a Phil. 1 27. the Gospell of Christ And this of the first generall knowledge of God CHAP. VIII Shewing that there is one onely true GOD against Idolatry THe second generall knowledge of God is to 2 To know that there is one onely true God Acknowledging the Vnity of the Godhead and Trinity of persons know and acknowledge that there is one God and three persons in the God-head to acknowledge the vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that euery one of these three persons is God to know and acknowledge that God the Father is of himselfe from euerlasting that the Sonne is begotten of the Father by eternall generation and that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne to beleeue that God the Father created the world that God the Sonne redeemed mankinde and that God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth the Elect. This is the generall knowledge of the one onely true God And this generall knowledge of the true God is attained vnto not by the lâ—ght of Nature nor by the works of the Creation but by the Scriptures The knowledge of the true God commeth by the knowledge of the Scriptures for the Scriptures doe shew vnto vs both the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons That there is one God Moses sheweth saying a Deut. 6. 4. Heare ô Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Dauid also speakes thus b 1 Chro. 17. 20 O Lord there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee And S. Paul saith c 1 Cor. 8. 4. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one And concerning the Trinity of persons S. Iohn saith d 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God to know the one onely true God serues to reprooue Against Idolatry the Worshippers of Idols who though they know and acknowledge that there is a God yet doe not either know the true God or knowing the true God doe not worship him aright but worship false Gods and giue vnto creatures the worship which belongeth to the Creator Wherefore Chrysostome vpon those words of our Sauiour Christ e Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God Hath these words f Solum verum Deum ad eorum qui Dij non sunt dâ—fferentiam inquit Chrys in Joh. Hom. 79. Two-fold He saith the only true God to put a difference betweene the one onely true God and those which are no Gods Let vs take a view of the kindes of Idolatry and then wee shall see plainely who are heere iustly to be reprooued Idolatry is twofold The one externall The other internall Externall or outward Idolatry is also two-fold 1 Outward Idolatry Two-fold The one is that open manifest and grosse Idolatry of the Gentiles of Heathen men which knew not God and therefore worshipped Idols false gods instead of 1 Open plaine Idolatry the true God For rather then any Nation would be altogether without a God they would worship those which were no Gods as S. Paul describes the Idolatry of the Gentiles g Rom. 1. 23. And changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure-footed beasts and creeping things And a-againe he saith h Verse 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie worshipped and serued the creature more then the Creator who is blessed foreuer Whether the Gentiles did worship false gods or the image of their false gods or any similitude or image of the true God all was Idolatry Of the false gods of the Heathen Dauid saith i Psal 96. 5. All the gods of the Nations are Idols but the Lord made the Heauens And of all the images of the false Gods Dauid also saith k Psal 115 4 5 6 7 8. The Idols are siluer and gold the worke of mens hands they haue mouths but they speake not eyes haue they but they see not They haue eares but they heare not noses haue they but they smell not c. They that make them are like vnto them so is euery one that trusteth in them And as for the making of any image or picture of the true God it is plainely forbidden for Moses straightly chargeth the children of Israel that they make no similitude of God l Deut. 4. 15 16. Take good heede vnto your selues for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire lest yee corrupt your selues and make you a grauen image the similitude of any figure c. The other kinde of externall or outward Idolatry is 2 Close Idolatry a more close and couered Idolatry pretending the worship of God this is the Idolatry of the Church of Rome the Idolatry of Papists who although they know and acknowledge the true God and worship the true God yet because they do not worship him after a right manner but otherwise then God hath appointed in his Word they commit Idolatry The truth of this I confirme by the consideration of the manner of Gods worship apointed vs both in generall and particular Touching the first The Rule of Gods worship prescribed vnto vs in generall is that m Ioh. 4 23 24. The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth But the Romish Church howsoeuer it may pretend the true worship of God in spirit truth yet they of that Church haue deuised strange worship no where commanded in Gods Word neuer approoued of God and that is to bow downe before an Image made for religious vse which is a plain breach of the second Commandement And it helpes them nothing to say that they worship Obiect not the Image but God in the Image for this was the Idolatry of the Heathen they worshipped their Heathen Answ gods and their Images but the Heathen were not so foolish as to thinke that the Image of Iupiter was Iupiter himselfe but they worshipped Iupiter their god in his Image so the Israelites who had learned Idolatry of the Gentiles worshipped God euen the true God in the image of the golden Calfe for they sayd n Exod. 32 4. These be thy gods â— Israel which brought thee vp out of the land of Aegypt Now the Israelites were not so voyd of vnderstanding to thinke that the golden calfe which Aaron had made was the God of Israel but they worshipped God in the golden calfe The truth is there 's little difference of Idolatry whether wee worship the Idoll or God
