vpon defect of memory and vtterance c. vse a set forme of prayer Sect. 2. The second Circumstance is the Gesture Concerning which it is demanded what kind of gesture is to be vsed in praier whether kneeling standing sitting or the holding vp the hands or head to heauen or bowing the body to the earth Answ. God in his word hath not prescribed any particular gesture of the body and therfore our consciences are not bound to any in particular Besides that Religion stands not properly in bodily actions and gestures Yet touching gesture the word of God giues certaine generall rules to be obserued in prayers both publicke and priuate In Publicke praier these rules of Gesture are prescribed First when publicke praier is made in the congregation our gesture must alwaies be comely modest decent SecoÌ„dly all gesture vsed publickely must serue to expresse as much as may be the inward humility of the hart without hypocrisie Now these kinds are manifold Some concern the whole body as the bowing thereof the casting of it downe vpon the ground some againe concerne the parts of the body as lifting vp of the head the eies the hands bowing the knees c. Touching these the scripture hath not bound vs to any particulars but in them all we must haue regard that they serue alway to expresse the humilitie of our hearts before God Thus haue the Holy men of God behaued themselues yea the Holy Angels standing before the Arke doe couer their faces in token of reuereÌ„ce of the maiestie of God Esay 6. 2. Thirdly we must in publicke praier content our selues to followe the laudable fashion and custome of that particular Church where we are For to decline from customes of particular Churches in such cases often causeth scisme and dissensions In priuate praier done in priuate and secret places there is more liberty For in it we may vse any gesture so it be comely and decent and serue to expresse the inward humility of our hearts An auncient writer is of opinion that it is an vnreuerent and vnlawfull thing to pray sitting But both the learned before in and after his time haue iudged his opinion superstitious specially considering that Religion stands not in the outward gesture of the body and it skills not much what that is so the inward humility of a syncere heart be expressed therby Sect. 3. The third Circumstance is the place Where Question is made In what place we must pray Answ. In regard of conscience holines and religion all places are equal and alike in the New Testament since the comming of Christ. The house or the field is as holy as the Church And if we pray in either of them our prayer is as acceptable to God as that which is made in the Church For now the daies are come that were foretold by the Prophet wherein a cleane offering should be offered to God in euery place Mal. 1. 11. which Paul expoâ—…ds 1. Tim. 2. 8. of pure and holy praier offened to God in euery place To this purpose Christ said to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 25. that the tyme should come when they 〈◊〉 not worship in Ierusalem or in Samaria but the true worshippers of God should worship him in spirit and in truth wheresoeuer it be Yet neuerthelesse for order decency and quietnes sake publicke prayer must be made in publicke places as Churches and Chappels appointed for that vse And priuate praier in priuate houses and clozets Mat. 6. 5. Now the opinion of the Papist is otherwise For he thinkes that in the new TestameÌ„t hallowed Churches are more holy then other places are or can be and doe make the prayers offered to God in them more acceptable to him then in any other and herevpon they teach that priuate men must pray in Churches and priuate prayers must be made in Churches if they will haue them heard For proofe hereof they alleadge the practise of some particular persons in the Scriptures Of Anna who praied priuately in the temple Luk. 2. 37. Of Dauid who in his exile desired greatly to haue recourse vnto the temple And of Daniel who is saide to looke out at the window toward the temple and pray Dan. 6. 10. Answ. These places are abused by the Popish Church For there is great difference betweene the temple at Ierusalem in the old Testament and our Churches in the new That was built by particular commandemeÌ„t from God so were not our Churches That was a type of the very body and manhood of Christ. Heb. 9. 11. And of his misticall bodie Col. 2. 7. Againe the Arke in the temple was a pledge and signification of the couenant a signe of gods presence a pledge of his mercie and that by his owne appointment for it was his will there to answere his people but the like cannot be shewed of our Churches or Chappell 's It will be saide that the Sacrament is a signe of Gods presence for in it God is present after a sort Ans. It is true Christ is present in the Sacrament but when not alwaies but then onely when the Sacrament is administred And the Administration beeing once ended Christ is no more present in the Elements of bread and wine And in the very act of celebration he is not carnally but spiritually present Sect. 4. The fourth Circumstance is the Time Quest. What are the times in which men are to make prayers vnto God For answer to this question it is first to be considered that there is a twofold manner of praying and consequently two kindes of prayer The first is the secret and sudden lifting vp of the heart to God vpon the present occasion The second is set or solemne prayer The first sort of praiers haue of auncient time beene called Eiaculations or the darts of the heart And the time of this kind of prayer is not determined but is and may be vsed at any time without exception This point I make plaine by these reasons The first is the commandement of God 1. Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Eph. 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance for all Saints In both these places by praier and supplications Paul vnderstandeth the sudden lifting vp of the heart vnto God Secondly whatsoeuer we speake thinke or doe we must doe all to the glorie of God Now God is glorified when we doe in all things from our hearts acknowledge his power wisdome iustice mercie prouidence and goodnes And these we doe acknowledge when we daily and howerly lift vp our hearts to him in petition for some blessings and in thanksgiuing for his mercies Thirdly we are subiect to innumerable infirmities frailties and wants so as we cannot of our selues so much as thinke one good thought therefore we are euery day and hower to lift vp our hearts to God partly in praier partly in giuing of thankes that he would
generally to include all without exception but indefinitely for many or the most part of the cattell that were in the land of Egypt The tenth Allegation Exod. 10. 22. wee read that one of the plagues was a palpable darknes and so great that for three daies together no man either saw an other or rose vp from the place where he sate And yet v. 23. Moses is sent for and called to come before Pharaoh How should this be seeing no man could stirre from his place nor haue any light to goe before him for there was none to be had the darkenes was so palpable and the aire was so thicke Ans. I take it the word Then v. 24. is to be meant thus that Pharaoh sent for Moses after the darkenes was ended not by candle or or other light in the time of darkenes And this answer may very well stand without further exception The eleuenth Allegation Iudg. 16. 29. The Atheists make a mocke at the historie of Sampson as fabulous where it is said that all the Philistims came together in one house to make sport with him and on the roofe sate about 3000 persons to beholde him while he plaied and yet there were but two pillars whereupon the whole house stood and those also standing in the midst so neere together that a man might reach them both with his armes This say they is most absurd and impossible Ans. Although the full resolution of this cauill belongs to them that haue skill in Architecture yet thus much may be faide in way of answer That the house might be capable of so many persons and they also that stood aboue might well see and behold Sampson For first the whole house was not sustained by two pillars onely but by many more whereof two were the principall For in likelihood the middle part whereon the whole building was knit together from the bottome to the toppe beeing the weightiest of all was supported by two master-pillars The other which was more outward and lesse weightie might be vpholden by lesser proppes which Artificers in that kinde call by the name of false-pillars Hence it appeareth that the two maine ones standing so nigh together beeing shaken the whole house together with them must needes fall Neither will this seeme strange that two pillars should beare vp a building of such capacitie if we doe but consider what is recorded of Curio the Romance who deuised the frame of a great Amphitheater the two parts whereof were supported onely by two hinges and yet was so large that it contained the whole people of Rome Secondly old buildings in those countries were made for the most part with open roofe Againe they were full of windowes on euery part like vnto great gates and that they might be the more fit for sight from aboue they were reared vp in some sort after the manner of the Egyptian Pyramides wider below and narrower aboue towardes the top And by this meanes it is probable not onely that they might containe a great companie but that all those which stoode about the sides and vpon the roofe might very well behold what Sampson did below specially considering that he stood in the middest of the Theater betweene the two middle pillars The twelfth Allegation Sam. 16. 19. c. it is saide that Dauid plaied before Saul and that Saul knew him But chap. 17. 55. when he was to fight with Goliah Saul knew him not Here is a plaine contradiction in the Atheists iudgement Ans. This sort of men doe still bewray their grosse ignorance both in the matter and in the order of Scripture For the word of God doth not alway set downe things as they follow in order of time iust one after an other but sometime it doth anticipate putting such things in former histories as are alreadie done and accomplished which in regard of their euent should be related afterward Sometime againe it vseth by recapitulation to declare things as following in order of time which doe properly belong to a former narration An example of the latter to omit many other that might be brought is the text alleadged For that part of the 16 chap. from the 19v to the ende should by order of historie follow the 17 as will easily appeare by comparing the place And the like displacing of things saide and done is else-where to be found in the Scriptures Which beeing considered the Atheists supposed Contradiction falls to the ground For Dauid was to fight with Goliah before he plaied before Saul and though he was then not knowne yet Saul after that time tooke better knowledge of him The thirteenth Allegation is out of 2. Chron. 21. 