If then they do what they are able what need they aske remission of sinne Bellar. de Iustis l. 4. c. 10. Loc. citat which is a transgression of the Law 4. The workes of iust men are perfect Answ Perfection needs no remission For such workes then by their doctrine they need aske no pardon O presumptuous and arrogant conceipts Let the vndeniable certaintie of the forenamed doctrine Be humbled for sinne that No man is free from sinne humble vs for that wofull condition wherein we liue Bonum est homini vt imitetur publicanum nec tumescat sicut pharisaeus qui iâ—ctauit 〈◊〉 sua texit vulâ—era sua Aug. hom 42. in l. 50. Hom. while here we liue Sight of sinne was it that humbled the Publican whom it is better to imitate then to swell as the Pharisie did who braged of his merits and couered his wounds Assuredly this ministreth iust cause of great humiliation and it cannot but force such as haue any spirituall sight sence thereof to say as the Leper vnder the law was wont to say b Leu. 13. 45. I am vncleane I am vncleane and in horror deteâ—station of our selues when we thinke of the presence of the Lord to say as Peter did c Luke 5. 8. Depart from me for I am a sinfull man ô Lord. Yea to crie out with Saint Paul d Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And that those out-cries may appeare to be effects of true humiliation Seeke pardon for sinne rather then of desperation we ought earnestly and instantly to seeke remission of sinne which is the maine matter intended in this Petition well weighing for the point in hand that e 1. Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners §. 109. Of falling into sinne daily Q. VVHat obseruation doth our daily praying for forgiuenesse of sinne afford Docetur peccare se quotidiè dum quotidiè pro peccatis iubetur o rare Cypr. de Orat Dom §. 16. For the word this day expressed in the fourth Petition is to be vnderstood in euery Petition A. Euery day men fall into sinne The Metaphor of a Iob 15. 16. drinking iniquitie like water importeth as much for it sheweth that it is as ordinarie and familiar for a man to sinne as to drinke which he doth oft euery day Dares any man denie the truth of this doctrine vpon his experience If he dare surely his conscience is as seared with an hot iron or else he lyeth against his conscience For the forenamed originall corruption as it remaineth in vs so it remaineth as a spring in vs continually sending forth some salt and bitter water of sinne more or lesse Many excellent directions may fitly be inferred from this obseruation Duties for redressing the sin whereinto we daily fall As 1. To set apart some time euery day for examination of our selues that so we may the better obserue those seuerall sinnes which euery day passe from vs. If they be not obserued they may lie so long festering the soule as thereby proue incurable 2. To humble our soules daily before God Euery day is the fire of Gods iealousie kindled by our daily sinnes whereby he is prouoked to come out in wrath and to take reuenge Euery day therefore must we fall downe before him with broken spirits and humbled soules This is a meanes to turne his furie to pittie 3. To renue our couenant with God euery day For euery sin maketh forfeiture of the couenant The couenant being forfeited with what comfort can wee apply it to our selues with what confidence can we plead it before God 4. To repent daily b Luke 17. 4. Repentance is a prouiso annexed to a mans forgiuing his brother Quia nullus est dies in quo 〈◊〉 possit esse siâ—e peccato vna die esse non debet si ne paenitentia Aug. in Apoc. Hom. 2. Much more doth God expect it of such as expect forgiuenesse of him He that sinneth seuen times in a day must repent seuen times in a day As sinne incenseth wrath so repentance for sin maketh God to repent his wrath Because therefore there is no day wherein a man is without sin he ought not to be one day without repentance 5. To meditate euery day as on the satisfaction which the Lord Iesus once made vpon the crosse for our sinnes so on the intercession which he continueth daily to make at the throne of Grace Rom. 8. 34. This giueth good ground of assured hope of continuall pardon for our continuall sinnes For the maine end of Christs continuall intercession is to make continuall application of his all-sufficient sacrifice to our continuall sinnes 6. To pray euery day for pardon This we are here expresly taught to do All the forenamed points are but preparations vnto this This if it be performed in faith is it that obtaineth pardon so oft as we sinne The daily offerings which euery morning and euening were appointed vnder the Law Exo. 29. 38 39. prefigured thus much 7. To watch continually The more subiect and prone wee are to fall into sinne the more needfull it is that with all heedfulnesse we watch against sinne Satans sedulitie the deceitfulnesse of sinne and our owne foolishnesse require diligent and constant watchfulnesse §. 110. Of the difference betwixt Gods absolution and mans apprehension thereof Ob. GOds forgiuenesse is full compleate and absolute Whom once he acquitteth he neuer calleth to accompt againe His discharge is of sinnes past present and to come What need then of those daily duties Answ That which on Gods part is at once fully done is on our part by degrees apprehended and applyed I grant it to be so in the eternall decree and secret counsell yea and in that couenant which is made betwixt him and his Sonne our Suretie But in the application thereof to vs and in our apprehension of it by faith whereby onely our soule can rest quieted and assured of it a proceeding by degrees must be acknowledged Though a beleeuer do for the present apprehend a full discharge of all the sinnes whereof he doth then stand guiltie yet through the violence of temptation and the weakenesse of flesh he may againe and againe make question and doubt of that discharge especially when he hath fallen into other sinnes or returned to the same sinnes for which he before craued pardon Oft sinning doth much shake and weaken faith Christ saw it needfull to giue to the woman whom hee himselfe absolued Ioh. 8. 11. this caueat Sinne no more Wherefore for strengthening our weake faith in a full pardon of all our sinnes for new setling of it when it is shaken for healing the wounds which are dayly made in our conscience by dayly sinnes for preuenting the aduantage which might bee taken from
They who know and beleeue God to be as hee is all in all cannot but detest that heathenish and blasphemous distinction of white and blacke gods the former of which they made Bestowers of good things 1. Cor. 8. 6. the latter Deliuerers from euill things But to vs there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and wee in him Of him wee ought to seeke euery good thing wee want To him we ought to fly for succour against all euill So we are here taught so let vs doe §. 194. Of the general points for which wee are taught to pray in the last Petition Q. VVHat are wee to pray for by vertue of the last Petition 1. Such things as concerne the whole Petition in generall or the distinct parts thereof in particular 1. In regard of the whole we ought to pray for Sanctification Thus doth Saint Paul pray for the Thessalonians 1. Thes 5. 23. The very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly As our owne happinesse moueth vs to pray for Iustification in the former Petition that wee may be acquitted of sinne for which we should otherwise be damned so the honour of God should moue vs to pray for sanctification 1. Thes 4. 3. For this is the will of God our sanctification and thereby is the holy God much honoured 2. In regard of the manner of setting downe this Petition negatiuely we are taught to pray for Freedome against the power of sinne Psal 19. 13. 13. as the Psalmist doth where hee saith Cleanse meè from secret faults keepe backe thy seruant also from presumptuous sins let them not haue dominion ouer mee For in sinne there is a guilt which maketh vs lyable to Gods vengeance this is prayed against in the Fift Petition and a power which holdeth vs in bondage and maketh vs such slaues thereto as wee cannot serue God 3. For this end we are taught to pray for Participation of the power of Christs death and 4. Participation of the Spirit of Christ For in Christs death there is distinctly to be considered a Merit and a Power The Merit thereof freeth from the guilt and punishment of sinne The Power thereof from the dominion yea and by degrees from the very act of sinne which in the Saints after the death of their body shall vtterly cease Of this power of Christs death thus speaketh the Apostle Rom. 6. 4 6. We are buried with Christ by Baptisme into death c. And againe Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne This power of Christs death is conueighed into vs by the Spirit of Christ Ephes 2. 1. For wee are dead in sinne Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in vs it will quicken vs. Wherefore that wee may partake of the power of Christs death wee must pray for participation of the Spirit of Christ Dauid well knew how requisite this Spirit was to keep downe the power of sinne and therefore hauing prayed for pardon of sinne Psal 51. 11. further prayeth that God would not take his holy Spirit from him These are the generall things which by vertue of this whole Petition we are to pray for We will further note out such particulars as concerne the distinct parts §. 195. Of the particulars for which we are to pray by vertue of the first part of the last Petition Q. VVHat are the particulars to be prayed for vnder the first part of the Sixt Petition A. 1. Knowledge of our spirituall enemies Without knowledge of them there will be no feare of them no desire of helpe and succour against them or of freedome from them Iudg. 18. 28. The people of Laish not knowing that the Danites were their enemies or that they had any purpose to surprize them were secure and made no preparations for their owne defence and so were vtterly vanquished Such ignorance maketh most in the world so secure as they are Experience sheweth that the more ignorant any are the more deepely they are implunged into Satans snares and the faster held thereby Here therefore we must pray for knowledge of the distinct kindes of our spirituall enemies of their number might malice subtiltie and sedulitie That we may the better know all these the Apostle doth largely and distinctly describe them Ephes 6. 12. 