third point concerning the pollicies which Pilate vsed to saue Christ and they are three First when he heard that Christ was of Galilee he tooke occasion to send him to Herod thinking thereby to shift his hands of him and not to shed his blood In which pollicie though he seeme vnwilling to put Christ to death yet herein he is a most vniust iudge for hauing giuen testimonie of Christ that he is innocent he ought to haue acquitted him and not haue sent him to Herod for further iudgemeÌ„t In Herods dealing with Christ we may obserue these points The first that he is wonderfully glad of his coÌ„ming Why so the text saith because he was desirous to see him of a long season because he had heard many things of him and trusted to haue seene some signe done by him Here marke how he reioyced not in Christ because he was Christ that is his Messias and redeemer but because he wrought myracles signes wonders And so it is among vs at this day it is a rare thing to finde a man that loueth Christ because he is Christ some loue Christ for honour some for wealth others for praise that is because they get honour wealth and praise by confessing his name Againe many professe Christ onely because it is the law and custome of their nation But we must learne to be of this minde to loue Christ because he is Christ euen for himselfe and not for any other sinister respect we must reioyce in Christ for himselfe though we neuer haue profit nor pleasure neither honour or wealth by him And if we loue him for wealth or pleasure or for any other ende but for himselfe alone when these things are taken away then we shall vtterly forsake Christ in like manner The second point is that Herod desires Christ to worke a miracle He can be content to see the works of Christ but he cannot abide to heare his word and to beare his yoke Like to him are many in these daies which gladly desire to heare the Gospel of Christ preached onely because they would here speach of some strange things laying aside all care and conscience to obey that which they heare Yea many in England delight to read the straunge histories of the Bible therefore can rehearse the most part of it and it were to be wished that all could doe the like yet come to the practise of it the same persons are commonly found as bad in life conuersation yea rather worse then others Let vs therfore labour that with our knowledge we may ioyne obedience practise with our learning as well to be affected with the word of Christ as with his works The third point is that Herod derides Christ sends him away cloathed in a white garment This is that Herod whom Christ called a foxe who also when he heard Iohn Baptist preach did many things and heard him gladly How then comes Herod to this outrage of wickednes thus to abuse Christ Ans. We must know that although Herod at the first heaâ—d Iohn preach yet withall he followed his owne affections and sought how to fulfill the lusts of his flesh For when Iohn told him that it was not lawfull â—or him to haue his brother Philips wife he cast him in prison and afterward â—ut off his head for it after which offence he is growne to this height of impietie that he now despiseth Christ can not abide to heare him Where we learne that as we are willing to heare Gods word preached so withall we must take heede that we practise no manner of sinne but make conscience of euery thing that may displease God Thou maist I graunt be one that feareth and fauoureth Iohn Baptist for a time wallowing in thy olde sinnes but after a while yeilding to the swinge of thy corrupt heart thou wilt neuer heare Iohn nor Christ himselfe but hate and despise them both This is the cause why some which haue beene professours of religion heretofore and haue had great measure of knowledge are now become very loose persons and can not abide to heare the word preached vnto them the reason is because they could not abide to leaue their sinnes Therefore that we may begin in the spirit and not ende in the flesh let euery one that calls on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Now follows the second pollicie of Pilate For when he saw the first would not preuaile then he tooke a new course for he tooke Iesus into the common hall and sâ—ourged him and the souldiers platted a crowne of thornes and puâ— it on his head and they put on him a purple garment and said Haile King of the Iewes and smote him with their roddes And thus he brought him forth before the Iewes perswading himselfe that when they saw him so abased and so ignominiously abused they would be content therewith and exact no greater punishment at his hands thinking thus to haue pacified the rage of the Iewes and so to haue deliuered Christ from death
these wordes The third day hee arose againe from the deade c. And of it wee are first to speake in generall then in particular according to the seuerall degrees thereof In generall the exaltation of Christ is that glorious or happie estate into which Christ entred after he had wrought the worke of our redemption vpon the crosse And hee was exalted according to both natures in regard of his godhead and also of his manhoode The exaltation of the godhead of Christ was the manifestation of the glorie of his godhead in the manhoode Some will peraduenture demaunde howe Christs godhead can bee exalted seeing it admits no alteration at all Answere In it selfe it cannot bee exalted yet beeing considered as it is ioyned with the manhoode into one person in this respect it may bee said to bee exalted and therefore I say the exaltation of Christs godhead is the manifestation of the glorie thereof in the manhood For though Christ from his incarnation was both God and man and his godhead all that time dwelt in his manhood yet from his birth vnto his death the same godhead did little shewe it selfe and in the time of his suffering did as it were lie hidde vnder the vaile of his flesh as the soule doth in the bodie when a man is sleeping that thereby in his humane nature he might suffer the curse of the lawe and accomplish the worke of redemption for vs in the loâ—e and base estate of a seruant But after this worke was finished hee began by degrees to make manifest the power of his Godhead in his manhood And in this respect his godhead may be said to be exalted The exaltation of Christs humanitie stood in two things The first that he laid downe all the infirmities of mans nature which he carried about him so long as hee was in the state of a seruant in that he ceased to be wearie hungrie thirstie c. Here it may be demanded whether the wounds and skars remaine in the bodie of Christ nowe after it is glorified Ans. Some thinke that they doe remaine as testimonies of that victorie which Christ obtained of his and our enemies and that they are no deformitie to the glorious bodie of the Lord but are themselues also in him in some vnspeakable manner glorified But indeede it rather seemes to be a trueth to say that they are quite abolished because they were a part of that ignominious and base estate in which our Sauiour was vpon the crosse which after his entrance into glorie he laid aside And if it may be thought that the woundes in the handes and feete of Christ remaine to bee seene euen to the last iudgement why may we not in the same manner thinke that the veines of his bodie remaine emptied of their blood because it was shed vpon the crosse The second thing required in the exaltation of Christs manhood is that both his bodie and soule were beutified and adorned with all qualities of glorie His mind was inriched with as much knowledge vnderstanding as can possibly befall any creature more in measure then all men angels haue and the same is to be said of the graces of the spirit in his will and affections his bodie also was incorruptible it was made a shining bodie a resemblance whereof some of his disciples sawe in the mount and it was indued with agilitie to mooue as well vpward as downewardâ— as may appeare by the ascension of his bodie into heauen which was not caused by constraint or by any violent motion but by a propertie agreeing to all bodies glorified Yet in the exaltation of Christs manhood we must remember two caueats first that hee did neuer lay aside the essentiall properties of a true bodie as length breadth thicknes visibilitie locallitie which is to be in one place at once and no more but keepeth all these stil because they serue for the being of his bodie Secondly we must remember that the gifts of glorie in Christs bodie are not infinite but finite for his humane nature beeing but a creature and therefore finite could not receiue infinite graces and gifts of glorie And hence it is more then manifest that the opinion of those men is false which hold that Christs bodie glorified is omnipotent and infinit euery way able to doe whatsoeuer he wil for this is to make a creature to be the Creator Thus much of Christs exaltation in generall Nowe let vs come to the degrees thereof as they are noted in the Creed which are in number three I. He rose againe the third day II. He ascended into heauen III. He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie In the handling of Christs resurrection wee must consider these points I. why Christ ought to rise againe II. the manner of his rising III. the time when he rose IV. the place where V. the vses therof For the first it was necessarie that Christ should rise againe and that for three especiall causes First that hereby he might shewe to all the people of God that he had fully ouercome death For else if Christ had not risen howe should we haue beene perswaded in our consciences that he had made a ful perfect satisfaction for vs nay rather we should haue reasoned thus Christ is not risen therfore he hath not ouercome death but death hath ouercome him Secondly Christ which died was the sonne of God therefore the author of life it selfe and for this cause it was neither meete nor possible for him to be holden of death but hee must needes rise from death to life Thirdly Christs priesthood hath two parts one to make satisfaction for sinne by his one onely sacrifice vpon the crosse the other to apply the vertue of this sacrifice vnto euery beleeuer Now he offered the sacrifice for sinne vpon the crosse before the last pang of his death and in dying satisfied the iustice of God and therefore beeing dead must needes rise againe to performe the second part of his priesthood namely to apply the vertue thereof vnto all that shall truely beleeue in him and to make intercession in heauen vnto his father for vs here on earth And thus much of the first point Nowe to come to the manner of Christs resurrection fiue things are to be considered in it The first that Christ rose againe not as euery priuate man doth but as a publike person representing all men that are to come to life eternall For as in his passion so also in his resurrection he stood in our roome and place and therfore when he rose from death we al yea the whole Church rose in him and togither with him And this point not considered we doe not conceiue aright of Christs resurrection neither can we reape sound comfort by it The second is that Christ himselfe and no other for him did by his owne power raise himselfe to life This was the thing which he meant when hee said Destroy
his corporall presence as before but rather to seeke for his spirituall presence by faith considering he was shortly to ascend to his father For this cause when he appeared to his disciples he staied not long with them at any time but onely to manifest himselfe vnto them thereby to prooue the certentie of his resurrection This prohibition shewes first of all that it is but a fond thing to delight in the outward picture and portraiture of Christ as the Iesuits doe who stand much vpon his outward forme and lineaments Secondly it ouerthroweth the popish crucifixes and all the carued and molten images of Christ wherein the Papists worship him For corporall presence is not now required therefore spiritual worship onely must be giuen vnto him Thirdly it ouerthrowes the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament Many are of minde that they can not receiue Christ except they eate and drinke his bodie and blood corporally but it is not much materiall whether we touch him with the bodily hand or no so be it we apprehend him spiritually by faith Lastly as we must not haue earthly considerations of Christ so must we on the contrarie labour for the spirituall hand of faith which may reach vp it selfe to heauen and there lay hold on him This is the very thing which Christ insinuateth vnto Marie in saying Touch me not And Saint Paul saith Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we had knowne Christ after the flesh yet now know we him no more that is we know him no more as a man liuing among vs and therefore he addeth If any man be in Christ he is a new creature and this new creation is not by the bodily presence of Christ but by the apprehension of faith The second appearance was to Marie Magdalen and to the other Marie as they were going from the graue to tell his disciples at which time Christ meeteth them and bids them goe tell his brethren that he is risen againe And whereas Christ sendeth women to his disciples he purposed hereby to check them for their vnbeleefe For these women forsooke him not at his death but stood by and saw him suffer and when he was buried they came to embalme him but all this while what became of Christs disciples Surely Peter denied him and all the rest fled away euen Iames and Iohn the sonnes of thunder saue that Iohn stood aloofe to behold his death Hereupon Christ to make them ashamed of their fault sendeth these women vnto them to publish that to them which they by their calling ought aboue all other to haue published Secondly this teacheth that whereas Christ buildeth his kingdome and publisheth his Gospell by Apostles Euangelists Pastours teachers he can if it so please him performe the same by other meanes In this his second appearance he vsed weake and silly women to publish his resurrection and thereby shewes that he is not bound to the ordinarie meanes which now he vseth Thirdly he sent them to his disciples to shew that howsoeuer they had dealt vnfaithfully with him by forsaking him and denying him yet he had not quite forsaken them but if they would repent and beleeue he would receiue them into his loue and fauour againe and therefore calleth them his brethren saying Goe and tell my brethren This teacheth vs a good lesson that howsoeuer our sinnes past are to humble vs in regard of our selues yet must they not cut vs off or dismay vs from seeking to Christ yea euen then when we are laden with the burden of them we must come vnto him and he will ease vs. Fourthly whereas silly women are sent to teach Christs disciples which were schollers brought vp in his owne schoole we are admonished that superioritie in place and calling must not hinder vs sometime to heare and to be taught of our inferiours Iob saith he neuer refused the counsell of his seruant and Naaman the Syrian obeyed the counsell of a silly maide which aduised him to goe to the Prophet of the Lord in Samaria to be cured of his leprosie and when he had bin with the Prophet he obeyed the counsell of his seruant that perswaded him to doe all the Prophet has saide Wash and be cleane Now after that the women are come to the disciples and make relation of Christs resurrection the text saith Their wordes seemed as fained things vnto them neither beleeued they them Hence we learne two things the first that men of themselues can not beleeue the doctrine of Christian religion it is a hard matter for a man to beleeue sundrie things in the worke of creation The temporall deliuerance of the children of Israel seemed to them as a dreame and the resurrection of Christ euen to Christs owne disciples seemed a faigned thing The second that it is an hard thing truly and vnfainedly to beleeue the points of religion Disciples brought vp in the schoole of Christ and often catechised in this very point of Christs resurrection yet dull are they to beleeue it This confuteth condemneth our carnall gospellers that make it the lightest and easiest thing that can be to beleeue in Christ and therefore they say their faith is so strong that they would not for all the world doubt of gods mercie whereas indeede they are deceiued and haue no faith at all but blinde presumption The third appearance was on this maner As two of Christs disciples were going from Ierusalem to Emmaus about threescore furlongs and talked togither of all the things that were done Iesus drew neare and talked with them but their eyes were holden that they could not know him and as they went he communed with them and prooued out of the Scripture his resurrection expounding vnto them all things that were written of him then they made him stay with them and their eyes were opened and they knew him by breaking of bread but he was taken out of their sight In this notable appearance we may obserue these foure points The first that Christ held their eyes that they could not know him they saw a man indeed but who he was they could not tel By this it is more thē manifest that the vse of our outward senses as seeing feeling smelling c. is supplied vnto vs continually by the power of Christ and therefore euen in these things we must acknowledge the continuall goodnesse of God Now if one man can not so much as discerne another but by the blessing of Christ then shall we neuer be able to discerne the way of life from the way of death without him and therefore we must pray vnto God that he would giue vs his holy spirit to inlighten the eyes of our vnderstanding whereby we may be able to see and know the way that leadeth vnto life and also to walke in the same The second that as Christ was in expounding the Scriptures vnto them their hearts burned within them By this we learne that
experience that our hearts are not content with a formall and drowsie profession of religion but that we feele the same power of Christ whereby he raised vp himselfe from death to life to be effectuall and powerfull in vs to worke in our hearts a conuersion from all our sinnes wherein we haue lien dead to newenesse of life with care to liue godly in Christ Iesus And that we may further attaine to all this we must come to heare the worde of God preached and taught with feare trembling hauing heard the word we must meditate therein and pray vnto God not onely publikely but priuately also intreating him that he would reach forth his hand and pull vs out of the graue of sinne wherein we haue lien dead so long And in so doing the Lord of his mercy according as he hath promised will send his spirit of grace into our hearts to worke in vs an inward sense and feeling of the vertue of Christs resurrection So dealt he with the two disciples that were going to Emmaus they were occupied in the meditation of Christ his death and passion and whiles they were in hearing of Christ who conferred with them he gaue them such a measure of his spirit as made their hearts to burne within them And Paul praieth for the Ephesians that God would inlighten their eies that they might see and feele in themselues the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God which he wrought in Christ Iesus when he raised him from the dead Thirdly as Saint Paul saith If wee be risen with Christ then we must seeke the things that are aboue But howe and by what meanes can wee rise with Christ seeing we did not die with him Ans. We rise with Christ thus The burgesse of a towne in the parliament house beareth the person of the whole towne and whatsoeuer he saith that the whole towne saith and whatsoeuer is done to him is also done to all the towne so Christ vpon the crosse stood in our place and bare our person and what he suffered we suffered and when he died all the faithfull died in him and so likewise as he is risen againe so are all the faithfull risen in him The consideration whereof doth teach vs that we must not haue our hearts wedded to this world We may vse the thinges of this life but yet so as though we vsed them not For all our loue and care must be for thinges aboue and specially wee must seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Wee must therefore sue for the pardon of sinne for reconciliation to God in Christ and for sanctification These are the pretious pearles which we must seeke and when we haue found them we must sell all that we haue to buy them and hauing bought them wee must lay them vp in the secret corners of our hearts valuing and esteeming of them better then all things in the world beside Thus much of Christs resurrection containing the first degree of Christs exaltation Nowe followeth the second in these wordes Hee ascended into heauen in the handling whereof we are to consider these speciall points I. the time of his ascension II. the place III. the manner IV. the witnesses V. the vses thereof For the first the time of Christs ascension was fortie daies after his resurrection when he taught his disciples the things which appertaine to the kingdome of God And this shewes that he is a most faithfull King ouer his Church procuring the good thereof And therefore Esay saith The gouernment is on his shoulder and the Apostle saith hee was more faithfull in all the house of God then Moses was Hence we gather that whereas the Apostles chaunged the sabboth from the seauenth dâ—y to the eight it was no doubt by the counsell and direction of Christ before his ascension and likewise in that they planted Churches and appointed teachers and meete ouerseers for the guiding and instruction hereof we may resolue our selues that Christ prescribed the same vnto them before his ascension and for these and such like causes did he ascend no sooner Now looke what care Christ at his ascension had ouer his Church the same must all masters of families haue ouer their housholds when God shall call them out of this world They must haue care not onely that their families be well gouerned while they liue but also that after their death peace loue and good order may be continued in their posteritie And therefore the prophet Esay is sent to Ezechias King of Iudah to bid him set his house in order for he must die signifying that it is the dutie of a good master of a familie to haue care not onely for the gouernment of his house whilst he is aliue but also that it may be well gouerned when he is dead The same also must be practised of Gods ministers a part of whose fidelitie is this that they haue not onely a care to feede their particular flocks while they are aliue but also that they further prouide for the people after their departure as much as they can Example whereof we haue in Peter who saith I will endeauour alwaies that ye may be able also to haue remembrance of these things after my departure The place of Christs ascension was the mount of Oliues neere Bethanie and it was the same place from whence Christ went to Ierusalem to be crucified One place serued to be a passage both to paine and torments and also to glorie This shewes that the way to the kingdome of heauen is through afflictions There are many which haue Gods hand heauie vpon them in lingering sicknesses as the dead palsie and such like wherein they are saine to lie many yeares without hope of cure whereupon their beddes which should be vnto them places of rest and ease are but places of woe and miserie Yet may these men hence haue great comfort if they can make good vse of their sicknesses for the beddes whereon they suffer so much torment shall be places from whence they shall passe to ioy and happinesse Againe there be many that for the testimonie of the truth and for religions sake suffer imprisonment with many afflictions now if they can vse their afflictions well their prisons shall be Bethanies vnto them although they be places of bondage yet God will at length make them places of entrance to libertie Many a man for the maintaining of faith and good conscience is banished out of his countrey and is faine to liue in a strange place among a people to whome he is vnknowne but let him vse it well for though it be a place of griefe for a time as Bethanie was to Christ when he went to suffer yet God will make it one day to be his passage into heauen Thus much of the place of his ascending The third thing to be considered is the manner of Christs ascension and
