of man is too good for them For if those be holden as Traytors to an earthly Prince and are most deseruedly adiudged to death that reuile his person and denie his lawfull authoritie then they that call into question the Godhead are much more worthie to be esteemed traytors to God and consequently to beare the iust punishment of their rebellion death it selfe For this cause I doe not meane to dispute the question whether there be a God or no and thereby minister occasion of doubting and deliberation in that which is the onely maine Ground and pillar of Christian religion But rather my purpose is in shewing that there is a God to remooue or at least to help an inward corruption of the soule that is great and dangerous whereby the heart and conscience by nature denieth God and his prouidence The wound in the bodie that plucks out the heart is the most dangerous wound that can be and that opinion that takes away the Godhead doth in effect rend and plucke out the very heart of the soule This Caueat premised I come now to the point in hand to shew that there is a God And for our better knowledge and assurance of this truth we are to remember thus much that God hath giuen vnto man a threefold light the one of nature the other of grace and the third of glorie And by these as by so many degrees of knowledge the minde beeing inlightened by God receiueth direction in the truth of the Godhead both for this present life and for that which is to come 〈◊〉 If it be demaunded in what order God hath reveiled this light vnto man I answer that the light of nature serues to giue a beginning and preparation to this knowledge the light of grace ministers the ground and giues further proofe and euidence and the light of glory yeelds perfectioÌ„ of assurance making that perfectly and fully knowne which by the former degrees was but weakly and imperfectly comprehended Of these three in order Sect. 1. The light of nature is that light which the view and consideration of the creatures both in generall and particular affordeth vnto man From the light of nature there are fiue distinct arguments to prooue that there is a God the consideration whereof will not be vnprofitable even to him that is best setled in this point I. The first is taken from the creation and frame of the great body of the world and the things therein contained Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are knowne by the Creation of the world beeing considered in his workes And out of this excellent frame of the world the truth of the Godhead may be sundry waies prooued and maintained First I would aske this question This goodly frame of the world had it a beginning or no beginning Let either part or both be taken Let it first be said it had no beginning but is eternall as the Atheist holdeth Then I reason thus If it had no beginning the world it selfe is God and all the creatures that are therein from the greatest and highest to the least and basest yea euery droppe of water in the sea and euery corne of sand by the sea shore are Gods The reason is because according to this opinion they haue their being of themselues without beginning and that which is a substance of it selfe hath no beginning is very God Againe if the world had no beginning then it hath also no ending For that which is without beginning is without ending Now all things in the world are lyable to corruption and consequently are subiect to an ende For whatsoeuer is corruptible the same is finite therfore the world had a beginning Now if it had a beginning then I demand how it was made did it make it selfe or was it made of nothing If it be affirmed that it made it selfe then the world was before it was If it be said it came from nothing that also cannot be For nothing brings forth nothing and that which is nothing in it selfe cannot bring forth something therefore it is absurd in reason to say that nothing brought forth this world And hereupon it must needes remaine for a truth that there was some substance eternall and Almightie that framed this goodly Creature the World besides it selfe If a man comes into a large forrest and beholds therein goodly faire buildings and sundrie kinds of hearbs and trees and birds and beasts and no man he will presently reason thus with himselfe these buildings are the workemanship of some man they were not from all eternity they did not reare themselues neither did the hearbs the trees the birds or the beasts build them but of necessitie they must haue some first â—ounder which is man In like manner when we consider this world so goodly a creature to behold though we see not the maker thereof yet we cannot say that either it made it selfe or that the things therein contained made it but that the Creator of it was some vncreated substance most wise most cunning and euerlasting and that is God Secondly from this frame of the world and the consideration therof I reason thus In the world there are foure sorts and kindes of creatures The first bare and naked substances that haue neither life sense nor reason in them as the sunne the moone the starres The second that haue substance and life but no sense nor reason as plants trees and hearbs The third that haue no reason but both substance life sense and power to mooue themselues as the beasts of the land and fishes of the sea The fourth are such as haue