it hath a double propertie namely I. It revives quickens and refreshes the spirits And II. Nourisheth and makes men able for labour So the children of God by his grace are enabled to worke his worke or to performe good workes What workes are required of those vessels into Quest 3 whom the wine of grace is powred First in generall they must labour to abound Answ 1 in three sorts of works namely I. In the workes of the heart as in zeal patience humility love frequent meditation and the like II. In the workes of the mouth as in profession lauding of God and words fit for edification Colos 4.6 III. In the works of the life and in these we must be rich 1 Tim. 6.18 Secondly more particularly many are the Answ 2 works which God requires of those whose hearts he hath sanctified with grace as for example to instance upon some of the most ordinary and usuall I. They must give themselves wholly uâ unto God confessing acknowledging themselvs to be his servants Rom. 6.19 1 Cor. 6.19 offering up themselves and theirs wholly unto his service and learning in humility of soule to deny their own wils And II. They must labour to hate and deny all things which would draw them from Christ Luke 14.26 They must cleave so close unto the Lord that neither her pleasure profit the world nor any thing else may separate them And III. They must depend wholly upon God adhering unto him and relying upon him in all their necessities and upon all their occasions Psalme 73.28 Iob 13 15. This is hard but needfull Iohn 6.29 And IV. They must wrastle and fight against all carnall lusts and inbred corruptions Gal. 5.17 and 1 Pet. 2.11 And V. They must labour to walke in love towards all the faithfull loving the brethren and servants of Christ Iohn 13.35 Rom. 12.18 c. Ephes 5.2 And VI. They must walke in sanctity humility and simplicity Iohn 1.45 And VII They must be liberall charitable ready to doe good unto all Gal. 5.22 And VIII They must delight themselves in the law of the Lord Rom. 7 22. that is First delight to meditate therein as David did Psal 119. And Secondly delight in the observance and practice therof And IX They must undauntedly confesse and acknowledge Christ to be their Lord and boldly professe his name before men 1 Tim 6.12 This is Vinum odorum I beleeved therefore I spake 2 Cor. 4.13 X. They must remain and persevere in al these unto the end Mat. 24.13 Iohn 8.31 Observ Our Saviour by these words Men put new wine into new bottles would teach us That the grace of the Holy Spirit is unto the heart as wine is unto the body Esay 55.1 Prov. 9.2 Ephes 5.18 Quest 3 What Analogy or resemblance is there between Wine and Grace or wherein is Wine like unto Grace Answ 1 First Wine is reputed one of the best creatures ordained for the comfort of man hence Abraham offers it to Melchisedech Gen. 14.18 and Isaac thus blesseth Iacob The Lord cause thee to abound with plenty of corne and wine Gen. 27.28 yea hence Wine is reckoned amongst the chiefest delicates Cantie 5.1 and Psalme 4.7 Thus Grace is the principall thing which belongs unto the soule and which is most necessary and of most use and benefit and comfort unto it Answ 2 Secondly in time the Vine growes to bee a Tree of which hath beene made columns and statues Bartholomeus from Pliny tels us that in Populonia a Citie of Hetâuria neer Pisa that is now called Plumbinum there was a statue of Iupiter made of a vine stock and almost all Writers agree that of all Trees the wood of a Vine is most durable Durat in perpetuum We need not doubt however Vines are with us but that they come sometimes to be great Trees if we do but consider how Sir Walter Ralegh and he hath it from Strabo tels us that there have been Clusters of Grapes two cubits long and that we may credit this the better let us remember that bunch which was brought by the two Spies Numb 13.24 Thus as the wood of the Vine dures long so doth the Grace of God for whom God loves he loves unto the end Iohn 13.1 And his gifts and graces are without repentance A man cannot loose Grace except God take it from him now he hath promised that he will never repent him of giving Grace unto any Rom. 11.29 Thirdly Wine taken inwardly that is drunk Answ 3 is wonderfull profitable and that in many regards I. It is profitable for the stomack and that in these respects viz. First it helps to digest other meat so the Spirit of Grace doth digest and concoct all our cogitations and actions and like salt seasoneth both prosperity and adversity unto us Secondly wine quencheth and allayeth the thirst so Grace restraineth the heat of carnall appetites and desires and subdueth the affections Thirdly Wine helpeth and strengthneth the appetite and whetteth the stomack so Grace increaseth our desires after Grace and strengthneth our appetites after a greater measure of sanctification for he in whom Grace is will desire and endeavour to be more and more holy Fourthly wine breeds the best blood and gives the best nourishment to the body so Grace affords the best nourishment unto the soul and thereby onely do we grow up and become strong men in Christ II. Wine is profitable for man in the veins as well as in the stomack for First it opens stopped veins and is good for obstructions so Grace doth facilitate the way unto spirituall duties and takes away the obstacles We are naturally backward unto every good work but by Grace we rejoyce in that which is good Secondly wine doth dry up crudid humours in the veins and qualifies them so Grace doth ripen corroborate and perfect all weak and infirm cogitations at first we are not able to do what we desire but with Saint Paul complain The good which I would do I cannot Rom. 7.14 but by Grace at length we are enabled in some measure to perform the will of our heavenly Father Thirdly wine doth expell evill humours out of the veins because it strengthens the expulsive faculty so Grace doth expell all evill desires thoughts and lusts out of the heart Fourthly wine doth fill the veins with good humours yea the best moisture so by Grace we are filled with the Spirit of God Ephes 5.19 and all holy desires III. Wine is good for the body and that in a double regard namely First it cures some diseases and inward griefs so by Grace all our wounds are cured and diseases healed Psal 103.2 Secondly wine increaseth the strength of the body Psal 78.65 so by Grace we grow up from children to men and increase daily in spirituall strength IV. Wine is profitable for the spirits and that in many respects to wit First it penetrates into the most inward parts of a man so the word of Grace Heb. 4.12 13.
follow the conduct of the Spirit p Rom. 8.9.14 framing their lives according to his will revealed in the word and not according to the lusts and desires of the flesh for the proofe of this observe I. All men are the vessels of God Esay 52.11 and 1 Thess 4.3 and 2 Tim. 2.20 II. But there are two things wanting in us to wit First we have no oyle we are naturally but empty Lamps Neither Secondly are we able to receive oyle for the naturall man cannot understand the things that be of God 1 Cor. 2.14 III. Therefore against this vacuity and emptinesse God hath given a remedy namely First the word this is the oyle which enlightens us And Secondly the Holy Spirit opens the heart Act. 16.14 as he did the heart of Lydia and makes it capable to receive this oyl and to understand this enlightning word And Thirdly then infuseth this oyl of grace and spirituall knowledge into our hearts Rom. 5.5 IV. And hence comes the effectuall vocation when we answer to Gods call For First the word cals us Rom 10. but we refuse to hear it Esay 53.1 Secondly the Spirit of God opens the heart enlightens the eyes and giveth unto the mouth a taste and relish of the word of God and heavenly things but we are ready to relapse and fall from all these graces Heb. 6.4 5 6. Thirdly the Spirit doth imprint stamp and set on the seale so sealing us unto the day of our salvation q 1 Cor. 1.21 22. And being thus sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise we then beleeve Ephes 1.13 And thus we see that faith is the worke of the Holy Ghost and how it is wrought by the word Secondly faith being once wrought in us by the Spirit we are then confirmed rooted grounded and established in the faith Coloss 1.25 and 2.6.7 Whence proceeds I. Internall peace of conscience Philippians 4.7 And II. Spirituall joy and rejoycing Rom. 5.1 and 14.17 and 1 Pet. 1.8 And III. Externall profession of Christ Religion and of our faith in Christ 2 Cor. 4.13 and 1 Timoth 6.12 Thirdly faith being wrought and infused in us and wee established in faith then wee are renewed and sanctified both in heart and life for Faith purgeth the heart Act. 15.9 and the heart being purged the life will be pure wherefore faith is called a holy unction r 2 Cor. 1.21 because from hence I. We have victory both over Sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall no more have dominion over you because you are under grace And the World 1 Iohn 5.4 This is the victory that overcommeth the world een your faith And the Devill 1 Iohn 2.13 and 1 Pet. 5.9 and Rom. 16.20 Ephes 6.16 II. Hence wee have power of fructifying in good works and the fruits of obedience and sanctification Iohn 15.2.3 and Gal. 5.6 And therefore there is little signe of any faith wher either sinne raigns or God is coldly or remissy served Fourthly faith being wrought in us rooted in us and wee renewed and sanctified thereby hence we have hope according to the Apostles prayer Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.13 and 1 Peter 1.5 And hence from this confident hope and assurance that we have in God of eternal life we hunger and desire and long to be dissolved and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 and 2 Corinth 5.2 c. And therfore let us judge our selvs and our faith by these things Sect. 4 § 4. Not in Israel Quest 1 What is meant here by Israel Answ 1 First some understand these words figuratively of the faith of the Gentiles and Jewes Hier. s But that this is not the meaning will appear by and by Answ 2 Secondly some understand this only of the incredulous and unbeleeving Jewes but this cannot be the sense of the place because greater faith in the Centurion implieth a lesse in the rest I have found faith saith Christ implicitly in Israel but in none so much as in this Centurion And therfore by Israel cannot be meant the unbeleevers Answ 3 Thirdly some understand these words onely comparatively as though the Centurions faith were not greater simply but only comparatively in regard of some circumstances to wit I. In respect of the person Plus est idiotam pauca sapere quam virum multa ſ Chrys imperf s It is more for a child to understand a few things then for a man many II. In respect of the means it is more for an illiterate man to understand some few hard and difficult things then for a great and deep learned Scholler to understand many it is more for a man to be good in bad and ignorant places where hee hath neither good examples exhortations nor instructions then in good places where hee hath many shining lights and holy means And therfore although this Centurions faith in it selfe were but equall to the faith of many Israelites yet in regard that he was a Roman and they Jewes hee not injoying those meanes which they did his faith may be said to be greater then theirs Thus some I say expound these words and indeed this hath a fair glosse and helpes something but there is something more in the words for his faith was greater Revera as followes by and by Now these three Expositors interpret the word Nimis strictè Answ 4 Fourthly some by Israel so understand every Israelite from the beginning as if our Saviour would say I never found or there never was in any time in all Israel one of greater faith then this Centurion neither Abraham nor any other True it is that this phrase is sometimes thus used as in Matth. 11.11 Among them saith Christ that are born of women there hath not risen a greater Prophet then Iohn the Baptist that is not any as yet But yet it is not thus taken in this place because here our Saviour speaks of the time present onely that as yet in his preaching and journeying hee had not found one in Israel of greater faith except those which follow Answ 5 Fifthly some understand this of the time wherein Christ was upon the earth and of all absolutely in that time that is there was none at all in all Israel of greater faith then this Centurion As the three former answers expound the words Nimis stricté so these two latter Nimis latè for wee must neither extend them to all times nor to all persons of this age whereof Christ speaks as though the Centurions faith were greater then Peters Iohns or the blessed Virgins for certainly Maries faith was greater and Peters for he walked upon the waters And therfore this is to be understood of the auditors and hearers of Christ and not of his family How was the faith of the Centurion greater Quest 2 then all Israel or then the faith of any in Israel except the family of
the true Doctrine of the Lord and leads the sincere Ministers of the Church and the faithfull people unto all truth yea because hee dwels in those places and brests where heavenly truth raignes and beares sway but absents himselfe from all that love lyes and errours Answ 6 Sixthly sometimes hee is called Paracletus the Comforter because he sustaines the heart of the faithfull in affliction by comfort faith patience perseverance and hope of eternall glory Iohn 14. and 15. and 16. Quest 3 What are the offices operations and workes of the holy Spirit Answ They are many and respect either the Prophets or Christ or the Apostles or Ministers or the faithfull and Elect people of God First the workes of the Spirit respect the holy Prophets whom he governed inspired and taught enflaming them with the knowledge and light of the true Messiah and of things to come Thus David in Spirit called Christ Lord Mat. 22. And Zachary and Elizabeth and Simeon are taught many things by the Spirit which they foretell of Christ Luke 1. and 2. Secondly the operations of the Spirit respect Christ for he helped the conception and nativity of the Messiah The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee c. Luke 1. and Matth. 1. Before they came together Mary was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost yea the Spirit was given unto Christ by God out of measure Iohn 1. and Luke 4. Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost c. and Luke 10 He rejoyced in spirit although this may be understood of the internall motions Thirdly the operations of the Spirit respect the Apostles and Evangelists hee inspired them when they were to write the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.19 Hee led them in the truth of their preaching and brought those things into their minds which before Christ had taught them He made them able Ministers enduing them with the gift of tongues and the power of Miracles and with all graces befitting such a calling Fourthly the works of the Spirit respect the Ministers and Ministery of the word of God for he makes them able Ministers he cals them to the work of the Ministery yea he is the Governour of the Ministery who doth conserve deliver and propagate the true Doctrine and that by means viz. the sincere Doctors of the Church whom he hath promised to direct Fifthly the operations of the Spirit respect the faithfull elect children of God for I. He regenerates them Iohn 3. Except a man be born of water and of the holy Ghost c. II. He quickens the hearts of men and doth excite and inspire spirituall motions therein III. He comforts and cheers sorrowfull souls and raiseth up those who are dejected in spirit from whence he is called the Comforter IV. He leads them the right way They shall hear a voice behinde them saying This is the way walk in it V. He excites and provokes the minde unto an ardent invocation of God teaching the faithfull to pray in the Spirit VI. He gives to the faithfull an assurance of their Adoption and Glorification Rom. 8.15 16 And therefore if we desire to be made partakers of these graces and blessings let us labour for the Spirit by faithfull fervent and frequent prayers unto God VERS 20. A bruised Reed shall he not break Vers 20 and smoaking Flax shall he not quench What is meant here by Flax Quest 1 The word in the Originall is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Answ and hath divers significations namely First sometimes it is taken generally for any threed Secondly sometimes more strictly for a linnen threed Thirdly sometimes for the string of a Harp Fourthly sometimes for a Fishers line which is made of threed Fiftly sometimes for sails Sixtly Syrus reads lucernam crepitantem non extinguet he will not quench the crackling lamp because when a lamp is ready to dye or go out it makes a creeking or crakling noise And Tremellius for linum flax puts lucernam a lamp whose match or wick is made of flax and who smokes and makes a noise as if it were ready to dye and yet this Christ will not quench Hence then observe That there is a weak Faith which yet is true Observ and although it be weak yet because it is true it shall not be rejected of Christ Psalm 103.2 How doth the truth of this appear Quest 2 It is evident from hence Answ because Faith is not created simul semel perfect at the first as Adam was but is like a man in the ordinary course of Nature who is first an imperfect birth and then an infant then a childe then a youth then a man or like a grain of Mustard-seed Mat. 13.31 33. and 1 Pet. 2.2 for Faith groweth and encreaseth unto perfection as is cleer from these places Prov. 4.18 Ephes 4.13 and 2 Pet. 3.18 and 1 Corin. 1.7 and 2 Corin. 1.7 and 10.15 and 2 Thes 1.3 Quest 3 Who are here to be reproved Answ Those who tax condemn and contemn the weak children of God Mark 9.24 Quest 4 Must we sow cushions under mens Elbows must we cry peace peace unto them 1 Thes 5.3 must we not reprove them for their weaknesse of Faith must we be blinde leaders of the blinde and not tell them of their faults Answ Extreams are here most carefully to be avoided for as we must not lull them asleep so we must not be snares unto them some sing a secure man asleep and others choke a half dead man we must neither be beds of Down unto them nor sharp Knives we must neither be soft Cushions for them to rest themselves securely on nor yet to choke them withall And therefore three degrees are to be observed namely First some utterly reject all weak ones and tax all weaknesse in Faith of hypocrisie Certainly these are either proud or cruell men Secondly some comfort and establish those who are weak saying Be quiet thou hast Faith and Grace enough and thou art good enough thou needest no more neither must thou be too righteous Eccles 7. These are soft but not safe Cushions these are fawning flatterers and not faithfull friends Thirdly some comfort and exhort saying Be of good cheer he who hath begun a good work will also finish it in you Philip. 1.6 and therefore pray that his Grace may abound in you verse 9. yea do not sit still but go forward and march on in the way of the Lord Heb. 6.1 Now this is the safest and best course for three things are to be acknowledged namely I. That the maturity of Faith doth consist in the perfection thereof Rom. 8.38 and 2 Cor. 5.6 and 2 Tim. 1.12 and Heb. 10.22 II. That doubting is not blamelesse for a wavering staggering and doubting Faith is every where taxed as Ephes 4.14 Iames 1.6 Heb. 10.23 III. That it is every mans duty perpetually to encrease and to labour to abound in Knowledge Love Faith Spirit and in all graces and vertuous qualities 2 Pet. 3.18 Rom. 15.13
Doctori Greg. Past oftentimes the Lord out of his love mercy unto the people enables the Ministers to speak profitable and seasonable words unto them And on the other side the Lord sometimes for the sinnes of the hearers takes away the Ministers or the word from them Cum verbi auditores esuriunt pro eis reficiendis majora Doctoribus dona tribuuntur Greg. Past When hearers hunger after the word then the Lord for the refreshing comforting and satisfying of them doth give more Talents and greater gifts unto the Preachers But when people grow cold in their hearing or in their desires to heare or in their love unto the word then God often lessens the gifts of the Ministers or else takes away his painfull labourers sending Loiterers amongst them IV. He blesseth their labours and gives an increase to their indeavours 1 Cor. 3.6 Pedes quatuor bestiarum Evangelistarum Ezek. 1.7 ut scintillans aes aes candens est Praedicatio inde scintillae prodeunt quia ardent desyderio sonant verbo corda quae scintillae tetigerunt incendunt Greg. s Ezech. hom 3. The Ministers of the Word according to the Commandement of the Lord preach to their flocks and the Spirit of the Lord by their preaching doth oftentimes inflame their hearts and kindle their affections and fill their souls with sanctified desires and turn them truly unto himself And thus we see how the holy Ghost works and teaches in the Preachers of the Word he both making them M nisters and also able Ministers he both directing them what to speak and also blessing what they speak Secondly In Auditoribus the holy Spirit teacheth in the hearers as well as speakers for he makes their hearts often burn within them when they hear as Luke 34.32 Otiosus est sermo Doctoris nisi Spiritus sanctus adsit cordi audientis Greg. s Evang. hom 30. In vain doth the Preacher speak unto the ears of the Auditours except the Spirit speak unto the heart Nisi Spiritus sanctus auditorum corda repleat vox doctorum ad aures corporis incassum sonat nam formare vocem exterius possunt sed interius imprimere non valânt Greg. Mor. lib. 27. Now although preaching be unprofitable without the Spirit yet seldome doth the holy Ghost fall upon any or come unto any but in the preaching of the word when Peter preached then many were pricked in their hearts Acts 2.37 yea then the holy Ghost fell upon many Acts 10.44 And in preaching Lydia had her heart opened Acts 16.14 What is here required of Hearers Quest 5 First they must pray when they come unto Answ 1 the Word and that I. For themselves that the Lord would be pleased so to assist them by his Spirit that they may learn Christ in the Ministery of the Word yea that he would give his holy Spirit unto them and fill them with the graces thereof this was Davids prayer for himself Psal 143.10 and Pauls for the Ephesians chap. 3. v. 18 19. and for the Colossians chap. 1. v. 9. Nulla in discrudo mora est ubi Spiritus sanctus Doctor adest Beda s Luc. hom 9. If the holy Ghost be our School-master then we shall not be Trewants but good proficients and at Schollers And therefore let us beg at Gods hands the Spirit of Revelation Ephes 1.17 c. that so we may go away from the Word alwaies bettered Pray with Augustine in one of his Epistles Sanctum opus semper inspira in me ut cogitem compelle ut faciam suade ut diligam confirma me ut te teneam custodi me ne te perdam Sanctifie thou O Lord so my heart that I may alwaies think that which is good strengthen thou so my hands that I may alwaies do that which is good perswade thou so my affections that I may above all things love thee the chiefest good establish thou me so in faith that I may hold thee fast and so keepe mee by thy Spirit that I may never lose thee II. Hearers must pray for the Preachers of the Word that speech and utterance may be given unto them Ephes 6.19 that the door of the Word may be wide open unto them Colos 4.3 That they may be permitted enabled to speak the Word freely 2 Thes 3.1 yea that they may so speak that their Word may become blessed unto their Auditours Rom. 15.29 30. And hence came that religious custome still practised by our Church to have Prayers and that both First before Sermons that the blessed Spirit would be graciously assistant and present both with speakers and hearers And also Secondly after Sermons that the same good Spirit would confirm what hath been spoken and establish and imprint it in the souls of the Hearers Answ 2 Secondly as Hearers must pray for the divine assistance of the Spirit in the hearing of the Word by which God ordinarily teacheth the mysteries of the gospel so also they must be carefull to hear what the Spirit saith in the Word reade Rev. 2.7 Acts 10.33 Certainly here there is a most lamentable neglect ordinarily amongst Hearers and little or no fruit can be expected of their hearing so long as that remains Hearers are wont I. To hear for fashion sake onely and not for the feeding of their souls Yea II. To absent themselves or keep themselves from the Word for the least cause or upon the smallest occasion that may be Yea III. To hear with prejudice or prejudicate opinions or imprudent censures for some hearers deride some tax and reprove the rudenesse or plainnesse of the speaker that he neither shews Eloquence nor Learning in his Sermons When this is amended either by him or by some other that is if we hear learned elaborate and eloquent peeces then we praise the eloquence learning wit and quicknesse of the speaker in all things seeing and judging man and not God And so long as we look onely upon man in the preaching of the Word so long we cannot expect the assistance of the blessed Spirit iââhe Word yea the more we look upon man the lesse we look for the holy Ghost And therefore in the hearing of the Word let us withdraw our ears and eyes and minds from men and look wholly up unto the Lord remembring that they who preach are his Messengers and that which they preach is his message and the word preached is made profitable onely by him that so we may desire assistance in hearing and expect a blessing upon our hearing onely from him and return all glory honour and praise unto him alone How may we know whether Christ have taught Quest 6 us the knowledge of God and mysteries of the Gospel or not First certainly he that is uncertain of this Answ 1 may be most certain that he is ignorant of it he that knows not whether he know God or not may be sure that he knows not God No man disputes whether there be a Sun or not except it be hid for
the stoutest hearer with Faelix tremble and the most stubborne with the souldiers cry out Men and brethren what shall wee doe to be saved Although it bee contrarie to mans corrupt nature yet hath it in all ages won some unto it wheresoever it came and by an admirable force inclining their hearts from vice to vertue The Spirit in us lusteth after envie but the Scriptures gives more grace a ãâã 19.7 Hebr. 4.12 that is the Scriptures offer grace and abilitie to doe more then nature can doe Nature cannot heale a spirit that lusteth after envy or after money or after uncleannesse b Iames 4.5 6. but the Scripture offer more grace to overcome any of these sinnes bee they never so strong Seventhly the certaine prophecies of things to come which none but God could foretell Eightly the admirable preservation of it against time tyrants many other books have beene written which now are lost or falsifyed or grosly corrupted but the Lord by a speciall providence hath still preserved the fountain of the Scripture pure and entire Thus God by his especial care of them shews them to be no other then his divine Oracles Ninthly the Divells rage against those that desire and endeavour to regulate and moderate their conversations according unto the Scriptures those that walke contrarie unto them he keepes in peace c Luke 11.22 and persecutes with war hatred and rage onely The woman and her seed d Apoc. 12.13.15.17 who conforme themselves according to the will of God manifested unto them in his word Tenthly the judgement of God upon those that have opposed it and the professors of it as might bee proved by innumerable examples taken from all ages to instance but only upon the ten bloody persecutors none of them escaping hence out of this life without a stroke of vengeance and some remarkeable iudgement Eleventhly the constant couragious and cheerefull sufferings of many millions of Martyrs who have shed their bloud for the Gospel of Christ and truth of God Twelftly a gracious simplicitie in the writers of these bookes of the Old and New Testament neither fearing their friendes nor themselves but most freely and impartially setting downe their owne faults and infirmities as well as others testifying thereby that in writing they were guyded by the Spirit of God and of truth Thirteenthly the eviâence of Gods Spirit working in the hearts of his Children assuring them that the Scriptures are the word of God whereunto they may safely leane without the least feare or suspicion of error e 2 Pet. 1.9.1 We have a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto you doe well that yee take heed c. Againe The bookes of Scripture containe many mysteries above the reach of humane reason although not against reason because wee may discerne a truth in them and that by groundes and principles of reason Againe the speeches of Scripture aime not at by respects but simply and absolutely give and ascribe all glory unto God alone and above all things perswade us to seeke the glory of God making that the end and aime and primary scope of all our actions Againe a reconciliation of Iustice and Mercy propounded in the Gospell both which meete sweetly in Christ Iustice as it were in a sort giving place unto Mercy Againe the heavenly order set downe and observed in Scripture shew them to be divine there is in the Scripture a fourefold order 1. Ordo naturae 2. ordo coniugalis thori 3. ordo historia 4 ordo dignitatis An order of nature of marriage of history and of dignity all which orders the Scripture marks and for sundry reasons setteth one before another first in setting down the Patriarkes it observeth the order of nature as they were borne As first Reuben then Simeon then Levi then Iudah c. Secondly there is Ordo coniugalis thori according to their birthes and so the children of free women were set first Thirdly there is Ordo dignitatis so Sem is placed before Iaphet for dignitie although hee were yonger So in this Gospell Saint Matthew observes this order Mat. 13. Hee bringeth forth new and old New is first in dignitie although old first in time so Ephes 2. Apostles and Prophets Fourthly there is an order of History observed also by Scripture as in the first verse of the Gospell The booke of the Generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of David the sonne of Abraham Why is Abraham put last after David because the historie is to begin at him So 1 Chron. 3.5 Salomon is placed last amongst his brethren because the Historie was to begin at him yea if we shall marke the heavenly order that is amongst the Evangelists they will shew us that the Scriptures are divine Saint Marke beginneth at the workes of Christ Saint Matthew ascendeth higher to the Birth of Christ Saint Luke goeth higher to the conception of Christ and Iohn goeth highest of all to the Divinitie of Christ and his eternall Generation Lastly a constant and perpetuall testimonie of the Catholique Church which wee call Ecclesiasticall Tradition the Church in all ages allowing of these Bookes as truly Canonicall or as sure certaine and infallible rules of direction for our lives and conversations yea although the Papists themselves dispute of the authoritie and perfection of the Scriptures whether they be perfect and of themselves sufficient unto salvation without Tradition or whether they have authoritie from themselves and witnesse in themselves or from the Church and how we without the consent and testimonie of the Church know them to be Scriptures yet to my knowledge there is no learned Papist doth question the question in hand viz. whether these Bookes of the Old and New Testament be the divine word of God or no neither is there any controversie betwixt us and them in this particular they with us agreeing that the Old and New Testament and every booke in either were written by holy men of God as they were inspired by the Spirit of God a 2 Pet. 1. And thus much for this first generall question The second followes Quest 2 How are the Scriptures divided I answer Foure manner of wayes Answ viz. first in bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall Secondly the Canonicall Bookes are divided into the Old and New Testament Thirdly the Canonicall bookes of the Old Testament into three parts 1. Into the Law i. e. the five Bookes of Moses 2. Into the lesser and latter Prophets 3. Into the Bookes which the Grecians call ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã holy Writings The Canonicall Bookes of the New Testament are also divided 1. Into Bookes Historicall 2. Epistles 3. Propheticall as the Apocalypse Fourthly the last division of all the Canonicall Bookes both of the Old and New Testament is taken from the summe of the whole Scriptures and that is into the Law and Gospell b Zanch de sacra script f. 22 Having to handle this question elsewhere more largely I passe here thus briefly
Rama is here to be taken for that Answ 5 Ramah which was in Benjamin and neere unto Bethlehem § 2. Rachel weeping ãâã her children Sect. 2 Who is meant here by Rachel Quest Or what was this Rachel I answer first Rachel was one beloved of God Answ 1 yet shee was afflicted teaching us that the best are subject to affliction Secondly but Rachel was now dead and therfore Answ 2 the Prophet uses a Prosopopeia See D. Mayer upon this verse Teaching us that in the study of divine things Observ there is a great use of figures and humane learning the Scriptures have figures yea fables as shall be else where shewed therefore there is need of humane literature for the true understanding thereof Arts are handmaids unto divinitiy he will scarce ever prove a good Theologue that is deprived of these attendants I. The knowledge of the originall tongues are needfull that so we may draw the water of truth from the very fountaines II. Philosophy expounds III. Logicke confirmes IV. Rhetorick perswades and therfore the best divines doe teach Rhetoricall places as Hyperius Erasmus Melancthon Perkins and divers others but of this more largely else where §. 1. VERS 19. Vers 19 And when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeareth unto Ioseph Sect. 1 in Egypt in a dreame It may here be doubted Quest whether Herod died a naturall death or if he went out of the world after so many bloudy cruelties without some remarkeable judgement It should seeme hee did because the Scripture makes no mention of any thing but that onely he died neither expressing when nor how I answer first that he dyed about two yeares Answ 1 after Secondly as his life was short after this unheard Answ 2 of cruelty so it was miserable a Ioseph lib. 2. de Bell. Iud. cap. 22. as may appeare by this description of it Hee first was stricken with an extreame burning heat within which so fast consumed his meat that hee had continually a most greedy desire to feed but could never be satisfied his intrails rotted in his body he was tormented with most cruell pangs in his genitals and his feet were greatly swolne To all this was added a putrifying of his privy parts crauling with wormes and a most horrible stinch proceeded from him in which miserable lothsome case hee continued some weekes and then dyed Sect. 2 § 2. This verse may bee allegorized thus Herod is sin and as long as he lives and raignes Christ doth absent himselfe and will not come unto his people Herod must dye before Christ will returne sinne must bee mortyfied before Christ will come unto the soule whence it may be questioned Quest Why is there no participation of Christ before mortification I answer first because the Holy Spirit will not come into a polluted vessell God and Mammon Answ 1 cannot dwell together b Matth. 6.24 one Temple cannot hold the Arke and Dagon 1 Sam. Non bene conveniunt nec in una sede morantur sin and grace Satan and Christ will never bee immates or cohabitants in one and the same heart at one and the same time and therefore sinne must bee expulsed before Christ wil be entertained Answ 2 Secondly to dye and to live are contraries as the Apostle St Paul saith how can hee that is dead in sin live therein c Rom. 6.2 A man cannot be alive and dead at one instant in one sense and therefore we cannot pertake the spirituall life of grace and Christ untill sinne dye d 1 Cor. 15 Christ will rather continue an exul in Egypt then come into Israel so long as this Herod sin is alive and therfore if we desire the fruition and possession of Christ in the soule wee must labour to fight against e 1 Pet. 2.11 to mortifie f Col. 3.5 all carnal affections in us putting off this old garment of sinne and casting it from us that so wee may bee clothed with that new man Christ Jesus g Rom. 13 12.13.14 Vers 20 §. 1. VERS 20. Saying arise and take the babe Sect. 1 and his mother and goe into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the babes life Quest It may bee demanded What was the end of Christs flying into Egypt and returning from thence Answ 1 I answer first this was done that in the beginning of Christs nonage he might show that hee was borne to undergoe many temporall miseries Secondly that in regard of that estate of humanity Answ 2 which he had undertaken he might as a man have a care of his life in foreseeing and preventing all dangers that may ensue Thirdly this was done that Christ hereby Answ 3 might shew that it was he alone that was appointed by God to bring us out of spirituall Egypt into the promised land of eternall rest Sect. 2 § 2. And goe into the land of Jsrael Quest It may be asked why must Ioseph returne with Christ into Israel Answ 1 I answer first that he might be educated and brought up amongst his owne people Observa where was the law of God and the true Church of God teaching us that parents should be very carefull of the pious education of their children that they may have both good instruction and discipline and also good example Now there is a three-fold good education the I. Learned this is good for those that are able to allow unto their children some learning that they may be the more capable of religion The II. Is sober to teach them humanity and humilitie towards all and sobriety and temperance in themselves The III. Pious and holy and this is required as well as the former of all parents to endeavour by Catechising instructing and godly example to educate their children in the feare and nurture of the Lord. Secondly this was done also that it might be Answ 2 knowne that Christ was an Israelite least otherwise hee should have beene called an Egyptian Thirdly this was done for Iosephs and Maries Answ 3 sake that they might be no longer afflicted then was necessary God not suffering his to bee afflicted save onely for a moment § 3. Because they are dead who sought the babes life Sect. 3 Here it may bee demanded who were they Quest 1 that sought the childs life and now are dead First Hierome thinkes it was the Pharisees Answ 1 and Sanhedrin a Hiero. 1. and he is moved to this opinion for these reasons I. Because it is spoken in the plurall number mortui not mortuus they are dead not he is dead II. Because they were troubled as well as Herod vers 3. and as Hierome thinkes consulted also with Herod against Christ III. Because they were slaine by Herod as we shewed before vers 3. Some b Gualt â deny S. Hieromes second reason affirming that the Parisees did neither lye in wait for the life of Christ nor consult to kill him Secondly this is certaine
they have other writings of more worth than these are Danaeus in Epiphanio calleth these Nasahaeos The fourth sort of Nasarites which are the second hereticall are of the Christians borne in Pella in the yeare of Christ 37. who would have all the ceremonies to be observed and that for these two causes I. Because the Apostles themselves observed them for a time II. That so they might avoid persecution Gal. 3. Quest 3 How may this be applied with Benefite or to whom Answ I answer It may bee applyed either unto Christ or into our selves Quest 4 How may this be applyed unto Christ Answ I answer Christ is a Nazarite I. Literally according to the second sort of Nazarites because he was brought up there II. Spritually according to the first sort of Nazarites but not one of those who were separated and set apart unto God BY VOVV but by the Ordination and appoyntment of God Quest 5 How may this be applyed unto us I answer Wee as the members of Christ ought also to bee Nazarites unto God Nazar signifies one that is separated Answ as Ioseph amongst his brethren and divers others Gen. 49.26 and Deut. 3.16 and Lament 4.7 and Amos 2.11 that is first in generall wee must bee separated from the world c Rom. 12.2 1 Ioh. 2.15 Secondly particularly I. First cut not the haire let no razor come upon your heads this hath a double signification first it signifies fortitude and strength teaching us three things 1. To bee constant and resolute in our obedience that nothing may divert or hinder us from the service of God 2. To fight manfully even unto bloud against sinne Hebr. 12.4 3. To bee constant in the profession of the truth even unto death as the three children d Dan. 30.17 were Secondly it signifies a certaine neglect of outward ornament or bodily adorning Teaching us to mortifie our affections unto the world to labour that the world may bee crucified unto us and that we may looke upon it as a dry branch and a withered stocke wherein there is no beauty nor comelinesse that wee should desire it II. Secondly abstaine from wine this signifies temperance and therefore let us learne to mortifie our affections in all worldly things using the world as though we used it not e 1 Cor. 7.30.32 Principally take heed of Drunkennesse this breakes our vow of a Nazarite unto God III. Thirdly touch no dead carkasse that is leave all mortified affections the lusts that are killed let them never be revived the sinnes that are left let them never bee learned f Rom. 6.2 put off sinne for ever and take heed of turning with the Dogge to his vomit or the Swine that is washed to the wallowing in the mire lest that the latter end bee worse than the beginning g 2 Pet. 2.20.21 CHAPTER III. Vers 1 Sect. 1 §. 1. VERS 1. And in those dayes Iohn the Baptist came and preached in the wildernes of Iudea Obiect THE Papists object this place to prove the lawfulnesse of Monasticall Vowes arguing thus Iohn Baptist lived from a childe in the wildernesse therefore it is lawfull for young ones to professe Monkerie Answ 1 I answer First Iohns example was extraordinary as his office and calling was singular and therefore he is no more to be imitated and followed in his solitary life than in his diet of Locusts and wilde honey he sprang also in his mothers wombe which I thinke Monkes and Eremites doe not Answ 2 Secondly it is not certaine at what yeares Iohn entred into the wildernesse for hee was thirtie yeares old when hee came and preached in the wildernesse as followes afterwards b Willet Synops f. 343. Sect. 2 § 2. In those dayes Here divers questions may be propounded Quest 1 First in what yeare of Christs age was this Answ I answer This seemes to bee presently after Christ turning aside into Nazareth mentioned Chapter 2.23 but it is not for it was in the 15 yeare of Tiberius and in the 30. yeare of Christ as appeares by another of the Evangelists a Luk. 3.1.23 Quest 2 How could Christ be so long time unknowne seeing there had been so many manifestations of him Answ 1 I answer First because those revelations of the wise men of Anna and Simeon and of the Sheepheards and the consultation of the Priests were all private Answ 2 Secondly because God had given them over to drowsinesse and the spirit of slumber and therefore they did not marke nor observe these things Quest 3 Why are there so many yeares intermitted wherein there is no mention made of Christ For hee came out of Egypt when hee was about two yeares old and at this time hee was about 30. as is sayd before so that for the space of 28 yeares there is no mention made of him Answ 1 To this I answer first of all Certainly many things are omitted by this our Evangelist as first the Purification of the Virgin before Christs flight into Egypt Secondly Christs disputation with the Scribes when hee was about twelve yeares old b Luk. 2 4â Thirdly this obedience unto his parents Luk. 2.51 Fourthly his growth and increase in Spirit and Grace Luk. 2.40 Stature of Body Luk. 2.52 Fifthly and many things were done in this interim which are not mentioned at all This was done to teach us that the holy Answ 2 Spirit would not satisfie our curiositie but declare onely the things which appertain unto salvation The holy Ghost writes not Observ what wee curiously desire to know but what seemes best unto himselfe the will of God being regula recti the true rule of equitie What dayes or times were these to the Iewes Quest 4 I answer Miserable and full of calamitie for first they were in subiection under the Romanes Secondly Pilat was governour who had mingled their bloud with their sacrifices c Luk. 13.2.3 Thirdly Herod their King was lascivious and cruell Fourthly the Scribes and Lawyers were divided into divers Sects the Pharisees were proud and superstitious the Sadduces prophane and Atheisticall the Esseenes few and despised Fifthly the Priests were covetous corrupting all things their sacrifices were polluted their governement changed having two high Priests at once Sixthly the common people were contumacious and on all sides afflicted and in diebus illis in those dayes comes the preaching of the Gospel unto them Teaching us that affliction strowes the way to mercie adversitie being unto mercie Observa as the foyle unto the Diamond the greatnesse of mercie not being perceived untill wee want it and therefore the Lord afflicts that mercie may bee the more sweet and acceptable unto us What times and dayes were these to Iohn Quest 5 Baptist who now began to preach the Gospell These were the dayes when hee was called to preach the Gospell Answ and to prepare the way for Christ for before this time hee was in the wildernesse d Luk. 1.80 whence two