2. where the Papist plaies the right Atheist in going about to improoue the originall copies There saith he Iehosaphat is called king of Israel when as indeede he was king of Iudah and so is he called in the former booke of Chronicles In like manner Ahaz is tearmed king of Israel 2. Chron. 28. 19. whereas the truth is he was king of Iudah Answ. After the death of Salomon the kingdome was deuided and the ten tribes were called Israel and the other two Iudah and Beniamin did beare the name of Iudah Now after the diuision for some time the name of Israel common to both sides was giuen to either and both were named after it And in this respect Iehoshaphat and Ahaz may be termed kings of Israel Againe the name of Israel sundry times in Scripture and namely in the prophets is taken only for the two Tribes which bare the name of Iudah after the defection And thus also might Ahaz haue that name given vnto him though he were king of Iudah Furthermore the word Israel is sometimes put for a true worshipper of God that is for him that is a Iew not without but within not in the letter but in the spirit Rom. 2. 29. Thus our Sauiour saith of Nathaniel Ioh. 1. 48. Behold a true Israelite in whome is no guile that is a man of an vpright hart that serueth God in spirit and in truth And in this sense Iehoshaphat might be termed king of Israel because he was a king and patrone of all true worshippers of God For euen then the Israelites sorted themselues together and the godly among them came to liue vnder him in Iudah though the distinction of the kingdomes did still remaine The fourteenth Allegation is out of Act. 7. 16. where the Papists and Atheists alleadge the Scripture to be contrary to it self in that there it saith Abraham bought a field of Emor when as Gen. 33. 19. the same field was bought by Iacob Ans. 1. Some say that there is a fault because Abrahams name is put for Iacob Yet not a fault of the Bible but of them that wrote out the Bible Neither doth this diminish the authoritie of scripture though the penmen did erre and slippe in writing so long as we may find out the truth by scripture
be releeued pietie and deuotion more practised the kingdome of Sinne Satan and Antichrist weakened and impayred and the contrarie kingdome of Christ Iesus more and more established What the Author Contriuer of the Discourse ensuing hath done in this behalfe it is euident by the whole course of his writings that he hath left behinde him all which as they doe openly shew vnto the world howe great a measure of knowledge and vnderstanding with other endowments both of nature and grace the Lord had inriched him withall so they doe carrie with them the sweet sauour of pietie and sanctification wherwith he approoued his heart vnto God and his life vnto men Wherein also vpon occasion he hath propounded and explained sundry notable rules of direction and resolution of the Conscience as wil appeare to the view of the learned well-advised Reader To let passe all the rest this present Treatise giueth very sufficient testimonie of his knowledge and dexteritie in that kinde which could not be attained vnto without great paines much obseruation and long experience A labour which commendeth it selfe to the Church of God in two respects principally One because his grounds and principles are drawne either directly or by iust consequence out of the written Word and so are of greater force to convince the conscience and to giue satisfaction to the mind either doubting or distressed The other for that it is deliuered with such perspicuitie and disposed in such order and Methode as fitteth best for the vnderstanding and memory of any whosoeuer shall peruse it Now this whole Treatise of the Questiōs I haue made bold to present vnto your Lordsh and to publish abroad vnder your protection First because God who vouchsafeth speciall fauour to them that honour him hath adorned your estate with Honour your person inwardly with many rich graces of his Spirit and outwardly with the profession and practise of true Religion a thing directly confirmed by your vnfained loue of the truth and continuall fauours to the Teachers of the same the Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel Secondly because as the Author of these Cases was himselfe in many respects bound vnto your Hon. while he liued so his wife and children for his sake haue receiued much kindnes at your hands since his death a manifest proofe of the truth synceritie of your affection towards him in the Lord. And in the last place it was my desire by setting them forth vnder your name to giue some testimonie of dutie to your Hon. presuming that as you loued the Author so you will be pleased to patronize the Worke and fauourably to interpret of the paines and good intention of the publisher And thus crauing pardon for my boldnes I humbly take my leaue and commend your Lordsh to the grace fauour of God in Christ. From Emanuel Colledge in Cambr. Novemb. 20. 