him saith Behold I am vile and againe I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes In the same manner we being his subiects and people must looke to be exercised with temptations and afflictions which shall make vs bend and bow for our sinnes past as the olde man goeth crooked and doubles to the earth by reason of age The second is to preuent sinnes in the time to come A father when he sees his child too bold and venterous about fire and water takes it and holds it ouer the fire or ouer the water as though he would burne or drowne it whereas his purpose indeede is nothing els but to preuent daunger in time to come In like manner Christs subiects are bolde to sinne by nature and therefore to preuent a mischiefe chiefe he doth exercise them with affliction and seemes for a season as though he would quite forsake his Church but his meaning is onely to preuent offences in times to come The third ende is to continue his subiects in obedience vnto his commandements so the Lord saith when he would bring his Church from idolatrie Behold I will stop thy way with thornes make an hedge that shee shall not find her pathes The holy Ghost here borrowes a comparison from beasts which going in the way see greene pastures desire to enter in therefore goe to the hedge but feeling the sharpnes of the thornes dare not aduenture to go in So Gods people like vnto wild beasts in respect of sinne viewing the greene pastures of this world which are the pleasures thereof are greatly affected therewith if it were not for sharpnes of crosses temptations which are Gods spirituall hedge by which he keepeth theÌ„ in they would range out of the way and rush into sinne as the horse into the battell The fourth and last worke of Christ in respect of his Church is that he sits at the right hand of his father to defend the same against the rage of all enemies whatsoeuer they are and this he doth two waies First by giuing to his seruants sufficient strength to beare all the assaults of their enemies the world the flesh and the deuill For Paul saith those to whome the Lord hath giuen the gift of faith to them also he hath giuen this gift to suffer afflictions And the same Apostle also praieth for the Colossians that they may be strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse The euidence hereof we may most plainely see in the most constant deaths of the Martyrs of Christ recorded both in the word of God and in the Church histories It is wonderfull to see their courage and constancie For at such times as they haue beene brought to execution they refused to be bound or chained willingly suffering most cruel torments without shrinking or feare such courage and strength the Lord gaue them to withstand the violent rage of all their aduersaries Secondly he defends his Church by limiting the power and rage of all enemies And hence it is that although the power of the Church of God on earth be weake and slender in it selfe and contrariwise the power of the deuill exceeding great yet can he not so much as touch the people of God And he more preuailes by inward suggestions and temptations then by outward violence And if it were not that the power of Christ doth bridle his rage there could be no aboad for the Church of Christ in this world Thus we haue seene what are the workes of Christ in gouerning his church and we for our parts that professe our selues to be members thereof must shew our selues to be so indeed by an experience of these works of his in our owne hearts And we must suffer him to gather vs vnder his owne wing and to guide vs by his word and spirit and we are to acquaint our selues with those spirituall exercises whereby his good pleasure is to nurture vs to all obedience Lastly we must depend on his ayde and protection in all estates And seeing we in this land haue had peace and rest with the Gospell of Christ among vs a long time by Gods especiall goodnesse we must now after these daies of peace looke for daies of tribulation we must not imagine that our ease and libertie will continue alwaies For looke as the day and night doe one follow another so likewise in the administration of the church here vpon earth Christ suffereth a continuall intercourse betweene peace and persecution Thus he hath done from the beginning hitherto and we may resolue our selues that so it will continue till the end and therefore it shall be good for vs in these daies of our peace to prepare our selues for troubles and afflictions and when troubles come we must still remember the fourth worke of Christ in the gouernment of his church namely that in all daungers he will defend vs against the rage of our enemies as well by giuing vs power and strength to beare with patience and ioy whatsoeuer shall be laid vpon vs as also bridle the rage of the world the flesh and the deuill so as they shall not be able to exercise their power and malice to the full against vs. Thus much of the dealing of Christ toward his owne Church and people Now followeth the second point namely his dealing toward his enemies and here by enemies I vnderstand all creatures but especially men which as they are by nature enemies to Christ and his kingdome so they perseuere in the same enimitie vnto the end Now his dealing towards them is in his good time to worke their confusion as he himselfe saith Those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne ouer them bring them hither and slay them before me And Dauid saith The Lord will bruise his enemies with a rodde of iron and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell And againe I will make thine enemies thy footesâ—oole As Iosuah dealt with the fiue Kings that were hidde in the caue he first makes a slaughter of their armies then he brings them forth and makes the people to set their feete on their necks and to hang them on fiue trees So Christ deales with his enemies he treads them vnder his feete and maketh a slaughter not so much of their bodies as of their soules And this the Church of God finds to be true by experience as well as it finds the loue of Christ towards it selfe Now he confounds his enemies two waies The first is by hardnesse of heart which ariseth when God withdraweth his grace from man and leaueth him to himselfe so as he goeth on forward from sinne to sinne and neuer repenteth to the last gaspe And we must esteeme of it as a most fearefull and terrible iudgement of God for when the heart is possessed therewith it becomes so flintie and rebellious that a man will neuer relâ—nt or turne to god This
to teach all ignorāt persons and impenitent sinners repentance and humiliation for their sinnes and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same When Paul preached to the Athenians he willed them to repent vpon this ground and reason because the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnes To speake plainly we can be content to heare the word and to honour him with our lipps yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake for still we liue in our old sinnes our hearts are not turned but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time when wee shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth and haue all our sinnes laide open and wee must answer for them all This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance and assuredly if this will not mooue vs there is nothing in the world will Secondly to this purpose Paul saith If wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day then in this life iudge thy selfe Nowe a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes II. he must confesse thē before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe Lastly he must plead pardon and crie vnto God as for life and death for the remission of all his sinnes and he that doth this vnfainedly shal neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come Thirdly by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another as Paul sayeth Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who lighten all things that are in darknes make the counsels of the hearts manifest And Christ saith Iudgement is mine and iudge not and ye shall not be iudged And againe Paul saith to the Romans Why doest thou iudge thy brother for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ but some will aske howe doth one iudge another Ans. Thus I. when a man doth well to saie of him that he doth euill II. when a man doth euill then to make it worse III. when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worst part And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions Fourthly wee must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men This is the practise of S. Paul who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men His example is worthie our marking and imitation for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of duty to God or to their brethren Fifthly the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God cause vs to glorifie him as the Angel saith in the Reuelation Feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come And doubtlesse if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this to remember the fearefull and terrible daie of iudgement Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father and also of the sonne it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes I beleeue in the holy Ghost In which wee may consider two things the title of the person and the action of faith repeated from the beginning The title is Holy Ghost or spirit It may here be demanded howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person which seemes to bee common to the rest for the father is holy and the sonne is holy againe the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures the third person for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse but the third person is called holy because beside the holinesse of nature his office is to sanctifie the Church of God Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie the answer is that although it be so yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit not onely because his nature is spirituall for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne in that he procedes from them both Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost Nowe the action of faith which concernes the third person is to beleeue in him Which is I. to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word II. In special to beleeue that he is my sanctifier and comforter III. To put all the confidence of my heart in him for that cause In these wordes are comprised foure points of doctrine which are to be beleeued cōcerning the holy Ghost The first that he is very God For we are not to put our affiance or confidence in any but in God alone And no doubt the penners of the Creede in that they prefixed these wordes I beleeue in before the article of the third person meant thereby to signifie that he is true God equall with the father and the sonne according to the tenour of the Scriptures themselues Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the Holy Ghost and continuing the same speech he changeth the tearme onely and saith Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God Whereby hei nsinuateth that the Holy Ghost is very God In the vision of the Prophet Isai the wordes by him set downe are thus I heard the voice of Iehoua saying Whome shall I send c. and he said God and say to this people Ye shall heare indeed but ye shall not vnderstand But Paul quoting the same place spake on this manner Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet saying Goe vnto this people and say vnto them Now these places being compared togither make it plaine that the title of Iehova agreeth to the holy Ghost But yet the enemies of this truth which thinke that the Holy
they that are the sonnes of God are led by his spirit a most notable benefit for looke where the h. Ghost dwelleth there he will be Lord gouerning both heart minde will and affections and that two waies I. by repressing all badde motions vnto sinne arising either from the corruption of mans nature from the world or from the deuil II. by stirring vp good affections and motions vpon euery occasion so it is said The flesh that is the corruption of mans nature lusteth against the spirit the spirit that is grace in the heart lusteth against the flesh that after a double sort first by labouring to ouermaster and keep down the motions thereof secondly by stirring vp good motions and inclinations to pietie and religion In Esay the holy Ghost hath most excellent titles The spirit of the Lord the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsel of strength the spirit of knowledge of the feare of the Lord. Now he is so called because he stirres vp good motions in the godly of wisdome of knowledge of strength of vnderstanding of counsell and of the feare of the Lord. And S. Paul saith that the fruits of the spirit are ioy peace loue long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenes temperance c. all which are so tearmed because where the holy Ghost ruleth there he ingendreth these good gifts and motions of grace but among all the inward motions of the spirit the most principall are these I. an vtter disliking of sinne because it is sinne And that is when a man hath an eye not so much to another mans sinnes as to his own seeing them is truely sorrowfull for them and disliketh them and himselfe for them not so much because there is a place of torment or a day of iudgement to come wherein hee must answer to God for them all but as if there were no hell or iudgement because God is displeased by them who hath beene vnto him a most louing and mercifull father in redeeming him by Christ. The second is an hungring desire aboue all things in this worlde to be at vnitie with God in Christ for the same sinnes This is a motion of the holy Ghost which no man can haue but he in whome the holy Ghost doth dwell The third the gift of hearty praier For this cause the Holy Ghost is called the spirit of supplications because it stirreth vp the heart and makes it fit to pray and therefore Paul saith that the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed This is an ordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in all that beleeue he that would knowe whether he haue the spirit dwelling truely in his heart shall knowe it by this A mother carrieth her child in her armes if it crie for the dugge and sucke the same it is aliue being obserued many daies togither if it neither crie nor stirre it is dead In like manner it is an vnfallible note of a true child of God to crie to his father in heauen by praier but he that neuer crieth nor feeleth himselfe stirred vp to make his mone to God is in a miserable case and he may well be thought to be but a dead childe and therefore let vs learne in praier vnfainedly to poure out our soules before God considering it is a speciall gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed on the children of God The fourth worke of the holy Ghost in the heart of the elect is comfort in distresse and therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth him the comforter whome he will send and in the Psalme hee is called the oyle of gladnesse because he maketh glad the heart of man in trouble and distresse There be two things that fill the heart full of endlesse griefe the first outward calamities as when a man is in any danger of death when he looseth his goods his good name his friendes and such like The second is a troubled conscience whereof Salomon saith A troubled spirit who can beare it and of all other it is the most heauie and grieuous crosse that can bee When as the hand of God was heauie vpon Iob this was the sorest of all his affliction and therefore he crieth out that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in his soule Nowe what is the comfort in this case Ans. In the middest of all our distresses the holy Ghost is present with vs to make vs reioice and to fill vs with comforts that no tongue can expresse out of the word of god and specially the promises thereof And hereupon the vngodly man when afflictions befall him is readie to make away himselfe because he wants the comfort of the holy Ghost The last benefit wrought in the hearts of the elect is the strengthening of them to doe the weightiest duties of their callings and hence the holy Ghost is called the spirit of strength There be diuers things to bee done of a Christian man that are farre beyond the reach of his power as fiâ—st when he seeth his owne sinnes and is truely humbled for them then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen and thereby to catch holde on the mercy of God in Christ is the hardest thing in the whole world and this doe all those knowe to be true in some part which knowe what it is to beleeue Secondly it is as hard a thing in the time of temptation to resist temptation as for drie wood to resist the fire when it begins to burn Thirdly when a maÌ„ is put to his choice either to loose his life goods friends and all that he hath or els to forsake religion euen then to forsake all and to sticke vnto Christ is a matter of as great diffâ—cultie as any of the former Fourthly when a man wanteth the ordinary meanes of Gods prouidence as meate drinke and cloathing then at the very same instant to acknowledge Gods prouidence to reioyce in it and to relie theron is as much as if a man should shake the whole earth It is against our wicked nature to trust God vnlesse he first lay downe some pawne of his loue mercie to vs. How then will some say shall any one be able to doe these things Ans. The holy Ghost is the spirit of strength and by him we do all things as Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Concerning these gifts of the holy Ghost two questions may be mooued First what is the measure of grace in this life Answ. Small in respect In this world we receiue as Paul saith not the tenths but the first fruits of Gods spirit the earnest of the spirit Now the first fruits properly are but as an handfull or twaine of corne to a whole corne field containing many acres furlongs of ground
to passe Ans. As God determines what things shall come to passe so hee doeth with all determine the meanes whereby the same things are effected Before all worlds God decreed that men should liue vpon earth and he decreed likewise that meate drinke and cloathing should be vsed that life might be preserued Now prayer is one of the most excellent meanes whereby sundry things are brought to passe therefore Gods eternall counsell touching things to come doth not exclude praier and like meanes but rather include and implie the same The second question is what kind of actioÌ„ praier is Ans. It is no lip-labour it is the putting vp of a suite vnto God and this action is peculiar to the very heart of a man Rom. 8.26 The spirit makes request for vs. But how with grones in the heart Exod. â—4 15 The Lord saith to Moses Why criest thou yet there is no mention made that Moses spake any word at all the Lord no doubt accepted the inward mourning and desire of his heart for a crie Psal. 38.10 and 11.4 The third question is what is the forme or rule according to which wee are to pray Ans. It is the reuealed will and word of God A man in humbling his soule before God is not to pray as his affections carrie him and for what he list but all is to be done according to the expresse word So as those things which God hath commanded vs to aske we are to aske those things which he hath not commanded vs to aske we are in no wise to pray for 1. Iohn 5.14 This is the assurance which we haue of him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. This then is a speciall clause to be marked that men must pray in knowledge not in ignorance Here weigh the case of poore ignorant people they talke much of praying for themselues and others they imagine that they pray very deuoutly to God but alas they doe nothing lesse because they know not what to aske according to gods will They therfore must learn Gods word and pray according to the same els it will prooue in the end that all their praying was nothing but as mocking and flat dishonouring of God The fourth question is with what affection a man must praie Ans. Praier must proceede from a broken and contrite heart This is the sacrifice which God accepteth Psal. 51. 17. When Ahab abased himselfe though hee did â—â— in hypocrisie yet God had some respect vnto it 1. King 21.29 saith the Lord to Eliah seest thou how Ahab is huÌ„bled before me This contrition of heart stands in two things The first of them is a liuely feeling of our owne sinne miserie and wretched estate how that we are compassed about with innumerable enemies euen with the deuill and his angels and within abound euen with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptions whereby we most grieuously displease God and are vile in our owne eyes Beeing therefore thus beset on euery side we are to be touched with the sense of this our great miserie And he that will pray aright must put on the person and the very affection of a poore wretched begger and certenly not beeing grieued with the rufull condition in which we are in our selues it is not possible for vs to pray effectually Psal. 130.1 Out of the deepest called vpon thee O Lord that is when I was in my greatest miserie and as it were not farre from the gulfes of hell then I cried to God Esay 26.16 Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 1. Sam. 1.15 I am a woman saith Anna of an hard spirit that is a trouble soule and haue powred my soule before the Lord. Hence it appeareth that the ordinarie praiers of most men grieuously displease God seeing they are made for fashion onely without any sense and feeling of their miseries commonly men come with the Pharise in ostentation of their integritie and they take great paines with their lippes but their hearts wander from the Lord. The second thing required in a contrite heart is a longing desire and hungring after Gods graces and benefits whereof we stand in neede It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were and to goe crooked vnder his sinnes and miseries but also he must haue a desire to be eased of them and to be enriched with graces needfull Thus Hezekias the King and the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amos prayed against Senacharib and cried vnto heauen 2. Chr. 32.10 Where we may see what a marueilous desire they had to obtaine their request So also Rom. 8.16 The spirit maketh request with grones so great that they can not be vttered as they are felt Dauid Psal. â—43 6 saith that he desireth after the Lord as the thirstie land Now we know that the ground parched with heate opens it selfe in riâ—ts and cranies and gapes towards heauen as though it would deuoure the clouds for want of moysture and thus must the heart be disposed to Gods grace till it obtaine it The people of Israel beeing in grieuous aâ—fliction how doe they pray They powre out their soules like water before the face of the Lord. Lament 2. 1â— The fift question is in whose name prayer must be made Ans. It must not be made in the name of any creature but onely in the name and mediation of Christ. Ioh. 14.14 If yee aske any thing in my name I will doe it A man is not to present his prayers to God in any worthines of his owne merits For what is he to make the best of himselfe what can he make of himselfe by nature he is no better then the very firebrand of hell and of all Gods creatures on earth the most outragious rebell to God and therefore can not be heard for his owne sake As for Saints they can be no mediatours seeing euen they themselues in heauen are accepted of God not for themselues but onely for the blessed merits of Christ. If any man sinne saith Saint Iohn 1. epist. chap. 2.1 we hâ—â—e an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ. But howe prooues he this It followes then And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes His reason stands thus hee which must be an advocate must first of al be a reconciliation for vs no saints can be a reconciliation for vs therefore no Saints can be aduocates Therefore in this place is manifest an other fault of ignorant people They crie often Lord helpe me Lord haue mercie vpon me But in whose name pray they poore soules like blind bayards they rush vpon the Lord they knowe no mediatour in whose name they should present their praiers to him Litle do they consider with themselues that God is as well a most terrible Iudge as a mercifull father The sixt question is Whether faith be requisite to praier or not Ans. Prayer is to be made with faith whereby a man must
spirit If we shall consider the conuersation of the wicked and the godly and their corrupt hearts togither we shall see little difference but in this that the wicked is delighted and glad to sinne but the godly doe wrestle as for life and death with their temptations and doe resist the deuill and doe desire the grace of Gods spirit and crie to heauen to bee freed from this bondage howesoeuer their hearts are alwaies readie to rebel against God 2. Forasmuch as the kingdome of grace is erected in Gods Church here vpon earth in this petition we are coÌ„manded to pray for the Chruch of God and the parts thereof Psal. 122.6 Praie for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Esay 62.7 Ye which are the Lords remembranceâ—s giue him no rest vntill he set vp Hierusalem the praise of the world And that Gods Church may flourish and be in good estate we are to pray for Christian Kings and Princes that God would blesse them and increase the number of them For they are as nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church And wee especially are bound to pray for the Queenes most excellent maiestie as also for the French king that they may be blessed and Gods kingdome by them aduanced And againe because ministers are the Lords watchmen in the Church we are here also put in minde to seeke their good and to praie that their hearts may be set for the building of Gods kingdome for the beating downe of the kingdome of sinne and Satan and for the sauing of the soules of his people And the rather because the deuill laboureth night and daie to ouerthrow theÌ„ in this glorious worke and to resist them in their ministerie as appeareth in Zachaâ—ie 3.1 When Ioshua the high priest stood before the Angell of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand namely to resist him Therefore also wee are to praie for them that the Lord would keepe them and furnish them with gifts and with all make them faithfull For where vision faileth the people are left naked saith Salomon 2. Thess. 3. 1. Brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue a free passage and be glorified Thirdly we must pray for all Christian Schooles of learning Howsoeuer some thinke but basely of them yet they are the ordinarie meanes to maintaine the ministerie and so the Church of God A man that hath diuers orchards wil also haue a seminarie ful of young plants to maintaine it Schooles they are as Seminaries to Gods church without which the Church falles to decay because they serue to make supplie of ministers 3. Thirdly we are to desire that the Lord would hasten the second comming of Christ as the Saints in heauen praie Come Lord Iesus come quicklie and therefore the godly are said to loue the comming of Christ. 2. Tim. 4.8 A penitent sinner so abhors his own corruptions and the irkesome temptations of Satan that in this respect he desires that Christ would hasten his particular comming to him by death for no other cause but that he might make an end of sinning and displeasing of God Thy will be done 1. The Coherence IN the second petition we desired that God would let his kingdome come vz. That he would rule in our hearts If he then must raigne we must be his subiects and therefore here we craue that beeing his subiects wee may obey him and doe his will Mal. 1.6 If I be a father where is my honour If I be a master where is my feare 2. The meaning VVIll Here it signfieth Gods word written in the olde and new Testament For in his word his will is reauealed Of the whole will of God there be three speciall points which are in this place meant 1. To beleeue in Christ Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life 2. Sanctification of body soule 1. Thess. 4.3 This is the will of God euen your sanctification c. 3. The bearing of affliction in this life Rom. vers 29. Those which he knew before he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his owne sonne Phil. 3.10 That I might knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death Thy will Not mine for mans owne will is wicked and corrupt yea it is flat enmitie to God Rom. 8. v. 5. Done That is obeyed and accomplished of men Then the effect of the prayer is this O Lord seeing thou art our King giue vs grace to shewe our selues good subiects in obeying thy will 3. The wants to be praied against 1. HEre first we are to bewaile this that our hearts are so prone to rebellioÌ„ and disobedience of Gods commandements Put a match to a heape of gun-powder on a sudden it will be all on a flame and as long as we adde matter to the fire it burnes so by nature we are most readie to sinne so soone as the least occasion is giuen Dauid had experience of this when hee praied Knit my heart to thee O Lord c. Psal. 86. 11. and incline my heart to thy commandements Psal. 119.37 Those which finde not this want in themselues and the like affection to bewaile it are in a miserable and dangerous case euen as a man that hath a great disease vpon him and knowes not of it 2. Againe wee must here bewaile the sinne of the worlde as ignorance schismes hipocrisie pride ambition contempt of Gods word couetousnes oppression want of loue of God and his word c. 2. Peter 2.7 Lot was vexed and his righteous heart was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites from day to day so ought our soules to bee vexed and grieued continually at the wickednesse of our time and we are to send vp our praiers to God for vnbeleeuing vnrepentant sinners that they may be brought to the obedience of Gods will Ezech. 9.4 In a common iudgement vpon Ierusalem They are marked in the forhead that mourne and crie for all the abominations that be done in the middest of it 3. Here also we must humble our selues for our vnquietnesse of mind impatience wheÌ„ god laies any crosse on vs. It is Gods wil that we should suffer affliction and withall humble our selues vnder his mightie hand Our Sauiour praied that the cup might be taken away but with submission to his Fathers will Luk. 22.42 And this Dauid had learned when he said But if he thus say behold I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies 2. Sam. 15.26 4. Graces to be desired 1. THe first thing which we are here to desire is that we may haue grace to denie our selues wils and affections because herein wee are vnlike to God and like the deuill This is the first lesson that our Sauiour doth