he saw that Christ was condemned he brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders and went and o Math. 27. 5. hanged himselfe and p Act. 1. 18. falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out such was the shamefull end of Iudas The other example is of Iulian the Emperour who by reason of his great Apostasie and falling away from the truth is called Iulian the Apostata This Iulian q Iuuenili aetate suxit lac pioe doctrinae Theo. hist Eccles l. 3. c. 1. 2. in his young age was trained vp in the true Christian religion and fauoured the Christians notwithstanding afterwards he denied the faith fell away from the truth denied Christ sacrificed to Idol became a most sore enemie to Christians and a vile reproacher of the name of Christ calling him the Galilean and Christians Galileans and many despitefull things did he against the Christians and that of very hatred and malice But what end came he to It is recorded that when he made war against the Persians he was wounded but no man knew how his wound came but so sore was the wound that he died of it and dying tooke a handfull of his owne blood and cast it vp into the ayre saying r Vicisti Galilae Theod. l. 3. c. 25. O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou hast gotten the victory Such was the miserable and fearefull end of Iulian. Be warned then all ye that know and professe Christ that ye denie not Christ Beware of backsliding and falling away from the truth Å¿ Heb. 3. 12. 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And t 1. Cor. 10. 12. let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall CHAP. XI Shewing who are partakers of the true sauing Faith whether all haue it or but some and who they are IT hath beene declared wherein true sauing Faith 5 Whether all men haue true faith or but some and who they are consisteth The next thing in order to be handled which is the first generall point in this Treatise of Faith is concerning the persons in whom true sauing Faith is to know who are partakers of it whether all men haue true Faith or but some and to discerue who they are The ground of this inquirie is from the words of the Apostle St Paul to the Thessalonians a 2 Thes 3. 2. All men haue not Faith that is aâ— learned b 〈…〉 est fides â—oc est non omnes eredunt Theo. Zanch. c. Shewed two waies Diuines expound it All men doe not beleeue And that it may appeare who are indeed partakers of the true sauing Faith who doe truly beleeue and who not I will shew first in the Negatiue part who haue not faith Secondly in the Affirmitiue who haue faith Touching the first Faith is not vniuersall nor common 1 Who haue not true faith to all All men haue not Faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall Reprobates haue not true sauing 1 In generall Faith The reason whereof is a secret iudgement of God lying vpon them being smitten with hardnesse of Reprobates heart and blindnesse of minde that they cannot beleeue as St Iohn speakes of the incredulous Iewes c Ioh. 12. 37. 38. 39 40. But though he that is Christ had done so many myracles before them yet they beleeued not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath beleeued our report And to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene reuealed Therefore they could not beleeue because that Esaias said againe he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and be conuerted and I should heale them Secondly in particular diuerse haue not faith for 2 In particular as First All that are as yet aduersaries to the truth and enemies to the Gospell of Christ haue not Faith Secondly profane people notorious wicked men in 1 Enemies of the Gospell whom sinne rules and raignes haue not faith Thirdly hypocrites haue not faith These may haue 2 Prophane people an historicall and a temporarie faith but true sauing faith they haue not The reason is because as yet and as long as they are in their naturall vnregenerate state 3 Hypocrites they are without they are not as yet in Christ they are not ingrafted into Christ they are not as yet members of the mysticall bodie of Christ they are not of the flock of Christ they are not the sheepe of Christ and therfore they do not beleeue in Christ As Christ himselfe speaks to the vnbeleeuing Iewes d Joh. 10 26. Yee beleeue not because yee are not of my sheepe All men then haue not faith for Reprobates haue not faith the enemies of the Gospell of Christ haue not faith prophane people haue not faith and Hypocrites haue not faith Thus it appeares who haue not faith Secondly for the affirmatiue who haue faith and 2 Who haue true faith who doe beleeue Though Reprobates aduersaries to the truth prophane persons and Hypocrites haue not faith yet many there are who haue true faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall the Elect and all the Elect doe beleeue 1 In generall The Elect. yea euery one of the elect Children of God hath true sauing faith and do beleeue according to that saying in the Acts of the Apostles e Acts 13. 48. as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued For this cause true sauing faith is called the * Tit. 1. 1. Faith of Gods Elect because it is peculiar to Gods Elect. The Elect haue it and all and euery one of the Elect and none but onely the Elect haue it Secondly in particular these haue faith 2 In particular First they that are effectually called inwardly by the gracious working of Gods Spirit sanctifying their 1 They that are effectually called hearts and outwardly by the preaching of the Gospel according to that saying of the Apostle to the Thessalonians f 2 Thess 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospell Where sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth are meanes whereby they that are truely called come to saluation whence it followeth that they and all they that are effectually called of God haue true sauing faith Secondly all that are truely regenerate and borne anew 2 The regenerate haue true faith for they are g Iam. 1. 18. begotten with the word of