all namely substance life sense and reason as men Now these foure sorts of creatures excell one another in properties and degrees For the first of them which are meere substances doe serue those that haue life as the trees and the plants The trees the plantes serue the creatures that haue sense life as the beastes and the fishes The beastes and the fishes serue man that hath substance life sense and reason And amongst them all we see that those which haue more gifts are serued of those which haue lesse as the sunne and moone serue the plantes the plantes and hearbes serue the beasts and the beasts serue man and that creature that hath most giftes is serued of all Man therefore excelling all these must haue something to honour and serue which must be more excellent then the other creatures yea then himselfe and that is a substance vncreate most holy most wise eternall infinite and this is God Thirdly all particular creatures whether in heauen or in earth are referred to their certaine particular and peculiar endes wherein euery one of them euen the basest and meanest is imployed and which they doe all accomplish in their kind And this is a plaine proofe that there is one that excelleth in wisedome prouidence and power that created all these to such
presumptuous offence in which true religion is renounced and that of set purpose and resolued malice against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and Christ. Heb. 10. 29. Sect. 4. Now follow other Differences of sinne in regard of the obiect thereof which is the Law In respect of of the Law sin is two fold either of CommissioÌ„ or of Omission I say in respect of the Law because God hath reuealed in his Law two sorts of precepts the one wherein some good thing is commanded to be done as to loue God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selues the other wherin some euill is forbidden to be done as the making of a grauen Image the taking the name of God in vaine c. Now a sinne of CoÌ„mission is when a man doth any thing that is flatly forbidden in the Law and word of God as when one man kills another contrarie to the Law which saith Thou shalt not kill A sinne of Omission is when a man leaueth vnperformed some dutie which the Law requireth as for example the preseruing of his neighbours life or good estate when it lieth in his power so to doe These also are truly sinnes and by them as well as by the other men shall be tried in the last iudgement Sinnes of Omission haue three degrees First when a man doth nothing at all but omits the dutie commanded both in whole and in part as when hauing opportunitie abilitie he doth not mooue so much as one finger for the sauing of his neighbours life Secondly when a man performes the dutie inioyned but failes both in the manner measure therof Thus the Heathen failed in doing good workes in that the things which they did for substance and matter were good and commendable beeing done vpon ciuill and honest respects and referred to the coÌ„mon good yet in truth their actions were no better then sinnes of omission in as much as they issued from corrupted fountaines hearts voide of faith and aimed not at the maine end and scope of all humane actions the honour and glorie of God Thirdly when a man doth things in a right manner but faileth in the measure thereof And thus the children of God doe sinne in al the duties of the lawe For they doe the good things the law commaÌ„deth in louing God their neighbour but they cannot attaine to that measure of loue which the lawe requireth And thus the best men liuing doe sinne in euery good worke they doe so as if God should enter into iudgement deale with theÌ„ in the rigour of his iustice examine them by the strict rule of the Lawe he might iustly condemne them euen for their best actions And in this regard when we pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes the best workes we doe must come in the number of them because we faile if not in substance manner yet at the least in the measure of goodnesse that ought to bee in the doing of them We must also haue care to repent vs euen of these our sins of Omission as well as of the other of Commission because by leauing vndone our dutie we doe oftner offend then by sinnes committed and the least Omission is enough to condemne vs if it should be exacted at our hands Sect. 5. The next difference of Sinnes may be this Some are Crying sinnes some are sinnes of Toleration Crying sinnes I call those which are so hainous in their kind so grieuous that they hasten Gods iudgements and cal downe for speedie vengeance vpon the sinner Of this kind there are sundry examples in the Scriptures principally foure First Cains sinne in murthering his innocent brother Abell whereof it was saide The voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth The next is the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrha which was pride fulnes of bread abundance of idlenesse vnmerciful dealing with the poore and all manner of vncleannesse Ezech. 