mindfull of others For a man that hath wealth is made a steward to distribute his goods to the poore and the good of Gods Church True loue seekes not her owne things the branches of the vine are loden with clusters of grapes not for themselues but for others the candle spends it selfe to giue others light Giue If bread be ours wherefore are we to aske it it may seeme needlesse Answ. Not so for hereby we are taught to waite on God who is the fountaine and the giuer of all blessings Men vsually driuen to any distresse vse euill meanes as robbing deceiuing consulting with wizzards c. 2. Againe here we learne that though a man had all the wealth in the world all is nothing without Gods blessing Question The rich neede not say Giue vs c. for they haue abundance already and what neede they aske that which they haue Answer Let a man be neuer so rich and want nothing that can be desired yet if he want Gods blessing in effect he wants all Wherefore euen Kings and the greatest personages that be are as much bound to vse this petition as the poorest Gods blessing is riches saith Salomon Prou. 10.22 Thou maist eate and not haue enough be clothed and not warme earne wages and put it in a broken bagge Hag. 1. 6. if God doe not blesse thee This blessing of God is called the staffe of bread Esay 3. 1. In bread there bee two things the substance and the vertue thereof proceeding from gods blessing this second that is the power of nourishing is the staffe of bread For take away from an aged man his staffe and he falls and so take away Gods blessing from bread the strength thereof it becomes vnprofitable and ceaseth to nourish Lastly here we see that all labour and toile taken in any kind of calling is nothing and auailes not vnlesse God still giue his blessing Psal. 127.1 3. The wants which are to be bewailed SInnes which we are taught in this petition to bewaile are two especially I. Couetousnesse a vice which is naturally engrafted in euery mans heart it is when a man is not content with his present estate This desire is vnsatiable men that haue enough would still haue more Wherefore he which shall vse this petition must be grieued for this sinne and pray with Dauid Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy commandements and not to couetousnes And he must sorrowe not so much for the act of this sinne as for the corruption of nature in this behalfe Couetous people will plead that they are free from this vice but marke mens liues and we shall see it is a common disease as Dauid noted Psal. 4.6 where he brings in the people saying who shall shew vs any good This then is a common sinne that we are taught to mourne for 2. The second want is diffidence and distrustfulnes in Gods prouidence touching the things of this life Men also will shift this off and say they would be sorrie to distrust God But if we doe but a little looke into the corruption of our nature we shall see that we are deceiued For beeing in prosperitie wee are not troubled but if once we be pressed with aduersitie then we howle and weepe and as Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.10 Men peirce themselues through with many sorrowes If a man shall loose a part of his goods what then doth he straight hee goes out to the wise man is this to beleeue in God No it is to distrust God and beleeue the deuill 4. Graces to be desired THe grace to be desired is a readines in all estates of life to rest on Gods prouidence whatsoeuer fall out Psal. 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe Prou. 16. 3. Commit or role thy workes vpon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed Whereby we are admonished to take paines in our callings to get meate and drinke c. If the Lord blesse not our labour we must be content if he doe we must giue him thankes Now for this cause we are further to pray to God that hee would open our eies and by his spirit teach vs in all his good creatures to see his prouidence and when meanes faile and are contrarie then also to beleeue in the same and to followe Pauls example Phil. 4.12 5. Errours confuted PApists teach that men by workes of grace may merit life eternall and increase of iustification in this life But howe can this be for here we see that euery bit of bread which we eate is the free gift of God without any merit of ours Now if we can not merit a peece of bread what madnes is it to thinke that we can merit life euerlasting 2. They also are deceiued who thinke that any thing comes by meere chance or fortune without Gods prouidence Indeede in respect of men who know not the causes of things many chances there are but so as that they are ordered and come to passe by Gods prouidence Luk. 10.31 By chance there came downe a certaine priest that way Forgiue vs our debts 1. The Coherence THis is the fift petition and the second of those which concerne our selues in the former we craued temporall blessings in this and the next which followeth we craue spirituall blessings Where we may note that seeing there is two petitions which concerne spirituall things and but one for temporall that the care for our soules must be double to the care of our bodies In the world men care for their bodies their hearts are set for wealth and promotion they can be content to heare the word on the Sabbath yet neither then nor in the weeke day doe they lay it vp in their hearts and practise it which argues that they haue little or no care for their soules Question What is the cause that first we craue things for the bodie and in the second place those which concerne the soule Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull for the Lord considers the dulnes and backwardnes of mens natures and therefore he traines them vp and drawes them on by little euen as a schoolemaster doth his yong schollers propounding vnto them some small elements and principles and so carrying them to higher points For the former petition is a step or degree to these two following The ruler by the healing of the bodie of his child is brought to beleeue in Christ. Ioh. 4.53 He then that will rest on Gods mercie for the pardon of his sinnes must first of all rest on Gods prouidence for this life and he that can not put his affiance in God for the prouision of meate and drinke how shall he trust Gods mercie for the saluation of his soule Here we may see the faith of worldlings they say that God is mercifull and that they beleeue in Christ which can not be true seeing in lesser matters as meate and drinke they
the faithfull haue their whole estate before God reuealed vnto them according to the word the thing it selfe being otherwise secret and hidden 1. Cor. 2,9,10,12 Further the work of this spirit in the godly is twofold the one concernes God himselfe the other the things of God The worke of the spirit of reuelation which respects God himselfe is an acknowledgement of the Father or of Christ. Now to acknowledge God the Father is not onely to know and confesse that he is a father of the faithfull but also to be resolued in conscience that he is a father to me in particular Secondly that Christ is not onely in generall a Sauiour of the elect but that he is in speciall my Sauiour and redeemer The second worke of this spirit is an illumination of the eyes of the minde to see and know the things of God which he hath prepared for them that doe beleeue and they are two The first is life eternall which is described by fiue arguments 1. It is the Ephesian hope that is the thing hoped for in this life 2. It is the hope of the calling of God because in preaching of the Gospell it is offered and men are called to waite for the same 3. An inheritance properly to Christ because he is the naturall sonne of God and by him to all that shall beleeue 4. The excellencie because it is a rich and glorious inheritance 5. Lastly it is made proper to the Saints The second thing is the greatnes of the power of God whereby sinne is mortified the corrupt nature renued and mightily strengthened in temptations This power is set forth by two arguments The first is the subiect or persons in whome this power is made manifest In them that beleeue Because none can feele this but they which apprehend Christ by faith The second is the manner of manifesting this power in them which is according to the working of his mightie power which he shewed in Christ. And that was in three things First in putting all his enemies vnder his feete v. 2. Secondly in raising him from death Thirdly in placing him at his right hand Now therefore Paul praies that this wonderfull power of God which did shew forth it selfe in the head Christ might likewise shew it selfe in the members of Christ. First in treading Satan and sinne vnder their feete Rom. 16.10 Secondly in raising them from sinne as out of a graue to holines of life Thirdly in aduancing them in the time appointed to the kingdome of glorie in heauen Ephes. 3. 14. FOr this cause I bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. 15. Of whome is named the whole familie in heauen and earth 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glorie that yeâ— may be strengthened by his spirit in the inner man 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 18. That ye being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of God 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doâ— exceeding abundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs 21. Be praise in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all generations for euer Amen The Exposition THese wordes containe two parts a prayer and a thankesgiuing In the prayer these points are to be marked First the gesture I bow my knees wherby Paul signifies his humble submission to God in prayer Secondly to whome he praies To the Father who is described by two titles the first the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by nature as he is God and as he is man by personall vnion The other title Of whome the whole familie which is in heauen and earth is named In which words is set downe a description of the Church first it is a Familie because it is the companie of Gods elect children vnder the gouernment of one father 1. Tim. 3.15 It is called the house of God Eph. 2.19 They that beleeue are saide to be of the houshold of God secondly the parts of the Catholike Church are noted namely the Saints in heauen departed and Saints liuing on earth thirdly it is said to be named of the father of Christ because as the father of Christ is the father of this familie so also this familie is called by him Gen. 6.2 Dan. 9.80 Thirdly the matter of the prayer stands of foure most worthie points The first is strength to beare the crosse and to resist spirituall temptations v. 16. where the strength is set out by diuers arguments First that it is the meere gift of God that he would graunt you Secondly the cause of strength by his Spirit Thirdly the subiect or place where this strength must be in the inner man that is in the whole man so farre forth as he is renued by grace Eph. 6.14 The second is the dwelling of Christ in their hearts by faith Faith is when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes is further in conscience perswaded and resolued of the pardon of them and of reconciliation to God Now where this perswasion is in deed there followes necessarily Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two things the first is the ruling and ordering of the thoughts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a master rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For he cannot be said to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledge and the acknowledgement of the infinit greatnes of Gods loue in Christ an effect of the former v. 18 19. the words are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith he loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men are rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirit assures their hearts of Gods loue and doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensibly put into the roote and laid on the foundation With all Saints Paul desires this benefit not onely to the Ephesians but also to all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from the Geometricians and it signifies the absolute greatnes or infinitnes of Gods loue and that it is like a world which for length breadth height and depth is endlesse Here note the order or receiuing grace First Christ dwells in the heart by faith Secondly then comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certaine drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plentifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it were the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor banke And know the loue of
yet afterward alwaies he returned to his old by as againe Foelix trembled before Paul for all that he could not leaue his couetousnesse but euen then he sought for a bribe Secondly the reprobate◠when he repenteth he cannot come vnto God seeke vnto him he hath no power no not so much as once to desire to giue one litle sob for the remissiō of his sinnes if he would giue all the world he cannot so much as giue one rap at gods mercie gate that he may open to him He is very like a man vpon a racke who crieth roreth out for very paine yet cannot desire his tormentor to ease him of his paine Caine would haue bin void of his trembling but he could not aske pardon of his sinne from his heart neither could Saul or Iudas or now can the deuill XIV The reprobate may humble himselfe for some sinnes which he hath committed and may declare this by fasting and teares When Eliah reprooued Ahab for his Idolatrie and threatned him from the Lord it is said that when he had heard these words he rent his cloaths and put sackcloath vpon him and fasted and went softly in token of mourning and this humiliation stayed Gods wrath for a time XV. He may confesse his sinnes euen his particular sinnes before men but this is onely then when his soule is tormented for them and can find no ease For then he sticketh not to vtter his secret filthines to the hearing of all men to the open shaming of himselfe When God smote all that was in the fieldes of Egypt with haile then Pharao sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said vnto them I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for it is enough that there be no more mightie thunders c. So Iudas when he saw that Christ was condemned and felt an hell in his conscience brake out and said I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood And the experience of these daies giueth fearefull examples for the proofe of this point XVI He hath often a desire to be like the children of God in happinesse and to be saued not because he hath any loue to the kingdom of God but because he is afraid of hell As Balaam ouerpressed with the feare of Gods iudgement praied thus Oh that my soule might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his XVII The wicked in their distresse may pray to God and God may heare their praiers and grant them their request as the Israelites wickedly murmuring against God desired flesh in the wildernes God heard their crie and rained Quailes among them But god heareth the wicked after one sort them that feare him after another them that feare him he granteth their requests of loue and mercy to the other of indignation and anger As may appeare in the Israelites who when they were in eating of their Quailes and the meate was within their teeth God in his anger stroke thē with a sore plague And which is more strange then this God hath performed that which he hath promised to the vnbeleeuers though they refused to aske it at his hands euen then whē they were particularly commanded of this thing we haue a worthie example in King Achas who vtterly refused to haue a signe of his deliuerance and the confusion of his enemies when God offered it to him and yet the Lord deliuered him XVIII The reprobate may go further in the profession of religion◠and may seeme for a time to bee planted in the Church for he doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus yet so that he cannot apply them to himselfe In this thing the elect and the reprobate differ The reprobate generally in a confused manner beleeueth that Christ is a Sauiour of some men he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The elect beleeueth that Christ is a Sauiour of him particularly The reprobates faith may perish in this life but the faith of the elect cannot The reprobate may be perswaded of the mercy and goodnes of God towards him for the present time in the which he feeleth it the elect is not onely perswaded of the mercies he presently enioyeth but also he is perswaded of his eternal election before the foūdation of the world and of his euerlasting life which yet he doth not enioy Yea if God would confound him and he saw nothing but present death and hell fire yet such is his nature that still hee would beleeue for faith and hope are not grounded vpon sense and feeling but are the euidence of those thing◠which were neuer yet seene or felt The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ as the sap in the root of the tree their life is not in sense feeling but in hoping and beleeuing which oftentimes are contrarie to mans sense and feeling XIX After that he hath receiued a generall and a temporarie faith in Gods heauenly word his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life cōtained therin by the power of the spirit of God he commeth to haue a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies and a reioycing in consideration of the election adoption iustification and sanctification of Gods children But what is this taste I expresse it thus after the meaning of Gods word Suppose a banquet prepared in which are many sweet and pleasant and daintie meats At this banquet such as are the bidden guests they must be set downe they see the meates they taste them they chaw them in their mouthes they digest them they are nourished fed and strengthened by them they which are not bidden to this feast may see the meats handle them and taste of them to feele how good they are◠but they must not eate and feede of them The first resemble the elect which truly eate digest are nourished by Christ vnto euerlasting life because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heat of Gods holy spirit in them and doe feele sensibly his grace vertue in them to strengthen them guide them The second sort truly resemble the reprobates which neuer in truth enioy Christ or any of his benefits appertaining to saluation but only see them and haue in their hearts a vanishing but no certen or sound feeling of them so that they may be changed and strengthened and guided thereby To vse another similitude The reprobates haue no more feeling and enioying of Christ and his benefits then those men haue of the sunne which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day before it riseth Contrariwise the elect they haue the day-starre euen the Sunne of righteousnes Iesus Christ rising in their hearts the day spring from an high doth visit them the glorie of God doth rise vpon them they haue their eyes annointed
with the oyntment of the Spirit which is the true eye salue and doe plainly behold the sonne of righteousnes they enioy his presence they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken and reuiue them XX. From this sense and tast of Gods grace proceed many fruits as first generally he may doe outwardly all things which true Christians doe and he may lead such a life here in this world that although he cannot attaine to saluation yet his paines in hell shal be lesse which appeareth in that our Sauiour Christ saith it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon for Sodom and Gomorâ—ha then for Capernaum and other cities vnto which he came in the day of iudgment XXI Also the reprobate may haue a loue of God but this loue can be no sincere loue for it is only because God bestoweth benefits and prosperitie vpon him as appeareth in Saul who loued God for his aduancement to the kingdome here is a difference betweene the Elect and reprobate the Elect loue God as children their fathers but reprobates as hirelings their masters whom they affect not so much for themselues as for their wages XXII Also a reprobate hath often a reioycing in doing those things which appertaine to the seruice of God as preaching and praier Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladly and the second kind of naughtie ground receiueth the word preached with ioy XXIII A Reprobate often desireth them whom he thinketh to be the children of God to pray for him As Pharao desired Aaron and Moses to pray to God for him So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which he had spoken against him should come to passe But yet they cannot pray themselues because they want the spirit of Christ. XXIIII He may shew liking to Gods Ministers he may reuerence them and feare to displease them Thus did Simon Magus who at Philips preaching beleeued wondred at his miracles kept companie with him And Herod is said to feare Iohn knowing that he was a iust man and holy also he gaue reuerence to him Antonius the Emperour called Pius though he was no Christian yet in a generall parliament held at Ephesus he made an act in the behalf of Christians that if any man should trouble or accuse a Christian for beeing a Christian the partie accused should goe free though he were found to be a Christian and the accuser should be punished And Plinius secundus gouernour of Spaine vnder Trajanus the Emperour when he saw an innumerable companie of Christians to be executed being mooued with compassion he wrote in their behalfe beeing no Christian vnto Trajanus to spare them that could be charged with no crime and his letter is yet extant XXV He may be zealous in the religion which he professeth and fall from that profession as the Galatians did who after that they had receiued Paul as an Angel and would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good yet they fell from the doctrine which he had taught them to iustification by the works of the Law which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone The same appeareth in Iehu who was very zealous for Gods cause for the defacing of idolatrie and thereupon God blessed him in his children yet neuerthelesse he was a wicked man and followed the vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father XXVI After that he hath sinned he doth in many things in which he is faultie amend and reforme his life and doth professe great holines outwardly Herod he did many things which Iohn Baptist in preaching mooued him vnto Saul when he was to be chosen king professed great humilitie They may represse their vices and corruptions and so moderate themselues that they breake not out as did Haman of whome it is written that when he was full of indignation against Mordecai yet he refraine himself And herein the Elect and the Reprobate differ for the elect are somewhat reformed in euery one of their sinnes But the reprobate though he be amend in many faults yet someone fault or other he cannot abide to haue it reformed and by that in a vile manner the deuill wholly possesseth him As Herod who did many things yet would not leaue his brothers wife And no doubt in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified and yet by couetousnesse the deuill possessed him and held him fast chained in bondage vnder him For one sinne is sufficient to him that by it he may bring a man to damnation Secondly in infidels liuing honestly the spirit of God bridleth the force of sinne the corrupt nature that it breake not out as it doth in many other But in Christians that are indeed godly the same spirit not only represseth the corruptioÌ„ of nature outwardly but also mortifieth it within at the root regenerateth the whole maÌ„ into a new creature Thus then neither the faithfull nor infidels doe effect any thing that is laudable but by the spirit of god the faithful by the spirit of regeneration infidels by the same spirit only suppressing the outward act of sinne XXVII Beside this he may haue the gift of working miracles of casting forth deuils of healing and such like and this power of doing strange miracles shall be vsed as an excuse of some of the reprobates in the day of iudgement XXVIII Oftentimes vnto him is giuen the gifts of the holy Ghost to discharge the most waightie calling that can be in any common wealth And this is meant when God is said to giue Saul an other heart that is such vertues as were meet for a King XXIX A reprobate may haue the word of God much in his mouth and also may be a preacher of the word for so prophecying in Christs name shal be vsed as an excuse of reprobates and we know that among the twelue Apostles Iudas was a reprobate And this may be wel perceiued in the resemblance of tasting which the author to the Hebrewes vseth We know that cookes commonly which are occupied in preparing of bankets haue as much feeling and seeing of the meat as any other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it then they for their stomackes are cloyed with the smell and taste of it so in like maner it may come to passe that the minister which dresseth prouideth the spiritual foode may eate the least of it himselfe and so labouring to saue others he may be a reprobate And it is thought that some of them which built the Arke were not saued in the Arke but perished in the floud XXX When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospell though in deed he be a goat yet he is taken for one of Gods sheepe he is kept in the same pastures and is folded in the same fold with them He is counted a Christian of the children of God and so he taketh himself to be