whether corporall or spirituall In regard of corporall and bodily helpe to performe those duties required by our Sauiour n Mat. 25. 35. c Christ himselfe as giuing meate to the hungry drinke to the thirsty taking in the stranger lodging the harbourlesse cloathing the naked visiting the sicke going to them that are in prison also burying the dead lending freely c. and in regard of the soules of men to shew our charity by instructing them that are ignorant admonishing them that walke in an vngodly way in meekenesse to winne them to forgiue offences to comfort them that mourne and to pray one for another c. Furthermore it is to be obserued that these workes of mercy and deedes of charity are to be shewed not onely to our neere neighbours but to them also that are a far off if need require and not only to our friends such as wish vs well and loue vs but euen to our enemies So our Sauiour commands vs o Luk. 6. 35. 36. loue your enemies and be mercifull as your father also is mercifull Now our heauenly Father is mercifull not only to the p Math. 5. 45. good but to the euill not only to the iust but to the vniust and S. Paul chargeth vs thus q Rom. 12. 20. If thine enemie hunger feed him if he thirst giue him drinke this is the extent of our charity But it may be demanded If euery Christian be necessarilie bound to giue testimony of his faith by works Wheâ—her the poorer sort of people be bound to doe workes oâ— mercy of mercy and deedes of charity what then shall become of poore Christians for their are many poore christians which are scaâ—ce able to maintaine themselues yea manie that haue neede sometimes to aske almes and to be relieued by others How then shall such poore ones giue testimonie of their faith by workes of mercie Iâ— must be remembred that workes of mercy are of Answ two sorts corporall and spirituall mercie stands not altogether in giuing an almes and relieuing the bodily wants but mercy and compassion may be shewed to the soules of men in exhorting admonishing comforting of others and in praying one for another c. againe mercies corporall haue their degrees A rich man may giue a greater almes a poore man a lesser yet both acceptable to God if both proceed from a heart purified by faith and be giuen with a cheerefull and willing mind It s necessariâ— then that euery christian poore rich one and oâ—her in some sort and in some degree shew some mercie and charity whereby he may testifie the truth of his faith He that hath much may giue more liberally as the rich men which r Marâ— 12. 41. Cast mony into the treasurie of their superfluity and abundance he that hath not much to giue may giue a pennie and he that is not able to giue a penny may with the poore widdow giue Å¿ verse 42. two mites which make a farthing And if a man be destitute of siluer and gold then he must giue such as he hath a peece of bread if he haue not bread then a cup of drinke yea a t Math. 10. 42. cup of cold water giuen to a poore member of Christ shall not be vnrewarded as Christ himselfe hath promised And the Scripture saith u 2. Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath not according to that he hath not And yet more if any christian be so poore and destitute for outward things that he is not able to shew any corporall mercy to otherâ— yet euery christian though neuer so poore may must shew spirituall mercy as farre forth as he is able instructing admonishing and comforting others and he must not cease to pray for others who haue extended their charity to him as S. Paul did for Onesciphorus x 2 Tim. 1. 16. 17. 18 the Lord giue mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine But when he was in Rome he sought me ought very diligently and found me the Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day The consideration of this that workes of mercy in Vse 1 the sence deliuered are outward signes and euident To giue testimonie of our faith by our works of mercie and deedes of charitie testimonies of true iustifiing and sauing faith serues First to teach vs if we haue true faith in deede to giue testimonie of our faith by our workes of mercie and deeds of charitie by feeding the hungrie cloathing the naked lodging strangers visiting the sicke helping the helpelesse comforting the comfortlesse and such like And this is necessarie for as good works are fruits of faith as hath beene formerlie prooued so are they also euident signes and good testimonies of our pure and sound religion So saith S. Iames y Iam. 1. 27. pure religion and vndefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the widdowes in their affliction and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Whosoeuer is truly religious his pure and true religion should appeare in this that he is religious not in show of words but in the substance of workes not so much in the tongue as in the hand not so much in talking as in doing Timothie is commanded by S. Paul to z 1 Tim. 6. 17. 18. 19. charge them that are rich in this world that they doe good that they be rich in good workes readie to distribute willing to communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life If through the blessing of God men be rich in goods they ought also to be rich in good workes and seeing that God of his goodnesse hath giuen them much goods it ought to be their care to doe much good For this is expected at our hands both from God and men that hauing true faith being truly religious we should abound in loue one towards another and be fruitfull in good workes a Iam. 1. 27. Visiting the fatherlesse and widdowes in their affliction as sayth S. Iames. b Isa 1. 17. Relieuing the oppressed iudging the fatherlesse and pleading for the widdow c Isa 58. 7. dealing our bread to the hungrie bringing the poore that are cast out to our house when we see the naked to couer him and that no man hide himselfe from his owne flesh as saith the Prophet Esay Secondly the consideration of this that workes of Vse 2 mercie are a signe of true faith serues to reproue First coldnesse of charitie There is great need for vs 1 Against coldnesse of charitie to whom the dispensation of the Gospell is committed to open our mouths to crie aloud and to speake against this coldnesse of charitie For we liue in euill dayes