16. of this The Lord said that the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha waâ— great and their sinnes exceeding grieuous The third is the sinne of Oppression indured by the Israelites in Egypt at the hand of Pharao and his task-masters The fourth is mercilesse Iniustice in wrongfull withholding and detaining the labourers hire Now they are called Crying sinnes for these causes First because they are now come to their full measure and height beyond which God will not suffer them to passe without due punishment Againe the Lord takes more notice and inquires further into them then into others by reason that they exceede and are most eminent where they be committed Thirdly they call for present helpe to the afflicted and wronged and consequently for speedie exequution of vengeance vpon the authors and committers of them And lastly because God is wont to giue â—are vnto the cryes of those that endure so heauie measure at the hands of others and accordingly to helpe them and reward the other with deserued punishment Next vnto these are sinnes of Toleration lesser then the former which though in theÌ„selues they deserue death yet God in his mercie shewes his patience long sufferaÌ„ce vpon the committers thereof either deferring the temporal punishment or pardoning both temporall and eternall to his Elect. Such a sinne was the ignorance of the Gentiles before Christs comming which God deferred to punish and as we say winked at it More especially there be three sorts of sinnes of ToleratioÌ„ the first is Originall sin or concupiscence in the regenerate after regeneration and the fruits thereof for it is not quite abolished by regeneration but remaines more or lesse molesting tempting a man till death And yet if we carrie a constant purpose not to sinne and indeauour our selues to resist all tentations this concupiscence of ours shall not be imputed vnto vs nor we condemned for it And to this purpose the holy Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Yet saith he not There is nothing worthie condemnation in them for Originall sinne remaines till death truly deseruing damnation though it be not imputed The second kind of sinnes of Toleration are secret vnknowne and hidden sinnes in the regenerate For who can tell how ofâ— he offendeth saith Dauid When a man that is the child of God shall examine his heart and humble himselfe euen for all his particular sinnes which he knoweth by himselfe there shall yet remaine some vnknowne sinnes of which he cannot haue a particular repentance and yet they are not imputed when there is repeÌ„tance for knowne sinnes As for example Dauid repents of his murther adulterie and yet afterwards erring in iudgement by reason of the corruption of the times he liued to his death in the sinne of polygamie without any particular repentance that we heare of In like manner did the Patriarkes who may not altogether be excused yet they were not coÌ„demned therof neither were they saued without repentance for
indeauour in the course of our liues afterward to performe obedieÌ„ce to God in all his commandements that thereby we may shew our selues thankefull to him for his mercie and profit in our obedience For proofe hereof First consider the examples of this practise in Gods children All that Dauid that worthie seruant of God could doe after his sinnes committed to bring himselfe againe into the fauour of God whome he had offended consisted of these very heads which haue beene named Repentance Confidence and Affiance in Gods mercie and Performance of new obedience And this his practise was verified amongst many other places specially in the 119. Psalme in all the Psalmes commonly called penitentiall Againe the Prophet Daniel was accepted of God onely for the doing of these things Dan. 9. And in like manner was Paul and the rest of the Apostles Rom. 7. 1. Tim. 1. 12. Againe for further proofe let it be considered what it is that makes a man to become a Christian and seruant of God not this that he is pure from all sinnes and neuer slides or swarâ—es from obedience vnto God but because when he sinneth and falleth he is grieued with himselfe and laboureth euery day to mortifie his corruptions which are the matter of sinne in his heart and life and suffereth not sinne to reigne in his mortall bodie but crucifieth the flesh with the affections and lusts therof Yet here remaines a great difficultie Many a good seruant of God may and doth truly say of himselfe I bewaile my sinnes and doe in some sort rest on Gods mercie and withall I endeauour to performe new obedience but alas here is my griefe I cannot doe these things as I would In matter of sorrow and griefe I am troubled with hardnes of heart in occasions of boldnes and confidence with doubtings 〈◊〉 endeauour to obey with many slippes and sundrie falls For the staying moderating of this griefe these rules may further be remembreâ—… The first Rule If there be in the minde a purpose not to sinne in the will a desire to please God and in the whole man â—n endeauour to performe the purpose of the minde and the desire of the will marke what followes vpon this God in mercie accepteth the purpose and will to obey for obedience it selfe Yea though a man faile in the very act and do not so well as he should the Lord accepteth the affection and endeauour for the thing done Excellent is the saying of an auncient Father God accepteth that which is his and forgiues that which is thine his is the grace whereby we are inabled to endeauour to obey in the want of obedience and that he accepteth ours iâ— the sinne and weakenes in performance of the dutie which he requireth and that he doth in mercie