2. Sight of the danger wherein wee are by reason of them To know that there are enemies pernicious and dangerous enemies little moueth them who see no danger wherein themselues are by reason of such enemies 2. Kin. 6. 15. When Elisha's seruant saw the hoste of Aram that compassed the place where he was then he cryed out Alas my Master how shall we doe Thus will they bee affected that are able to discerne the danger wherein they are by reason of their spirituall enemies They will enquire what to doe But the danger which is not seene is not feared Wherefore God sends Ministers to people Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes that they may come from the power of Satan to God 3. Wisedome to discerne their wiles their many cunning stratagems and kindes of assaults and to finde out where their strength lyeth and how they may be withstood Thus shall we be kept the more safely from them that wee fall not into their temptations Psal 119. 98 99 100. and be ouercome by them Dauid who obtained such wisedome vndoubtedly prayed for it 4. Vnderstanding of our owne weakenesse How vnable we are to stand of our selues much more vnable to withstand such enemies as we haue Ephes 6. 12. which are not as we flesh and bloud but Spirits Math. 26. 41. yea Principalities and powers c. When the Spirit is ready the flesh is weake how much more weake will it be when the spirit is secure Such as know not their owne weakenesse will be so ouer-bold and presumptuous as they will not feare to cast themselues into temptations 5. Knowledge of the almightie power of God Thus doth the Apostle expressely pray in behalfe of the Ephesians that they may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards them that beleeue Ephes 1. 18 19. Knowledge of the enemies power and of our owne weakenesse cannot but affright vs and make vs faintingly fall into their temptations vnlesse withall we know the power of God to bee able to make vs stand and to subdue our enemies and cleane to free vs from all their temptations Knowledge hereof will raise vp our hearts to God in all dangers 2. Chro. 14 11. 6. Restraint of Satans power This the Angell intended when hee said to the Diuell Iude verse 9. The Lord rebuke thee So malicious and audacious is Satan as hee will not sticke to assault the best if the Lord doe not restraine him It is most likely that hee could not be ignorant that Christ was
then to be sonnes of God Consider this all ye that call God Father especially ye into whose hearts God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne crying Gal. 4. 6. Abba Father In filiorum ordinem profecti pro patris nostri gloria toâ—um impendamus affectum dicentes sanctificetur nomen tuum Ab. Isa de Orat. c. 18. We that are in the ranke of Gods children ought wholly to apply our selues for the glorie of our Father saying Hallowed be thy Name §. 30. Of preferring Gods honour before all other things Q. VVHat learne we from the precedence of this Petition A. 1. Gods honour ought to be preferred before all things 2. Gods honour is the maine end whereat all our desires ought to aime The order of the Decalogue and the placing of the first commandement before all the rest doth confirme the former of these instructions Mat. 6. 33. so doth this exhortation First seeke the kingdome of God All priorities are comprised vnder that particle First Ioh. 12. 27 28. Both before and aboue all things is that to be sought Christ preferred his Fathers glory before his owne life yea and before freedome from that bitter agony whereunto he was brought being our Suretie For thus in his prayer he reasoneth about that point What shall I say Father saue me from this houre Bnt for this cause came I vnto this houre Father glorifie thy name And then he resteth as in that which aboue all he desired This mind by the same Spirit was wrought in Saint Paul who counted not his life deare Acts 20. 24. 21. 13. but was readie to dye for the name of the Lord. Q. Is Gods honour to be preferred before our eternall saluation A. 1. These two cannot stand in opposition Our saluation standeth with Gods honour The more we seeke Gods honour the more we helpe forward our saluation and the more we seeke our saluation aright the more wee aduance Gods honour 2. If they could stand in opposition Gods glory to be preferred before our saluation then without contradiction Gods honour should be sought rather then our owne saluation On which ground Moses made this transcendent Prayer Exod. 32. 32. If not blot me I pray thee out of thy booke which thou hast written Gods glorie is of all things the most excellent Eccl. 7. 1. and pretious If a mans name be better then pretious ointment Pro. 22. 1. and great riches What is Gods Hee primum fieri petionus quod maximum vt nobis gloriae illius innotescat sanctitas illibata Bern. in Quadr. Serm. 6. Now the more excellent a thing is the more it is to be esteemed and preferred Besides by seeking and setting forth Gods honour we seeke and set forth our owne For as it is in it selfe an honorable thing to honor God so God that can and will performe it hath said Them that honour me will I honour Is there not then good reason to desire aboue all other things that Gods name be hallowed 1. Sam. 2. 30. §. 31. Of aiming at Gods honour in all things THat Gods honour is also the maine end whereat all our desires ought to aime is euident by that pertinent exhortation of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 31. Whatsoeuer you do do all to the glorie of God Phil. 1. 20. This was his reioycing that the Lord should be magnified in him Rom. 9. 22 23. whether it were by life Eph. 1. 6. or by death God himselfe maketh his glorie the end of all his counsels and actions Pro. 16. 4. But that end which he aimes at we also must set before vs. As for this end it is the highest chiefest and best end whereunto any thing can be referred It is the end of this first Petition of all the rest for the perfection of Gods kingdome and subiection to his will tende directly to his glorie As for the other three Petitions though in the matter of them they concern our good yet in the manner of seeking our good namely of God they make to Gods glorie For in the fourth Petition Gods prouidence in the things of this life is acknowledged in the fift his mercie in pardoning sinne in the sixt his power in keeping safe from all assaults This may serue as a touch-stone to trie the soundnesse of a Religion Our religion giueth more glorie to God then poperie In opposition betwixt diuerse religions marke which cometh nearest to this marke nnd most tendeth to this end If the religions of Protestants and of Papists be well touched with this touch-stone and equally poised in these ballances it will easily be found that the reformed Religion is much more sound then the other For one maine difference betwixt vs and them in all our controuersies is this that we take away from man all manner of glorying in himselfe and giue the glorie of all to God But they rob God to giue to man matter of trusting vnto himselfe and vnto others like himselfe and of boasting in himselfe and others Instance the controuersies we haue with them about the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scriptures The power of Popes and Priests Adoration and Inuocation of Angels and Saints Their intercession The inherent vertue of Sacramtes Mans free-will to good Workes of satisfaction and supererogation Merit of workes Indulgences Pilgrimages and many other like these This also may serue as a touch-stone to try particular actions The more they aime at this end the better they be Though a worke seeme otherwise neuer so good yet if Gods glorie be not the end of it it onely seemeth to be good as that which seemeth to be what it is not To giue almes to pray to fast are workes in the generall matter and substance of them good yet in these Christ censured the Pharises Math. 6. 1. c. and warned his Disciples not to be like them and that because they missed of this end Let vs therefore in all things aime especially at Gods glorie §. 31. Of the particulars to be prayed for vnder the first Petition Q. VNto how many heads may those particulars which in the first Petition we are taught to pray for be referred A. Vnto three especially For we are taught there to desire 1. Such graces in our selues as may enable vs to hallow the name of God 2. Such graces in others as may enable them thereto 3. Such an ouer-ruling prouidence in God as may direct euery thing thereto Particulars prayed for in regard of our selues Q. What are the graces which we desire for our selues to the foresaid end A. Such as are requisite for euery power of our soule and part of our body to make them fit instruments of hallowing Gods name as 1. For our vnderstanding 1. Knowledge of God we desire knowledge of God that as the Apostle prayeth God would giue to vs the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of
true Church yet that he himselfe may be as Ioseph was in the house of Potiphar Gen. 39. 2. a faithfull member of the true Church a free-hearted subiect of the kingdome of God and for this end euery one ought to pray that in his person he may be sanctified throughout and his whole spirit and soule and bodie be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5. 23. This is that true and proper vse which wee are to make of those bonds whereby we are outwardly linked one to another that as we are more nearely knit one to another so more specially and instantly to pray that they to whom we are in outward bonds linked may with vs be fast knit to the bodie of Christ and as true members thereof may beautifie and honour it Col. 2. 19. and that all the bodie by ioynts and bands hauing nourishment ministred and knit together may encrease with the encrease of God Thus we see how our desire ought to be ordered for the militant Church It ought in generall to be extended to the whole bodie wheresoeuer more particularly applied to the seuerall parts of it as we haue any notice thereof and more earnestly extended for such parts as wee our selues are more nearely knit vnto §. 52. Of the things to bee desired for the Church triumphant Q. VVHat are we to pray for in regard of the triumphant Church the kingdome of glorie A. The full perfection and consummation thereof Whereunto tend these particulars following 1. That we which liue in this kingdome of Grace 1. Pray to be fitted for heauen may be fitted and prepared for that kingdome of Glorie that we may be presented as a chaste and pure Virgine to our Husband Christ 2. Cor. 11. 2. Such a prayer did the Apostle vse to make for the members of the militant Church 1. Thes 5. 