known though indeed the minde of man is able to conceiue more then any Christian heart can feele and this is to be seene in Paul who vseth not only to deliuer the points of Gods word in a generall manner but also setteth them downe specially in his own experience So that the enlightning of the reprobate may be compared to the sight of the blind man who saw men walking like vnto trees that is in motion like men but in forme like trees and the elect are like the same blind man who afterward saw men a farre off cleerely II. Secondly the knowledge of the wicked puffeth them vp but the knoweledge of the godly humbleth them III. Lastly the elect besides the knowledge of Gods worde haue a free and franke heart to performe it in their liues and conuersations which no reprobate can haue for their illumination is not ioyned with true and sincere obedience By this it is easie to discerne of the illumination of Anabaptistes or Familists and many other which brag of the spirit VIII The second is the sight of sinne arising of the knowledge of the lawe To this Ieremie exhorteth the Iewes of his time saying Know thine iniquitie for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God c. The chiefe cauie of the sight of sinne is Christ by his holy spirit who detecteth the thoughts of many heartes iudgeth the world of sinne The manner of seeing our sinnes must bee to knowe them particularlie for the vilest wretch in the world can generally and confusedly say he is a sinner but that the sight of sinne may be effectuall to saluation it must be more special distinct euen in particular sinnes so that a man may say with Dauid My sinnes haue taken such hold of me that I am not able to look vp they are more in number then the haires of mine head therefore my heart hath failed me Againe a man must not barely see his particular sinnes but hee must also see the circumstances of them as namely the fearefull curses and iudgements of God which accompanie euerie sinne for the consciences of many tell of their sinnes in particular yet they cannot be humbled for them leaue them because they haue not seene that ougly taile of the curse of God that euery sinne draweth after it IX The meanes to attaine to the sight of sinne is by a diligent examination of a mans own selfe This was the practise of the children of Israel in affliction Let vs trie say they and search our waies and turne againe to the Lord. And Dauid giueth the same counsell to Sauls Courtiers Tremble and sin not examine your own heart on your bed be still This examination must be made by the commandements of the Law but specially by the tenth which ransacketh the heart to the very quick was the meanes of Pauls conuersion For he being a proud pharisie this commandement shewed him some â—innes which otherwise he had not knowne and it killed him that is it humbled him If so bee it that after examination a man cannot find out his sinnes as no man shal find out all his sinnes for the heart of man is a vast gulfe of sinne without either bottom or bank and hath infinit hidden corruptions in it then hee must in a godly iealousie suspect himselfe of his vnknowne sinnes as Dauid did saying Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret faults And as Paul did I know nothing by my selfe yet I am not thereby iustified And good reason it is why men should suspect themselues of those sinnes which as yet they neuer sawe in themselues For that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God and the very Angels are not cleane in his sight X. The third is a sorrowe for sinne which is a paine and pricking in the heart arising of the feeling of the displeasure of god of the iust damnation which followeth after sinne This was in the Iewes after Peters first sermon and in Habacuck at the hearing of Gods iudgements When I heard saith he my belly trembled my lips shooke at thy voice rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the daie of trouble This sorrow is called the spirit of bondage to feare because when the spirit hath made a man see his sins he seeth further the curse of the Law and so he findes himselfe to bee in bondage vnder satan hell death and damnation at which most terrible sight his heart is smitten with feare and trembling through the consideration of his hellish and damnable estate This sorrow if it continue and increase to some great measure hath certain Symptomes in the bodie as burning heate rowling of the intralls a pining and fainting of the solide parts XI In the feeling of this sorrowe three things are to bee obserued The first all men must looke that it be seriously and soundly wrought in their hearts for looke as men vse to breake hard stones into many small peeces and into dust so must this feeling of Gods anger for sinne bruise the heart of a poore sinner and bring it to nothing And that this may be so sorrow is not to bee felt for a brunt but very often before the end of a mans life The godly man from his youth suffereth the terrors of god Iacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victorie of him but yet he is faine to goe halting to his graue and traile one of his loynes after him continually The paschall Lamb was neuer eaten without sowre hearbs to signifie that they which wil be free from the wrath of God by Iesus Christ must feele continually the smart and bitternesse of their owne sinnes The second all men must take heede least when they are touched for their sinnes they besnare their owne consciences for if the sorrowe bee somewhat ouer sharp they shall see themselues euen brought to the gates of hell and to feele the pangs of death And when a man is in this perplexitie he shall find it a most hard matter to be freed from it without the marueilous power and strength of Christ Iesus who only is able to helpe him and comfort him yea many when they are once plunged in this distresse and anguish of soule shall neuer escape it as may appeare in Cain Saul Achitophel Iudas now of late in Iohn Hoffmeister a Monke and Latomus who for the space of certaine daies neuer left crying that he was damned because that he had wilfully persecuted the Gospell of Christ and so he ended his life Therefore most worthie is Pauls counsell for the moderating of this sorrow It is sufficient saith he vnto the incestuous man that he was rebuked of many so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least he should be
swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines And further he giueth an other reason which followeth least Sathan should circumuent vs for we are not ignorant of his enterprises And indeede common experience sheweth the same that when any man is most weake then Sathan most of all bestirreth himselfe to worke his confusion The third is that all men which are humbled haue not like measure of sorrowe but some more some lesse Iob felt the hand of God in exceeding great measure when he cried O that my griefe were well weyed and my miseries were laide together in the ballance for it would he now heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my wordes are now swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me and the venome thereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrours of God fight against me The same did Ezechias when on his death-bed he said He brake all my bones like a Lyon and like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne like a doue c. Contrariwise the theefe vpon the crosse and Lydia in her conuersion neuer felt any such measure of griefe for it is said of her that God opened her heart to be attentiue to that which Paul spake and presently after shee intertained Paul and Silas chearefully in her house which shee could not haue done if shee had beene pressed downe with any great measure of sorrowe neither are any to dislike themselues because they are not so much humbled as they see some others for God in great wisdome giueth to euery one which are to be saued that which is conuenient for their estate And it is often seene in a festered sore that the corruption is let out as well with the pricking of a small pinne as with the wide lance of a raser XII The fourth thing in true humiliation is an holy desperation which is when a man is wholly out of all hope euer to attaine saluation by any strength or goodnesse of his owne speaking and thinking more vily of himselfe then any other can doe and heartily acknowledging himselfe to haue deserued not one onely but euen tenne thousand damnations in hell fire with the deuill and his angels This was in Paul when he said of himselfe that he was the chiefe of all sinners This was in Daniel when in the name of the people of Israel he praied and said O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame as appeareth this day c. The same was in the prodigall childe who saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne Lastly it was in Ezra who saide O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growne vp vnto the heauen XIII Many are of opinion that this sorrow for sinne is nothing else but a melancholike passion but in trueth the thing is farre otherwise as may appeare in the example of Dauid who by all coniectures was least troubled with melancholie and yet neuer any tasted more deepely of the sorrnw and feeling of Gods anger for sinne then he did as the booke of Psalmes declareth And if any desire to knowe the difference they are to be discerned thus Sorrowe for sinne may be where health reason senses memorie and all are sound but Melancholike passions are where the bodie is vnsound and the reason senses memorie dulled and troubled Secondly sorrow for sinne is not cured by any phisicke but onely by the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Melancholike passions are remooued by Phisicke diet musicke and such like Thirdly sorrow for sinne riseth of the anger of God that woundeth and pierceth the conscience but Melancholike passions rise only of meere imaginations strōgly conceiued in the braine Lastly these passions are long in breeding and come by litle and little but the sorrow for sinne vsually commeth on a sudden as lightening into a house And yet howesoeuer they are differing it must bee acknowledged that they may both concurre together so that the same man which is troubled with Melancholie may feele also the anger of God for sinne XIIII Thus it appeareth howe God maketh the heart fit to receiue faith in the next place it is to be considered howe the Lord causeth faith to spring and to breede in the humbled heart For the effecting of this so blessed a worke God worketh foure things in the heart First when a man is seriously humbled vnder the burden of his sinne the Lord by his spirit makes him lift vp himselfe to consider and to ponder most diligently the great mercie of God offered vnto him in Christ Iesus After the consideration of gods mercie in Christ he comes in the second place to see feele and from his heart to acknowledge himselfe to stand in neede of Christ and to stand in neede of euery drop of his most precious blood Thirdly the Lord stirreth vp in his heart a vehemēt desire and longing after Christ and his merits this desire is compared to thirst which is not onely the feeling of the drinesse of the stomacke but also a vehement appetite after drinke and Dauid fitly expresseth it when he saith I stretched forth my handes vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Lastly◠after this desire he beginnes to pray not for any worldly benefit but onely for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes crying with the poore Publican O God be mercifull to me a sinner Nowe this praier it is made not for one day onely but continually from day to day not with the lippes but with greater sighes grones of the heart then that they can be expressed with the tongue Now after these desires and praiers for Gods mercie ariseth in the heart a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinne For God who cannot lie hath made his promise Knocke it shall be opened and againe Before they call I will answere and while they speake I will heare Therefore when an humbled sinner comes crying and knocking at his mercie gate for the forgiuenesse of sinne either then or shortly after the Lord worketh in his heart a liuely assurance thereof And whereas he thirsted in his heart beeing scorched with the heat of Gods displeasure beating vpon his conscience Christ Iesus giueth him to drinke of the well of the water of life freely and hauing drunken thereof hee shall neuer be more a thirst but shall haue in him a fountaine of water springing vp into euerlasting life XV. For the better vnderstanding of this that God worketh sauing faith in the heart of man after this manner it must be obserued that a sinner is compared to a sick man oft in the Scriptures And therefore the curing of a disease fitly resembleth the curing of sinne A man that
hath a disease or sore in his bodie before he can be cured of it he must see it feele paine of it and bee in a feare least it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of phisicke and he longeth till he be with the phisitian when hee is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him and to shewe the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then hee yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and wil help him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euery man is wounded with the deadly wounde of sinne at the very heart and he that would be saued and escape damnation must see his sinne be sorrowfull for it and vtterly despaire of his own strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stand in neede of Christ the good Phisitian of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and groanes for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart blood which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I knowe mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly he vtterly despaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying thereby vnlesse the Lord would stay him with his glorious power he should runne headlong to his owne confusion Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercy wil not content him he praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to be bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his prayer for the forgiuenesse of his sinne are set downe in the whole Psalme And in his prayer he gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towards himselfe in that he saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Againe the like appeareth in Dauid Psal. 32.3 When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day 4. For thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night my moisture was turned into the drought of sommer Sela. 5. I confessed my sinnes vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquities I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne To this purpose is the example of R. Glouer Martyr who being somwhat troubled at his entrance into prison testifieth thus of himselfe So saith he I remained without any further conference of any man by the space of eight daies and till the bishops comming in which time I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the mercifull promises of God made to all without exception of persons that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daiely amendment of health of bodie increase of peace of conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his spirit and sometimes as it were a tast and glimmering of the life to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christs sake XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the Church trauelling of them some are newe borne babes feeding on the milke of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seed the least of all seeds and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heat nor light but only maketh a smoke and is called by the name of a little faith and it may bee thus described When a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his own sinnes and yet he is perswaded that they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned and therefore praieth to God that he would pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A little faith may more plainely be knowne by considering of these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne For the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which he is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it bee in the heart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times My God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shew that thē he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of man as in the spring time the fruite is in the bud which yet appeareth not but onely hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seedes of this faith or at the least signes and effects thereof are three The first is a perswasion that a mans own sinnes are pardonable this perswasion though it be not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith for the wicked cut themselues off quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauour and mercie of God in Christ and of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balaam did yet they cannot sincerely desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification reconciliation c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but only for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes with great sighes groanes from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Now this heartie praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirit who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee belloweth vpon his
that our Sauiour Christ teacheth euery one in his praier which he made before he craue any other thing either concerning God or himselfe to pray that Gods name may be sanctified For by this all Christians are taught that they are to ouerpasse all considerations of themselues their owne pleasure and profit their saluation or damnation and absolutely with an heartie affection to seek after the glorie of God in all their doings that as Gods glorie is most deare vnto himselfe so it may appeare also that it is most deare vnto them If any thinke it strange that Moses Paul or any other should be content to fall into miserie to loose their liues and to bee cast into eternall perdition in hell fire with reprobate and damned spirits rather then Gods honour should bee turned into dishonour and blasphemie let them consider that wonderfull is the power of true loue which makes all things easie which is as strong as the graue that ouercomes all and was neuer yet ouercome which is as a flaming fire that a whole sea of water cannot quench And the loue which these men had to God did so rauish them that they felt no feare of hell fire XXXIX The second affection is the feare of God a most excellent and wonderfull grace of God Salomon matcheth it yea and preferreth it too before all things in this world making it the end of al. Without it a man cannot be wise it is the first step to wisdome in it is assured strength also it is a welspring of life to eschew the snares of death The Churches of Iudea beeing in peace were edified and walked in the feare of GOD and were aboundantly filled with the comfort of the holy ghost In this feare of GOD there be two parts the first is a perswasion in the heart that a man is in Gods presence wheresoeuer he is and when he by infirmitie forgets GOD a drawing of himselfe into Gods presence As it was in Dauid I haue saith he set the Lord alwaies before me For he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And this his beeing in the presence of God he setteth down most excellently in the 139 Psalme Enoch walked with God Abraham is commanded to walke before God and to be vpright The second part of the feare of God is in Gods presence to stand in awe of him which is when a man takes heede to his waies least he offend God This aduise Dauid giues to Sauls Counsellers Stand in awe and sinne not Pharao commanded the Midwiues of Egypt to kill all the male children of the Israelites at their birth they did it not because they stoode in awe of God fearing to displease him And hence it is that the godly heare Gods word with feare and trembling XL. The third is the hatred and detestation of sinne because it is sinne and specially of a mans owne corruptions wherewith a Christian is so turmoyled that in regard of them and for no other cause he most hartely desireth to bee forth of this most miserable world that he may be disâ—urdened of his sinne leaue off to displease God Paul feeles in himselfe a laâ—ge masse of deadly corruption it makes him deeme himselfe most miserable and to mourne because he was not deliuered from it saying Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Againe it is sinne that makes the Church coÌ„plaine that shee is blacke that the sunne hath looked vpon her and therefore shee cries Come Lord Iesus come quickly XLI The fourth is ioy of heart in consideratioÌ„ of the neerenes of presence of the terrible day of iudgement The reprobate either trembleth at the consideration of the day of iudgement or els in the securitie of his heart hee regardeth it not And when he shall see the signes of the comming of Christ his heart shal faile him for very feare he shall call the hills to fall vpon him but contrariwise the faithfull loue the second comming of Christ and therefore wait and long for it and when they shall see the signes of it they shall lift vp their heads because the full accomplishment of their redemption is at hand XLII The sanctification of the bodie is when all the members of it are carefully preserued from beeing meanes to execute any sinne and are made the instruments of righteousnes and holines So Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that they might know howe to possesse their vessels in holinesse and in honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God And Iob made a couenant with his eies not to look on a woman In whose example it appeareth how euery member is to be kept pure and holy XLIII If any humbled Christian finde not this measure of sanctification in himselfe yet let him not be discouraged For if any man haue a willingnesse and a desire to obey all Gods commandements he hath the spirit and he who hath the spirit is in Christ and he who is in Christ shall neuer see damnation And though he faile greatly in the action of obedience yet God will accept his affection to obey as obedience acceptable vnto him God will approoue of thee for his owne worke which hee hath wrought in thee and not reiect thee for thine XLIV From sanctification ariseth repentance For a man cannot hate his own sins before he be sanctified and he cannot truely repent for them before hee hate them Repentance is when a man turnes to GOD and brings foorth fruits worthy amendment of life This turning vnto God hath two parts The first a purpose and resolution of heart neuer to sinne any more but to lead a newe life This was in Dauid who fully purposed to keepes Gods commandements and applied his heart to fulfill his statutes vnto the ende And vnto this did Barnabas exhort the brethren at Antioch that with full purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. The second part is an holy labour in mans life and conuersation to purifie and clense himselfe from sinne of this speaketh Iohn And euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure This did Dauid practise as may appeare in that he said Certainely I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed my handes in innocency If any maruaile how repentance followeth sanctification considering it is the first thing of all that the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of GOD preach vnto the people whome they would winne to Christ I answere that all other graces are more hidden in the heart wheras repentance is open and sooner appeareth to a mans owne selfe and to the eies of the worlde It is like the budde in the tree which appeareth before the leafe the blossome the fruite and yet in nature it is
Lord to reach vnto thee his mercifull and a helping hand Againe in the Scriptures we finde examples of men conuerted vnto the Lord without any vehement sorrow of their sinns What anguish of conscience had the theefe vpon the crosse for his former life in his present conuersion at the houre of death How was Lydia dismaied and cast downe in respect of her wickednesse like as Dauid was or Iob whose heart God onely is said to haue opened to giue attendance to the preaching of Paul and Silas who also euen presently after was readie to entertaine them and to make them a feast in her house which shee could not haue done if she had beene in the perplexities of Ezechias or Dauid The same may be spoken of the Iayler and of them which heard Peters sermon at Ierusalem who for all that they had murdred our Sauiour Christ yet in their conuersion their hearts were onely for the time pricked So then God in preparing vs which in truth are nothing but fleshly and stinking dunghills of sinne nay very vncleannesse and pollution it selfe I say in preparing vs to be the Temples of his holy Spirit to dwell in and the storehouses to hoord vp his heauenly graces in doth otherwhiles vse a milde and gentle remedie and maketh the Law to looke vpon vs though with no louing and gentle yet with no fearefull countenance and otherwhiles in some he setteth a sharp edge vpon the Law and maketh it to wound the heart very deepe and as a strong corrasiue to torment them and to frette and gnawe vpon their consciences And we see by experience◠that a botch or a byle in a mans bodie is as well eased of the corruption that is in it by the pricking of the point of a small needle as by the launcing of a great raser Wherefore if God by his spirit haue wrought in you sorrow for sinne in any small measure though not in as great measure as you desire you haue no cause to complaine and in that you are grieued with a godly sorrow for your sinnes it is a good token of the grace of God in you Timoth. Surely this is a great comfort you giue me God make me thankefull for it And I pray you more plainly shew me the state of your life till this houre that I and all other may take warning by it Euseb. That which may doe good vnto other men I will neuer conceale though it be to my perpetuall shame As I was conceiued and borne in sinne so my parents brought me vp in ignorance and neuer shewed me my shame and miserie by Gods law liued a long time euen as a man in a dead sleepe or trance and in trueth I liued as though there were neither heauen nor hell neither God nor deuil And the deuill himselfe as I nowe perceiue did often perswade my secure conscience that I was the child of god should be saued as well as the best man in the world and I yeelded to his perswasion and did verily thinke it so that when the preacher for wickednes securitie denoūced Gods iudgements and hel fire I haue said vnto my neighbours that I hoped I should be saued and he should goe to hell and when I was asked whether I could keep all the commandements of the law I said that I could and beeing asked whether I neuer sinned I said I thought that otherwhiles I did but for them which were but fewe I hoped God would haue mercie and haue mee excused and all my neighbours were glad of my company they spoke wel of me and I was taken for an honest man when as indeede before God I was a vile beast the child of wrath inspired with the spirit of the deuil continually Wel after I heard the Law preached I saw and remembred many fearfull iudgements of God vpon men whome I in reason thought were as good men as I then I began to consider mine owne estate and to perceiue my sins and my cursednes and vpon a time aboue all other the curse of the lawe made me inwardly afraide and my flesh then began to tremble and quake then I could not sleepe in the night season I was afraid of euery thing If I were in my house I thought the house would fall on my head if abroad I thought euery crannie of the earth would open it selfe wider and swallowe me I started at euery straw and at the moouing of a flie my meat was loathsome vnto me and I thought I was not worthie of so good a creature of God and that God might iustly turne it to my bane the griefe of my heart for my life past made me shed abundance of teares and vpon that I remembred in Dauids Psalms that his teares were his drinke and that he did wet his bed with teares And nowe the deuill changed both his coate and his note and in fearefull manner cryed in my eares that I was a reprobate his childe that none of Gods children were as I am that this griefe of my soule was the beginning of hell And the greater was my paine because I durst not open my minde vnto any for feare they should haue mocked me and haue made a iest of it Wherefore I was faine to goe to a godly learned preacher I shewed mine estate vnto him after I had cōtinued with him the space of two or three daies I receiued comfort both by the promises of mercie which hee shewed me in the booke of God and by his feruent godly and effectuall praiers and I thanke God euer since I haue had some assurance in spite of the deuil that I doe appertaine to the kingdome of heauen and am nowe a member of Iesus Christ and shall so continue for euer Timoth. How know you that God hath forgiuen your sinne Euseb. Because I am a sinner and he is both able and willing to forgiue me Timoth. I grant that he is able to forgiue you but how knowe you that he◠will◠you know your sinnes are very great Euseb. I graunt but Christs passion is far greater and although my sinnes were as red as scarlet and as purple yet they shall be as white as snowe and as soft as wooll Timoth. Oh but you haue sinned very often Euseb. Tell me not I pray you what I haue done but what I will doe Timoth. What will you doe Euseb. By Gods grace it is my full purpose and my earnest prayer to God is hereafter to take better heed and to amend my former life Timoth. Is that enough thinke you Euseb. What lacketh Timoth. The fauour and mercie of God that may cleane forsake you Euseb. Nay that I will neuer grant for I am certainly perswaded of the fauour and mercie of God euen to the saluation of my soule Timoth. Oh shewe me that that is the thing I earnestly desire to be assured of Gods speciall goodnes euen by your experience Euseb. According as God hath giuen me to feele the same so