forgiue Herein appeareth the great goodnes of God vnto vs and we can neuer be sufficiently thankfull for the same But yet that we may not here delude our hearts with conceits and blessâ— our selues in vaine we must knowe that God doth not alwaies accept the will for the deede vnlesse there be a constant purpose in heart a true desire in will and some resolued indeauour sutable in the life Malacâ— 3. â—7 God spares them that feare him â—s a father spares his own child How is that though the sick or weake child beeing comâ—…ed some busines goeth about it very vnhandsomly and so the deede be done to little 〈◊〉 no purpose yet the father accepts it as well done if he see the childe yoelde vnto his commandement and doe his indeauour to the vttermost of his power Euen so will God deale with those that be his children though sicke and weake in obedience â—…r how will some say can God accept a worke of ours that is imperfect Ans. So farre forth as the obedience is done in truth so farre forth God accepts it because it is his owne worke in vs and as it is ours he pardons it vnto vs because we are in Christ. A second Rule is laid downe Rom. 7. 19. where Paul saith to this purpose the good which I would doe I doe not and the euill which I would not that do I. In these words is set down the state of all regenerate men in this life and the meaning is this The good things which God hath commanded I doe them but not as I would and the euill forbidden I auoid but not as I would This we shall see to be true by comparing the voices of three kindes of men together The carnall man saith I doe not that which is good neither will I do it and that which is euill I doe and I will doe it Contrariwise the man glorified he saith That which is good I do and will doe it and that which is euill I doe not neither will I doe it The regenerate man in a middle betweene them both he saith The good things commanded I do but not as I would the euill things forbidden I avoid but not as I would And this is the estate of the child of God in this life who in this regard is like vnto a diseased man who loues his health and therfore obserues both diet and physick and yet he often falls into his fit againe though he be neuer so carefull to obserue the rules of the Physitian by reason of the distemperature of his bodie and hereupon is saine to goe to the Physitian the second time for new counsell In like manner Gods children haue indeede in their hearts a care to please and obey God but by reason of sinne that dwelleth in them they â—aile often and so are â—aine to humble themselues again before him by new repentance Againe the seruants of God are like to a man by some suddaine accident cast into the sea who in striuing to saue himselfe from drowning puts to all his strength to swim to the shore and beeing come almost vnto it their meetes him a waue or billow which driues him cleane backe againe it may be a mile or further and then the former hope and ioy conceiued of escape is sore abated yet he returnes againe and still labours to come to the land and neuer rests till he attaine vnto it III. Ground He that is indeede regenerate hath this priuiledge that the corruption of nature is no part of him neither doth it belong to his person in respect of diuine imputation Paul saith of himselfe Rom. 7. 17. It is no more I but sinne that dwelleth in me In which words he distinguisheth betweene his owne person and sinne that is in him For in man regenerate there be three things the bodie the soule and the gift of Gods image restored againe Now touching the corruption of nature that is in his person and so may be said to be his but it belongs not to the man regenerate it is not his because it is not imputed to him and so indeed is as though it were not in him The Apostle 1 Thess. 5. 23. praies
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
This description of an oath whereby the creature sweareth includes not that oathe whereby God sweareth For the ende why God sweareth is to binde himselfe as it were with a bond vnto man whereby he would haue man to repute him a lier and no God if he failes and keepes not his promise Thus the Lord sweares in his wrath Hebr. 3. 11. If they shall enter into my rest The words of the oath are to be vnderstoode with this clause If c. then let me be holden as no God or as a false god And in this manner is God said to sweare when he manifesteth to man that he is content to be counted no God if that which he auoucheth by oath be not performed Furthermore in every Oath there be foure distinct things First an Asseueration of the truth which should be avouched though there were no oath taken Secondly a confession or the omnipotent presence wisedome iustice and truth of God whereby we acknowledge that he is the searcher and knower of the heart yea that he is both witnesse iudge and reuenger of falshood and lying Thirdly Prayer and Inuocation whereby God is called vpon to giue testimonie to the conscience of him that sweareth that he speakes nothing but the truth These two actions of Confession and Invocation doe make an othe to be no lesse a true and proper part of Gods worshippe then praier it selfe Fourthly Imprecation in which a man acknowledging God the the iust reuenger of a lie bindes himselfe to punishment if he shall sweare falsely or speake an vntrueth wittingly or willingly Now though these be the distinct parts of an Oath yet all of them are not expressed in the forme of euery oath but sometimes one sometimes two of the principall and the other concealed but yet alwaies vnderstood For example The Prophet Ieremie teacheth the people of Israel a forme of swearing Thou shalt sweare The Lord liueth Ierem. 