23. 2. That we may be loosed and be with Christ in that glorious place 2. Pray to be in heauen For the gathering of such into the kingdome of Glorie Phil. 1. 23. as belong thereunto helpeth forward the consummation of it Hoc optamus vt finem nostris faciat malis nos assumat in regnum Aug. de Temp. Serm. 126 How we may pray for death Votum affectus magis quam effectus Obiect How can this desire of being dissolued stand with the vnchangeable decree of God concerning the appointed time of mans death Answ This kind of prayer rather sheweth what we could desire if the will of God were so then what we would whether it were Gods will or no. Neither is it made to alter Gods determined purpose but to manifest our longing desire after that which God in his eternall counsell hath purposed for vs. Thus did many of the faithfull Israelites Math. 13. 17. that liued long before the Messiah was exhibited 1. King 19. 4. Ionah 43. desire to see him An absolute desire of present death as was the desire of Eliah and Ionah is not warrantable but a longing after death to be in the kingdome of Glorie as was the desire of Paul is very commendable Phil. 1. 23. 3. That the number of those whom God hath ordained to 3. Pray for accomplishing the number of the Elect. make full the body of Christ may be accomplished For there is a certaine number ordained vnto eternall life Rom. 8. 29 30. till that he be full the kingdome of Glorie cannot in all the parts thereof be consummate 4. That the signes which in Gods word are fore-told to goe before the comming of Christ may accordingly fall out 4. Pray for the signes of Christs comming that by the sight of them we may be the more erected to looke for the glorious appearing of Christ Math. 24 29 c. There are signes fore-told these therefore must be prayed for 5 Pray against enemies of the Church 5. That all the obstinate enemies of the Church which any way hinder the full and perfect consummation thereof may be destroyed and those not only wicked men and cruell tyrants and persecutors but also death and him that hath the power of death 1. Cor. 15. 15. the diuell The destruction of these is promised so as there is good ground to pray for it 6. That the bodies of all the Saints which from the beginning haue slept 6. Pray for the resurrection may be raised from death to be vnited to their soules 1 Thes 4. 16. and brought vnto the kingdome of Glorie For this is absolutely promised Obiect This is to pray for the dead Answ Not for this or that particular friend departed whose estate we certainly know not How prayers to be made or not to be made for the dead but in generall for all the true members of Christs celestiall bodie nor to obtaine that for them which was to be obtained in the times of their life remission of sinnes nor yet to alter their finall estate the doome whereof passed vpon them at the moment of their dissolution but onely as their resurrection is a degree to the perfecting of the kingdome of Glorie we being taught to pray for the full perfection of that kingdome pray indefinitely for the resurrection of the Saints which is a degree thereto 7. That Christ would come in his glorie to iudgement 7. Pray for Christs coming Reu. 22. 17. 20. Mat. 13. 41 49. 25. 32. c. and make a perfect separation betwixt the elect and reprobate For so much is foretold and promised 8. That all the members of Christs mysticall bodie being glorified with him 8. Pray for the full glorificatiō of the Church He may deliuer vp the kingdome to God the Father that God may be all in all For so much is also foretold 1. Cor. 15. 24 28. §. 53. Of the things for which thankes is to be giuen by reason of the second Petition Q. FOr what are we to giue thankes by vertue of the second Petition A. Euery thing that maketh to the good of Gods Church whether directly by blessings bestowed on it or consequently by restraining or ouer-throwing the enemies of it ministreth iust matter of thanks-giuing We are therefore to be thankfull in the behalfe of the Church in these cases following and others like to them 1. Acts 11. 18. When Churches are planted where none were before Thus the Iewes glorified God when they heard that the Gospell was embraced of the Gentiles 2. When such Churches as are planted do thriue and prosper For this did S. 2. Thes 1. 3. Paul giue thankes in the behalfe of the Thessalonians 3. When good Magistrates are raised vp In which case the Queene of Sheba blessed God for setting Salomon on the throne of Israel 1. King 10. 9. Much more are we to blesse God for good Ministers of his word and that not onely when they are first raised vp but also when
to the highest heauen of all where the forenamed Angels and Saints are who in all things by a most free and willing choice do perfectly fulfill the will of God Q. How can they whom we see not to be a patterne for vs A. By the word we may know what is done by them For God hath thereby manifested how they do his will §. 65. Of the manner of following a perfect patterne Q. HOw can we do Gods will as they do it seeing they in all points do it most perfectly and it is impossible for vs to attaine to such a perfection A. 1. In such a manner as they do may we also do Gods will though not in so compleate a measure A candle giueth light in an house euen as the Sunne doth in the world in such a manner not in so great measure There may be in qualitie and likenesse a comparison betwixt things that are in quantitie and measure very vnequall In this respect they who haue hope in Christ are said to purifie themselues euen as he is pure 2. All the Saints euen on earth haue the beginning of that heauenly perfection wrought in them 1. Ioh. 3. 3. which beginning the Apostle stileth The first fruites of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. Now we may be confident of this very thing Phil. 1. 6. that he who hath begun a good worke in vs will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1. 8. that we may be blamelesse in that day 3. Our desire and endeauour may and must be beyond our abilitie Phil. 3. 13. as shall be proued by and by §. 66. Of the matter of Patience which the inhabitants of heauen haue Q. HOw can there be a sufficient patterne where there is no triall of Patience as in heauen there is none For the Angels and Saints in heauen are not subiect to any crosses that should trie their patience A. This patterne is especially for actiue obedience 2. Those heauenly Spirits do many things which they would not but for the will of God When it is the will of God the Angels do willingly descend from heauen to earth Gen. 28. 12. sometimes to bring glad tidings to the Church Reu. 14. 6 19. and sometimes to execute vengeance on sinners Yea the soules of the Saints which haue bene taken out of their bodies carried into Abrahams bosome that place of ioy and blisse haue bene contented at the will of God to leaue their glorie m Mat. 27. 53. and to returne againe into their bodies euen as n Ioh. 6. 38. Ioh. 11. 44. Christ came downe from heauen not to do his owne will but the will of him that sent him and as his soule o Luke 23. 43. after it had bene in Paradise p 24 5 6. returned into his body in earth Now heauen Paradise and Abrahams bosome is a place of such glorie and so conspicuously doth the brightnesse of Gods glorie there shine forth as the coelestiall spirits would neuer be willing to depart out of it but to do the will of their Lord. 3. There is a compassion in them for the afflictions of the Church in earth For the Saints in earth and in heauen are fellow members of one and the same bodie in which respect there cannot but be some sympathie and fellow-feeling of their fellow-members afflictions euen as q Mat 25. 42. c. there is in the head of that bodie Iesus Christ The maine reason why the r Reu. 6. 10. soules of the Martyrs departed desire vengeance on the enemies of the Church is for those Saints sake who were liuing and so subiect to their tyrannie and crueltie It is said that there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God Luke 15. 10. ouer one sinner that repenteth Why not then compassion also ouer the Church that is afflicted 4. The Saints in heauen through patience inherit the promises Heb 6. 12. For through many afflictions men enter into the kingdome of God and therein we are exhorted to be followers of them Acts 14 22. Sancti similes nobis â—â—â—cre passibiles ipsi peregrinationis huius exilij dâ—ploraucre molestias c. Bâ—â—â— infest oâ—â— Sanct Serm. 1. 5. With patience they expect the resurrection of their bodies and perfect consummation of that glorie which is ordained for the whole bodie of Christ and all the members thereof When it was tould the soules of the forenamed Martyrs deceased that they should rest vntill their brethren should be fulfilled they were silent and patient they replied not againe Thus then wee see that in heauen there is a patterne of patience Reu. 6. 11. §. 67. Of well doing good Q. VVHat learne we from this direction as it is in heauen added to the Petition A. Good things are to be done after a right manner So much is noted in the summe of the Morall Law as a Mat. 22. 37 39 In sacrificijs quae Abel Cain primiobtulerunt non munera eorum deus sed corda intue batur vt ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde Cypr. de Orat. Dom. §. 18. Christ hath set it downe The good things enioyned are to loue God and our neighbour The manner of louing God is to do it with all the heart c. The manner of louing our neighbour is to loue him as our selfe If the Scriptures be obseruantly read we shall find them as copious in prescribing the right manner as in pressing the maine matter of any duâ—ie and in declaring Gods approbation of the one more then of the other Take for example the first worke of pietie recorded to be done after mans fall In the sacrifices which Abel and Caine first offered God did not behold the offering but the heart that he might please God in his offering that pleaseth him in his heart The offering declared the worke the heart the manner of doing it For b 1. Pet. 2. 15. Gods will is manifested in the manner as well as in the matter Yea if a good thing be euilly done God will say c Isa 1. 12. who required this at your hands For a good thing is d Isa 66. 3. cleane peruerted and made euill by an euill manner of doing it It is therefore very requisite that we e 1. Cor. 11. 28. examine good things euen by the manner of doing them and not thinke it sufficient that the thing we do is for the matter and substance of it lawfull and warrantable As many if not many more transgressions are committed by failing in the manner of doing good things as by doing things which are simply euill §. 68. Of propounding a perfect patterne before vs. Q. VVHat are we taught by the kind of patterne set before vs A. The patterne which we follow must be perfect such a patterne is the example of those that are in heauen f Heb. 12. 23. They are spirits