it * 1. Pâ—t 3. 15. Be ready alwayes saith S. Peter to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you wee haue examples heereof S. 1 God requireth it Paul was not ashamed of the preaching of the Gospell for to the Romanes he saith c Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ The Romane-beleeuers in S. Pauls time were not ashamed of the profession of the Gospell for of them hee saith d Rom. 1. 8. Your faith is spoken of thorowout the whâ—le world And the beleeuers among the Thessalonians were not ashamed of the profession of their faith for of them also S. Paul saith e 1. Thes 1. 8. In euery place your faith to God ward is spred abroad Secondly to confesse Christ before men hath a promise 2 A promise to them that confesse Christ and to deny Christ hath a threatning annexed vnto it f Mat. 10. 32. 33 Whosoeuer saith our Sauiour shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen For thus will Christ the righteous Iudge say vnto his Father at the day of the Resurrection These ô Father on my right hand are they which haue confessed mee before men they were not ashamed of mee I acknowledge them for mine g Mat. 25 34. Come yee blessed of my Fâ—ther inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world But as for these on my left hand ô Father these are they that denied me before men they were ashamed of mee they would not stand vnto their faith and profession I acknowledge them not h Mat. 25. 12. I know you not i Ver. 41. Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels This is the first kinde of confessing Christ before men in the time of peace The second is to bee constant in our profession to 2 To be constant in our profession and to stand vnto the truth stand vnto the truth which wee professe not to shrinke backe not to be wauering minded but to hold fast the truth to speake for it and defend it S. Paul giues vs this worthy exhortation k 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong Thus are we to make confession of Christ before men in the time of peace The consideration whereof serues to reproue Vse First those who faint and are discouraged eyther to 1 Against those that are fearfull to professe the Gospel by reason of some disgrace-full speeches vniustly cast vpon them that professe the Gospell enter vpon or to hold on the profession of godlinesse by reason of the disgracefull speeches which some ill minded men doe cast vpon the professours of religion there are diuers who hearing the Gospell preached conceiue a good liking of it and hearing moreouer and vnderstanding that the professours of religion are carefull to worship God publikely and priuately that they are carefull to sanctifie the Sabboth to frequent the house of God to heare Sermonâ— c. Furthermore perceiuing that the best and most sincere professours doe endeuour to liue a godly a righteous and a sober life and as much as in them lies labour to liue blamelesse they cannot but acknowledge that all this is good and worthy their imitation and gladly they would imitate them and be like vnto them but that they feare they should be mocked pointed at and branded with the name of Precisian Puritane Sectarist c. Such fearfull and faint-hearted Christians are herein like to l Ioâ— 3. 1. 2. Nicodemus who came to Iesus by night And like to m Ioh. 19. 38. Ioseph of Arimathea who was a Disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes But consider I beseech you all ye that are thus fearefull to make an open profession of Christ what though the world hate you and speake euill of you and persecute you is it not a religious cause is it not for the name of Christ and will you be ashamed of Christ Nay you ought not to faint nor be discouraged in the profession of godlinesse nor yet to be afraid to confesse Christ before men though you suffer for the name of Christ for this is the portion of the righteous in this life to be afflicted persecuted and troubled and concerning this I say with S. Peter n 1. Pet. 4. 16. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalfe A seruant that attends vpon a great man of place is not ashamed to weare his cognisance and to be knowne to belong vnto him but esteemes it his credite and accounts it his honour to be knowne and noted that he is seruant to such a worthie Gentleman or that he belongs to such an honorable person so euery Christian ought much more to reioyce and glory in this that he is the seruant of Iesus Christ Now that which makes a Christian knowne to bee the seruant of Iesus Christ is not to be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ it is his constant confession of Christ and the open manifest profession of his Faith and Religion before men ioyning thereunto a godly life hauing his conuersation as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ And a Christian ought to be so farre from being ashamed of the profession of the Gospell that he ought to glorie therein and count it his greatest honour that he is seruant to so great a Lord as the Lord Iesus 2 Against those who are still doubtfull and not setled in iudgement for the truth of Religion Secondly this reproues those who are doubtfull inconstant and wauering in matters of religion not setled in iudgement for the truth of religion being neyther good Protestants nor right Papists holding something of both and holding constantly to neither To such I may say as Elijah the Prophet said to the seduced Israelites in the dayes of King Ahab o 1 Kin. 18. 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him How long halt ye betweene two religions of Protestants and Papistâ— If the Lord be God follow him and worship him in spirit and truth as hee hath commaunded but if Baal be God if to worship Saints and to bow downe before Images be the true worship of God then follow them For if a man haue faith its necessarie that he also confesse the truth of his faith with his mouth and professe the same in his life Thirdly seeing that a Christian is to giue testimonie of his faith by outward profession then what faith hath 3 Against luke-warme professours the luke-warme Christian which is neither hote nor cold Some are so indifferent for matters of religion