4. 2. In which there is expressed onely the second part Confession and in that the rest are to be vnderstood Againe the words of Ruth to Naomi The Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death depart thee and me are onely an Imprecation in which the other parts are infolded So the othe which God maketh Heb. 3. 11. If they shall enter into my rest is expressed onlie by imprecation and the other parts vnderstood though they be not mentioned In common speach betweene man and man it is vsually avouched though most wickedly If it be not thus or thus let me be banged I would I were dead I would I might neuer mooue hence c. Now this auouchment howsoeuer it may be taken is indeed a form of swearing in value and force all one with the oath of God when he saith If they enter into my rest let me be no God but a deceiuer Sometimes two parts of the foure are expressed and the rest vnderstood 2. Cor. 1. 23. Now I call God to record vnto my Soule Here Invocation with Imprecation is vttered in speach and the other two conceiued in the minde By these particulars we see it vsuall in Scripture to propound formes of swearing by expressing some one or two particular parts in stead of the rest yet so as the parts concealed be all vnderstood for otherwise the othe is not formalland entire Sect. 2. II. Question How an Oathe is to be taken in a good and godly manner For the answering hereof two Rules are to be remembred The first Rule He that will take an Oathe by the name of God must sweare in truth in iudgement in righteousnesse Ierem. 4. 2. Here three vertues are required in a lawfull Oathe First that it be made in truth And wee must know that there is a double truth the one of the thing spoken the other of the minde wherein it is conceiued Truth of the thing is when a mans speech is framed according to the thing as it is indeede or as neare as possibly may be and that because God is truth it selfe This is called by Schoolemen Logical veritie Sometimes by reason of mens frailtie this truth is wanting because we know not things as they are The truth of the minde is when a man speakes or sweares as he thinketh or is in conscience perswaded of the thing and this the Schoolemen tearme Morall veritie Now though the first of these two be wanting yet the latter must necessarily be in an oath least we fall into periurie The second vertue is Iudgement that is prudence or wisdome This Iudgement requires discretion and consideration principally of fiue things First of the thing in question which is to be confirmed Secondly of the nature of the oath that is taken Thirdly of the minde and true meaning of him that sweareth Fourthly of the particular circūstāces of time place persons when where and before whome he sweareth Fiftly of the euent or issue of the oath All these are duly to be regarded that we sweare not rashly or vnaduisedly The third is Iustice wherein also care must be had of two things First that the point to be confirmed be lawefull And it is then lawfull when it may stand with pietie and charitie Secondly that the occasions of taking the oath be also iust and they be chiefly foure I. When it may further Gods glorie and worship or serue to prooue some doctrine of saluation in whole or in part II. When it may tende to the furtherance of brotherly loue or to the preseruation of our neighbours life goods or good name or further to the confirmation of some league couenant or contract made betweene parties vpon good ground and for good and necessarie purposes III. When it serueth to releeue a mans owne priuate necessitie as when one sweares to maintaine his owne good name goods or life to confirme his owne faith and truth in contracts An example hereof we haue in Paul who to confirme the Romanes in the perswasion of his loue and care of their saluation saith God is my witnesse whome I serue in my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you Rom. 1. 9. And againe to keepe his owne credit and good name among the Iewes I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost Rom. 9. 1. IV. When the Magistrate doth exact it by order of iustice This though it be a iust occasion and warrant of an oath yet three Caueats are in it to be obserued First that the oath be administred lawfully not against pietie or charitie Secondly he which takes an oath tendered by the Magistrate must sweare according to the minde and meaning of the Magistrate who exacts the oath and not according to his owne priuate intent Thirdly he must not sweare ambiguously but in a simple sense so as the words of his mouth may be agreeable with that which he conceiueth in his heart Psal. 15. 2. And whatsoeuer oath is taken without obseruation
