and so to lament a mans errours and imperfections Secondly God will pardon all sinnes to them that beleeue and repent be they as the sands of the sea for number and waight and hereupon we reade in the Scriptures how that Iudas hauing committed incest Dauid hauing in the pride of his heart numbred the people and added thereunto adultery and murther Salomon in his defection giuing a toleration to idolatry Peter hauing thrice denied his Lord and Master Mary the Adultresse Paul a blasphemer and persecutor Zacheus an extortioner diuers Conâ—urers whereof we read in the Acts of the Apostles the incestuous Corinthian repented and were receiued into grace and fauour with God Thirdly Christ their Sauiour came into the world to saue sinners and for this end gaue himselfe for them to be an offring and a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour to God by death hath destroied the diuell that had the power ouer death and therefore he will deliuer them which for feare of death are in bondage Lastly if they doe but hunger and thirst after grace and in good sadnesse séeke the Lord and the pardon of their sinnes they shall neuer bee sent away empty but be filled with good things and in Gods court get their quietus est Luk. 1.53 Apoc. 21.6 Q. What course must a Christian take that hee may bee eased and disburdened of his doubting A. First he must be prouident that he doe not minister matter and nourishment to this doubting by calling the power truth and mercy of God into question and by giuing credite vnto satan who is alwayes a lyer and a murderer and seeketh his confusion but hee must against hope belieue vnder hope all that God hath promised and vali 〈…〉 st the diuell and hee will flée from him Secondly he must often meditate vpon Gods excellent and abundant mercies and appropriate them to his owne vse and by faith flie vnto the throne of grace and then he shall find help in time of need namely rest to his soule peace to his conscience Psal. 103.9.10.11.12.13.14 15. Lastly hee must not onely conferre with and communicate his doubts and irresolutions to Gods Ministers and his Christian friends that may be the organs and instruments of God to perswade and comfort him but importune the Lord by constant and earnest praier to send downe his holy spirit that may teach him al truth and guide his feet into the way of peace and then he cannot but speed well Q. How shall a poor distressed Christian bee informed and reformed in his perswasion that doubteth whether that Christ be his Sauiour in particular or not A. First he must knew that Gods mercies in Christ cannot for length bredth deepenes and continuance bee comprehended and like the sunne so shine vpon all men and like the running springs so offer themselues to all sorts that none are put by and shut out but by their owne vnbeliefe and wilfulnes and therefore hee must entitle himselfe vnto and make claime of Gods generall pardon in Christ and then hee shâ—ll neuer miscarrie Secondly if a man bee teachable and fractable and doe humbly sue and seeke vnto Christ for assurance of faith he shall vndoubtedly obtaine it Lastly seeing that in the worke of our redemption specially God worketh by contraries out of darkenes he draweth light out of sinne sanctimonie out of want wealth out of reproch renown and out of death life c he must with faithfull Abraham contrary to hope belieue vnder hope and he shall at length be assured that Christ is his Sauiour Obiection Where there is no Word of God there is no faith but there is no particular word of God to ascertain mee that Christ is my Sauiour in particular how then can I haue any speciall perswasion of faith A. Though thy name bee not mentioned and expressed in Scripture yet there is that which is equiualent thereunto namely a commaundement to belieue and a promise of saluation to him that beleeueth Math. 28.18 19. Secondly if thou canst not at first be perswaded that Christ is thy Sauiour in particular be a diligent hearer frequent and feruent in prayer an ordinary resorter to the Lords Supper a conscionable liuer and conferre with thy Pastor and christian brethren and it shall be said vnto thee as vnto the woman of Canaan Great is thy faith bee it vnto thee according to thy desire Obiection But Hypocrites Heretickes and prophane persons may make an apply of the generall promise and yet bee farre wide of any true assurance A. Their application is but a meere deceit or illusion for they make an application presumptuously hauing neither the hand of faith nor the seale of sanctification The Diuell plaieth the iugler with them and maketh them belieue that they see that which they see not and to be full of faith when they are starke banckrupts in all sauing grace But it is farre otherwise with Gods children for they being indued with the spirit of grace appropriate Gods generall promises to themselues for when God in the preaching of the gospell saith Seeke yee my face they answere O Lord wee will seeke thy face and when God shall say thou art my people they shall answere The Lord is our God Zach. 13.9 Lastly Gods elect when they are adulti and tall men in Christ they doe firmely beleeue and so vndoubtedly know it as a man that holdeth a pretious iewel in his hand knoweth so much otherwise they should find no comfort in their calamities nor be thankfull to God for graces receiued Math. 9.2 Math. 15 28. Psal. 143.12 Rom. 4.22 Q But my faith is full of weakenes ignorance doubting and therefore I feare that I haue no faith at all A. Deare Brother you haue no such reason of feare and doubting for albeit your knowledge which is the eye of your soule be somewhat dimme yet blessed be God it séeth him that is inuisible and though the application of faith in you which is the very life of your faith is but féeble yet it is sufficient to touch the hemme of Christ his garment and so to saue you and as for other parts of it such as are confessioÌ„ for sinne godly sorrow for the same hunger after grace and earnest desire of pardon they are strong sound and sure and of such force as the gates of hell shal not preuaile against them and the least sparke of this faith quencheth all the fiery darts of the diuell and no maruaile for Christ your blessed Sauiour wil not quench smoaking flaxe nor bruise a broken réede but will perfit the begun work of grace in you Secondly by your owne confession a weake faith so it hath Christ onely so as he is reuealed in Scripture for his onely obiect is a very true faith a weak and sickly man is a true man so a weak faith is a true faith and therefore it hath in the Scriptures the