inward godly sorrow is knowen by the Effects thereof namely such things as it worketh in vs and they are seuen mentioned by the Apostle to the Corinthians m 2 Cor. 7. 11. For behold this selfe same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what cleering of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what reuenge The first effect of godly sorrow is carefulnesse After 1 Carefulnesse that a sinner hath done amisse and truely repented of his sinne he is euer after more carefull to auoyd sinne carefull lest he fall into sinne any more According to that saying of S. Ambrose n Qui poenitet solâ—â—â—â—us est ne denno peccâ—t Amb. in 2 Cor. 7. Hee that doth truely repent is very carefull that he offend not againe The second is cleering our selues When a sinner maketh 2 Clearing our selues an o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apologie and Defence for himselfe which apologic and defence of himselfe stands not in the defending of himselfe in his sinne nor in the excusing of his sinne nor in shifting off his sinne from himselfe that 's farre from him now but in the humble acknowledgement and confession of his sinne with feruent prayer and earnest suite vnto Almighty God for the pardon of his sinne that so he may be acquitted and cleered from his sinne The third is Indignation against our sinnes yea a displeasure 3 Indignation against our selues for our sinnes The fourth is Feare Henceforward to feare the 4 Feare Lord to stand in awe of God to set the feare of God before our eyes and to be afrayd of sinning any more for feare of offending God As a louing wife hauing offended her husband and being now reconciled vnto him againe is euer after more fearefull of offending and greeuing him lest she should lose his fauour againe 5 Desire The fift is a vehement desire to serue and please God p Desiderat reformari se qui se scit factum perpeccatum deformem Amb. A sinner knowing how foule hee is and deformed by reason of sinne desires to be reformed And therefore hath now an earnest desire after God a desire to doe the will of God and to walke in the waies of God The sixt is Zeale To bee zealous in good workes Zeale zealous in good things and zealous to prouoke others to doe good Being conuerted our selues to strengthen our brethren in a word to be zealous in all things that concerne the glorie of God The seuenth is Reuenge When a sinner so hateth 7 Reuenge sinne as some hate their very enemies so to hate our sinnes as to be reuenged on them Which Reuenge we take by a voluntary afflicting and punishing the body As when any haue offended in meats and drinkes to reuenge themselues of their gluttony of their surfetting and drunkennesse by abstinence and fasting when any haue offended through pride of apparell to reuenge themselues of their pride by abating their pride and betaking themselues to more plaine more decent and comely apparell when any haue offended through filthie lusts or haue defiled their bodies by fornication or any vncleannesse to reuenge themselues of their filthinesse and vncleannesse by beating downe the bodie through fastings watchings and paines-taking An example of taking such reuenge vpon our selues for our sinnes is that weeping Saint who was noted to be a q Luk. 7. 37. 38. sinner a verie notorious sinfull lewd woman But repenting shee commeth to Christ and stood at his feete behinde him weeping and began to wash his feete with teares and did wipe them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and annointed them with the oyntment See what reuenge the repenting sinner now takes vpon her selfe her eyes that before were wanton wandering and adulterous eyes are now so set a weeping that they trickle downe teares in such aboundance that her teares yeeld her water sufficient to wash her Sauiours feete Her haire so faire and beautifull which formerly she set forth as a net to catch her louers in now she is so displeased at it and will be so auenged on it that she makes it a towell to wipe Christ's feete Her lips wherewith before shee kissed her wanton louers now therewith she kisseth Christs feete And her costly oyntment which before she bestowed vpon her selfe to giue a sweete perfume to allure her louers now she brings to Christ and therewith annointeth the feet of Christ Thus the good woman tooke reuenge vpon her selfe for her former sinfull life Now follow the motiues to perswade to contrition 4 Motiues to contrition or inward godly sorrow or inward godly sorrow and they are these First God requires it So saith the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie r Iâ—re 4. 1. 4. If thou wilt returne O Israel saith the Lord returne vnto me And it followeth circumcise your selues to the Lord and take away the foreskinne of your heart More 1 God requireth it plainely the Prophet Ioel. Å¿ Ioel 2. 13. rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God Secondly All penitent sinners that haue truly repented and turned vnto the Lord haue had true contrition 2 All penitent sinners haue had it and inward godly sorrow more or lesse but all in truth Dauid had it he had a t Psal 51. 17. broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart Paul had it for after that the Lord had appeared vnto him and sayd u Act. 9. 4. 5. 6 9. 11. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Paul trembled and was astonished and for three daies space humbled himselfe with fasting prayer Before this Paul persecuted the Church but now he sorroweth and grieueth for what he had done now he humbleth himselfe before the Lord for three daies space and to this inward humiliation and sorrow of heart for his sinnes he ioyneth fasting and prayer The penitent Publicane had this contrite spirit and broken heart for hee would not so much as lift vp his eyes to Heauen but x Luk 18. 13. smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Thirdly Contrition or inward goodly sorrow is necessarie 3 It s necessarie For for First except the heart be truly and throughly humbled for sinne yea rent and broken with godly sorrow Except the hart be rent sinne still remaineth in the heart it is euident that sinne still remaines in the heart For like as a tree which is pluckt vp by the rootes rents and breakes the earth about it so sinne that sticks fast in the heart of a sinner and hath taken rooting in the heart when it is rooted out of the heart by repentance it cannot chuse but make a rent and a breach in the heart it will trouble and afflict the heart for a season And therefore wheresoeuer this contrition of heart this renting and