our many forfeitures of couenant the forenamed directions are daily to be obserued §. 111. Of Popish indulgences for sinnes to come and Shriuing in Lent COntrarie to this branch of this Petition are the blasphemous Indulgences which by Popes and popish Priests are giuen for sinnes to come See §. 126. and that not onely for some particular sinnes Vid. Hadrian in tract de Indulg Nauar. de Iubil Cornubens de Indulg Ioh. de Turrecr in Comment de Poen Bell. de Indulg whereby they eag on and embolden men to commit those sinnes but also for all manner of sinnes not for a day or a weeke or a moneth or a yeare but for many yeares yea all their life And lest they should feare vengeance and punishment for their sinnes after this life in Purgatory with which fiction they much affright their people they extend their indulgences farre beyond the times which they themselues doe set for Purgatorie euen vnto * Indulgentiae interdum continent condonationem poenitentiae quindecim vel viginti millium annorum Bellar. de Iudulg l. 1. c. 9. Auditum sub coelo non legitur quod corum voce depromitur Date nobis veniam dum tamen nos in errore manemus Gelas Epist ad Faust Concil Trid. §. 14 c. 5. 6 7. 8. fifteene and twenty thousand yeares Are not flood-gates hereby wide opened to all manner of licentiousnesse are not men hereby made not onely secure but also impudent in committing sinne By those indulgences men are taught to say Grant vs pardon euen while we commit sinne Was euer the like heard To the like licentious libertie doth their superstitious custome of Auricular confession and of absolution thereunto giuen by a Priest once a yeere in Lent bring men Yet this is not onely by ordinarie custome practised but by their great Councell at Trent warranted §. 112. Of neglecting to seeke discharge of sinne till Easter or till a day of visitation or death VVHat now shall wee say of such among vs as put off all serious and thorow examination of themselnes confession of their sinnes and renewing of repentance of Easter when they intend to receiue the holy Communion Though they forbeare the superstitious practise of Auricular confession yet they make as wide a gap for licentiousnesse and wickednesse as Papists doe For such commonly make little o◠no conscience of any sinne till about Easter time And is there not iust cause to thinke that that shew of conscience which they then make is but a meere shew and that it sauoureth more of fond superstition then of sound Religion Can it be imaginned that such as all the yeare long let loose the raines to impietie and iniquitie can once in the yeare make a thorow examination of their soules and confession of their sinnes Neither will they haue any minde to diue to the depth of such a sea neither if they had a will thereto could they possibly doe it Such mens soules must needs fester for want of timely and due search thereinto Much more desperate must there case needs be The danger of putting oft exa mination and repentance too long who are so farre from a dayly yea and yearely searching of themselues and seeking to be discharged of their sinnes as all their life long they neuer thinke of any such matter vnlesse God by some extraordinarie iudgement bring them as hee brought Pharaoh Exod. 10. 16. generally and confusedly to acknowledge that they haue sinned or vnlesse they obserue death to haue seased vpon them at which time if their sinnes bee laid before them either their heart is like 1. Sam. 25. 37. as Nabals to die in them and to become sencelesse as a stone or else their conscience to be as Iudas his conscience was Math. 27. 5. was a racke or rather an hell vnto them vncapable of comfort For at the time of death the bodie is weake the heart faint the spirits dull yea to him that hath not before made his peace with God the thought of death can not be but very terrible a meanes euen to astonish him that is otherwise feeble dull and heauy Satan that is not ignorant hereof taketh great aduantage there at and is then most busie to tempt and most fierce and forward to assault when man is least able to resist And whereas all our hope of standing against Satan is in Gods helpe such as haue all their life long prouoked Gods wrath and vsed no meanes to be reconciled to him can haue little hope in the last act to receiue helpe from him §. 113. Of the wofulnesse of the debt of sinne Q. WHat doctrine doth the resemblance of sinne to debt imply A. Sinners debters to God iustice Sinne maketh man bound to the reuenging iustice of God He that thus prayed to God Psal 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant well knew as much Euery sinne is a breach of Couenant betwixt God and man It maketh forfeiture thereof As a debter therefore that hath made forfeiture of his bond stands liable to the reuenge of the Creditor or rather as a malefactor that hath transgressed the Law of his Soueraigne is liable to the penaltie of the Law so a sinner to the iust reuenge of Gods Law Take notice hereby of the horrible nature of sinne Horriblenesse of sinne It kindleth the wrath it prouoketh the reuenge of the Creator Who knoweth the power of his anger Psal 90. 11. As his greatnesse is so is his anger Infinite insupportable Hence is it that the creature on whom it lyeth lyeth vnder it eternally For hee is no way able to ease himselfe of that burden If this were duely weighed and seriously thought of when we are tempted to any sinne would we be so foolish as for a little momentany delight to runne into such a debt as will cast vs into that prison out of which there is no release and in which there is torture and torment endlesse and easelesse We count them miserable that fall so farre into mans debt as they are neuer able to discharge it What may we then thinke of such as fall into this debt of sinne Take also hereby further notice of the necessitie of such a Surety as Iesus Christ is Necessitie of Christs Suretiship God-Man in one person For such is the debt of sinne as no creature in heauen or in earth was able to discharge it If Christ had not vndertaken the discharge thereof our case had been like to the case of those Angels who are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse Iude verse 6. vnto the iudgement of the great Day §. 114. Of euery sinne being mortall yet not equall Q. WHat doth the penaltie whereby sinne is made a debt import A. Sinne is mortall Yea because this Metaphor Debts being of the plurall number is indefinitely vsed and compriseth all manner of sinnes vnder it I may further inferre that Euery sinne is mortall For
it deserueth not eternall punishment He inserteth these phrases without respect to Predestination or to the mercy of God or to the state of the regenerate because orthodoxall Diuines haue granted that the title veniall may be applied to sinne in regard of Gods eternall predestination and purpose to pardon sinne and in regard of the mercy of God which is greater then the desert of sinne and in regard of the regenerate whose faith gaineth an absolution for sinne To shew therefore that hee and his hereticall Church whose cause hee maintaineth goeth beyond the limits of all truth hee reiecteth the fore-named limitations wherein truth is bounded and will haue ventall sinnes to be of themselues in their owne nature not worthy of damnation In their sence these two termes Sinne Veniall are contradictorie Sinne is according to the doctrine of the Scripture worthy of damnation Vâ—niall according to their sence is not worthy fo damnation Rom. 6. 23. To say therefore that sinne is veniall is to say that worthy of damnation is not worthy of damnation But I demand are their veniall sins pleasing or displeasing to God one of them they must be A meane cannot bee giuen betwixt these two contradictorie termes which is neither of them They dare not say that veniall sinnes are pleasing to God Then doe they displease him If they displease him they offend an infinite goodnesse an infinite excellency an infinite Maiestie and in that respect are worthy of an infinite punishment As for their owne instances of veniall sinnes 1. The suddennest motions that can be though no consent should be yeelded to them are against the first and last commandements Besides the perfect Law of God is spirituall It requireth integritie in the innermost parts euen in the spirits of men The fore-mentioned thoughts are against spirituall integritie and in that respect against the Law and deserue the curse thereof Yea further the secretest suddennest thoughts are acts and motions of the soule as manifest to God as outward actions of the body If therefore they be euill they are in his sight apparant transgressions As for motions to lust though neuer so sudden at the very sight of a woman Math. 5. 22 28. Christ accounteth them a kinde of adulterie And motions to anger hee accounteth a kinde of murther But Adulterie and Murther are against the Law and deserue the curse of the Law 2. Of idle words Christ saith Math. 12. 36. Men shall giue account at the Day of Iudgement When the account is taken shall idle words at the barre of that Iudgement be approued or condemned To say they shall be approued were much to impeach the perfection of Christs purity and iustice If then they be condemned eternall death is their due There is then no other penalty to be inflicted All standing at that Barre are pronounced blessed or denounced cursed 3. For stealth of an halfe-penny doth the Law which saith Thou shalt not steale exclude halfe-pennies or no If no where is the exception The words are indefinite Thou shalt not steale He that stealeth an halfe-penny stealeth In stealing an halfepeny therefore he is a transgressor of the Law and guilty of the penalty and curse thereof To conclude God shall bring euery worke into iudgement Eccl. 12. 14. with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill The smallest things that can bee imagined are comprised vnder these phrases euery â—orke euery secret thing If they be brought to iudgement it is either to be rewarded or reuenged If they be good to be rewarded For a cup of cold water onely giuen to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall in no wise lose his reward Math. 10. 