THE CHRISTIAN ARMORIE WHEREIN IS CONTAINED ALL manner of spirituall munition fit for secure Christians to arme themselues withall against Satans assaults and all other kind of crosses temptations troubles and afflictions CONTRIVED IN TWO Bookes and handled pithily and plainly by way of Questions and Answers BY THOMAS DRAXE Bachelar in Diuinitie Hereunto is adioined a Table of all the principall heads and branches comprised in each Chapter of the whole Treatise EPHES. 6.13 Take vnto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things to stand fast ¶ Imprinted at London by William Hall for Iohn Stepneth and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of S. Paul at the West end of Pauls Church 1611. not perpetual and they in the meaâ—â—time are not exempted froÌ„ all euils And what if in the greatest danger some Iosephs some Daniels and some Hesters are both fauoured and aduanced yet this is very rare and extraordinarie Therfore it behooued euery seruant of God while she hatâ— time and meanes to prepare anâ— arme himselfe against all future euents and temptations and for thâ— end to put on the girdle of constancie and in the truth to bee ready to confesse the Gospell of peace to take vnto himselfe the Shield of faith triumphant in Christ to couer his head with the hope of saluation instead of an helmet and with the sword of the spirit .i. with testimonies of the scriptures to offend and foile these spirituall Amalekites and hereunto to adioyne feruent and continuall prayers without which all this spirituall armour will little auaile Thus doing hee shall find light in darknes consolation in tribulation power in weakenesse and in all his trials he shall bee more then a triumpher in Christ. And for his further encouragement let him remeÌ„ber that in this warfare the Lord Iesus is the Generall godly Kings and Princes the Coronels the Nobles Iudges and Iustices are the Captaines the Ministers of the Church the Trumpetters and Centinels the Angels the assistants God the Iudge and Rewarder and eternall glory the monument trophy of triumph This preparation being so necessary and the comforts so needfull and so abundantlie set forth in the sacred scriptures I haue according to my mediocrity from thence chiefly borrowed my spirituall armorie and haue reduced and contriued the whole doctrine of it into certaine chapters and pithy grounds propositions And to the intent that the Church of God should find coÌ„fort and profit by it I thought good to publish it And because you most excellent Lady are the Phoenix oâ— your sexe a glorious starre in our firmament and so ful of princely piety vertue and clemency I haue presumed to offer these my labours to your Graces view and to commend them to your Graces patronage For wherein should so noble a Lady in her young and flourishing yeares more labour to excell then to bee a conqueresse ouer sinne and satan For such holie beginnings cannot but bring forth blessed conclusions Vouchsafe therefore most gratious Lady to pardon my bold enterprise and to shelter these my meditations vnder the wings of your Graces fauour In humble desire and comfortable expectation whereof I commit your Grace to the blessed gouernement of the highest Maiesty Couentry March 30. 1611. Your Graces ready to be commanded in all duty and seruice THOMAS DRAXE THE CHRIstian Armorie CHAP. I. Of Mans offence and fall Question HOw came man that was originally and by his first creation so honourable holy and happy to be so sinnefull vile and miserable Answere By reason of sinne and the transgression of Gods commaundement whereby he fell away from God and lost his former dignity holinesse and happines Rom. 3.23 Q. What is sinne A. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breach of Gods law or it is a declination reuolt and apostasie from the loue nature communion and will of God Eph. 4. v. 18. Q. Who is the subiect or continent of sinne A. The reasonable creature that is many of the Angels for they kept not their first estate and purity and mankind vniuersally no man excepted for all men haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 Q. Who is the author or committeâ— of sinne A. Not God for hee is holinesse it selfe and there is in him no darknes nor sinne at all for he doth not commaund nor commend much lesse instil and suggest sinne but condemne and punish it as that which is most aduerse and contrary to his owne will and word but man onely who in mind will and affections is wholy corrupted with sinne by this meanes is become a vassall of Satan and guilty of euerlasting damnation Q. Jnto how many kinds is sinne diuided and distinguished A. Into two kinds principally namelie that poisonfull corruption wherein man is conceiued and borne which we call Originall sinne and that offence of action which we terme Actuall transgression Q. What is Originall sinne A. It is the leprous contagious pestilent infection of nature or an hereditary and naturall corruption which is successiuely by carnall generation deriued and conueied from Adam the roote and common beginning of all mankind vnto all his posterity Q By what names and epithetes is it called in the scriptures A. Amongst others these are speciall names of it First it is called sinne absolutely because it is the fountaine of al sinnes Secondly it is termed The body of Sinne because all sinnes are included in it and as it were in league with it for vpon occasion offered they breake out Thirdly it is named The Law of the members because of the dominion of it in and ouer all our members for all the parts and powers of our bodies and soules before regeneration obey it as a law and it is intituled Rebellion in our members because it doth by a continuall practise striue and rebell against the law of God Lastly it hath the denomination of Flesh Gen. 6.3 of the old Adam and of Concupiscence which is an euill and inordinate desire and inclination Q. What are the maine parts of originall corruption A. Two first losse and want of the first and originall holines in the whole man Secondly the presence of euill or a contagion and distempered disposition of all the parts and powers of soule and body Q. What are the causes of originall sinne A. Thrée the one inward and the other two outward Q. What is the inward cause of it A. The very law of nature passing originally and conueied by carnall generation from one person to another Q. What are the outward causes of it A. Two First the actuall sinne of Adam and Eue the first instruments foundation of mans nature Secondly Gods iustice imputing the transgression of our first parents to al their ofspring and posterity Q. Doth originall sinne or concupiscence remaine in the regenerate A. Yes for though
drink apparell in al rankes and orders of men Q. Who are principall outward meanes to encrease dearth and famine A. Amongst the rest enclosers of ground when they conuert so much aâ—able ground into pasture that there is not ground enough for tillage SecoÌ„dly monopolists or ingrossers Thirdly badggers forestallers Fourthly hoarders of Corne. Fifthly transporters of it beyond the Seas Lastly oppressors of the poore namely such as either denie them their wages or take and retaine their pawns pledges or those that vpon aduantage of the pooremans distresse buy his land goods liuing c. Q. What is the deseruing and procuring cause of dearth and famine A. Sinne and disobedience in generall Q. What are the particular sinnes which moue the Lord to send dearth famine Ans. First Idolatrie and corruption of Gods seruice and worship Deut. 28. 