Jewes by circumcision to the Christians by Baptisme but if Iohns baptisme were not the same with the baptisme of the Christian Churches then Christ was not thereby united unto them The sixt reason is because there is but one Baptisme a Ephes 4.5 and therefore Iohns was the same with the baptisme of Christ The seventh reason is because we are all baptised into one body b 1 Cor. 12.13 and therefore those that were baptised by Iohn were united unto Christ The eight reason is because Iohns baptisme was from heaven c Matth. 21.25 Ioh. 1.33 The ninth reason is because Christ permits Iohn still to baptise after he was baptised and begun to preach d Ioh. 3.23 The tenth reason is because Apollos learned the way of Christ and yet was not rebaptised as the Holy Ghost saith of him he was instructed in the way of the Lord he was fervent in spirit he was diligent in preaching Christ and yet knew onely the Baptisme of Iohn e Act. 18.25 And thus although the Papists say that the baptisme of Iohn did conduce nothing at all either unto repentance or the remission of sinnes being onely a preparation unto another baptisme yet I hope by that which hath beene spoken the contrary will evidently appeare to any indifferent Reader Object 6 They object further for the proofe hereof that those who were baptised unto Iohns baptisme were againe rebaptised f Acts 19 4 5. and therefore Iohns baptisme is not the same with Christs We shall consider God willing more amply of that place when we come unto it in the meane time I answer first that all those that were baptised Answ 1 unto Iohns baptisme were not rebaptised as appeares by Apollos named before Secondly the difference here was in the graces Answ 2 not as yet received but now given not by a new Baptisme but by the imposition of hands onely which the Papists themselves call Confirmation It may be hence farther demanded is there Quest 2 no difference at all betweene the Baptisme of Iohn and Christ I answer first some state this difference betwixt Answ 1 them that Iohns baptised unto Christ who was shortly to be revealed we now the Ministers of Christ baptise unto Christ already revealed Secondly some state this difference that Answ 2 Iohn baptised onely in the name of the Messias not of the Trinity but this is uncertaine Thirdly the true difference is twofold first Answ 3 betweene the Persons the Messias and the Minister Iohn was but Christs forerunner Christ was the true Messias and therefore they differed in their person as do the Master and the servant Secondly betweene the Sacrament externall and internall and this is the principall thing that Iohn meanes in this verse when he saith I baptize with water but Christ with the Holy Ghost that is I am not the author of this Sacrament but onely a servant appointed to celebrate it My part is to administer water and the outward ordinance but it is Christ onely that gives grace For the full understanding whereof observe that the scope of the Baptist in this place I baptise with water is twofold First generall Secondly particular First Iohns generall scope hereby was to remove the admiration of the people from himselfe unto Christ Observ Teaching us that in the undertaking and administration of the Sacraments wee must looke unto Christ and that for these two causes First because hee that in the Sacraments lookes no further then man doth much derogate from the dignity of the Sacrament Secondly because he that lookes not unto Christ in the Sacrament is unworthy of that blessing which is expected and desired in the administration of the Sacrament Secondly Iohns particular scope hereby was this to shew that his Baptisme had no efficacie nor power in it from him at all but onely from Christ § 2. Whose shooes I am not worthy to beare Here Sect. 2 is an excellent paterne of true humility in the Baptist who although hee were the greatest of the sons of men m Matth 11.11 yet he thinks himself unworthy not as the Prouerbe is to carrie his books after him but to carry his shooes or to untie them Teaching us that humility becomes the chiefest of the Saints and the best of Gods children Observa we must preferre one before another a Rom. 12 10. we must not minde high things but condescend to men of low estate b Rom. 12 16. we must be lowly and meeke c Eph 4.2 in humility of minde esteeming others better then our selves d Phil. 2.3 Why should we thus labour to be humble Quest 1 I answer first because thus we shall shew our Answ 1 selves not to be of the world or to bee contrary unto the world the ordinary custome and practise of the world is for great ones to Lord it over the poore but it shall not be so among you saith our Saviour e Matth. 20 26. the Pharisees being proud loved to be called Rabbi but saith Christ unto his Apostles be not ye called Rabbi for ye are brethren f Matth. 23.7.8 Answ 2 Secondly because thus we shall shew our selves to be truely spirituall sanctified by the Spirit of grace Saint Paul when he was a Pharisee was most strict g Acts 22.3 and in his life unblameable h Phil. 3.6 8. c. but when he was a Christian an Apostle of Christ yea a Saint upon earth then he thought himself the greatest of sinners Answ 3 Thirdly because thus we shal shew our selves to bee imitators of the best David was humble his heart was not haughty nor his eyes lofty but his soule was as a weaned child i Psa 131.1.2 The Blessed Virgin was lowly therefore God regarded her k Luk. 2.48 52. yea Christ himselfe was humble taking upon him the forme of a servant l Phil. 2.7 and meek commanding us to imitate him therein m Matth. 11.29 Answ 4 Fourthly because there is nothing in us that we can justly be proud of and therefore we should not be exalted or puft up by any vertues or graces but remember alwayes these three things First that whatsoever good is in us is not of us or from our selves but from Christ from whom comes both the will and the deed n Phil. 2.13 Secondly that the good that is in us is not according to the measure of that depth of obedience which we owe unto God but comes farre short of what we ought to pay and performe unto the Lord and therefore we should not be proud of any thing we doe but rather confesse that wee are but unprofitable servants o Luke 17.10 Thirdly we must remember that all our honey is mingled with gall our wine with water our silver with drosse our good with evill our obedience mixed with many infirmities because in many things as S. Iames saith we all sin And therefore our blacke feete
which see not God so many carnall eyes see the Scriptures which see not Christ f Gualt s Answ 2 Secondly the heavens were opened Tropologicè to shew 1. that heaven is opened unto us by the Baptisme of the Spirit or 2. that heaven is opened unto all those that are spirituall for for this cause are all graces given unto us that wee may be made partakers of the kingdome of heaven What graces are given unto us by the Spirit Quest 3 for the obtaining of heaven I answer First the grace of light knowledge Answ 1 and illumination by which we are enabled to understand those things that concerne the glory of God and our owne salvation g 1 Cor. 2.14.15 Answ 2 Secondly the grace of faith whereby we confidently beleeve heaven to bee our lot and inheritance Answ 3 Thirdly the grace of piety and holinesse whereby we are reclaimed from sinne called unto heaven and commanded no longer to have commerce or fellowship with the world and therefore let us labour that we may be made spirituall and that wee may bee Baptized with the Holy Ghost that so wee may partake of this light of understanding this hope of heaven and this purity of life Sect. 2 § 2. And the Spirit of God descended like a Dove Obiect The Rhemists h s Act. 17. âect 5. and Bellarmine produce this place to prove that it is lawfull to paint the Blessed Trinity viz. God the Father like an old man with the world in his hand Christ as hee walked upon the earth the Holy Ghost in likenesse of a Dove Arguing thus To paint the Trinity or any one of them as they appeared visibly is no more inconvenient then it was undecent for them so to appeare Wee answer First this doth flatly controle Answ 1 and contradict the word of God which simply forbiddeth any similitude to bee made of things in heaven or in earth to worship God by in the second commandement Secondly God expressly declareth that hee would not appeare in any visible shape when he Answ 2 gave the law least the people should abuse that shape to make an Jmage of God after it a Deut. 4.15 Thirdly the argument followeth not for Answ 3 God saw it was convenient sometimes by visible signes to appeare unto men and yet seeth it to be inconvenient for pictures to bee made to resemble him by for else hee would never have forbidden it Fourthly though the argument be admitted Answ 4 yet seeing now that all such visible apparitions of the Trinitie are ceased all such visible pictures likewise should be out of use Fiftly if when such apparitions were seene Answ 5 yet no such images were tolerated how much lesse are they lawfull now all such visions being long agoe determined b Willet Synops f. 457. Why did the Holy Ghost descend I answer First for the dignitie of the person Quest 1 baptized Christ was God and therefore God Answ 1 the Holy Ghost comes to witnesse his baptisme Secondly to shew the nature of Christs Kingdome Answ 2 that it was not earthly and therefore hee was not annointed with oile but heavenly and spirituall therefore he was annointed by the Holy Ghost Thirdly to shew the nature of Christs office Answ 3 or that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and powerfull operation and working of Christ in the hearts of men Teaching us Observ that whosoever are Christs are made partakers of the Spirit of God c Ioh. 3.5 and 7.37.39 and 1 Thess 4.8 Hence the Spirit is called 1 Arrha an earnest d 2 Cor. 5.5 2 a seale Ephes 1.13 and 4.30 3 an holy action 1 Iohn 2.20.27 And therefore whatsoever wee be in other things if we be Christs we are happie and blessed if we be poore yet God will love us if we be simple God will teach us if we be infants God will increase us unto maturity and ripenes and in the meane time ordaine praise unto himselfe out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings if we have beene sinners he will passe by our former sinnes e Act. 17.30 and give his Spirit unto us if wee belong unto Christ Whether did the Holy Ghost here make use Quest 2 of a naturall Dove or onely as the Angels were wont to appeare did shew himselfe in the shape of a Dove I answer First the phrase seemes to imply Answ 1 the latter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã like a Dove and so also Mar. 1.10 and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him saith Saint Luke f Luk. 3.22 Secondly Calvin warily and wisely dares conclude Answ 2 nothing and doth advise us not to sift it too narrowly and therefore I leave it Quest 3 Why doth the Holy Ghost descend in the shape of a Dove Answ 1 I answer for three causes First for the fulfilling of the Type Secondly for the expressing of the nature of Christ Thirdly for our imitation First the Holy Ghost descended upon Christ in the shape of a Dove for the fulfilling of the type because the Dove was the messenger of peace in times past unto Noah g Gen 8.11 and Plutarch and Coelius Rhod. affirmes that it was also to Observ 2 Deucalion the Holy Ghost hereby teaching us that Christ came that he might reconcile us unto God according to the testimony of the Apostle wee have peace towards God through Iesus Christ our Lord h Rom. 5.1 and againe when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne i Rom. 5.10 and 2 Cor. 5.19.20 What necessity was there of this Doves comming Quest 4 I answer the necessity appeares thus Answ First the world was now overwhelmed with sinne as formerly with a deluge of water Secondly Christ comes to cure this deluge to dry up this water and to take away our sins whence he is called the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world k Iohn 1. Thirdly and therefore most fitly comes this dove at this time that as Noahs Dove came with an olive branch l Gen 8.11 as a token of peace so the holy Spirit in the likenesse of a Dove is a signe of that peace and reconciliation which is wrought by Christ betweene our God and us All are not reconciled unto God by Christ Quest 5 and therefore what must we doe to be assured of our Particular peace and atonement with our Father whom we have offended I answer meditate seriously and frequently upon these things Answ first remember that we are all sinners lost in Adam m Rom. 5.12 and that in many things we all sin daily and he is a lyer who saith otherwise n 1 Ioh. 1.8 Secondly remember that by sinne wee are guilty of death death having passed upon all for sinne o Rom. 5.12 Thirdly meditate what death wee are liable unto it is not the effusion of our blood not a depriving of us of sense not such a sorrow
holy duties thus the Apostles when they ordaine Pastors and Elders fast i Act. 13.3 14.23 that the duties which are required of them and which they are to administer may bee performed in the evidence of the Spirit And therefore fasting were requisite and very convenient first for Ministers in the preparatioÌ unto the Lords day that their prayers unto God might bee the more effectuall for assistance in delivering of his word And secondly for people that they might the more earnestly implore the ayd of God in the hearing of his word And thirdly for Fathers and Godfathers the day before the Baptizing of the infant that their prayers may bee the more fervent unto God for the infant that it may be baptized with water and with the holy Spirit And fourthly it is requisite for all the day before the celebration of the Lords Supper because the worke which is to bee performed is great and of much weight being a covenant or contract betweene God and us and because the benefit is great if worthily performed therefore it should not be undertaken without the preparation of fasting and prayer A man that is to come into great bonds is very wary before hee signes and seales them to overlooke carefully all the writings to consider throughly of the purchase to enquire diligently into his owne abilities about the performance of the obligation to consult seriously with others of the title whether that be good and not rashly to doe any thing Thus should every one doe before the receiving of the Lords Supper carefully remembring these foure things First it may be that which thou art about to doe will tend to thy condemnation and destruction for he that eates and drinkes unworthily eates and drinkes his owne damnation k 1 Cor. 11.13 Secondly remember that the condition of this obligation made betwixt God and thee is the delivering up of thy sinnes and therefore how canst thou performe covenants with the Lord if thou knowest not what thy sinnes are nor where they are nor wherein thou offendest which things are very hardly knowne without prayer fasting meditation and examining of out waies workes words and thoughts Thirdly remember it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God a Heb. 10.31 because he is a consuming fire b Heb. 12.29 And therefore what will become of thee if thou hold not touch with him and be very carefull exactly to performe covenant And Fourthly remember that these things considered thou hadst better neglect all things when thou art to come unto the Lords Table then thy preparation thereunto And therefore the day before thou commest thither give thy selfe to examination meditation supplication and fasting For the better taking up and understanding of this observe that there is a threefold fast I. There is lejunium publicum a publike and generall fast this is not altogether so convenient for our examination and preparation unto the Lords Supper but yet were fit enough if authority should enjoyne it II. There is Iejunium privatum a private and particular fast this is requisite for every man before hee comes to partake this holy SacrameÌt III. There is private-publicum jejunium private-publike fast and that is when a Father of a Family sets the day of preparation unto the holy Communion apart both for himselfe and all those within his gates who are to communicate that so he may the better examine how they are fitted and not suffer them to runne into the danger of eternall death by unworthy receiving The last question here will bee Why wee Quest 10 must fast To which I answer first because it is profitable Answ 1 and that in a threefold regard first to the Body secondly to the Minde thirdly to the Soule First fasting is profitable unto the Body because it encreaseth and continueth health the Fathers before the flood ate onely hearbs and fruits and roots and were long livers the Essaei were very temperate and lived untill they were very old c Hist Scolast yea experience teacheth us that cattle are more healthfull then men because they will not eat to excesse except it bee a dog but onely for the satisfying of nature Secondly fasting is profitable for the Mind as appeares by these three things I. it inlightens the understanding II. it strengthens the Minde unto prayer III. it availes unto Faith First fasting cleares the eyes of the Mind a man is more apt and better able to understand when he is fasting then when he is full as may be proved by these foure reasons The first is Naturall the mind followes the temperature of the body now fasting begets more pure Spirits feasting more troubled and grosse hence we say Aurora Musis semper amica meis it is the best studying in the forenoone The second is Civill the minde distracted by no employments can discerne of a thing more clearely and quietly now as was said before when we fast we must forbeare our ordinary and painefull callings that wee may the better give our selves to the examination of our selves and sinnes and therefore fasting helpes the Mind to understand The third is Spirituall because our affections are not then inflamed with the fire of concupiscence and lust as in feasting neither is our judgment so corrupt but we can more clearely discerne of the nature of sinne and vertue The fourth is Celestiall because God gives grace to those that fast aright as Daniel when he fasted saw visions And therefore if they bee any thing difficult which we cannot understand we must sharpen the Minde upon the whetstone of Fasting yea if we be weake in grace and desire to be strengthned let us give our selves to those prevalent meanes of fasting and prayer Secondly fasting strengthens the Mind unto prayer wherefore the Apostle conjoynes them d 1 Cor. 7. â And therefore when upon any extraordinary occasion we desire that our prayers might prevaile with God wee must strengthen them with fasting Thirdly fasting availes unto faith reade Matthew 17.19.20.21 where our blessed Saviour himselfe expressly layeth downe this double conclusion unto his Apostles first that they cannot cast out divels without faith and secondly that this faith cannot be had without fasting and prayer Fourthly fasting is profitable for the Soule in these regards First it obtaines pardon and forgivenesse of sinne at Gods hands as we see in the Ninivites fast e Ionah 3.8.10 for although fasting and humiliation be not a satisfaction for sinne yet it is a testimony of sincerity that we both abhorre our by-past sinnes and desire to leave them Secondly fasting weakens the power and rebellion of the flesh and doth with more ease withstand the assaults of Sathan yea overcome him Thus we see that fasting is profitable Secondly we must fast because it is necessary and that in these two regards first because it Answ 2 is commanded for the proofe hereof reade these Scriptures Levit. 16 2â and 23.27 and Numb 29.7
Aug. S. Dom Thom. 1 a 2 ae q. 69. Anton. p. 4. Titul 7. cap. 7. and Schoole-men much addicted and the latter too much doating upon the number of seven doe observe onely seven beatitudes mentioned in this chapter to wit 1. Povertie of Spirit vers 3. 2. Meeknesse and Humilitie vers 5. 3. Mourning vers 4. 4. Hungring and thirsting after Righteousnesse vers 6. 5. Mercifulnesse vers 7. 6. Puritie of Heart vers 8. 7. Peace-makers vers 9. Quest 1 Admitting of these seven beatitudes how may wee apply it with any benefite unto our selves Answ 1 First these seven-fold blessings may be fitted squared and applied unto the seven ages of man which are these I. Infantia Infancie which is from the birth untill the age of seven yeares old II. Pueritia Childhood from seven to fourteene III. Adolescentia Adolescencie from fourteen to twenty eight IV. Inventus Youth from twentie eight to fourtie V. Virilitas Strength from fourtie to fiftie sixe VI. Veneranda Senectus reverend old age from about fiftie sixe to seventie VII Decrepita Senectus Decrepit and much decayed old age from seventie to death First mans first age is Infancie this must bee regulated by the first beatitude Povertie of Spirit wee must be like Infants who are humble and lowly or we cannot come to heaven The second age is Childhood this must bee ordered by Meeknesse and gentlenesse not obstinacie perversnesse stubbornnesse that is we must be of humble lowly spirits towards men and meeke and gentle towards God willing to bee taught and instructed and directed by him in all things not opposing his will in any thing The third age is Adolescencie and is to be curbed by Mourning and godly sorrow this age is subject to many temptations both of the Flesh Divell and World and therefore humiliation and compunction of heart are good guides for this age to follow to beat the body and bring it into subjection is a necessary worke and needfull although a very hard one for that age and shall be rewarded with Blessednesse The fourth age is Youth which is prone to covetousnesse and the profits and preferments of the world longing for and labouring after them too much And therefore it should rather be directed by a hungry and thirsty desire of righteousnesse the fourth Beatitude The fifth age is Strength or the perfection of a man at which a mans strength beginnes to decline this must bee moderated by the fifth Beatitude Mercie charitie liberalitie hospitalitie and the like The sixt age is Venerable old age this is principally to bee squared by Puritie of heart old men must labour that their hearts may bee free from all fraud or love of sinne and filled with holy thoughts and meditations and longing desires of their journeyes end m Anton. part 4. Titul 7. cap. 5. sect 6. The seventh is Decrepit old Age in which a man must studie Peace and Patience Answ 2 Secondly these seven Beatitudes may be squared and fitly applied to the seven Ages of the World viz. The first age fell by pride and therefore wee must learne to be poore in spirit The second age fell by the height of Nimrods ambition who would have built Babell and therefore we must learne and labour to bee meeke and humble The third age fell because they would not suffer adversitie and want in the wildernesse patiently and contentedly but placed their happinesse in earthly things and therefore wee should esteeme this world a vale of miserie and not grieve for any temporall thing we lack herein but rather mourne that wee our selves are so long herein being separated from the full fruition of our Christ so long as wee are present in the body because blessed are they that thus mourne The fourth age was ruined because righteousnesse was contemned and equitie trampled under feet and therefore wee must hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for so wee shall bee blessed The fift age perished through crueltie murder bloodshed and discord as we may see in the Maccabees and therefore we must learne to be mercifull and so we shall finde mercie and not perish The sixt age brought forth Christ who was a Lambe without spot teaching us to endeavour as the fellow members of Christ to bee pure and cleane in heart soule and spirit The seventh age hitherto hath been and shall bee full of warres broyles and seditious strifes and therefore if in this age wee desire to bee blessed we must be keepers lovers and makers of peace n Anton. part 4. Tibul. 7. cap. 5. sect 7. Which is the first blessednesse pronounced by our Saviour This in this verse to wit Povertie in Spirit Quest 2 What is considerable Answ or observable in this Beatitude Quest 3 Answ Two things to wit The Proposition wherein are three circumstances viz. Quid what is promised Blessednesse Qui Who are blessed The poore Quatenus What poore In Spirit The reason because theirs is the kingdome of heaven to wit both the kingdome of Grace the preaching of the Gospell Glory eternall life Quest 4 Why doth our Saviour begin here that is why doth he begin his Sermon with the Beatitudes and with the beatitude of Povertie of spirit Answ 1 First this Christ did in regard of his Disciples who being shortly to be tried and afflicted and scorned must be corroborated by this consolation Answ 2 Secondly this was done in regard of all the people present all love and desire happinesse and therefore our Saviour herewith beginnes that his doctrine and Sermon might be the better liked and more gratefully accepted of all Answ 3 Thirdly because all men almost erre in this subject some placing felicitie in one thing some in another all misplacing it our Saviour therefore doth here correct all the vulgar errours shewing truely wherein true happinesse doth consist Answ 4 Fourthly Christ beginnes this Sermon with the Beatitudes because the end of his preaching is to bring us to felicitie and true blessednesse Quest 5 Why doth not our Saviour rather command us to be poore in Spirit and to mourne and bee meeke and mercifull and peace-makers c. than thus onely to pronounce such blessed and happy Answ 1 First because it is a certaine exclamation or a more emphaticall phrase our Saviour by pronouncing the poore in spirit to be blessed doth intimate the excellencie of this vertue of poverty of spirit Answ 2 Secondly because the vulgar errour of felicity and infelicitie blessednesse and misery is the chiefest let and impediment unto faith our Saviour therefore that hee may take it out of the way doth in these beatitudes shew these two things First that Blessednes doth not coÌsist in the plenty fulnesse and abundant fruition of peace or temporal possessions Secondly that afflictions doe not hinder a man from being truely happy The scope therefore of our Saviour here is to teach us what is true happinesse and wherein it consists What is true happinesse according to Christs Quest 6 doctrine
griefes whatsoever as for example First if thou bee in any temporall danger then here is thy comfort that all things shall worke together for the best unto thee x Rom. 8.28 Secondly if thou bee derided for the profession of religion the holy Comforter will afford internall consolation unto thee Thirdly dost thou mourne for the sinnes of others and art in feare for them then here is thy comfort viz. 1. If they be righteous men who have sinned and for whose sinnes thou art troubled thou must remember they stand or fall to their own Master y Rom. 14.4 2. If they bee wicked men for whose sinnes thou mournest and whose persons thou art afraid of in regard of their sinnes yet thou maist be comforted through hope What hope can we have in bewailing the sins Quest 7 of the world and of wicked men Chrysost imperf First it may be that by thy prayers tears counsell Answ 1 advice some may be converted although the Apostle feares the worst and heares bad enough of those unto whom he writes yet hee hopes the best Heb. 6.9 Secondly the audaciousnesse and boldnesse of Answ 2 the wicked in sinning shall not be perpetuall for Christ will come to judge the world and therefore hence wee may have some comfort in our mourning for the sinnes of the wicked Thirdly God will glorifie himselfe either by Answ 3 converting them from sinne or by confounding them for sinne Wherefore in regard of Gods glory wee are not utterly deprived of comfort in our sorrow for their sinnes Answ 4 Fourthly at least when wee see apparantly that they belong not unto God we then mourne no more that is if we see them die in their sins as they lived in their iniquities then wee are to cease our mourning for them and therefore in bewailing the sinnes of the world wee have this hope that either our mourning shall be turned into mirth by their amending or shal be brought to end by their death Fourthly if thou grievest for thy owne sinnes committed against thy God thou maist hearken what the Lord saith and hee will speake peace unto thee he will tell thee he desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his sinnes and live He will tell thee that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart and such a sacrifice he will not despise z Psa 51.17 Yea thy Christ will tell thee that if thou feele thy sinnes to be a burthen unto thee that hee will ease thy shoulders of that load if thou wilt but come unto him a Mat. 11.28 Thus the Lord hath particular comforts for all the griefes of his children or whatsoever their causes of mourning be And thus we have seene the first consolation which wee have from this Blessed Comforter and that is temporall Secondly the Holy Spirit gives unto all holy mourners spirituall solace and that two wayes first by mitigating their affliction by inward comfort hence they can rejoyce in tribulation b Rom. 5.3 yea hence they can cheerfully endure death c Rom. 8.36 as we see in Paul Acts 20. and in the other Saints Heb. 11.35 c. And in the Apostles who rejoyce that God is pleased to thinke them worthy to suffer for Christs sake d Acts 5.41 Secondly by giving unto them internall peace of conscience both with themselves and with their God e Phil. 4.7 insomuch as they become thereby more then conquerers in their greatest afflictions and tryals f Rom. 8.31.37 and 2 Cor. 1.4 Thirdly this Paracletus will give unto these mourners in Zion eternall consolation in the new Jerusalem which is above where and when Death shall be swallowed up in victory and all teares wiped from off their faces g Esa 25.8 and Apoc. 7.17 Revel 21.4 And their temporal mourning changed into eternal mirth as Abraham saith to Dives of Lazarus he in his life time received paines therefore now hee is comforted h Luk. 16.25 and hence it is called everlastâng consolation i 2 Thess 2.16 yea joy and comfort which the heart of a mortall man is not able to conceive off k 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Quest 8 How many degrees are there of this Eternall Consolation Answ Two to wit First from death when the spirit returnes unto God that gave it and the soule is caried by the Angels into heaven to enjoy the joyes of that celestiall paradise with Christ for ever and ever The second is from the resurrection when the body beeing united into the soule both are made partakers of that eternall blisse when we can see God with these same eyes l Iob. 19.26 having put on immortality as a garment and our corruptible bodies being made incorruptible And therefore from the consideration hereof we may see how blessed a thing it is to mourne and to want comfort for a while here on earth and how wide they shoot that thinke those happy that laugh and rejoyce here on earth Extrema gaudij luctus occupat the end of temporall joy is eternall sorrow as wee see in Dives thou in thy life time receivedst pleasure saith Abraham therefore now thou art tormented m Luk. 16 25. We see worldlings rejoyce and expose themselves wholly to profuse laughter and mirth according to that of the Prophet The harpe and the violl the tabret and pipe and wine are in their feasts n Esa 5.12 with joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine o Esa 22.13 in bowles chaunting to the sound of the violl inventing instruments of musicke and anointing themselves with the chiefe ointments p Amos 6 5.6 But all this jollity doth not argue felicity the lives of worldlings being meerely tragicall that is merry in the beginning but the Catastrophe death and misery Balthazar feasts but by and by trembles and within few houres is slaine Dan. 5.5 And many more like him spend their daies in good things and in a moment goe downe into the pit q Iob. 21.13 And therefore let us remember how vaine all the joyes of this world are and not place our felicity in them or thinke our selves happy because we enjoy them but rath r thinke blessed are they that mourne What comforts may we be supported withall Quest. 9 in the time of our sorrow What consolations may wee propound unto our selves in our distresse that we may the more patiently beare and undergoe it Ruminate in the day of mourning and time of griefe of these five things Remember first Answ that affliction is common with thee unto all the faithfull and therefore thou mayest the better beare it r Heb. 12.8 Secondly remember affliction may bee grievous to the body but it is joyous to the soule our Saviour sayth Feare not him nor that which can kill the body but feare him and that which can cast body and soule into hell fire And therefore we should not
thou must grieve in thy heart for their wrongs and oppressions Secondly thou must pray for them unto God that he would arise to defend them and to plead their cause against all their enemies Thirdly thou must shew thy zealous love and affection unto them by thy words that is by speaking for them when they are abused or scandalized and by urging the Magistrate with all modest importunity to execute just judgement for them upon their enemies And thus much for the Morall sense of these words Thirdly there is Fames spiritualis a spirituall hunger and thirst having elswhere to handle this I here will but onely touch it Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse First these words may spiritually be expounded thus Blessed are those that are grieved with the iniquities of the times and mourne for the sins of the world and withall doe in heart and soule long for the amendment and reformation thereof Secondly by righteousnesse we may well in the first place understand the righteousnesse of Faith whereby a sinner is justified through faith in Christ and so standes righteous before God having the pardon of all his sinnes sealed unto him Wee may in the second place by righteousnesse understand righteousnesse of workes whereby a man is sanctified and made holy having Gods Image renewed in him by the Spirit of grace which was lost by the fall of our first parents And this appeares by these places Isa 55.1 1 Joh. 7.37 Rev. 21.6 All which places are one in substance for by waters we must understand righteousnes which is that spirituall grace of God the fountaine of all blessings whereby sinners are justified and sanctified p Perkins s VERS 7. Blessed are the mercifull Vers 7 for they shall obtaine mercy In this verse we have these two parts to wit The blessednesse promised wherein are these two things First in generall who are blessed the Mercifull Secondly in particular what mercy and how manifold it is which is here required unto this blessednesse The reason of the blessednesse or promise thereof wherein are these two things viz First in generall why are the mercifull blessed because they shall obtaine mercy Secondly in particular what mercy this is which the mercifull shall obtaine First in generall wee see here who they are that shall obtaine mercy onely the mercifull Observ 1 Teaching us that those who would find mercy must exercise mercy He hath shewed thee O man saith the Prophet what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and to love mercy q Micah 6.8 Quest 1 Why must we bee thus carefull to shew mercy unto others Answ 1 First because Mercy is a vertue taught us by nature or because by the light of nature we are taught to be mercifull one towards another For first nature teacheth Nemo sibi natus r Cicero No man is borne or brought into the world onely for himselfe but to doe good unto others as well as unto himselfe Secondly Nature teacheth that we must not be cruell or revengefull against our owne flesh No man ever hated his owne body but nourisheth and cherisheth it saith the Apostle that is by the light of nature we are taught to doe good unto our selves and those that are of our owne flesh and blood And therefore wee should be mercifull unto all because we are all children of one Father and creatures of one and the same species or kind Thirdly Nature teacheth us that vindictae brevis voluptas misericordia perpetua the pleasure that a man hath in revenge is very short but the delight which a man findes in shewing mercy is of great continuance and therefore we should be mercifull Secondly mercy pleaseth God and therefore Answ 2 we should be mercifull that the Lord is pleased herewith appeares thus First he loves and delights himselfe to shew mercy hence it is said The earth is full of his mercy Psal 33.5 Yea his mercy reacheth unto the clouds Psal 36.6 and 108.4 and is perpetuall enduring for ever Psal 100.5 and 106.1 and 107.1 and 136. yea all his wayes are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 this being his nature to bee mercifull and gracious slow to anger and of great kindnesse Psalm 86.5.15 Exod. 34.6 Secondly the Lord hath proposed this his mercie unto us for our imitation Be mercifull as your Father in heaven is mercifull Å¿ Luk. 6.36 and doe good unto all as he doth who causeth his Sunne to shine and his raine to raine both upon the good and bad t Mat. 5.45 and therefore when we follow the Lord herein certainly wee please him Thirdly the Lord to assure us hereof hath plainly told us that mercie is very acceptable and gratefull unto him I will have mercie and not sacrifice sayth the Lord and his Christ Ose 6.6 Matth. 9.13 and 12.7 And Salomon a type of Christ sayth that the mercifull man doth lend upon usurie unto God v Prov. 19.17 yea our Saviour describing the generall judgement doth shew how graciously the Lord accepts workes of mercie wherein we have first Gods acceptation In as much as yee have done it to them yee have done it unto me Secondly his enumeration When I was hungry yee fed mee when I was thirsty yee gave mee drinke c. Thirdly his remuneration therefore come yee blessed into everlasting joy u Mat. 25.40 c. And therefore wee may safely say that God is pleased with mercie and that it is our part to bee mercifull if wee desire to please him Answ 3 Thirdly God hath threatned to punish the cruell and unmercifull man and hath promised to reward the mercifull and therefore if we desire to be made partakers of mercie or to bee freed from miserie we ought to bee mercifull First the cruell and unmercifull man shall finde no mercie Behold sayth the Lord this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome shee did not strengthen the hand of the poore and needie therefore I tooke her away as I saw good w Ezek. 16.49 c. And thus Salomon threatens that whoso stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore hee also shall cry himselfe but shall not bee heard x Pro. 21.13 And shall have judgement without mercy because he shewed no mercy y James 2.13 Secondly the mercifull man hath from God a promise of mercie This will further appeare in the second part of this verse and therefore I now leave it Answ 4 Fourthly it is our dutie as we are Christians to be mercifull as thus appeares by these dependant particulars First we are all one body Thus sayth the Apostle Wee being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another z Ro. 12.5 Read for this purpose 1 Corinth 12.12 and 10.17 and Ephes 4.4.15.16 Secondly never any man hated his owne flesh a Ephe. 5.29 Thirdly hence came that mutuall communicating of riches which wee read of Acts 2.44 and 4.32
becomming accursed to the Law in suffering death upon the Crosse for us for although the Law could not condemne Christ who was innocent and unspotted yet because hee had put on our person which the Law had condemned by a curse e Deut. 27.28 and also taken upon him our curse and malediction he fulfilled that crying Law cursed is every one that doth not abide in all that it written in the law f Gal. 3.13 He was made a curse for us that we might obtaine and partake the blessing of Abraham in him Secondly hee fulfilled the Law in his person by enduring and undergoing human things although hard to bee borne and unjustly commanded Thus hee payes tribute when it was required although it were proper unto strangers the children being free Thirdly Christ fulfilled the Law in his person by observing the ceremonies and shadowes of the Law Fourthly by fulfilling all the predictions and prophesies of the Law concerning himselfe whether they were I. the Types of the Law or II. the promises of salvation as for example Iacob saith The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah c. untill Shiloh come g Gen. 49.10 Moses sayth The Lord will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren unto him shall yee hearken h Deut. 18.15 Isaias saith The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee therefore the Lord hath anoynted me and sent me c i Esai 61.1 Read further Isai 53 4-6 Ezech. 36.25.26 Zach. 12.10 Psalm 110.1 In all which places and many more wee may see the Oracles and predictions of the Law and Prophets concerning the Regall Sacerdotall and Propheticall offices of Christ really and verily fulfilled by him and therefore he doth most truely affirme that hee came not to dissolve the law but to fulfill it Fiftly Christ fulfilled the Law in his person by performing perfect obedience unto the Morall law doing all that was therein required of him either in regard of God or man in which respect hee was sayd to bee made vnder the Law k Gal. 4.4 There was in him such a perfect obedience and conformitie unto the Law of God that he did observe it fully and fulfill it without the least defect yea herein dares challenge his adversaries the Jewes Which of you can reprove mee of sinne l Ioh. 8.46 and Heb. 7.26 And thus Christ in his person fulfilles the Prophesies Ceremonies Types Shadowes and Promises of the Law yea after his resurrection telleth the two Disciples that it was necessary that hee should fulfill all things which was written of him in the law of Moses and of the Prophets and Psalms Answ 3 Thirdly Christ fulfilled the Law in men three wayes namely First by creating faith in their hearts whereby they lay hold on Christ who fulfilled the Law for them Secondly by writing the Law in their inward man Ierem. 31.33 I will write my law in their hearts Thirdly by giving them his owne blessed Spirit which makes them endeavour to fulfill the Law which endeavour Christ accepts for perfect obedience though it be imperfect For Christ infusing the grace of his Spirit into us by the vertue thereof wee are quickned and begin to fulfill the Law in performing new obedience unto God according to all his commandements And thus we see the truth of this assertion or sentence I came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it VERS 18. Verily I say unto you Vers 18 till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the law till all be fulfilled § 1. Till heaven and earth passe Shall the Sect. 1 Law end when heaven and earth doth passe away First some answer that the written Law and Answ 1 Prophets shall passe away but not the Law it selfe thus Bucer Secondly some say that the yoake and coaction Answ 2 of the law shall passe away but not the rule or truth thereof Thirdly some say the phrase is figurative and Answ 3 this I conceive to bee the truth They shall feare thee Oh Lord saith David Donec Sol so long as the Sunne and Moone endure m Psal 72 5. where Donec doth not include a set time so our Saviour saith unto his Apostles Lo I am with you Donec even unto the end of the world n Matth. 28.20 that is for ever Yea Saint Luke thus alleadgeth this verse It is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one tittle of the law to faile o Luk. 16.17 Wherefore Gualter concludes Est argumentum ab impossibili As it is impossible for heaven and earth to passe so it is impossible for any part of the law not to bee fulfilled or to bee made voide Observ Teaching us that the Morall law is alwaies to be observed by all men in all ages Christs word shall not passe away Mat. 24.35 and the word of our God is perpetuall enduring for ever That which was sinne in it selfe once is sin alwaies for there is no mutation with God at all Jam. 1.17 § 2. One jot or one tittle shall passe Sect. 2 If the studious Reader desire a learned exposition of these two words Jot and Tittle let him read Senensis Biblioth sanct lib. 2. fol. 75. sine 76. What doth our Saviour meane by these words Quest ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jot is the least letter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Tittle Answ is lesse then Jota or Jot August s by which our Saviour meanes that there is nothing so little in the law that it may bee omitted hence he saith elsewhere that account must bee given unto God for idle words yea for thoughts God is wiser then men and hath commanded no vaine thing but all things are significant which are enjoyned in the law that being altogether just p Psal 12.7 God is holy in all his workes much more in all his lawes and therefore the least transgression of the law shall be punished Sect. 3 § 3. Vntill all things be fulfilled Object It may here bee objected that many things commanded in the law are violated and broken and therefore all things therein are not fulfilled Answ These words are not to bee referred unto the life of men but unto the truth of the doctrine for although many precepts are transgressed yet all the promises and threatnings shall certainely be accomplished in Gods appointed time Vers 19 VERS 19. Whosoever therefore shall breake one of those least commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven but whosoever shall doe and teach them the same shall bee called great in the kingdome of heaven Sect. 1 § 1. Whosoever shall breake one of these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The word here used signifies to untie a knot or to loose a bond or chaine Observ Teaching us that the Morall Law is a Bond which binds the conscience and remaines still as a rule of obedience unto us as was shewed in the 17.