dye in impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Secondly this is profitable for instruction to all that know there is a hell and heare of the paines and torments Vse 2 To feare God of hell that they learne to feare God to stand in awe of him and not to sinne against him to this our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs vpon the consideration of the paines and torments of hell saying Feare not them which c Mat. 10. 28. kill the body but are not able to kill the soule But rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Because there is a hell and because that God is able to cast the soules and bodies of all impenitent sinners into hell for this cause see that ye feare God stand in awe of God tremble before him and sinne not against him for as God is mercifull to penitent sinners and will pardon the iniquitie and transgressions of them that repent and turne from their sinnes and returne vnto God So also is he a God oâ— iustice and fierce wrath for as the Apostle saith d Heb. 12. 29. God is a consuming fiâ—r and he will cast both the bodies and soules of all impenitent sinners into hell-fire there to be tormented for euermore as it is also written e Reu. 21. 8. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhomminable and murderers and whore-mongers sorcerers and idolaters and all lâ—ers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death O then sinfull man who soeuer thou art now betimes repent and returne vnto the Lord least death vnawares seize vpon thee and suddenly thou be cast downe into hell and there shalt finde thy case to be remedilesse and thy torment endlesse CHAP. XXIII Of the benefit of Repentance how it remooueth Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall Which may perswade vs to Repentonce HItherto of the motiues to Repentance taken from the necessitie thereof The fourth and last motiue to Repentance 4 The benefit of Repentance I take from the benefit thereof Repentance brings much good to the penitent sinner he shall be blessed with manie blessings I reduce them to these two heads True Repentance Two-fold First remooueth iudgements Secondly procuteth blessings First Repentance remooueth iudgements and those 1 It remooueth iudgements Three fold three-fold Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Touching the first Repentance is a meanes to remooue 1 Temporall temporall iudgements either threatned against sinners or else deseruedly drawne vpon them for their sinnes The Lord sendeth Ieremie the Prophet to the people of Israell saying a Ier. 3. 12. Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe anger for euer Isaiah the Prophet is sent to King Kezekiah with this message b Isa 38. 5. 6. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares beholde I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres and I will deliuer thee and this Cittie out of the hand of the King of Assyria and I will defend this Cittie Ionah the Prophet is sent to Niniueh to threaten them and their Cittie with destruction and ouerthrow except they did repent within the space of fortie dayes c Joh. 3. 4. Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall he ouerthrowne But vpon this threatning Niniueh did repent for the King and the whole Cittie put on sackcloth and fasted and cryed mightily vnto God and repented of their euill wayes and d Ver. 10. God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes And God repented of the euill that he had said hee would doe vnto them and he did it not When God saw the people repent of their sinnes he repented of the iudgement which he had threatned against them According to that saying of the Lord in Ieremie e Ier. 18. 7. 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it if that nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them Thus Repentance remooueth temporall iudgements Secondly Repentance remooueth spirituall iudgements 2 Spirituall as blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart and horrour of conscience It remooues blindnesse of mind When God giueth the grace of illumination for before that a sinner beleeueth and repenteth he liues in blindnesse and darknesse but beleeuing and repenting he is inlightned with the knowledge of the truth and walkes no more in darkenesse but in light as the Apostle speakes f Ephe. 5. 8. ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Repentance also remooueth hardnesse of heart when God giueth the sinner true contrition softning the hard heart For when God giueth grace to repent he giueth also a mollified and melting heart as it is said in Ezechiel g Ezek. 36. 25. 26. I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idoles will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh Yea Repentance also remooueth horrour of conscience and the intollerable burden of sinne when God giueth to the penitent sinner peace of conscience and rest to the soule h Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me saith our Sauiour all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Now the conscience neuer hath true peace neither doth the soule euer enioy quiet rest til sinne be done away by Repentance Thirdly Repentance remooueth eternall iudgements 3 Eternall so that neither death nor hell nor condemnation can hurt them that doe truly beleeue in Christ and haue vnfainedly repented of their sinnes and doe now lead a new life So saith St Paul to the Romanes i Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And St Iohn saith k Reu. 20. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Thus it is apparent that great benefit commeth by Repentance for it remooueth from the penitent sinner punishments temporall concerning the bodie and outward state it deliuereth from spirituall iudgements and it Vse freeth from eternall condemnation That may escape the iudgements of God we must repent of our sinnes The consideration of which benefit of Repentance in remoouing Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall serues for instruction to teach and admonish euery one that would escape these iudgements that would haue temporall iudgements remooued from