11. Secondly Atheisme and the contempt of Preaching Ier. 11.21.22 Thirdly when men being addicted to the world and their own gaine do altogether neglect the building of Gods house the reformation of his Church Fourthly Periury false oathes and the breaking of lawfull oathes Fiftly couetousnesse oppression of the poore and enclosing of the common grounds Sixthly cruelty towards the poorâ— and the wronging of them by falsâ— waights and measures Micah 6.10 Seuenthly pride in Princes and Râ—lers 2. Sam. 24. Eightly surfetting and drunkennesse Ioel 1 5. Lastly neglect of tith-paying and of maintaining the holy Ministry Q. Why doth God this way sundrie times trie and chastice his owne children who doe not sinne contemptuously oâ— with an high hand as wicked men doe A. First there is naturall corruption in them which deserueth this chastisment especially when as sometimes it commeth to passe it breaketh out into blaines and grosse sinnes Secondly God by correcting them in their bodies preuenteth in them more greeuous enormities and saueth them from eternall destruction Q. What vse is to be made heereof A. Let the wicked and profane tremble feare and betimes returne vnto God for if God correct small faults so sharpely in his own deare children how much more will he punish them that sin so presumptuously Q. What spirituall meditations are necessary to comfort our soules in time of dearth and famine A. These or the like following First we must know that it is Gods hand and that it commeth not by the will of man much lesse by chance and therefore we must repent and patiently endure this correction Secondly God by dearth and scarsitie doth preuent his children from committing many sinnes such as are riot excesse gluttony drunkennes for as a Physition letteth his patient bloud to preuent diseases in him so dealeth God with his children in this chasticement Thirdly God in the time of dearth doth not pine and starue but prouide for and quicken his children and seruants Thus in time of famine God made Ioseph the meanes to nourish his father Iacob and his brethren Thus he fed Elias by an Angel yea by a rauenous Rauen thus he multiplied the oile and meale to the poore widow of Sarepta thus for forty yeeres space hee fed the Israelites in the wildernesse with Manna from heauen thus God prouided for Elimeleks his wife and children and for the noble Sunamite and no maruell for if God féed the fowles of heauen yeâ— the young Rauens that cry vnto him how much more will he féed his sonnes and seruants Fourthly neither in this nor any other euill will God tempt them aboâ—â— their strength for he intendeth their reformation and not their ruine but iâ— they repent and pray vnto him he will mitigate if not remoue the dearth and famine and in the meane time féedâ— them Fifthly if God kéepe them shoâ—â— of these earthly thinges yet hee giueth them farre greater giftes namely faith hope charity assurance of saluation c. Lastly if God sometimes permit their bodies to pine as we haue an example in Lazarus and in some of the persecuted Israelites in the time of Antiochus yet he doth sustaine their spirits with patience and féed their soules to saluation with the hidden Manna of his word Q. What duties are there in such â— distresse to be practised A. First we must confes acknowledge and bewaile our sinnes the cause thereof we must beware that we contemne not Gods word nor abuse his good creatures and we must withall intreat the Lord to lessen or take away this plague and in the meane time suffer this correction with patience and thankfulnesse Secondly if all outward helpes faile vs yet let vs hold fast the hope of mercy and saluation and then we shall finde ease and refreshment in our troubles Thirdly Ministers and Preachers must endeauour to make the people to féele the gréeuousnesse of the calamitie to stirre them vp to repentance and patience and exhort the rich to liberalitie Fourthly rich men must regard pitie and reléeue the poore they must sacrifice on these altars they must fil these empty vessels and let the fountaine of their liberalitie runne out vnto them Lastly magistrates and rulers must not only prouide against dearth but also suppresse monopolists engrossers badgers transporters of graine hoarders of corne c. for Vae illis c. Hi sunt mercatores humanarum calamitatum that is woe vnto them that enhance the price of victuals for they are hucksters of humane miseries CHAP. VII Of Oppression Worldly losses Pouerty Question WHat coÌ„fortable theoremeâ— doth Gods word afford vs against wrong iniury and oppression A. First it is the part of good men rather to suffer iniury then to offer it Secondly the wrong done redoundeth to the hurt of him that doth it Thirdly if men cannot or will not right vs yet our God can and will auenge such indignities and therefore we must commit commend our cause vnto him yea and wait his leisure Fourthly wee haue the Saints of God for our companions herein anâ— therefore we may not iudge our selues forsaken as those that are singled out to these abuses Fifthly if Gods people doe but sigh and groane vnder their burthen he will come downe yea and ease and deliuer them Sixthly oppression maketh a wise man mad Seuenthly oppression of the innocent and the indignities offered to iust men enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts and cry to heauen for vengeance Seuenthly they that defraud and oppresse others must looke to receiue the like measure againe in Gods powerfull iustice Eighthly God will hereby try and proue whether that we will blesse them that curse vs and he will haue our vertues of loue and patience to be more eminent and conspicuous But if we carry a cankred affection and especially if we will requite euill with euill then doth God discouer vnto vs our corruption which we must labour to pull out if we will be the masters and conquerors of it Lastly we must meditate vpon Gods gracious promises and his iust
righteousnesse and the soule in the meane time is most holy perfect beautifull Fourthly at the general resurrection this vile body of ours shall be made conformable to Christs glorious body it shall be no more mortall but immortall no more vise but honourable no more weake but alwaies strong no more heauie but light and nimble no more sinfull but holy and in a word no more earthly and néeding these outward meanes and helps of meat drinke apparell rest sléepe physicke recreation marriage c. but they shall be alwaies spirituall i. immediately supported by Gods omnipotent power and absolutely subiect and obedient to the spirit Fifthly God doth not hate the deformity of the body but of the soule by reason of sinne contracted and committed by it and in it Lastly we must remember that our bodies are earthly and mortall and not heauenly and eternall and therefore we must not be discontent if rottennes enter into them onely let vs prouide that as the outward man dieth so the inward man may be renewed daily Q. What comforts against lamenesse A. First lamenesse is naturall and is caused by sicknes old age or otherwise and therefore it is to be endured with the greater patience Secondly the children of God as Mephibosheth Aza the créeple whereof we reade in the fifth of S. Iohns Gospell and a daughter of Abraham haue béen are and shall be subiect hereunto as much as the prophane and irreligious Thirdly though the bodies of Gods Saints for their correction trial and exercise be subiect hereunto yet are their soules holy sound and nothing impeached by the lame body Psal. 92. Fourthly death and the last iudgement which is the time of the restitution of all things will put an end to it and the body shall rise againe in farre greater integritie then euer it appeared in when it was in the best plight Fifthly physicke or surgery may possibly in time recouer the body and therefore the meanes are not to be neglected Lastly let our faith hope be in God and our soules purified in obeying the truth through the spirit and lamenesse shall not hurt vs. Q. Wherein shall a blind man comfort and solace himselfe A. In many things First that blindnes is a great part of innocency for the eies since Adams fall are the windowes of concupiscence and the porters to let in all vices from which enticements vnto euill and blind are fréed Secondly the blind sée nothing to distaste their stomackes to offend their