for it Reade Psal 94 11. Jerem. 17.9 10. and 11.20 Psal 7.9 and 1 Sam. 16 7. Consider how miserable thy condition is if thou be carelesse or fearelesse of these thoughts for it argues that thou fearest the Devill more than God and man more than both thou darest not commit the act of uncleannesse before men but thou darest ruminate and delight in unclean thoughts before the presence of God Read 1 Chron. 28.9 and Apoc. 2.23 Answ 4 Fourthly be watchfull over thy wayes and sober 1 Pet. 5.8 wee must be very carefull and circumspect both in regard of the allurements of the world and the assaults of Satan and the corruption of our actions and the deceit of wicked occasions but principally in regard of our affections for as by the sense tentation enters so by affection sin breakes forth Answ 5 Fifthly let us acknowledge the pollution and evill of internall lust by and by out of hand and speedily resist it Sometimes these thoughts come veiled with the veile of honesty and lawfulnesse but let us acknowledge them to be no other than the Divels baites and his fiery darts that so we may the better resist them A wise man will be ready alwayes to suspect a knowne flatterer and therefore wee had much more neede suspect the Divell and our corrupt nature which are knowne Traytors Wee may be assured that they are no better because there is in Our concupiscence a certain sweetnesse and delight Our mind a certaine pronnesse to give way thereunto Non possum adversari meis And therefore withstand it betime Sixthly accustome thy selfe to contrary meditations Answ 6 and thoughts fill thy mind with spirituall animadversions for a ful vessell can hold no more I will for the instruction of the ordinary Reader lay downe some few We should meditate of some things in Generall where wee must remember both our Naturall estate and condition wherein we are namely first wee are now sold under sinne and the captives of Satan Secondly wee are altogether by nature barren of grace and destitute of every good thing we are like fruitfull fields unto evill abounding with weeds and therefore we are neere unto a curse d Heb. 6 8 Thirdly our understanding is prone to be seduced That wee may be thorowly convinced of this truth let us observe how many there are every where who erre and goe astray either 1. through curiosity as many doe Or 2. through superstition as more doe Or 3. through profanenesse as the most doe And therefore we had need be sober and watchfull Fourthly remember how naturally our desire and will are averse from every thing that is good and violently carried after every thing which is evill Fifthly consider although our present estate and condition be so miserable that we cannot but see it and know it yet we are not able to redresse it Danger and that both in Life wherein all things are snares to intrap us and stumbling stones to cause us to fall our actions words society friends and the evill examples of others are all of them as so many baites of sinne and allurements unto iniquitie yea impediments from good The world gives and affords temptations Satan urges and perswades us to bite at those sugred baites and our owne corrupt nature doth long after them and lust for them Thus we have enemies within us and without us never being safe and therefore we had not need be secure but watchfull and sober Death the time thereof being altogether unknowne unto us we know not how suddenly we may be arrested and cast into the prison of the grave and the dungeon of death we know not how short the time is which wee have to live unto the Lord and therefore wee must bee carefull to redeeme the time After death here remember 1. How suddenly we may be plunged into perpetuall paine as Iob saith the wicked doe who spend their dayes in good things and in a moment goe downe into the pit e Job 21.13 2. How impossible it is for us there to repent or finde mercy yea though with Esau we seek it with sighes and teares The mercie of God who hath First created us after his owne image making us next unto the Angels the best of his creatures And why That we might glorifie him And therefore frustrate him not of his aime defraud him not of his right Secondly redeemed us and that with a wonderfull price to wit by the precious Blood of his most deare Son f John 3.16 and 1 Pet. 1.21 And why that we might shew our selves to be the sons of God that we might joyne our selves unto the Society of the Saints that we might learne to live on earth as though we were in Heaven And therefore wee had need be extraordinarily carefull over our wayes Thirdly prepared a Kingdome for thee g Luk. 12.32 which is incorruptible immortall and eternall h 1 Pet. 1.4 and for which wee should neglect all other things And therefore let us not preferre base lusts and worldly delights and the momentary pleasures of sinne before this Crowne and weight of glory In particular to wit First meditate upon thy present estate and condition examining carefully these three things namely First whether art thou in the state of nature or of grace whether art thou rooted in faith and built upon the true Rocke Christ Jesus or as yet a member of old Adam Secondly whether hast thou strictly obliged thy selfe to the service of God and a course of piety resolving with thy selfe that henceforth thou wilt serve sinne no more because thou wert borne created redeemed instructed and enlightned or the glory of God Or whether dost thou trifle away thy precious time in and for those things which will not benefit thee at all Thirdly art thou daily carefull to sowe the seeds of piety in thy heart that the fruites of Religion may shew themselves in thy life and conversation Or dost thou sowe wicked thoughts and impure desires in thy soule which will bring forth nothing but bryers and thistles the fruits of corruption Or dost thou strive to weed all wicked wanton idle and carnall desires lusts and thoughts out of thy soule that so the seed of grace and godlinesse may thrive the better Secondly examine thy daily life therin these particulars First whether hast thou the Spirit of God or not to bee thy guide and conducter 1. If thou hast him not tremble feare and labour for him 2. If thou hast him then grieve him not but be willingly obedient unto him Secondly whether dost thou daily increase in grace repentance and faith Thirdly which are the principall errours of thy life and the chiefest enemies which warre within thee Fourthly how are thy corruptions and lusts wont to deceive thee and overcome thee that is 1. How often doe they prevaile against thee 2. By what wayes and meanes doe they overcome thee Fifthly how shalt thou overcome thy enemies whose helpe what
punishment this we must endure patiently for Christs sake II. Culpae The evill of sinne here this generall rule must be laid downe We must give no place unto sinne or we must not yeeld to sinne at all but altogether resist it every sinne is from Sathan 1 Ioh. 3.8 but wee must resist the devill to the face giving no place unto him Ephes 4.27 That is first wee must resist the motions of sinne in our selves Secondly wee must resist the perswasions of sin which come from others Thirdly we must resist the commands of superiours if they be sinfull that is no coÌmand must make us do that which God forbids children are not to obey Fathers servants are not to obey Masters Schollers are not to obey Teachers when they injoyne the performance of that which God prohibites in his word Fourthly we must resist our brothers sinne that is reprove and blame it and not seeme to allow of it What is meant by this word Resist Quest 3 First sometimes it is taken in the best sense Answ 1 as elsewhere we are commanded to put on the whole armour of a Christian that wee may resist sinne sathan and temptation Ephes 6.13 Iames 4.7 and 1 Pet 5.3 and thus the evill of sinne is to bee resisted as was shewed even now Secondly sometimes it is taken in the worst Answ 2 sense and that according to a double exposition namely First it signifies Rebellare to Resist which is manifold in Scripture to wit I. Some resist the will of God Rom. 9.19 II. Some resist the Spirit of God Acts 7.51 III. Some resist the truth of God 2 Tim. 3.8 IV. Some resist the Preaching of the Gospel 2 Tim. 4.15 V. Some resist the Magistrate Rom. 13.2 Secondly it signifies Contradicere to contradict and gainesay Thus our Saviour promiseth to give unto his Apostles such a mouth and wisedome that their adversaries should not bee able to gainesay nor resist x Luke 21.15 And thus they who disputed with Stephen were not able to resist the wisedome and Spirit by which hee spake y Acts 6.10 So Elymas withstood Paul Acts 13.8 and Paul Peter Gal. 2.11 Quest 4 Is no evill of punishment to be resisted Answ Evills are of two sorts I. Naturall as sicknesse diseases poverty and the like the generall rule here is where meanes may bee used for the relieving of our necessities or griefes there they must bee used and therefore meate and medicines are not to be despised II. Worldly evils here the generall rule is where charitie is violated there sinne is committed and therefore all contentions are to be laid aside hence two questions arise of which briefely because we shall handle them more largely in the next Section Quest 5 Are warres then lawfull at all Answ 1 First Kings and Princes may lawfully undertake warres observing these foure things I. let the cause moving them unto warre bee lawfull II. Let it be weighty and of great importance III. Let it bee undertaken in Christian love and charitie IV. Let it be the last remedie of seeking to obtaine their rights that is let them first trie by all meanes that restitution and satisfaction may be made for their wrongs before they wage warre Answ 2 Secondly for the Subject it is his part to protect and defend both his King and Kingdome to the uttermost of his power and ability Quest 6 Is it lawfull to goe to law at all Answ 1 First the Anabaptists deny al Magistracie and consequently hold all sutes unlawfull Answ 2 Secondly some hold that it is never a sinne to goe to law Answ 3 Thirdly both these erre and therefore that a meane may bee found out betwixt these extreames I should lay downe here some Rules but they follow in the next Section Sect. 2 § 2. Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Quest 1 Is this dutie of suffering and pardoning of injuries so necessarily required of every Christian that it is never lawfull for them to right themselves or to seeke justice from the Magistrate by desiring that the offender may bee punished Answ 1 First it is not lawfull for private persons either to revenge themselves or to desire the Magistrate to punish the offender according to their prescription for men must not be both Judges and Parties Answ 2 Secondly it is never lawfull for the offended to seek to be revenged by the Magistrate of the offender out of a corrupt and exulcerated mind that is out of a desire of anger hatred and revenge towards his neighbour Men for the most part goe to law that they may be revenged and as they say have their will of him who hath injured them this is not to be allowed Answ 3 Thirdly it is lawfull for him who is injured to seeke justice at the Magistrates hand according as he in equitie shall judge of his cause and wrong if he seeke it out of a love of justice and a meeke minde and with a desire that his neighbour may be the better by it as followes by and by We shewed before that this truth was questioned Quest 2 by the Anabaptists and therefore it may here bee demanded How it appeares that those who are injured may justly and lawfully repaire unto the Magjstrate for redres of their wrongs First because God hath instituted and ordained Answ 1 Magistrates Tribunalls and Judgement seates who yet approves of nothing which is contrary to christian love and therefore it is lawfull for the injured to appeale unto the Magistrate for succour against the injurious person Secondly because in all civill religion and Answ 2 well ordered Common-wealthes there are lawes enacted for the punishment of offenders and the recompence of wrongs which lawes were altogether vaine and idle if it were never lawfull to use the benefit of them against malefactors Thirdly because it is profitable for the evill Answ 3 doers that they should be punished for their evill deeds that the pray which they have unjustly got should be taken from betwixt their teeth whence it appeares that it is a worke of charitie sometimes to procure offenders to be corrected that so they may be amended Bishop Davenant s Colos 3.13 We shewed before that some thought it never Quest 3 a sinne to goe to law and therefore it may here be questioned when it is not and when it is First as was said in the former question hee Answ 1 sins who out of a malicious revengefull mind implores the aid of the Magistrate for the punishing of him who hath injured him Secondly the Magistrate is justly implored Answ 2 by the injured person to take vengeance or to punish the injurious in these regards namely I. That he who hath done the injurie may be corrected but without any malice to his person at al. II. That by this meanes he may be repressed lest other wise hee should wrong others in the like manner III. That for the time to come he may be
that hate you pray for them which persecute you Quest 1 Why doth our Saviour expresse or adde these particulars doth not this generall exhortation Love your enemies imply and include all these Frustrà fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora is not this unnecessarily to multiply words Answ This our Saviour doth for the hardnesse and senselesnesse and dulnesse of our hearts because spirituall things are difficultly aright understood except they be very plainely and clearly laid downe wee can sometimes understand generalls but are not able to inferre those particulars which are therein included Quest 2 Why are spirituall things so hard to bee understood by us Answ 1 First because they cannot be perceived without the helpe of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 2.14 Answ 2 Secondly because we can easily find a knot in a rush we can find something to cavill at or to object against being in the reading and study of Scripture prompted hereunto by Satan and carnall reason who will invent some arguments against the truth of Gods sacred volume Answ 3 Thirdly because spirituall things are contrary to our natures and naturall affections wee can easi y understand those things which suite with our dispositions and are deare unto our affections but those things which are opposite unto them we cannot understand Vers 45 VERS 45. That yee may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust Sect. 1 § 1. That ye may be the children of your Father Object Stapleton urgeth and objecteth this place to prove the merit of charitie because our Saviour commandeth us to love both our Neighbours and enemies in the former verses Vt fiamus filii patris that so we may be made the children of our heavenly Father Answ 1 First we deny that any merits of counsell or command or supererogatory workes can make us the sonnes of God Answ 2 Secondly we say that merits follow our filiation and doe not goe before it Answ 3 Thirdly the sense therefore of this place is one or both of these I. Shew thy self to be the son of God by thy love unto all Approba filiationem Calvin Beza Muscul Marlor approve thy filiation to be true by thy love unto thy enemies and by doing good unto those who doe evill unto thee II. Walke worthy of thy adoption and sonne-ship as if our blessed Saviour would say walke in your Fathers steps who doth good unto all There are here two things considerable namely First the Argument Secondly the Consequence First the Argument which our Saviour here useth is this Because ye are sons therefore c. as if hee would say The chiefest care of man is or should be that hee may bee made the sonne of God Obser Why should we principally endeavour to be Quest 1 made the children of our heavenly Father First in generall because all the promises of the Answ 1 Gospel depend upon this we cannot bee made partakers of any promise of God untill wee are his children for all the promises are made to such Secondly because adoption and filiation are Answ 2 seales of salvation we never can be assured that we shall be saved untill we are assured of our filiation Thirdly because it is the greatest dignitie in Answ 3 the world to be made the sonne of God David thought it a great honour to be an earthly Kings sonne in Law how much greater is it then to be the adopted sonne our heavenly Father which is the King of Kings and a Lord of Lords The blessed Virgin Mary was more blessed in being Gods daughter then Christs mother Fourthly because Christ onely loves those Answ 4 who are the children of God Fifthly because Christ died for this end that Answ 5 he might gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Iohn 11.52 Sixthly because if we be not the children of Answ 6 God we are the children of the Divell Ioh. 8.44 Seventhly because if we be the sonnes of God Answ 7 wee shall be directed by his holy Spirit in our lives and conversations for as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 and contrarily Eighthly because if we be the sonnes of God Answ 8 by adoption wee shall then have communion with God and fellowship with his naturall and eternall Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 and 1 Iohn 3.2 Ninthly if we be sonnes wee are heires yea Answ 9 heires of glory if we be here adopted into the fellowship of sonnes we shall hereafter be crowned with a wreath of glory and raigne with Christ for ever and ever Reade Rom. 5.2 and 8.17 21. and Gal. 4.7 And therefore to conclude this Question If we desire 1. To bee assured that all the gracious and comfortable promises of the Gospel belong particularly unto us If 2. wee desire to be assured that we are of the number of those who shall be saved If 3. We desire to be promoted unto the greatest honour in the world If 4. Wee desire to be assured of Christs love unto us If 5. we long to be gathered by Christ into his fold If 6. We would not be the sonnes of Satan If 7. We desire the direction and conduct of the blessed Spirit If 8. We desire union and communion with God and Christ we must then labour and endevour to be made the sonnes of God We hope we are the sonnes of God and not of Quest 2 Satan but how may we be not only well perswaded but also certainely assured hereof Answ Wee may undoubtedly know whether we be the children of the most High by these signes Signe 1 First faith is a note of the sonne of God and therefore we must try whether we have faith or not Wee are the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.28 And therefore if we have no faith we are strangers from God and the Covenant of grace Ephes 2.12 and 4.18 Signe 2 The next Signe is the Spirit and the testimony of the same he who is adopted into the fellowship of Sonnes is endued with the Spirit which unto his spirit testifieth the truth of his filiation Reade Rom. 8.16 and Gal. 4.6 And therefore we must examine what manner of certainty we have of our adoption I. If we have no assurance hereof we are very miserable II. If our perswasion be a lying presumption and our hope without any solid ground then our condition is much more miserable III. If our assurance be weake like a smoaking flax or bruised reede then we must labour that it may be more strengthned IV. If our assurance be strong and built upon that never-failing Rocke then wee are happy and blessed Rom. 8.38 and 2 Tim. 4.8 Signe 3 The third Signe is this if wee be the children of God we are led by the Spirit Gal. 5.25 and Rom. 8 14. wherefore we should examine
concerning this prayer How many Petitionsare there in this Prayer Quest 1 It is a knot not worth a wedge it not being much materiall Answ whether we affirme them to bee sixe or seven Chrysostome seemes to make but sixe but Augustine saith Septima ultima and so makes seven It matters not which wee adhere unto if we doe but avoide the superstâtious observation of the number of seven wherein some famous men have waded too farre What order doth our Saviour observe in this Prayer The most perfect and exact order that can be imagined For this prayer is of all other most perfect not onely containing all things that are necessary to be prayed for but also the order which is to be observed in the praying for them As thus most evidently appeares First the foundation of all is the glory of God this is the last scope of all our actions and therefore first to be prayed for Secondly then wee desire the comming of Christs Kingdome and that for two reasons I. Because the consummation of the Kingdome of God is the second foundation of our actions II. Because the kingdome of grace is the meanes to bring us unto God And therefore this in the second place is prayed for Thirdly then we cry thy will be done because before we be admitted into the Kingdome of grace we cannot fulfill or obey the will of God Fourthly having thus prayed for Gods glory and spirituall graces we then come to demand temporall blessings Give us this day our daily bread Object 1 It may here be objected we stand in neede of temporall things first of all and therefore wee ought to pray for them in the first place Answ 1 First God doth give us temporall things from the beginning of our life because wee stand in neede of them as soone as we are borne But yet they are not first to be sought for at Gods hands Answ 2 Secondly as we stand in neede of temporall things from the beginning so it is necessary that we should obey God from the beginning The fig-tree should alwaies be prepared to answer the Lords expectation lest he seeking fruit and finding none curse it and condemne it to the fire And therefore greater is the necessitie of Spirituall graces then of temporall goods and first to be demanded Answ 3 Thirdly then onely temporall good things are to be demanded when the Spirit of God and grace hath taught us to begge onely moderate things modestly Wherefore they are not to be desired till after the Kingdome of grace Fourthly then we pray for the pardon of our sinnes and that for these causes I Because our sinnes are then remitted when we are admitted into the Kingdom of grace II. Because the most sanctified of all sin against God and that daily Fifthly then we beg to be delivered from the Tempter and preserved from temptation Because it is alwaies necessary that God should protect us We should be circumspect What may we learne from this method and Quest 3 order observed by our Saviour in this prayer First and before all things to desire the glory Answ 1 God This being the substance of the first Petition we reserve it untill by and by Secondly the three first Petitions respect Answ 2 God and the three last our selves Teaching us to respect God before our selves to regard his will more then our owne to love him above all yea better then our selves Deut. 6.5 and 10.12 and 11.1 and Mat. 22.37 and that for Obser 2 three causes 1 Because it is a signe of a Saint to love God above himselfe yea above all things Ps 31.24 II. Because such God hath promised to regard he that honours God God will honour him he that cordiaâly loves God him will the Lord love III. Because if we thus respect love the Lord above all things we shal live for ever d Deut. 30.19.20 Iohn 23.11.12 Thirdly spirituall things we desire first and in more words yea more petitions then one Temporall things but once in one Petition yea Answ 3 in one word Bread Teaching us in our prayers Obser 2 to preferre spirituall things before temporall 1 Cor. 12.31 and 14.1 and 10.3 4. Col. 1.9 and that for these following reasons I. Because earthly things are not alwaies good for us but often hinder a man from his naturall rest e Eccle. 5.12 The abundaÌce of the rich will not suffer him to sleep II. Because they are never equally alike good for us or so good for us as are spirituall graces f Rom. 15 27. and 1 Cor. 9.11 and Rom. 1.11 for these are profitable both for soule and body III. Because spirituall graces are necessary for us for without them we cannot come unto God or glory g 1 Cor. 3.1 but we may without any yea many temporall blessings And therefore we should most earnestly hunger for and desire spirituall things because they are both most excellent in themselves and most profitable for us Whether is it lawfull to use any set forme of Quest 4 prayer written or printed Set formes of Prayer read and considered before hand are very profitable unto the weake Answer both to teach them 1. What to pray for and how And 2. to helpe their memories Whether is it lawfull to use this forme of Quest 5 prayer which is taught us by Christ First there are many formes of prayer which Answ 1 are easier unto the understanding then this is Secondly but this is the most perfect forme Answ 2 therfore we ought alwaies to imitate it at least in part and as farre as we proceede in our prayers Thirdly there is no other forme injoyned us Answ 3 then this wee have indeede many examples of prayer or exemplarie prayers of Moses David Salomon Paul c. but of none it is said as here Sic orabitis ye shall pray thus Whether was the Lords prayer given 1. as an Quest 6 example or 2. as a prayer or 3. as both First some say this was given and commanded Answ 1 absolutely as a prayer and therefore it is necessarie alwaies to use it But this is proved false by these two reasons namely I. Because then it were unlawfull to use any other forme or prayer II. Because the word here used is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sic non ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hoc pray Thus not This. Answ 2 Secondly some say that this is given onely as a plat-forme to direct us how to pray but this is false as will appeare by a double reason to wit I. Because Saint Luke sayth say thus When yee pray ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã say Saint Matthew here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã pray whereby it appeares that the words may be said as a prayer Answ 3 Thirdly Certainely this prayer was given us by the Lord as a platforme and unto him that doth rightly understand it it is the most prudent perfect and compendious prayer of all prayers And therefore the superstition of the Papists
well as themselves Quest 3 Whether under this title father is onely the first person of the blessed Trinitie supplicated Answ 1 First although Christ here teacheth us to pray our father yet we are not hereby prohibited to supplicate either God the Sonne or Holy Ghost for we may pray unto any of them this word father being taken in Scripture two manner of wayes Namely Personally as it is distinguished from Sonne and Holy Ghost but not so here Mat. 20.19 Essentially as it doth distinguish God from man and so it is here taken to teach us that wee must pray unto none but unto God as followes by and by Answ 2 Secondly Christ is also called a Father Vnto us a sonne is given who shall be called the everlasting Father Esa 9.6 And therefore the Lord Christ is here included Answ 3 Thirdly the Holy Ghost is called by the Apostle the Father of lights Jam 1.17 and therefore this title Father doth not exclude the other persons of the blessed Trinity Fourthly it is our duty to supplicate and invocate Answ 4 all the three persons I. We petition God the Father for what wee stand in need of because he is the Author of every good thing which we enjoy Iam. 1.17 II. Wee supplicate God the Father in the Name and mediation of God the Sonne who is the alone Mediator betweene God and man hee onely laying flat the partition wall k Iohn 16. Act. 4.12 III. We implore the Throne of Majesty in the Name and Mediation of Christ to be pleased to impart spirituall graces and gifts unto us by the administration of the blessed Spirit and therefore this title Father includes not excludes the rest Why call we God Father Quest 4 First that we may acknowledge our selves Answ 1 to be his children and that in a foure-fold regard I. By Creation because he made and framed us Luk. 3.38 II. By Protection because it is he that takes care to defend us from all those dangers we are incident to fall into III. By Redemption because hee hath ransomed us by Christ from the captivitie of Satan IV. By Sanctification because it is the Lord that by his Spirit doth regenerate and sanctifie us l 1 Cor. 6.10 11. And therefore deservedly we call him Father in these regards although in no regard we have deserved to be called or made his children Secondly we are taught to call God Father Answ 2 that thus the prayers of the faithfull may be distinguished from the prayers of unbeleevers For First the godly regard no other father in regard of this Father Secondly the wicked they have God to be their Lord but not their Father he is Lord over them and rules over them but they deny unto him that love reverence and obedience which a childe ought to give unto his Father Thirdly we are taught to call God father to Answ 3 excite and stirre up in us a filiall reverence of him Psal 2.9 10. Fourthly we call God father to corroborate Answ 4 and strengthen our assurance of being heard Because We are present before And We make our wants knowne unto a Father who loves his children more dearely then any naturall parent doth his childe for his love unto them is infinite sempiternall yea eternall m Luk. 12.30 31. This Verse is a strong argument against the popish invocation of Saints our Saviour not sending us unto any creatures but unto God himselfe Pray thus Our father Why must we pray unto the Lord in all our Quest 5 necessities and not at all to the blessed Saints who love truly all that are good or belong unto God First because prayers to Saints are no where Answ 1 commanded and therefore it will be but will-worship to pray unto them Answ 2 Secondly because the Scriptures doe directly prohibit and condemne it Iudg. 13.16 Acts 10 26. Apoc. 19.10 and 22.10 Answ 3 Thirdly because we are punctually commanded to call upon God onely and alwayes Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of thy trouble so Ioel 2.13 and Act. 2.21 Answ 4 Fourthly because God afflicts us and brings us into straights for this end that he might draw us unto himselfe and not drive us from him unto others as wee see Exod. 3. and Psal 107. They cry and pray in their distresse not unto the Patriarches but unto their God Answ 5 Fifthly because invocation is a part of the worship and service of God and therefore it belongs onely unto him Ioel 2.13 14. and Matth. 4.10 Answ 6 Sixthly because prayer ought to be in faith Rom. 10.14 Now we must not beleeve in the Saints but onely in God In our Creed we doe not say Credo in ecclesiam sed Credo in Deum I beleeve in the Church but I beleeve in God Seventhly because we cannot say to the Saints Answ 7 Our father and therefore this prayer cannot bee said unto them neither any prayer according to this forme because as was said before wee are obliged negatively unto this see before Question 7. and Booke of Martyrs pag. 1274. Eighthly the last but not the least answer is taken from the nature of him unto whom wee ought to pray Here then observe he that wee Answ 8 ought to pray unto should be 1. Lubens willing to helpe us 2. Sciens one that knowes our necessities 3. Potens able to save First he whom we must pray unto ought to be lubens willing to helpe but there is none like unto the Lord in mercy hee being the Father of mercies And therefore he onely is to be invocated Secondly hee ought to be scienâ one that knowes more then we our selves For I. He should know Genus morbi the kinde of the disease what our malady is the Physician and Lawyer can better understand our estates then we our selves and those that cannot are unfit and unable to helpe us II. He should know apta remedia what the best meanes are for the curing of our griefes lest otherwise they should give a stone instead of bread and hurt rather than helpe Sometimes we aske that which is hurtfull for us and therefore he unto whom wee should pray ought to know both what we are and what may be truly good for us for the time to come And these things the Lord knows better then all the Saints and Angels together Thirdly he should bee Potens able both To heare and that 4. manner of wayes namely First from Heaven unto earth this the Papists say the Saints can doe in a glasse that is the face of God but this is false as shall bee elsewhere proved Secondly to understand all languages and tongues wherein men pray this the Papists thinke the Saints doe and it may be so therefore I question it no further Thirdly to heare the sighes and see the hearts of all and this is necessary in a double respect to wit I. That they may be able to understand those who pray in the Spirit without a voyce or words Rom.
Church out of our love unto the children of God who are offended by them and with them as was said before Fourthly wee may begge this even out of Answ 4 our love unto themselves who are for the present both Gods enemies and the Churches for I. We desire the Lord to lay some affliction upon them though it be heavie that thereby they may learne to feare God And so by the punishments of their bodies their soules come to bee saved in the day of the Lord. This is good and profitable for them II. If temporall affliction will not humble and bring them home then we desire God to remove them away by death speedily that so their punishment may bee lesse in hell fire For if they should live longer they would sinne more and worse wicked men growing daily worse and worse and consequently their eternall judgement would bee so much the greater and more insupportable And the lesse their punishment is the better it is for them Will God heare these imprecations Certainely hee will hee hath promised to Quest 6 heare his childreÌ when they pray for vengeance against their owne particular enemies Answ and persecutors Luke 18.7 much more then when they pray against those who are both the enemies of God and adversaries also unto his Church Who are these enemies whom we must pray Quest 7 against First those who by their sinnes dishonour Answ 1 God the Lord is displeased with all sinnes but his name is dishonoured by some sinnes more then others and by the sinnes of some men more then others Now the more that any man dishonours God by his sins the more sure he is of perdition destruction except he repent because he is one of the Lords chiefe enemies Secondly those who by their sinnes glve a Answ 2 publike scandall to the profession of religion are great enemies both to God and his Church Thirdly those who sinne with a high hand Answ 3 and are insolent in their wickednesse against either God or his Church are some of these enemies who shall certaineây perish Fourthly those who sinne desperately without Answ 4 repentance being obstinate in their transgressions and not mourning for their iniquities are of this number which the Lord will be avenged of when his children cry unto him to declare himselfe unto the world to bee King of Kings by the destruction of his and their enemies And thus much for this exposition of these words Thy kingdome come Secondly Adveniat regnum Thy kingdome come is taken for perficiatur and hath reference to the Kingdome of mercy Now in the words thus understood we begge many things at Gods hands To wit both that we may be Freed from the false Church to wit both of Sathan and His Ministers that is Persecuters And Seducers which are either Atheists Or Superstitious persons Brought into the true Church and this we desire both for All the godly that First the Church may be consummated Secondly that it may bee glorified to wit by the extension of the Limits and bounds thereof And Holy profession thereof And Pure life and good examples of professors Thirdly that they may enjoy the meanes viz. The word and The power of the Spirit with the word Our selves that we may be brought both into the Kingdome of Grace in this life Glory in the life to come Having all these severall particulars to handle in another place I will here onely speake a word or two of the two last wherin we pray that both wee and all the elect may first bee brought into the kingdome of grace and afterwards into the kingdome of glory Quest 8 Can we of our selves or by our owne power come unto the Kingdome of grace Answ To this Gerson answers Signanter dicitur in oratione Dominicà Adveniat regnum tuum id est ad nos veniat quia virtute nostra ad ipsum pervenire non possumus Very significantly doth our Saviour in this verse say Thy Kingdome come that is let it come unto us because wee by our owne power and strength are not able to come unto it Quest 9 If it be thus then how can wee promote or helpe forward this Kingdome of grace and Christ Answ We must strive to advance propagate and enlarge this Kingdom of grace by these meanes namely First by prayer as in this verse Secondly by submitting of our selves unto God by true obedience suffering him wholy to rule beare sway in our hearts by his blessed spirit Thirdly by opposing and resisting as much and as farre as lawfully we may the enemies of Christ and his Church Fourthly by comforting and helping the Church and children of God to our abilities we must doe good unto all but especially unto the houshold of faith that the faithfull who are in any distresse may be comforted and others thereby encouraged to strive to be of that societie and fraternitie who will not see one another lacke Fifthly by a good life and holy conversation for that is a meanes to convert others unto the faith and bring home erring sheepe unto Christs fold Phil. 2.15 and 1 Pet. 2.12 Quest 10 Why must we be thus carefull by all waies and meanes to bee made members of Christs Kingdome upon earth Answ 1 First because we have an expresse Commandement for it Mat. 6.33 Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Answ 2 Secondly because wee have the constant example of all the faithfull for it whose principall care hath beene still for this Answ 3 Thirdly because wee have bound our selves with an oath both in Baptisme and the Supper of our Lord that we would forsake the kingdome of Sathan and submit our selves to this Spirituall kingdome of Christ Answ 4 Fourthly because the subjects of this Kingdome are interested and made heires of all good things in this life both temporall and spirituall Mat. 6.33 Rom. 8.32 and 1 Cor. 3.21 Answ 5 Fifthly because the Citizens of this spirituall Jerusalem shall be made eternally happie and blessed in that Jerusalem which is above in the Quest 11 life to come Who are carelesse and negligent of helping forward this Kingdome of Christ and grace First those who are altogether negligent in praying fervently for the amplification and extension of this kingdome Answ 1 Secondly those who cannot endure the Answ 2 yoake of Christ but disdainefully and reproachfully cast it off from their necks Psal 2.2 3. Thirdly those who maniâestly and openly Answ 3 or closely and secretly warre and fight for the sworne enemies of Christ sinne sathan and the wicked opposers of the Church truth These are I. Secure sinners who sleepe in their iniquitie and cry tush no evill shall come unto them although they be not the servants of Christ but the slaves of sinne and sathan II. Those who dispute and pleade sinnes and the devils cause that is argue and reason for the upholding bolstering and maintaining of sinne III. Those who speake for side and take part with wicked
that is excusable In tanto non in toto in part but not altogether Secondly in respect of the person sinning which is either I. Elected but not as yet regenerated now such a ones sins are all veniall in the event because they shall bee pardoned 1. Tim. 1.13 II. Regenerated and justified whose sinnes shall not bee imputed Hence David pronounceth such a one blessed Psalme 32.1 And S. Iohn saith such have an Advocate for their sinnes 1. Iohn 1.9 2.1 Hence sinne is sometimes said not to bee theirs Rom 7. Yea not to be sinne 1 Iohn 1.3.9 and 5.18 Thirdly in respect of the infallible danger so S. Iohn saith there is a sinne not unto death 1. Iohn 5.16 Where we may observe that sin is called Mortall for which we must not pray and that a sinne not unto death whose danger is not so great as that is Fourthly in respect of the merit that sin is called veniall which in the severity rigor and strictnesse of justice doth not deserve death And thus no sin is called small in all the Scripture Are all sinnes equall Quest 2 First the Stoicks affirme it and Christians Answ 1 who assent unto them herein thus confirme it I. Because sin doth not consist in the matter of the action but in the mind Sin is a prevarication and straying from the truth and right way The sin is alike to sinke a Ship by over-lading her either with Sand or Gold Thus the Stoicks the following reasons are produced by the Christians II. Because every sinne is a violation of the Law yea of the whole Law for hee who is guilty of the breach of one is guilty of all Iames 2.20 Therefore all are alike III. Because the same punishment is allotted to him who workes wickednesse and to him who consents onely thereunto Romans 1.32 IV. Because the action and cogitation are both alike before God to commit adultery actually and with the heart to kill and to hate as also of other sins Matthew 5. Are alike in the sight of God And therefore all sins are equall Secondly although sin differ not Answ 2 ab extrà differt intrà without yet it differs within to wit that sin which is committed through ignorance negligence and infirmity is lighter and lesser then that which is committed maliciously wittingly and of set purpose Againe many are worse then one Againe hee sins worse who sins against a greater measure of grace And therefore thus all sins are not equall Thirdly one sin differs from another ab extra Answ 3 even in regard of the outward act Thus the murder of a King or of a Father is much more horride then of a stranger enemie or private person Thus blasphemie against God is greater then contumely or reproch against our neighbour Thus it is a greater sin to rob a poore man then one who hath no want Fourthly certainly there is an inequality in the Scripture And that Answ 4 I. Of glory 1. Corinth 15. II. Of punishment Matth. 10.15 11.22 Of both which else-where III. Of sin there beeing a difference betweene anger Racha and foole as was shewed in the former Chapter vers 22. so Iohn 19.11 Fifthly we distinguish betweene the Nature of sin which is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the transgression of the Law and is the same in all sins without any difference hence all are mortall even unto idle thoughts Degree of sin which is aggravated principally by these circumstances viz. First from the mind and heart and internall purpose if it bee done with inward boasting or a perverse will Answ 5 Secondly from the neglect of greater power strength and grace Thirdly from the number many sins being heaped together Fourthly from the time when sin is long continued in Fifthly from the person when it is committed against God And thus although all sins have one and the same nature as all Individua partake of the nature of their Species yet in regard of the degree of sin we say that those sins are greater which are committed wittingly and willingly then those which are committed ignorantly and with reluctation against them Those which are committed by a man of more grace strength and knowledge are worse then the infirmities of the weake Those in whom are legions of Divels and sins are worse then those who are given but to one sin as the young man Mat. 19.22 Those who continue in sin are worse then he who fals but once Those who sin immediately against God worse then those who sin immediately against man Quest 3 Are all sins pardonable because wee are taught here to pray for pardon against all Answ 1 First all sins are pardonable except the sin against the Holy Ghost Answ 2 Secondly the Papists seeme to grant this that the sin against the holy Spirit is unpardonable but yet they acknowledge that it is not so irremissible as though it did exceede the mercy of God if they could but repent but because God gives them over unto a reprobate sense and with holds from them the assistance of his Spirit whereby they might bee restored But in this point first Scotus is faulty who will not fully acknowledge the truth of it And Secondly Camara l Camara quaest coâcil et expos quae 175. Pag. 191. è Catharino erres here who saith onely that this sin is very hardly and very seldome pardoned Now the reason of this their error was twofold Namely I. Because they placed this sin in any act simply without those requisite circumstances thereof which follow by and by II. Because they stretched this sin beyond its bounds making six kinds thereof contrary to the six effects of the blessed Spirit which are these First trust and confidence in God Secondly the feare of God Thirdly the knowledge of the truth Fourthly joy for the aide of the Spirit towards our Brethren Fifthly a sorrow for sin Sixthly a purpose to repent Whose opposite is Desperation Presumption A resisting of a known truth Envy for graces blessings endowments which God hath bestowed upon our Brethren Gloriation or boasting in sin An obstinate purpose of continuing in sin Answ 3 Thirdly unto this sin against the Holy Ghost three things are required to wit I. Illumination Read those two places Heb. 6.4 10.26 If they have bene enlightned and have had a tast c. And againe if after wee have had a knowledge of the truth c. Thus there must be a knowledge of our duty and an opening of the eyes of our understanding before this sin can be committed II. A Relapse and falling away yea a returning unto impurity Read Heb. 6.6 2. Peter 2.1.20 21 22. Matthew 12.45 Unto this sin there must be a turning with the Dog to his vomite and with the Swine which was washed to the wallowing in the mire III. Malitious presumption or a hatred of Christ when a man shall deride contemne spurne trample under his feet and blaspheme Christ his Word Law and truth Religion
destruction of the sinner 3. By permitting sathan to tempt as was shewed before in Ahab and Iob. IV. By taking away or withdrawing his grace for a time as he did in Hezekiah w 2 Chro 32.31 But these following waies God tempts not to wit Neither I. By compelling or forcing sathan to tempt any Nor II. By moving the heart unto sinne This Saint Iames saith comes from our corrupt nature and not from God Iames 1.13 Nor II. By propounding the occasions and allurements unto sinne thereby to bring us unto death for so sathan tempts Obser 2 Wee may learne then hence that God doth sometimes leade us into temptation namely both by permitting sathan to assault us and by withholding his grace from us To the places above quoted adde these Acts 5.3 Rom. 1.24.28 Thes 2.10 and 2 Tim. 2.25 Sometimes we provoke God by our sinnes and therefore he gives us over to worke all manner of wickednes Sometimes wee incense him by despising his mercy Rom. 2.4.5 sometimes by greeving the holy spirit And therefore hee withdrawes his preventing grace from us giving us over to a spirit of slumber and sleepe And therefore wee should bee principally carefull not to provoke our heavenly Father who onely is able to preserve us from temptation Quest 6 How or by what meanes doe wee provoke God to leave us unto our selves or the will of sathan or to permit us to bee led into temptation that knowing the causes hereof we may labour to avoid them Answ The meanes or causes hereof are these First ignorance of God or a foolish heart and sottish full of darkenesse Ro. 1.21 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly wavering staggering and inconstancy in religion Ephes 4.14 Rom. 1.25 Thirdly a neglect of Gods call abusing the tender of grace and extinguishing the motions of the blessed Spirit Prov. 1.24 c. Fourthly a not fearing the terrors of the law or threatnings of God Prov. 1.29 30. Fifthly an hatred of the word of truth in the mouth of the Prohets as Ahab did 1 King 22.8 Sixthly a cleaving unto sinne and delighting in iniquitie Rom. 1.26.29 2 Pet. 2.12 13. Seventhly a returning unto our vomit and former sinnes 2 Pet. 20 21.2â Eighthly a calumniating and scandalizing of God and religion Rom. 1.21 and 2 Pet. 2.2 And therefore if we desire not to bee led into temptation let us carefully take heede 1. of Ignorance 2. Inconstancy in religion 3. Of neglecting the day of our salvation that is either the call of the word outwardly or the motions of the Spirit inwardly 4. Let us learne to feare Gods meanes 5. To delight in the word of God though it should reprove us 6. Let us forsake and avoide all sinne 7. Let us never turne unto our old sinnes But lastly labour to glorifie God adorne that profession which we have undertaken Thirdly prayer is to bee offered up in faith therefore our blessed Saviour by teaching us here to pray against temptation doth shew that wee may beleeve that this shall bee done for us which we desire Or that the Lord is ready and prepared to preserve and deliver us from temptation if wee will but seeke unto him by prayer Reade Psalme 34.4 and 50.15 and 1 Cor. 10.13 and 2 Thes 3.3 and 2 Pet. â 9 and Revel 3.10 Quest 7 How doth this appeare that God is readie to preserve us from temptation if we pray Answ 1 First because it is the office of God to moderate all things and to rule all things by his providence and therefore if he please he can preserve and deliver us Answ 2 Secondly because Sathan himselfe cannot hurt us except God permit he could not touch Iobs body untill God gave him leave hee could not take away Iobs life because God forbad him Iob 1.2 and 2.4 hee could not enter into the swine without leave Mat. 8.31 yea Christ dislodgeth him and casteth him out at his pleasure And therefore it is plaine that he cannot tempt us except God permit and consequently that God is able to preserve us from temptation Answ 3 Thirdly the truth hereof will appeare if wee looke unto Christ who I. was armed for us and overcame sathan for us Mat. 4. and was tempted that hee might succour those who groane under temptation Heb. 2.18 II. Christ was offered up for us and triumphed in the Crosse over death and him that had the power of death even the devill Col. 2.14 and Heb. 2.14 and 1 Cor. 15.55 c. Quest 8 What must we avoide our selves for the escaping of temptation Answ 1 First love no sinne at all for if we have a desire and affection unto any wee cannot withstand the temptations thereunto as we ought Answ 2 Secondly love not the world esteeme it not as a friend for if so we can never beware of or avoid the inticements and allurements thereof as we should 1 John 2.15 James 4.4 Answ 3 Thirdly let us not give place unto the occasions of sinne lest unawares we bee caught in the net or fall into the snare let us consider by what meanes occasions or provocations we are most frequently ensnared that wee may learne and labour carefully to eschew them Answ 4 Fourthly let us refraine vaine thoughts and mortifie all internall corruptions Col. 3.5 and 1 Pet. 2.11 Answ 5 Fifthly let us tame and bring under the flesh unto the obedience of the Spirit 1 Cor. 9.27 Answ 6 Sixthly let us not be negligent in our lives and conversations but warie watchfull and circumspect Ephes 5.15 both over our words works and thoughts Answ 7 Seventhly let us not yeeld unto temptation or surrender the bucklers at the first stroke let us not deliver up the fort at the first onset and suffer our selves to bee taken captive at the first assault but let us fight it out and resist even unto blood Heb. 12.4 Jam. 4.7 like a stout souldier 1 Tim. 1.18 and 2 Tim. 2.3 for if we be faithfull unto the death fighting couragiously the battels of the Lord we shall overcome and be crowned Reade a Revelat. 2. ver 7. â0 25.26 Quid faciendum What must wee doe both to prevent Temptation and to escape it when thereby we are assaulted Quest 9 We must never goe without our weapons or unarmed but put upon us the whole armour of a Christian Answ principally these three namely First the shield of faith Eph. 6.16 and 1 Joh. 5.4 labour by faith in Christ to withstand all his temptations whether they tend unto presumption or desperation Secondly the sword of the Spirit for if the word of God abide in us we shall be safe 1 John 2.14 but of this we spake before Mat 4. Thirdly prayer this is frequently to be used Ephes 6.18 yea daily according to our Saviours direction in this place where we are taught by him every day to pray against temptation Fourthly our Saviour by teaching thus frequently fervently to pray against temptation doth shew that the devill hath many