vpon the land againe then his will was free and he had power to goe whither God sent him and to what God commanded him his owne imagination laid apart for he had beene at a new schoole and in a furnace where he was purged of much refuse drosse of fleshly wisdom which resisted the wisdome of God For as farre as we be blind in Adam we cannot but seeke and will our owne profit pleasure and glorie and as farre as we be taught in the spirit we cannot but seeke and will the pleasure of God onely Then Ionas preached to Niniue and they repented then Ionas shewed again his corrupt nature for all his trying in the Whales bellie He was so displeased because the Niniuites perished not that he was wearie of his life and wished death for very sorrow that he had lost the glorie of his prophecying in that his prophecy came not to passe but he was rebuked of God as in his prophecie you may read The Apostles Christ taught them euer to be meeke and to humble themselues yet oft they striued among themselues who should be greatest the sons of Zebede would fit one on the right hand of Christ the other on the left They would pray that fire might descend from heauen and consume the Samaritans When Christ asked Who say men that I am Peter answered Thou art the sonne of the liuing God as though Peter had bin as perfect as an angel But immediatly after when Christ preached vnto them of his death and passion Peter was angrie and rebuked Christ thought earnestly that he had raued and not wist what he had saide as at another time in which Christ was so feruently busied in healing the people that he had no leasure to eate they went out to hold him supposing that he had bin beside himselfe And one that cast forth diuels in Christs name they forbad because he waited not on them so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgiue yet Peter after long going to schoole asked whether men should forgiue seuen times thinking that eight times had beene too much And at the last supper Peter would haue died with Christ but yet within few houres after he denied him both cowardly and shamefully And after the same manner though he had so long heard that no man must auenge himselfe but rather turne the other cheeke to the smiter againe yet when Christ was in taking Peter asked whether it were lawfull to smite with the sword and taried no answer but laide on rashly So that although we be once reconciled to God yet at the first we be but children and young schollers weake and feeble and must haue leisure to grow in the spirit in knowledge loue and deedes thereof as yong children must haue time to grow in their bodies and so in like manner the sting of the serpeâ—â— is not pulled out at once but the poison of our nature is minished by little and little and cannot before the houre of death be wholly taken away Timoth. I perceiue by your godly discourse the manifold conflicts between the flesh and the spirit and that the flesh is like to a mightie gyant such a one as was Goliah strong lustie stirring enemie to God confederate with the deuill the spirit like to a little child such a one as was little Dauid new borne weake and feeble not alwaies stirring now then what meanes doe you vse to weaken the flesh and strengthen the spirit Euseb. I vse to tame my flesh with praier and fasting watching deedes of mercie holy meditations and reading the Scriptures and in bodily labour and in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrarie to the vices which I finde my bodie most inclined to and with abstaining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit as reading of toyes and wanton bookes seeing of playes and enterludes wanton communication foolish iesting and effeminate thoughts and talking of couetousnesse which Paul forbiddeth Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions If these will not mortifie my flesh then God sendeth me some troubles and so maketh me to grow and waxe perfect and fineth and trieth me as golde in the fire of tentations and tribulations Thus very often he maketh me to take vp my crosse and nayleth my flesh vnto it for the mortifying thereof Marke this if God send thee to the sea and promise to go with thee he wil raise vp a tempest against thee to prooue whether thou wilt abide his word and that thou maist feele thy faith and weaknesse and perceiue his goodnes for if it were alwaies faire weather and thou neuer brought into such ieopardie whence his mercie onely deliuereth thee thy faith should be onely a presumption thou shouldest be euer vnthankfull to God and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour If God promise riches the way thereupon is pouertie whome he loueth him he chasteneth whome he exalteth he casteth downe whome he saueth he first damneth he bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if he promise life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth downe all first he is no patcher he cannot abide another mans foundation he will not worke till all be past remedie and brought to such a case that men may see how that his hand his power his mercie his goodnes his truth hath wrought altogether he will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glorie his works are wonderfull and contrarie to mans workes who euer saue he deliuered his owne son his onely sonne his deere sonne his darling vnto the death and for his enemies to win his enemies to ouercome them with loue that they might see loue and loue again and of loue likewise to doe to other men and to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the sunne and the moone and seuen starres worshipping him neuerthelesse ere that came to passe God laide him where he could see neither sunne nor moone neither any starre of the skie and that many yeares and also vndeserued to nurture him to make him humble and meeke and to teach him Gods waies and to make him apt and meete for the roome and honour againe he came to it that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it well God promised the children of Israel a land with riuers of milke and honie yet he brought them forth the space of fourtie yeares into a land wherein no riuers of milke and honie were but where so mâ—ch as a drop of water was not to nurture and teach them as a father doth his sonne and to doe them good at the latter ende to subdue their cankred nature to make them strong in the spirit to vse his benefits aright Lastly God promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatly stirred vp Saul against him to persecute him and to hunt him as men doe hares with gray-hounds and to ferret him out of euery hole and that for the space of
exhorted him constantly to sticke to the same to play the man nothing doubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him satisfie his desire with plentie of consolation c. The next day when the time came of the martyrdome as he was going to the place and was now come to the sight of the stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feele none suddenly hee was so replenished with the holy Ghost that he cried out clapping with his handes to Austine saying with these wordes Austine he is come he is come c. and that with such ioy and alacritie as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to libertie of life then as one passing out of the world by any paines of death Desertion in sinne is when God withdrawing the assistance of his spirit a man is left to fall into some actuall and grieuous sin And for all this no man is to thinke that God is the author of sin but onely man that falleth Satan A resemblance of this trueth we may see in a staffe which if a man shall take set vpright vpon the ground so long as he holds it with his hand it stands vpright but so soone as he withdrawes his hand though he neuer push it down it falls of it selfe In this desertion was the good king Hezechiah of whom the holy Ghost speaketh thus Hezechiah prospered in all his waies therefore dealing with the Ambassadours of the Princes of Babel which set to him to enquire of the wonder which was done in the land God left him namely to the pride of his heart to exalt himselfe in tempting him that hee might trie out all that was in his heart To this place appertaine Noes drunkennes Dauids adulterie Peter deniall of Christ. The reason of such desertions may be this If a patient shal be grieuously sicke the phisition will vse all manner of meanes that can be deuised to recoâ—er him if he once come to a desperate case the phisition rather then hee will not restore him will imploy all his skill he will take poyson and so temper it and against the nature thereof he will make a soueraigne remedie to recouer health The elect children of God are diseased with an inward hidden and spirituall pride whereby they affect themselues and desire to bee something in themselues forth of Christ and this sinne is very dangerous firstâ— because when other sinnes die in a man this secret pride gets strength for Gods grace is the matter of pride in such wise that a man will be proude because he is not proud for example if any shall be tempted of the deuill to some proud behauiour and by Gods grace get the victorie then the heart thus thinketh Oh thou hast done well thou hast foiled the enemie neither pride nor any other sinne can preuaile against thee such and such could neuer haue done so and a very good man shall hardly be free from such kinde of motions in this life Secondly there is no greater enemie to faith then pride is for it poisoneth the heart and maketh it vncapable of that grace so loÌ„g as it bereth any sway for he that will beleeue in Christ must be annihilated that is he must be bruised and battered to a flat nothing in regard of any liking or affection to himself that he may in spirit mount vp to heauen where Christ sits as the right hand of the father as it were with both the handes of faith graspe him with all his blessed merits that he may be wisdome righteousnes sanctification redemption life good works whatsoeuer good thing he is neither in nor by nor for himself but euery way forth of himself in Christ. Now this blessed coÌ„ditioÌ„ of a beleeuing heart by naturall selfe-loue and self-liking is greatly hindered God therefore in great mercy to remedie this dangerous corruption lets his elect seruantes fall into trouble of mind and conscience if they happily be of greater hardnes of heart into some actuall sinne and so declaring his wonderfull mercie in sauing them he is faine against his mercie to bring them to his mercie by sinne to saue them from sinne By this meanes the Lord who can bring light out of darknes makes a remedie of sinne to slay pride that inuincible monster of many heads which would slay the soule Though this be so yet none must hereupon venter to commit any sinne against Gods commandements least in so doing they cast awaie their soules For the godly man though he fall into sinne yet it is against his purpose and it makes his heart to bleede and the course of his life shall bee alwaies vpright and pleasing vnto God because he is led by the spirit of God The ends for which god vseth desertioÌ„s are three the first is the chastismeÌ„t of sins past in the former part of mans life that he may search them out consider theÌ„ be hartily sorrowfull for theÌ„ for this end was Iobs triall Trou writest saith he bitter things against me makest me to possesse the sins of my youth The second end is that God may make triall of the present estate of his seruants not that he is ignorant what is in man but because hee would haue all men know themselues To this effect saith Moses And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee in the wildernesse for to humble thee and to prooue thee to knowe what was in thine heart whether thou wouldst keepe his coÌ„mandements or no. This also was the end why the Lord left Ezechias to proue and trie what was in his heart This trial by desertion serueth for two purposes for otherwhiles the Lord vseth it for the manifestation of some hidden sin that the godly may be deeplier humbled and craue more earnestly pardon of that and other sins For as the begger is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent and beleeuing heart must alwaies bee exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe ofttimes this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankefull for them and feele an increase of theÌ„ in the heart The good husbandmaÌ„ cuts the branches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy them but to make them beare more fruit In the CaÌ„ticles when Christ left his spouse then shee riseth out of her bed shee opens the doore her hands drop mirrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes calls for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy faâ—e and I was troubled Then cried I to thee O Lord praied to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church beeing for a time left of God
become so impenitent as that they must be giuen vp to Sathan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the daie of the Lord. The third end is the preueÌ„ting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many others had set out Cranmer for the maintenance of his blessed trueth against his and Gods enemies hee left him for a while to fall from his religion and to make a dangerous recantation but so as thereby he preuented many sinnes and prepared him to a glorious martyrdom As some of his own wordes may testifie which he spake a little before his end And now saith hee I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrarie to the trueth which nowe here I renounce as things written with my hand coÌ„trary to the trueth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death and to saue my life c. and for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerablie when he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancy stedfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eies lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthy right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian heartes are to make of these their desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them consider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his own children very vsually and then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be a restoratiue against many a quame swoune of spirit and conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let theÌ„ againe draw neere to God and presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an agne is alwaie creeping to the fire If it be demaunded howe a man should come neere God the answer is by the vse of his worde and praier For by his word he speakes to thee and by praier thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God wil take experience of his seruants let euery man try searcâ— his waies and euer be turning his feete to the waies of Gods commandements let him endeauour to keepe a good conscience before God before all men that so hee may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath bin alwaies in the Lord I shal not slide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart FINIS A CASE OF CONSCIENCE THE GREATEST THAT EVER WAS HOW A MAN MAY KNOW whether he be the child of God or no. Resolued by the word of God Whereunto is added a briefe Discourse taken out of Hier. Zanchius 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue all diligence to make your Election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall Printed for Thomas Man and Iohn Porter 1600. To the godly Reader IN Gods Church commonly they who are touched by the spirit begin to come on in Religion are much troubled with feare that they are not Gods children and none so much as they Therefore they often thinke on this point and are not quiet till they finde some resolution The spirit of God as best knowing the estate of Gods children hath penned two parcels of holy scripture for the full resoluing of this case namely the 15. Psalme and â—he first Epistle of Saint Iohn And for the helping of the simple and vnlearned who desire to bee informed concerning their estate I haue propounded these two parts of scripture in the forme of a Dialogue and haue ioyned thereunto a little discourse concerning the same matter penned in Latin by H. Zanchius a learned Diuine and now englished Vse this labour of mine for thy benefite and comfort the Lord increase the number of them which may reioyce that their names are written in heauen W. Perkins THE FIRST EPISTLE OF IOHN IN forme of a Dialogue The Speakers Iohn Church CHAP. I. Church MAny among vs denie the Godhead and many the manhood of Christ. Iohn That which was from the beginning and therefore true God which we haue heard namely speaking which wee haue seene with these our eies which we haue looked vpon and these hands of ours haue handled of that word not the sounding but the essentiall word of the Father of life liuing of himselfe and giuing life vnto all other Ch. Before you goe any further this word of life is inuisible how then could it bee seene Ioh. Yes for that life was made manifest to wit in the flesh and we I with many others haue seene it and beare witnesse and publish vnto you that eternall life which was with the father eternally before this manifestation and was made manifest vnto vs. Ch. Menander Ebion and Cerinthus hauing beene teachers among vs confidently denie these things which you say and they beare vs in hand that they seeke our good Ioh. That which I will repeat againe for more certainties sake which we haue seene and heard declare we vnto you they ye may haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may bee with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. And these things write we vnto you that your ioy might bee full i. might haue sound consolation in your consciences Ch. Well then lay vs downe some ground wherby we may come to be assured that we haue fellowship one with another and with Christ. Ioh. This then is the message which wee haue heard of him declare vnto you that God is light i. purenesse it selfe and blessednes whereas men and Angels are neither but by participation and in him is no darkenes Ch. Some that make profession among vs continue still in their olde course and conuersation and yet they say they haue fellowship with God Ioh. If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke lead the course of our liues in darkenesse i. ignorance errour impietie wee lie dissemble and doe not truely deale not sincerely Ch. What then is the true marke of one
reputed the child of the deuill Ioh. In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the deuill whosoeuer worketh not righteousnes is not of God neither to giue you a plai◠example he that loueth not his brother For this is the message which ye haue heard from the beginning that we should loue one another Not as Cain he was of that euill one Sathan and slue his brother and wherefore slue he him because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Ch. Yet if we loue those which be our brethren according to the flesh neuer so much they cease not to hate and persecute vs. Ioh. Meruaile not my brethren though this world hate you Ch. If not to loue be a note of the child of the deuil what is the note of gods child Ioh. We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren i. such as be Christians because they are Christians as on the contrarie he that loueth not his brother abideth in death is vnder the state of damnation Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslayer and ye know that no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him Ch. You haue shewed vs fully that loue is a worke of adoption Now shew vs how we may know whether we loue our brethren or not Ioh. Hereby we haue perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therfore we ought carried with the like affection of loue to lay downe our liues for the brethren Ch. Many in speech doe pretend loue but we find not this willing affection and readines to shew loue Ioh. Whosoeuer hath this worlds good wherewith this life is sustained and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his bowels i. hath no compassion because it sheweth it selfe by the rolling of the intralls from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Ch. What other note is there of true loue Ioh. My little children let vs not loue in word nor in tongue onely but in deede and in truth sincerely 1. For thereby we know that we are of the truth sound professours of the gospell of Christ 2. and shall before him appease our hearts in regard of any accusation that our conscience shall lay vnto vs before Gods iudgement seat If our heart condemne vs an euill conscience accuse vs God is greater then our heart namely in iudging of vs and knoweth all things Ch. How may we know that our consciences will not condemne vs Ioh. Beloued if our hearts condemne vs not then haue we boldnes towards God i. to come vnto him by prayer Ch. What other fruits is there of true loue Ioh. Whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we keepe his commādements and doe those things which are pleasant in his sight Ch. What are these commandements Ioh. This then is his commaundement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement Ch. Haue they which keepe these commandements their praiers granted prooue this Ioh. Yes For he that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and he in him Ch. How may we know that God dwelleth in vs and we in him Ioh. Hereby we know that he abideth in vs by that spirit of sanctification whereby we are renued which he hath giuen vs. CHAP. IIII. Ch. TO returne againe to that which was before mentioned shall we beleeue all that say they haue the spirit Ioh. Dearely beloued beleeue not euery spirit i. doctrines which men bragging of the spirit doe teach but trie the spirits whether they be of God for many false prophets are gone out into the world Ch. How may we discerne of spirits Ioh. Hereby shall ye know the spirit of God euery spirit doctrine which confesseth that Iesus Christ the Messias is come in the flesh is made true man this beeing the substance of the Gospel is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whome ye haue heard that he shall come and now already he is in the world Ch. We feare because these false spirits are of great power to perswade and seduce many Ioh. Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you Gods spirit then he that is in the world the spirit of Sathan Ch. But the doctrine of these men is of great account and hath many followers in the world ours hath but few which imbrace it Ioh. They are of this world therefore speake they of this world and this world i. ignorant and vngodly men heareth them We are of God he which knoweth God heareth vs he which is not of god heareth vs not Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour namely by the liking and applause of the world Ch. How may we preserue our selues against these seducers Ioh. Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God by a speciall knowledge whereby they are assured that God the father of Christ is their father Christ their Redeemer the holy Ghost their sanctifier He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue i. wholly bent to shew his loue and compassion to his people For a proofe of this herein was that loue of God made manifest among vs because God sent that his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might liue through him Herein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Ch. What of all this Ioh. Beloued if God so loued vs we ought also one to loue another Ch. How can God manifest his loue to vs he beeing a spirit inuisible Ioh. No man hath seene God at any time neuertheles if we loue one another that is a signe that God dwelleth in vs his loue is perfect in vs i. that loue wherewith he loueth is throughly made manifest towards vs by our loue as the light of the moone shining on vs argueth the light of the Sunne shining vpon the moone of whom as from the fountaine the moone takes her light Ch. How may we know that God dwelleth in vs Ioh. Hereby doe we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit Ch. What other signe haue you of Gods dwelling in vs Ioh. We haue seene and doe testifie that the Father sent that Sonne to be the Sauiour of the world Whosoeuer confesseth in faith and loue that Iesus is the Sonne of God in him dwelleth God and he in God Ch. The deuill will confesse Christ. Ioh. And we which is more haue knowne and beleeued the loue which god hath in vs. Ch. Declare how