eies or to grieue their minds whereas iust Lot endued with the sense of seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day in séeing the vnlawfull deeds of the Sodomites c. And so it fareth with Gods children that are blind who sée not the euill obiects nor wickednes of the world Thirdly blindnes is naturall and contracted by old age sicknes and the like infirmities and therefore Isaac Bartimaeus and the blind man in the ninth of Iohns Gospell and diuers Saints of God in all generations haue borne their parts herein therefore this correction is so much the more patiently to be borne Fourthly though the godly haue no bodily eies to behold the heauens the earth and the creatures which eies the beasts birds and creeping creatures haue common with them yet they haue spirituall and Angelical eies whereby they behold God their Creator and looke vpon Christ sitting on the right hand of God his Father in heauen Fifthly the eies are not simply necessary for godlinesse for God requireth the heart and vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding they shall be restored yea and glorified at the generall resurrection Wherefore let vs cléere the eies of our vnderstanding and cast out of them all beames of selfe conceit and all dust of error And because our memories are then most sharpe and retentiue hauing no outward obiect to blunt their edge let vs apply them to the learning of the best things and with patience wait the time of the restitution of all things Q Propound some comfortable meditations for a deafe man A. First the deafe person cannot be infected with lies and errors he cannot be deceiued and gulled by flatterers nor bee possessed with the ingredients of griefe he cannot be prouoked to wrath he séeth nothing to disturbe and disquiet him and that which most contenteth him he cannot heare Gods blessed name blasphemed Secondly by reading the scriptures sermons treatises catechismes he heareth God speake vnto him for God hath no néed of eares but only requireth a deuout mind Thirdly that which he formerly learned the holy Ghost bringeth to his remembrance Lastly his perfect hearing shall if not before be restored vnto him at the day of iudgement and his deafenesse in the mean time cannot separate him from Gods loue Q What vse must a man make of his deafnesse A. First whiles we inioy the benefit of our hearing let vs attend to Gods voice in the scriptures preached vs and let vs treasure vp the word of God in our hearts to bestead vs in time of néed Lastly though we cannot heare nor discerne the notes of musicke and the sounds of men and birds yet we haue the vse of our eies to behold the creatures and God the Author of them Comforts for a dumbe man A. Men by reason of this want and affliction are kept from many sinnes euils dangers which many that cannot temper and gouerne their tongue runne into for they cannot lie slander deceiue they cannot blaspheme God nor stirre vp the coales of conâ—ention the séeds whereof an euill tongue doth cherish Secondly they are not vndone by their rash vntemperate words much lesse are they in danger to lose their liues as many lewd and slanderous speakers are Thirdly it is a labour to speake truly and in silence there is rest Fourthly if thou hast lost an il tongue thou art a great gainer by it Fifthly if thou canst not speake with thy tongue then speake to God in thy heart for God can and doth heare as well when thou art silent as when thou speakest Lastly if thou doe but groane sigh and cry vnto God he heareth thée and that thou shalt féele and finde For as he that heareth God speake and answer is not deafe so likewise he whom God heareth is not dumbe CHAP. XV. Of ordinary particular euils from without vs whether at home or abroad The crosses of euill and bad husbands wiues parents children masters seruants and of a shrewd mother in law Question HOw are good women to comfort themselues when they are matched with euill husbands A. First they are not alone For Abigail was crossed by Nabal her husband and many innocent wiues in Moses time by reason of the crueltie and vnreasonablenes of their husbands were diuorced from them Secondly if their husbands in the flesh be euill and shrewd yet Christ their spirituall husband will alwaies intreat them kindly and louingly visit them
must not so muse and thinke vpon sorrowfull and displeasing obiects much lesse yéeld vnto that sorrow whereof he can render no certaine cause for then his sorrowes will become vncureable and kill him but it is his part to study and ponder vpon the swéete promises of God in Christ made to humbled and repentant sinners he must also ioy in and be thankefull for Gods graces and gifts conferred vpon him which will feast and refresh his soule Eightly he must vse and take comfort in Gods good creatures of meate drinke herbs plants and especially solace himselfe in the greene and most delectable spring of the glorious resurrection daily approching when God shall wipe all teares from his eies and fill him with vnutterable pleasure Lastly when he is recouered he must be truely thankefull to God and pity and kindly entreate them that are in like extremity Q What comforts are to be applied to them that are disquieted with fearefull dreames A. First few dreames are true because they are either equiuocall or ordinarily false and therefore not to bee bebeléeued and as for all Propheticall dreames they are now ceased Secondly it is better to dreame of things that are dreadful vnto vs then those that are delectable and desireable for the deceit of a dreadful dreame is pleasant and the issue of a delightsom dreame is many times sorrowful Thirdly Iob Dauid and others haue beene this way afflicted Fourthly if wee dreame of any euill that may befal vs as we may not credit it because it is a dreame so it is good we should beware of it and the occasions thereof and preuent it by praier Lastly disquiet and feareful dreames procéed ordinarily from cares vexation and distraction of mind in the day time and therefore wee must disfurnish and vnlade our selues of them Q. What practises are necessary to preuent fearfull dreames A First moderate and spare diet for from a full stomack arise noisome fumes which trouble the braine Secondly a quiet disposition and the following of quiet studies in the day time which will be the cause of quiet repose in the night Thirdly a carefull and conscionable execution of the works of our Christian and ciuill calling Fourthly before we goe to sléepe a diligent examination of our selues and a sorrow for sinne committed and good omitted and the exercise of reading conference praier Lastly if our dreames be troublesome terrible and from Satan wee must by earnest praier resist him and bid him anaunt and we shall finde maruellous comfort after it Q. How much a Christian quiet and pacifie himselfe that is weary of this present life by reason of many crosses toils troubles and discontentments A. First hee must remember that euery man is borne to many crosses and that no calling is fréed from them and therefore he must learne to take vp his crosse daily and to follow Christ. Secondly he must as well looke to be chastised of God as cherished and to be as well crossed as comforted for he must by many afflictions enter into Gods kingdome and therefore hee must encounter with these euils and vse no vnlawfull euasion to ease himselfe of them Thirdly hee must reade much yea muse and meditate vpon the swéete and sugred promises of God contained in the scriptures if