two things unto us 1. That there are some to whom wee must not rashly communicate holy things of this elsewhere 2. That it is altogether unprofitable to doe it therefore wee must forbeare it Give not holy things to dogs c. as if Christ would say give not such things to such men for your labour will be in vaine Teaching us hereby Observation That our corrupt nature and froward and perverse disposition doth both hinder us from shewing forth the fruits of our hearing and also from repentance and conversion 2 Peter 2.10 Matth. 23.37 Ierem. 5. â and 2.30 and 6.28 Whence is it that naturall men are so detained Quest 3 from repentance and conversion It is hence because First they seeke not how they may bee amended they enquire not with David wherwithall and how they may cleanse their wayes Psal 119.9 but sââepe securely onely casting about and excogitating with themselves how they may fulfill and satisfy their owne wils and pleasures Secondly the violence and vehemency of the mind will not endure to be hindred or bridled From hardnesse of heart proceeds ignorance senselessenesse wantonnes and that with greedinesse Ephes 4.18.19 and Ierem. 19.15 and 2. Tim. 3.13 Quest 5 Why is the word of God so unprofitable and fruitlesse Answer Not because the word is false which is delivered or because it is delivered weakely or negligently but because the hearers are froward yea snarling and biting dogs For First their ulcers and soares are very malignant sore and tender And Secondly the word bites being like salt or a corrosive or an incision knife And Hence Thirdly they grow angry and become enraged against the preachers of the Word like mad men falling upon the Physitian who would cure them Verse 7 Verse 7. Aske and it shall be given you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened unto you Sect. 1 § 1. Aske and yee shall have Objection We say that the vow of single life is an unlawfull vow because the gift of continence is not given unto every one neither is it in any mans power to keep himselfe chast alwayes In answer hereunto the Papists produce this place in this manner Our Saviour saith aske and yee shall receive therefore wee may receive any good gift of God if wee pray for it and if any then also the gift of Chastity and continency Answer The Antecedent Aske and yee shall receive is true and is Christs but the consequence therefore wee may receive any gift that is good of God if we pray for it is false The untruth of the consequence appeares thus Gods gifts are of two sorts namely First Common to all who believe and necessary to salvation as faith repentance obedience and the feare of God Secondly speciall gifts not given to all nor necessary to salvation but peculiar onely to some as health wealth continencie single life c. Now this promise of our Saviour aske and yee shall have is meant of things necessary to salvation and not of particular and speciall gifts Question 1 What is our Saviours principall scope in these words Aske and yee shall have Answer To teach two things unto us namely First that of and from our selves we have no good thing at all but whatsoever wee have which is good comes from God the Author and fountaine of every good gift and every perfect being (k) James 1.17 Secondly that if wee desire to obtaine any thing at Gods hands we must pray unto him for it I omit altogether this second observation here having else where to treat of it and I will speake but a word or two of the first There are three phrases in this verse all which shew that of our selves we have no good thing in us at al The phrases are Asking seeking knocking Now First we begge and pray for those things which belong unto others and are nor our owne Secondly we seeke that which is lost as followes by and by Tâirdly wee knocke there where the dores are shut against us How doth it appeare that we have in us no good Question 2 thing at all First when we come into the world we are miserable Answer 1 being destitute of haire to cloath us as some creatures have and of nailes and teeth to defend us as others have and unable to defend our selves or to feed our selves or helpe our selves as the most creatures in some sort are I might enlarge this particular more particularly thus 1. All creatures almost can helpe themselves either by swimming or running or creâping aâ soone as they have life onely man is shiftlâsse and altogether unable to helpe himselfe 2. The other creatures are armed either with hornes or shels or teeth or nailes or stings or wings only man is borne without defence or armour 3. All the other creatures are cloathed onely man is borne naked And therefore these things considered we may safely say that wee are destitute of whatsoever is good Secondly those things which wee have are transitory Answer 2 and uncertaine both our estates and friends and fame and body and senses and understanding comforts and life al things whatsoever we enjoy Thirdly no good thing that wee have can bee Answer 3 blessed unto us except the Lord give a blessing therunto and make it blessed Fourthly in spirituall things we are most miserable Answer 4 being like barren ground Isa 43.4 being altogether sensuall and carnall Iohn 3.7 being corrupted in our minds Rom. 12.2 and spirits Ephes 4.23 being strangers from God and grace and spirituall knowledge (l) Ephes 2.12 4.18 And therefore it is these things considered as cleare as the day that wee have in us no good thing at all by nature § 2. Seeke and yee shall finde Sect. 2 What is the meaning of these words Quest 1 Seeking is spoken of those things which are lost Answer or at least not possessed and hath reference unto the action of finding A man is said to seeke for that which he hath lost or to seeke after that which hee doth not enjoy and that for this end that hee may find and enjoy it Doth this Relation alwayes hold betweene Seeking Quest 2 and Finding are they Relata mutua Answer 1 First there is a fourefold Seeking to wit 1. Unprofitable when a thing is sought in vaine or sought but not found Jerem. 5.1 2. Profitable when a man seekes and findes this is promised here 3. Sluggish and lazy when a man seeks carelesly sleightly for the fashion sake and without all care or paines this is falsely called Seeking which is an industrious act 6. There is a true Seeking which is accompanied with sweating and endeavour as the man sought his sheepe and the woman her groate Luke 15.4.8 And of this Seeking our Saviour speakes in this place Secondly there is a double finding namely Answer 2 1. Idle and casuall when a man findes that which hee sought not and this is fourefold First when a man findes that which
assistance of the blessed Spirit Colos 1.29 Quest 7 What meanes must wee use for the obtaining of spirituall graces Answer 1 First learne to hate sinne and evill and for the better effecting of this remember and meditate dayly upon these things namely Rom. 6.21 1. How unseemely yea how ougly a thing sinne is in it selfe if wee could but see sinne in its owne colours unmasked What pleasure had you then saith Saint Paul in those things whereof yee are now ashamed as if hee would say sinne is so shamefull a thing that any man would blush to commit it who did but see it at full view 2. Remember how ungratefull a thing it is for us by sin to provoke so gracious loving Father who takes care both to provide for us and to protect us 3. Remember how perillous a thing it is as it is an unthankefull part to love sinne which our God hates as his deadlyest enemie so it as a dangerous thing to love that which God hates for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.21 4. Remember how foolish and sottish a thing it is for us to love sinne and thereby to serve Sathan who seeks nothing so much as our eternal destruction Thus seriously meditate upon these things that thereby wee may bee excited unto the hatred of sin Answer 2 Secondly learne to love that which is good and to delight therein Answer 3 Thirdly use the meanes which God hath appointed whether publicke or private namely the hearing and reading and meditating of the word and the society of the Saints and daily and frequent prayer Rom. 8.26 Coloss 4.12 Ionah 3.8 And let our prayers bee 1. Vehement David cries unto God Psal 22.2 and 32.3 and 77.3 2. Perseverant thus David and the Apostles continue in prayer Psal 88.1.9 Acts 1.14 and 2.42 and 12.5.12 Sect. 3 § 3. Knocke and it shall be opened unto you Question 1 What is meant by this phrase or precept knocke Answer That wee must attend upon God with patience and perseverance untill hee open unto us or wee must continue praying untill God heare us Luke 18.1 Psal 105.4 Rom. 12.12 and 1. Thes 5.17 Why must wee continue thus long knocking why may we not give over if the gate be not speedily Question 2 opened unto us First Because the Lord stands long knocking at Answer 1 the doore of our hearts before hee can get entrance and calls long before wee will heare him And therefore there is great reason that wee should continue long calling crying unto him and knocking at the dore of mercy Reade Cantic 5.2 c. and Apoc. 3.20 Secondly God opens not at first unto us that he Answer 2 may trie our patience he seemes not to heare us âhat he may trie our confidence And therefore by patience and perseverance wee must approve our selves unto God Thirdly we knocke for our owne ends and call Answer 3 for mercy for our selves wherefore there is great reason that wee should continue both knocking and calling Our petitions are either for pardon of our sinnes or preservation against them or for some temporall blessing or spirituall grace or assurance of eternall glory or the like And therefore if wee love our selves or wish well unto our selves wee should bee constant in our calling and knocking untill the Lord have opened unto us and granted our requests Can wee knocke or call or pray without God Question 3 Not at all or at least not aright Answer wee are like men wounded unto death yea killed outright and therefore by the Lords helping hand we are first revived reduced or brought unto our senses and then wee desire health and reliefe God first gives us a sight of our sinnes and wants and then we implore him for mercy Verse 8. For every one who asketh receiveth Verse 8 and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Against this verse it is objected Objection that both Scripture and experience doth prove this promise to bee false for the Mother of Zebedees children prayed unto Christ and yet suffered a repulse Saint Paul desired to bee freed from the buffet of Sathan but obtained not his request Experience also witnesseth that wee daily desire many things at Gods hands which we obtaine not This promise is to bee understood with a double restriction or limitation namely Answer First that prayer and supplication be made as it ought in regard of the manner of it to wit in faith and in the name of Christ in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen and shall in Gods due time bee certainly performed yea our prayers must principally be powred forth for this end that God may bee glorified by us on earth and we glorified with him in heaven Secondly wee must desire those things which God hath promised to grant wee must not pray for evill hurtfull unprofitable curious or unwarrantable things but for saving and necessary which God onely hath promised Now if either of these conditions be awanting no wonder if our prayers bee not heard that is if either for the matter wee begge those things which God hath not promised to grant or for the manner wee desire them not as God hath prescribed then the Lords promise made here in this verse is not falsified at all For when Christ saith aske and yee shall receive hee meanes if wee aske such things as God hath promised to give and in that manner which himselfe hath injoyned Verse 9.10.11 Verse 9.10.11 Or what man is there of you whom if his Son aske bread will he give him a stone or if he aske a fish will hee give him a serpent If yee then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things unto them that aske him Sect. 1 § 1. What man is there among you c. Question 1 What is our Saviours chiefest scope in these words First to teach us the naturall affection of parents to their children V. Secondly what our duetie is to pray for W. Answer 1 First our Saviour hereby would teach us that the affection of parents unto their children is ingrafted in them by nature or naturally parents will wish well and to their abilities doe good unto their seed Question 2 How doth this appeare Answer 1 First it is cleare from nature children are parts of their parents flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone and therfore in doing good to them they doe good to themselves And this is the best kinde of Selfe-love for a man to love his children who issued out of his loynes Answer 2 Secondly this is manifest from experience those who are most cruell unto others are yet indulgent and meeke unto their children And therefore Herodes monstrum Macrobius Herod was no better then a monster in nature who slew his owne children as was shewed before Chapter 2. For the most cruell and ravenous birds and beasts are carefull
in the smallest things Fiftly Faith fructifying in love and sanctity Rom. 13.11 Philip. 1.27 But wicked men believe not neither obey and therefore they are strangers from life Sixtly Christ is the way unto life Iohn 14.6 Acts 4.12 But wicked men are without Christ and therfore it is evident that this straite way of piety is unknowne unto them Answer 3 Thirdly it is cleare also that naturall men are ignorant of this narrow path by the estate and condition of mankinde after his fall he then becoming brutish Thus the Prophets say that man may now bee compared to the beasts that perish Psal 49.12 Ierem. 10.14 and 51.17 And therfore undoubtedly is ignorant of the way of life Answer 4 Fourthly it will bee as cleare as the day if wee consider but the ignorance of naturall men For 1. The best clerke and wisest naturall man is but a foole so long as hee is not taught spiritually and instructed from above Rom. 1.22 Prov. 16.22 and 1. Cor. 1.20 and 3.19 2. The naturall man is but childish in religion 1 Cor. 13.12 Ephes 4.14 3. He knowes not what heaven and life eternall is Haec est vita aeterna ubi possumus Deum videre facie ad faciem ubi est sanitas sine infirmitate requies aeterna sine labore pax sine timore laetitia sine moevore veritas sine errore Life eternall is that place where wee shall see God as we are seene face to face where wee shall have health without sicknesse rest without disturbance peace without feare joy without sorrow and trueth without errour This nature is altogether ignorant of 4. He knowes not how heaven life eternal may be acquired nature can neither teach how heaven may bee had nor procure it And therefore wee may hence collect how necessarie it is for every member of old Adam to labour and endeavour to bee free from this naturall condition wherein hee is and to be regenerated and engrafted into Christ Why must wee thus earnestly desire to bee changed Quest 6 renewed and incorporated into Christ First Because naturally wee are blind and cannot Answer 1 walke without a guide and therefore so long as wee are naturall wee must needs erre and goe astray from the wayes of God Secondly because naturally wee are foolish and Answer 2 spirituall things are too high above our reach And therefore if wee desire to understand those things which concerne the glory of God and our owne good we must labour that we may bee regenerated and united unto Christ Thirdly because by nature wee are but evill Answer 3 trees And therefore if wee desire to bring forth good fruite we must labour and desire that wee may bee cut off from this wilde olive and engrafted into the new and living stocke Jesus Christ Fourthly by nature we are void and destitute Answer 4 of grace yea deade unto grace Ephes 2.1 and therefore if wee desire that wee may be recovered and the grace of God againe quickned in us we must labour to be changed and transformed after the Image of Christ Fiftly because by nature wee are the members of Answer 5 Sathan Ephes 2.3 And therefore if wee desire to be made the members of Christ and the children of God wee must labour to come out of our naturall estate and condition By what meanes may wee bee freed from this miserable Quest 7 condition wherein by nature we are I answer here from the second answer of the former question save one use these meanes Answer First studie the word of God Meanes of regeneration labour for the knowledge thereof for that will teach thee thy misery Secondly obey the word of God when thou knowest the will of God then labour to doe it abstaine from all evill prohibited observe every good duety enjoyned 3 Thirdly love the Lord above all things he onely regenerates by his holy Spirit and therefore love him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 4. Fourthly labour for Christ for hee sends the Holy Spirit unto us hee is the alone Mediatour betweene God and man and all grace which is conferred upon us by God is in and through Christ And therfore no mercy is to be expected but by him and for his sake Fiftly pray unto God that hee would bee graciously pleased to wash us from our sinnes to plant and engraft us into Christ and to sanctifie us by his holy Spirit Thus we have heard the first cause how the way of piety which leades unto life is strait in respect of the Obscurity thereof it being hard to find G Secondly the way of piety which leades unto to life is strait Respectu difficultatis in regard of the Observat 2 difficulty thereof as if our Saviour would say The way to heaven is a hard way Reade Acts 14.22 and 2 Timoth. 3.12 and 2 Corinth 4. How is the way to heaven hard when as 1. God Quest 8 calls all Esay 55.1 And 2 Rejects none that comes James 1.5 And 3. gives his word unto all Actes 20. Which word is a bright and cleare light Psal 119.105 And 4. reveales himselfe unto all those who seeke him We say the way is hard for these causes to wit Reason 1 First because the naturall man cannot understand this word nor be subject thereunto Rom. 8.6 c. Reason 2 Secondly because many seeke not to walke in this way neither regard what the word faith unto them Reason 3 Thirdly because many seeke to walke in this way but seeke amisse that is otherwise then by Christ as by pilgrimages and meat and monasticall vowes and the like Rom. 9.31 Reason 4 Fourthly because this way of religion teacheth things contrary to sense and above reason as 1. That there is imputative righteousnesse Psalm 32.1 2. That wee must deny our selves and submit our selves wholy to the will and pleasure of God And therefore this way may truly be called hard Reason 5 Fiftly this way is hard in respect of our conversion he that would walke in this way hee must turne from two things namely 1. From the world lest otherwise he perish with the world this is very hard for a man to be in the world and not of the world for so he shall be scorned by the world 2. From himselfe and his fore-passed life this is extreame hard and difficult for a man to forsake his owne sense judgement will affection and whatsoever is contrarie to the good pleasure of God Reason 6 Sixtly this way is hard in regard of Mortification and abstinence from sinne yea even those which are most deare unto us as for example 1. Sometimes wee are tempted to have a care of our fame and credite and therefore to forsake the profession of the Gospell because it is derided and scoffed by wicked men 2. Sometimes wee are tempted unto pleasure as unto drunkennesse gluttony wantonnesse adultery pride contention revenge and the like 3. Sometimes wee are tempted unto profit as to couetousnesse lying deceiving
and the like Now if we would walke in this way of piety which leades unto life we must abstaine from all sinne whatsoever though never so pleasant or profitable unto us And this is no easie thing Reason 7 Seventhly this way is hard in regard of some circumstances namely 1. Of humility towards God we must in this way patiently permit and suffer our selves to be directed lead taught yea if we stray to be reduced reproved corrected by God and suffer all patiently and humbly at his hands And this we shall find a hard taske 2. Of humility towards men wee must not be proud or ambitious or haughty but make our selves equall with those of the lower sort although it be something hard to submit unto 3. Of watchfulnesse in this way we must never sleepe lest while we sleepe the enemy sowe tares Math. 13.25 Nay we must not so much as looke backe lest the plow slip out of our hands And this circumspection will be something difficult 4. Of suffering we must suffer in this way all crosses afflictions tribulations vexations whatsoever yea death it selfe if we be called thereunto patiently Philip. 1.28 Math. 16.24 Hebr. 12.3 And this is very hard for flesh and blood to do Eightly this way of piety is hard in respect of Reason 8 the end namely the glorious estate and condition of the faithfull in heaven ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã (m) Solon rare and excellent things are hardly attained and therefore if we do but seriously consider the glory excellency and felicity of heaven we wiâl easily assent unto this truth that the way of pietie which leades thither must needs be hard and difficult to walke in Reade Math. 5.48 § last for this purpose Is every hard way the way of piety Quest 9 There are hard waies which neither are pure Answer neither leade unto life there is will-worship as well as true worship Colos 2.18.23 The divell is Gods Ape and therefore will imitate him every herbe in the garden almost hath his counterfeit in the field as there are good and profitable Time and Sage in the Orchard so in the fields there are wild Time and Sage As God hath a hard way which leads unto life so hath the devill a hard way which leades unto death As for example First Baals Prophets walked a hard way when they cut themselves with knives and Lances (u) 1 King 18. Secondly the heathen Gymnosophists walked a hard way when they sacrificed humane flesh and virginity unto their Idols or false Gods Indeed these are very hard wayes but none of them leads unto life How may the true hard way be knowne Quest 10 By these two things to wit Answer First by the purpose of the heart he who purposeth with himselfe propoundeth unto himselfe the most strict rule of the will of God resolving not to please himselfe but the Lord and to obey him according to that Law which himselfe hath prescribed that man certainely walketh in the true hard way Secondly by the practise of the life if this resolution leade thee unto all kinds of mercy justice and holinesse (o) Mich. 6.8 Then certainly thou art one of that small number who walke in this true hard way It is a hard thing to walke in this hard way Quest 11 whereby therefore may we be encouraged thereunto First remember although this way be hard to Answer 1 walke in yet it is but short the labour is but momentary that life which this way leades unto is eternall and will never have end this way which leades unto that life is but short and will speedily have an end And therefore wee should hereby be moved to walke cheerefully herein because it is but like a short winter dayes journey Secondly remember thy labour shall be rewarded Answer 2 The Husband-man takes much paines in dunging or manuring of his ground in plowing and sowing of it and all in hope that he shall have a crop which will recompence his paines The Mariner endures many stormes and cold blasts in hope that his voyage will be prosperous and profitable The Hunter goes many a step cheerefully hoping that at last he shall meet with some game The Souldier exposeth his life to danger in hope of victory a reward And therefore why should not we endure the difficulties and inconveniences of this hard way seeing we are sure that our labour shall not be in vain but liberally rewarded 2 Cor. 4.18 Answer 3 Thirdly remember that thou shalt have help in all the difficulties and dangers of this way The Angel wrastled with Jacob with the one hand but upheld him with the other and therefore Jacob was able to hold out even untill the morning so God will direct us by his Spirit in this narrow path which leads unto life and we shall alwayes heare a voyce behind us saying this is the way walke in it God will strengthen out ancle-bones and enable us to runne with patience constancy and cheerefulnesse the race that is set before us God will arme us with might and strength in the inward man and enable us both to overcome our enemies which labour to oppose us and to performe those workes in some measure which he requireth of us And therefore seeing we are assured that the grace of God shall sustaine us (p) 2 Cor. 12.9 and his blessed Spirit assist us in all the dangers and difficulties of this hard way we shouâd be encouraged the more cheerefully to walke therein Quest 12 How must we walke in this hard way Answer 1 First put off thy all thy sinnes with blind Bartimeus cast away thy cloake and those sinnes which hang so fast on and cleave so fast to and doe so easily beset thee Hebr. 12.1 Mat. 5.29 Ephes 4.22 A man can never walke in this way except he lay aside this old man of sinne and corruption Answer 2 Secondly deny thy owne will and profit pleasure submit thy seâfe wholy to be guided by God Answer 3 Thirdly abstaine from all fleshly lusts which war against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 resist all thy corrupt affections and labour to bring every rebellious thought in obedience unto the Spirit Answer 4 Fourthly follow and put on Christ Ro. 13.14 Quest 13 both by faith and imitation Phil. 2.5 Who are here to be blamed and reproved Answer 1 First those who walke in the easie way declining this which is hard Certainly this is a palpable deceit of Satans to make men beleeve that the way of eâse and pleasure will bring them to heaven Answer 2 Secondly those who expect rest in this life here we are commanded to take upon us Christs yoake and then he hath promised us rest unto our soules Mat. 11.29 but labour and paines watchings prayers and fastings examinations and reedifying of old ruines and decayes in our bodyes so long as we live In this life we must strive to enter into the true rest Hebr. 4.11 and this striving
the wayes of God Now it is not so simply good for a man to bee ignorant of the wayes of God but comparatively hee had better not have knowne them at all then after they have knowne them to forsake them We have the like speach used Proverb 17.1 and 21.9.19 True and this is either Natural which is either Absolute thus man in his first creation was very good Or Genes 1.31 Respective thus a thing is called naturally good when it is profitable as Gen. 49.15 Exod. 18.17 Marke 9.50 Spiritual which consists either in Th ngs thus all vertues and graces of the holy Spirit are called good Or Persons which goodnes is either Infinite and is in God alone Marke 10.18 Finite in the Church Triumphant Respective which is either in Some one singularly Far a good man some would even dare to dye not for every good man but for some one singularly good both in himselfe and unto others All the faithfull generally A good man that is every good man bringeth forth good things And so the word signifies in this place Observat Teaching us That after wee are regenerated wee ought to fructifie in every good worke when the Lord hath made us good trees wee should labour to bring forth good fruit Matth. 3.8 and 13.23 Cant. 2.11 and Col. 1.9.10 and 2.6 and Rom. 6.4 and 7.4 Question 2 How manifold are good works Twofold exuere induere to put off the old man Answer to put on the new Rom. 13.12 Ephes 4.17.24 more particularly the good fruits of a good tree are either First Negative to abstaine from sinne and whatsoever is evill Rom. 6.12.14 Ephes 5.11 Why must the regenerate abstaine from all sinne Question 3 First because sinne is a leaven and will pollute the whole man 1. Cor. 5.7 Answer 1 Secondly because sinne grieves the good and Answer 2 blessed Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 Answer 3 Thirdly because sinne is a scandalous thing and doth scandalize religion when seene in a religious person And therefore all the children of God must walke warily and circumspectly carefully avoiding every evill thing Colos 4.5 and 1 Thessal 4.12 Secondly Affirmative to abound in every good worke and to bee conversant and frequent in every good duetie And of these the present text speaks Question 4 Why must wee bee thus carefull to bring forth good fruits Answer 1 First because God hath given us grace for this end and purpose The talent was not given to hide in a Napkin but to improve Matth. 25.18 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall (a) 1 Cor. 12.7 vessels are made that they may hold liquor fruit-trees are planted not for show but to bring forth fruit and wee are regenerated that wee might bee holy God plantes and prunes and digs that wee might fructifie Matth. 21.34 c. And therefore wee must not bee slothfull and negative Christians Iames 1.23 But industrious remembring that God made man for labour not for lazines and created him not for speculation onely but for practise The Lord 1. Enlightens the minde and the understanding And 2. Moves and perswades the affections And 3. Imprints faith in our hearts by his holy Spirit Rom. 8.16 and 1 Iohn â 10 And 4. Gives graces and good habits unto us and al for this end that we might reduce all into act and bring forth good fruites And therefore wee must not frustrate his expectation Answer 2 Secondly it is necessary that wee should abound in good works because thus onely wee approve our selves to bee good trees and our pietie to bee true and cordiall For true godlines doth alwayes encrease and daily is enlarged the seed of grace in the heart is like the mustard-seed in the garden which takes root and afterwards sends forth a tender blade then a stalke and lastly comes to bee a tall shrub bringing forth fruit Thus the truest signe of life is growth and Dwarfes are but monsters in nature Wherefore we must not be alwayes children neither alwayes learning but never coming unto perfection but so learne the practise of vertue that wee may grow up therein daily more and more (b) 1 Peter 2.1 Thirdly the Holy Ghost is fruitfull Gal. 5.21 Answer 3 and Ephes 5.9 and therefore if wee desire to approve our selves to be guided and directed thereby we must be fruitfull also Answer 4 Fourthly wee must labour to abound in good workes because God is glorified thereby Matth. 5.16 Iohn 15.8 Phil. 1.11 Answer 5 Fiftly because our brethren are edified thereby Titus 2.7 and 3.8 and 1 Pet. 2.12 and 3.1 Answer 6 Sixtly because it is profitable for our selves Prov. 11.30 Rom. 6.22 Answer 7 Seventhly because it is comfortable unto the Ministers of God whom God hath set over us Iohn 4.36 Rom. 1.13 Hebr. 13.17 In what works must wee labour to abound Question 5 Wee must labour to abound in these two things Answer namely First in Internall desire love and fervour of the heart towards every thing that is good wee must labour to encrease dayly in the love of every good thing and in zeale and in uprightnesse and in sincerity of heart Secondly in Externall actions that is both 1. In an Abstinence from all evill works And 2. In obedience unto that which is good And herein three things are to bee observed namely First wee must obey every kinde of good worke whether belonging to the first or second table Secondly wee must obey every good worke in a frequent custome and assiduous and daily life Thirdly wee must obey the Lord perseverantly continuing in his service unto the end Wee must not serve the Lord with our hearts onely as some say they doe and not with our bodies neither with our bodies onely as many doe and not with our hearts but wee must labour to bee trees bearing good fruit both in bodies and soules Wee must not abstaine from sinne onely as many doe and doe no good but wee must cease to doe evill and learne to doe well Wee must not doe some sorts of good works onely or sometimes by aguish fits or begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh but wee must ensue after whatsoever is good and that through the whole course of our life § 2. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good Sect. 2 fruit Our Saviour expressely here teacheth Observat That so long as wee are unregenerate we cannot cease from evill works Matth. 12.34 and 2 Pet. 2.14 A Gentleman perceiving that hee could not thrive in his own countrey Piacenza went to Florence to live there hoping to finde that place more prosperous unto him and being there hee figured for his devise a Peach-tree loden with fruit which in the proper soile wherin it first springeth yeeldeth forth poysoned and unpleasant encrease but being transplanted in some farther Coast becometh wholesome and fruitfull his Posie was Translata proficit arbos Wee are just like this Peach-tree for so long as wee are in our
much more to relieve and care for those who are sicke Secondly because Christians ought to bee Answer 2 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã full of affection and compassion Christ weepes for Lazarus John 11. and for Ierusalem Luke 19.41 Paul weepes for Epaphroditus Philip. 2.27 and would have us to bee tender over one another as members of the same body Rom. 12.14 Thirdly because otherwise wee should be worse Answer 3 than the heathens or infidels for although they know not what religion is yet they know what honestie is and therefore as a dishonest action will not forsake their servants when they are sicke as we see in this Centurion Whence comes it that some are so hard hearted as Quest 4 to exclude extrude their servants in their sicknes Answer 1 First it proceeds from this that we respect our owne proper profit and not brotherly love this Centurion doth not thus but speedily sends the Elders of the Jewes unto Christ humbly beseeching him to cure his servant Secondly it springs from hence that we doe not Answer 2 remember that we have a Master in heaven Ephes 6.9 Coloss 4.1 For if he should extrude us out of his presence when wee are disobedient or unprofitable servants what would become of us yea how miserable should we be § 6. Sicke of the Palsie Section 6 These sicknesses which ever and anone are healed by our Saviour are types and figures of the diseases maladies of the soule from whence we may observe That our soules are sicke of the palsie Observat untill they be healed by Christ Quest 1 What is the nature of this griefe and maladie Answer 1 First the disease is in the nerves and doth so stop all the chinkes and pores that the animall spirits cannot penetrate Thus when the heart is stopped and shut up grace and the spirit of life cannot enter Christ knocks at the dore of the heart Revel 3.20 but the hard heart will not open Psal 95.8 and Rom. 2.5 Now hence from the stopping of the pores proceeds these things viz. 1. Insensibility for sense is taken away from the nerves except only when there is some heate commixt with them and then the palsie is painefull so naturally we are insensible and past feeling (l) Ephes 4.18 s. except only then when the conscience is warmed with the sight and sense of sinne and then we become desperate like Cain and Iudas 2. By the stopping of the chinkes and pores of the nerves so that the animall spirits cannot pierce into the sinewes is taken away motion For First when sense is taken away there is a numnesse And Secondly when sense and motion are taken away then comes the palsie and shaking of the hand or heade Thus it is with us for naturally 1. All power of doing good is taken away from us And 2. All motion that is we have naturally no power to move our selves unto good or to remove evill from us 3. Those who are sorely takeÌ with the palsie seeme to be very well so long as they lye quiet but if they once endeavour to walke or worke then they either fall or feele their impotency inability to doe that which they desire Thus is it with us so long as we lye quiet in the bed of sin we are well enough and happy enough thinking that we lacâe nothing but are rich Revel 3.17 abounding with all things but if once wee desire and endeavor to lay hold upon Christ and to worke out our salvation wee shall finde that of our selves wee are not able to speake a good word or thinke a good thought or doe any good deed 4. Those who are taken with the palsie may dreame that they are well and can walke and worke but when they awake there is no such thing So men lulled asleepe with carnall security perswade themselves that they are in an estate of salvation but when their conscience is awakened they finde it otherwise Thus much for the place of this disease Answer 2 Secondly the cause of the palsie is a thicke and clammy fleame which cannot bee purged out So a viscous perversenesse and obstinacie cannot easily be expelled neither loves to be disturbed or removed Acts 19.9 Hebr. 3.13 stiffe necks hardly bend to the yoake of obedience Acts 17.51 and hard hearts will not easily relent Marke 16.14 but easily become rebellious and gainsaying Jerem. 44.16 Answer 3 Thirdly the palsie doth coole all the blood and the very arteries and sinewes wherein the spirit of life mixed with blood doth runne and so mortifies them by little and little So sinne hath killed all the grace that was in us in our first creation and mortified all our zeale in so much as now wee are but rotten and corrupt carkasses reprobats unto every good worke Answer 4 Fourthly we may consider of the place or part affected with the palsie which is either 1. Sometimes one side or one member called the dead palsie which if it have so thorowly seazed upon or setled and taken roote in that part that it cannot be removed at length it killeth the whâle body So one raigning and remaining sinne is suffi ient to bring both body and soule to eternall perdition and destruction 2. Sometimes the palsie goes from one side to the other and from thence to the head So our naturall corruption leades us from one sinne and degree of sinne unto another untill at length it bring us unto finall impenitencie 3. Although this tough clammy flegme which is the cause of the palsie settle more in one place then in another yet is it spread dispersed through all the body so there is a generall corruption in out whole nature which showes it selfe more particularly in some sinne then in other 4. There is a kind of palsie called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that drawes the sinewes of the legâ together and makes lame And this I conceive was the cause of his lamenesse whom wee reade of Acts 3. So sinne makes us lame and unable to walke in the wayes of God and to run the race that is set before us Fiftly we may consider the cure of the Palsie Answer 5 and therein these things to wit 1. The cure of this disease is hindered and the disease it selfe made worse by the aire if it be either cold moist thicke or cloudy but is helped by the aire which is warme drie pure and cleare So sin is cured by these meanes viz First by a warme and hot zeale against sinne and for Gods glory And Secondly by labour industry and endeavour and not by ease and idlenesse See before Math. 7.5 And Thirdly by purity and sanctity in our lives and conversations And Fourthly by the comforts and consolations of the blessed Spirit And therefore let us labour for the fire of true zeale striving against all sin and endeavouring after all grace fervently and frequently and then we may expect the internall joy of the holy Ghost in our soules 2. The neglect
makes us cold but by and by wee burn So at first we are afraid of sin by and by fearlesse therof at first our affections freez afterwards fry in the love of sin at first wee abstain from sinne and are hardly drawn to the committing of sinne but by and by custome makes it habituall and naturall unto us and us insensible of it III. In a Feâer when we are cold yet even then we are hot within though we are not so sensible of that heat So even then when the naturall man fears and trembles to commit sin there is the fire of evill concupiscence which in time sets on fire the whole course of nature shews it selfe outwardly in the practise of sin IV. The Fever inflames the whole body even to the very toes of the feet So sin wounds and enfeebles us from the crown of the head to the solâ of the foot Esay 1.6 Answ 4 Fourthly siâne may be resembled to a Fever Respectu effectuum in regard of the effects For I. The Fever in membris in the parts of the body workes this effect it debilitates and weakens the whole man so that hee cannot walke forth of doors nay bee cannot walke within his owne house neither is able to stand but forced to sit or lye and keep his bed So by sinne we are so weakned that wee are neither able to walke in the wayes of God nor run the race that he hath set before us nor worke out the work of our salvation with fear and trembling II. The Fever in intellectu in the understanding works this effect it disturbs takes away the use of reason making a man not know what he saith or doth And this is for the most part or at least very often mortall and deadly So when men grow obstinate and bold in sinning and are neither sensible of sinne nor punishment but will do whatsoever they will Ier. 44.16 it is an argument of a soule not distant from death III. The Fever In appetitu in the appetite produceth these effects namely First it loaths the most wholsome things So sinne makes us to loath both I. Good workes and duties and exercises of religion like the Iews who cryed when will the new Moons and the Sabbaths be done that we may return unto our sins Malach. 1.13 II. Good Counsell for that we think to bee a hard saying and we cannot endure it Ioh. 6.60 Secondly as the Fever loaths that which is wholsome so it longs for that which is unwholsome So wee loath the heavenly Manna of the word and spirituall graces and love the vaine pleasures of sin although they be but for a season and the end therof destruction and death Rom. 6.23 Thirdly In a Fever there is a thirst not to bee quenched or satisfied but insatiable having no moderation in drinkiâg if it can come unto liquor So many are furious in sinning and cannot cease to sin h 2 Pet. 2.14 although they see oftentimes that I. The thing is childish and of that nature that it is a shame for a man to be besotted therewith Yea II. That the event is perillous and dangerous And III. That both the estate is lessened and impaired and the body enfeebled and enervated therby Thus no feverish man is more mad after drink then wicked men are after their sins Fourthly Potus factitij made drinks quench not the thirst in a Fever but now pleaseth the Pallat and by and by displeaseth it it being only cool things which allaieth and asswageth the heat therof although often they kill because the stomack is not able to bear them So it is not ordinary comforts that appease the soule because they cannot fill the soule neither can they allay the heat of a wounded spirit but it is the word and the comminations and promises thereof which afford ease and peace to the troubled heart And yet sometimes this cooling Cordiall doth kill and drives accidentally to desperation as we see in Cain Gen. 4. and Iudas Mat. 27. Fifthly sinne may be resembled to a Fever Respectu finis in regard of the end thereof For I. Sometimes it ends in health and life of it selfe that is a man recovers sometimes out of a Fever without the use of any means or help of any man II. Sometimes the Fever ends in health and life by the use of good means and the helpe of the Physician III. Sometimes the Fever ends in a sickly and weakly estate that is when the Fever leaves a man oftentimes he fals into deafnesse and swellings and boyls and the like IV. Sometimes it ends in death Fevers often bring men to the period of their life now this is two-fold viz. First sometimes a Fever brings a man to a speedy death when he dies therof Secondly sometimes it brings a man unto a lingring death and that either I. By an Hâctick Fever which inflames the heart or lungs Or II. By bringing a man into a Dropsie Now to apply this First sinne herein differs from a Fever this as was said sometimes ends in health and life without the use of physick or helpe of the Physician but never that for sin cannot be cured or healed of it selfe Secondly sin is cured and healed by Christ who is the only Physician of the soule Thirdly if sinne end not thus in health and life by Christ then it ends either I. In a dry Hectick Fever and a barrennesse of all good fruits Or II. In a cold Dropsie or Lukewarmnesse in Religion Or III. In a deafnesse and unwillingnesse to hear the word of God Or IV. In filthy Vlcers and putrified Boyls of actuall transgressions V. The safest Crisis or conflict of nature in this sicknesse is evacuation and that either by vomiting purging sweating or bleeding So we must labour either to vomit up our sinnes by Confession or sweat them out by Contrition or purge them out by alienation and separation or else if the Lord love us he will bleed us and make us forsake sin by affliction as hee did by David and Manasses Quest 2 How may we know whether we are sicke of the Fever of sin or not By these plain signes namely Answ First if without thou be inflamed with the lust of sinne or if it shew it selfe in in thy life and actions Secondly if the fire of concupiscence kindle thy affections unto evill although as yet it doth not appear by thy actions and outward man Thirdly by examining what drink pleaseth us best whether is the word of God unpleasing to our taste or not cârtainly if we be refreshed and comforted with the pleasures of sin and that the word of God relisheth not with us we are feverish Fourthly by examining whether Christ hath cured us or not whether we be freed from the Fever of sin or not For this Fever of the soule differs from the bodily Fever there being many in health of body and free in body from the corporall Fever but none at all from the Fever of
Thirdly Christ forbids him to goe to his Father by reason of the danger which was in it namely I. His naturall affection unto his Father might estrange his affection from his Master Or II. With Demas the world might draw him away that is the inheritance or riches which hee should enjoy by his Fathers death might bewitch and ensnare him Chrys s Answ 4 Fourthly our Saviour doth not prohibite him because Parents are to bee despised but because heavenly doctrine and spirituall and saving knowledge is more necessary Chrys s Whence wee may learn Observ 3 That no excuse is to be admitted which distracts from Christ or Religion Luke 14.18 Why must nothing with-hold or withdraw us from Christ Answ 1 First because wee are wholly and peculiarly his being redeemed by him 1 Cor. 6.20 Answ 2 Secondly because we have but a small time to serve him in much time being spent wherein we served him not at all 1 Cor. 9.27 c. Answ 3 Thirdly because all things are nothing in regard of Christ and his service there being nothing which can afford us so much profit pleasure hearts ease and true content or make us so truly happy as Christ can Sect. 3 § 3. Follow thou me This Disciple desires leave to depart but Christ will not permit it Teaching us Observ 1 That Christ recalleth those who are about to depart from him For as he cals some Prov. 1.20 c. and 8.1 and 9.3 Esay 55.1 Matth. 11.28 Iohn 7.37 Revel 22.17 so he recals others Ier. 3.1.12 Quest 1 How doth God recall those who stray from him Answ 1 First sometimes by himselfe thus he called the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.9 and Paul Act. 9. Answ 2 Secondly sometimes by his Prophets thus he recalled the Israelites 1 Sam. 7.5 Answ 3 Thirdly somâtimes by good godly Kings 2 Chron. 30. Answ 4 Fourthly sometimes by neighbours or servants thus he called back Naaman 2 King 5.13 Answ 5 Fifthly sometimes God reclaims by Angels thus he did the Israelites Iudg. 2.2 Quest 2 Why doth Christ call back those who would depart Answ 1 First because hee would not have them to perish Ezech. 18.23.32 and 2 Pet. 3.9 Secondly because hee doth not destroy the Answ 2 wicked by and by but spares them long giving them a large time of repentance to see if they will turn unto him Ezech. 34.6.7 and 2 Chron. 36 16. Rom. 2.5 Thirdly Christ will not suffer his to depart Answ 3 from him because hee hath promised to direct them Our Saviour doth not only receive those who come unto him or begin to worke the worke of grace in the Elect or to prepare them or to give power unto them to obey if they will as he did unto Adam But he hath promised to refrain them and curbe them from sin and keep them Yea to bee a Physician unto them Matth. 9. and by his Spirit to direct them in the wayes of grace Iohn 14. How doth God refrain and keep back or call Quest 3 back his children from sin First sometimes by a preventing grace My Answ 1 grace shall be sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Secondly sometimes by affliction as hee did Answ 2 Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19.2 and Manasses 33.12 13. But many are corrected Object who are not converted many afflicted who are not reclaimed from sin Proverb 1.24 c. First certainly it is most true as wee see in the Answ 1 Israelites Ier. 44.16 and 51.9 and in Pharaoh who were hardned under the rod Exod. 9. Secondly but there are in correction two Answ 2 things to be observed namely I. It is an excellent signe when affliction doth curbe and call us back and with Peter makes us weep bitterly Mat. 26. and with Paul be obedient to Gods voice Act. 26 19. and Gal. 1.16 and with David to humble our selves 2 Sam. 12. And on the contrary it is an ill signe not to bee reclaimed by correction but more hardned II. For a wicked man not to be corrected but be permitted to sin willingly without any bridle of restraint is a most miserable sign of a man in a most deplorable estate and condition yea of a Bastard and not a Son Heb. 12.8 How must we follow Christ Quest 4 First some follow to prosecute and slay thus Answ 1 Asahel followed Abner 2 Sam. 2.19 but wee must not thus follow Christ Secondly some follow to imitate thus wee Answ 2 are forbidden to follow a multitude unto evill Exod. 23.1 but are commanded to follow Christ for we must strive and labour to imitate him 1 Pet. 2.21 But yet this following is not meant in this place Thirdly some follow that they may be protected Answ 3 and fed Thus the Lord promiseth that if his people will feare serve and obey him then they shall continue following the Lord their Gâd 1 Sam. 12.14 that is then God will still continue to protect and provide for them Thus many followed Christ that they might be fed by him but this following is not spoken of in this place Fourthly some follow Christ as Disciples and Answ 4 servants and this is that which is here commanded From whence we may learn that we ought to Observ 2 follow Christ as servants follow their Masters giving our selves wholly up unto him both in bodies and soules Reade Num. 14.24 and 32.15 and Deut. 13.4 anâ 1 Cor. 6.20 Quest 5 What is required of servants towards their Masters Answ 1 First a servant must forsake all other men and adhere only unto his Master because a man can not serve two Masters Mat. 6.24 and 19.27 and Iohn 10.5 and 1 King 18.21 Answ 2 Secondly a servant must acknowledge him whom he serves to be his Lord and Master Mal. 1.6 Iohn 14.4 27. Answ 3 Thirdly a servant must diligently and industriously apply himselfe to his Masters busiâes Deut. 28.14 and Ier. 48 10. Quest 6 Why must we serve Christ Answ 1 First because he redeemed us for this end that wee might bee a peculiar people unto himselfe serving him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Luke 1.75 Titus 2.14 Answ 2 Secondly because it is a great honour to serve the Lord and therefore we should not be ambitious in other things and here negligent It is held no small honour nor privilege to bee the Kings servant and therefore much more to be Christs Answ 3 Thirdly it is our duty to serve Christ and therefore there is great reason to serve him I. Souldiers will follow their Captain and therfore wee should follow Christ who is our Chieftain and Leader II. Orphans should follow their Guardians and therfore we ought to follow Christ our only Defender and Protector III. Children should follow their Parents and therfore wee ought to follow Christ our everlasting Father Esay 9.6 IIII. Schollers should follow their Masters and Pupils their Tutors wherfore it is our duty to follow Christ our Doctor and Teacher Quest 7 How may we know whether we serve Christ or not Answ By what