admitte an vntrueth As for the measure of grace it can be but small in respect where as we doe receiue but the first fruits of the spirit in this life and must waite for the accomplishment of our redemption till the life to come For all this the power and efficacie of the spirit is such that it is able to preuaile ordinarily against the flesh For the flesh receiues his deadly wound at the first instant of a mans conuersion and continually dieth after by little and little and therefore it fights but as a maymed souldier And the spirit is continually confirmed and increased by the holy Ghost also it is liuely and stirring and the vertue of it is like muske one graine whereof will giue a stronger smell then many ounces of other perfumes Some may say that the godly man doeth more feele the flesh then the spirit and therefore that the flesh is euery waie more then the spirit I answere that we must not measure our estate by feeling which may easily deceiue vs. A man shall feele a paine which is but in the top of his finger more sensibly then the health of his whole bodie yet the health of the bodie is more then then the paine of a finger Secondly wee feele corruption not by corruption but by grace and therfore men the more they feele their inward corruptions the more grace they haue Thus much of the combate it selfe nowe let vs come to the manner of this fight It is fought by Lusting To lust in this place signifies to bring forth and to stirre vp motions and inclinations in the heart either to good or euill Lusting is two-fold the lusting of the flesh and the lusting of the spirit The lusting of the flesh hath two actions the first is to engender euill motions and passions of selfe-loue enuie pride vnbeleefe anger c. Saint Iames â—aith that men are enticed and drawne away by their owne concupiscence Nowe this enticing is onely by the suggestion of bad cogitations and desires This action of the flesh made Paul say that he was carnall sold vnder sinne The second action of the flesh is to hinder and quench and ouerwhelme all the good motions of the spirit Paul found this in himselfe when hee said I see another lawe in my members rebelling against the lawe of the minde and leading me captiue to the lawe of sinne By reason of this action of the flesh the man regenerate is like to one in a slumber troubled with the disease called Ephialtes or the mare who thinkes that he feeles something lying on his breast as heauy as a mountaine and would faine haue it away whereupon hee striues and labours by hands and voice to remooue it but for his life can not doe it On the contrarie the lusting of the spirit containes two other actions The first is to beget good meditations motions inclinations and desires in the minde will and affections Of this Dauid speaketh My reines teach me in the night season that is my minde affection and will and my whole soule beeing sanctified and guided by the spirit of God doe minister vnto me coÌ„sideratioÌ„s of the way in which I ought to walke Isaias prophesying of the church of the newe testament saieth When a man goeth to the right hand or to the left hee shall heare a voice saying Here is the waie walke ye in it Which voice is not onely the outward preaching of the ministers but also the inward voice of the spirit The second action of the spirit is to hinder and suppresse the bad motions and suggestions of the flesh S. Iohn saith he that is borne of God sinneth not because his seede remaineth in him that is grace wrought in the heart by the holy Ghost which resisteth the rebellious desires of the flesh That the manner of this fight may more clearely appeare wee must examine it more particularly In the soule of man there bee to speciall partes the minde and the will In the minde there is a double combate The first is betweene knowledge of the word of God and naturall ignorance or blindnesse For seeing we doe in this life knowe but in part therefore knowledge of the truth must needs be ioyned with ignorance in all that are enlightened and one of these being contrarie to another they striue to ouershadowe and ouercast each other Hence we may learne the cause why excellent diuines doe varie in diuers points of religion and it is because in this combate naturall blindnesse yet remaining preuailes more or lesse Men that are dimme sighted and cannot discerne without spectacles if they be set to discrie a thing a farre off the most of them would be of diuers opinions of it And men inlightned and regenerate in this life doe but see as in a glasse darkely Againe this must teach all students of diuinitie often to suspect themselues in their opinions and defences seeing in them that are of soundest iudgement the light of their vnderstanding is mixed with darkenes of ignoraÌ„ce And they can in many points see but as the maÌ„ in the gospell who when our Sauiour Christ had in part opened his eies saw meÌ„ walking not as meÌ„ but in the forme of trees Also this must teach al that read the scriptures to inuocate cal vpon the name of god that he would enlighten them by his spirit and abolish the mist of naturall blindnesse The Prophet Dauid was worthily inlightned with the knowledge of Gods word so as he excelled the auncient and his owne teachers in wisdome yet beeing priuie to himselfe touching his owne blindnesse often praieth in the Psalmes Inlighten mine eies that I may vnderstand the wonders of thy lawe By reason of this fight when naturall blindnesse preuailes the child of god truely inlightned with knowledge to life euerlasting may erre not onely in lighter points but euen in the verie foundation of religion as the Corinthians and the Galathians did And as one man may erre so an hundred men may also yea a whole particular Church and as one Church may erre so an hundred more may For in respect of this combate the estate and condition of all men is alike Whence it appeares that the Church militant vpon earth is subiect to errour But yet as the diseases of the bodie be of two sortes some curable and some incurable which are to death so likewise errours are And the Church though it be subiect to sundrie falls yet it cannot erre in foundation to death the errours of Gods children be curable Some may here say If all men and Churches be subiect to errour then it shall not be good to ioyne with any of them but to separate from them all I answere though they may and doe erre yet wee must not separate from them so long as they doe not separate from Christ. The second combate in the mind is between faith and vnbeleefe For faith is imperfect and mixt with the contrarie
word of God For Paul saith that they that are the childreÌ„ of god are led by the spirit of Christ. Nowe seeing this is so that if wee would liue eternally wee must begin to liue that blessed and eternall life before we die here we must be carefull to reform two common errors The first is that a man enters into eternall life when hee dies and not before which is a flat vntruth Our Sauiour Christ said to Zacheus This day is saluation come to thy houseâ— giuing vs to vnderstand that a man then begins to be saued when God doeth effectually call him by the ministery of his Gospell Whosoeuer then will bee saued when hee is dying and dead must begin to be saued while he is nowe liuing His saluation must beginne in this life that would come to saluation after this life Verely verely saith Christ he that heareth my word and â—eleeueth in him that sent me hath eternall life namly in this present life The second error is that howsoeuer a man liue if when he is dying he can lift vp his eies and say Lord haue mercie vpon me hee is certainly saued Behold a verie dangerous and foolish conceit that deceiues many a man It is all one as if an arrant theife should thus reason with himselfe and say I will spend my daies in robbing and stealing I feare neither arraignment nor exequution For at the verie time when I am to bee turned off the ladder if I doe but call vpon the iudge I knowe I shall haue my pardon Behold a most dangerous and desperate course the verie same is the practise of carelesse men in the matter of their saluation For a man may diâ— with Lord haue mercie in his mouth and perish eternally except in this world he enter into the first degree of eternall life For not euerie one that sayeth Lord Lord shall enter into heauen but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen The fourth dutie is to exercise and inure our selues in dying by little little so long as we liue here vpon earth before we come to die indeede And as men that are appointed to runne a race exercise themselues in running that they may get the victorie so should we begin to die now while we are liuing that we might die well in the end But some may say how should this be done Paul giues vs direction in his owne example when he saith by the reioycing which I haue in Christ I die daily And he died daily not onely because hee was often in danger of death by reason of his calling but also because in al his dangers and troubles he inured himselfe to die For when men do make the right vse of their afflictions whether they bee in bodie or minde or both and doe with all their might endeauour to beare them patiently humbling themselues as vnder the correction of God then they begin to die well And to doe this indeede is to take an excellent course He that would mortifie his greatest sins must begin to doe it with small sinnes which when they are once reformed a man shall be able more easily to ouercome his master-sinnes So likewise he that would be able to beare the crosse of all crosses namely death it selfe must first of all learne to beare small crosses as sicknesses in bodie and troubles in minde with losses of goods and of friendes and of good name which I may fitly tearme little deaths and the beginnings of death it selfe and we must first of all acquaint our selues with these little deaths before we can wel be able to beare the great death of al. Againe the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the harbingers and puruiers of death and we are first to learne how to entertaine these messengers that when death the lord himselfe shall come we may in better manner entertaine him This point Bilney the martyr well considered who oftentimes before hee was burned put his finger into the flame of the candle not onely to make triall of his abilitie in suffering but also to arme and strengthen himselfe against greater torments in death Thus ye see the fourth dutie which ye must in any wise learne and remember because wee cannot be able to beare the pangs of death well vnles we bee first well schooled and nurtered by sundrie trials in this life The fifth and last dutie is set down by Salomon All that thine hand shall find to doe doe it with all thy power And marke the reason For there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisdome in the graue whither thou goest To the same purpose Paul saith Doe good to all men while ye haue time Therefore if any man be able to doe any good seruice either to Gods church or to the common wealth or to any priuate man let him doe it with all speede and with all might least death it selfe preuent him He that hath care thus to spende his daies shall with much comfort and peace of conscience ende his life Thus much of generall preparation Now followeth the particular which is in the time of sicknes And here first of all I will shew what is the doctrine of the Papists and then afterward the truth By the popish order and practise when a man is about to die he is inioyned three things First to make sacramentall confession specially if it be in any mortall sinne secondly to receiue the Eucharist thirdly to require his annoyling that is the sacrament as they call it of extreame vnction Sacramentall confession they tearme a rehearsall or enumeration of all mans sinnes to a priest that he may receiue absolution But against this kinde of confession sundrie reasons may be alleadged First of all it hath no warrant either by commandement or example in the whole word of God They say yes and they indeauour to prooue it thus He which lies in any mortall sinne is by Gods law bound to doe penance and to seeke reconciliation with God now the necessarie meanes after baptisme to obtaine reconciliation is the confession of all our sinnes to a priest Because Christ hath appointed priests to be iudges vpon earth with such measure of authoritie that no man falling after baptisme can without their sentence and determination be reconciled and they can not rightly iudge vnlesse they know all a mans sinnes therefore all that fall after baptisme are bound by Gods word to open all their sinnes to a priest Ans. It is false which they say that priests are iudges hauing power to examine and take knowledge of mens sinnes and iurisdiction whereby they can properly absolue pardon or retaine them For Gods word hath giuen no more to man but a ministerie of reconciliation whereby in the name of God and according to his word he doth preach declare and pronounce that God doth pardon or not pardon his sinnes Againe pardon may truly be pronounced
followed of all though it may be the applying of it as Iob well perceiued is mixed with follie Here it may be alleadged that in the pangs of death men want their senses and conuenient vtterance and that therefore they are vnable to pray Ans. The very sighes sobbes and gâ—ones of a repentant and beleeuing heart are praiers before God euen as effectuall as if they were vttered by the best voice in the world Prayer stands in the affection of the heart the voice is but an outward messenger therof God looks not vpon the speach but vpon the heart Dauid saith God heares the desires of the poore againe that he will fulfill the desires of theÌ„ that feare him yea their very teares are loud and sounding praiers in his eares Againe faith may otherwise be expressed by the Last words which for the most part in theÌ„ that haue truly serued God are very excellent coÌ„fortable and full of grace some choise examples whereof I will rehearse for instructions sake and for imitation The last wordes of Iacob were those whereby as a prophet he foretold blessings and curses vpon his children and the principall among the rest were these The scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the lawgiuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come and O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation The last words of Moses are his most excellent song set downe Deut. 32. and the last words of Dauid were these The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake to me the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer men c. The wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoida when he was stoned were The Lord looke vpon it and require it The last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse are most admirable and stored with abundance of spirituall grace 1. To his father he saith Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the thiefe Verily I say vnto thee this night shalt thou be with me in Paradise 3. to his mother Mother behold thy son to Iohn behold thy mother 4. and in his agonie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5. and earnestly desiring our saluation I thirst 6. and when he had made perfect satisfaction It is finished 7. and when bodie and soule were parting Father into thy hands I commend my spirit The last words of Steuen were 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinâ—e to their charge Of Polycarpe Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine onely beloued sonne by whome and with whome to thee and the holy Spirit be all glorie now and for euer Of Ignatius I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord and must be ground with the teeth of lyons that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me Of Ambrose I haue not so led my life amoÌ„g you as if I were ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Of Augustine 1. He is no great maÌ„ that thinks it a great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou O Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Of Bernard 1. An admonitioÌ„ to his brethren that they would ground the anchor of their faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie 2. Because saith he as I suppose I can not leaue vnto you any choise example of religion I commend three things to be imitated of you which I remember that I haue obserued in the race which I haue runne as much as possibly I could 1. I gaue lâ—sse heede to mine owne sense and reason then to the sense and reason of other men 2. When I was hurt I sought not reuenge on him that did the hurt 3. I had care to giue offence to no man and if it fell out otherwise I tooke it away as I could Of Zuinglius when in the fielde he was wounded vnder the chinne with a speare O what happe is this goe to they may kill my bodie but my soule they cannot Of Oecolampadius 1. An exhortation to the ministers of the Church to maintaine the puritie of doctrine to shewe forth an example of honest and godly conuersation to bee constant and patient vnder the crosse 2. Of himselfe Whereas I am charged to bee a corrupter of the trueth I weigh it not now I am going to the tribunall of Christ and that with good conscience by the grace of god there it shall be manifest that I haue not seduced the Church Of this my saying and contestation I leaue you as witnesses and I confirme it with this my last breath 3. To his children loue God the father and turning himselfe to his kinsfolkes I haue bound you saith he with this contestation you which they heare and I haue desired shall doe your indeauour that these my childreÌ„ may be godly and peaceable and true 4. To his friend comming vnto him What shall I say vnto you Newes I shal be shortly with Christ my Lord. 5. being asked whether the light did not trouble him touching his breast there is light enough saith hee 6. he rehearsed the whole 51. psalme with deepe sighes from the bottome of his breast 7. a little after Saue me Lord Iesus Of Luther My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thankâ—s that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishoppe of Rome and the whole companie of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I praie thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I bee taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to he laid downe yet I knowe certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Of Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me receiue my soule Of Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord least I forsake thee Of MelaÌ„cthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure Of Caluine 1. I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it 2. I mourned as a doue 3. Lord thou grindest me to powder but 〈◊〉 sufficeth me because it is thine hand Of Peter Martyr that his bodie was weake but his mind was well that he acknowledged no life or saluation but onely in Christ who was giuen of the father to be a redeemer of mankind and
when hee had confirmed this by testimonie of Scripturâ— he added This is my faith in which I will die and God will destroy them that teach otherwise This done he shooke hands with all and said Farewell my brethren and deare friends It were easie to quote more examples but these few may be in stead of many and the summe of all that godly men speake is this Some inlightened with a propheticall spirit foretell things to come as the Patriarkes Iacob and Ioseph did and there haue bin some which by name haue testified who should verie shortly come after them and who should remaine aliue and what should be their condition some haue shewed a wonderfull memorie of things past as of their former life and of the benefits of God and no doubt it was giuen them to stirre vp holy affections and thanksgiuing to God some againe rightly iudging of the change of their present estate for a better doe reioyce exceedingly that they must be translated from earth to paradise as Babylas Martyr of Antioch when his head was to be chopped off Returne saith he O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eies from teares and my foote from falling I shall walke before thee Iehoua in the land of the liuing And some others speake of the vanitie of this life of the imagination of the sorrowes of death of the beginnings of eternall life of the comfort of the holy Ghost which they feele of their departure vnto Christ. Quest. What must we thinke if in the time of death such speeches be wanting and in the stead thereof idle talke be vsed Ans. Wee must consider the kind of sicknes whereof men die whether it be more easie or violent for violent sicknes is vsually accompanied with frensies and with vnseemely motions and gestures which wee are to take in good part euen in this regard because we our selues may be in the like case Thus much of the first dutie which is to die in faith the second is to die in obedience otherwise our death cannot bee aceeptable to God because wee seeme to come vnto God of feare and constraint as slaues to a master not of loue as children to a father Nowe to die in obedience is when a man willing and readie and desirous to goe out of this worlde whensoeuer God shall call him and that without murmuring or repining at what time where and wheÌ„ it shall please god Whether we liue or die saith Paul we do it not to our selues but vnto God and therefore mans dutie is to bee obedient to God in death as in life Christ is our example in this case who in his agonie praied Father let this cup passe from me yet with a submission not my will but thy will be done teaching vs in the very pangs of death to resigne our selues to the good pleasure of God When the prophet told king Ezechiah of death presently without all manner of grudging or repining he addressed himselfe to praier We are commanded to present our selues vnto God as free-will offerings without any limitation of time and therefore as well in death as in life I conclude then that we are to make as much conscience in performing obedience to God in suffering death as we do of any coÌ„scieÌ„ce in the course of our liues The third dutie is to render vp our soules into the handes of God as the most faithfull keeper of all This is the last dutie of a Christian and it is prescribed vnto vs in the example of Christ vpon the crosse who in the very pangs of death when the dissolution of bodie and soule drew on said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and so gaue vp the ghost The like was done by Steuen who when he was stoned to death said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And Dauid in his life time being in danger of death vsed the very same words that Christ vttered Thus we see what be the duties which we are to performe in the very paÌ„gs of death that we may come to eternall life Some man will happily say if this be all to die in faith and obedience and to surrender our soules into Gods haÌ„d we will not greatly care for any preparation before hand nor trouble our selues much about the right manner of dying well for we doubt not but that when death shall come we shall be able to perform all the former duties with ease Ans. Let no man deceiue himselfe by any false perswasion thinking with himselfe that the practise of the foresaid duties is a matter of ease for ordinarily they are not neither can they be performed in death vnles there bee much preparation in the life before Hee that will die in faith must first of all liue by faith and there is but one example in all the bible of a man dying in faith that liued without faith namely the theife vpon the crosse The seruants of God that are endued with great measure of grace doe very hardly beleeue in the time of affliction Indeede when Iob was afflicted he said Though the Lord kill me yet will I trust in him yet afterward his faith being ouercast with a cloud he saith that God was become his enemie and that he had set him as a marke to shoot at and sundry times his faith was oppressed with doubting and distrust How then shall they that neuer liued by faith nor inured themselues to beleeue bee able in the pang of death to rest vpon the mercie of God Againe hee that would die in obedience must first of all lead his life in obedience he that hath liued in disobedience can not willingly and in obedience appeare before the iudge when he is cited by death the sergeant of the Lord he dies indeede but that is vpon necesâ—itie because hee must yeelde to the order and course of nature as other creatures do Thirdly he that would surrender his soule into the hands of God must be resolued of two things the one is that God can the other is that God will receiue his soule into heauen and there preserue it till the last iudgement And none can be resolued of this except he haue the spirit of God to certifie his conscience that hee is redeemed iustified sanctified by Christ and shall be glorified He that is not thus perswaded dare not render vp and present his soule vnto God When Dauid said Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit what was the reason of this boldnesse in him surely nothing els but the perswasion of faith as the next words import for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of trueth And thus it is manifest that no man ordinarily can performe these duties dying that hath not performed them liuing This beeing so I doe againe renewe my former exhortation beseeching you that ye would practise the duties of preparatioÌ„ in the course of your liues leading
offering saith he thou wouldest not but eares thou hast pierced vnto men then said loe I come I desire to doe thy will O God yea thy lawe is within my heart Psal. 40. 7. The second is conformitie in the crosse two waies For first as he bare his own crosse to the place of exequution so must we as good disciples of Christ denie our selues take vp all the crosses and afflictions that the hand of God shall lay vpon vs. Againe we must become like vnto him in the crucifying and mortifying the masse and bodie of sinne which wee carrie about vs Gal. 5.24 They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Wee must doe as the Iewes did wee must set vp the crosses and gybbets whereon we are to fasten and hang this flesh of ours that is the sinne and corruption that cleaues and stickes vnto vs and by the sword of the spirit wound it euen to death This beeing done wee must yet goe further and labour by experience to see and feele the very death of it and to lay it as it were in a graue neuer to rise againe and therefore we should daiely cast newe moulds vpon it The third is a spirituall resurrection whereby we should by Gods grace vse meanes that we may euery daie more and more come out of our sinnes as out of a loathfome graue to liue vnto God in newenes of life as Christ rose from his graue And because it is an hard matter for a man to come out of the graue or rather dungeon of his sinnes this worke can not be done at once but by degrees as God shall giue grace Considering we lie by nature dead in our sinnes and stinke in them as loathsome carrion first wee must begin to stirre our selues as a man that comes out of a swowne awakened by the worde and voice of Christ founding in our deafe eares secondly we must raise vp our mindes to a better state and condition as we vse to raise vp our bodies after this we must put out of the graue first one hand then the other This done we must doe our indeauour as it were vpon our knees at the least to put one foote out of this sepulchre of sinne the rather when wee see our selues to haue one foote of the bodie in the graue of the earth that in the day of iudgement we may be wholly deliuered from all bonds of corruption The fourth part is a spirituall ascention into heauen by a continuall eleuation of the heart and mind to Christ sitting at the right hand of the father as Paul saith Haue your conuersation in heauen and If ye be risenwith Christ seekè things that are aboue Conformitie in morall duties is either generall or speciall Generall is to be holy as he is holy Rom. 8.29 Those whome he knewe before he hath predestinate to be like the image of his sonne that is not only in the crosse but also in holines and glorie 1. Ioh. 3. He which hath this hope purifieth himself euen as he is pure Speciall conformitie is chiefly in foure vertues Faith Loue Meekenes Humilitie We must be like him in faith For as he when he apprehended the wrath of God and the very pangs of hell were vpon him wholly staied himselfe vpon the ayde helpe protection and good pleasure of his father euen to the last so must we by a true liuely faith depend wholly on Gods mercie in Christ as it were with both our hands in peace in trouble in life in the very pang of death and we must not in any wise let our hold goe no though we should feele our selues descend to hell We must be like him in meekenesse Matth. 11. v. 28. Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly His meekenesse shewed it selfe in the patient bearing of all iniuries and abuses offered by the hands of sinnefull and wretched men and in the suffering of the curse of the law without grudging or repining and with submission to his fathers will in all things Now the more we follow him herein the more shall we be conformable to him in his death and passion Philip 3. 10. Thirdly he must be our example in Loue he loued his enemies more then himselfe Eph. 5.4 Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God The like loue ought we to shew by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings and by beeing all things to all men as Paul was that we might doe them all the good we can both for bodie and soule 1. Cor. 9.19 Lastly we must follow Christ in humilitie whereof he is a wonderfull spectacle in that beeing God he became man for vs of a man became a worme that is troden vnder foote that he might saue man Phil. 2.5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ who beeing in the forme of God humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse And here we must obserue that the example of Christ hath something more in it then any other example hath or can haue for it doth not onely shew vs what we ought to doe as the examples of other men doe but it is a remedie against many vices and a motiue to many good duties First of all the serious consideration of this that the very sonne of God himselfe suffered all the paines and torments of hell on the crosse for our sinnes is the proper most effectuall meanes to stirre vp our hearts to a godly sorrow for them And that this thing may come to passe euery man must be setled without doubt that he was the man that crucified Christ that he is to be blamed as well as Iudas Herod Pontius Pilate and the Iewes and that his sinnes should be the nailes the speares and the thornes that pearced him When this meditation beginnes to take place bitternesse of spirit with wayling and mourning takes place in like manner Zach. 12. 10. And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pearced and they shall lamem for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne Peter in his first sermon strooke the Iewes as with a thunder clappe from heauen when he said vnto them Ye haue crucified the Lord of glorie so as the same time three thousand men were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued Againe if Christ for our sinnes shedde his heart blood and if our sinnes mad◠him sweat water and blood oh then why should not we our selues shedde bitter teares why would not our hearts bleede for thē He that findes himselfe so dull aud hardened that the passion of Christ doeth not humble him is in a lamentable case for there is no faith in the death of Christ effectuall in him as yet Secondly the meditation of the passion of Christ is a