he delight herein hee shall not perish in his troubles Psal. 119.92 but be reuiued Lastly hee must be often conuersant with Gods children and desire their aduice praiers counsell direction and then they will be like so many Ionathans to comfort him and so many Simons to helpe him to beare his Crosse. Q. What is desperation A. It is when a man in his owne sense and féeling is without all hope of saluation Q. How doth this come to passe A. Thus when a man being preuented falleth into some offence which satan doth maruellously aggrauate both by accusing the offender and affrighting him with the iudgements of God Matt. 27.3 4 5. Q. With what comforts and perswasions shall Gods children arme and furnish themselues against this temptation A. First that Gods mercies in Christ are of an infinite extent and doe by many degrées excéed and goe beyond all their sinnes whatsoeuer Psal. 103.10 11 12. Secondly that Christ came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and that they that sée not might sée and that they which sée namely in their owne opinion and conceit might be made blind and to séeke and saue that which was lost namely in their owne sense and estéeme and therefore afflicted sinners haue no cause of doubting much lesse of despaire Thirdly the greater that our sinne is the greater is Gods mercy to them that depend vpon him so that where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth more Fourthly Christ is a continual intercessor for them to God his Father and God heareth him alwaies Iohn 11. Fifthly that to call Gods goodnesse truth and power into question is a great sinne and that thereby they offend him as much as by any other sinne Sixthly that many of Gods déerest saints and seruants haue béen in a sort emplunged and engulfed in the pit of despaire as Dauid Iob the Church in the Canticles c. yet by praier by meditating vpon their former experience of Gods mercies Ps. 77.10.11.12 1. Sam. 17.37 and by waiting Gods leasure with patience they haue happily recouered themselues and haue béen more confirmed for the time to come Seuenthly that God when his children séeme vtterly forsaken and doe conflict with Gods wrath are not wholly nor finally forsaken but are inwardly with the woman of Canaan supported by Gods power who doth in his good time bring iudgement vnto victory or truth that is he wil so iudge and raigne that at length hee will bee a conquerour Eighthly that God in this case accepteth the will for the déede and a desire of reconciliation for reconciliation it selfe so that this our desire bee matched with a setled purpose and a full resolution to forsake all sin and to turne vnto God Luke 15.18 Ninthly that in the beginning of a mans conuersion and in the time of some gréeuous temptation God accepteth of a desire to beléeue for faith it selfe Mat. 8.25.26 Tenthly that desperation in Gods children is but temporary and therefore curable for God teacheth them he loueth them with an eternall loue he enlightneth and guideth them by his spirit and hauing begun in them the worke of grace he will finish it vntill the day of Christ. Lastly that all the rules and principles of Christian religion are demonstratiue and certain both in themselues and also in the minds and vnderstandings of Gods children Q. What vse is to be made of all these propositions A. First séeing that desperation is the high way to hell yea and the mouth of it let vs not nourish it and so hereby increase our sinne and lessen and discredit Gods
rich and roiall mercies but rather let vs build and bind vpon them for the hauen of mercy is prepared for the repentant Secondly it is our part to beware of doubting distrusting and vnbeliefe for hereby we stop the current of Gods mercy and shut the doores of our hearts that the sunneshine of his grace cannot enter in vnto vs. Lastly wee in this case must not cast our eies vpon our owne vnworthinesse as though we should bring a pawne in our hands and bind God vnto vs by our owne works but wee must take notice of the infinite extent of Gods mercy and compassion and striue to beléeue and apply all the promises of saluation Q. How are they to bee comforted that tremble at and are sore afraid at the remembrance of the last iudgement A. First their feare of the last iudgement so that it bee not vnmeasurable and vnreasonable is a notable alarum to awaken them out of and to kéepe them from the slumber of security Hereupon Saint Paul by the terror of it endeuoured to perswade men to repentance And Saint Ierome whether he did eat drinke sléepe study thought that he heard alwaies sounding in his eares Arise ye dead and come to iudgement Secondly Gods children being in Christ and hauing him for their Sauiour friend mediator and Iudge shall neuer come into the iudgement of condemnation but shall heare that comfortable sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Q. What vse in a word is to be made hereof A. We must spiritually imitate the last iudgement by arraigning our selues before the barre of Gods iudgement we must indite and condemne our selues for our sinnes and then the last iudgement shall not minister vnto vs matter of terror but of triumph Q. Js it peculiar to Gods children thus to bee sometimes perplexed with doubting of Gods fauor and their owne saluation A. Yes for first the wicked and prophane man is not sensible of his owne wants but is presumptuous and confident though he be notwithstanding deuoid and destitute of faith and inward holinesse Secondly that the child of God is subiect to such doubtings and wauerings it thus appeareth First satan desireth to sift them only and to spoile them of the rich treasure of grace in their minds and hearts Secondly whosoeuer truly beléeueth féeleth findeth in himselfe many doubtings and distrustings as the whole and sound man perceiueth in himselfe many grudgings of diseases which if he had not health he could not féele Hereupon we reade how many of Gods most worthy seruants haue doubted yea and almost despaired The man in the Gospel whose sonne was possessed with a diuel doubted when he praied Christ to helpe his vnbeliefe Iob 3. 13. Dauid Psal. 77.8 9 10 11. and Psal. 116.1 Ezechias Esay 38. and many others haue béene brought vnto the pit of desperation Thirdly Gods children onely complaine of abhorre and resist doubtings and wauerings yea and pray against them and therefore they must néeds be subiect vnto them Q. What are the principall meanes to suppresse these or the like doubtings A. The consideration of these meditations following First it is Gods commandement that we should beléeue his manifold and precious promises which if wee refuse to doe wee iustly defraud our selues of Gods fauour and of our owne saluation Hebr. 3.18 19. Secondly the promises of grace are generall to all Gods children and shut out no particular person and therefore when such offers of mercy and grace are made vnto vs and confirmed by the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper let vs by the hand of faith apply them to our owne soules and consciences Lastly that by doubting of and calling the truth of Gods goodnesse swéet promises into question we offend God as much almost as by any other sinne for hereby we rob God of the glory of his mercy and make him what in vs lyeth a lyer because we will giue no credite to his promises nor apprehend lay hold on them Q. What practise is necessary for our helpe and recouery A. Wee must retire our selues into some secret place humble our selues before God make