42. But if they bee euill to be reuenged If at the Day of Iudgement they be reuenged surely the reuenge is eternall death But veniall sins are euil not good They shall therefore be brought into iudgement condemned punished with eternall death I speake of sinnes not repented of not washed away by the bloud of Christ of sinnes as they are in their own nature in their own desert For so standeth the controuersie betwixt vs and Papists §. 1. Learne to know sinne 116. Of duties to be obserued because euerie sinne is mortall THe knowledge of the nature of euery sinne 2. Auoid sinne and of the due desert thereof 3. Be not accessarie to others sinnes ought to make vs diligent in searching into the Law of God that thereby we may know what is sinne for a Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of sinne And knowing sinne carefully and conscionably to auoide it For b Rom. 6. 23. the wages of sinne is death 4. Repent And no way make our selues accessarie to the sinnes of others for so c Ezek. 3. 18. we bring the bloud of others vpon our owne heads 5. Search our selues And if we haue committed sinne our selues or made our selues accessarie to the sinnes of others 6. Get a discharge not to sooth our consciences with the smalnesse thereof and thereupon remaine secure 7. Be watchfull not caring to repent thereof d Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall perish To worke the more through repentance we ought throughly to search our selues 8. CoÌ„temne the reproches of precisenesse and from time to time strictly to e 1. Cor. 11. 28. examine our thoughts words and actions And as we discerne any transgressions or alterations in any of them instantly to craue pardon for them Yea because we cannot be ignorant that many sinnes vnawares passe from vs to desire a generall discharge of all other sinnes which two points are expresly noted in this fifth Petition As wee craue pardon for all sinnes past so ought we to be g Ioh. 5. 14. watchfull ouer our selues for the time to come euen so watchfull as to h 1. Thes 5. 22. abstaine from all appearance of euill Not i 2. Sam. 6. 21 22 Peccata ignoran tiae vel negligen tiae melius accusantur vt pereant quam excusantur vt maneant Aug. in Psal 105. regarding the common scoffes against precisenesse as the world termeth Christian carefull conscionable watchfulnesse ouer a mans selfe Commonly the wickeder sort do most iustifie themselues Ipsa leuia non contemnantur De minutis guttis flumina implentur Per angustas vimulas insudat aqua naâ—is impletur sentina si contemnatur sentina nauis mergitur Aug. hom 42. in lib. 50. Hom. and the vpright most iudge themselues The vpright vse to iudge themselues for their very ignorances and negligences And surely sinnes of ignorance or negligence were better be iudged that they may be destroyed then excused that they should be nourished For k Eccl. 12. 14. euery thing must be brought to iudgement and l Mat. 12. 36. of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue an account in the day of iudgement Let not
vnto our selues an inuincible resolution For while wee liue in this world it cannot be but that we shall haue wrongs offered vnto vs. It is not without cause that the Apostle aduiseth to Let patience haue her perfect worke Iam. 1. 4. The perfect worke of patience consisteth as in the truth of it whereby it is sound not fained so in the extent of it that it reach to all kinds of wrongs and offences and in the continuance of it that it endure to the end The a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notation of the word which the Apostle vseth implyeth this last branch of perfection which is a persisting to the end euen to the end of this mortall life wherein wee shall haue vse and need of exercising this duty of forgiuenesse We may not therefore so much consider what wrongs and offences we haue forgiuen as how many more we may hereafter take occasion to forgiue that by our continuall practise of this duty wee may day after day say I doe forgiue Thus much of the Duty required The Parties tyed thereto are next to be considered §. 139. Of dealing with man as we desire God should deale with vs. Q. VVHo are especially tyed to the condition of the fift Petition A. They who call God Father and craue forgiuenesse of him For this Particle WEE in the condition and the Particles OVR VS in the Preface and in the Petitions are all of the same Number and Person and haue a mutuall reference to the same persons Q. What doctrine hence ariseth A. Saints that craue and expect mercy of God are most bound to shew mercy to man This did the Lord presse vpon his seruant thus I forgaue thee all thy debt because thou desiredst mee shouldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had compassion on thee This also doth the Apostle especially presse vpon Professors Ephes 4. 4 5 6. as these Reasons shew There is one body and one Spirit euen as yee are called in one hope of your Calling One Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all By the mercy which Saints that craue and expect mercy from God shew both God that forgiueth them and Christ for whose sake God forgiueth them are most glorified The Gospell also and their profession thereof are most graced and honoured thereby yea and the mouthes of such enemies as watch for occasions to disgrace professors of the Gospell are stopped Finally the mutuall good of the members of Gods Churches is hereby much promoted What great and iust cause of complaint is in these respects giuen Quarrels of Professors by reason of the teachy wrathfull reuengefull disposition of many that in profession of Religion are very forward Of those who in outward profession make their houses Gods Churches by the dayly exercises of piety therein This complaint against quarrels of Professors is not made as an inuectiue against profession but against such as abuse profession and made it a cloak to â—ouer their hypocrisie constantly offering vp their morning and euening spirituall sacrifices who also by frequenting the house of publike prayer the ministerie of the Word the Lords Table and other seruices of God make great shew of much piety haue the name of Saints and seeme to expect much mercy from the Lord of those I say there be many who are full of enuy wrath and reuenge very quarrellous and contentious ready to arrest to bind to the Peace and good behauiour to cast into Prison to commence suites in Law and enter actions of trespasse of defamation and of other like pettie matters vpon very sleight occasions The Prophet foretold the Wolfe should dwell with the Lambe Isa 11. 6. and the Leopard lie dâ—wne with the Kid c. But now such as professe themselues to bee Lambs and Kids of Christs flocke can scarce dwell quietly one by another Many Professors are as very fire-brands as any other Iam. 1. 27. Surely their profession and religion is vaine They mocke God they deceiue man they lie against their conscience when they say We forgiue Their sinne is the greater in that thereby they open the mouthes of prophane persons against the Gospell of Christ and a profession thereof Let vs who call God Father who craue who expect mercie of God learne with what mind to do it namely with a mind ready and willing to do for others what we desire to be done for vs. Lift vp pure hands without wrath thou that desirest God to turne away his wrath from thee Shew mercie thou that crauest mercie of God Be bountifull thou that longest to taste of the sweetnesse of Gods bountie Forbeare thy brother thou that wouldest haue God forbeare thee So deale in euery other respect as thou prayest God to deale with thee This is acceptable to God This well becommeth thy profession This will bring much comfort to thy soule Thus shall not thy prayer be made in vaine The Dutie and Parties most bound thereto being declared The Persons to whom the dutie is to bee performed are to bee set out §. 140. Of the seuerall kinds of debts whereby we become debters to man Q. VVHo are meant by DEBTERS A. Such as any way wrong man For the Apostle ioyneth together these two phrases a Philem. v. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wronged endebted So many wayes as one wrongeth another he becometh a debter to him But one may wrong another according to those seuerall distinct heads of duties which the law enioyneth to bee performed to our neighbours fiue waies 1. In his place or dignitie Herein b Numb 12. 2. Aaron and Miriam c 16. 3. Corah Dathan and Abiram became Debters to Moses They spake against that authoritie eminencie and dignitie which God had giuen him 2. In his Person or life Herein d 1. Sam. 19. 10 11. c. Saul became a debter to Dauid by persecuting his person and seeking to take away his life Herein also e Acts 2. 23. the Iewes were debters to Christ 3. In his chastitie Herein f 1. Sam. 25. 44 Phalti and Michal became debters to Dauid in that g 2. Sam. 3. 14. Michal being Dauids wife they two as man and wife liued and kept companie together 4. In his goods Herein Onesimus became a debter to Philemon by running from him and purloyning his goods which moued Saint Paul to say h Philem. v. 18. If he haue wronged thee or oweth thee ought c. 5. In his good name Herein i 2. Sam. 16. 7 8. Shemei became a debter to Dauid by reproaching him and calling him a man of bloud a man of Beliall All these wrongs hath God expresly forbidden in his Law so as they are double debts One as transgressions against God The other as iniuries against men The later of these kinds of debts is here meant in this condition Of that kind are all the forenamed instances §. 141. Of making