of these Caueats the same is not taken in truth but in fraud and deceit Popish teachers affirme that in some cases they may sweare in a doubtfull meaning And this they practise in time of daunger when beeing conuented before the Magistrate and examined they answer Yea in word and conceiue a negation or No in their mindes A practise most impious and flat against this excellent Rule of the Prophet that a man should sweare in truth iudgement iustice The Second Rule is That the forme in which the oath is propounded must be a plaine simple and direct forme wherein God is directly called to witnesse For his worship is directly to be giuen to him and therefore the oath also beeing an Inuocation of his name and a part of his worship is directly to be made That the meaning of this Rule may the better appeare one Question is to be answered Whether in the Forme of an oath a man may not sweare directly by creatures and indirectly by God Most of the Popish sort and some Protestants hold that he may But the truth is otherwise I say vnto you saies our Sauiour sweare not at all neither by heauen nor by the earth nor by thy head c. Matth. 5. 34. In which words he forbids all indirect oathes whereby men sweare directly by creatures and indirectly by God for so did the Pharisies Againe if a man might sweare by creatures and conceale the name of God it would diminish his Maiestie and authoritie and much deceit might be vsed for the swearer might say that he sware not but only vsed an obtestation Against this it is obiected I. That Ioseph sware by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 25. therefore it may seeme that oathes by creatures are not vnlawfull Ans. First it may be said that Ioseph sinned in so swearing for therein he imitated the Egyptians who sware by the life of their King Secondly it may be answered that Ioseph doth onely make an asseueration and not an oath Obiect II. The Church in the Canticles takes an oath by the Creatures Cant. 2. 7. I charge you daughters of Ierusalem by the roes and by the hinds of the field c. Ans. It is no oath but an obtestation wherby the Church calls the creatures to witnesse her earnest affection to Christ. The like is made by Moses Deâ—â— 30. 19. when he saith I call heauen and earth to record against you this day And by Paul in his charge to Timothie 1. Tim. 5. 21. I charge thee before the elect Angels In which and the like speeches there is no swearing but a kind of citation or summoning of the Creatures as witnesses And there is great difference betweene an oath and an obtestation In the Obtestation there is no more but a calling of the creature to giue testimonie the matter beeing already apparent and manifest But in an Oath where the matter is not so manifest God is made not onely a witnesse but also a iudge and reuenger Obiect III. Saint Paul sweares by his reioycing in Christ 1. Cor. 15. 31. which reioycing was a created passion or a creature Ans. That was also an obtestation or a word of auouchment and asseueration and not an oath For it is all one as if he had said thus My sorrowes and afflictions which I indure for Christ would testifie if they could speak that as certenly as I reioyce in Christ so certenly I die daily Obiect IV. Abigail sware to Dauid by the creature As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth 1. Sam. 25. 26. Ans. The former part of her speech may be called an oath but the latter is onely an obtestation or earnest auouchment ioyned with an oath Now although it be in no sort lawfull to sweare by creatures yet when a man sweareth directly by God he may name the creatures in way and forme of an oath specially if he make them as his pawnes and pledges set before God that he may in iustice be reuenged vpon him in them if he lieth and sweareth not a truth Sect. 3. III. Question How farre-forth doth an Oath binde and is to be kept The answere to this Question is large and therefore for orders sake I distinguish it into two parts and first I will shew when an oath bindes secondly when it bindeth not For the first An Oathe taken of things certaine lawfull and possible is to be kept yea and bindes alwaies though it bee tendred even to our enemies To this purpose God hath giueÌ„ special CommandemeÌ„nt in sundry places Numbers 30. 3. Whosoeuer sweareth an oath to bind his soule by a bond he shall not break his word but shall doe according to all that proceeds out of his mouth Mat. 5. 33. Thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but shalt performe thine oathes vnto the Lord Exod 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine that is lightly and rashly But Gods name is taken in vain when an oathe made of things lawfull and possible is not kept Dauid at the humble request of Shimei who had before cursed him pardons his fault for the time sweares to him that he should not die 2. Sam. 19. 23. Dauid made conscience of this oathe knowing himselfe to be bound thereby and therefore till his death he kept it onely hee charged Solomon not to count him innocent 1. King 2. 9. Now for the better clearing of the answer we are to consider four particular cases touching this point I. Case What if a man take an oath by false Gods whether is he bound to keepe it yea or no Ans. He is and the reasons are these First from the like There was a question among the Scribes and Pharises Matt. 23. 