known our wants vnto him and entreat him to worke faith and suppresse vnbeliefe in vs and he wil heare vs. Q. Comforts and counsell for them that stand in feare and expectation of hell fire A. It is good and profitable euen for the regenerate oftentimes to speake thinke of and stand in feare of hell that they may hereby bee preserued from euill and confirmed in goodnes Hereupon our blessed Sauior thus armeth exhorteth his Disciples against persecution Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that is able to destroy both body and soule in hell fire Secondly there is no hell to the beleeuers for the sting of death is taken away by Christ the godly haue eternall life and are already viz. in beginning and hope passed from death to life 1. Ioh. 3.14 Joh. 5.24 Thirdly Christ did not onely many hundred yeares sithence by his death and soule-sufferings satisfie his fathers iustice for vs but alwayes sitteth on his Fathers right hand to make continuall and effectuall intercession for vs Rom. 8.34 and how then can we possibly perish Lastly our soules forthwith after that they are loosed from our bodies are carried by the blessed Angels into heauen and our bodies shall be raised in glory at the general resurrection how then can we slauishly feare hell CHAP. II. Of doubting of Gods fauour and loue toward vs. Question WHether it be incident to any of Gods children to doubt of his loue and fauour A. Yes verily and that sundry times Q. For what ends A. First that he should know that faith and a ful perswasion of Gods mercies is not naturall or procéeding from the power of a mans owne frée will but spirituall and inspired of God by his spirite Secondly that a Christian séeing his owne weakenesse and how busie Satan is to take the aduātage of his infirmity should by prayer entreat the Lord to strengthen his faith and to ease him of scruples and doubts Lastly that hereby God might traine and exercise his elect in the spirituall battel for they seeing their manifold doubts and ignorances are hereby prouoked to search the scriptures and to take notice of Gods promises that by the due application hereof their faith might bee fortified and strengthned and the remainders of ignorance and doubting be by degrees abolished Q. How shall Gods children comfort themselues when by reason of the number and heinousnesse of their sins they cannot be perswaded that they are Gods children A. By remembring and laying close to their consciences these or the like rules and directions following first it is a great part of our perfection to learne out
denomination of faith and is accepted with God for faith For as euery graine of gold is gold so euery quantity of faith is faith and the imperfections and failings in true faith doe no more take away the name and nature of it then a great mountaine of chaffe doth take away the name and nature from the corne contained in it or the drosse in a great mine of gold doth take away the name of it albeit the gold be the lesser part for God accepteth it for the better part Thirdly no man is absolutely perfect in faith for the most regenerate haue but the first fruites of the spirite i. some small portion of it and hereupon the Apostles themselues besought Christ to encrease their faith wherefore in this case we must not be daunted nor discouraged but beséech God to confirme our â—aith and be frequent in hearing and reading of the scripture for the Word preached that begat it will encrease and strengthen it Obiection But my calling is very laborious and many difficult works offer themselues to bee performed which I cannot see how I can vndergoe A. First God that hath giuen thée thy calling and fitted thee for it wil blesse thee so long as thou walkst in his waies hee will prosper thy handy worke and perfite his power in thy infirmity 2. Cor. 12. Secondly God according to giftes and graces receiued measureth out to euery man his calling and the labours thereof for he obserueth a Geometrical proportion in distributing his temptations according to his seruants strength and in employing them in seruices answerable Thirdly the holy Ghost is the spirite of strength who enableth thee to dispatch and absolue the most weighty and dangerous workes of thy calling as he did Abraham Dauid Paul c and by the help of him that strengthneth vs we shall be able to doe all things Fourthly no excellent worke can be performed or notable act atchieued at home or abroad without labour paines diligence continuance Lastly God hath promised to blesse and assist vs in the workes of our lawfull calling wherefore let vs depend vpon Gods commandement and desire strength of him and wee shall obtaine our desire Q. But the sacred Scriptures are so diuersly yea and contrarily in sundry points and places expounded that I cannot be perswaded that they are Gods word A. First the diuersity or variety of interpretation doth not preiudice the truth of Scripture for many scriptures as for example the Canticles diuers Psalmes of Dauid as the 2. the 45. the 73. the 91. c haue both a literall and an allegoricall sense Secondly diuers places may bee diuersly expounded and yet nothing expounded against Faith Hope Charity and then the exposition is not euill Thirdly they that expound the scriptures in an absurd or contrarie sense are but meere naturals and carnall men who for want of spirituall vnderstanding cannot discerne the things of the spirit For as the eye in the body cannot see without the light of the sunne so the naturall man be he neuer so acute and criticall cannot without the light of the spirit iudge of heauenly thinges Fourthly though many parts of scripture be hard obscure to the most regenerate man yet this darkenes is not in the scriptures for they are light it selfe but in our blindnes ignorance infirmity Lastly no man vnderstandeth all things but some man one thing some another according to the measure of grace receiued and euery day the truth is and will be more fully reuealed Q. But how can the scriptures bee Gods vndoubted word seeing that by the preaching interpretation and application of them many are offended and made worse A. First the pure powerfull eternal and holy word of God is not the cause hereof for it is in it own nature the wisdome of God and power of saluation the immortall séed and food of the soule but the fault is altogether in the hearers who either doe not vnderstand it or belieue it not or else contemn it to them alone it is the sauor of death vnto death they are owles and cannot endure the light of the sunne they are sicke of a burning feuer and cannot abide the wine of the Gospel they are filthy swine and therfore cannot abide this delicious muskadell but are thereby swelled vnto death Secondly the vaine and Atheisticall hearers doe conceiue of the Scriptures as of a mans inuention and not as it is indeed the sauing word of God hereupon they being offended at it are accidentally made worse And herein they are like to Samuel who when God began to call him as he did seuerall times heare the voice of God and not knowing it so to bee but supposing it to bee the voice of Elie returned to his naturall sléepe and rest So the greatest sort of them that are outwardly called because they heare Gods word as the word of men and so estéeme it they like dogs and swine returne to their former filth and vomit of their sins Lastly as we must not contemne nor condemn Iewels pretious stones artes and sciences because the ignorant know not their worth and so regard them not so