thou and the rest deserued rather to be swallowed of the earth and to goe downe into the pit aliue then to haue any part in the merit of Christ crucified When thou readest of his buriall thinke that it was to ratifie his death and to vanquish death euen in his owne denne Applie this buriall to thy selfe and beleeue that it serues to make thy graue a bedde of doune and to free thy bodie from corruption Lastly pray to God that thou maist feele the power of the spirit of Christ weakning and consuming the bodie of sinne euen as a dead corps rottes in the graue till it be resolued to dust When thou hast thus perused and applied to thy selfe the historie of the Passion of Christ goe yet further and labour by faith to see Christ crucified in all the workes of God either in thee or vpon thee Behold him at thy table in meate and drinke which is as it were a liuely sermon and a daily pledge of the mercie of God in Christ. Behold him in all thine afflictions as thy partner that pitieth thy case and hath compassion on thee Behold him in thy most dangerous temptations in which the deuil thundreth damnation behold him I say as a mightie Sampson bearing away the gates of his enemies vpon his owne shoulders and killing more by death then by life crucifying the deuill euen then when he is crucified by death killing death by entrance into the graue opening the graue and giuing life to the dead and in the house of death spoiling him of all his strength and power Behold him in all the afflictions of thy brethren as though he himselfe were naked hungrie sicke harbourles and do vnto them all the good thou canst as to Christ himselfe If thou wouldest behold God himselfe looke vpon him in Christ crucified who is the ingrauen image of the fathers person and know it to be a terrible thing in the time of the trouble of thy conscience to thinke of God without Christ in whose face the glorie of God in his endlesse mercie is to be seene 2. Cor. 4.6 If thou wouldest come to God for grace for comfort for saluation for any blessing come first to Christ hanging bleeding dying vpon the crosse without whome there is no hearing God no helping God no sauing God no God to thee at all In a word let Christ be all things without exception vnto thee Coloss. 3. 11. for when thou praiest for any blessing either temporall or spirituall be it whatsoeuer it will be or can be thou must aske it at the hands of God the father by the merit and mediation of Christ crucified now looke as we aske blessings at Gods hand so must we receiue them of him and as they are receiued so must we possesse and vse them daily namely as gifts of God procured to vs by the merit of Christ which gifts for this very cause must be wholly imploied to the honour of Christ. FINIS A DISCOVRSE OF Conscience Wherein is set downe the nature properties and differences thereof as also the way to Get and keepe good Conscience The second Edition PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT PRINTER to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. The Contents Chap. 1. What Conscience is 2. The actions or duties of conscience Where this point is handled How any thing is said to bind conscience 3. The kindes and differences of conscience Where is handled Libertie of conscience and the question disputed whether a man may in conscience be vnfallibly certen of his saluation 4. Mans dutie touching conscience which is to get and to keepe it TO THE RIGHT HONOVABLE SIR WILLIam Piryam Knight Lord chiefe Baron of her Maiesties Exchequer Grace and peace RIght Honourable it can not be vnknowne to your selfe or to any man of a daies experience that it is thought a smal matter to commit a sinne or to lie in sinnes against a mansâ— owne conscience For many when they are told of their dutie in this point replie and say What tell you me of Conscience Conscience was hanged long agoe But vnlesse they take better heede and preuent the danger by repentance Hanged conscience will reuiue and become both gibbet hangman to them either in this life or the life to come For Conscience is appointed of God to declare and put in execution his iust iudgement against sinners and as God cannot possibly be ouercome of man so neither can the iudgement of Conscience beeing the iudgement of God be wholly extinguished Indeede Satan for his part goes about by all meanes he can to benumme the conscience but all is nothing For as the sicke man when he seemes to sleepe and take his rest is inwardly full of troubles so the benummed and arousie conscience wants not his secret pangs and terrours and when it shall be roused by the iudgement of God it waxeth cruell and fierce like a wild beast Againe when a man sinnes against his conscience as much as in him lieth he plungeth himselfe into the gulfe of desperation for euery wound of the conscience though the smart of it be little felt is a deadly wound and he that goes on to sinne against his conscience stabbes and woundes it often in the same place and all renewed woundes as we know are hardly or neuer cured Thirdly he that lieth in sinnes against his conscience can not call vpon the name of God for guiltie conscience makes a man flie from God And Christ saith God heareth not sinners vnderstanding by sinners such as goe on in their owne waies against conscience and what can be more dolefull then to be barred of the inuocation of Gods name Lastly such persons after the last iudgement shall haue not onely their bodies in torment but the worme in the soule and conscience shal neuer die and what will it profit a man to gaine the whole world by doing things against his owne conscience and loose his owne soule Now that â—â—en on this manner carelesse touching conscience may see their foâ—lie and the great danger thereof and come to amendment I haue penned this small treatise and according to the auncient and laudable custome as also according to my long intended purpose I now dedicate and present the same to your Lordship The reasons which haue imboldened me to this enterprise all by-respects excluded are these Generall doctrine in points of religion is darke and obscure and very hardly practised without the light of particular examples and therefore the doctrine of conscience by due right pertaines to a man of conscience such an one as your Lordship is who others of like place not excepted haue obtained this mercie at Gods hand to keepe faith and good conscience Againe considering that iustice and conscience haue alwaies bin friends I am induced to thinke that your Lordship beeing publikely set apart for the execution and maintenance of ciuill iustice will approoue and accept a Treatise propounding rules and prâ—cepts of conscience Thus therefore crauing pardon for my boldnes and
kept vncerten till the time to come are thrust into the text by head shoulders and Hierome hath them not Secondly I answere that the holy Ghost doth not deny simplie the knowledge of gods loue or hatred as though there could be no certaine assurance of it in this life If wee vnderstand the wordes thus then the argument of the holy Ghost must be framed on this manner If loue or hatred were to bee knowne then it must be knowne by the outward blessings of God but it cannot be knowne by the outward blessings of God for all things come alike to all therefore loue and hatred cannot be known The proposition is false For loue may bee knowne other waies then by outward benefits and therefore the reason is not meete to be ascribed to the spirit of trueth Wherefore the true and proper sense of the wordes is that loue or hatred can not be iudged or discerned by outward blessings of God Saint Bernard speakes of this text on this manner that no man knowes loue or hatred namely by him yet that God giues most certaine testimonies thereof to men vpon earth And serm 5. de Dediâ— his words are these Who knowes if he be worthie loue or hatred who knowes the mind of the Lord Here both faith and truth must needes helpe vs that that which is hidden in the heart of the father may be reuealed vnto vs by the spirit and his spirit giuing testimony perswades our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and this perswasion is caused by his calling and iustifying vs freely by faith And S. Hierome though commonly abused to the contrarie saith no more but that men cannot knowe loue or hatred by the present afflictions which they suffer because they know not whether they suffer them for triall or punishment Obiect 3.1 Cor. 4. I iudge not my selfe I know nothing by my selfe Here Paul as not being priuie to his owne estate reâ—useth to giue any iudgement of his righteousnes Ans. It is manifest by the wordes of this epistle that certaine in Corinth boldly more then wisely censured the Apostles ministerie and withall disgraced it in respect of the ministerie of other teachers Therefore Paul in this chapter goes about to make an Apologie for himselfe speaking nothing of his owne person and the estate thereof before God but onely of his ministerie and the excellency thereof And this is the iudgement of Theodoret Aquinas Lira vpon this text And when he saith I iudge not my selfe his meaning is I take not vpon me to iudge of what value and price my ministerie is before God in respect of the ministerie of this or that man but I leaue al to God Here then Paul refuseth onely to giue iudgement of the excellencie of his owne ministerie and in other causes he refuseth not to iudge himselfe as when he said I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the saith hence sorth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shal giue me 2. Tim. 4.8 And Chrysostome on this place saith that Paul refused to iudge himselfe not simply but onely for this ende that he might restraine others and teach them modestie And where Paul saith I knowe nothing by my selfe the speech is not generall but must bee vnderstood of the negligences and offences in the compasse of his ministerie For hee was priuie to himselfe that in simplicitie and godly purenes hee had his conuersation in the worlde 2. Cor. 1.12 and he knew this by himselfe that nothing should seuer him froÌ„ the loue of God in Christ. Rom. 8.38 Obiect 4. That we may be iustified there is somewhat required in vs namely faith and repentnnce and where these are wanting a man cannot be iustified Now no man can be certen by the certaintie of faith that he repents of his sinnes with all his heart and that he hath such a faith as God requires at our hands considering there is no testimonie in the word of our faith and repentance in particular Therefore no man can be certaine by certaintie of faith that his sinnes are pardoned Ans. It is not necessarie that any man should bee certaine by faith of his faith repentance because faith is only of such things as are present whereas faith and repentance are truely preâ—ent in all that truely beleeue and repent it shall be sufficient if a man may any way be vnfallibly certaine that he hath them And though some men falsly perswade themselues that they beleeue yet he that hath true faith indeede knowes that he hath true faith euen as certainly as he that vnderstands that hee vnderstands Paul saith to the Corinthians Prooue your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no 2.13.5 hereby giuing them to vnderstand that all which beleeue haue the spirit of discerning to know certainely that they doe beleeue Againe he saith of himselfe 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe whome I haue beleeued And S. Iohn saith 1. epist. 3. 24. By this we knowe that he dwels in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs making no question of it but that he which hath the spirit knowes that hee hath the same And testimonies of men are not wanting in this case August Euery one seeth faith to be in his owne heart if hee beleeue if not he seeth it to be wanting Againe A beleeuer seeth his owne faith by which hee answereth that hee beleeueth without doubt and Hee which loueth his brother more knoweth the loue whereby he loueth then his brother whome hee loueth Againe whereas it is said that hauing faith yet we know not whether it be sufficient or no I answer that faith beeing without hypocrisie is sufficient to saluation though it be vnperfect God more respects the trueth of our faith then the perfection thereof And as the hand of the child or of the palsie man though it be feeble is able to reach out it selfe and receiue an almes of a Prince so the faith that is but weake is able to apprehend and receiue Christ with all his benefits Obiect 5. Prov. 28. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Phil. 2. Worke your saluation with feare and trembling Ans. There is threefold feare one of nature the second of grace the third of distrust Feare of nature is that wherby the nature of man is troubled with any thing that is hurtfull vnto it and therefore auoideth it Feare of grace is that excellent gift which is called the beginning of wisdome and it is a certaine awe or reuerence vnto God in whose presence we doe whatsoeuer wee doe Feare of distrust is when men tremble at the iudgements of God for their sinnes because they haue no hope of mercie Of these three the first was good by creation therefore it was in our Sauiour Christ but since the fall it is defectiue The third is a vice called slauish feare And the second is that which is commanded in these and
this absurd conceit that they are not in danger of the wrath of God though they offend And the opinion of our common people is hereunto answerable who thinke that if they haue a good meaning and doe no man hurt God will haue them excused both in this life and in the day of iudgement The third is a iust and serious examination of the conscience by the law that we may see what is our estáte before God And this is a dutie vpon which the Prophets stand very much Lam. 3.40 Man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and trie our hearts and turne againe to the Lord. Zeph. 2. 1. Fanne your selues fanne you O nation not worthie to be beloued In making examination we must specially take notice of that which doth now lie or may hereafter lie vpon the conscience And after due examination hath beene made a man comes to a knowledge of his sinnes in particular and of his wretched and miserable estate When one enters into his house at midnight he findes or sees nothing out of order but let him come in the day time when the sunne shineth and he shall then espie many faults in the house and the very motes that flie vp and downe so let a man search his heart in the ignorance and blindnesse of his minde he will straightway thinke all is well but let him once begin to search himselfe with the light and lanterne of the law and he shall finde many foule corners in his heart and heapes of sinnes in his life The fourth is a sorrow in respect of the punishment of sinne arising of the three former actions And though this sorrow be no grace for it befals as well the wicked as the godly yet may it be an occasion of grace because by the apprehension of Gods anger we come to the apprehensioÌ„ of his mercie And it is better that conscience should grieue wound vs do his worst against vs in this life while remedie may be had then after this life when remedy is past Thus much of preparation now follows the remedie and the application of it The remedie is nothing else but the blood or the merits of Christ who specially in conscience felt the wrath of God as when he said My soule is heauie vnto death and his agonie was not so much a paine and torment in bodie as the apprehension of the feare and anger of God in conscience and when the holy Ghost saith That he offered vnto God praiers with strong cries and was heard from feare he directly notes the distresse and anguish of his most holy conscience for our sinnes And as the blood of Christ is an all-sufficient remedie so is it also the alone remedie of all the sores and wounds of conscience For nothing can stanch or stay the terrrours of conscience but the blood of the immaculate lambe of God nothing can satisfie the iudgement of the conscience much lesse the most seuere iudgement of God but the onely satisfaction of Christ. In the application of the remedie two things are required the Gospell preached and faith the Gospell is the hand of God that offereth grace to vs and faith is our hand whereby we receiue it That we indeede by faith receiue Christ with all his benefits we must put in practise two lessons The first is vnfainedly to humble our selues before God for all our wants breaches and wounds in conscience which beeing vnto vs a paradise of God by our default we haue made as it were a little hell within vs. This humiliation is the beginning of all grace and religion pride and good conscience can neuer goe togither And such as haue knowledge in religion and many other good gifts without humiliation are but vnbridled vnmortified and vnreformed peâ—sons This humiliation containes in it two duties the first is confession of our sinnes especially of those that he vpon our consciences wherewith must be ioyned the accusing and condemning of our selues for then we put conscience out of office and dispatch that labour before our God in this life which conscience would performe to our eternall damnation after this life The second dutie is Deprecation which is a kind of praier made with groanes and desires of heart in which we intreat for nothing but for pardon of our sinnes and that for Christs sake til such time as the conscience be pacified To this humiliation standing on these two parts excellent promises of grace and life euerlasting are made Prou. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie 1. Ioh. 1.6 If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Luk. 1.35 He hath fiâ—led the hungrie with good things and sent the rich emptie away Which are also verified by experience in sundrie examples â— Sam. 12.13 Dauid said to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to Dauid The Lord also hath put away thy sinne 2. Chr. 33.43 When Manasses was in tribulation he praied to the Lord his God and huÌ„bled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and God heard his praier Luk. 23.43 And the thiefe said to Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest to thy kingdome Then Iesus said vnto him Verely I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise By these and many other places it appeares that when a man doth truly humble himselfe before God he is at that instant reconciled to God and hath the pardon of his sinnes in heauen and shall afterward haue the assurance thereof in his owne conscience The second lesson is when we are touched in conscience for our sinnes not to yeeld to naturall doubtings and distrust but to resist the same and to indeauour by Gods grace to resolue our selues that the promises of saluation by Christ belong to vs particularly because to doe thus much is the very commandement of God The third thing is the reformation of conscience which is when it doth cease to accuse and terrifie and begins to excuse and testifie vnto vs by the holy Ghost that we are the children of God and haue the pardon of our sinnes And this it will doe after that men haue seriously humbled themselues and praied earnestly and constantly with sighes and grones of spirit for reconciliation with God in Christ. For then the Lord will send downe his spirit into the conscience by a sweete and heauenly testimonie to assure vs that we are at peace with God Thus we see how good conscience is gotten and because it is so pretious a iewell I wish all persons that as yet neuer laboured to get good conscience now to begin Reasons to induce men thereto may be these I. you seeke daie and night from yere to yere for honours riches and pleasures which ye must leaue behind you much more therefore ought you to seeke for renewed
report and relation of the miracles done in the land of Egypt whereby she was mooued to ioyne hir selfe vnto the people of God and to beleeue as they did By these examples then it is manifest that in the very seruants of God there is and may be for a time an implicite faith For the better vnderstanding of this point it is to be considered that faith may be infolded two waies fiâ—st in respect of knowledge of things to be beleeued secondly in respect of the apprehension of the obiect of faith namely Christ and his benefits Now faith is infolded in respect of knowledge when as sundrie things that are necessarie to saluation are not as yet distinctly knowne Though Christ commended the faith of his disciples for such a faith against which the gates of hell should not preuaile yet was it vnexpressed or wrapped vp in regard of sundrie points of religion for first of all Peter that made confession of Christ in the name of the rest was at that time ignorant of the particular meanes whereby his redemption should be wrought For after this he went about to disswade his master from the suffering of death at Ierusalem whereupon Christ sharply rebuked him saying Come behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me Againe they were all ignorant of Christs resurrection till certaine women who first saw him after he was risen againe had told them and they by experience in the person of Christ had learned the truth Thirdly they were ignorant of the ascension for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome at the very time wheÌ„ he was about to ascend saying Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israelâ— Act. 1.6 And after Christs ascension Peter knew nothing of the breaking downe of the partition wall betweene the Iewes and Gentiles till God had better schooled him in a vision Act. 10.14 And no doubt we haue ordinarie examples of this Implicit faith in sundrie persons among vs. For some there be which are dull and hard both for vnderstanding and memorie and thereupon make no such proceedings in knowledge as many others doe and yet for good affection and conscience in their doings so farre as they know they come not short of any hauing withall a continuall care to increase in knowledge and to walke in obedience according to that which they know And such persons though they be ignorant in many things yet haue they a meaning of true faith and that which is wanting in knowledge is supplied in affection and in some respects they are to be preferred before many that haue the glibbe tongue and the braine swimming with knowledge To this purpose Melancthon said well We must acknowledge the great mercie of God who puts a difference betweene sinnes of ignorance and such as are done wittingly and forgiues manifold ignorances to them that know but the foundation and be teachable as may be seene by the Apostles in whome there was much want of vnderstanding before the resurrection of Christ. But as hath bin saide he requires that we be teachable and he will not haue vs to be hardned in our sluggishnesse and dulnesse As it is saide psal 1. he meditateth in his law day and night The second kind of implicite faith is in regard of Apprehension when as a man can not say distinctly and certenly I beleeue the pardon of my sinnes but I doe vnfainedly desire to beleeue the pardon of them all and I desire to repent This case befalls many of Gods children when they are touched in conscience for their sinnes But where men are displeased with themselues for their offences and doe withall constantly from the heart desire to beleeue and to be reconciled to God there is faith and many other graces of God infolded as in the little and tender budde is infolded the leafe the blossome and the fâ—uit For though a desire to repent and to beleeue be not faith and repentance in nature yet in Gods acceptation it is God accepting the will for the deede Isa. 42.3 Christ will not quench the smoking flaxe which as yet by reason of weakenesse giues neither light nor heate Christ saith Math. 6. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied where by persons hungring and thirsting are meant all such as feele with griefe their owne want of righteousnesse and withall desire to be iustified and sanctified Rom. 8.26 God heares regards the very grones and sighes of his seruants yea though they be vnspeakable by reason they are oftentimes little weake and confused yet God hath respect vnto them because they are the worke of his owne spirit Thus when we see that in a touched heart desiring to beleeue there is an infolded faith And this is the faith which many of the true seruants of God haue and our saluation stands not so much in our apprehending of Christ as in Christs comprehending of vs and therefore Paul saith Phil. 3. 12. he followeth namely after perfection if that he might comprehend that for whose sake he is comprehended of Christ. Now if any shall say that without a liuely faith in Christ none can be saued I answer that God accepts the desire to beleeue for liuely faith in the time of temptation and in the time of our first conuersion as I haue saide Put case a man that neuer yet repented falls into some grieuous sicknes and then beginnes to be touched in conscience for his sinnes and to be truly humbled hereupon he is exhorted to beleeue his owne reconciliation with God in Christ and the pardon of his owne sinnes And as he is exhorted so he endeauoureth according to the measure of grace receiued to beleeue yet after much striuing he can not resolue himselfe that he doth distinctly and certenly beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes onely this he can say that he doth heartely desire to beleeue this he wisheth aboue all things in the world and he esteemes all things as dung for Christ and thus he dies I demaund now what shall we say of him surely we may say nothing but that he died the child of God and is vndoubtedly saued For howsoeuer it were an happie thing if men could come to that fulnesse of faith which was in Abraham and many seruants of God yet certen it is that God in sundrie cases accepts of this desire to beleeue for true faith indeede And looke as it is in nature so is it in grace in nature some die when they are children some in olde age and some in full strength and yet all die men so againe some die babes in Christ some of more perfect faith and yet the weakest hauing the seedes of grace is the child of God and faith in his infancie is faith All this while it must be remembred I say not there is a true faith without all apprehension but without a Distinct apprehension for some space of time for this very desire by faith to apprehend Christ and