1606. Your Hon. in all dutie to be commanded Tho. Pickering To the godly and well-affected Reader whosoeuer I Doe now at the length offer vnto thy view Christian Reader the whole Treatise of Case-divinitie so farre as the Author proceeded in the deliuerie thereof before his death If thou hast bin longer held in expectation thereof then either thy selfe desiredst or was meete I must intreat thy fauourable interpretation of my forbearance partly in regard of many priuate distractions and sundrie occurrents wherewith I was detained from this dutie and partly also in respect of my desire to publish it in such sort to thy contentment that it might afterward require no further filing or forbishing by secondarie Corrections Wherein notwithstanding mine endeauour to the contrarie my hope hath beene in part preiudiced by reason of some faults escaped in the Printing through want of carefull attendance on the Presse in my necessarie absence The principall I haue noted in a Table before the first Booke and the other of lesser moment I commend to thy priuate pardon Touching the Treatise it selfe I haue dealt as faithfully as I could keeping close to the Preachers owne wordes without any materiall addition detraction or amplification His Methode remaines the same in the bodie of the discourse not admitting the least alteration Onely it was thought conuenient to distinguish it into Bookes according to the severall distinct parts the Bookes into Chapters the Chapters that were most capable of diuision into Sections and my meaning therein was to helpe the memorie of the Reader and to avoid tediousnes the daughter of longsome discourses Now if in the perusing thou either find any thing amisse or thy selfe haply not fully satisfied in particular then remember what is the Lot of learned mens workes which are Scripta posthuma wherof these latter times haue yeelded many examples to be left after a sort naked and imperfect when the Authors themselues are gone who might haue brought them to perfection Consider againe that in regard of the weight of this worthy Argument it were much better kindely thankfully to accept and inioy these labours howsoeuer imparted then by their suppressing to be wholly depriued of such a benefite And withall rest with me in hope that as himselfe hath first traced the way and walked by the bankes of this maine Sea so others vpon this occasion will be incouraged to attempt the like course or at least to enlarge this worke by addition of more particulars Meane while not doubting of thy Christian acceptance of my paines for thy good I commend them to thy loue thy selfe vnto God and the word of his grace Eman. Coll. Novemb. 20. 1606. Thine in Christ Iesus Tho. P. A TABLE OF THE Summe or Contents of the whole Treatise both for Heades and Number of the Questions The first Booke The Preface touching the ground and order of the Treatise Pag. 1. CHAP. I. Of Confession and the degrees of Goodnesse CHAP. II. Of the nature and differences of Sinne. CHAP. III. Of the subiection and power of Conscience CHAP. IV. Of the distinction of Questions or Cases CHAP. V. Of the first maine Question touching Man simply considered viz. What a man must doe that he may come into Gods fauour and be saued 50 Concerning Humiliation 1. What if a man humbling himselfe cannot call to minde all or the most of his sinnes 56 2. What the man must doe who finds himselfe hard hearted and of a dead spirit c. 57 3. Whether he that is more grieued for losse of his friend then for the offence of God by his sinne doth truly humble himselfe 58 Concerning Faith 1. How a man may truly applie Christ with all his benefits vnto himselfe 60 2. When doth a man beginne to beleeue in Christ 61 Concerning New-Obedience 1. How may a man frame his life to liue in New-Obedience 65 2. How may a man doe a good worke 67 CHAP. VI. Of the Second maine Question viz. How a man may be in Conscience assured of his owne saluation CHAP. VII Of the Third maine Question viz. How a man beeing
doe with patience expect it Rom. 8. 25. The third is Loue of God which hath two effects in the heart First it makes the heart to cleaue vnto God and to be well pleased with him simply for himselfe In this manner God the father louing Christ testifieth that he was well pleased in him Matth. 3. 17. Secondly it mooues the heart to seeke by all meanes possible to haue true fellowship with God in Christ. This the Church notably expresseth in the Canticles The fourth is Inward praier or Inuocation of the heart and it is nothing els but the lifting vp of the heart vnto God according to his will by desires and grones vnspeakable Or it is a worke of the heart whereby it flies vnto God for help in distresse makes him a rocke of defence When the children of Israel were afflicted They remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer Psal. 78. 35. Of this kinde of prayer Paul speakes when he saith pray continually 1. Thess. 5. 17. For solemne prayer conceiued and vttered in forme of words cannot alwaies be vsed but we are to lift vp our hearts vnto God vpon euery occasion that by inward and holy motions and affections they may be as it were knitte vnto him Now to conclude this point touching Inward worship we must remember that it alone is properly simply and of it selfe the worship of God and the Outward is not simply the worship of God but onely so farre forth as it is quickned by the Inward and grounded vpon it For God is a Spirit and therefore the true worship that is done vnto him must be performed in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. CHAP. VI. Of the outward worship of God and the first head thereof Prayer THus much of the Inward worship of God The Outward is that which is performed by the bodie externally eitherin word or deede To this belong many particulars which I will reduce to eight seuerall heads I. Prayer II. The hearing of the word preached III. The vse of the Sacraments IV. Outward Adoration V. Confession VI. An Oath VII Vowes VIII Fasting Touching Praier conceiued and vttered by the voice there are many Questions of Conscience the principall whereof are foure I. Question How shall a man make a lawfull and acceptable praier to God Ans. The word of God requires many conditions in making praier to God they may all be brought to three heads Some of them goe before the making of praier some are to be performed in the act of praier some after praier is ended Sect. 1. Conditions to be obserued before praier are three First he that would make such a praier as God may be pleased to heare must repent Esa. 1. 