satisfaction for wrongs done to man Q. VVHat doctrine doth this title DEBTERS applyed to wrongs doâ—e to men imply A. Wrong doers must make satisfaction for the wrong which they do Euery wrong is a debt But a debt must be satisfied according to this charge a Rom. 13. 8. Owe nothing to any man b Leu. 6. 2 c. Numb 5. 7. God gaue to the Israelites an expresse law for restitution or satisfaction of that wherein one had wronged another By satisfaction as by a plaister the wound which is made is healed and so wrong becometh to be as no wrong The truth of repentance for the wrong which is done is also manifested by satisfaction c Luke 19. 8. Zaccheus hereby gaue euideÌ„ce of his vnfeigned repentance Were it possible to make satisfaction for the debts wherein we stand bound to God we ought to do it But because by reason of the infinitenesse of that debt wee are not in any sort able to satisfie it Christ who is able hath vndertaken it He is become our Suretie He hath discharged our debt So as in regard of our debts to God all that is expected of vs for satisfaction thereof is by a true faith to apply the satisfaction of Christ But because wee may be profitable to man may make some recompence for that wrong we haue done to him we ought in this case to do to the vttermost of our power what we can Pollicetur sibi magnae â—wrae fore vt omnia ciuitatibus quae cuiusque fuissent restituerentur Cic. in Ver. Aut vim fieri vetat aut restitui factam iubet Idem pro Cecin He that is carefull to make satisfaction sheweth that he is sensible of the wrong he hath done and would if it were possible that it had not bene done which implyeth a penitent heart Besides common iustice and equitie requireth satisfaction in what we are able The heathen by the light of nature well discerned as much and haue giuen many good directions thereabout What a shame would it be for them that haue the light of the Gospell added to that light of nature more to liue in darknesse and more to loue the workes of darknesse then they did Obiect They to whom men are indebted must forgiue their debters Why then should debters thinke of restitution or satisfaction Answ 1. That dutie of forgiuenesse is required in case that a debter cannot through disabilitie or will not through obstinacy make satisfaction But it giueth no libertie to him that is able to bee willfull in refusing to do what hee is bound to do 2. Gods requiring mercie of one doth not iustifie iniustice and iniurie in another Wherefore let euery one looke to that especially which belongeth to him Redresse wrong and obserue wherein he hath wronged another to do him the best right that he can and that according to the wrong which hee hath done If it be a wrong knowne humbly to acknowledge the same to the partie wronged If an inferiour haue wronged his superiour by any disloyaltie let him bee the more loyall for the time to come If one vnder subiection haue bene rebellious let him be the more submissiue and obedient If one who owed seruice to another haue bene negligent or carelesse in his businesse let him be the more industrious and diligent Let him that hath any way dealt vnmercifully with another take all occasions to shew the more mercie to him He that hath any way defrauded another let him to his vttermost power make full restitution He that hath impeached the good name or credit of another let him endeauour to right him whom he hath discredited in his reputation And so in other wrongs Thus will there be an healing of the wounds that haue bene made And this is fruite worthie of repentance Math. 3. 8. which we are commanded to bring forth Note this all ye that by word or deed haue offended any Adde not obstinacie to iniurie Persist not in wrong That is to make the sinne out of measure sinfull To your sinne your iudgement shall be answerable As for such as hauing done wrong refuse reconciliation when it is offered surely they haue a diuellish spirit Such were they of whom the Psalmist thus complaineth Psal 120. 6 7. My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speake they are for warre These are fire-brands in the societies where they are More fit to liue in hell among diuels then on earth among men §. 142. Of departing from our right Q. WHat other doctrine may bee gathered from this metaphor DEBTERS in relation to the dutie of forgiuing A. To forgiue we must part with our right For a debter to pay what he oweth is a right due to the creditor But a debter must be forgiuen This cannot be except the Creditor let go his right and forbeare to exact that which were it not for this dutie of forgiuing he might exact Saul hauing shewed himselfe a profest mortall enemie against Dauid acknowledged that Dauid when he had him in his power might haue killed him so as in sparing him Saul acknowledged that Dauid departed from his right a 1. Sam. 24. 18 19. Thou hast shewed this day saith Saul to Dauid how thou hast dealt well with me forasmuch as when the Lord had deliuered me into thine hand thou killedst me not For if a man find his enemie will he let him go well away The truth is that Dauid was by all law bound to spare Sauls life and to forbeare all reuenge against his person because he was with his Soueraigne which b 1. Sam. 24. 5 6. Dauid well knew and accordingly hee professed as much but c 18 19. in Sauls opinion he departed from his right which he did in truth in d 2. Sam. 19. 22 23. Shemeis case We haue a worthy patterne for departing from ones right for peace sake in the c Mat. 17. 26. 27 example of Christ who though hee were able to proue that hee was not bound to pay tribute yet payd it So f 1. Cor. 9. 15. S. Paul did forbeare to exact that of the Churches which he might haue done If a man haue no right to exact that which he seemeth to forgiue his forgiuenesse is no forgiuenesse It is no worke of mercie The common practise of men Vttermost of right not alwaies to bee stood vpon in standing to the vttermost for their right cannot stand with the equitie of that which is here professed We forgiue our debters In all manner of wrongs to a mans place person chastetie goods or good name there is a kind of right for a man to take reuenge and such a right as it may be is not condemned but rather iustified by mans law What kind of debt then can be forgiuen if that which may bee thought mans right be exacted to the vttermost Quarrels contentions needlesse but harmefull suites in
cause Mat. 6. 33. For 1. Our happinesse consisteth in the spirituall well-fare of our soules Psal 32. 2. Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile 2. Herein lyeth a maine difference not onely betwixt reasonable and vnreasonable creatures or ciuill sauage men or Professors of true religion and idolaters but also betwixt all naturall and spirituall men The naturall man whether he liue in the Church or out of it mindeth onely the things of this life The things of the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. which concerne his soule and the spirituall good thereof He receiueth not for they are foolishnesse to him Onely the spirituall man who is both in the Church and of the Church enlightned and guided by that Spirit which is in the Church and in euery part and member thereof well discerning the things of the Spirit of God tending to the happinesse of his soule doth carefully seeke after them The folly of most men is hereby discouered 1. Reproofe For their care is wholly and onely for the things of this life They neglect their soules as if they had no soules at all to care for or cared not what became of them Their owne Prouerbe verifieth as much against them which is this Let God take care for my soule and I will take care for my bodie A cursed Prouerbe In both the parts thereof it sauoureth ranke of Atheisticall prophanenesse The latter part implyeth a desperate casting off Gods care for their bodies the former a presumptuous thrusting of their soules on God against that course which he hath expresly prescribed Let vs learne wisedome from this ground of wisedome taught by him that is the wisedome of God 2. Aduice Let vs not disioyne the care of these two sweete companions which God hath so nearely linked together our bodie and soule Let both in their place and due manner be cared for Let spirituall things be prouided for the soule which is a spirituall substance as well as earthly things for the body which is of the earth By that care which nature moueth vs to take for the temporall good of our bodies we ought to be so farre from resting therein as we ought rather to be raised vp thereby to seeke how we may procure good to our soules Surely Christ by inferring the Petitions for our soules good immediatly vpon that which concerneth the good of our bodies intendeth thereby that by sence of our bodies need we should be made sencible of the soules need For this end let vs 1. Take notice of our spirituall needs Ignorance of need maketh men negligent of prouiding things needfull Laodicea not knowing that she was wretched Reu 3. 16 17 18 miserable poore blind and naked regarded not the gold that might make her rich the white rayment that might couer the shame of her nakednesse and the eye-salue that might make her see 2. Prou. 2. 4. Enquire after the meanes of helpe 4. 5. The wise man doth oft much presse this dutie of seeking and searching after the things that are needfull and vsefull 8. 5. 3. Conscionably and carefully vse the meanes which are afforded for helpe This was the counsell which Christ gaue to the forenamed Church of the Laodiceans to buy gold tried in the fire and white raiment Reu. 3. 18. and to annoint her eyes with eye-salue §. 158. Of doubling our care for the good of our soules Q. WHy are there two Petitions for our spirituall good A. 1. The things concerning our spirituall estate are farre more excellent as the soule is more excellent then the bodie Things of the soule most excellent and as things concerning eternall and heauenly happinesse surpasse such as concerne onely a temporall and earthly contentment Mat. 13. 44 45 46. The Merchant that sold all that he had to buy the treasure hid in the field and the pearle of price was not ignorant hereof 2. They are more absolutely necessarie Things of the soule most necessarie We may want the temporall things of this world and yet not be miserable God can turne that want to our aduantage Luke 10. 42. But the want of spirituall blessings maketh vs extreamely miserable True happinesse consisteth in the fruition of these Yea the happinesse of our temporall well-fare consisteth in our spirituall well-fare No benefit no comfort can be receiued from all that this world affordeth vnlesse sinne be pardoned and we freed from the power thereof 3. We are by nature more dull and backward to seeke after things spirituall Man carelesse of his soule then temporall These are visible and the sweetnesse of them is more sensible sooner discerned and more easily tasted The other being inuisible are more insensible So as we haue more need to be the more earnest in seeking of them Q. What are we taught hereby A. Our care for spirituall things must be double With much more earnestnesse must we seeke spirituall then temporall blessings It is of spirituall good things that Christ saith Mat. 6. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First seeke c. Both before and aboue all other things seeke them First doth not onely note out the order but also the manner of seeking 2 Pet 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of spirituall blessings it is That Saint Peter saith Rather giue diligence or giue the more and greater diligence to make them sure Our mind must with the vtmost of our endeauour euen with full bent be carried that way A due consideration of this point doth manifest the e 2. Pet. 1. 9. blindnesse and aggrauate the folly of them who preferre temporall before spirituall blessings Mar. 5. 17. like to the Gadarens who made more account of their swine then of Christ Into this ship of fooles may they well be thrust 1. Who put of the time for seeking the good of their soules Who preferre things temporall before spirituall but will loose no time for aduancing and encreasing their temporall estate They who put off their prouiding of oyle till the houre wherein the Bridegroome came are stiled foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 2 c. 2. Who put bie the opportunities that by Gods prouidence are afforded for doing good to their soules As Felix who when by Pauls preaching his heart was so smitten as he trembled Acts 24. 26 27. said Go thy way for this time and yet watched all opportunities for a bribe 3. Who so eagerly pursue the things of this world wherein they take delight Gen. 25. 29 c. or from whence they expect profit as they neglect the care of their soules Such an one was prophane Esau who followed the profits and pleasures of the field till hee fainted and then sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage 4. Such as seeke the spirituall things of their soule but so loosely and carelesly as if they cared not much for them