possibly haue knowne that he had made satisfaction for any of them if he had not risen againe The vses which concerne our selues are of two sorts comforts to the children of God and duties that are to be learned and practised of vs all The comforts are especially three First Christs resurrection serueth for the iustification of all that beleeue in him euen before God the father as Paul saith Christ was giuen to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification which wordes haue this meaning when Christ died we must not consider him as a priuate man as we haue shewed before but as one that stoode in the stead and roome of all the elect in his death he bare our sinnes and suffered all that we should haue suffered in our owne persons for euer and the guilt of our offences was laide vpon him and therefore Esai saith he was numbred among the wicked Now in his rising againe he freed and disburdened himselfe not from any sinnes of his owne because he was without sinne but from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes imputed vnto him And hence it comes to passe that all those which put their trust and affiance in the merit of Christ at the very first instant of their beleeuing haue their owne sinnes not imputed vnto them and his righteousnes imputed Secondly the resurrection of Christ serueth as a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification as S. Peter saith We are regenerate to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And S. Paul We are then saith he buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of his father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death we shall be also to the similitude of his resurrection Which words import thus much that as Christ by the power of his owne Godhead freed his manhood from death and from the guilt of our sinnes so doth he free those that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead that they may liue vnto God In the naturall bodie the head is the fountaine of all the senses and of motion and therefore by sundrie nerues dispersed through the bodie the power of moouing and of sense is deriued euen to the least parts so as the hands and the feete mooue by meanes of that power which comes from the head and so it is in the spirituall bodie of Christ namely the church he is the head and the fountaine of life and therefore he conueyeth spirituall life to euery one of his members and that very power of his Godhead whereby he raised vp himselfe when he was deade he conueyeth from himselfe to his members and thereby raiseth them vp from the death of sinne to newnes of life And looke as in a perfect body when the head hath sense and motion the hand that is of the same bodie hath also the sense and motion conuenient for it so likewise Christ beeing the resurrection and the life as there is spirituall life in him so euery member of his shall feele in it selfe spirituall sense and motion whereby it is raised vp from sinne and liueth vnto God For the better coÌ„ceiuing of this we must consider two things the outward means of this spirituall life and the measure of it For the meanes if we wil haue common water we must goe to the well and if we would haue water of life wee must goe vnto Christ who saith If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Now this well of the water of life is very deepe and we haue nothing to draw with therefore we must haue our pipes and conduits to conuey the same vnto vs which are the word of God preached and the administration of the sacraments Christ saith The dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue where by the dead is meant not the dead in the graue but those that are dead in sinne And againe Christ saith the wordes which I speake are spirit and life because the word of God is the pipe whereby he conueieth into our dead hearts spirit and life As Christ when he raised vp dead men did oneâ—y speake the word and they were made aliue and at the day of iudgement by his very voice when the trumpe shall blow all that are dead shall rise againe So it is in the first resurrection they that are dead in their sins at his voice vttered in the ministerie of the word shall rise againe To goe further Christ raised three from the dead Iairus daughter newly dead the widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying on the hearse Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the graue and all this he did by his very voice so also by the preaching of his word he raiseth all sorts of sinners euen such as haue lien long in their sinnes as rotting and stinking carrion The sacraments also are the pipes and conduits whereby God conueieth grace into the heart if they be rightly vsed that is if they be receiued in vnfained repentance for all our sinnes and with a true liuely faith in Christ for the pardon of the same sinnes And so I take it they are compared to flagons of wine which reuiue the Church beeing sicke and fallen into a swound As for the measure of life deriued from Christ it is but small in this life and giuen by little and little as Ose saith The Lord hath spoiled vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp After two daies he will reuiue vs and in the third he will raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight The prophet Ezechiel in a vision is carried into the midst of a field full of dead bones and he is caused to prophecy ouer them and say O ye drie bones heare the word of the Lord at the fiâ—st there was a shaking and the bones came togither bone to bone and then sinewes and flesh grewe vpon them and vpon the flesh grewe a skinne Then he prophecied vnto the windes the second time and they liued and stood vpon their feete for the breath came vpon them and they were an exceeding great army of men Hereby it signified not onely the state of the Iewes after their captiuitieâ— but in them the state of the whole Church of God For these temporall deliuerances signified further a spirituall deliuerance And wee may here see most plaâ—nely that God worketh in the hearts of his children the gifts graces of regeneration by little and little First he giueth no more then flesh sinewes and skin then after he giueth them further graces of his spirit which quickeneth them and maketh them aliue vnto God The same also we may
see in the vision of the waters that ranne out of the temple First a man must wade to the ankles then after to the knees and so to the loynes then after the waters growe to a riuer that cannot be passed ouer and so the Lord conueyeth his graces by little and little till at the last men haue a full measure thereof Thirdly the resurrection of Christ serues as an argument to prooue vnto vs our resurrection at the day of iudgement Paul saith If the spirit of Christ that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies Some will say that this is no benefit for all must rise againe as well the wicked as the godly Answ. True indeed but yet the wicked rise not againe by the same cause that the godly doe They rise againe by the power of Christ not as hee is a Sauiour but as hee is a iudge to condemne them For God had said to Adam at what time he should eate of the forbidden fruite hee should die the death meaning a double death both the first and the second death Nowe then the vngodly rise againe that God may inflict vpon them the punishment of the second death which is the reward of sinne that so Gods iustice may be satisfied but the godly rise againe by the power of Christ their head and redeemer who raiseth them vp that they may be partakers of the benefit of his death which is to enioy both in bodie and soule the kingdome of heauen which he hath so deerely bought for them Thus much for the comforts Nowe followe the duties and they are also three First as Christ Iesus when he was dead rose againe from death to life by his owne power so wee by his grace in imitation of Christ must endeauour our selues to rise vp from all our sinnes both originall and actuall vnto newenesse of life This is worthily set downe by the Apostle saying Wee are buried by baptisme into his death that as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life and therefore we must endeauour our selues to shewe the same power to be in vs euery day by rising vp from our owne personall sinnes to a reformed life This ought to be remēbred of vs because howesoeuer many heare and knowe this point yet very fewe doe practise the same For to speake plainly as dead men buried would neuer heare though a man should speake neuer so loud so vndoubtedly amōg vs there be also many liuing men which are almost in the same case The ministers of God may crie vnto them daily and iterate the same thing a thousand times and tell them that they must rise vp from their sinnes and lead a newe life but they heare no more then the dead carkas that lieth in the graue Indeede men heare with their outward eares but they are so farre from practising this dutie that many iudge it to bee a matter of reproch and ignominy And those which make any conscience of this dutie how they are laden with nicknames and taunts who knoweth not I neede not to rehearse them so odious a thing nowe a daies is the rising from sinne to newnesse of life Sound a trumpet in a dead mans eares he stirs not let vs crie for amendment of life till breath go out of our bodies no man almost saith What haue I done And for this cause vndoubtedly if it were not for cōscience of that duty which mē owe vnto God wee should haue but fewe ministers in England For it is the ioy of a minister to see the vnfained conuersion of his people whereas alas men generally lie snorting in their corruptions and rather goe forward in them still then come to any amendment such is the wonderful hardnesse that hath possessed the hearts of most men He which hath but halfe an eie may see this to be true Oh! howe exceedes Atheisme in all places contempt of Gods worship prophanation of the sabbath the whordomes fornications the crueltie and oppression of this age crie to heauen for vengeance By these such like sinnes the world crucifies Christ againe For looke as Pilats souldiers with the wicked Iewes tooke Christ and stripped him of his garments buffeted him and slue him so vngodly men by their wicked behauiour strip him of al honour and slaie him againe If an infidel should come among vs yeeld himselfe to be of our religiō after he had seene the behauiour of men he would peraduenture leaue all religion for hee might say surely it seemes this God whome these men worship is not the true God but a God of licentious libertie And that which is more whereas at all times wee ought to shewe our selues newe creatures and to walke worthie of our Sauiour and redeemer and therefore also ought to rise out of our sinnes and to liue in righteousnes and true holinesse yet we for the most part goe on still forward in sinne and euery day goe deeper then other to hel-ward This hath beene heretofore the common practise but let vs nowe learne after the example of Christ beeing quickened and reuiued by his grace to endeauour our selues especially to come out of the graue of sinne and learne to make conscience of euery bad action True it is a Christian man may vse the creatures of God for his delight in a moderate and godly manner but Christ neuer gaue libertie to any to liue licentiously for he that is free is yet seruant vnto Christ as Paul saith and therefore we must not enterprise any thing but that which may be a worke of some good dutie vnto God to which ende the Apostle saith Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life If this will not mooue vs yet let the iudgements of God drawe vs hereunto Blessed is he saith the holy Ghost that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power where mention is made of a double death the first is the separation of soule and bodie the second is the eternal condemnation of soule and bodie in hell fire Would we nowe escape the second death after this life we must then labour in this life to be partakers of the first resurrection and that on this manner Looke what sinnes we haue liued in heretofore we must endeauour to come out of them all and lead a better life according to all the commandements of God But if it be so that ye wil haue no care of your own soules goe on hardly to your owne perill and so yee shall be sure to enter into the second death which is eternall damnation Secondly we are taught by the example of Saint Paul to labour aboue all things to know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection And this we shall doe when we can say by
the administration of Christ the head of the church in which he frameth men by his word and spirit to the subiection of the same word And so it is taken in this petition In a kingdome there are foure things to be noted 1. There must be a king 2. There must be subiects 3. There are lawes 4. Authoritie In this kingdome Christ is the king it is he to whom the father hath giuen all authoritie in heauen and earth In this kingdome all are not subiects but such as are willing to giue free and franke obedience to Gods word or at the least though their hearts be not sound make an outward profession of it The lawes of this kingdome is the word of God in the bookes of the olde and new Testament Therefore it is called the kingdome of heauen Matth. 13. The Gospell of the kingdome Mark 1.13 The rodde of his mouth Esay 11.4 The arme of God Esay 53.1 As a king by his lawes brings his people in order and keepes them in subiection so Christ by his word and the preaching of it as it were by a mightie arme drawes his elect into his kingdome and fashions theÌ„ to all holy obedience The power and authoritie is that whereby Christ conuerts effectually those which are to be conuerted by the inward operation of his spirit and glorifies himselfe in the confusion of the rest Kingdome being taken thus specially is also twofold The first is the kingdome of grace of which mention is made Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God standes not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse that is the assurance of our iustification before God in the righteousnesse of Christ Peace of conscience which proceedes from this assurance and ioy in the holy Ghost which comes from them both In this kingdome all men liue not but onely those that are subiect to Christ obedient to the lawes of his kingdome and ruled by his authoritie and are continually taught in his word by his spirit But those that refuse to liue according to the lawes of this king and choose to liue at their owne libertie are in the kingdome of darkenesse that is sinne and Satan The second is the kingdome of glorie in heauen which is the blessed estate of all Gods people which God himselfe shall be all in all vnto them And the former kingdome of grace is an entrance and preparation to this kingdome of glorie Come Gods kingdome comes when it takes place and is established and confirmed in mens hearts and made manifest to all people the impediments beeing remooued Quest. This comming implies a stopping but how should Gods kingdome be hindred Ans. Kingdome in this place is not taken for that absolute and soueraigne power of God whereby he rules all things for that can not be hindred but for the kingdome of grace which in the vsing of the outward meanes as ministers word and Sacraments may be hindred by the deuill the world and mans corruption 3. The wants which are to be bewailed The wants which we in this petition are to mourne for are of two sorts some concerne our owne selues some others That which concerns our owne persons is a bondage and slauerie vnder sinne and Satan This bondage indeede is weakned in Gods seruants but none is wholly freed from it in this life Paul complaines that he is sold vnder sinne and cries pitifully O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Question What difference is then betweene the godly and the wicked Ans. The euill and vngodly man in the very middest of his bondage hath a merrie heart sinne is no trouble to him nay it is meat drinke to him But the godly man is otherwise minded who considering the power of the deuill and hiâ— craft in manifold fearefull temptations and seeing the pronenesse of his rebellious nature euer and anon to start away from God is grieued and confounded in himselfe and his heart bleedes within him that he doth offend so mercifull a father Many men liue in this world and that many yeares and yet neuer feele this bondage vnder Satan sinne Such vndoubtedly cannot tell what this praier meanes but he that would haue the right vse of this petition must be acquainted with his owne estate and be touched in his conscience that the flesh and the deuill beare such sway in him As the poore captiue is alwaies creeping to the prison doore alwaies labouring to get off his bolts and fetters and to escape out of prison so must we alwaies crie to the Lord for his spirit to free vs out of this bondage and prison of sinne and corruption and euery day come nearer the prison doore looking when our blessed Sauiour will vnbinde vs of all the fetters of sinne and Satan and fully erect his kingdome in vs. 2. The wants which concerne others are twofold The former is the want of the good meanes which serue for the furthering of the kingdom of Christ as preaching sacraments and discipline When we shall see a people without knowledge and without good guides and teachers or when we see one stand vp in the congregation not able to teach here is matter for mourning This petition puts vs in minde to bewaile these wants Our Sauiour when he sawe the Iewes as sheepe without a sheepheard he had compassion on them and he wept ouer Ierusalem because they knew not the things which belong to their peace Luk. 9.11 Therfore when preachers want to hold vp the scepter of GOD before the people and to hold out the word which is as it were the arme of God to pull men from the bondage of the deuill to the kingdome of Christ. Then it is time to say Lord let thy kingdome come 3. The third want which we are to bewaile is that there bee so many impediments and hinderances of the kingdome of grace as the deuil and all his angels their instruments the Pope the Turke and all the rest of the professed wicked of the world which by subtile intisements and tyrannie keepe backe and repell the meanes whereby Christ ruleth as a king in his Church When the deuill sees one that was sometime of his kingdome but to cast a looke towards the heauenly Ierusalem he straightway rageth against him and labours quite to ouerthrow him Wherefore in regard of all these impediâ—ents weâ— must pray Thy kingdome come 4. Graces to be desired 1. IN this petition we are taught first that we are to haue a feruent desireâ— and to hunger that god would giue vs his spirit to raigne and rule in our harts and to bow them to all obedience and subiection of his wil and further wheras our hearts haue beene as it were filthie sties and stables of the deuill that he would renue them and make of them fit temples to entertaine his holy spirit Psal. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit in me c. Stablish me with thy free
disarme him make him altogither vnable to preuaile against vs. Now to finde out this matter we neede not to vse the counsell of any Delilah for wee haue the worde of God which teacheth vs plainly where the strength of death consists namely in our sinnes as Paul saith The sting of death is sinne Well then we knowing certainly that the power and force of euery mans particular death lies in his owne sinnes must spend our time and studie in vsing good meanes that our sinnes may be remooued and pardoned And therefore wee must daily inure our selues in the practise of two duties One is to humble our selues for all our sins past partly confessing them against our selues partly in prayer crying to heauen for the pardon of them The other is for time to come to turne vnto god and to carrie a purpose resolution and indeauour in al things to reforme both heart and life according to Gods worde These are the verie principall and proper duties whereby the strength of death is much rebated and he is made of a mightie and bloodie enemie so farre forth friendly and tractable that we may with comfort incounter with him and preuaile too Therefore I commend these duties to your Christian considerations and carefull practise desiring that ye would spend your daies euer hereafter in doing of them If a maÌ„ were to deale with a mightie dragon or serpent hand to hand in such wise as he must either kill or bee killed the best thing were to bereaue him of his sting or of that part of his bodie where his poyson lies nowe death it selfe is a serpent dragon or scorpion and sinne is the sting or poison whereby hee woundes and kills vs. Wherefore without any more delay see that yee pull out his sting the practise of the foresaid duties is as it were a fitte and worthie instrument to doe the deede Hast thou beene a person ignorant of Gods wil a contemner of his word and worship a blasphemer of his name a breaker of his sabbaths disobedient to parents and magistrates a murderer a fornicator a railer a slanderer a couetous person c. reforme these thy sinnes and all other like vnto them pull them out by the rootes from thy heart and cast them off So many sinnes as bee in thee so many stings of death bee also in thee to wound thy soule to eternall death Therefore let no one sinne remaine for which thou hast not humbled thy selfe and repented seriously When death hurts any man it takes the weapons whereby he is hurt from his owne hand It cannot doe vs the least hurt but by the force of our owne sinnes Wherefore I say again againe lay this point to your hearts spend our strength life and health that ye may before ye die abolish the strength of death A man may put a serpent in his bosome when the sting is out and wee may let death creepe into our bosoms and gripe vs with his legs and stab vs at the heart so long as he brings not his venime and poison with him And because the former duties are so necessarie as none can be more I wil vse some reasons yet further to enforce them Whatsoeuer a man would doe when he is dying the â—ame he ought to doe euerie daie while he is liuing now the most notorious and wicked person that euer was when hee is dying will praie and desire others to praie for him and promise amendement of life protesting that if he might liue he would becom a practitioner in al the good duties of faith repentance and reformation of life Oh therefore bee carefull to doe this euerie daie Againe the saying is true hee that would liue when hee is dead must die while he is aliue namely to his sinnes Wouldest thou then liue eternally sue to heauen for thy pardon and see that now in thy life time thou die to thine owne sinnes Lastly wicked Balaam would faine die the death of the righteous but alas it was to smal purpose for he would by no meanes liue the life of the righteous For his continuall purpose and meaning was to followe his old waies in sorceries and couetousnesse Nowe the life of a righteous man standes in the humbling of himselfe for his sinnes past and in a careful reformation of life to come Wouldest thou then die the death of the righteous then look vnto it that thy life be the life of the righteous if ye will needs liue the life of the vnrighteous yee must looke to die the death of the vnrighteous Remember this and content not your selues to heare the word but bee doers of it for ye learne no more indeede what measure of knowledge soeuer ye haue then ye practise The third dutie in our generall preparation is in this life to enter into the first degree of life eternall For as I haue said there bee three degrees of life euerlasting and the first of them is in this present life For he that would liue in eternall happinesse for euer must begin in this world to rise out of the graue of his owne sinnes in which by nature hee lies buried and liue in newnesse of life as it is said in the Reuelation Hee that will escape the second death must bee made partaker of the first resurrectioÌ„ And Paul saith to the Colossians that they were in this life deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the kingdome of Christ. And Christ saith to the Church of the Iewes the kingdome of heauen is amongst you Nowe this first degree of life is when a man can say with Paul I liue not but Christ liues in me that is I finde partly by the testimonie of my sanctified conscience and partly by experience that Christ my redeemer by his spirit guideth and gouerneth my thoughts will affectionsâ— all the powers of body and soule according to the blessed direction of his holy will Now that we might be able to say this we must haue three gifts graces of God wherein especially this first degree of life consists The first is sauing knowledge wherebâ— we doe truely resolue our selues that God the father of Christ is our fatherâ— Christ his sonne our redeemer and the holy ghost our comforter That this knowledge is one part of life eternall it appeares by the saying of Christ in Iohn This is life eternall that is the beginning and entrance into life eternall to know thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The second grace is peace of conscience which passeth al vnderstanding and therefore Paul saith that the kingdome of heauen is righteousnes peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost The horror of a guiltie conscience is the beginning of death destruction therefore peace of conscience deriued from the death of Christ is life and happinesse The third is the regiment of the spirit whereby the heart and life of man is ordered according to the