15. God would not heare the praiers of the Iewes because their hands were full of blood that is because they had not repented of their oppression and crueltie Ioh. 9. 31. God heares not sinners that is such as liue and lie in their sinnes and turne not vnto God by true repentance 1. Ioh. 3. 22. By this we know that God heares our prayers if we keepe his commandements I adde further that the man which hath before-time repented must againe renew his repentance if he desire that his praiers should be accepted For the very particular sinnes of men whereinto they fall after their repentance doe hinder the course of their praiers from hauing accesse vnto God if they be not repented of And for this cause the worthie men of God the Prophets in the old Testament doe vsually in the beginning of their praiers still humble themselues and confesse their sinnes as we may see in the example of Daniel chap. 9. v. 5 6 c. and of Ezra chap. 9. v. 6. c. Secondly before a man make a praier he must first if neede require be reconciled vnto his brother If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering and goe thy way first be recōciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Matt. 5. 23. When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue any thing against any man c. Mark 11. 25. Thirdly he that is to pray must prepare himselfe in heart and mind as one that is to speake familiarly with God In this preparation foure things are required First the mind is to be emptied of all carnall worldly thoughts Secondly there must be in the minde a consideration of the things to be asked Thirdly a lifting vp of the heart vnto the Lord Psal. 25. 1. Fourthly the heart must be touched with a reuerence of the maiestie of God to whome we pray Eccl. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to vtter a thing before God For the neglect herof the Lord threatneth to bring a iudgment vpon the Israelites Esay 29. 13. 14. Sect. 2. The second sort of Conditions are those that are required in praier and they are in number eight I. Euery petition must proceed from a liuely sense and feeling of our owne wants and of our spirituall pouertie For without this no praier can be earnest and hartie and consequently become acceptable vnto God For example when we pray that Gods name may be hallowed we must in making that petition haue in our harts a sense of the corruption of our nature wherby we are prone to dishonour the name of God II. Our praier must proceede from an earnest desire of that grace which we want and this desire is indeede praier it selfe Moses vttering neuer a word but groning in the spirit vnto God in the behalfe of the Isralites is said to crie vnto the Lord. Exod. 14. 15. We know not saith Paul what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sights that cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. III. The petition must proceede from sauing and true iustifying faith The reason is because without that faith it is impossible that either our persons or our praiers or any other action we doe should please God Heb. 11. 6. IV. Euery petition must be grounded vpon the word of God and not framed according to the carnall conceit and fansie of mans braine And this is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing ACCORDING TO HIS WILL he heareth vs. 1. Ioh. 5. 14. Now we haue a double ground of our praier in Gods word a commandement to make the praier either generall or particular and a promise that our requests shal be granted Here we must remember two rules First Things to be asked are either spirituall or temporall Spirituall are such as concerne God whereof some are more necessarie to saluation as remission of sinnes faith repentance and such like some are lesse necessarie as hope ioy in the feeling of Gods mercie in distresse c. Temporall things are such as belong to this life as meate drinke clothing
his expresse will refuse the meanes offered but vse them rather till God reueale the contrarie Obiect III. To flie in persecution is a kinde of deniall of Christ and against confession he therefore that flies seemes to make no confession but rather to denie Christ. Ans. Christian confession is double open or implicit Open confession is when a man boldly confesseth his faith before the Aduersarie euen to the death This is the greatest and highest degree of confession and in it the holy Martyrs in former times continued euen to the losse of their liues vndergoing the punishment of death inflicted vpon them by the Aduersaries of Christ Iesus for the maintenance of the truth Implicit is when a man to keepe his Religion is content to forsake his countrey friends and goods This is a second degree inferiour to the former and yet it is a true Confession acceptable to God And vnder this kind comes Flight in persecution Whence it appeareth that lawfull flight in times of danger is no deniall of Christ nor yet against Confession For sometimes it pleaseth God to call men to professe his name and truth openly by suffering sometimes againe not openly by suffering but by flying this latter way though it be not so high a degree as is the former yet it is indeede and in truth in the measure a true profession of Christ and pleasing vnto God Obiect IV. Our Sauiour Christ commands vs Feare not them that can kill the bodie Matth. 