to be feared that thou art yet alive in nature but dead in grace Wherein must naturall men labour to acquire Quest 11 life First in generall in the whole man that is Answ 1 both in the body and soule in the outward life and in the inward man in the will and memory and reason and spirit and mind Ephesians 4.24 and 1 Thess 5.23 Answ 2 Secondly more particularly we must labour to acquire life in three things to wit I. In sensu in our sense and apprehension Nothing comes unto the understanding which was not first in the sense and therefore we must labour that our understandings may be enlightned and that the scales of ignorance may fall off from our eyes because sense is the outer gate of the soule Ephes 1.18 Rom. 11.8 and 1 Iohn 2.11 In a word he that desires the light of grace must labour first to be sensible of the blindnesse of nature and he who longs for spirituall life must strive to be sensible of that spirituall death wherein he lies buried Luke 11.34 II. In fide in our faith and confidence faith is the eye wherby wee see God Mat. 5.8 faith brings us to saving knowledge Iohn 17.3 and workes in us true experience of the love of God c Philip. 3.10 And therefore let us not content our selves with dead dreams or carnall conjectures but labour for a true lively working and applicative faith III. In robore in our strength and power that is labour that wee may bee strengthned with might and power in the inward man d Ephes 3.16 not contenting our selves with the power of nature which is but impotency it selfe Now this living or lively power which we must labour for is three-fold namely First Potestas pugnandi power to fight against sinne and Sathan manfully untill we have prevailed e Heb. 12.4 and 1 Pet. 2.11 Secondly Potestas obediendi power to obey God in some good measure in that which he requires of us in a new life Thirdly Potestas amandi gaudândi power to love God and good duties and to rejoyce in the performance thereof Esay 58.13 Quest 12 From whom is this life to be acquired Answ 1 First we must seeke it of God the Father Esay 25.8 Hos 13.14 Rom. 4.17 Answ 2 Secondly we must seek it of God the Sonne Luke 1.78.79 Iohn 1.4 and 2 Cor. 5.15 and 2 Tim. 1.10 Answ 3 Thirdly wee must seek it of God the Holy Ghost Iohn 6.63 Rom. 8.10 11. and 1 Cor. 6.11 And therefore let us invocate God the Father in the name and mediation of God the Sonne to infuse this spirituall life of grace into us by the operation of his blessed Spirit Quest 13 What means must we use for the obtaining of this spirituall life Answ 1 First wee must be watchfull and circumspect over our wayes Ephes 5.15 for grace is not found in the way of security or with sleeping upon the bed of case Colos 3.1 Answ 2 Secondly we must be diligent in hearing Iohn 5.24 25. and 2 Tim. 1.10 Now there are two things to be heard namely I. The Law this wee must hear that we may be humbled therby Rom. 7.9 II. The Gospel this we must hear that we may be counselled and comforte therby 2 Cor. 2.16 Answ 3 Thirdly we must die unto sin Generatio unius est corruptio alterius the vivifying of grace is the mortifying of sin And the more grace increases the more sin decreases Rom. 6.11 and 1 Cor. 15.36 Now there are two kinds of death namely First Concupiscentiae of sinne and lust Colos 3.5 for all sins evill affections and lusts are to be mortified Secondly Confidentiae of hope and confidence for wee must deny our selves not trust at al in any thing we do Fourthly wee must labour to beleeve Iohn 8.24 Answ 4 And that by a faith not of our own framing but of Gods infusing Colos 2.12 Fifthly we must persevere in all these as long Answ 5 as we live that is both in watchfulnesse and hearing and mortifying of sinne and beleeving with a faith approved by works Revelat. 2.11 Ephes 6.13 What shall wee gaine by this spirituall life Quest 14 that we must take so much paines for the procuring of it First if wee be made partakers of this life Answ 1 of grace then we shall bee made fellow Citizens of the Saints yea the Heirs of God Rom. 8.17 Ephes 2.6.19 Second by this spirituall life we gain spiritual Answ 2 liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 from sin Rom. 6.14 8.11 Thirdly by this life we gain light and knowledge Answ 3 and spirituall rejoycing Esay 9.2 Luke 1.80 and 1 Pet. 1.8 And therfore it is worth al the paines VERS 25. And his Disciples came to him Vers 25 and awoke him saying Lord save us wee perish § 1. His Disciples came to him Sect. 1 This action of the Disciples in comming to Christ may teach us the degrees of our comming unto Christ How do we come unto Christ Quest or by what steps First the carnall man is absent from Christ Answ 1 and a stranger unto him Mat. 18.11 Luke 15.13 Ephes 2.12 and 1 Pet. 25. Secondly therefore God sends affliction as Answ 2 to the prodigall poverty and to the Jews misery Psalme 107. Thirdly and then we come to him Psal 119.67.71 Answ 3 One of these two wayes either I. By prayer as the Disciples here did crying Lord save us Or II. By repentance as the Prodigall did Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee § 2. They awoke him Sect. 2 Christ indeed is sometimes absent from his children which is here expressed by his being asleep How is Christ absent from his children Quest First sometimes he is absent from them by Answ 1 withdrawing his grace from them and permitting them to sin thus he absented himselfe from Peter and David for a time Secondly sometimes he is absent from them Answ 2 in comfort when hee permits them to fall into grievous afflictions thus hee absented himselfe from Iob for a time and from David Psal 22. Sect. 3 § 3. Save us or wee perish The Disciples here in their distresse pray unto Christ and are preserved whence we may learn Observ That the prayers of the righteous shall certainly be heard Object But many pray whom God answers not Answ 1 First God is alwayes able to heare and helpe us if he please Daniel 3.17 Answ 2 Secondly if he do not helpe us when we pray yet he will turn his deniall and our distresse unto our good for all things worke together for the best unto the righteous Rom. 8.28 Answ 3 Thirdly and although hee do not helpe us at the first yet he can afterwards as we see in Israels fighting against Benjamin who was overcome once againe Iudg. 20.21.25 although God bad them fight verse 18.23 but at length they wholly overcome them verse 35. c. Vers 26 VERS 26. And hee saith unto them why are yee fearfull O yee of
little faith Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calme Sect. 1 § 1. Why are yee fearfull Quest 1 Why doth our Saviour here reprove and upbraid them is not prayer unto Christ in distresse a signe of faith Answ Our Saviour doth not upbraid them for praying but for these things namely First because they were fearfull cowardly for the righteous should be as bold as Lyons Prov. 28.1 Secondly because they doubted and that I. Of safety save us or we perish And II. Of Christs care of them Carest thou not that we perish Marke 4.57 Quest 2 How doth it appear that they doubted of Christs care of them Answ 1 First by their running unto him as though Christ could not do what Paul did The Apostle saith though he was absent in body yet he was present in care Colos 2.5 and 1 Cor. 5.3 And therefore certainly much more is Christ yea in regard of his Deitie hee is every where present And therefore there was no need of their running unto Christ to put him in mind of their danger Answ 2 Secondly it is evident that they doubted of Christs care of them by their awakening of him And they awoke him saying Master save us as though with the body and humanity the Deitie had slept when as indeed Hee that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psalme 121.4 Quest 3 Is it not good to fear that our Saviour thus upbraids them Why are yee fearfull Yea if it bee not good to fear then why doth Christ sleepe and by sleeping thus terrifie them Answ Christ slept not that he might affright them but that he might exercise them and learn them by danger not to fear danger Whence wee may observe That disturbing and disquieting fear Observ is to be expelled out of the heart of the faithfull Luke 12.32 How many sorts of fear are there that wee Quest 4 may learn which is good and which is bad There is a two-fold feare to wit First of God which is a godly feare Secondly of men which is a worldly fear herein observe these two things First Answ dangers are to bee feared providently Genesis 32.9 c. Secondly dangers are not to bee feared with a Distracting feare for that is here forbidden and Matthew 10.28 and Luke 1.74 Esay 8.12 Why is this distracting and disturbing feare Quest 5 to be expulsed and driven away First because this fear ariseth from sin Genesis Answ 1 3.7.10 Secondly because this feare is threatned as a Answ 2 punishment of sinne Deuter. 32.25 Iob 18.14 Prov. 3.24 Thirdly because it is a sign of diffidencie and Answ 3 distrust for the faithfull for the most part are free from it 2 King 6.14 15. Daniel 3. and 6. Psal 3.7 and 23.4 and 27.1 and 46.3 Wherefore this feare argues either I. No faith Or II. a false faith or III. A sleepie faith or IV. A weak faith Fourthly because this terrifying fear shall be Answ 4 punished Revel 21.8 Fifthly this feare is to be expelled because Answ 5 wee have promises of protection and preservation and helpe Esay 41.14 Sixthly this feare deters us from the profession Answ 6 of Christ and the Gospel and therefore there is great reason that it should bee cast out of the heart Reade Iohn 9.22 and 12.42 What must we feare Quest 6 First wee must feare God and that Answ 1 I. Lest we offend him and provoke him unto anger by our sins And II. Lest we neglect to glorifie him in our lives and conversations And III. Lest we should forget him and not have him alwayes before our eyes Secondly wee must feare our salvation And Answ 2 that I. Lest through carelesnesse or fearlesnesse wee should fall into sinne Ephesians 5.15 And II. Lest wee should be temporally punished for our sin as Ier. 36.16 and 1 Corinthians 11.32 And III. Lest wee should be eternally tormented for our iniquities Deut. 28.66 Heb. 4.1.3 § 2. O yee of little faith Sect. 2 Our Saviour by this phrase would have us Observ 1 take notice That faith may be true although it be small as appears by Matth. 6.30 and 16.8 and Luke 12.28 and Mat. 14 29. Marke 9.24 Cum fides in Objecto non errat sed illud in medijs trepid âtionibus cum fiducia quantumvis languida apprehendere expetit conatur debilis fides est vera tamen Chemnit 1.185 a. Quest 1 Why is true faith sometimes small Answ Because although faith bee given from above Ephes 2.8 yet it is not given miraculously but by the means of the word Rom. 10.15 c. Hence it is said the sower sowed seed Mat. 13.1 and the kingdome of God is like unto a graine of mustard-seed Mat. 13.31 which groweth up by little and little Marke 4.26 c. And hence it is sometimes greater and sometimes lesser For the better understanding of this observe First the Schoole-men say that faith is lesse in a double regard namely I. Quoad objectum in regard of the object because expresly some beleeve fewer things then others do Them 2.2.5 4. II Quoad participationem in regard of the participation and that either First Ex parte intellectûs because some have lesser understanding then others Or Secondly Ex parte voluntatis because some have I. Lesser promptitude and readinesse in beleeving then others some being more dull lazie and sluggish then others are Or II. Lesser devotion some being lesse zealous then are others Or III. Lesser confidence and trust some being more fearfull then are others Secondly our Divines affirm faith to be lesser in a double regard also to wit I. Fructibus in regard of the fruits therof as holinesse strength zeale constancie joy and the like II. Gradibus in regard of the degrees or nature of faith as in apprehension and application Perkins And therefore Chemnuius observes that First sometimes faith is great as Mat. 8.10 and 15.28 And Secondly sometimes faith is small as Matth. 14.31 And Thirdly sometimes faith is weak and that either in Acknowledging Rom. 14.1 Or Trusting Mark 9.24 Thirdly observe faith is lesser sometimes in regard of Others that is one mans faith is greater then anothers as one star differs from another in glory 1 Cor. 15. and Rom. 14.1 and 15.1 A mans selfe that is sometimes faith in one the same man is greater and sometimes lesse and that either Ordinarily and thus a mans faith is lesse when he is newly regenerated then afterwards Heb. 5.12 Extraordinarily in the houre of temptation which is occasioned either First by reason of some sinne committed l 2 Sam. 12. Psal 22. 32. Or Secondly because the Holy Spirit of God is grieved u Ephes 4.31 and that either 1. By the love of sin or 2. By the neglect of the exercises of Religion or 3. By the extinguishing of the good motions of the Holy Spirit Or Thirdly because God with-draws his grace and spirituall light for a time o 2
Chro. 32.31 Psal 51.11 Observ 2 We may observe againe from these words Oh yee of little faith that faith is accepted but weaknesse is reproved whereby our Saviour would teach us That the children of God should labour that their faith may grow ripe and increase unto perfection Reade Ephes 4.13.15 and 2 Pet 1.10 and 1 Pet. 2. â 3. and Mark. 4.40 Quest 2 Why may wee not content our selves with a weak faith which is true but wee must thus endeavour after a strong faith Answ 1 First faith and the increase of faith is the principall worke of a Christian This is the work of God that yee beleeve on him whom be hath sent Iohn 6.29 Yea this is the function of a Christian for wee are called Fâââles faithfull because our worke is to strive to bee rich and perfect in faith yea wee are called Christiani Christians because wee depend wholly upon Christ by faith And therfore there is great reason that we should labour and endeavour to grow up and increase therin Answ 2 Secondly we are commanded to beleeve This iâ his Commandement that wee should beleeve on the name of his Son Iesus Christ 1 Iohn 3.23 And therefore it behoves us to labour to be perfect in faith Thirdly faith is our chiefest armour against Answ 3 Sathan it is the shield wherwith we quench all the fiery darts of the Devill Ephes 6.16 yea a Brest-plate 1 Thess 5 8. and therefore wee must resist this our enemy with faith 1 Pet. 5.8 Great reason is there then that all those who desire to be free from Sathan should labour for faith and the increase therof Who are blame-worthy in this particular Quest 3 Those who neglect faith Answ For if the children of God must labour that their faith may increase and grow ripe unto perfection then much are they too blame who neglect the acquiring or augmentation of faith For I. Those who have not faith should neither give sleep to their eyes nor slumber to their eye-lids untill they be made partakers thereof wee being without God in the world so long as wee are without faith in our soules Here those who have not as yet attained unto Quest 4 this excellent and singular grace of faith may demand first how they may be incited or induced to labour thus earnestly for it I answer let them seriously remember these two short particulars to wit I. By faith they shall have true spirituall internall and solid joy according to that of the Apostle Answ Although we have not seene God yet wee love him and loving him beleeve in him and beleeving in him rejoyce with a joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 He that beleeves in God hath the witnesse in himselfe and is not beguiled with presumptuous perswasions and therefore hath true cause of rejoycing but he that beleeves not can have no true hope and consequently no solid joy Rom. 5.3 4 II Let those who are as yet destitute of faith remember that they cannot more profitably bestow their paines any where then here they cannot labour for any thing of more worth then faith is because that is the hand wherby wee apprehend Christ and apply him unto our selves that is the eye wherby we behold Christ that is the foot by which we walke unto Christ yea that is the seale wherby all the promises of the Gospel are confirmed unto us And therefore nothing is more profitable for us nothing can make us more happy then faith in Christ can Quest 5 Secondly those who are not as yet made partakers of faith and by the two former particulars are incited and moved to desire it will yet againe demand What means must they use for the acquiring of it Answ 1 First a man cannot beleeve of himselfe or obtaine faith by any naturall or physicall power it being wrought in us by the blessed Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Answ 2 Secondly but wee must labour to confirme our faith by our good workes 2 Pet. 1.10 That is he that perswades himselfe that he beleeves must shew his faith to be true and lively by the fruits of sanctification Answ 3 Thirdly wee must use those means for the acquiring of faith which God requires that is we must be carefull and diligent hearers of the word for faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 and we must be servent and frequent in prayer unto God that hee would infuse this grace of faith in us by his Holy Spirit II. Those who have faith should not rest nor content themselves with a weake or small measure thereof But remember that graces are not given to bee misspent as the Prodigall did his portion nor to bee kept without any augmentation or increase as the servant did his Talent which hee hid in a Napkin but to multiply and increase For the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall q 1 Cor. 12 7. and therefore the servant is condemned because hee did not put out his Masters money to the Banke Luke 19.23 Quest 6 How is this grace of faith to be nourished and increased Answ By these means namely First by the word of God Ex ijsdem nutrimur ex quibus generamur as the word is a seed to beget those who are not begotten so bread to feed those who are begotten yea milke wherby babes become young men 1 Pet. 2.12 And therefore we must be frequent in hearing reading meditating and conferring of the word of God Secondly by fighting and striving against sin Sathan the world and our owne corrupt lusts Heb. 12.4 and 1 Pet. 2.11 and 5 8 9. Ephes 6.13 c. Thirdly by faithfull and fervent prayer unto God crying daily unto God as the Apostles did unto Christ Oh Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 Ephes 6.18 What is faith Quest 7 First Grammatically Fides à fio Dicitur fides Answ 1 quia fit it is called faith because it is made And therfore faith is twofold viz. Activa first active faciens veritatem and is called Fidelity Passiva secondly passive credens veritati and is called perswasion Hinc fides sacta habita Secondly according to the Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and Answ 2 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are either taken I. Actively and thus God is said to be faithfull 1 Cor. 1.9 and his word to bee faithfull 1 Tim. 3.1 and 4.9 and his Ministers to bee faithfull 1 Cor. 4.2 Because God workes faith in his children by the word and Ministers therof Or II. Passively and thus they of the Circumcision and Timothies Mother and divers beleeve in God Act. 10.45 and 16.1 and 2 Cor. 6.15 Now the question here is concerning the passive not active faith VERS 28. Vers 28 And when he was come to the other side into the countrey of the Gergesenes there met him two possessed with devils comming out of the tombes exceeding fierce so that no man might passe by that way § 1. There met him two possessed with devils Sect. 1
pierceth to the heart and the God of Grace searcheth the heart and trieth the reins Psal 7.9 And Grace it self diveth and taketh root in the inward man Secondly wine expels sorrow and pensivenesse whence the kingly Preacher exhorts us to give wine to those who are of heavie hearts Prov. 31.6 So the com orts we have by the Grace of God doth refresh our hearts in our greatest sorrows whether temporall or spirituall for if outward afflictions presse us we are assured that they shall be rewarded and changed into an eternall weight of glory Rom. 8.18 And if we be dejected for our sins the spirit of Grace will assure us of pardon and reconciliation through Christ 1 Iohn 2.1 2. Thirdly wine expels fears and makes men bold so Grace overcomes all legall and desperate fears and terrours and passions of the heart and makes us confidently to relye upon the mercie love power and promises of Christ 1 Iohn 4 18. Fourthly wine cheers and makes glad the heart f Psal 104 15. both of God and men g Iudg. 9.13 vitiâ dicitur quasi vitae vel quia vivificat Isidor So by Grace we have that peace of conscience which passeth all understanding yea that joy of the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and glorious Zach. 9.17 and 10.7 Philip. 4.7 Rom. 14.17 and 1 Pet. 1.8 Fifthly wine begets good spirits and increaseth the radicall heat so by Grace our zeal unto Gods glory and good works is daily increased Ephes 5.19 V. Wine is profitable also for the minde and that in these two regards viz. First it sharpens the understanding Psal 73.18 Vinum moderatè sumptum âââit ingenium so by Grace our intellectuals are bettered and we therby enabled to understand those things which concern our peace and the welfare of our souls h 1 Cor. 10 2. and 13.12 Secondly wine betters the minde and makes the coward strong and bold and resolute and the covetous man bountifull Barthol Alex. ab Al. 5. 21. so Grace works a true change in our natures and makes us unlike our selves Ephes 4.23 24. Answ 4 Fourthly wine is good outwardly used for I. Inwardly taken it warms but outwardly apposed it cools so Grace doth increase all inward spirituall gifts but doth diminish all carnall desires II. Wine cures wounds whence the Samaritan powres wine and oyl because as oyl doth purge cleanse and close up a wound so wine doth asswage the pain and comforts thâ wound Here we must observe these two things namely First that there are three sorts of wounds to wit I. Painfull and smarting wounds these are the accusations and worm of conscience II. Itching wounds which allure men to scratch although scratching causeth smarting these are temptations and allurements unto sin the end whereof if we give way unto them will be the gauls and accusations of our consciences III. Insensible wounds in which are much mortified and dead flesh these are blinde and hard hearts Now Grace cures all these wounds for thereby we are assured of the pardon of our sins which are past and of preservation against sin and of knowledge and mollified and softned hearts Ezech. 36.26 27. Secondly there are three sorts of Ulcers namely I. Swelling these must be broken although it be painfull this is internall concupiscence which makes men often break forth first into sin as in David 2 Sam. 11. and 12. and afterwards into bitter fighs tears and groans as the same kingly Prophet did II. Matterish and running Ulcers which must be dried up this is the custome of sin which is very hardly left III. Cacoethes a Bile ill to be cured by reason of the long continuance thereof and the dead flesh therein and here there is need of Corrosives by this is meant such a trade and hardnesse in evill that a man cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 Rom. 7.14 19. And this is most frequently cured by sharp afflictions as we see in Manasses Thus by the Grace of the Spirit we are brought unto the confession of sin and unto contrition for sin yea to the leaving of sin though it have been customary unto us and we long continued therein Fifthly wine was used in sacrifices and divine Answ 5 things Exod. 29.40 so the sacrifices and oblations of our prayers must be mixed and offered up with the grace of Faith or otherwise they will not be pleasing and acceptable unto God Ephes 6.18 Iude 20. And thus we have seen how in some things the Grace of Gods Spirit resembles wine and that as wine is unto the body so Grace is unto the soul Our Saviour saying here that men put new wine into new Bottles may occasion this question Whether the Wâââ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Bottles be all one Quest 4 or not Some think they ãâ¦ã me thinks without truth or reason Answ for ãâã âction differs from the agent and the contaââââom the contained so doth the wine from the vessell for the better understanding of this observe a three-fold diffârence namely First some say the wine and the vessell differ in degree because the new man is perfected simul semel at once by the revelation of Faith but the new wine which is the strength of Grace doth grow and increase daily we not being perfect in grace so long as we live Philippians 3.10 c. I dare not subscribe to this difference because as Grace so also Faith groweth and increaseth daily 2 Cor. 4.16 and 3.18 and 2 Peter 3.18 Secondly some say the wine and the vessell differ in Re even in the very things themselves because the one Grace is a quality in God and is onely revealed and by illumination communicated unto us but the other Grace is a quality imprinted in us whereby we are sanctified I dare not subscribe to this difference neither because the communication of divine Grace doth remain and abide imprinted in us as well as the other Thirdly the wine and the vessâll differ in nature in regard of the action for the one is once onely imprinted the other daily augmented Now these two to beget and nourish to live and to execute the actions and functions of life differ cleerly enough And these were foreshewed in the Types namely in Circumcision and the Passeover in Baptisme and the Lords Supper the one prefiguring our new Birth the other our growth and increase And therefore as the Tree differs from the fruit so doth the vessell from the Wine Unto the work of God there is required a preparation and a disposition as the Priests did first wash and then sacrifice And we are I. Planted and admitted into Gods house And then II. We work his work for if we live in the Spirit we must walk in the Spirit i Gal. 5.25 And thus as the Lord first makes us good Trees and then enables us to bring forth good fruit so we are first made good Bottles and then enabled to hold and shew forth good Wine for new Wine is
is I. Not in an unknown language as the Papists do who pray in Latine II. Not without attention Quâââdâ Deo audiri speras cum teipsum non attendis Cyprian How can a man hope to be heard of God that doth not himself mark what he utters The Papists here give a double distinction to wit First betwixt a perfect and a weak attention and this distinction as true we admit because we are imperfect in all services and weak in the best performances And therefore at best our Attention in prayer is but weak and imperfect yet we must strive unto perfection and labour that our mindes in prayer may be wholly taken up with heaven and heavenly things Secondly they distinguish betwixt an Initial perpetuated Attention that is Men they say must have an Intention to pray and an Attention to what they pray when they begin their prayers but there is no necessity of continuing this attention unto the period of their prayers This distinction as foolish and false I reject because their aim and meaning herein seems to be this That men must be attentive at first when they pray unto God that so they may procure the Lords attention to their prayers and when once God attends to what we pray then we need attend no more unto that which we powre out because God will hear it though we do not mark it Secondly we must pray only for good things Rule 2 such as are agreeable to the good will of God 1 Iohn 5. carefully avoiding all petitions which tend to the hurt either of our selves or our neighbour or our God or our Religion For if God hear from us and grant unto us such requests it is in anger according to the fiction of Mydâs his golden prayer or wish Thirdly we must pray in faith Mark 11.24 Rule 3 Iames 1.6 being assured that God loves us that God hears us that God is able to help us yea that he will help us in as much as may stand with his glory and our good Fourthly we must pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. Rule 4 14. Iude 20. Rom. 8.26 For if our requests be the signs and groans of the Spirit or dictated and suggested unto us by the Spirit then they shall be both pleasant unto and prevalent with our heavenly Father Fiftly we must pray in humility Luke 18.13 Rule 5 Latrones Errones docent âe orare Hier. in vitas patrum As Beggars pray for an Alms and Theeves for a Pardon so must we for those things which we stand in need of Sixtly we must pray penitently How can we Rule 6 comfortably or confidently pray unto God untill we are assured that we are reconciled unto him and our sins pardoned Non prodest medicamentum dââ ferrââ in ââhââre Isidor In vain is the plaister applied to the sore so long as the Bullet or iron is in the wound In vain no we pray for mercie or any blessing from God so long as sin is not forsaken hated and repented of Seventhly we must pray perseverantly Rom. Rule 7 12.12 Continuing untill God have heard our prayers or granted our requests Eightly we must pray in the name and mediation Rule 8 of Christ Iohn 16. Acts. 4.12 And that I. Because he is the onely beloved Son of God with whom God is well pleased and in whom he is pleased with us Iohn 11.42 II. Because Christ by his office is our Advocate 1 Ioh. 2.1 III. Because he onely merited pardon and redemption for us particular Rules Secondly the more particular Rules to be observed in prayer are these viz. Rule 1 First we must pray daily and ordinarily remembring that God is daily to be worshipped but prayer is a part of his worship wherefore we must daily pray Luke 18.1 and 1 Thess 5.17 Rule 2 Secondly we must pray fervently sending forth lowd clamours and strong cries unto God Psalm 5.5 Rule 3 Thirdly we must pray for particular blessings for health Iames 5.15 for victory rain and the like as was afore said and that I. By an acknowledgment of thy duty that thou oughtest to pray unto God and thou wert unworthy to receive any good thing from him if thou shouldst be negligent herein And II. We must pray particularly upon a sure hope that we shall obtain what we want if it be good for us and the rather because we pray for it which is the Lords own ordinance appointed for the obtaining of what is awanting unto us Sect. 2 § 2. Vnto the Lord of the harvest We see here that our prayers must be made unto God for First Christ is the Lord of the harvest as appears by his sending forth of Apostles and Disciples f Mat. 10.1 and Luke 10.1 Yet Secondly he names not himself but the Lord that he may shew that labourers come from him Observ 1 Hence we may learn That we must pray unto none but unto the Lord Psalm 50.16 Quest 1 Why must we pray onely unto the Lord Answ 1 First because he onely can give unto us what we want salvation being onely in his hand Answ 2 Secondly because he onely can attend unto the prayers of all every where at once Answ 3 Thirdly because he onely knows the heart and discerns whether we dissemble with him or pray in sincerity Answ 4 Fourthly because he loves us above all others or none loveth us so much as he doth Iob. 3.16 Object It will here be objected we pray unto men for divers things Paul prays the brethren and men daily pray and petition Kings and great and rich men and that lawfully how then do we say that we must pray onely unto God Answ To pray may be two manner of waies understood namely First in generall for every petition and request and thus indeed it is true that we may petition sue and make requests unto men but it must be for some temporall not for spirituall things and these requests must be made unto living and mortall men not unto the dead and glorified Saints Secondly prayer sometimes is understood ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for prayer for spirituall graces and eternall glory and thus understood we must pray onely unto God Quest 2 Why is God called the Lord of the harvest Answ 1 First because the harvest is his possession right Secondly because the harvest is gathered in by him Whence we may learn That the collection and gathering together Answ 2 of men unto the faith and profession of Religion Observ 2 is the work of God as evidently appears thus First Election is his Decree and the calling of men unto the truth first came from him Secondly as it came from God so it ends in him for the calleth men to the profession of Religion for his own glory Reade Ephes 1.4 5 6 Thirdly all things which serve hereunto are but Gods instruments whether the word or Spirit or Ministers or Day the Sabbath or Temple the Church yea or Christ himself All these are the
instruments of God for the gathering together of men unto the faith And therefore our Saviour here commandeth us to pray unto the Lord of the harvest § 3. That he would send forth labourers Sect. 3 How manifold is the sending of Ministers Quest 1 It is either First Extraordinary Answ as was frequent in the old Testament when sometimes men sometimes women were suddenly inspired with the Spirit of Prophesie Secondly Ordinary and this is two fold viz. I. An internall vocation and call from God and this hath in it these two things namely First God excites and stirâ up such to have compassion upon the Church and Children of God and to desire that they were able to serve God in this great work of gathering in his harvest Secondly then God makes them able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Corinth 3.6 II. An externall calling from men appointed for this end For the gatherers of this harvest must be both missi and permissi sent by God and allowed by men By the name of Labourers which our Saviour here gives to Ministers we may observe That the Ministers of the word are ordained unto labour Observ How doth it appear that the calling of a Minister Quest 2 requires so much labour and pains First it appears by the names given unto them Answ 1 they are called Fishers Mat. 4.19 Luke 10.2 and coÌmanded to be painfull faithfull Shepherds Ioh. 21.15 c. Act. 20.28 and 2 Tim. 4.2 5. They are called Souldiers and Planters and Builders and the like 1 Cor. 9. and 3.7 and 16.10 16. and 2 Cor. 6.1 5 c. and 11.23 Philip. 4.3 and 1 Thess 5.12 and 1 Tim. 3.1 and 2 Tim. 4.5 Secondly by the work of the Ministers it appears Answ 2 that their calling requires much labour and pains For their work is to attend unto the Church of Christ which is no small work containing therein these four things namely I. To preach the word publikely Mark 16. 16. and 1 Timothy 5. â7 and 2 Timothy 4.2 II. To labour by preaching to make thâââ people perfect men in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 11.2 Colos 1.28 III. To love their people with their hearts and inwardly to be carefull of them and to pray for them Gal 4.11 IV. To suffer affliction and persecution if need require for the good of their flocks Reade 1 Cor 4.11 c. and 2 Cor. 4.8 c and 11.23 and 2 Tim. 2.3 c. Quest 3 How may a good Minister and painfull labourer be known Answ 1 First a good labourer gains more by his working than he spends upon himself in his diet so a good Minister doth not spend all his labour and study upon his flock but still saves and gains something for himself being himself bettered by his preaching and study Answ 2 Secondly a good labourer spends in a manner the whole day in labour and but a small part of it in eating so a good Minister spends both day and night 1 Thess 2 12. in care labour and study and in comparison of the time therein spent spends but little in refreshing of himself Answ 3 Thirdly a good workman works as painfully when his Master is absent as when he is present so we though absent in body should yet notwithstanding be present in spirit and as carefull privatly to pray for those who are under us as publikely to preach unto them Answ 4 Fourthly a good labourer is a shamed to come into his Masters sight that day that he hath been idle so a faithfull Minister will cry Perdâdimus diem and grieve for the mis-spending of any one day wherein he hath not brought some glory to God or good to his Church or benefit or comfort to some of his children Answ 5 Fiftly if a good labourer labour all day and gain nothing then he grieves for his bad successe so the good Ministers of God grieve and mourn when they labour all night and catch nothing Reade Luke 5.5 and Heb. 13.17 Sect. 4 § 4. Into his harvest Observ We may observe hence That the end of a Ministers labour is to gather in Gods harvest Here we must take notice of two things to wit First in every age of the world there is a double labour of Ministers namely first Seâd-time then secondly Harvest-time first they must sow then they must reap Rom. 15.20 and 1 Pet. 2.25 Secondly as in America there is a perpetuall harvest there being something ripe every moneth in the year in some part or other of it so is it with the Ministers ãâã for alwaies so long as the world lasts there will be a perpetuall harvest some still ready to be gathered to the faith and the profession of Religion What are the works which God requires of these labourers Quest God requires of them these divers and severall works viz. First to sow the âeed that is Answ to preach the Word And Secondly to water it that is to nourish and cherish what begins to take root or to labour daily that the Word may be the more cleer to the understanding of the hearers and that they may grow up and increase in knowledge Ego plantavi hoc est initia pâsui quia primus âester âââtor fui Apollos verò âigavit hoc est bene positam doctrinam illustravit âââit g Aretius in 1 Cor. 3.6 Thirdly to hedge in the corn that it be not trampled down that is labour to fence them about with Domminations Threatnings and legall fears that thereby they may be kept from sin and to hedge them in with sound Doctrine that the viperous brood of Heretikes may not seduce them Fourthly to labour to ripen the corn that is to strive that they may be the surer fixed and rooted in faith and built up in all holy and spirituall knowledge Ephes 1.18 Fiftly to harrow the field and to break the clots thaâ is to labour to break and humble the obduââââ and obstinate hearts of hardned sinners by the hammer of the Word Sixtly to gather in the Wheat that is to gather men unto the Communion of the Saints for there is a double gathering of the righteous namely I. By the Ministery of earthly Ministers the Preachers of the Word when they are gathered unto the faith and profession of Religion and the true Church II. By the Ministery of heavenly Ministers the Angels when by them they are gathered into Gods gainer that is the Triumphant Church in heaven Seventhly to cast the Tares into the fire that is to give over unto Satan those who will not repent This we do unwillingly and alwaies but hypothetically because we are commanded to be mercifull and charitable and to hope the best TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHRISTIAN READER If thou knowest me I know thou standest amazed and no wonder to see the insolencie of this our Age and how truly the Poet prophesied when he said Scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim That with the Cripple
was a double use of money namely 1. Ad divitias a man was esteemed rich who abounded in gold silver and jewels and the estimation they had of these long before the incarnation of Christ yea even in the times of Moses Abraham Iacob and David 2. Ad emptiones quotidianas for the buying of necessarie and daily provision brasse and iron money was sufficient And thus in our dayes gold and silver are prized and yet copper farthings are currant for small things Now our Saviour heere forbids both these that the Apostles might learne to depend upon the providence of God even for necessary things and not caring for the morrow Quest 2 What doth our Saviour here meane by a Scrip or why doth he prohibit the carrying of one Answ Our Saviour hereby doth taxe the Philosophers or at least shewes that his Apostles must not be like unto them for they carryed scrips about them hence Bias saith Omnia mea mecum porto that hee carried all his riches about him The Philosophers who contemned all worldly things yet had necessary things in a scrip as have also the Hermits and Franciscanes David had a scrip when he was a sheepherd l 1 Sam. 17.4 and it seemes that they used of old to carry corne in scrips m 2 King 4.42 But this our Saviour prohibits his Apostles because they must not care at all for to morrow but rely and depend upon God even for necessary things Quest 3 How doth these words Nor shooes agree with Marke 6.7 8. where it is said bee shod with Sandals Answ 1 First some answer here by putting a difference between shooes and sandals but I omit this Answ 2 Secondly these places differ in the word Two for the words here may be read thus yee shall not carry two coates nor two that is two paire of shooes in Saint Mark it is spoken plainly of what they weare onely Answ 3 Thirdly these places differ in the word Provide for the meaning here of our Saviour is this take what shooes ye have along with you but take no care as Travellers are wont to provide better And hereby also he would have them to depend upon the providence of God Quest 4 How doth these words Nor a staffe agree with Mark 6.7 where plainly he permits one Answ 1 First Bacculus a Baccho because drunken men used to stay themselves by sticks Answ 2 Secondly there are two sorts of staves namely I. Ad sustentandum for the supporting and staying of him who carried it Thus Iacob had a staffe Gen. 32. and Elisha 2 Kings 4. and Moses Exod. 4. to stay themselves upon and to ease them in their journeys This staffe is called sometimes Virga and sometimes Bacillus from whence he who used such an one was called Imbecillis quasi invitus bacillo and this kind of staff was frequently used and is by S. Mark permitted because it was a symball of poverty Reade for this purpose these places Exod. 12.11 and 21.19 and 2 Kings 18.21 Zach. 8.4 II. Ad propugnandum there were staves for defence wherewith men did fight and the Traveller defend himself from those who offered any injurie unto him For the proofe of this warlike staffe reade these places 1. Sam. 17.40.43 Psalm 23.4 Esa 10.24 and 14.5 Ierem. 48.17 Ezech. 39.9 Hos 4.12 Now this staffe is here forbidden by S. Mathew Habentes auxilium Dei cur quaerimus baculi praesidium v They must not carry these staves n Hier. s but trust unto the carefull watchfull and gracious protection of God Quest 5 Why doth our Saviour forbid his Apostles these things First some for the answer hereof fly unto Allegories thus I. By the purse is meant the provision or furniture of the Ministerie in which Answ 1 nothing must be selable or set to sale or for the provision of every Christian who must have their loines girt with this Zona but yet must not care for money Hilar. s II. By the scrip is meant care for outward or secular things and therefore we must avoid it because if wee care for them our hearts will be upon them III. By not carrying shooes is meant that he walks safeest who walks with a bare and naked conscience for the holy land is not filled with the thornes of sinne Hilar. s IV. By the staffe is meant worldly power Non egent qui virgam de radice Iesse Hilar. s V. By two coates is meant simplicity and sincerity of a Christian who must not have a heart and a heart neither with a double garment but must put off heresie and impietie the love of the word and sinne and then put on the Lord Iesus Christ Romanes 13.13 Ephes 3.16 Secondly omitting the foresaid Allegories Answ 2 the plaine reasons of our Saviours prohibiting of these things now unto his Apostles were these to wit I. That his Ambassadors might avoid all externall pompe because his kingdom was not of this world Ioh. 18.36 And II. That hereby his Apostles might free themselves from all suspition of covetousnesse And III. That hereby they might be freed from worldly eare and not distracted from their worke For thus their Iourney was made as it were so much the shorter and their worke done so much the sooner when they had nothing else to take care for IV. That hereby they might learne to leane and rely wholly upon the protection and providence of God Chrysost s What is the scope of Christ in the prohibition Quest 6 of these things First to teach us that worldly power doth Answ 1 not become the Ministers of Christ and therefore the pride and pompe of the Pope and Church of Rome doth shew it to be Antichristian The Pope is carried upon mens shoulders and Potentates must kisse his Toe yea Cardinals are equal to Kings These things together with the rituall pompe and bravery they have in their worship and service doth neither become the Apostles of Christ nor Successors of the Apostles nor the Ministers of the Gospel for Christian worship is to be adorned spiritually Iohn 4.24 And they only stand in need of outward pompe who want the Spirit and inward grace Secondly our Saviours scope was herein also Answ 2 to take away distrust that they might acknowledge the protection and providence of God resting herein and adhereing thereunto and not caring for outward things What must not the Ministers of Christ care Quest 7 for First they must not care for great things Ierem Answ 1 45. Secondly they must not care for necessary things Answ 2 if God cals and commands as here VERS 11. And into whatsoever Citie or Towne yee shall enter Vers 11 enquire who in it is worthy and there abide till yee goe thence Sect. 1 § 1. Enquire who is worthy What is meant by Quest 1 Worthy or who is worthy Answ 1 First some understand this temporally namely either I. Of those who are high and honorable because these are to be respected Or II. Of Statesmen or
same houre what yee shall answer verse 19. and that in being thus handled you are no worse dealt withall than your Master was verse 24. Fourthly the next degree is yet more sad and this is banishment and persecution from Citie to Citie when they persecute you in this Citie flee ye into another where the evill is persecution and the remedy flight verse 23. Fiftly the last but not the least kind of evils is a bloody death for Christ Brother shall deliver up brother to death and the father the child verse 21. But the remedy is this that they need not feare those who can but only kill the body verse 28. i Pareus s VERS 23. Verse 23 But when they persecute you in this Citie flee yee into another for verely I say unto you yee shall not have gone over the Cities of Israel till the Sonne of man be come § 1. When they persecute you flee Sect. 1 Our Saviour here doth expresly teach us Observ That there is no other remedy against persecution but only flight How doth this appeare Quest 1 First by these examples Iacob fleeth Gen. 27. Answ 1 and Moses Exodus 2.15 Act. 7.29 and Elias 1 King 17. and David often and the woman the Church Revel 12.6.14 Secondly it will appeare by distinguishing Answ 2 the right of power given from the use of that power For I. Princes and great ones have right and power given from God Rom. 13.1 But II. The use of this power comes from the corruption of their owne hearts And yet because they have their power from God they are therefore to be obeyed either with an active or passive obedience and not to be resisted or rebelled against Quest 2 Who are faulty here Answ 1 First they are too blame who neglect the meanes for although wee must lay downe our lives for Christ when and where there is no evasion or way to escape yet when wee may flee we ought and leave the successe and event unto God committing our selves wholly unto him Answ 2 Secondly they are faulty who rebell to free themselves from persecution for our Master did not teach us this who could have prayed for twelve legions of Angels and have had them but hee would not hee permitted not Peter to wound with the sword but checked his too hot and forward spirit And hence the Primitive Church would rather suffer themselves to be led as sheepe unto the slaughter then take up weapons against their Princes and Governors although they were but Heathens k Lege Apol Iustin Tertul. Bellarmine and the Papists obey Donec vires habeant untill they be able to make their parties good but no longer Indeed some thinke that it is lawfull to withstand if God give lawfull power to repell an unlawfull force the King of Navarre withstood King Henry of France when he raised persecution But I confesse I dare not subscribe or assent unto it both because Christ our Lord who might by a lawfull troop of Angels have overcome all his wicked adversaries would not doe it but said his kingdome was not of this world and also because Tertullian tels us that the Christians in the Primitive times were able to have driven the Emperour out of his Dominions and to have pulled him from his Throne and sufficiently to have defended themselves and their religion from the power of the Tyger but they would not And therefore as an unwarrantable thing we and all Christians must carefully avoid it Answ 3 Thirdly they are here to blame that in the times of persecution flee not but faint yea faile and fall from their profession basely and cowardly denying Christ and the faith Thus did the Samaritanes and thus the Priscillianists thinke they may lawfully doe But our faith and Profession is not to be forsaken our Christ is not to bee denied nor the truth to be betrayed for any perill or paine whatsoever yea wee must be so farre from denying of Christ that wee must not so much as blush or so much as feare to professe him if wee desire ever to come where he is l Rev 22.15 A beautifull face is unfitly masked it should rather be seene now the face of Religion is faire beautifull and amiable and therefore it were a shame to hide that head and face under a bushell which should rather like a Citie set upon an hill bee held forth to the view of all m Mat. 5.16 Christ hath nothing in him whereof we need be ashamed for he is the best of all neither is there any cause why wee should feare to professe him for he is the greatest of all and of all others most able to protect and defend us There are some commended by the Spirit and Christ because they loved not their lives unto death and yet wee desire to be so commended wee must so labour to deserve that commendation Reade Act. 20.24 21.13 Fourthly they are faulty here who although in the times of persecution they doe not fal from Answ 4 their profession unto superstition yet they dare not openly confesse Christ and the truth these must consider why they hide and conceale Christ and dare not openly professe him I. Hast thou any thing in the secret closet of thy heart which thou darest not reveale that is art thou afraid to reveale any truth or trust or fundamentall point of religion Is not religion like the Church Tota pulchra all glorious and beautifull Then why shouldest thou be ashamed to professe thy faith A good face need not blush to be seene neither any be ashamed to shew forth the face of religion to any II. Dost thou feare danger or death why remember that we must not esteeme our lives in regard of Christ wee must not to save our bodies dishonour our head but labour to glorifie him in life and death and if he require it by our death as well as our life III. Art thou not assured of protection Then remember if thou have Christ thou shalt have all things yea if Christ bee with thee thou needest not feare though all the world be against thee Rom. 8.31.32 God hath decreed the end and determined what shall come to passe and therefore in all perils of this nature wee should say with the three children We know that our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us but if hee will not wee will suffer for him Dan. 3.18 Fiftly they are extremely to blame who thinke and stiffely maintaine that it is not lawfull to flee in the times of persecution when our Saviour expresly here saith If they persecute you in one Citie then flee to another Is it lawfull then to flee in the times of persecution Quest 3 First some hold that it is not lawfull for any Answ 1 at all to flee Tert. ad Fabium because our Saviour expresly bids us not to feare those who kill the body Matth. 10.28 Secondly some thinke that it is lawful to flee Answ 2 yea