vpon him y Psal 50. 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble And the Apostle bids vs z Heb. 4. 16. come boldly vnto the throne of grace Secondly I confesse that by reason of our vnworthinesse we haue need of a mediatour to make intercession for vs but what Mâ—diatour Not any of the Saints of God but onely the mediation of the Sonne of God For the Apostle saith a 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God one Mediatour betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus And Christ Iesus is the mediatour not onely of Redemption but also of Intercession as S. Paul also saith b Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. And Christ himselfe saith c Ioh. 16. 23. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you S. Paul saith that Christ is our Mediatour and he that maketh intercession for vs. And Christ himselfe will haue vs to pray vnto the Father in his name promising that whatsoeuer wee shall aske the Father in his name he will giue it vs he saith not whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in the name of S. Peter or S. Paul or in the name of the Virgin Marie he will giue it you but in my name that is in the name of Christ Iesus Thirdly the ancient Fathers of the Church doe not approoue of the mediation of Saints S. Chrysostome saith Aâ—que homines si qu â—ndo exorare oportet â—anitoribus prius occurâ—ere câ—nucnit parasitisque histrionibusque suadere c. In Deo nihil est tale Sine mediatore exorabilis est Chrys de paenit Hom. 4. If a man haue a suâ—e to great men hee must first meete with the Porters and come in by their leaue then hee must speake his followers â—â—ire c. In God there is no such thing he will be entreated without a mediatour And S. Ambrose saith e Ideo ad Regem per tribunos aut comites itur quia homo vtique est rex c. Ad DeuÌ„ autem quem vtique nihiâ— lateâ— omnium enim merita nouit promerendum suffragatore non opuâ— est sed mente deuota Amb. in Rom. 1. We goe vnto the King by mediation of his Officers his Lords and Nobles because the King is but a man c. But he that commeth vnto God who knoweth all things and nothing is hid from him hath no neede of any one to speake for him to doe him a pleasure but onely a deuoute minde To conclude seing that the dead are ignorant of vs and our affaires seeing that the dead know not what the liuing doe and seeing that it is altogether vncertaine and doubtfull whether the Saints departed heare vs and that it is most certaine and without all doubt that the Lord our God heareth vs and knoweth what things we haue need of Why then should we pray vnto Saints And wherefore is it that men will bee so blinded to choose rather that which is vncertaine then to hold fast and sticke to that which is certaine Doubtlesse the Lord is our God and will heare vs Our Father and knoweth what things wee haue neede of Our Redeemer and will helpe and deliuer vs though Abraham be ignorant of vs and though Israel and the Saints departed acknowledge vs not CHAP. V. Shewing for whom we ought to pray and First of praying for The Liuing TO whom we ought to pray hath bene declared The third thing in regard of the persons 3 For whom we are to pray Two sorts whom prayer concerneth is for whom we are to pray And they are of two sorts for we are to pray First for our seluers 1 For our selues Twofold Secondly for others First for our selues and that either generally including 1 Generally others as when we pray Our father Giue vs and forgiue vs c or a Mat. 6. 9. 11. 12. Particularly in regard of our owne priuate wants or dangers either of body or soule as Dauid praieth 2 Particularly b Psal 69. 1. Saue me ô God c Psal 51. 1. haue mercy vpon me ô God And as the penitent publicane praieth d Luk. 18. 13. God be mercifull to me a sinner Secondly for others which praiers for others are 2 For others properly called e 1 Tim. 2. 1. Intercessions and these Intercessions or praiers made in the behalfe of others I consider two waye Twofold First affirmatiuely in regard of the liuing for whom 1 For the liuing we are to pray Secondly negatiuely in regard of the dead for whom we are not to pray Twofold First we are to pray for the liuing and that either 1 Generally For all Generally for all or Particularly for some certaine persons For the First We are to make praiers for all which the Apostle exhorteth vnto saying f 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men What must we pray for all men for wicked and vngodly men yea for all for all of all sorts for wicked Quest bad men as long as there is any hope of their amendment Answ An ancient Father demands wherefore the Apostle would haue vs to pray for all men seeing that there are so many wicked and vngodâ—y men on the face of the earth And he answereth himselfe saying g Forsitan aliqua fiet eorum mutatio Chrys aâ— pop Antio Hom. 69. It may be they may be changed and altered from their euilâ— course of life They that are now bad may become good We are to pray for euill men then that they may be amended we are to pray for good men also that they may be bettered and for those that are amended and bettered that they may perseuere and continue in their goodnesse But the Lord forbids Ieremie the prophet to pray for Obiect the people h Jer. 11. 14. Pray not thou for this people neither lift vp a cry or prayer for them for I will not heare them c. And S. Iohn saith i 1 John 5. 16. If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death be shall aske he shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death there is a sinne vnto death I doe not say that he shall pray for it I answere we may and ought Answ to pray for all men except they be knowne to be such rebellious and obstinate sinners as those were for which Ieremie must not pray namely such as were obdurate and whose hearts were hardned that they would not returne Or if they be not such who through Apostasie fall away wholy from God and the knowne truth and so of Christian professours become professed aduersarieâ— to the truth for which S. Iohn will not haue vs to pray because they sinne