though some or many ignorantly or contemptuously refuse to be bettered by Gods word we must not be offended at their abusing and despising of it but rather condemne their madnes make benefite of it and thanke God that hee hath giuen better light and more grace Q. Why doth God suffer the faith of his children to labor of so many doubts wants and imperfections A. First to bring them to a true touch and sense of their sinne that they may perceiue in what need they stand of Christ and of euery drop of his bloud that so they may sue seeke vnto Christ for recouery Secondly to correct abate and pull downe pride humour and selfe conceite in them to which they are so lyable and enclinable Thirdly to traine and practise them in the daily fight and battaile against sinne and to make them such expert soldiers that Satan though seeking an occasion to sift them shall be wholy disappointed of his expectation Fourthly to perfect his power in their infirmity he will enable them to performe all for his grace is sufficient for them Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First wee must bee thankefull vnto God for the seedes and beginnings of grace and for the least measure of true faith lest otherwise wee prouoke God either to depriue vs of or at least to diminish his graces bestowed vpon vs. Secondly we must bewaâ—le our manifold defects wants and back slidings and diligently vse all holy meanes to cherish further and confirme our begun faith such as are the ministery of the word and sacraments preaching praier conference meditation and the holy practise of all good works Lastly hauing a true faith though for the present borne downe with the winter of affliction let vs perswade
meanes to get ground of it and to ouermaster it and then it shal be laid to Satans charge and not be imputed to him Secondly séeing that he in the continuall combat against the world the flesh and the diuell cannot possibly escape without some spirituall wounds yet not deadly to the beléeuer he must by spirituall medicines salue and cure them CHAP. V. The complaint of small profiting by the ministery of the Word and Sacraments Question I Profit very little and nothing so much as I would by the Word and Sacraments and therefore J feare that my profiting is to no purpose and my hearing of the word fruitlesse A. Your manner of reasoning and concluding is not good For first you bewaile your wants and withall zealously desire to make better procéedings and this is no worke of nature but of grace Secondly little increases as in all naturall things so in spirituall are true increases and many littles make a mickle Thirdly they that find themselues to make such small and leasurely procéedings doe hold that which they haue learned by the ministery of the word farre more surely and soundly then they that so suddenly seeme to profite Fourthly admit that your knowledge be not much encreased by the ministery of the word yet your affection is much bettered and your life much more reformed Lastâ—y albeit you doe not forthwith after the hearing of Gods word and immediately after the receiuing of the Sacrament find and feele the graces of the spirit reuiued enceased and confirmed in your selfe yet you must wait Gods good leasure and expect the fruit of it in the time appointed For as the seed cast into the earth doth not instantly fructiâ—ie a purgation doth not forthwith worke and expresse his vertue and as an Infant groweth not to mans estate in a moment but time and space is required to all these So you must not look that the séede of the word will incontinently worke in you or the Manna of the Lords Supper presently and sensibly encrease your faith hope and loue to God and your Brethren but let it suffice you that you grow by degrees and in truth Q. What vse is to bee made hereof A. First you must beware left by the ignorance of your own estate before God or by too much complayning of your infirmities you rob not God of the glory of his graces bestowed on you Secondly the lesse that you find your selfe to profit the more diligent you must be in hearing prayer conference c. Q. But J am dull in conceiuing the meaning and vse of Gods word preached how then can I bee a right hearer A. First the apprehension and sense of thy dulnes if thou be careful to learn wil make thée more capable of the swéet and heauenly influence of Godâ— word which he that would be partakâ—r of must lay aside all conceit of his owne wit vnderstanding and capacity Secondly if there be in thee â—ut oâ—e sparke of heauenly vnderstanding 〈◊〉 faith if it be stirred vp by the breath of Gods mouth will soone take the match and â—inder of familiar and gratious instruction Thirdly the more dull that thou art the more attention sobriety watchfulnesse and diligence then must vse and thou shalt at length preuaile and profite Fourthly a dull wit and modest is better then a quicke and desperate for a dull wit if it once truely apprehend a point it will long retaâ—ne but a quicke wit will soone forget that which it hath quickly and suddenly learned Lastly we for the remedy of our dulnesse must pray vnto Christ to open our wits to vnderstand the Scriptures and to enlighten our eyes to behold the wonderfull things of his law and hee that taught his Apostles the whole will of his Father will teach thee all things necessary for thy saluation Q. My memory is very weake and I remember very little or nothing of so many excellent lessons and instructions thaâ— are taught me how shall I comfort and relieue my selfe A. First thou must strengthen and confirme thy memory by daily exercise for diligence induâ—â—y and methode will much helpe memory and supply the wants of it Secondly the more weake and vncertaine that thou findest thy memory the more speedily must thou call things that thou hast heard to account anâ— conferre with thy godly Brethren about them Thirdly thou must be sure to remember the text well to affect the Minister teaching and to delight in his good doctrine and this will much further thee Fourthly thou must remember what vices reproued thou art subiect to and in what duties vrged by the Preacher thou failest and apply this particularly to thine owne soule and thou shalt remember more Happy art thou if Gods word and Minister find thee and happy likewise art thou if thou canst wilt remember that thou art thus found Lastly thou must pray vnto God to giue thee vnderstanding and capacity and to sanctifie thy memory for the conceiuing and treasuring vp of the best things and then God wil heare thée and send his blessed spirit the comforter to teach thee all things and bring all things to thy remembraÌ„ce that thou hast formerly heard Q. But I am hardhearted and the word of God little or nothing moueth me what course shall I take to soften mollifie my heart A. First it argueth grace in thee to be sensitiue of this thine infirmity and to desire redresse of it Secondly hardnes of heart will alwayes plus minus steale vpon vs and haunt vs therefore let vs arme our selues by the word of God against it and to this end let vs not onely endure priuate admonitions but suffer Gods blessed Ministers by the hammer of his law and iudgements to worke vpon our hearts yea and to breake and bruise them Thirdly thou must by earnest and continuall prayer entreat the Lord to take the stony heart out of thy bowels and to giue thée a fleshy and a soft hart whereupon God may worke by his word and wherein his spirit may dwell Lastly thou must bewaile this thine infirmity and for the remouall of it and the further sanctifying of thy heart thou must waite for and tarry Gods leasure who will in time cure and ease thee Q. What shall they doe that hauing sundry times receiued the Lords Supper doe yet complaine that they perceiue in themselues no encrease of faith hope and loue by it A. First of all they must lament and bewaile their former negligence want of preparation Secondly they must for the time to come keepe a Court and day of hearing in their owne consciences and better examine and prepare themselues for so holy a Sacrament for thus they are commaunded and without performance of this duety there is no worthy receiuing Thirdly they must not looke at the very instant or immediately after the receit of the Sacrament to find féele their profiting for as a good medicine sheweth not forth his vertue