the plots and endeavours of the persecuters And therefore the phrase is true in this sense Every persecution makes for Gods glory either by abiding it or by fleeing from it but in this sense the objection is Non-sense David by flight escaped the traines which Saul had laid for him and his escapes and preservation did more magnifie and illustrate Gods glory than if he had yeelded his necke to the sword of the persecuter at the first yea we see what elegant Psalmes David composed in his flight wherein sometimes he gives thanks unto God that had made his feet like Harts feet that is swift to flee away Answ 3 Thirdly these words in the objection By persecution we are made better and called home unto God are ambiguous also for herein that is attributed to Persecution which is proper to the grace of God and his holy Spirit to make us better to convert us unto God is the work of divine grace and cannot be ascribed unto persecution as the cause thereof except onely by accident the Spirit of God being the true primary and efficient cause thereof Answ 4 Fourthly and lastly I answer I. It is most true that to flee in the time of persecution is not alwayes lawfull namely either first when flight hinders our vocation hence it was that Christ would not flee but cals Peter a Devill for perswading him unto it because then he should have left the worke undone for which he was sent Or Secondly when the will of God is revealed and thus Eusebius telleth us that Christ forbade Peter to flee from Rome because he should suffer there Now II. On the other side it is as true that it is not alwayes unlawfull to flee and decline persecution as we see by Ioseph and Mary who fled and Paul Acts 9.25 and 14.6 and 17.14 and Christ himselfe Mat. 12.15 Quest 5 If flight in the time of persecution be sometimes lawfull sometimes unlawfull then how may we regulate our selves or know when we may flee and when we may not Answ Let us moderate and square our selves herein according to these rules namely Rule 1 First never flee except thou be persecuted we must not run away for idlenesse as some doe before ever they be so much as questioned or flee for feare as Ionas did before he had any just cause The Text here is plaine When you are persecuted in one City flee unto another and therefore where there is no persecution for the Truth but liberty and freedome given to professe it and to injoy the holy Sacraments and the divine Ordinances of the Word and Prayer there must be no flight nor departure for we must not flee for cowardlinesse but for conscience sake because we would not tempt the providence of God Rule 2 Secondly in our flight let us respect Gods glory and before we flee seriously consider all the weighty circumstances of both sides whether in probability God may be more glorified by our staying or by our going for that must be our first and maine scope Thirdly we must before we flee respect the offending Rule 3 of the weake brethren carefully avoiding as much as in us lyes the giving of offence unto any Now weake Christians are offended often by the fearfulnesse and too swift flying of the Ministers who leave their charges and forsake their flockes upon every jealousie feare and suspition of danger whereas on the contrary they should be like good Leaders the first in the field and the last out the first to assaile and the last to retire and by their example animate their people and barten them on to be constant and couragious in the profession of the truth Fourthly we must before we flee respect our Rule 4 office and function examining whether that will be hindered by our flight or not Christ here saith when they persecute you in one Citie flee unto another thereby shewing that Ministers must not by their departure hinder the preaching of the Word or by their flight forsake their function but if they cannot be permitted without persecution to preach in one place then they must go unto another to preach because their lives rather then their vocations are to bee laid downe if it lye in their power Thus Paul being persecuted flees but he preacheth whether soever he goes Act. 14.6 And great reason there is for it because we are thereunto called and sent For Ministers should seriously consider the end of their flight and beware they flee not with Ionas that so they may bee free from preaching the Word and live in ease and idlenesse but if one Citie persecute them they must flee unto another that is not cast off the worke of the Ministery but in other places and times put out the Lords talent to usury and labour to improve their gifts to Gods glory and the peoples benefit amongst whom they live Fiftly in our flight wee must respect the enemies Rule 5 of God and religion For it they bee so exasperated and incensed against some particular Minister that his presence doth but make them sinne more grievously and set themselves against the Church more maliciously and cruelly then they may lawfully depart p Chem. harm fol. 1043. medio but more of this by and by in the seventh Rule Sixtly in our flight wee must respect the place Rule 6 wherein and persons with whom we live For if the departure of the righteous doe hasten anger and fury and judgement from God upon the wicked as Lots departure did upon the wicked Sodomites then we must not be hasty to depart but labour rather to stand in the gap and to with-hold judgement from them by counselling advising admonishing and reproving of them and by praying for them yea continuing to doe this untill either the Lord by some particular command call us away or untill they come to that maturitie and ripenesse of sin that they will not endure instruction admonition or reproofe but hate us for it and set themselves against us and that not one or two but generally yea in a manner one and all as the Sodomites did against Lot Now if in this case wee may say with the people of God wee would have cured Babell but shee would not be cured let us therefore forsake her And if wee have any command or vision or voice from God as the faithfull in Ierusalem had who being in the Temple heard a voice saying unto them Migremus hinc let us flee hence or as Ioseph had Mat. 2.13 then wee must follow the Lords call and depart Rule 7 Seventhly a Minister in his flight should consider whether he onely be not aimed at by the enemies of the truth who for some certaine causes beare a personall hatred and grudge against him and if they could but procure his departure then the Church should have peace and tranquillity Chemnitius harmon fol. 1043. medio is of opinion and I dare not gaine-say it that that Pastor sins against and breakes
the rules of Christian charity who knowes that the Church is disquieted and disturbed only by reason of some personall hatred against him and that the Church might have peace and his particular Congregation leave to enjoy as good a Pastor yea in every regard as able to edifie them as he is if hee were gone and yet rather than he will undergoe the trouble molestation and danger of exile will stay and suffer the Church in generall and his particular flocke to be disquieted and hindred from the peaceable enjoyment of the Word Rule 8 Eightly in fleeing persecution wee must respect the utility and profit of the Church that is I. If the Church by the retaining and keeping of a Minister may reape spirituall gaine and advantage then he is not to flee Or II. If the Church may reape comfort courage or benefit by the example of the Ministers constant and couragious suffering for the truth then I conceive that he is not to flee because a good Shepheard will lay downe his life for the good of his sheepe But III. If a Minister can have no leave to discharge his Ministeriall function no liberty to preach unto his flocke or to pray with them or to administer the Sacraments unto them nor any hope by his presence to benefit the Church or to gaine more soules unto Christ nor cause any occasion likely to be offred whereby he may propagate and further enlarge the kingdome of Christ without doubt then he may safely and lawfully flee for his life and shun persecution IV. If a Minister can see in likelihood that if some certaine time or brunt were over he might much benefit and comfort the Church but for the present there is small hope either of saving his owne life or doing good to his flocke hee may then for a while run unto the Wildernesse and hide himselfe in the Desart and shelter himselfe untill the showre bee over Now all these Rules belong unto the Ministers of the Gospel because the Text speakes only of their flight in the times of persecution Sect. 2 § 2. Vntill the Sonne of man come Quest 1 How doth Christ come Christ comes diversly namely Answ First he came unto us In carne in the flesh when he tooke our nature upon him This is past Secondly In gloria in glory when hee comes unto judgement Rom. 2.6 This is to come Thirdly In protectione in preservation and defence Behold I am with you unto the end of the world Matth. 28.20 that is by protection care and speciall assistance This Comming is alwayes and thus he is for ever present with his children Fourthly In donatione Spiritus he comes unto us by the donation of his Spirit and this is either extraordinary as he came to the Apostles giving singular and extraordinary gifts unto them Act. 2. or ordinarie and thus he comes unto all the faithfull in their regeneration when new and spirituall habits principles and graces are infused into them Fiftly In interno lumine In internall illumination enlightning the heart and opening the eyes for he enlightens every one that comes into the world Iohn 1.9 Now these two last are one and our only and true felicity Whence we might observe That true happinesse doth consist in the presence of Christ in the heart Observ when Christ came to Zacheus then came salvation to his house and consolation to his heart when Christ comes unto the heart of the faithfull then and never untill then comes joy unto their soules then and never untill then are they truely happy And therefore this we should desire first that is before and above all other things Psalm 27.4 and 42.2 Why are wee made happy by the fruition of Quest 2 Christ First because then and never untill then doe Answ 1 wee truely see A blind man would thinke himselfe a blessed man to enjoy his sight now wee by nature are blind and our eyes are opened and our understandings enlightned onely then when Christ enters into the soule And therefore happy are we when becomes unto us Psal 4.6 80.3.7.19 Secondly because the comming of Christ unto Answ 2 the soule doth represent the beatificall vision wherein our chiefest heavenly happinesse doth consist therefore thereby wee are made truely blessed Reade Psalme 16.11 and Psalme 98. and Matth. 5.8 VERS 24. The Disciple is not above his Master Verse 24 nor the Servant above his Lord. Christ by this title Disciple would teach us Observ That those whom he receives he will teach Reade for the proofe hereof Esay 54.13 Ierem. 31.33 c. Proverb 8.1 and 9.1 How Quest or how many wayes doth Christ teach his servants First he teacheth them by his Word Matth. Answ 1 28.19 Prov. 8.1 and 9.1 Secondly he teacheth them by his Spirit Psal Answ 2 143.10 and 1 Iohn 2.27 And without this the other is ineffectuall and therefore we must first labour to be taught by the Word and cleave close unto that Esay 2.3 it being the meanes of regeneration 1 Pet. 1.24.25 And then labour to be taught inwardly by the Spirit For without his gracious illumination wee can know nothing aright 1 Cor. 8.2 certainly humane knowledge must needs deceive us and misleade us and therefore we must not be instructed by that Tutour nor consult with flesh and blood concerning the things of our soules Rom. 8.6 7 8 and 1 Corinth 3.18 but labour that we may be taught of God The truth of this more particularly appeares thus namely First naturally we know not God aright but have these grosse and false conceits of him viz. I. We thinke that he sees not our sinnes Psalm 50.21 But the Spirit of God teacheth us that his eyes are over all the world and run too and fro through the whole earth from which lesson proceeds these things First a fearefulnesse to sinne for if God see us how shall we then dare to do evill Secondly a watchfulnesse over our waies in secret because God seeth all things therefore we dare not privately do evill or so much as conceive or imagine mischiefe in our hearts Thirdly because God seeth all things therfore the Spirit workes in us humiliation and godly sorrow for our evill thoughts Yea Fourthly hence comes alacrity and cheerfulnesse in the wayes of God and every good work because God sees them and writes them in his Book of remembrance Malach. 3. II. We think that God is like unto us as the Heathens conceit of their Gods as Saturne Iupiter Mars and the rest and that sinne is not so displeasing unto him as we say it is But the blessed Spirit teacheth us that he is of such tender and pure eyes that he cannot endure to behold any thing that is evill Habak 1.13 And hence the spirituall man is afraid to commit the least sinne Matth. 12 36. and 1 Thessal 4.6 III. We thinke that God may be deceived but the Spirit admonisheth us to take heed that we do not deceive our selves for our God will not
nor cannot be mocked Galath 6.7 When we remember that God fits in heaven and there markes the words and works that are done and spoken upon the earth Psal 2.6 it makes us the more carefull to purge the inside of the Cup as well as the outside Math. 23.20 IV. We thinke that God is all mercy and no Justice but the Spirit teacheth us that he is both according to his owne Proclamation of himselfe The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity Exod. 34.6.7 transgression and sinne And this the Lord would have us take notice off lest the sight of our sinnes should make us despaire And a God that will by no meanes cleare the guilty but will visite the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the Childrens Children unto the third and fourth generation and this the Lord spake least carnall security and naturall stupidity should make us to presume Secondly naturally we are ignorant of Religion and the word of God For I. we thinke it to be a hard saying Ioh. 6.60 But the Spirit of God doth teach us that it is sweeter then honey Psalm 119.103 and more precious then gold Psalm 119.127 yea the very joy and rejoycing of our hearts Ierem. 15.16 If we attentively reade Psalm 119. we shall see what exceeding joy David felt and found in the wayes and workes of Religion II. We thinke Religion but foolish curiositie but the Spirit teacheth us that without it there can bee no salvation Hebr. 12.14 Thirdly we do not know our selves Esa 28.14 having made a Covenant with death and being at an agreement with hell yea ready to say that wee are rich and abound in all things Revel 3.17 But the Spirit teacheth us that these are but deceivable dreames arising from blind pride the truth being this that we are poore naked blind and miserable Verse 25. It is enough for the Disciple Verse 25 that he be as his Master and the servant as his Lord If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold § If they have called the Master Beelzebub Sect. How was Christ called Beelzebub that is Quest 1 Divell One may be called Divel two manner of waies Answer namely either First by nature and thus all and onely the reprobate Angels are called divels Or Secondly by participation or by imitation of a diabolicall corruption And in this sense the Jewes falsely call Christ Divell and Christ truly calls Iudas Divell I have chosen you twelve and one of you is a Divell q Ioh. 6.70 What doth Beelzebub truely signifie Quest 2 The text here reades ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Beelzebul but Syrus reades ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Beelzebub Answer according to whom the vulgar reades B. and it appeares that it is to be written with β not with λ from 2. King 1. where Abasia being sicke sends to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to know whether hee should recover or die Tremellius interprets Baalzebub Sminthium because Apollo was wont to bee called Sminthius from the Mice he killed which they of Mysia called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Pliny lib. 29. naturall histor cap. 6. calleth this God of Ekron Myjodem but more rightly he is called Myothen that is the God of flies or the driver away of flies and Nazianzen contra Iulianum witnesseth that this God Baalzebub was made in the fashion of a flie And the name is compounded of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Baal that is a Master or a Prince or a Lord and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã zebub that is a flie And therefore this was the name of an execrable Idoll of the Akanorites and was called Baalzebub the God of flies because they beleeved that he destroyed expelled the deadly and pestilentiall flies which so grievously infested and molested the inhabitants of that Iland Or else perhaps he was so called because when the Divell did give any Oracles or answer concerning the health of any hee appeared unto the Inchanters in the forme of a great flie Now by the name of this Idoll the Jewes went about to disgrace the miracles of Christ and consequently his Doctrine which was confirmed by Miracles hoping hereby to overthrow it and to cast such an aspersion upon it that none should beleeve it r Otho Gualt p. de vocibus exotic pag. 102. VERS 27. What I tell you in darknesse that speake ye in light Verse 27 and what ye heare in the eare that preach ye upon the house tops § Preach ye on the house tops Quest 1 What is meant by this Phrase Answ The phrase On the house tops is taken from the forme of buildings among the Jews mentioned Deut. 22.8 When thou buildest a new house then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roofe lest any man fall from thence So Iudg. 16.27 and Acts 10. The meaning therefore is In tectis id est In publicis congressibus Preach upon the house tops that is in publike assemblies Here therefore our Saviour doth expresse two things namely First that they must conceale nothing but make knowne the whole truth of Christ taught unto them Å¿ Luke 12.2 c. Secondly that these things must be published and publikely preached Whence we may note That the profession of Christ is not to be concealed Observ and hidden but apparantly to be held forth to the view of others Reade Rom. 10.10 Hebr. 4.14 and 10.23 c. For First the Spirit is a fire and that a shining fire Quis potest celare ignem And therefore if the Spirit of God be in us it will send forth both heat and light Marke 4.21 Iohn 5.35 Secondly the heart directs the tongue for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Mat. 12.34 Rom. 10.10 and 2 Cor. 4.13 And therefore if there be grace in the heart there wil be gracious words in the mouth Thirdly faith feares no dangers for it apprehends Christ alwayes present Mat. 28.20 And therefore if there be faith in the heart there will be profession in the mouth and practise in the life Argu. 1 The Papists affirme that the Sacramentall words are not necessarily to be so spoken or published that the people may understand them unto whom the Sacrament is to be administred We affirm the contrary thus Every word which the Apostles heard from Christ is a word to be preached and published and not to be so muttered or whispered as that it cannot be heard But the Sacramentall word was heard from Christ by the Apostles Therefore it is to be preached and published and not to be muttered The Minor Proposition is both plaine and also granted and the Major is evident from this verse What I tell you in darknesse that speake ye in light and what ye heare in the eare that preach ye on the house tops Hence Saint Paul 1 Cor. 11. being about to recite
forsake Religion shall bee rejected or forsaken by Christ at the last Math. 7. 23. and 25.12 Luke 19.27 and 2 Timothy 2.12 Verse 34 35 36. VERS 34 35 36. Thinke not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against the mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law And a mans foes shall be they of his owne houshold Sect. 1 § 1. I came not to send peace but a sword I came not to send peace that is an agreement and concord in evill such an evill peace as cannot stand with true Religion and a good conscience but the sword Quest 1 What is meant here by the Sword Answ 1 First some understand here a sword sent unto those who despise the Gospel because this place is borrowed from Mich. 7.6 where he speaks of wicked men who shall slay one another as the Moabites did Iudg. 7.22 And Ephraim and Manasses Esa 9.21 Or as Luke 19.27 But I doe not conceive this to be the meaning of this place Answ 2 Secondly some by this Sword understand the Gospel Chrysost imperf Revel 1.16 And that for these reasons to wit I. Because it wounds cuts and penetrates unto the hidden man of the heart Luke 2.35 Hebr. 4.14 II. Because it overcomes sin and Satan Ephes 6.17 III. Because it provokes the enemies of God and goodnesse unto anger Exod. 5.21 IV. Because it destroyes the enemies of the truth Rev. 2.16 and 19.15 Answ 3 Thirdly some by Sword understand the division which shall be amongst men by meanes of the doctrine of the Gospel Perkins Answ 4 Fourthly by Sword are meant afflictions which the Apostles must suffer from wicked hearers of the Word and the dissensions which shall be amongst hearers themselves Luke 12.51 Now our Saviour cals these a Sword that thus he may admonish us of a Christian warfare Observ Whence we may learn That our life or a Christian life is but a warfare Iob 1.7 Heb. 13.13 Quest 2 Whence is it that a Christian mans life is a warfare Answ 1 First it comes hence because they are odious unto Satan he knows that they are mortall enemies unto him yea those who shall confound and overthrow him and therefore be bruiseth their hâele Gen. 3.15 and he raiseth up tumults against them Acts 19. Answ 2 Secondly the righteous are odious unto the world who hate Christ and all true Christians Ioh. 14. And hence their life is but a warfare Religion and the Word of God I. Condemns sin and the wayes of the world II. The gaines which come by oppression craft deceit and the like And III. The delights honours and vanities of the world And IV. The wisdome of the world it selfe counting it but foolishnesse And hence the world holds war with all those who adhere to the Word Answ 3 Thirdly the godly cannot endure the wickednesse of the world from whence it comes that the world wars with them The moderation and humility of the Saints often suffers much and makes them live peaceably with all Rom. 12.18 and hide and conceale a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4.8 But when the Word comes and doth I. Detect impiety and the wickednesse of the world And II. Commands the faithfull to reprove the works of darknesse and to have no fellowship with them Ephes 5.11 13. Then the godly shew their dislike and worldlings hate them for that dislike True zeale respects none but God and his glory and therefore when he is dishonoured the righteous cannot hold their peace neither are carefull to please men Gal. 1.12 And therefore the world holds war with them How manifold is our Christian and spirituall Quest 3 warfare Two fold namely First Internall Answ when a man wars against his owne inbred lusts concupiscence and corruption this war we reade of 2 Cor. 10.3 c. Ephes 6.11 and 1 Pet. 2.11 but this we speake not of in this place Secondly Externall when a man suffers afflictions and persecution for Christ and this is here spoken of and also mentioned in these places viz. 1 Corinth 15.31 c. and 2 Cor. 11.23 c. Philip. 1.29 and 1 Tim. 1.18 and 6.12 and 2 Tim. 2.3 How may we know whether we be Souldiers or not Examine seriously these foure things namely First whether dost thou oppose Satan sin the flesh and thy selfe that is withstandest all the devils temptations and sins provocations and thy owne inbred corruptions and daily insultings Secondly whether dost thou oppose the world and honour and riches and peace and whatsoever else doth war against thy soule Thirdly whether dost thou fight at thy owne charges or goest a warfare at the Lords 1 Cor. 9.7 For the Lord doth I. Prepare his Souldiers by illumination and knowledge Hebr. 10.32 And then II. Arme them with Christian and spirituall weapons Ephes 6.14 And III. Support and strengthen them in the day of battell Psal 34.7 Luke 2.13 Fourthly hast thou put off all love of the world and wordly care for no man that goes on warfare entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this world 2 Tim. 2.4 § 2. For I am come to set a man at variance with Sect. 2 his Father c. What is the meaning of this verse Quest 1 First some understand this of wicked men as Answ 1 though our Saviour would say where the Gospel is despised there the obligations and tyes of nature are of no force Ier. 9.4 Mich. 7.5 6. Whence we may observe Observ That God will send domesticall dissensions amongst and unto those who contemne and despise the preaching of his Word Esa 57.21 Examples hereof we have in Senacherib Esa 57. Rehoboam 2 King 12. and Baasha 1 King 16. For it is just with God that I. Those who despise God their Father should be despised by their children servants and families And II. That those who despise the Truth should be deceived by errours 2 Thes 2.11 Quest 2 Is God the Author of this doth he send dissensions and lying and evill Spirits amongst us Answ Noâ for first there are in us evill habits which would continually produce these acts if God did not curbe and restraine them by a preventing grace But secondly God being provoked he doth take away this bridle and restraint and breaks the stay and staffe wherupon we leane And therefore where Religion is despised there domesticall jars are to be expected For I. God doth direct and blesse those who feare him And II. Religion doth teach children and servants to obey and love their superiours And therefore they who disobey the Lord and despise Religion doe break the onely bonds that unite and knit families and housholds together Quest 3 Why are there dissensions and broyles and jars in privat and particular families or whence comes it Answ 1 First it comes hence because there is no Religion in that house Or Answ 2 Secondly because there
presented Or as when the gates are beate open or the walls of a besiedged City broken downe or a ship of the enemies grappled withall Iosh 6.20 every man thrusts and strives to enter as fast as hee can Even so here the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence that is Christ having broken downe the wall of separation and partition and rent in twaine the veile and opened the gate of heaven to all whether bond or free Iew or Gentile Greeke or Barbarian hence of all sorts from all places many flocke unto the Church of Christ Secondly Respectu ordinis neglecti in regard of the conditions which now were abolished and disanulled namely Circumcision legall sacrifices and that hard and impossible condition Fac vives fullfill the Law and thou shalt be saved by the Law otherwise thou canst not be saved Now these being worne out of date and antiquated wee men runne unto God onely by faith in Christ hoping thereby to be saved Thirdly Respectu interni roboris in regard of inward strength and power God giving under the Gospell ordinarily a more ample spirit or measure of his spirit now of this by and by § 3. And the violent take it by force Sect. 3 These words have the force of an exception As if our Saviour would say the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence but yet not all obtaine it but onely the violent Violenti rapiunt Hence then observe That the kingdome of heaven cannot be obtained or gained Observ without a vehement motion of the heart and a desire enflamed and kindled with the zeale of faith Luke 7.29.30 What was required of the Jewes in regard of the Messias Quest 1 First that they should earnestly and greedily Answ 1 expect him and this they did Rom. 8.23 as appeares by the Proverbe Vt Iudaei Messiam and also by Iohn 1.19 c. and 4 25. Answ 2 Secondly it was required of them that they should beleeve Elias the Messenger and fore-runner of the Messiah and by and by seeke out Christ As Iohn 4.30.39 Luke 7.16 Answ 3 Thirdly it was required that having found out Christ they should follow him with joy forsaking for his sake all other things as Mat. 4.25 and 8.1 and 12.15 and 14.13 and 19.2 and 20.29 and Mark 11.9 and Luke 5.15 and 12 1. and 15.1 Answ 4 Fourthly it was required of them that they should embrace and accept of Christ upon any termes or conditions whatsoever although never so hard to flesh and blood And not like Agrippa who was almost perswaded to become a Christian or like the young man who departed from Christ sorrowfull but felling all leaving all denying themselves and taking up those crosses as Christ enjoyned them they should follow him Answ 5 Fiftly it was required of them that having once embraced and accepted of Christ they should serve him zealously all their daies And then at the end of their life they should be crowned with life eternall Now all these are required of us and all those who desire to be made partakers of the heavenly Kingdome For I. We must above all things long for expect and desire that Christ would come unto our hearts and soules II. We must beleeve his Messengers and Ministers who bring his word and declare his will unto us III. Wee must obey those directions which are taught us by his Messengers for the obtaining of him although the Rules prescribed be difficult and contrary to corrupt nature IV. Having found out Christ and obtained him we must rejoyce in him yea so rejoyce that we would part with and forsake al things rather then him V. We must then learne and labour to be truely zealous in his service and for his glory because this zeale is the fire which mollifies and softens our hearts and makes them the more easily receive divine impressions Now these things beeing well weighed and considered wee may safely conclude That heaven cannot be had without zealous desires motions and endeavours because violenti rapiunt onely the violent take it and that by force Quest 2 Wherein is our zeale to be expressed Answ 1 First in the love of Religion which we can never love too much or affect zealously enough Answ 2 Secondly we must be zealous in the encreasing of our faith and desire unfainedly and earnestly to be sealed by the holy Spirit and thereby to be assured of Christ and salvation Rom. 8.15.16 and 1 Iohn 5.10 Many desire this grace of a true and sure faith but they seeke it fluggishly and expect to obtaine it easily Cantic 3.1 But wee must be zealous in the search and enquity thereof and then we may hope that he whom wee desire should come will come and not tarry Heb. 10.38 Thirdly we must be zealous in our prayers Answ 3 for this is the most true approbation of the heart Here observe that there are two things which sharpen the edge of zeale to wit I. The sense of our want or misery for hee who conceives himselfe or his estate to be miserable will cry aloud unto God with a sad heart and a sorrowfull countenance as we see in the Publicane whereas the proud Pharisee onely gives thankes but prayes for nothing Luk. 18.11 And therefore wee must labour to be sensible of our sins and wants II. A desire of the benefit offred as Christ said to the woman If thou knew the gift or grace of God then thou wouldest aske water of me Iohn 4.10 And therefore we must labour to know what spirituall gifts and graces are excellent and wherin we are indigent and then hunger long and pray earnestly for them but because the gift and grace of prayer comes from above and without the assistance of the Spirit we cannot pray as we ought we must therefore desire the Lord to give us the spirit of prayer as also strength and power to offer up pleasing and spirituall sacrifices unto him Fourthly wee must be zealous in obedience of Answ 4 life and that with humility and submission of our wils to the will of God And thus if wee be zealous in the Profession of Religion zealous in desire and endeavour to encrease our faith zealous in our prayers and in the pious practise of our lives and conversations wee may then be certainly assured that we shall be made partakers of the kingdome of glory for Violoni rapium The violent take it by force VERS 13.14 For all the Prophets V. 13.14 and the Law prophesied untill Iohn And if yee will receive it this is Elias which was to come § 1. All the Prophets and the Law prophesied untill Sect. 2 Iohn What is the meaning of these words Quest 1 First it is expounded De scope Prophetânum Answ 1 thus this Iohn is he at whom all the Prophets and this Law almed and marked Thus Calvin Muscul s Why did they levell rather at Iohn then at Quest 2 Christ or why doth Christ say they all prophesied of Iohn and not rather that they all
must learn to deny our selves Answ 2 Secondly presumption and therefore we must be circumspect it being a dangerous thing to be deceived in the state and condition of the soul or to cry Peace Peace unto our selves while sudden destruction hangs over our heads Answ 3 Thirdly the love of sin this is a sweet seeming potion to the body and a sweet poyson unto the soul And therefore we must hate sin as we would hate hell for the wages of sin is death Romans 6.23 Answ 4 Fourthly idlenesse deceives many and hinders many from giving a due regard unto the Law and that both by making them to protract time and also by quenching and cooling all zealous motions in them Wherefore we must shake off all delays and labour carefully to practise the precepts of the Law Secondly the next provoking cause which made them say that Iohn had a devill was because he was abstemious and moderate yea seemed more austeer and rigide than themselves were and therefore they envie him Whence I might observe two things viz. First that an Hypocrite hates him that is more holy than himself Esa 65.5 Secondly that an austere life it odious and Observ 1 irksome to a carnall man 1 Pet. 4.4 Observ 2 Why do carnall men so carp at an austere life Quest 5 First because thereby Hypocrites and formallists Answ 1 are excelled in glory and therefore they envie such a life in any as shall ecclipse their light Secondly by such a life wicked men are reproached Answ 2 and therefore they hate such that are so reserved and chary of their society that they shun the company of all that are wicked Ephesians 5.11 Thirdly such a life condemns the licentiousnesse Answ 3 of flesh and blood who saith Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dy Esa 22.13 And therefore all Epicures belly-gods and intemperate persons detest and abhor such a life We have seen the moving causes of the peoples censure given of Iohn namely because he preached the terrours of the Law and because he lived a strict life we may now consider What the effect of this censure was Quest 6 Rash Judgement for they say He hath a Devill Answ Hence two things may be observed namely First That rash judgement is seldome right Observ 3 judgement 1 Sam. 1.13 Mat. 7.1 Rom. 14.10 13 and 1 Cor. 4.5 Colos 2.16 Secondly That there is nothing so good or Observ 4 holy but malice can deprave Rom. 1.30 and 2 Tim. 3.3 Iohn Baptist Malice saith hath a devill although the holy Ghost say That he was sanctified in the womb yea Christ the Lamb without spot they say is become a friend and familiar companion of sinners What is here required of all men Quest 7 First wicked men yea all men must hate and Answ 1 forbear all calumny lest thereby they condemn the generation of the just Reade Psal 15.3 and 73.15 Luke 3.14 Secondly the righteous must labour to cut Answ 2 off all occasions that is labour so to live that the wicked may be ashamed to speak evill of them How must we so live that we may escape calumnies Quest 8 and slanders Saint Peter gives us three remarkable rules to be observed for this end namely Answ First we must abstain from all sin whatsoever Rule 1 whether against the first or second Table 1 Pet. 2.11 do no evill and then men can have no ground to build an evill report upon Secondly shine before men in the works of holinesse Rule 2 and uprightnesse let them see nothing but good in us that they may be able to say nothing but good of us 1 Pet 2.12 Thirdly obey Magistrates and Superiours in Rule 3 those things which are not against God or his word or his Law for this is the wil of God that thus we should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2.14 15. § 3. Christ came both eating and drinking Sect. 3 How and wherein is Christ opposed to the Quest 1 Baptist First Iohns Disciples thought that they were Answ 1 Corrivals but because that I know of now none think so therefore I slip it Answ 2 Secondly they differed in conversation because Iohn was abstemious and more reserved but Christ was more familiar that so by all means he might win and gain some Observ 2 From whence we may learn That Christ tryed all wayes and means for our salvation for that being the scope of his sending and coming into the world and there being nothing that he more deeply desired than that he would certainly leave no means unsought for the effecting of it Quest 2 What did Christ do for our salvation Answ 1 First in himselfe he taught us he prayed for us yea when we were enemies he laid down his life for our ransome Rom. 5.6 7. he checked the proud Iohn 10. and cheered the humble Matthew 11.28 Answ 2 Secondly in his Apostles he did much for our salvation for he sent and commanded them to preach he endowed them with gifts and made them able Ministers he distributed severall abilities among them making some sons of consolation and some sons of thunder yea he inspired them with his Spirit for the writing of the Scripture the rule of Truth Answ 3 Thirdly in his Ministers he shews his care over us and his desire of our salvation for he hath left a succession of Ministers for the gathering together of the Elect and as Paul became all to all men so the Lord hath given us Ministers of all sorts that so we might be left without excuse he hath given us ancient and grave Ministers he hath given us solid learned Ministers he hath given us meek and milde Ministers yea he hath given us Ministers of our nation and not strangers only and the like And thus he hath given us Pastours according to our severall dispositions yea some who can change themselves or take unto themselves any form in indifferent things for the winning of all sorts unto Christ 1 Cor. 9.20 21 22. Answ 3 Thirdly Christ and the Baptist differ in preaching for Iohn preached the Law and wrath Mat. 3.7 11. unto repentance Lugubria Gualt s But Christ preached or proclaimed the sweet messages of the Gospel Mat. 3.28 Ioh. 7.37 c. Observ 2 From whence we may learn That there is a double preaching necessary unto salvation viz. Threatnings and Promises the Law and the Gospel thus we see Samuel did 1 Sam. 12. and Esa 1. Quest 3 Why is it necessary that both Law and Gospel Promises and Threatnings should be preached Answ 1 First because there are divers sorts of men as for example I. Some hearers are soft and mollified and of tender eares and hearts some are hard and obdurate which stand in need of a sharp wedge to rend and tear them II. Some sinners are bashfull some shamelesse and impudent 1 Corin. 5. and 2 Corin. 2. And therefore the shamelesse must be shent and shamed III. Some sin openly and apparently
and awakened and yet sleepes againe it is then no longer negligence but contempt So those who relapse after a Revelation of the power and vertue of Christ are guilty I. Of sinne And II. Of infidelity And III. Of the contempt of Christ the Holy Ghost and the word of God And therefore shall be the more greevously tormented How or wherein is the power of Christ manifested Quest 4 or revealed First in judicijs in his judgments Ezech. 25.11 Answer 1 and 30.19 Exod. 7.5 Psalm 105.5 Esa 26.9 Ierem. 5.3 The Lord sometimes corrects afflicts and punisheth us that wee seeing his power might learne to amend sometimes he makes his power knowne upon others that his owne people might observe his judgements and powers forth his wrath and fury upon the disobedient that wee might tremble and learne to obey 1 Cor. 10 as the Dog is beaten before the young Lyon to make the Lyon obedient or the Condisciples of the young Prince to make him feare Secondly in Benedictionibus in blessings and Answer 2 mercy Gods power is revealed in favours and good things as Esa 26.10 And great is the judgement of those who despise these Reade Ezech. 16 Esa 5. Thirdly in praedicatione verbi his power is rather Answer 3 revealed in the Preaching and publishing of the word that beeing the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1 16. and 2.4 and 1 Thessal 1.5 And therefore those who enjoy the preaching of the word and despise it heape up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath Fourthly the power of Christ is principally Answer 4 shewed there where the Spirit is powerfull in the heart 1 Cor. 12.7 Hebr. 6.6 c. by any generall or particular grace And therefore they who are enlightned by the Spirit must take heed of relapsing for as they have despised and sleighted a great grace who doe thus so they doe incurre a great judgement and condemnation eternally Sect. 3 § 3. Because they repented not Our blessed Saviour doth not upbraid them because they did not admire his Miracles or because they did not entertaine or feast him but because they repented not yea the other they did but not this they wondred at his wonderfull workes and many entertained him but all was nothing without repentance Whence we may note Observ That where repentance is wanting there all other duties are nothing worth It is not sufficient for a man to heare the word with reverence or a shew of love or a forme of obedience for these were in Herod Mark 6.20 except we seriously repent and in sincerity obey these onely being the blessed ones Luke 11.28 Iohn 13.17 Ierem 4.4 Psalm 34.14 Matth. 7.21 It is not enough for a man to make a Profession of Religion but he must indeed strive and study to eschew evill and doe good which is the nature of true Repentance if hee would bee pleasing and acceptable unto God Quest 1 How doth it appeare that all wee doe in Religion is of no esteeme with God without Repentance Answ 1 First it appeares Authoritate by a threefold authority namely I. Of the Baptist who preacheth Repentance Matth. 3.3 And II. Of Christ who preacheth repentance Mat. 4.17 Luke 24.47 And III. Of the Apostles who preach the same doctrine Acts 2.38 and 3.19 and 26.18 Answ 2 Secondly it appeares Scopo by the Scope of Christ Now the scope of Christ in his comming was I. To reduce men from their errours And II. To free them from their sinnes Luke 1.75 and Titus 11.2 c. And therefore hence it appeares that without repentance all is nothing Quest 2 Why doth not our Saviour rather upbraide these Cities because they beleeved not then because they repented not seeing wee are saved by faith and Luther saith Omnes damnari ob infidelitatem that all are damned for infidelity Answ Certes salvation is of faith but repentance is the way unto faith yea Causa size qua non without repentance there can be no faith for those who never repented them of their sinnes never had the least sparke of saving faith Quest 3 Who ought to repent Answ All who either First desire to be redeemed from Sathan and death Or Secondly who are in a miserable estate and condition Now I. Such are all men before repentance Rom. 3.23 and 5.12 And II. All that doe not truly repent Quest 4 Who doe not truely repent Answ 1 First those who abide in their sinnes not repenting them at all of their iniquities Secondly those who by a fained and counterfeit Answ 2 repentance deceive their own soule Thirdly those who repent key-coldly and Answ 3 wash themselues with adulterate teares Fourthly those who seeme both to others and Answ 4 themselues seriously to repent but afterwards relapse with the dog to his vomit and with the Swine that was washed to the wallowing in the mire 2 Peter 2.22 How must we repent Quest 5 There are two parts of Repentance namely Answ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Dediscere Discere damnare amare First Resipiscere quasi re-sapere to bee wise againe or to condemne our former wicked life and actions Rom. 12.2 And therefore unto true repentance it is required that wee should seriously lament and bewaile what is by-past and for the time to come labour to be weaned from these things to wit I. From all our former sinnes 2 Peter 1.9 and 2.20 Galath 5.24 II. From the love of the word Psalm 127.2 Iames 4.4 III. From the contempt of the word because it is a dangerous thing to despise the word and so long as we doe so we cannot truely repent Reade 2 Chron. 36.16 Proverb 1.24 Iohn 3.19 Acts 19.9 Ezech. 33.32 IV. From despising of the blessed Spirit that is from greeving him Ephes 4.28 or extinguishing his good motions 1 Thessal 5.19 And therfore that we may avoid and beware this the better let us remember how many calls we have neglected and how many good motions we have smoothered V. From the neglect of salvation wee must remember how formerly we preferred pleasure and profit yea and all things before this learn both to repent deplore and amend it Secondly Converti to be converted and turned unto God or to direct an averse heart unto him and to labour that hereafter our whole life may be directed and guided unto a new marke And in these two To repent of and turn from what is by-past and amisse and to amend our lives and turne unto the Lord our God and whatsoever is good for the time to come doth regeneration consist Now this second part of repentance doth consist in these things namely I. In a desire and endeavour to bee ingrafted into Christ the true and living Olive and this wee are by faith Iohn 15.1 Rom. 11.22 And II. In an earnest endeavour to walke in faith and to approve the truth thereof by our workes of new obedience and true sanctification Gal. 2.19 c. and Iames 2.18 and 1 Tim. 6.18 And III. In a true
that there is something in the wisedome of the flesh which hinders from faith For there are two things in him that learnes to wit I. A simplicity of beleeving And this is necessary in him that would learne according to that of Aristotle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hee must beleeve what his Master teacheth and with Pythagoras his Schollers ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã our Master saith so must be of great reckoning and weight with him A Scholler can never learne well who calleth the truth of that in question which is taught or rather who will not beleeve that which is taught And herein humane wisedome hinders men from faith for it will beleeve no more in religion then is plaine and demonstrative by reason There is nothing true in divinity which is either false in reason or contrary to reason but yet there are many things in Religion which are above reasons reach and therefore are to be beleeved by faith because they cannot be apprehended or comprehended much lesse demonstrated by reason Now I say the naturall wise man will beleeve no more then he can take up by naturall reason although it bee taught and confirmed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the word of God And thus humane wisedome hinders us from beleeving all those saving truths which the shallow shell of mans braine is not able to containe or comprehend II. In Schollers who desire to be great and good Schollers there is a certaine curiosity of disputing and propounding doubts and queres now this is commendable in humane learning but not in divine although it bee too frequent with those who are somewhat in humane learning and wisedome And unto such this is a great impediment because worldly or humane wise men despise the simplicity of the Gospel That great learned man yea the Philosopher Aristotle rejected the Pentateuch because Moses did only positively lay downe things and not demonstrate them from the principles of Philosophy Hence then wee may observe a third thing viz. Observ 3 That the Wisedome of the flesh is an enemy to regeneration Rom. 8.6 7. and 1 Cor. 1.26 and Quest 4 3.18 Is all wisedome as an impediment of faith and an enemy to a new birth condemned Answ No for wisedome is manifold First some say that there is a five-fold wisedome namely Naturall Morall Politicall Diabolicall and Spirituall Secondly some say that there is a double Wisedome to wit I. Honest and harmelesse And II. Crafty and fraudulent which as was said before consists in dissimulation and couterfeiting But this cannot be called Wisedome being neither Pharisaicall nor Philosophicall Wisedome Thirdly Wisedome indeed is two-fold viz. I. Spirituall and divine which comes from God above And II. Carnall and humane or Naturall which consists partly in a naturall towardlinesse ripenesse of wit and partly in an artificiall acquisition by study and knowledge How doth this naturall and spirituall wisedome Quest 10 diff r because they seeme indeed both to bee good They differ in the very foundations Answ For First naturall wisedome is built upon reason and judgement and our owne understanding Secondly spirituall wisedome is founded upon the will and word of God And therefore I. Spirituall wisedome is commanded and commended Deuter. 4.6 Acts 6.3 and 1 Corinth 2.6 and 12.18 and Ephes 1 8.17 And II. Worldly wisedome is sometimâs permitted and sometimes praised Solomon was wise naturally and Ioseph politickely and both commendably 1 King 2.6 Here observe that this naturall or worldly wisedome is twofold to wit lawfull and unlawfull and these two differ not Ré or Naturà indeed or in the very essenee and nature of them but onely Ratione in subjection unto the will of God And therefore if First it be subject to the will of God as a handmaid thereunto it is good c 2 Cor. 10.5 But Secondly if it will not be subject to the will and word of God then it is evill And therefore humane wisedome is a let unto faith and a hinderer of regeneration because it is very difficultly subjected to the will and word of the Lord For I. It is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 And II. It contemnes and despises Religion and that either First because it is but foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 21. and 2.14 Or Secondly because it is an abject thing or a thing below him and too base for him to stoâpe unto because hee is wiser then the simple Gospell § 6. And revealed them Sect. 6 We may observe here that our Saviour doth not say thou hast preached them Observ but thou hast revealed them as Galath 1.12 and 2.2 To teach us that it is the Lord who reveales himselfe fully to his Children How doth it appeare that the Lord himselfe Quest 1 onely reveales himselfe fully to the righteous It appeares plainely thus viz. First from the texts of Scripture Answ 1 Cor. 2.10 and 2 Corinth 4 6. Ephes 1.17 Secondly because the knowledge of God is life everlasting Iohn 17.3 And therefore wee cannot acquire it of our selues or by our owne strength Thirdly because the word preached penetrates onely the Eares and it is the Holy Spirit who workes upon the heart Heb. 4.12 and makes the word profitable 1 Cor. 3.7 Fourthly the word is equally and alike preached both to the good and bad both to the wicked and righteous and the difference is onely within in the Spirit because without that the word is but a dead Letter And therefore it is not man but God who doth reveale spirituall and supernall wisedome and knowledge unto us yea Fiftly the Spirit is plainely called a Seeds-man or Sower Math. 13. And therefore it is evident that all grace and divine knowledge comes from the Lord. Quest 2 How many sorts or kinds of Revelations are there Answ There are three sorts viz. First Delusive or deceitfull and these come from Sathan 2 Corinth 11.13 and therefore we must not beleeve every Spirit nor every Revelation but try them 1 Ioh. 4.1 and 2 Thessal 2.11 Secondly miraculous and extraordinary Now these I. Were usuall under the Law to the Prophets and Secrs And II. For a while were retained or continued to the Apostles for the planting of Churches as we see from 2 Cor. 12.4 c. Ephes 3.3 But III. Ordinarily they are abolished and out of date Heb. 1.1 Thirdly Ordinary and these belong unto the Children and sonnes of God and may be called the Revelation of the Gospell Now this Ordinary revelation is the operation of the holy Spirit in the heart revealing unto the heart the certainty assurance of Christ First offered in the Gospell Quest 3 How many things are there observable in this Revelation Answ Three to wit First the workeman which is the blessed Spirit and promised Comforter Iohn 14. and 1 Corinth 2.10 and Ephes 3.5 And Secondly the meanes whereby he works which is the word 1 Peter 1.5.13 And Thirdly the Revelation it selfe and that is a particular worke whereby our