place for the seruice of God was the Temple at Ierusalem For there in a more speciaâ—l manner God promised his presence as is euident by Salomons praier which he made vnto the Lord at the dedication of the Temple and by the Lords answer thereunto For Salomon praieth on this manner a 1 King 8. 28. 29. 30. Haue thou respect vnto the prayer of thy seruant and to his supplication O Lord my God to hearken vnto the cry and to the prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee to day that thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day euen toward the place of which thou hast said my name shall be there that thou maist hearken vnto the praier which thy seruant shall make towards this place And hearken thou to the supplication of thy seruant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place and heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest forgiue And the Lord graciously answered Salomon and said b 1 King 9. 3. I haue heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me I haue hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my Name there for euer mine eyes my heart shall be there perpetually To the Iewes this Temple that Salomon built was the place of Gods worship hither the people brought their sacrifices and burnt offrings here the people made their praiers twice a day And hither came all the c Deut. 16. 16. males three times in a yeare to worship God And at other times when they prayed they looked towards the Temple at Ierusalem where the Lord had promised his presence as may be gathered from these words of Salomons praier d 1 King 8. 29. Hearken thou to the supplication of thy seruant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place and by that which is mentioned concerning Daniels praying vnto his God e Dan. 6. 10. His windowes being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed In a word the Temple at Ierusalem was the place where the Lord manifested his presence in a more glorious manner then in any other place in the whole earth be sides It may here be demaunded where is now the publique Quest place of Gods worship for as for Ierusalem it is defaced it s f Luk. 19. 44. layd euen with the ground And as for the Temple it is destroied and there is not one stone left vpon another neither is the Lords presence so graciously there now as it was in the dayes of Salomon and in the daies of the Kings of Iudah which succeeded him I answere that the Temple at Ierusalem was to continue not for euer but onely for a time euen till Christ Answ came And after Christ then the Temple at Ierusalem ceased to be any more the certaine set place of Gods publique worship as our Sauiour Christ saith to the woman of Samaria g Ioh. 4. 21. Woman belieue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father And againe h Ver. 23. The houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth Againe our Sauiour Christ saith i Math. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Now whereas God is still to be worshipped and that Christians are to worship God not onely in priuate but also in publique its necessary that Christian people haue decent places for the publike worship of God which places are our materiall Churches It is apparent that the Iewes euen whiles that the Temple stood had their k Luk. 4. 15. 16. Synagogues in their Cities whither the people which were not nigh to Ierusalem came to worship God and where l Acts. 15. 21. Moses was preached being read in the Synagogues euery Sabboth day So the ancient Christians had their m Euseb eccles hist l. 9. c. 10. Oratories that is houses of prayer Which were the Lords houses And as the Synagogues were to the Iewes and Oratories to the Christians in the first times such are our materiall Churches to vs in our times So that when Christian people are assembled together in the name of Christ to pray vnto God to praise God to heare his holy word and to be partakers of the Sacraments then we may truely say of the publique place as Iacob said of Bethel n Gen. 28. 16. 17. Surely the Lord is in this place And againe How dreadfull is this place This is none other â—â—t the house of God and this is the gate of heauen The consideration of this that there is in the time of the Gospell a publique place for the publique worship of God euen the materiall Church which may be called the house of God and the house of Prayer serues Fiâ—st for instruction and that Vse 1 First to teach vs to bee deligent in frequenting and 1 To frequent the house of God comming to the house of God duely and diligently to resort to the publique place of Gods worship to â—oyne with the congregation in praying and praising God in hearing the word and receiuing the Sacrament This dutie the Prophet Esay teacheth vs saying o Isa 2. 2. It shall come to passâ— in the last days that the mountaine of the Lords house shall bee established in the top of the mountaines and shall bee exalted about the hils and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes The mountaine of the Lord was the Temple of the Lord at Ierâ—salem which stood vpon p 2 Chron. 3. 1. mount Moriah whiâ—her the Iewes came to worship God but now the mountaine of the Lord is exalted aboue the hills and all Nations flow vnto it Now the mountaine of the Lord is where the Gospell is preached and in euery place where the name of the Lord is called vpon The Church of England is the mountaine of the Lord and our particular Churches where the Congregation is assembled together for the worship of GOD are holy mountaines And therefore all that be zealous of the Lord alâ— that loue the Lords house and all that delight to bee in the holy mountaine of the Lord should frequent the house of God and bee willing and ready to come vp to the publique place of Gods worship and not onely be forward themselues to come to the house of the Lord but to call vpon their Children and Seruants and to say to their friends and neighbours Come yee and lâ—t vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of thâ— God of Iacob and he will teach vs of