at first nor the seed straight waies groweth and yeeldeth increase So the Sacrament though in faith and reuerence receiued doth not alwaies presently yeeld sensible comfort to the receiuer Lastly they must call vpon God to bestow further grace vpon them and then they must waite his leasure vntill he speede their desire Q. How are we to prepare our selues before wee come to bee partakers of the publicke Ministerie of the Word and Sacraments A. First we must consider the super-excellent maiestie of him before whom we appeare and the most excellent nature vse profite and comfort of the Word and Sacraments in faith and reuerence heard and receiued Secondly wee must loue the habitation of Gods house and the place where his honour dwelleth and therfore before wee come thither wee must wash our hands in innocency wee must lay apart all filthines and superfluity of maliâ—iousnes and receiue the word of God with meekenesse and with all readinesse Act. 17.11 Thirdly we must come with a mind to learne and profite wee must heare what the Lord our God saith vnto vs and by the hand of faith receiue whatsoeuer he offereth vs. Fourthly we must come to the holy assemblies in the loue of God and our neighbour and féeding at Gods Table both in the preaching of the word and in the administration of the Supper of our Lord wee must bring with vs the wedding garment of faith and true holinesse otherwise neither the word nor the Sacrament will profite vs but rather make vs worse and poison vs. Lastly we must entreat the Lord by priuate praier to teach vs inwardly by his Spirite and to frame our hearts to the obedience of his will Q. How are they to be censured and iudged and what course must they take for their redresse and comfort that indeed find in themselues a great desire zeale to obey but yet faile often in the Act of obedience A. First a godly man is perfect by imputation by Christs righteousnesse â— not by inherent and begun holinesse and he is perfite rather in purpose then in his practise and rather in his desire then in his déede Secondly God in his children specially looketh vnto the heart and affection and not to outward things Thirdly it is a signe of a perfect man to find his imperfection for this procéedeth not from nature that is altogether blind in matters of regeneration but from the spirit and grace of God wherby hee reuealeth to his their estate Fourthly the more that he faileth in obedience the more humble must hée be and desire further grace strength from God Fifthly hee must remember that yet the Iebusite and Cananite 1. sinnes and imperfections are in his borders and therefore he must put on and exercise the spirituall armour vntill hee hath foyled and subdued them of blasphemous thoughts Q. Can they possibly haue any true sanctification that are often assaulted encountred with many vile horrible abhominable thoughts A. Yea vndoubtedly for Satan that séeketh to sift al holines out of them will violently suggest and foist such thoughts sometimes into their minds Q. How are these thoughts to bee sorted and distinguished A. They either arise from within theÌ„ by reason of the corruptioÌ„ of their harts or else they are outwardly obiected and iniected by Sathan Q. What if they arise from within vs what must we doe for the remouing and reformation of them A. First we must not onely not consent vnto allow and cherish them but repent of them pray against them stedfastly resist them and bee carefull by the rule of Gods word to order and compose them and then God will in his mercy passe by and pardon them all but if we neglect and omit these duties then we shall lie open to all the assaults of the diuell Secondly we must be frequent in the reading and meditation of the holy scriptures and entreat the Lord to open our eyes to vnderstand them and frame our hearts to obey them and then these wicked thoughts shall either not come into our minds or else they shall be soone driuen out of possession Lastly we must bee aduised to make more conscience of holy duties and especially of preaching prayer and of receiuing the Lords Supper then formerly wee haue done lest for the omission hereof we be iustly giuen ouer to ill thoughts Q. But what if they bee onely from without by Satan obiected vnto vs and thrust vpon vs wee giuing no assent vnto them how shal we comfort our selues A. Wee must comfort our selues in this that our blessed Sauiour was thus tempted by Sathan who suggested and iniected due thoughts into his mind but Christ neuer assented to him but ouercame him and hath for vs broken his head and dissolued all his works so that hee cannot preuaile against our faith or preiudice our saluation Q. What course must wee take for our helpe and redresse herein A. First we must not striue against them seeking violently to driue them away for then wee shall be the more entangled with them and like so many Bees buzzing about vs they will sting vs but we must let them goe Lastly if they continue molesting vs then we must turne to Christ and desire his helpe who hath so conquered them for vs that they shal neuer get full victorie ouer vs. CHAP. VI. Of those temptations scandals and offences that are by tyrants wicked men Heretickes Apostates Schismatickes prophane Protestants false Brethren and by the manifest abuse of the law and Ecclesiasticall discipline accidentally occasioned or obiected outwardly vnto vs. Question WHat signifieth this word scandall or offence A. It is a borrowed speech properly signifieth a blocke or stone laid in a mans way at which he stumbleth Q. What is it A. It is any cause or occasion of grief or offence whether in word or deed example or counsell whereby a man is hurt or hindered in the course of godlines or whereby he is hardned and confirmed in euill Q. Why doth God permit it A. First to trie and proue his people whether they will by any occasionall matter obiected in their way be reuoked from his loue and obedience Secondly to manifest lewd minded men and reprobates who are ready to take any occasion of stumbling sinning and erring Q. What are the kinds of it A. Two Active or that which is giuen Passiue or that which is taken Q. What is a scandall giuen A. Any euill doctrine word or work that is contrary to the loue of God and our neighbour whereby the godly are grieued the weake drawne to sinne errour and prophane men confirmed hardened in their licentious courses Q. Of how many kinds and sorts is it A. Of fower kinds First when weake consciences are by false doctrine and the falling away of men from the truth withdrawne from the simplicity sincerity of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Secondly when holy and innocent men are