is a necessity of service we must not serve God as one Neighbour helpes another who will lend when they please but will not acknowledge any debt but we must confesse our selves to bee the Lords Servants and bound to doe more then we are able therfore when we have done all we must confesse our selves to bee but unprofitable servants Omne tulit punctum he doth understand his Masters will a right who hath learnd to conjoyne these two together Servire liberè ex officio to serve God with a free ready willing and cheerfull heart with a filiall affection and without any servile compulsion and yet in thus doing confesse that it is his duety to doe what hee doth II. It obligeth the outward life as well as the conscience For we must not live to our selves but to Christ 1 Peter 4.2 Rom. 14.7 c. and 6.11 13. and 12.1 Sect. 2 § 2. Learne of me As we must be Subjects as was shewed in the former Section so wee must bee Disciples as comes now to be considered wherein we must observe that First Christ teacheth unto us the necessity of learning we must be taught And Secondly he shewes that he is the onely true Doctour and Teacher opposing himselfe I. To the Pharisees who taught salvation by the Law without Christ And II. Perhaps to the wisedome of the flesh and humane reason And III. To the Doctrines of the flesh and world But IV. Most certain it it is that Christ here is opposed to all other Teachers as weake and invalide in regard of him who onely is able to teach us the truth truely Matth. 23.8.10 Observ Hence then learne That we must bee made the Disciples and Schollers of Christ and submit our selves to be taught by him Esa 54.13 Ephes 4.21 Iohn 6.68 Quest 1 Why must we be made the Disciples Schollers of Christ Answ 1 First because it is necessary that we should be taught no man is borne learned neither is any borne holy in corrupt nature the Philosophers who were most learned had Children born unto them who were most ignorant of all literature For Nature gives us two things but the third it cannot namely it gives I. Strength of body And II. A towardlinesse and readinesse of mind But III. Learning it cannnot give that beeing obtained onely by study And therefore wee being naturally borne ignorant it is necessary that wee should be taught Secondly because it is necessary that we should Answ 2 be taught by Christ none else being able to teach us as is cleare in a fourefold regard namely I. Respectu Doctrinae in regard of the Doctrine which is the knowledge of God Iohn 17.3 But this onely Christ teacheth and knoweth Luke 10.22 Iohn 1.18 II. Respectu subjecti in regard of the Subject for wee are not onely to be taught in our eares for so man could teach us but also and principally in our hearts and so onely the Lord of the Spirits teacheth us Ierem. 31.33 and 32.40 Luke 24.32 III. Respectu Officij in regard of his Office for Christ was ordained to preach Luke 4.18 Deuter. 18.15 Iohn 3.2 IV. Respectu gratiae communicatae improssae in regard of grace communicated and imprinted for knowledge is a light 2 Cor 4.6 And Christ and his Father are the light and the givers of light as appeares by Luke 2.32 Iohn 1.9 and 1 Iohn 1.5 and Iames 1.17 and Iohn 5.35 And therefore seeing Christ is onely able to teach us the true knowledge of the true God and alone able to teach the heart yea ordained and appointed by God his Father to preach unto us and to communicate unto us spirituall light and knowledge it is then necessary that we should be taught by him How many wayes doth Christ teach us Quest 2 First hee teacheth us by the preaching of the Answ 1 word Heb. 1.1 whence I. It is called a light to guide and direct our paths Psalme 119.105 And II. We are directed and sent thereunto To the Law to the Prophets Esa 8.20 And III. We are commanded to seeke the sence and meaning of the Law of the Ministers God himselfe endowing them with knowledge and sending us then unto them Malach. 2.7 Yea IV. It is hence called the mighty power of God unto salvation 1 Cor. 1.18.21 And therefore if we desire to know whether wee be taught by Christ or not let us seriously and heartily examine whether wee bee good hearers of the word or not viz. First are we reverend hearers doe we tremble in the hearing of the word because it is Gods not mans Esa 65.2 or doe we sleight and despise it Secondly are wee industrious hearers hearing daily and treasuring up in our hearts what wee heare Matth. 13 51.52 Or are we sluggish hearers who heare but carry nothing away of all that we heare Thirdly are we profitable hearers not onely remembring what wee heare but practising carefully what we remember Luke 8.15 Or are wee obdurate and perverse hearers who will neither learne nor practise what is taught Answ 2 Secondly Christ teacheth us by his holy Spirit in ouâ hearts thereby converting us unto himselfe 2 Corinth 3.16 and without this our hearing is unprofitable Heb 4.2 And therefore St. Paul prayes for the Spirit of Revelation Ephes 1.18 But this wee cannot hope to obtaine except we deny our owne hearing and the worke of the Minister and expect spirituall light and knowledge onely from the Lord by the operation of his blessed Spirit Some hope to be taught by the word although in the hearing thereof they look no further at all then either to their owne diligence in hearing or ability and capacity of understanding and taking up what is delivered or to the faithfull and powerfull delivery of the word by the Minister now these cannot expect to be taught by Christ because both our hearing and the Ministers preaching will bee like water spilt upon the ground without the operation of the Spirit of God for except he give the encrease Pauls preaching and Apollos watering will bee fruitlesse That Noble Souldier and godly Centurion certainly was convinced of this truth when he said and that unto Peter himselfe Wee are all present here before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Acts 10.33 whereby he intimates that the word is Gods the work is Gods the message is Gods the direction is Gods yea the blessing that comes by hearing is Gods also And therefore if we desire to know whether wee be taught by Christ or not let us examine these three things viz. I. Doe we desire with our hearts and Spirits when we come to heare the word that we may be taught by the holy Spirit of God or doe we trust to our own hearing or the Ministers preaching not thinking at all upon the operation and assistance of the Spirit II. Doe we in our hearing lay aside all respect of the man who speakes unto us contemplating and beholding onely the Lord
yoke prove it to be both heavie and hard for hereby we are taught to hate all sins although some be as dear as hands and eyes unto us yea to forsake all to follow Christ Luke 14. although riches be the good blessings of God yea to take up our crosse and bear it patiently though never so great yea to be humble and meek although our humility sharpen the pride and cruelty of others against us And lastly this yoke injoyns us to deny our selves Matth. 16.24 which deniall begets in us mourning and sorrow and deprives us of all joy and solace Wherefore how can this yoke possibly be said to be light that hath these five sharp properties and conditions in it viz. First a hatred of all sins whatsoever Secondly a renounceing of all temporall things whatsoever if they hinder us from Christ Thirdly Patience in all afflictions and crosses whatsoever Fourthly humility and meeknesse though we be therefore contemned by others Fiftly self-deniall and an absolute devoting of our selves up to the will of Christ Answ Notwithstanding these harsh seeming conditions and tart qualities of this yoke we say that it is light according to the word of Christ in this verse and that in many regards viz. First it is light in regard of our duty because it is our duty to perform the office of servants unto the Lord and he requires no more of us Servants will say often complaining of hard and cruell Masters that it never grieves nor troubles them to do what becomes a servant to do but their Masters impose that upon them which belongs not unto them to do and that troubles them much Now in this regard the yoke of the Law is light because Christ therein requires no more of us to do than becomes us as we are children and servants Secondly the yoke of the crosse is light in regard of our deserts short and light momentary and mercifull are all our afflictions in comparison of that which we have deserved Thirdly light is the yoke both of the Law and Crosse in regard of that yoke which the Lord might have laid upon us The Lord hath despoticall and lordly power over us both in regard of our Creation and Redemption in which regards he might have imposed upon us if he had pleased far heavier burthens and more insupportable yokes than he hath done And therefore do but compare what the Lord commands us to obey and to bear with that which he might have imposed in respect of his absolute and transcendent power over us and then we shall confâsse that his yoke is easie Iohn the Cardinall de Medicis who afterwards was Pope Leo being restored unto Florence by the force and power of the Spaniards having been before 18 yeers in exile invented this device His Impresse was a Yoke which Oxen use to bear and the Motto Suave signifying thereby that he was not returned to tyrannize over his Country nor to revenge the injuries done him of his enemies and factious Citizens but rather to shew that his government should be gentle with all clemencie And thus in regard of Christs great power over us and gracious and milde governing of us we may safely conclude That his yoke is easie and that he rules us with a soft and an easie hand Fourthly Christs yoke is easie both in regard of the Ceremoniall and Morall Law imposed by God I. In regard of the Ceremoniall Law and the multitude of Ceremonies and Legall Traditions contained therein the yoke of Christ is light and sweet II. In regard of the Morall Law Christs yoke is easie Here observe a difference between the Law and Gospel for although they be both yokes which Gods puts upon our necks to bear yet they are thus differenced that Iugum Legis the yoke of the Law is importable or so heavie that it cannot be born Acts 15.10 but Iugum Euangelii suave the yoke of the Gospel is sweet facile and light The Law requires perfect obedience of man and that by his own proper strength and threatens with a certain curse him that shall transgresse the least of all the commandements But the Gospell doth conferre the holy Ghost upon the Elect by whose power and gracious operation they are enabled cheerfully to obey the Lord and doth also cover all their defects and failings with the perfect obedience of Christ And thus that which is impossible to flesh and blood becomes easie to the regenerate by the aid of that good Spirit by whom they were regenerated as follows by and by Fiftly the yoke of Christ is easie in regard of the Doctrine thereof For I. The Doctrine of Faith doth teach us to be saved by free grace and that we need not seek for many Mediatours or by the multitude of laborious Ceremonies to come unto salvation as the Law did but to seek unto one Mediatour and to lay hold upon salvation by him And therefore in regard of this Doctrine Christs yoke is easie II. The Doctrine of Charity doth teach onely to love one another Now is not this easie Certainly love facilitates and makes all things light and therefore seeing Omnia vincit amor That love overcomes with ease the greatest difficulties Et nos cedamus amori let us yeeld to this Euangelicall Doctrine of love and then we shall think Christs yoke to be but easie III. The Gospel teacheth us that Christ by himself without either help or price or merit from us purchased our Redemption Iohn 1.12 and 8.36 Rom. 8.2 and 1 Iohn 5.3 4. Now to be freed and delivered out of the captivity of satan freely by another without any ransome paying of our own is certainly a pleasing Doctrine and therefore in regard thereof Christs yoke is easie IV. The Doctrine of obedience teacheth nothing but that which Nature it self teacheth to be good and therefore in this regard also Christs yoke is easie To leade a vertuous life flying from all sin and wickednesse is a thing that may easily be born by any man for what grievous thing doth he impose upon the necks of our Mindes saith Gregory 4. Moral who commandeth to shun every desire that troubleth who admonisheth to decline the laborious journeys of this world and to abstain from drunkennesse murder theft anger rebellion and the like which the light of Nature condemns as great vices Nay what can be sweeter than this yoke and lighter than this burthen saith Hilary Can. 2. or more to be approved than to abstain from wickednesse to be willing to do good to be unwilling with evill to love all to hate none to obtain things eternall and not to be taken with these transient things And thus Christs yoke is easie in regard of the Doctrine thereof which although it be grievous to Nature yet it is agreeable to the light of Nature and easie in regard of Grace Sixtly Christs yoke is easie in regard of the yoke of sin and satan vita vitiosa gravior Chrys s A vitious life is more
Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Sect. 1 § 1. But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven Quest 1 Concerning blasphemy against the blessed Spirit divers Questions will be made to wit What is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Answ 1 First some of the Ancients call it finall impenitency some hatred of all Christian and brotherly love and some desperation of mercy But these are improperly called blasphemy Answ 2 Secondly that sinne whereby the essence and person of the Holy Spirit is hurt or blasphemed certainly is not this irremissible sin and blasphemy for many Sabellians Eunomians and Macedonians Heretickes at first spake wickedly of the holy Spirit and denied his Deity but afterwards repenting found mercy and obtained remission of sinnes Answ 3 Thirdly neither is this unpardonable blasphemy a simple Apostacy from a knowne truth because hope of pardon is not denied to these Apostates neither is the gate of mercy eternally shut against them if they wil but repent This appeares from our Saviours prayers Father lay not this sinne to their charge and yet these for whom he prayes had called him Devill had said he had an uncleane spirit although they were convinced of his Doctrine and divine workes I argue hence thus Those who commit unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost are not to be prayed for But Christ prayed for those who spake evill of him and his Doctrine and workes against their consciences Therefore these had not committed that unpardonable sinne and consequently might have obtained mercy if they had but repented Answ 4 Fourthly Augustine serm 11. de verbis Apost saith it is Impugnatio finalis agnitae veritatis a finall opposing or resisting of a knowne truth Our Divines more largely and clearely define it thus Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is an universall apostacy and totall relapse inseparably conjoyned with an hatred of the truth Or thus it is a deniall and opposition of a knowne truth concerning God and his will and workes of which truth the conscience is convicted and which denying and impugning thereof is done of set purpose and with deliberation We have an example hereof in the Emperor Iulian who was a learned and an eloquent man and a professour of the Religion of Christ but afterwards fell away and turned Apostate and hence is called Iulian the Apostate and wrote a Book against the Religion of Christ which was answered by Cyrill Afterwards being in a battle against the Persians hee was thrust into the bowels with a dart no man then knew how which dart he pulled out with his owne hands and presently blood followed which hee tooke in his hand as it gushed forth and flung up into the Ayre saying Vicisti Gallilae vicisti O Galilean meaning Christ thou hast now conquered me and so ended his dayes in blaspheming of Christ whom he once professed w Theod. lib. 3. hist Ca. 25. Why is this unpardonable blasphemy called Quest 2 the sin against the Holy Ghost First not because the Holy Spirit may bee offended Answ 1 and the sinne not reflect upon the Father and Sonne for he who sinnes against the third person sinnes also against the first and second from whom he proceeds Secondly it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Answ 2 because the manifestation of spirituall and supernaturall truth is a divine worke which worke is immediately wrought by the Holy Spirit and therefore although they who wittingly and willingly oppose this truth sinne against all the persons of the blessed Trinity yet after a more singular manner they sinne against the Holy Ghost because they blaspheme his proper and immediate worke in their minds and maliciously impugne and resist his proper grace and power Thus I say it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost because it is against the operations of the Spirit which are three namely I. To enlighten the Minds with the light of the Gospell and hence it is called the Spirit of Revelation Ephes 1.17 II. To perswade the Mind to receive and embrace those truths which are revealed by the Gospell Heb. 6. for this is to receive the knowledge of the truth III. To worke in a man a certaine perswasion of the goodnesse of those things which he beleeves and this is to taste the good word of God And therefore the sinne against the Holy Ghost is a contumellous and reproachfull rejecting of the Gospel after that a mans mind by the blessed Spirit is supernaturally perswaded of the truth and goodnesse of this word and will of God laid downe in the Gospel Quest 3 Why is this sinne against the Holy Ghost called unpardonable or a sinne which cannot bee forgiven Answ 1 First not because it exceeds in greatnesse blasphemy against the Father and the Sonne Answ 2 Secondly nor because the Father and the Son are lesse then the Holy Ghost For all the three Persons are coeternall and coequall Answ 3 Thirdly neither because the greatnesse thereof exceeds either Gods mercy or Christs merit For both are infinite the mercy of God is above all his workes and that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or price laid downe by our Saviour is of infinite value and Answ 4 worth Neither Fourthly it is called unpardonable because it is more difficultly pardoned then other sinnes are For every sinne is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a breach of Gods Law and therefore he can pardon if he pleaseth the greatest as well as the least Nor Answ 5 Fifthly because it is an inexcusable sinne for in many other sinnes men are altogether left without excuse which yet are frequently pardoned upon their repentance Answ 6 Sixthly but it is called a sinne which cannot be forgiven because simply all remission is denied unto it neither did any man ever obtaine pardon that committed it nor ever shall And that for these reasons to wit I. Because such are punished by God with such a finall blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart that they can never returne either to themselves or unto God by true and unfained repentance and therefore being excluded and debarred of repentance they must necessarily be denied remission because no penitencie no pardon Hence Saint Iohn forbids us to pray for such an one because it is impossible for such to be renewed by repentance Heb 6.5 II. Because such reject the only meanes of salvation as the sicke man who will not be cured For as that disease is incurable which doth so take away or destroy the power of nature that neither the retentive nor concoctive facultie can doe their duties So there is no cure for him who rejects the balme of Gilead no water to wash away his sin who tramples under his feet the blood of the Covenant and despiseth that all healing Iordan Heb. 6.4 and 10.20 and Act. 4.12 and cleare-purging and white-washing Fountaine no sacrifices to take away his transgressions who crucifieth unto himselfe the Lord of glory
and despiseth that inestimable sacrifice offered up by him yea there is no name for him to bee saved by who blasphemes the name of the onely Mediator and Redeemer Iesus Christ our Lord. III. Because God in his justice will not suffer that his holy Spirit which is the Spirit of truth should be taxed with lying and falshood which is the direct sin of those who commit this unpardonable offence IV. This sinne is called irremissible because it so casts them into the power of Sathan that they can never returne from that captivity and bondage For as the Saints and faithfull have the testimony of the Spirit which assures them that they belong unto God not unto Sathan So these blasphemous Apostates have a certaine testimony of their owne hearts and consciences that the Devill holds them and will hold them unto the end Now that testimony given unto the Saints may bee called the seale of the Spirit and this given unto these blasphemers the signe or Character of Sathan How many things concurre to the making Quest 4 up of this sinne against the Holy Ghost or how many things are required in him who commits it First three things concurre to the making up Answ 1 of this sinne namely I. Abnegatio veritatis a deniall of the truth against knowledge and conscience II. Apostasia universalis an universall apostacy and falling away from Christ and not some particular sinne committed against the first or second table of the Law III. Rebellio a rebellion arising from the hatred of the truth conjoyned with a tyrannicall sophisticall and hypocriticall opposing thereof both in the doctrine and profession thereof Hence it appeares Secondly that in him who commits this sin Answ 2 unto death it is necessary there should be these foure things to wit I. Hee must have a knowledge of that truthâ which hee opposeth Hence every sinne though never so great committed of ignorance is excluded yea although it arise from a certaine malice against the Sonne of man himselfe as did that sinne of Pauls in persecuting his members For blasphemy against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven but that great sinne arising from an ignorance of the truth committed against the Sonne of man was pardoned 1 Tim. 1.13 II. It is necessary that this knowledge of the truth doe not onely swim in the braine but so sinke into the heart that there be a full and deliberate assent to the truth And hence all sinnes are excluded which are not committed and acted of set purpose and out of deliberation against the knowne and acknowledged truth For blasphemy shall never be forgiven but sinnes suddenly fallen into may be pardoned as wee see by Davids transgressions Psalme 32.5 c. and 51. III. It is requisite that this knowledge which is opposed bee not acquired by study meerely or by strong and undeniable arguments or principles but by a supernaturall perswasion of the Holy Spirit Hence then all sinnes are excluded which may be in a Gentile or any man simply Atheisticall as the obduration of Pharaoh the presumption of Manasses and the finall impenitencie of the wicked For the sinne against the Holy Ghost presupposeth the operation of the Holy Ghost in the heart and therefore cannot be pardoned but there may be obduration presumption gloriation in sinne yea finall impenitencie in those who never were made partakers of any such grace or light or knowledge or operation of the Spirit and therefore if any such would but repent as Manasses did they should be pardoned as he was IV. It is necessary that this perswasion bee not only of the truth of the word but of the goodnesse thereof also when wee perswade our selves that the Gospel is true yea that it is good in it selfe and so good that happy shall we be if wee receive and obey it but miserable if we reject and sleight it Hence the sinnes of hypocrites and all formall Professors who have onely some knowledge of the truth and make only some out-side shew of Religion but are not affected with the goodnesse and sweetnesse thereof are excluded from blasphemy which never can be forgiven for those may repent and find mercy but this blasphemer cannot Quest 5 How many things are included in this sinne against the Holy Spirit Answ 1 First it includes not onely a contempt and neglect of the Gospel but also a rejecting thereof yea Answ 2 Secondly it containes a contumelious and reproachfull rejecting of the Gospel which is called the trampling of the Sonne of man and the blood of the Covenant under feet as an impure thing Now under this particular are comprehended malice hatred blasphemy and persecution and hence these Apostats are called Adversaries Heb. 10.27 From blasphemy then by this particular are excluded all back-sliding and denying of Christ and sinnes of presumption which arise either from infirmity or passion For Peters denying of his Master may be called properly Apostacie but not properly blasphemy because it proceeded from weakness not from malice Answ 3 Thirdly it includes a contumelious rejection of the Gospel against knowledge Hebr. 10.26 whereby are excluded sinnes of malice which spring from ignorance as Pauls did Answ 4 Fourthly it comprehends a contumelious rejection of the Gospel against conscience which Paul cals voluntariè to sinne willingly And hereby are excluded sinnes arising from carelesnesse or presumption or a perswasion of impunity or from a sleepie conscience as the sinnes of Manasses did Answ 5 Fiftly it includes a voluntary contradiction and opposition of the internall and supernaturall worke of the Spirit Heb. 10.23 for this is to reproach the blessed Spirit and the grace of the same Quest 6 How doth the greatnesse of this sinne of blasphemy appeare Answ It appeares by a serious consideration and view of the nature thereof Here then observe First of all other sinnes this harmes nature most because none casts men so farre from pardon as this doth which utterly takes away repentance the only way unto salvation As that is reckoned the greatest sicknesse which doth not only deprive a man of health but also debars and shuts the doore against all meanes unto health Secondly of all other sinnes this is the most grievous by reason of the hurt it doth and of all other the most abominable by reason of the defect of excuse For it takes away all excuse from men and makes them inexcusable They cannot excuse themselves by ignorance because their sinne was against knowledge nor by infirmitie and weaknesse because their consciences will tell them that they sinned out of obstinate and wilfull malice And therefore these mitigations and extenuations of ignorance and weaknesse being taken from them which other great sinners may plead their judgement certainely shall be the more grievous and insupportable Thirdly of all other sinnes this harmes the will and mind most for it makes a man unable to worke the workes of uprightnesse and holinesse That sicknesse is the most dangerous which doth so infect and corrupt
Christians life for the better understanding hereof observe that there is a three-fold scope and end of a Christians life all which eââs are crossed and twarted by him who gives offence I. We were âreated for Gods glory Those who offend doe I. Dishonour God And II. We were created for our brethrens edification Those who offend doe II. Infect their brethren And III. We were created for the salvation of our owne soules Now contrarily Those who offend doe III. Ruin and destroy their own souls For the better understanding of this we must yet observe that there is a double scandall or offence namely First in unlawfull things as Rom. 2.24 and 1 Cor. 5.12 and 2 Cor. 11.29 Now woe unto him by whom such offences come Secondly in lawfull things as Rom. 14.13 and 1 Cor 8.13 Now concerning these wee lay down this Rule That as Religion regulates Christian charity so love should regulate Christian liberty 1 Iohn 10.20 We expound and explain the Rule thus viz. I. This must bee understood of indifferent things not of Religious for wee must not for our love unto our brother omit or neglect any religious dutie or worke but wee may and ought to forbeare indifferent things if our brother be offended by them II. This must bee understood of indifferent things so long as they remaine indifferent and free and not of those things which are commanded by lawfull authority our love unto our brethren must not make us to disobey the Magistrate but if no such command be then wee must not offend them but for beare those things which are offensive III. This must be understood of infirme and weak brethren and not of those who are refractory obstinate and perverse Those who are weak and desire to be informed wee must be carefull not to offend as much as in us lies those who are obstinate and self-willed we need not be so carefull to please Quest 5 It is questioned amongst Divines whether Protestants with a safe conscience may go to the Popish Masse or not Answ To this a Reverend Prelate of our Church doth answer negatively and amongst other reasons brought for the confirmation of his answer produceth this drawn from this place because if any of our Religion goe unto their Masses hee sins against his brethren and principally those who are weak before whose feet he laies a stone of offence while by his example he allures and enticeth them unto the same liberty whereby their consciences must necessarily bee polluted Now that it is a sinne thus to offend them appears by these words Woe be unto that man by whom the offence commeth Neither can it be denied but that in so doing hee gives offence at least to the weak because an offence is nothing else then something said or done Minus rectum which gives unto another an occasion of stumbling and falling Now this deed of going to Masse doth give occasion to the weak to suspect that Masse is not a wicked idolatrous action and so consequently makes a way for him to incline and fall unto Popery and Superstition And therefore they sin who do so h Bishop Davenant qu. 7. determ pag. 40. Vers 8.9 VERS 8 9. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maââed rather thân having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire And if thine eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather then having two eyes to be cast into hell fire Something hath beene said of these words before Chap. 5 29.30 And therefore I will onely adde a word or two to what hath been spoken Sect. 1 § 1. If thy hand or foot or eye offend thee Si sâândâlâââ if it shall offend thee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as was said before comes a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Claudiâs as if our Saviour would say faciet clandicart Whence we may note Observ That sin makes men stumble and halt and fall into danger Rom. 11.11 12. and 14.4 1 Cor. 10.12 and 2 Cor. 11.3 The truth hereof further appears thus wee are commanded First to stand fast in faith and obedience Rom. 11.20 and 1 Cor. 16.13 Galath 5.1 Ephes 6.13 and 2 Thessal 1.15 and 1 Pet. 5.12 and Colos 4.12 and 1 Thessal 3.8 And Secondly to walk in the wayes of God Colos 1.10 And Thirdly to run the race of his commandements Rom. 9.16 and 1 Cor. 9.24 Galath 5.7 Now to fall is opposed to all these namely to standing walking and running For sin makes men fall either I. From obedience and that either Finally as Heb. 6.6 or Dangerously as Hebr. 12.15 Or II. From faith Galath 5.4 and 1 Tim. 6.21 What is here required of us Quest First wee must take heed of Apostasie that Answ 1 being a sin unpardonable Heb. 6.6 and 1. Iohn 5.16 if it be I. After illumination II. If it be a totall relapse III. If it bee conjoyned with presumption against the holy Spirit Hebr. 10.26 there remaines then no more sacrifice for sin Secondly wee must take heed of the cosen Answ 2 Germaine or rather brother unto this Apostasie namely the contempt of Christ or the Spirit or the Word and graces of God These which follow were the great sins of the Pharisees to wit I. They spake against Christ and his Word Matth. 12.25 and Marke 3.22 Hee casteth say they out Devils by the helpe of Beelzebub c. II. They contemned the means of grace the Word and Sacraments III. They abused the gifts and graces of the Spirit namely illumination and compunction IV. They spake often against their own consciences And therefore wee must take heed of these sinnes which lead unto a totall relapse wee must not speak against Christ or religion wee must not despise the means of grace that is either neglect or abuse the Word or Sacraments wee must walke according to our light and knowledge and be obedient to all the good motions of the Spirit and we must principally beware of sinnes against conscience because they lead unto Apostasââ and Atheisme Yea Thirdly wee must take heed of all sinne Answ 3 whatsoever because nothing is so little that it shall goe for naught Yea because every sinne is mortall Wee must beware wee fall not I. From the course of our obedience and service of God unto the service and obedience of Sathan And II. From the liberty of the sons God into the snares and captivity of sin and satan 1 Timothy 2.25 III. We must take heed that we decline not from the grace of God for so long as we live holily God will protect us but if we tempt him we may justly fear that he will leave us IV. We must beware lest we fall from the comfort of the holy Spirit Ephes 4.29 we must not grieve the holy Spirit V. We must take heed
wakes and workes or eates and walkes when he doth none of them but it will not follow from hence that therefore he which is awake cannot be sure that he is awake or certainly knowe what hee doth Thus an hypocrite may dreame that he is a righteous man when there is no such thing but the Regenerate man knowes that he is such and is not deceived And therefore we must examine ourselves whether the Spirit of God witnesse unto our spirits that we are the Children of God and created in CHRIST JESVS Answ 4 Fourthly the last effect of Regeneration is an encrease and augmentation of grace For as the naturall so the supernaturall and spirituall life hath in all the parts thereof a proportionable encrease Iohn 15.2 Colos 2.19 all the members drawing unto themselves a fitting augmentation Here observe that there is a double encrease namely I. In quantity as a man encreaseth in strength and stature untill the age of 25. And II. In quality as a man after 25 encreaseth in wisedome solidity experience and the like So the regenerate labours First to encrease in the quantity and number of graces and vertues Philip. 4.8 and. 2. Peter 1.5 6 7. And then Secondly in the measure degree and extent of them For the Child of God must labour endeavour daily to bring the habits of grace unto act when there is in a manner no grace or vertue which he hath not in some measure attained unto and shewed forth in his life he must then strive unto a greater measure and degree of them This is clearely pointed out by St. Peter who I. Exhorts the Children of God to adde to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity 2. Peter 1.5.6.7 And then II. Exhorts them to abound in all these verse 8. But as men both before they be five and twenty yeares old and after have agues feavers fals sicknesses which hinder for a while their growth and encrease both in quantity quality so have also the Regenerate children of God And therefore they must be so much the more watchfull over their wayes and industrious in the use of all good meanes And therefore we must examine whether we be alwayes children or whether we growe up daily in grace What is here required of all men Quest 13 To prove and examine themselves Answ whether they be regenerated or not For those who are negligent in this enquiry and examination must needs be either in perill or paine either in danger or distresse First it is dangerous and most full of perill to neglect the enquiry of our Regeneration and take it up onely upon trust Jf a thiefe should goe singing to the gallowes hoping verily that the King would send him a pardon and then find none but be cut off suddenly contrary to his expectation his death must needs be so much the more horrible So if men crye peace unto themselves when they are not as yet regenerated and perswade themselves that their condition is happy when the contrary is most true they will be so much the more confounded when they finde their hope and expectation so miserably frustrated Secondly at the best those who neglect seriously to examine themselves whether they be regenerated or not must needs be full of anguish sorrow and mourning If a man were lead unto execution and were ignorant of any pardon granted unto him from the King he must needs goe mournfully to his death although a pardon did there attend him because he was not certaine of it So if those who belong to the covenant of grace be negligent in the examination of their evidence their comfort must needs be small true faith and lively hope being the parents of solide joy What is required of those who are Regenerated Quest 14 First it is required of them that they be carefull Answ 1 to nourish this life in themselves For unto those who are regenerated is given both a capacity to receive nourishment and also a desire of nourishment and therefore they must be carefull to nourish and cherish this spirituall life which in Regeneration is infused into them Here observe that there are many things which hinder nourishment and growth which we must warily avoide viz. I. Contagion and infection those who eate and converse and dwell with sicke men oftentimes are taken with the same disease and sicknesse whereby they are debilitated and weakned So he who walkes with a wicked man is made worse and his course and progresse in Religion in tanto is hindered Hence Salomon saith walke not with an angry man least thou learne his waies which may be applyed to all Sinners and a Caveat to the Righteous to beware of all society which is wicked Acts 2.42 We are commanded to save our selves from the generation of the wicked because wee may easily bee seduced by them as Adam was by Eve David saith Depart from me yee wicked because I will keepe the Commandements of the Lord as if he would say the Society of wicked men will hinder me from the service of the Lord. So Paul exhorts us to depart from every brother which walkes inordinately because a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe II. Poyson for that contaminates and corrupts both the meat and all the nutritive faculties now this poyson is Sinne which contaminates and pollutes the whole man and hinders the increase and progresse of Grace III. The excesse of meat which distempers and disorders the whole body hurts and hinders the nourishment thereof this is the excesse of worldly delights which though otherwise lawfull yet immoderately used becomes a baite and snare to entrap the soule IV. Hunger and the want of good food hinders the nourishment of the body for oftentimes the lesse the stomacke eates the worse it is So if we starve our soules and deprive them of their fitting food no wonder if we doe not growe and encrease in truth And therefore if we desire to nourish and cherish our spirituall life which is infused in us in our Regeneration we must warily shunne all wicked society we must carefully avoide all sinne and iniquity we must moderate our delights in all wordly things and we must feed our soules with spirituall exercises Answ 2 Secondly as those who are regenerated must be carefull to nourish spirituall life in themselves so it is required of them also to labour to propagate spirituall life in others For Nascitur indignè per quem non nascitur alter that is Vnworthily that man doth live Which to another doth not life give And therefore all the Children of God must watch all occasions of doing good unto others in their generall calling as Christians whether by instruction or reprehension or admonition or consolation but chiefely every man must be carefull in his particular calling to bring those unto CHRIST whom God hath put
under his Sect. 2 charge § 2. Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Object Some object this place to prove that CHRIST is not the judge of the world arguiug thus It is said here that the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel and 1. Corinth 6.2 The Saints shall judge the World Therefore Christ is not the onely Iudge of the world Answ The authority of judgement and giving sentence at the last day is proper to CHRIST alone and doth neither belong to the Apostles nor Saints so that they then shall judge onely as witnesses and approvers of CHRISTS judgement but of this something morefully in the following question How shall the Apostles judge the twelve Tribes of Israel seeing that CHRIST himselfe saith Iohn 5.22 The Father hath given all judgement to the Sonne First at the last day of judgement there shall be Answ 1 three sort of Iudges to wit I. Some shall judge in power now this power is either First absolute and independent and thus God the Father shall judge the world Genes 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe that which is just Or Secondly delegate and derived and thus Christ as man shall judge the world Iohn 5.22 II. Some shall judge Assessoriè as Judges laterall or assistants and thus the Apostles shall judge the world as it is said in this verse III. Some shall judge by approbation that is they shall sit with the Judge in judgement to approve the sentence of the Judge and thus all the Saints and faithfull shall judge the world 1. Cor. 6 2. Secondly the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel three manner of wayes to wit Answ 2 I. By their doctrine and preaching of the Gospell because according unto that the sentence shall be pronounced at the last day Rom. 2.15 That is those at the day of judgement shall be acquitted that have beleeved and obeyed the Gospell and on the other side they shall be condemned that would not beleeve and obey it II. The Apostles shall judge the Jewes by their testimony which shall so convince them that they shall not be able to pretend ignorance of that doctrine according to which they shall be judged As CHRIST saith Matth. 24.14 That the Gospell shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony against them So the conscience of the Jewes will convince them and bring unto their remembrance when they see the Apostles what they both did and said amongst them for their edification and salvation and which obstinately and perversely they contemned and despised III. The Apostles shall judge the Tribes of Israel by their example for if the Jewes should pretend that the doctrine of the Gospell was too abstruse and sublime for them and that they were neither able to perceive it nor receive it then the Apostles will be set before them as exemplars of the contrary who being rude and illiterate men did notwithstanding vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospell and were thereby regenerated and made the children of God Chem. harm pag. 1827. § ult § 3. And shall inherit everlasting life Sect. 3 Who are enemies unto eternall life or erroneous Quest 1 and hereticall concerning it First the Atheists who deny it Answ 1 Post mortem nulla voluptââs in any thinke that it is with man as with beasts when they are dead they are gone and they are neither sensible of paine nor of pleasure after this life But this is directly contrary to the text Answ 2 Secondly those are here erroneous who divide life everlasting that is which grant that the soule is eternall but deny the Resurrection of the body This belongs unto the enemies of the Resurrection whereof we have to speake elsewhere and therefore here I omit it Answ 3 Thirdly the Chiliastes and Millenaries are also here erroneous now amongst them there are divers opinions namely I. Some hold that the joyes of heaven and eternity it selfe were onely to continue for the space of 1000 yeares and then to cease Danaeus 29. Prateol 347. bâet 128. II. Some held that the Saints should wallow in the life to come in all carnall delights and fleshly pleasures and this is reported to be the opinion of the Mahumetanes but Mr. Bedwell shewes the contrary III. Some hold a double time namely First that the righteous should have joy and the wicked sorrow and paine for the space of one thousand yeares And Secondly that after that time the world should be renewed and the devils and damned spirits freed from their torments This was Origens opinion and it was condemned and judged erroneous by the 5. Counsell of Constantinople Prateol 378. § 9. IV. Some expresse and explicate this opinion by a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or transmigration of the soule thus not knowing how to agree amongst themselves Answ 4 Fourthly they erre concerning life eternall who hold that it may be merited by the labours endeaouvers and workes of man Object Against this Bellarmine objects life eternall is promised to good workes in this verse but a promise made with a condition of worke makes that he which fulfils the worke doth deserve the thing promised and may of right require it as his due and deserved reward Answ Durande in 2. d. 27. q. answers singularly two things for us viz. I. Promissio divina in Scripturis sanctis non sonat aliquam obligationem sed insinuat meram dispositionem liberalitatis divinae II. Quod redditur ex promissione praecedent e non redditur ex merito operis de condigno sed sâlum vel principalitèr ex promisso Quest 2 What and how many are the causes of this eternall life Answ There are three causes thereof to wit First Primaria the prime and principall Cause and that is God namely I. God the Father who gives it from himselfe and from whom all good things come Iohn 3.16 and .5.21 and. Iames. 1.17 II. God the Sonne who gives it from the Father yea gives it as the Father Iohn 5.21 and .10.28 Rom. 8.10 III. God the holy Ghost who gives it from the Father and the Sonne for the Spirit is life Iohn â 5 Rom. 8.10 And therefore if we desire to be assured of eternall life let us be carefull to please God the Father and obey the God Sonne and seeke after God the holy Ghost Secondly Impulsiva the impulsive and moving cause and this is the onely mercy of God And therefore we must not arrogate any thing to our owne workes but laud the mercy and free grace of God Ephes 1.6 Thirdly Medians causa the instrumentall Cause or Meanes whereby we are made partakers of this life Now the meanes are these I. The Spirit of Regeneration who workes the beginning of this spirituall life Rom. 8. II. The word of Reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.20 and salvation Acts. 18.28 Iohn 6.68 Rom. 1.16 III. The Sacraments because they seale unto us the grace of God and confirme our faith IV. Hence
And it was the third houre when they crucified him St. Iohn 19.14 saith it was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixt houre they delivered him to be crucified St. Luke 23.44 saith It was about the sixt houre and there was darknesse over all the Land Now the summe is this that Christ was crucified at the 3. and 6. houre the 3. houre being ended Sect. 5 and gone the sixt houre going but not ended § 5. He saith unto them goe ye also into my Vineyard Observ We see here that the Labourers stand all idle untill they be called to teach us that the beginning of all grace and goodnesse is from Gods call and not from our selves Whence it may be demanded Why doth God then blame any for disobedience and wickednesse Why doth he not call them Quest seeing he knowes that they can doe nothing without his call Answ There is a double call namely First a generall call by the word Proverb 1.24 and 8.1.3 c. and 9.3 c. Now every Christian is thus called therfore the fault is in themselves because they willingly sleight despise this call Secondly there is a particular call and that is when men are inwardly moved by the Spirit Now J perswade my selfe that there are none which live under the generall call of the word but they have also the particular call of the Spirit which moves them unto repentance and obedience Now this particular call is threefold viz. I. Unto the externall society of Christ and thus the Apostles were called to follow Christ Matthew 4.19 c. and 9. And II. Unto internall grace and this is twofold namely First generall from which a man may fall Mat. 20.16 and 22.14 Galath 5.13 And Secondly reall and effectuall Rom. 8.28 c. Cantic 2.10 and 5.2 4. And therefore it is not sufficient for us I. To be called generally by the word of God Or II. To be called generally by the Spirit of God for the stony ground heard with joy But wee must learne and labour First to be changed and to be made new creatures 2. Corinth 5.17 Gal. 6.15 And Secondly to be humbled by a lowly confession and acknowledgement yeelding our selves to be the Liege Seruants of God 1. Corinth 16.20 And Thirdly to deny our selves Mat. 16.24 And Fourthly to labour to bring every rebellious thought in obedience unto the Spirit 2. Corinth 10.4 And III. There is a particular call unto particular callings and functions and thus Bezaleel and Aholiab were called thus Saul and David were called and thus Ministers are called to the worke of the Ministery VERS 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. And when even was come Vers 8 9 10 c. the M. of the Vineyard said unto his Steward call the Labourers and give them their hire beginning at the last till thou come to the first And they which were hired about the eleventh houre came and received every man a peny Now when the first came they supposed that they should receive more but they likewise received every man a peny And when they had received it they murmured against the master of the house saying these last have wrought but one houre and thou hast made them equall vnto vs which have borne the burden and heate of the day And he answered one of them saying Friend I doe thee no wrong didst thou not agree with me for a peny Take that which is thine owne and goe thy way I will give to this last as much as to thee Is it not lawfull for me to doe as I will with my owne Is thy eye evill because I am good So the last shall be first and the first last for many are called but few chosen Sect. 1 § 1. So when Even was come c. Bellarmine lib. 1. de Sanctorum beatitudine cap. 1. produceth this place to prove that the soules of the Saints doe not enjoy the beatificall vision and sight of God untill the Resurrection and he argues thus Object The Master of the family calls all the servants at night and gives them their hire Now by Night is understood the Resurrection as by the Penny is meant Life everlasting And therefore untill the Resurrection they doe not enjoy the Joyes of heaven or the presence of God Answ 1 First Chrysostome in hunc locum admonisheth us not to straine every particular of a Parable but onely to consider the scope of Christ in the propounding thereof Now the scope of our Saviour seemes to me to be threefold namely I. That all the elect shall be endued with life eternall at what houre soever they be called And II. To shew that the Fathers and Saints in the new Testament labour a shorter time then did they in the old that is the elect obtaine Heaven sooner in fewer yeares now under the Gospell then they did under the Law And III. To teach us that not alwayes they who are first called come first to Heaven for often they who are later called come sooner to their journeyes end Answ 2 Secondly suppose we should admit and grant that our Saviour speakes here of the last publike and generall Judgement yet this would not take away the particular Judgement in which there is given to every man as soone as he departs out of this life a part of his reward Sect. 2 § 2. Give them their hire Object 1 The Papists say That a man may truly satisfie the wrath of God for the punishment due unto sinne by his good workes and Bellarmine de poenit Lib. 4. Cap. 8. produceth this place for the proofe hereof arguing thus Jf good workes may merit or deserve eternall life then much more may they avert and turne away temporall punishments But the first is true from this place where the Kingdome of God is called wages or reward and 2. Timoth. 4.8 it is called the crowne of Iustice which God the just Iudge shall give where the Apostles intimates That t is a reward justly given to mens deserts Therefore good workes may much more redeeme temporall punishments Answ Wee utterly deny that heaven can be merited with good workes For First St. Paul having first said The wages of sinne is death addeth further but the gift of God is eternall life Rom. 6.23 Where he calleth it a gift and not wages Secondly it is called in this parable a reward or wages but not in respect of the workemans labour but of Gods covenant and promise For I. Jf it were by desert then he that laboured twelve houres had deserved more then he that wrought but one As St. Ambrose saith de vocat Gentium Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Hora undecima intromissos in vineam c. They which were sent into the Vineyard at the eleventh houre the divine indulgence made equall to the Labourers of he whole day not paying the wages of their labour but powring out the riches of his goodnesse c. that they which endured much labour and received no