Iustification so the summe of this latter is Sanctification and in our prayer we are taught to ioyne them together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this particle AND doth import Reade for proofe of the indissoluble connextion of these two Rom. 6. 1 2 c. 1. Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 5. 25. The grounds hereof are 1. The manifestation of mercie and puritie in God 2. The cleansing vertue which accompanieth the merit of Christs sacrifice 3. The operation of the Spirit immediatly issuing from our incorporation into Christ 4. The efficacie of the Gospell 5. The vertue of faith All these are euidently set out by the coniunction of Sanctification with Iustification 1. Iustification commendeth the rich mercie of God in acquitting sinners freely and fully of all that debt wherein they stand obliged to his reuenging iustice Gods mercie puritie manifested by mans Iustification and Sanctification And Sanctification setteth out his puritie shewing that a Exod. 34. 6 7. that God which pittieth sinners will not boulster vp sinners in their sinnes His pittie moueth him to iustifie them and his puritie moueth him to sanctifie them 2. A merit and a vertue in Christs bloud That bloud of Christ which is b Mat. 26. 28. Shed for the remission of sinnes c Heb 9. 14. doth purge our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God This double vse of Christs sacrifice was manifested by that d Ioh. 19. 34. bloud and water which issued out of Christs side while he was on the crosse They therefore who are iustified are also sanctified That spirit which vniteth to Christ sanctifieth 3. By the Spirit of sanctification we are vnited vnto Christ and this spirit by vertue of that vnion is conueyed into euery of the members of Christs mysticall body Rom. 8. 9. Now if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his But if his Spirit be in any it sanctifieth them 4. The grace of God which bringeth saluation that is The Gospell a word of righteousnesse the Gospell teacheth vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly Tit. 2. 11 12. righteously and godly That word therefore whereby we are iustified giueth no libertie to any licentiousnesse but doth both direct vs in the way of righteousnesse and also giueth vs abilitie to walke in that way Hereby it appeareth that the Gospell is as pure and incorrupt as the Law Difference betwixt Law and Gospell Indeed the Law is so perfect a rule of righteousnesse as it curseth euery one that in the least degree swarueth from it Deut. 27. 26. which the Gospell doth not but offereth pardon to the transgressor Yet doth it no more tolerate or countenance the least sinne then the Law doth nay rather it bringeth the sinner that hath gone astray into the way of righteousnesse againe and enableth him to walke in that way which the Law cannot do So as herein the Gospell hath an excellencie ouer the Law But if the Gospell in shewing mercie should boulster vp a sinner in any one sinne the Law would triumph ouer the Gospell yea and condemne it It is therefore necessarie for iustification of the Gospell that sanctification continually follow iustification as an hand-maid her mistresse or rather that as two sworne friends and fellowes they alwaies keepe company together 5. Faith purifieth the heart Faith purgeth For that man which in truth beleeueth his sinnes to be pardoned Acts 15. 9. will not like a swine wallow in the mire A true apprehension of Gods Fatherly loue worketh a filiall loue in mans heart which loue maketh him as truly to desire and endeauour after Sanctification as Iustification They therefore who boast of their iustification and are not truely sanctified Reproofe of carnall Gospellers seuer Gods purity from his mercy and the vertue of Christs sacrifice from the merit thereof yea the operation of his Spirit from the vnion of his members vnto him they turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and proclaime their faith to be a fruitlesse and a liuelesse faith and in fine giue too iust cause to suspect that their pretence of iustification is a meere pretence Euidence of iustification Learne we then both to gaine sound assurance to our owne soules Iam. 2. 18. and also to giue good euidence to others of our iustification by sanctification Luke 7. 47. §. 190. Of maens pronenesse to sinne after forgiuenesse Q. VVHat may be obserued from the inference of the Siâ—t Petition in the Fift Ne fortè in eadem recidamus post acceptam veniam peccatorum orandus à nobis idem ipse est ne nosinducat in tentationem c. Bern. in Quadr. Serm. 6. A. After pardon men are proue to fall againe Otherwise there were no need for such as haue assurance of the pardon of sinne to pray against temptation or for deliuerance from euill As wofull experience in all Saints euen the best that euer liued doth verifie the truth hereof so also the dayly sacrifices which vnder the Law were appointed For euery propitiatorie sacrifice gaue the beleeuer assurance of a full discharge for his sinnes yet after one was offered vp another and another time after time was to be offered a Ioh 13. 10. Grace of iustification rooteth not out all remainder of sin He that is washed needeth not saue to wash his feet His feet therefore need to be washed And why should he that is iustified need to wash his feet if he were not subiect to foule them againe and againe The grace of iustification doth not vtterly root out all remainder of sinne Ne ipsis quidam apostolis licet Sanctificatis de fuit malitiae The flesh abideth in the best so long as they abide in this world Witnesse b Rom. 7. 18 c the complaint of that iustified Apostle Saint Paul Hilar. apud Aug. l. 2 cont Iuu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wickednesse remained in all the Apostles notwithstanding they were truely sanctified Aug. Har. 38. There were of old a certaine Sect called Puritans who indeed were plaine Hereticks Isidor Elym l. 8. c. de her and so adiudged by the Church who professed themselues to be perfectly holy and pure Their Heresie is plainely confuted by this Petition Rhem. on Luk. 15. 1. on Gal. 3. Yet is it againe reuiued by Familists yea and by Papists too For they hold that some are so righteous in this life as they need no repentance Ne quisquam si bi puro immaculo pectore blanaditur Quia nemo esse sine peccato potest quisquis se inculpatum esse dixerit aut superbus aut stultus est Cypr. apâ—d Aug. l. â— cont Iul. but keepe the Law of God and by their righteousnesse free themselues from the curse thereof If these be not Puritans I know not who be For our parts let none boast of a pure and immaculate
heart Seeing no man is without sinne whosoeuer saith hee is without fault is either proud or foolish Let vs euen after wee haue good euidence and assurance of the pardon of our sinne remaine watchfull against all enticements and temptations to sinne and well remember that caueat which Christ gaue both to him that he healed at the poole of Bethesda Ioh. 5. 14. and also to her whom notwithstanding she were taken in the act of adulterie 8. 11. he absolued Sinne no more This caueat doth not imply that a man may keepe himselfe pure from all sinne but that hee ought with the best care and greatest watchfulnesse that hee can endeuour to bee so pure Care therefore must be taken to preuent sinne to come as well as to seeke redresse for sinne past otherwise sinne will soone creepe vpon vs againe If Satan be cast out of a man he will endeuour to returne into the house from whence hee was cast out Math. 12 43. 44 45. and if hee finde it empty he will soone take his opportunitie and enter with seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe They who take notice of Satans subtilty in this kinde doe by wofull experience finde that after their most frequent prayers strictest obseruation of the Sabbath sincerest participation of the blessed Sacrament solemnest humiliation of their soules on a day of Fast in and by which holy duties they haue obtained great assurance of the pardon of their sinnes and much comfort to their soules Satan hath beene very busie in tempting them afresh and drawing them to wallow in the mire of sinne Though therefore Christ himselfe should say to vs at once hee did to the man which was brought on a bed to him g Math. 9. 2. Be of good cheere your sinnes are forgiuen you yet haue we no cause to bee carelesse and secure but rather to bee the more watchfull lest f Math. 12. 45. Opus est nobis quotidiana sanctificatione vt qui quotidie delinquimus delicta nostra sanctificatione assidua repurgemus Cypr. de Orat. dom § 9. Satan by a re-entry make our last estate worse then the first Wee haue need therefore of dayly sanctification that wee who sinne dayly may cleanse away our sinnes by continuall sanctification §. 