10. 28. Now if a man must not feare them then he must not flie Ans. The text speaketh not of all feare but of such feare as tendeth to Apostasie and causeth men to renounce faith and good conscience Againe it speakes of that feare whereby man feareth man more then God Thirdly it speakes of such feare as by which a man is vrged to tempt God by doing some thing that is repugnant to his will and that out of his calling Now when the Question is of Flight in persecution we vnderstand not such a flight as tendeth to Apostasie or argueth the feare of man more then of God or that is repugnant to Gods will but that alone whereby we vse the meanes offered according to his appointment least we should seeme to tempt him and bring vpon our selues vnnecessarie danger And thus the first part of the Question is answered Sect. 2. The second is concerning the Time when a man may flie Minister or other And for better resolution thereof we are to remember that there be eight Conditions required in Christian Flight especially that which pertaines to the Minister The first is if there be no hope of doing good by his abode in that place where the persecution is But while he conceiues any hope of doing good by teaching preaching or otherwise he may not flie This the Minister shall easily discerne in Christian wisedome To this purpose Paul Act. 18. 10. hauing a while preached at Corinth and finding that the Iewes detested him and his ministerie intended a present departure thence But the Lord appearing vnto him by night in a vision warned him to stay for saith he I haue much people in this citie that is many that are to be conuerted and brought vnto the faith Euery Minister in his place must haue a speciall care of furthering Gods kingdome whether it be by flying or not flying The second Condition Consideration must be had whether the persecution be personall or publique Personall is that which is directed against this or that mans person Publique which is raised against the whole Church If it be directed against the person of the Pastor he may vse his libertie For it may be that his flight will bring peace to the Châ—… But what if the people will not suffer him to flie Ans. They should be so farre from hindering of him in this case that they ought rather to succour and releeue him Thus when Demetrius had raised a tumult against Paul vnder pretence of Diana he would haue presented himselfe vnto the people in the common place the Disciples suffered him not Act. 19. 30. And what care they had of his preseruation the same ought the people to haue of their Pastor in case of like perill But if the persecution be common to the whole Church then he is not to flie For it is necessarie at such times especially that those which are strong should support and confirme the weake The third Condition If there be in the Pastor a moderation of minde For he must take heede of these two extremities that he be neither ouercome with excessiue feare nor through ouermuch confidence runne headlong into apparent danger And that he may auoide these extremities he must first pray vnto God for wisdome courage and constancie and secondly vse the consent and aduise of the Church for his direction in this behalfe that all things may be done in wisdome The fourth Condition of lawfull flight is that the Minister withdraw himselfe onely for a time not vtterly forsake his charge and calling Yea if he be principally aymed at in the persecution he may lawfully goe apart and it is the dutie of the Church also to see him conuaied away in safetie till the persecution be ouer And thus doing he neither forsakes the Church nor his calling but onely vseth the meanes of his preseruation for the keeping of faith and a good conscience This warrant our Sauiour giues to his Apostles Matth. 10. 23. When they persecute you in one citie flie into another The ende of that commandement was that the Apostles might preserue themselues in safetie till they had preached the Gospel to all the cities of Israel as the next wordes doe declare The fift Condition If after due triall and examination he finde not himselfe sufficiently armed with strength to resist or beare the extremitie For then he may retire himselfe into some place of safetie where he may liue to the glorie of God keeping faith and a good conscience The sixt Condition is If he be expelled or banished by the Magistrate though the cause be vniuft For subiection is simply to be yeelded to the punishments and corrections of Magistrates though we doe not alwaies tender Obedience to their commandements The seauenth is If God offer a lawfull meanes and way of escape and doth as it were open a doore and giue iust opportunitie to flie In this Case not to flie especially if he haue not strength sufficient to stand out is a tempting of God The eight condition If the danger be not only suspected surmised and seene a farre off but certaine and present Otherwise the Pastor falles into the sinne of Ionah who fore-casted dangers in his calling and therefore preuented them by flying to Tarsus These conditions being obserued it may be lawfull both for Pastor and people to flie in times of persecution Sect. 3. In the next place it may be demaunded When a Pastor or other may not flie For answer herevnto the Signes