his praise out of infants and sucklings who can neither speake nor understand how much more then out of these who can speake and have some understanding Fulke Vers 19 VERS 19. And when he saw a Figtree in the way he came to it and found nothing thereon but leaves onely and said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever And presently the fig-tree withered away Wee say that although the Jewish Church be now but like a withered tree yet it shall flourish againe hereafter Object Now against this it is objected CHRIST here cursed this fig-tree which represented the Church of the Jewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth And therefore it seemes that this tree and that Church shall never flourish againe Answ That Fig-tree which was here accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Jewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Jewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostles speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe VERS 22. And all things whatsoever yee shall aske in Prayer Verse 22 beleeving yee shall receive § 1. And all things whatsoever ye shall aske Sect. 1 in prayer Our Saviour in these words doth plainly point out this Observation unto us Observ namely That true and Lawfull prayer never wants his effect How doth the trueth hereof appeare Quest 1 Most evidently from these particulars to wit First from these places of Scripture Answ Psalm 22.24 and 50.15 Iohn 16.24 Iames. 5.16 and Ierem. 29.13 Amos. 5.4 6. Secondly from the trueth of God who is faithfull in all his Promises 1. Thes 5.24 Hebr. 6.10 Thirdly from the ordinance of God it being the meanes appointed by GOD for the obtaining of what wee want Iohn 14.13 and 16 24. and in this verse Fourthly from the mercy of God who is alwayes ready to supply our wants and onely waites untill wee pray Iames. 4.2 Fifthly from the force and efficacy of prayer whereof we spake before Chap. 6. Sixthly from an absurdity which otherwise would follow for if we have no certainty of the hearing of our prayers then we can have no confidence at all For I. Wee have none in heaven or earth to trust unto but onely unto God Psalm 73.25 II. Wee cannot see him for none hath seene him at any time III. Our onely way unto him is by prayer and therefore of all men wee are the most miserable if wee be unsure of his Love to helpe us or that hee will heare us and grant our requests But the contrary that is the assurance of the faithfull to be heard is evident from these places 2. Chronic. 14.7 and 15.2 15. Psalm 118.5 and. 120.1 Esa 38.5 Whence comes it that the prayers of many are Quest 2 not heard Jf we be not heard we must know Answ the reason is because wee pray not lawfully For God is neare unto all those who call upon him faithfully Psal 145.18 But more particularly if our prayers be not heard the reason thereof is one of these either First because wee are wicked and vnbeleevers for the prayers of such are abominable unto him but the prayers of the Righteous are his delight Prov. 15.29 Psalm 145.19 Or Secondly because our requests are not lawfull that is when either I. Wee desire those things which are not good as when we pray for revenge Or II. When we desire those things which stand not with Gods glory neither suite with our good Or III. When we desire those things which are not necessary but superfluous serving for the satisfying of our lusts Psal 50.15 and 120.1 and 116.3 4. and 18.6 Or Thirdly because we are not aright prepared to pray that iâ when either I. Wee pray without any meditation and examination at all not considering and pondering either how we must pray or for what Or II. When we pray with our sinnes upon us and in us as the people did Iosh 7. and. 1. Tim. 28. Or III. When we are not fit to receive such a grace as we pray for as for example we pray for a sight and assurance of the blessed Spirit in our hearts but we must not expect the assurance and apprehension thereof untill we have seriously undertaken to worke out the worke of our salvation yea vntill renovation holy affections zeale and the like graces be wrought in our hearts Or Fourthly because our prayers are not faithfull Here observe that unto a faithfull prayer these things are necessarily required namely I. Selfe-deniall and all selfe-confidence praying onely in the name of Christ Iohn 14 13. And II. A sure confidence and affiance in God that if we aske those things which are agreeable unto his will he will heare us Mark 11.24 Hebr. 10.22 And III. The aide and assistance of the holy Spirit for if we pray in the holy Ghost our prayers shall be heard Iude. 20. Or Fifthly because we begge things peremptorily and not with a subordination to the will of God Or Sixthly because we doe not persevere in our prayers but quickly grow weary And therefore if we desire that our prayers may be alwayes efficacious and fruitfull let us labour I. That our persons may be holy and pure And II. That our requests may be lawfull that is Let us desire First alwayes those things which are good in themselves And Secondly onely those things which may stand with Gods glory and our good And Thirdly onely necessary things And III. That we may be rightly prepared before we pray that is we must First meditate of our wants and the nature of him to whom we pray And Secondly wee must remove from us the Love guilt and pollution of sinne by repentance And Thirdly labour that we may be made vessels of honour that so we may be capable to receive those graces which we crave And IV. Wee must labour that our prayers be faithfull that is not offered up with any hope to bee heard for any merit or worthinesse that is in us but powred forth unto God by the assistance of the Spirit and with a sure confidence to be heard through the merits and mercies of Christ our Lord. And V. Wee must alwayes conclude our requests with a willing submission unto Gods will And VI. We must continue asking till we have received and persevere in prayer untill we have obtained what we want § 2. Beleeving Our Saviour here by shewing that Prayer is to Sect. 2 be offered up in faith may move this quaere What is the proper act of a true lively Quest and justifying faith The proper and principall act of justifying faith is a particular apprehension Answ and application of the free and gracious promises of God in the Gospell which are offered unto the faithfull in Christ the Mediator Now this particular and justifying faith includes in it a generall faith for if a man should doubt in generall of the truth of
5. yea love is of God 1 Iohn 4. And therefore without the grace of God and of his good Spirit we cannot love him above althings or as we ought to doe Secondly we cannot fulfill the Law of God without the grace of God now love is the fulfilling of the Law and therefore we cannot love God as we ought without grace Thirdly except man in the state of corrupt nature be healed by grace he is averse from God as from the chiefe and maine end and turned unto the creature and to himselfe as to the principall and last end as is affirmed both by Thomas and Greg. de Valent. and therefore a man cannot love God above all or as his chiefest good except by grace he be converted and turned unto God § 2. With all thy heart and with all thy soule Sect. 2 and with all thy mind St. Luke 10.27 addes and with all thy strength Quest 1 What is the meaning of these words and how are heart soule mind and strength distinguished First by Heart here are understood all the affections Answ 1 inclinations appetites and desires For God will be acknowledged the greatest of all and be loved as the best of all and above all and will have our whole affections to be set upon him as the object of our happinesse Secondly by Soule here is meant that part Answ 2 which is willing to any thing or the motions of the will or briefely the will and purpose Thirdly by Mind or Cogitation is meant the Answ 3 understanding and mind so much as we know of God so much must we love him and therefore when we know him perfectly we shall love him perfectly 1 Cor. 13.10 11. Fourthly by strength all inward actions agreeable Answ 4 to the Law of God are meant Against the Popish Counsell of perfection wee urge this place thus We are bound to love God with all our Heart Object 1 with all our Soule with all our Mind and with all our strength Therefore whatsoever thing there is whereby wee may expresse the love of God wee are bound by Commandement to doe it it not being left to our owne will For it is a grievous sinne not to love God more then we doe if it lye in our power First Bellarmine de Monach lib. 2. Cap. 13. Answ 1 answers thus Qui Deum diligit super omnia c. He that loveth God above all things although he love him not entirely as perhaps he may neither doth all things for his sake that lie in his power yet for all this he esteemeth of God as his chiefest good c. Reply Although the Jesuite like a Philosopher truely confesseth in another place that Contradictions cannot be true on both parts yet here like a deceitfull Sophister he would obtrude upon us Contradictory speeches and falsely perswade us that they are true for he saith a man may love God perfectly and above all and yet not love him so much as he is able that is imperfectly and so by his divinity a man may love God above all and yet not love him above all for if he did he would refuse to doe nothing for Gods love that is in his power Answ 2 Secondly Bellarmine answers thus Diligere corde animâ c. est diligere veré sinceré non ficté non simulaté To lâve the Lord with all the heart soule mind and strength is to love him sincerely and truely not fainedly or dissemblingly Reply 1 I. This is something but this is not all that is commanded in these words for if it were so then they also who have the smallest degree of true love doe perfectly fulfill this precept which is absurd Reply 2 II. There is no one of all the Schoole-men but have attributed some singular Emphasis in this enumeration of parts With all the heart soule mind and strength and that because the amplitude of the Precepts of God require it wherein many things are included and folded up in few words and not one and the same thing in many words If the Reader would see how this Argument of ours is further excepted against and answered let him read Ames Bellarm. enervat Page 169. tom 2. Quest 2 Whether are the duties of the second Table to be performed with all the heart soule mind and strength or not Answ 1 First the duties and workes of holinesse are to be performed with a greater and more intense power then the workes of righteousnesse because unto those and not unto these doth properly belong this rule To love with all thy heart soule and mind Answ 2 Secondly yet we must not understand this as though all the power of the soule heart and mind were not required in the performing and fulfilling of the duties of the second Table But I. Because this is principally required in the workes of Religion and duties of holinesse And II. Because in the workes of righteousnesse it is not required that we should doe them with all our hearts soules and minds in regard of our brethren to whom they are immediately done but in regard of God and Religion who commands and enjoyes them to be done and who must be obeyed in all things with the heart And III. Because a man may love his neighbour too much and with too much intension in regard of the materiall act of loving although not as it is a duty of Religion or Christian love but we can no way love God too much or with too much intension It is here objected if we ought to love God with all our hearts then we must not love our Parents Object 2 It is lawfull to love other things besides God Answ but nothing above God We ought to love our Parents but not chiefely because we ought to love all other things for God § 3. This is the first and great Commandement Sect. 3 What is contained in this first and great Commandement Quest 1 The worship service and love Answ which we owe unto God And therefore we ought to have him First in our Understanding by knowing of him and his Attributes properties and actions so farre forth as he hath revealed himselfe in his word and workes 1 Chron. 28.9 Iohn 17.3 Contrary unto this is spirituall blindnesse and ignorance And Secondly we ought to have God in our Will by desiring to obey him and by beleeving in him and by placing our confidence wholly upon him Contrary whereunto is infidelity unwillingnesse to obey and confidence and trust in others or other things besides God whether I. Jn our selves as Proverb 28.26 whence comes pride and arrogancie Deuter. 8.17.18 Daniel 4.27 Habuk. 1.16 and vaine glory or carnall boasting Iohn 5.44 Luke 10.20 Or II. Jn other men as Isai 36 6. and Ierem. 17.7 Or III. Jn other things as Riches Iob. 31.24 and 1 Tim. 6.17 Psal 62.10 Ierem. 49.16 Honour strong holds and the like Obadiah verse 3.4 Psal 146.3 which are but meanes given us of God whereby to glorify him the better And therefore
did Iudg. 18.25 II. Difficultate reprehendendi in regard of the difficulty of reprehension for few dare reprove great men and few great men will suffer themselves to be reproved or care for those who reprehend them Read 1 King 22.27 Amos 7.12 III. Difficultate poenitendi in regard of the difficulty of repentance for as great men are prone to sinne and unwilling to be reproved for their sinnes so they are hardly drawne to repentance though they be reproved Peccavit David sic Reges solent Paenituit David sic Reges non solent August Lib. 1. de Dav. David sinned so most great men doe David repented him of his sinne and endured the word of reproofe patiently and so few great men doe III. Cacochymia all ill juyce and obnoxious Answ 3 humours are to be purged out and so the pollution and seeds of sinne are to be evacuated and purged out of the heart by repentance Read Luke 3.3.8 Acts 2.28 and 3.19 J enlarge not this because we have handled it before Chap. 3.2 And thus we have heard Quid purgandum what is to be purged out Secondly Quando when are these things to be Quest 10 purged out I. Vere in the Spring Answ 1 Quia tum rore caeli et calore solis liquescunt humores et fluunt Because then by reason of the dew of Heaven and the heat of the Sunne the humours in the body become more thinne moist and tender And so the dew and heat of the Spirit mollifies our hearts Hence observe That the best time to purge our sinne is when our hearts are mollified and softned by the motions and operations of the holy Spirit Here observe three things viz. First our hearts naturally are stony and stones we know will receive no stampe nor impression But Secondly God powres water upon our hard hearts and then they begin to grow soft Read Esa 44.3 Ioel 2.28 Iohn 7.37 Ezech. 36.25 26. for these places both prove and explaine the point And Thirdly when our hearts are thus mollified by the worke of the holy Ghost then is the fittest time for us to labour to cast out sinne Quest 10 What is here required of us Answ 1 I. We must remember and acknowledge that it is not in our power to repent when we will we being like metall hard and molten that is hard by nature and molten by grace and therefore untill God melt and soften us by his Spirit and grace we cannot repent Answ 2 II. We must watch for the motions and operations of the Spirit in our hearts as the diseased people waited for the Angels troubling of the water at the poole of Bethesda For the Lake is the conscience the Angel is the holy Ghost the sicke and diseased are sinners and the sicke were not cured except they presently stepped in so except when the Spirit toucheth and woundeth the conscience we bring our sinnes into our consciences we cannot be healed And this is the cause why First many goe unto perdition because they will not acknowledge the time of their visitation Luke 19.44 And Secondly why their damnation is just because they will not heare the Lords call As those who are in prison should wait for the opening of the Prison doore so we who by nature are the captives of Sathan should wait when the Lord opens the prison doores and cals us forth for otherwise we shall be left without excuse Prov. 1.24 26. c. Amos 8.12 Answ 3 III. We must therefore run when God cals upon us and lay hold upon all offers of mercy which God makes unto us Fronte capillata post est occasio calva that is Before occasion hath much haire But she he hind is wholy bare When occasion presents her selfe unto us wee should lay hold upon her because if she turne her backe upon us we cannot then hold her though we would The Grecians observed a true difference betweene ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Occasion and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Time to wit that every ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Occasion was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Time but not contrarily that every Time was an Occasion and therefore we must strike while the iron is hote and worke while the waxe is warme and soft we must convey our selves from the Jlands of sinne before the ycy hardnesse of our hearts be againe congealed we must neither delay the time nor delude our selves nor despise the Spirit nor destroy our owne soules through a slothfull lingering but labour that all the sparkes of the Spirit may be kindled into a flame and all the conditions of mercy willingly accepted and yeelded unto Viribus constantibus we must purge while Answ 2 we have strength of nature or before our sicknesse comes to his height and strength lest the strength of the Ventricle be so decayed that it is not able to doe his office or lest if the Ventricle be sicke it vomit up the purgation Thus we must strive to bring our sinnes into our Consciences and then to purge them out before we be hardned through a habite and custome of sinne Or We must repent us of our sinnes before our Obser 8 sinnes have increased to too great a heape Profitable is the advice of the Physitians here Principiis obsta serò medicina paratur Ovid. Cum mala per longas convaluêre moras That is If Physicke bee neglected long Our paines and griefe must needs be strong Therefore at first withstand that ill Which daily groweth worser still We must give no way to the water course but stop the breach at the first withstand the least and smallest beginnings of sinne We are wont to say of our sinnes as Lot did of Zoar These are little ones and little regard or care is to be had of them At ne despicias quia parva sed time quia plura August de 10. chordis We must not despise them because they are small but feare them because they are many Many drops may hollow a stone and sinke a Ship yea drowne the World many Bees may kill a Beare and wormes may destroy Antiochus and Lice Herod and therefore we must slight no sinnes because they are petty ones in our eyes but remember that there is nothing so little that shall goe for naught We thinke the neglect of preaching and publike Prayers and the prophanation of the Lords day and petty oathes to be small sinnes not worth the speaking of thus heaping as the Proverbe is Athos upon Aetna so long till the stomach being debilitated vomite up all good meanes If David had with Iob made a covenant with his eyes he had not fallen If Peter had marked the first crowing of the Cocke he had not sworne and if Esau had sought for mercy in time with teares he had not beene rejected Hebr. 12.17 III. Aetate juvenili we must purge when Answ 3 we are young Quia in sene humores fiunt viscidi Because the humours in old men are more tough viscous and clammy Thus
comfort of their lives and the Answ 4 better enabling of them to beare the crosses and disasters of this life What is here required of us Quest 6 We must prepare our selves for this reckoning and cast up our owne accounts Answ examining what we have done that so we may prevent the judgement of God What must we examine or coÌpute Quest 7 First in generall we must examine our selves Answ 1 and our workes Secondly more particularly two things are to Answ 2 be examined and carefully cast up to wit I. Our actions sins especially those sins which are observed and marked and which shall be most severely punished at the day of judgmeÌt as for example First diffidence and distrust of God 1. Diffidentia as Esa 30.8 we usually place our hope and trust upon the world Iob. 31.24 And if we be in penury have no peace at all within our selves fides est quod vides we believe no more then we see and therefore when our riches faile our faith fades 2 Contemptus verbi Secondly a contempt of the word and Law of God Esa 5.24 3 Superbiâ Thirdly pride Esa 47.7 either against God or man 4. Odium Fourthly hatred of our brethren and the wayes of God 5. Provocatiâ fratrum Fifthly provocation of our Brethren 1 Peter 4.3 And that I. Sometimes unto duels and slaughters And II. Sometimes unto the prophanation of the Lords day And III. Sometimes unto adultery and fornication IV. Sometimes unto drunkennesse Abak 2.15 6. Verba âtiosa Sixthly idle words for even these are observed and threatned Matth. 12.36 Now there are three sorts of these to wit I. Some are contrary to holinesse as swearing blasphemy and scoffing at holy things II. Some are contrary to righteousnesse as lying brawling and the like Revelat. 21.8 and 22.15 III. Some are contrary to sobriety as filthy and lascivious words or songs Ephes 5.4 Now because the Lord sees and markes and threatnes to punish all these we must examine which and how many of them have beene in us or committed by us that so we may labour seriously to repent what is by-past and to amend for the time to come We must take heed that we doe not distrust either the providence promise or love of God we must be principally carefull not to despise the will and word of God we must beware of pride hatred and wicked words in our selves and of provoking others unto wickednesse because all these shall be punished when the Lord comes to reckon with us Benedictionesaliae Spirituales II. We must examine and carefully cast up the blessings and mercies given unto us by God whether Spirituall or corporall or Externall First there are Spirituall graces given unto us by God which we must give account unto him of as 1. Verbum I. The word and the preaching thereof Iohn 12.48 Hebr. 2.3 And herein two things are to be examined viz. First how we love it and whether we prepone or postpone other things before it Secondly how doe we apply the word doe we make it a Rule a Ballance a Touch-stone applying it to our words workes and thoughts In a word doe we direct our lives thereby These things we had need examine because they will be inquired and searched into when the Lord comes to take account of us 2. Spiritus II. The holy Spirit is another spiritual grace given unto us for as the Lord gives the word unto our yeares so he gives also the Spirit unto our hearts and as the word without cals so the Spirit within moves us and therefore we must examine First whether we strive against these good motions labouring to extinguish them or whether we embrace nourish and labour to kindle these sparkes into a flame And Secondly whether doe we acknowledge in these good cogitations compunctions and motions the finger of God and his gracious call or whether do we thinke them idle thoughts and so as needlesse or unnecessary let them suddainly fade and dye Thirdly whether do we follow obey the counsell direction of the Spirit or whether do we disobey and despise it For we must give account of these at the comming of our Master and therefore in the meane time we ought to examine our selves in them III. The communion of the Saints is another spirituall grace given unto us by God that is 3. Communio sanctorum as the Lord gives us the call of his word and the motions of his spirit so he also gives us the examples and exhortations of the godly and as this is a great blessing so no small account must we give of it at the last And therefore we should examine these three things viz. First whether we love and like the society of wicked or righteous men most Secondly whether we like and approve of the good examples of the godly or whether we despise and deride them Thirdly whether we follow the good examples of good men or praise them onely but imitate them not at all For for these we must give account of unto God at the last Secondly Corporaleâ there are corporall endowments given unto us by God which we must be accountable unto God for as for example I. Wisedome 1 PrudeÌtio which is a gift comming from heaven and excels all temporall things Now herein we must examine First whether we bend our wit unto oppressions wrong injury strife contention and the like Or Secondly whether we employ it in gathering together the thicke clay of this world Or Thirdly whether we bury it in pleasure as the unprofitable servant did his Talent in a napkin Or Fourthly whether we use our wisedome unto the glory of God or the advancement of Religion or the good of our brethren or the increase of our owne grace and goodnesse II. 2. Ingeniâ Wit is another corporall blessing given unto us and therefore we must examine whether we use our quicknesse and wit with Bezaleel and Aholiab unto the service of the Church or with many to the composing of chaffie and lewd poemes and idle unprofitable Bookes III. 3. ConstaÌtia Magnanimites Constancy and Magnanimity may well be called a corporall blessing and is given by God it being a rare morall vertue if it be not rash but prudent And therefore those who are indued herewith must examine Whether First they convert this their constancie unto revenge Or whether Secondly they convert it unto the protection of the Gospell or the good of Religion IV. Courtesie 4. Comitaâ morum and affability is a singular corporall blessing given unto many by God who must examine if First they use it not to adulation and flattery like Court-holy-water Secondly if they use it to the winning and reclaiming of their brother from his wicked wayes V. 5. Memoriâ Memory is another Corporall blessing given by God unto many who must use it to the bettering of their inward man That
the like Exod. 18.21 And IV. With magnanimity and constancy Sect. 3 § 3 Let him be crucified Quest 1 Who were guilty of the death of Christ either as actors or a bettors Answ 1 First Pontius Pilatè who condemned him I name him first because I speake not of him at this time Answ 2 Secondly the chiefe Priests and Elders of the Iewes in whom two things are observable viz. I. Causa the cause why they endeavoured and procured the death of Christ and that was ambition they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God and the glory of the world more then the glory of God Iohn 12.42 and 5.44 They saw that Christ derogated much from them and spake much against them and therefore they envy Christ and frequently calumniate him II. Modus the manner of procuring Christs death and that was corrupt for they suborne the people and false witnesses Read Matth. 26.59 and 28.12 Wherefore we must take heed of subornation Why may we not use this suborning of others Quest 2 when it may stand us in stead I. because subornation is the practice of Answ 1 wicked men 1 King 21.10 and therefore if we would be esteemed righteous we must not use this practice II. because truth seekes no corners but Answ 2 delights to goe naked and therefore this practice of suborning others argues a hatred of truth and a love of falsehood III. because the suborning either of witnesses Answ 3 or friends or Judges argues either an evill cause or an evill mind Thirdly the people were guilty of and accessary Answ 4 unto the death of Christ now in them two things are observable namely I. The cause of their sinne which is two-fold to wit First in constancy for not long before this they would have made Christ a King Iohn 6.15 and strawed their garments in his way Matth. 21.8 crying Hosanna verse 9 but now they cry crucifie him crucifie him And Secondly a desire of pleasing their Elders and Governours who perswaded them unto this Christ certainly was not odious unto the common people but yet whilest they basely seeke to please their high-Priests and Elders they neglect both equity their owne salvation II. The blacknesse and horriblenesse of their offence which shewes it selfe in these things viâ First they had two testimonies from which they might and ought to have considered something namely I. Diuine testimonies as for example a Propheticall speech search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Iohn 5.39 yea a living voyce from the Father and God of heaven Matth. 3.17 yea the frequent presence and assistance of the blessed Spirit of God and divers visions and apparitions of Angels and the confession of the devill himselfe Marke 1.24 yea many times CHRIST let them see if they would haue observed it that the secrets of their hearts were not kept secret from him Now these things they should seriously haue considered before they had cried Crucifie him II. Humane testimonies were not wanting unto them if they had observed them and those were Christs workes the workes saith he which I doe testifie of me Iohn 5.31 He cast out of devils he cured the sicke he quickned the dead he enlightneth the blind he opened the eares of the deafe he with his word made his enemies to fall to the ground be with his word appeased the raging of the Sea Reade Matth. 8. and 9. and 11.5 6. and Iohn 4.26 Luke 5.17 and Iohn 3 2. Now these they ought to have considered And Secondly they preferred Barabbas before Christ a murderer before the Lord of life a seditious turbulent person before the Prince of peace When men say they Iohn 2. are ârunke then the worst wine pleaseth the palat so when men are drunke with sinne and besotted upon it then they will receive Theudas and Iudâs Galilaeus for the true Messiah then they will thinke Simon Magus to be the great power of God and then with the Gergesens they will preferre their Hogs before CHRIST And Thirdly they adjudge Christ unto death desiring that he may be crucified although they were not able to accuse him of any evill or to witnesse any evill against him Sect. 4 § 4. What evill hath he done Quest 1 Pilate here propounds the question Whether Christ have done any evill or not And Answ 1 First he answers hereunto himselfe that for his part he finds no evill in him And Answ 2 Secondly Christ in answer hereunto appeales unto their owne conscience which of you can accuse me of sinne Iohn 8. And Answ 3 Thirdly the common people once answered He hath done all things well and nothing amisse And therefore there was great reason why Pilate should aske this question and thus seeke to free CHRIST from their hands and power Quest 2 What good did Christ Answ 1 First in generall he did all things well and many good things unto many Answ 2 Secondly more particularly when Christ lived on the earth he did many temporall good things viz. I. He healed and cured all diseases amongst the people And II. He cast Devils out of those who were possessed And III. He went up and downe doing good the Lord being with him Acts. 10.38 And IV. He stilled the raging waves of the Sea And V. He sed those who were hungry And IV. He raised up the dead unto life Now if there had beene no greater workes done by Christ then these yet who would have lost such a treasure and rich Magazin of all temporall blessings if they could have kept it Answ 3 Thirdly but besides these there were spirituall benefits and inestimable graces bestowed by Christ upon all those who came unto him in sincerity of heart and are still held forth and freely offred by him unto all who with hungring affections long for him The spirituall graces and benefits which the Jewes might and we may have by Christ are many and great and of unvalued worth as for example I. Christ reformed Religion and taught the whole counsell of God And II. He reconciled us unto God that in him we might have peace And III. He caused Sathan to fall as lightning from heaven and destroyed all his workes And IV. He sends his holy Spirit unto us whereby we are regenerated and sanctified And V. He hath taken away the vaile and laid open unto us a way unto the holy of holyes And VI. In him all the promises of God are yea and Amen And VII Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Iohn 1.16 And VIII By his Resurrection and Ascension he hath sealed unto us our Resurrection and ascension with him unto life eternall And therefore no wonder if Pilate saith What evill hath he done seeing he was no other but a rich treasurie of all grace and vertue § 5. But they cried out the more crucifie Sect. 5 him c. It may here be demanded Quest what manner of answer this was which the people gave unto Pilates question in the former words
of the graves and went into the City and appeared unto many Many Papists yea Popish writers hold Object that soules after they are departed may returne on earth again and appeare unto men this opinion they would ground upon this place arguing thus At the Resurrection of Christ many rose againe and therefore the soules of dead men may returne againe First we deny not but God is able to raise the Answ 1 dead unto life and to send a Spirit backe unto the earth againe for a time but whether he wils this to be at all or as often as the Papists would have it for walking Spirits and Ghosts are most frequent with them we know not and leave unto them to prove for they must neither argue from his power to his will He being able to doe more then he is willing to doe nor from an extraordinary worke to an ordinary he doing divers rare and admirable things sometimes upon some speciall occasion which he will not ordinarily doe Secondly to the place objected we answer that Answ 2 their soules did not onely appeare but their bodies also were restored unto life And therefore the Argument followes not Thirdly those who were raised did not forewarne Answ 3 the living of any judgement to come or command them to doe this or that for the deads sâke viz. either to pray for them or to goe on pilgrimage to some Saint c. which is the ordinary and usuall charge of the Popish Spirits And therefore they have from this place but a bad foundation to build their apparition of Spirits upon Fourthly these in the text were raised up for these Answ 4 ends namely I. To confirme Christs Resurrection from death unto life II. To confirme our Resurrection by Christ God the Father shewing hereby unto us that Christ by his death had overcome and destroyed death to the faithfull and that at the last day their soules and bodies shall be knit together and live with God and Christ for ever VERS 54. Vers 54 Now when the Centurion and those who were with him watching Iesus saw the Earthquake and those things which were done they feared greatly saying Truly this man was the Son of God We shewed before how Fevardentius affirmes that Christ did not truly complaine that he was forsaken of his Father verse 46. and we answered one of his Arguments in that place He now summons up the Centurion and watch against us arguing further thus from hence Object for the confirming of his assertion The Centurion notwithstanding Christ so complained and cryed out yet confesseth thus of him This truly was the Sonne of God and a righteous man and therefore he was farre off from imagining that Christ was forsaken of God Fevardent Page 474. First the Centurion being a Romane understood Answ 1 not the language wherein Christ complained crying out That he was forsaken Secondly the Evangelist here plainly sheweth Answ 2 that not the hearing of those words but the seeing of the Earthquake and other things which were done drew that confession from the Centurion That Christ was the Sonne of God Answ 3 Thirdly we deny not but that notwithstanding CHRIST truly complained he was forsaken yet he was the Son of God still for the hypostaticall union was not thereby dissolved as we shewed before verse 47. but as the soule of Christ being parted from his body was separated onely from it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã locally not hypostatically Damasc lib. 3. de fid Cap. 27. And as the soule ceased working in the body and yet was not divorced in the personall being from the body so the filiall union was not dissolved though the effectuall feeling were for a while discontinued Vers 59 60. VERS 59 60. And when JOSEPH had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth and laid it in his owne new tombe which he had hewed out in the rocke and he rolled a great stone to the dore of the Sepulchre and departed For the understanding of these two verses we must observe That as often as the Jewes buried any they were wont to role a great stone to the mouth of the Cave and now the cave or vault it selfe they termed from the act of buriall Keber which sigâifieth a place of buriall or from its forme Magnara a denne or Cave The severall cels or receptacles in which the body was laid they called Cucim graves or tombes and the stone they named Golel a rolling stone These Caves or vaults the wealthier sorts would paint garnish and beautifie at the mouth or entrance of them whence commeth that phrase Sepulchra dealbata painted tombes VERS 63. Sir we remember that that seducer or deceiver said while he was yet alive After Vers 63 three dayes I will rise againe These wicked Scribes and Pharisees call Christ a Seducer and Deceiver Quest now how doth it appeare that he was no such person First it is evident thus If we looke upon Morall Answ 1 things he was the Master of all morall vertues Secondly if wee looke upon divine things he Answ 2 was given to one God and after the manner of the Iewes worshipped one God And although hee did not worship this God with the sacrifices of sheepe and oxen yet he did with the sacrifices of a pure mind which sacrifice the Lord much rather accepts of And Thirdly it is cleare from his Miracles for they Answ 3 shew his divinity And Fourthly it is manifest because he seduced us not Answ 4 by his doctrine for he both did spake all things well teaching us nothing contrary to the law of God Euseb lib. 3. de demonstr evang Cap. 4 5. CHAP. XXVIII Verse 1 VERS 1. In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawne towards the first day of the weeke came MARY Magdalene and the other MARY to see the Sepulchre Sect. 1 § 1. In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawne The words in the originall here are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That is And in the evening of the Sabbaths which begins to shine upon one of the Sabbaths Or as Syrus reads it And in the evening in the Sabbath the light of which evening is the first light in the weeke From hence some doubts and demands may arise viz. Quest 1 What is meant here by Vespera the Evening Answ 1 First sometimes and that oftentimes this word Evening doth denote and signifie the whole time of the night but it doth not so signifie in this place Answ 2 Secondly the Evening doth properly signifie the beginning of the night but not so neither in this verse Answ 3 Thirdly sometimes the Evening signifies that part of the night which preceeds the morning and thus it signifies in this place Quest 2 What is meant by the Sabbath because in this verse mention is made of a double Sabbath In the Evening of the Sabbath which shines before one of the Sabbaths Answ 1 First sometimes this word Sabbath is taken for
operations motions and gifts of the holy spirit are called Spirit c. Thirdly sometimes the regenerate part of man and the spirituall life of the regenerate and internall motions and revelations are called Spirit Answ 2 Secondly here this word Spirit is taken literally for an essence incorporeall incomprehensible and uncreated and this essence is called a Spirit for these causes to wit I. Because he is incorporeall A sight saith Christ hath not flesh and bones And thus Angels and humane soules are incorporeall also but they differ from this holy Spirit thus they are not infinite and incomprehensible essences as he is And II. Because he inspires and breathes into us the breath of spirituall life and thus the Father and the Sonne also doth give spirituall life of grace But it is by the Spirit And III. Because Spiratur he proceeds from the Father and from the Sonne Quest 3 How is this Spirit which is an incorporeall incomprehensible and uncreated essence called Sanctus holy The blessed Spirit of God is not onely called Sanctus Answ holy essentially because he is holy but in his nature and essence also Causally because he makes holy being the immediate temper of this impression of holinesse in the Creatures From this name of holy Spirit we may conclude that this blessed person is true God Object 1 Some against this affirme That the holy Spirit signifieth no other thing then that spirit of regeneration which is infused in man by God and so is as it were a creature This they would confirme from these two reasons namely Reason 1 First because this Spirit is said to pray for us Rom. 8.26 Now it is the spirit in us which prayeth for us and consequently this holy Spirit is not God To this J answer Answ 1 I. The Spirit is said to pray because he makes us to pray and so the worke it selfe seemes to come wholly and altogether from the blessed Spirit And. Answ 2 II. The Spirit also is said to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 not that he cryes but that we cry by him Rom. 8.15 Secondly they say the holy Spirit knowes not Reason 2 the Sonne because no man knowes the Sonne but the Father Matth. 11.27 To this we answer I. That our Saviour there excludes not the Answ 1 persons of the blessed Trinity but the creatures And II. That indeed none knowes the Sonne of Answ 2 themselves which are different from the Father in nature and essence but the holy Spirit is the same God by nature and essence though distinct in person And thus CHRIST saith That it was not his to give to sit on his Fathers right hand and on his left and else-where denies that hee knowes the time when the last day will be but both these were spoken onely in regard of his humanity And III. Jt is evidently false that the Spirit knowes Answ 3 not the Sonne For First the Spirit discernes all things 1 Cor. 2.15 And Secondly the Spirit teacheth us the knowledge of the Sonne yea all things Iohn 14. And Thirdly he is called the Spirit of the Sonne Object 2 Some againe grant that the Spirit is God but not that he is a âistinct person from God but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Patris the vertue and power and operation of the Father and they would ground this upon those words The power of the most high That is the holy Spirit shall overshadow thee Luke 1.35 First it is not necessary that the place should be Answ 1 so interpreted and indeed the scope of the Angell in that place seemes to me to be double to wit I. That the blessed Virgin might understand the immediate worker of this great worke namely God the holy Ghost and hence he saith The holy Ghost shall come upon thee And II. That she might understand the primary Authour of this great worke and the true Parent of the child to be borne to wit God the Father and hence he saith The power of the most high shall overshadow thee Secondly although it were thus understood Answ 2 and that by the power of the Almighty were meant the holy Spirit yet it would not follow that therefore he is not a distinct person from God the Father For as although the Sonne by the word of the Father Iohn 1.1 And yet that takes not away the distinction of the person so the Spirit may be the power of the Father he proceeding partly from the Father and yet a distinct person from him as followes by and by How doth it appeare that the holy Spirit is God Quest 4 or how may it be proved First he created the world and therefore he is Answ 1 God Gen. 1 2. Iob. 33.4 And Secondly we are baptized in his name in this Answ 2 verse and therefore he is God for we are baptized onely unto God And Thirdly the Apostles were taught of God but Answ 3 it was the Spirit which taught them Luke 12 12. yea which teacheth all things Iohn 14.26 Fourthly we must pray onely unto God but in Answ 4 the Scriptures the holy Ghost is invocated therefore hee is God 2 Corinth 13 13. Answ 5 Fifthly but because Harding and Bellar. say That it cannot be proved out of Scripture that the holy Ghost is God we will produce some cleare testimonies where he is called God As I. That which the holy Spirit speakes Acts 28.25 Iehovah himselfe speakes Esa 6.8 Therefore the holy Spirit is Iehovah II. Our bodies are called the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and the Spirit dwelleth in us 1 Cor. 3.16 But our hearts are the Temples of God 1 Cor. 3 16. and 2 Cor. 6.16 and God dwels in us 2 Cor. 6.18 III. Ananias lyed against the holy Ghost Acts. 5.3 but he lyed not against men but God verse 4. And therefore the holy Spirit is God thus Augustine disputed contr Petil. 3.48 IV. The Father the world and the holy Spirit are one Iohn 5.7 Quest 5 How doth it appeare that this holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Answ 1 First He descended upon CHRIST in the likenesse of a dove when a voyce came from heaven from the Father This is my welbeloved Sonne c. Luke 3.22 Where there was the Father speaking from heaven the Sonne baptized upon earth and the holy Ghost descending from heaven to earth Therefore the holy Spirit is a person subsisting by himselfe and distinct from the rest Answ 2 Secondly He is called the Comforter Ioh. 14.16 and he was sent from the Father in the same place and from the Sonne Ioh. 16.7 and therefore hee differs from them both Iohn 14.26 Answ 3 Thirdly he is called the Spirit of the Father Ioh. 15.26 and the Spirit of the Sonne Gal. 4.6 Therefore he is neither the Person of the Father nor of the Sonne Answ 4 Fourthly three Persons are named Matth. 28.19 and 2 Cor. 13.13 and 1 Iohn 5.7 Object 3 But he is said to be the same with the
reward given to men according to their meede and therefore it is necessary that there should be a Resurrection Iustin Martyr Sect. 2 § 2. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures It is questioned betweene us and the Church of Rome whether the Scriptures be necessary or not and we affirme That they are necessary for the people of God the reading preaching and understanding thereof being the onely ordinary meanes to beget faith in us Argum. And this wee confirme from this place by this Argument That whereby we are kept from errour and doubtfulnesse in matters of faith is necessary but this is performed by the Scripture Therefore it is necessary Here two things are to bee shewed namely First that the Scripture keepeth us from errour this is cleare from these words yee erre not knowing the Scripture where our Saviour shewes that the ignorance of Scripture was the cause of their errour And Secondly if our knowledge were onely builded upon Tradition without Scripture we should then be doubtfull and uncertaine of the truth Thus St. Luke saith in his Preface to Theophilus I have written saith he that thou mightest be certaine of those things whereof thou hast beene instructed Whence wee conclude that although we might know the truth without Scripture as Theophilus did yet we cannot know it certainly without it § 3. But shall be as the Angels Sect. 3 The Papists teach us to pray unto the Saints and that we may be the easilier induced to learne this lesson they assure us That the Saints heare our prayers and because they feare we will not credit this without proofe therefore our learned Countreymen who can draw Quidlibet ex quolibet produce this place for the proofe thereof arguing thus As CHRIST proveth here that in heaven the Saints neither marry nor are married Object because there they shall be as Angels So by the very same reason is proved that Saints may heare our prayers and helpe us be they neare or farre off because the Angels doe so and in every moment are present where they list and neede not to be neere us when they heare or helpe us Rhemist sup § 4. First our Saviour CHRIST speaketh not of the Answ 1 soules departed at this time but after the Resurrection and therefore the Argument is absurd Secondly CHRIST doth not in all points compare Answ 2 the Saints after the Resurrection to Angels for then they should be invisible and without bodies as the Angels are but in that they have no need or use of marriage Thirdly it is false that the Angels may be present Answ 3 in every moment where they list for they cannot be in more places at once then one neither are they where they list but where God appointeth them Fulke Whether are or ought the Saints and faithfull in this life to be like unto the Angels Quest and wherein They should labour to be like the Angels Answ in these things namely First in rejoycing at the conversion of sinners Luke 15. And Secondly in reverencing the divine Majestie like the Angels who cover their faces before him Esa 6.2 And Thirdly in standing ready prest to execute the will of the Lord as the Angels doe Psal 103.20 21. And Fourthly in executing the will of God for the manner as the Angels doe that is with cheerefulnesse with sincerity and without wearinesse VERS 32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Verse 32 Quest 1 How or in what regards is the Lord called Deus viventium the God of the living Answ 1 First Ratione causalitatis providentiae because he both created all perfect living creatures and also provides for all Now providence hath place onely in those things which have an existence or being in rerum naturá but when God pronounced these words unto Moses Exod. 3.6 the Patriarches were corporally dead and their bodies dissolved and therefore it was necessary that their soules should remaine and be alive Answ 2 Secondly the creature is referred unto God in a reall relation which is not founded but onely in an entity and being and therefore that whose God God is said to be must needs be really something and consequently those Patriarches who were not in regard of their bodies were in regard of their soules Quest 2 How may we prove or conclude the Resurrection of the body from hence Answ 1 First because the reasonable soule being the forme of the body and the substantiall part of man hath alwayes a naturall inclination unto the body neither hath a perfect subsiestnce in it selfe but doth desire to be in man now nature doth nothing in vaine and therefore the soule which for a time is separated from the body shall at last be eternally united and conjoyned unto the body Answ 1 Secondly because the reasonable soule cannot obtaine perfect felicity untill she have reassumed the body in regard of that naturall affection which she hath unto the body And therefore there shal be a Resurrection of the body Quest 3 How can this verse stand with Romans 14.9 For it is said Here God is not the God of the dead but of the living And There CHRIST died that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Answ Our Saviour here denies that God is the God of the dead that is that he will not give grace and glory to those who are corporally dead and shall rise no more and hence he doth evince the Resurrection of the dead by âhis argument Glory cannot be conferred upon dead men as dead men But glory shall be conferred upon Abraham and all the faithfull Therefore they shall not remaine alwayes dead or in an estate of death but shall rise againe at the last Hence the Apostle saith That CHRIST is Lord both of the living and of the dead that is of all the faithfull who either now live or are dead but shall rise at the last day and of dead shall be made living as it is said in the Creed Hee shall judge both the quicke and the dead that is those who now are dead shall live againe at the last day VERS 37.38.39.40 Vers 37 38. c. JESVS said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandement And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets § 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Sect. 1 Whether can we love the Lord above all things Quest as wee are here enjoyned by nature or by grace We cannot love the Lord above al things by nature Answ and therefore grace is simply necessary thereunto as appeares thus First the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by his holy Spirit Rom. 5. and the fruit of the Spirit is love Galath