191. Of Mans answering Gods Mercy by dutie Q. VVHat other Doctrine may bee obserued from the inference of the Sixt Petition on the Fift A. The mercy of God to man requireth dutie of man to God The Fift Petition noteth out Gods great mercy in discharging our debt and the sixt our bounden duty in auoiding that which displeaseth and dishonoureth him and by the rule of contraries in endeuouring after that which pleaseth and honoureth him It is said of them to whom a Zac. 13. 9. God saith It is my people that they shall say The Lord is my God Equitie and gratefulnesse require as much Most iust and equall it is that the goodnesse of a Soueraigne should bee requited with all the duty that a subiect can performe and not to do it is a great point of vngratefulnesse The vnrighteousnesse therfore Mans vngratefulnesse vngratefulnes of man to God is too manifestly declared Though man haue rebelliously risen vp against the Lord taken part with his enemie yet hath the Lord graciously offered pardon to man and notwithstanding his gracious offer of pardon man will not be drawne from the enemies side but as a sworne Slaue continueth to fight vnder his colours b Deut. 32. 15. God doth much complaine hereof Let vs be better aduised and first c Ephes 3. 18 19 take notice of the kindnesse of the Lord to vs and then endeuour to d Col. 1. 10. walke worthy of the Lord. Let vs therefore bee as conscionable in performing duty to God as wee are desirous to receiue mercy of God That so wee may manifest a true childlike disposition to God and shew we respect him as well as our selues in our desires and endeauours §. 192. Of auoiding temptations Q. VVHat may bee gathered from connexion of the latter part of the Sixt Petition with the former part A. For auoiding euill temptations must bee auoided To this purpose tend the many disswasions in Scripture from temptations as a Prou. 1. 15. Walke not in the way Refraine thy foot b 5. 8. Come not nigh the doore c 4 15. Auoid Passe away d Isa 52. 11. Touch no vnclean thing e Ephes 5. 11. Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse f 2. Cor. 6 17. Come out from among them Temptations to sonnes of Adam are as fire to dry stubble Danger of temptation dry Tinder yea and dry Gunpowder A little sparke soone causeth a great flame Temptation first brought man euen in his innocent estate to euill If then corrupt man auoid not temptation how can he be free from euill Obserue the great euils whereinto the Saints in any ages haue fallen and you shall find them to be occasioned by temptations g Gen. 9. 20 21. Noahs drunkennesse h 19. 33. Lots Incest i 2. Sam. 11. 2. Dauids Adultery k 2. Kin. 11. 4. Salomons Idolatry l Mat. 26. 69 c Peters deniall of Christ were all euill effects of temptations Be wise now therefore O sonnes of men You especially that indeed desire to be free from euill Meddle not with temptations Dally not with temptations but rather as Christ a Mat. 4. 4 7 10. did resist them manfully and put them away as farre from you as you can Men will not bring barrels of Gunpowder neere the fire but lay them in places farre from fire Shall they be more carefull for their earthy houses then you for your heauenly soules Boast not of thine abilitie to quench the fire of all temptations Thine abilitie in this kinde must then be greater then Peters or Salomons or Dauids or Lots or Noahs yea or Adams in his innocencie For a man to cast himselfe into temptations and to receiue no euill from those temptations is as great a miracle as the preseruation of Shadrach Dan. 3. 26 c. Meshach and Abednego in the midst of the hot fiery furnace was §. 193. Of calling on God for all things Q. WHat may bee obserued from directing all the Petitions which any way concerne our good to God A. God is all in all The fourth Petition setteth him out a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giuer of good things The fift a b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgiuer of debts The former part of the sixt a c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preseruer from danger whereunto wee are subiect The latter part of the sixt a d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliuerer from euill whereinto wee are fallen On this ground might Dauid well say Whom haue I in heauen but thee Psal 73. 25. and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee
they are very oft ioyned together 3. Ioh. ver 11. Now holinesse is perfected both by e 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7. adding one grace to another and also by f 1. Pet. 2. 2. continuall growth in euery grace Eph. 4. 15. These two duties arise from the generall Summe of the last Petition 3. To be iealous ouer our selues Heb. 3. 12. 4. 1. fearing lest at any time wee should be ouercome by any temptation For we are not onely weake easie to be ouertaken and ouerthrowne by euery temptation but also very proane to yeald to Satans temptations because they are either agreeable to our corrupt humour or else we so fearefull as to thinke we shall neuer stand out against them This Christian iealousie will make vs the more instantly and constantly to seeke helpe of God 4. * See §. 192. To auoide all occasions of euill Occasions of euill are temptations to euill Should not they then who pray against temptations auoide them as much as possibly then can 5. To withstand beginnings So did the Apostle when i Gal. 2. 5. hee would not giue place to false brethren who were dangerous tempters no not for an houre Thus much also he intendeth in this exhortation k Eph. 4. 27. Giue no place to the diuell which is as if he had said If Satan at any time tempt you yeald not an inch to him let him get no aduantage at all which he cannot but get if at the beginning ye yeald any whit at all to him Much good is got by a due obseruation of this dutie and much wisedome is manifested thereby For that euill which in the beginning is easily preuented Obsta principijs serò medicina paratur Cum mala per longas conualuere moras Ouid. de Trist can hardly if at all without very much dammage be redressed after it hath found some entrance Instance poysonous and pestiferous diseases fretting and festering soares fiers breaches of water and enemies entring within the walls of a Citie 6. To watch continually l Mat. 24. 42. This is a dutie whereunto in Scripture we are much exhorted and that not without cause For our spirituall enemies are alwayes readie to tempt vs Turpius eijcitâ—â— quâ—m non admittitur hoslis narrowly prying where to get any aduantage against vs. And soone they will get too great aduantage if we be not the more watchfull Acts 20. 31. To shew that this dutie is fitly inferred out of this Petition 1. Cor. 16. 13. Christ expresly ioyneth it with prayer against temptation 2. Tim. 4. 5. saying Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation 7. To be m 1. Pet. 5. 8. sober and n Luke 21. 34. temperate where these are not euery tempter will rule as he list For intemperancie and all excesse blind the vnderstanding and open a passage to all manner of euill desires and filthy lusts and make vs vnfit to pray to watch to fight and to defend our selues against our spirituall enemies 8. To cast off euery burden Heb. 12. 1. By burdens are meant not onely such things as are simply euill in themselues but such also as being in their nature good and may lawfully bee vsed yet through our weaknesse and inabilitie to vse them well proue impediments to vs in our spirituall combate as the riches of that Ruler whom Christ aduised to sell all that he had Luke 18. 22. and to giue it to the poore Thus if honours offices recreations companies which we frequent or any worldly thing wherein wee delight proue a burden to vs and make vs vnfit to resist temptations yea rather make vs yeald to temptations we are to cast them off to auoide and forsake them 9. To mortifie our members on the earth Col. 3. 5. The flesh that is our corrupt nature Exponded which containeth in it the masse of all sinne is stiled a b Row 6. â— 7. 24. Body This bodie is made vp of seuerall particular lusts and euill motions as a body of members And as a bodie exerciseth all functions by the members so the flesh executeth all mischiefes by particular lusts and one lust helpeth another as one member another and as deare are these lusts to the naturall man as the members of his body Those particular lusts are therefore fitly stiled members and they are said to be members on the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. In opposition to the spirit and the graces thereof which come from heauen and bring men to heauen 2. In their own condition which is as the earth base filthy corrupt and vaine 3. In their operation whereby they make men grouel and dote on the earth and the things therein By mortifying these the foresaid Bodie which is a dangerous tempter will in time be depriued of all strength we freed from the danger of the temptations thereof Be diligent therefore in searching them out and hauing found them spare them not as e 1. Sam. 15. 9. 33. Saul did the fat beasts but deale with them as Samuel did with Agag and f Ios 10. 26. Ioshua with the kings of Canaan 10. To beate downe our bodie This is done by forbearing to pamper our selues 1. Cor. 9. 27. and to satisfie our carnall desires that so the flesh may not waxe wanton and like a pampered iade become vnruly but that wee may liue within the compasse prescribed and limited by Gods word 11. To renounce the world The world is such a tempter as b Iam. 4. 4. the friendship of it is enmitie with God c 1. Ioh. 2. 15. If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him d 2. Tim. 4. 10. Demas that old Disciple Demas by embracing the world was brought to renounce his Christian profession It is therefore most meete that e Gal. 6. 14. the world be crucified to vs and we to the world that our hearts bee cleane alienated one from another and that wee haue no more to do one with another then the liuing with the dead Thus shall wee bee sure not to bee ouertaken by the temptations of the world 12. To resist the diuell 1. Pet. 5. 9. This is the onely way to escape his temptations He is like a wolfe which fiercely pursueth and neuer leaueth such as fearefully flie from him but flieth from such as manfully stand against him Iam. 4. 7. So saith the Apostle Resist the diuell and he will flie from you 13. To put our trust in God Psal 62. 5 6 7 8. To what end do we else pray vnto God 14. m Iam. 5. 8. To suffer afflictions patiently All crosses and afflictions are temptations Reu. 2. 3. By a patient enduring of them wee keepe our selues from being ouercome by them * See the whole Armour of God on Eph. 6 15. Let patience therefore haue her perfect worke The last 12 duties