16. whether a man swearing by the creature were a debter or no The Pharisees taught that if a man sware by creatures the oathe did not binde But Christ vers 20. affirmeth that he that sweares by the Temple or by the Altar or by heauen sweares by God indirectly so takes an oathe though not a lawfull oath and thereupon remaines bound and is a debter now by propotion he that sweares by false Gods sweares by God indirectly because the false God is in the opinion of him that sweares a true God and so his oath bindeth and is to be kept Secondly Abraham accepts the oathe that Abimelech tendreth vnto him in the name of a false God Gen. 21. 23 So doth Iacob accept of the oathe made vnto him by Laban Gen. 31. 53. which they would not haue done if their oathes had not beene sufficient bondes to binde them to obseruation and performance It will be said He that admits of an oathe by an Idoll doth communicate in the sinne of him that sweareth Ans. In case of necessitie a man may admitte of such an oath without sinne A poore man beeing in extreame want borroweth of an vsurer vpon interest It is sinne to the vsurer to take it but it is not so in the
be chargeable to the Church and so there might be sufficient almes to them that are truly poore V. The fift Reason They bring in againe Iudaisme for Iewish religion by Gods appointment stood in bodily rites and outward ceremonies actions and gestures yea in outward things as garments meats drinks And their rule was Touch not tast not from all which we are wholly freed by Christ. VI. Sixtly these vowes are Idolatrous and superstitious for they are made and obserued with an opinion of Gods worship of merit and of the state of perfection whereas nothing can be made Gods worship but that which himselfe commandeth And bodily exercises are vnprofitable as Paul saith and therefore they can not be meritorious And further to dreame of a state of perfection beyond the Law of God is to make the Law it selfe imperfect whereas contrariwise the Law of the Lord is perfect righteous and pure Psal. 19. 7 8. VII Lastly these vowes are against the preseruation of Nature for by them specially that of perpetuall chastitie men are brought to destroy euen their owne bodies and liues which they are bound to preserue and maintaine Ephes. 5. 29. No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it The Apostle euen in his daies noted it as a fault in the voluntarie religion that was then taken vp by some that for the maintenance thereof they spared not their owne bodies Coloss. 2. 23. And like vnto that is the practise of Popish Votaries which tendeth to the ruine and ouerthrow of nature and life it selfe These be the Reasons In the next place we are to consider the Allegations that are commonly made in the fauour and defence of Popish vowes And first it is obiected In the Old Testament Vowes were a part of Gods worship therfore they are so to be holdē in the New Ans. There is great difference betweene them For first they had their warrant out of Gods word these haue not so nay there be expresse testimonies of scripture against these Vowes Secondly in their vowes there was alwaies right reserued to superiours to reuerse them if they liked them not But in Monasticall vowes all right is taken from superiours For children are permitted to vow and their promises must stand against parents consent And wiues according to Popish doctrine may vow against the expresse consent of their husbands Thirdly they were not perpetuall but ceased with the ceremoniall Law But these are supposed to haue a perpetuall equitie that must continue till the ende of the world Secondly they alleadge that which is written Matth. 19. 12. Some haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen Ans. The meaning of the text is not that some haue vowed single life but that there are some who beeing assured that they haue the gift of continencie vpon that gift doe endeauour to maintaine their present estate that so they may the better serue God and aduance his kingdome both in themselues and others Thirdly they obiect 1. Tim. 5. 12. where Paul speakes of certaine young women which haue damnation because they haue broken their first faith that is as they interpret it their vow of single life Ans. The words are not to be vnderstood of the faith of the vowe but either of that faith and promise which was made to God in their Baptisme or the faith and promise of seruice and releefe to be performed to the poore and for the breach of either of these they may be said to incurre damnation Fourthly they say Christ himselfe was a begger and therefore why may not we also be beggers Ans. Though Christ was poore yet was he no begger For he kept a familie and had a treasure Iudas was the steward of his familie and bare the bagge Ioh. 13. 29. Againe there is mention made of 200 pence Ioh. 6. 7. which in likelihood was in the bagg that Iudas kept yea of the money which he had the Disciples are saide to buie meate Ioh. 4. 8. And though it were graunted that Christ was a begger yet it followes not that we should be so For his pouertie was expiatorie and part of his sufferings So saith the Apostle He beeing rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouertie might be made rich 2. Cor. 8. 9. Fiftly they alledge that the Disciples forsooke all and liued in pouertie and their example is propounded for our imitation Ans. They forsooke all indeede yet how not for euer but for a time and that not by vowe but onely in affection and disposition of their hearts For after they had forsaken all we read that they came to their nets and boates againe Ioh. 21. 3. Againe the Apostle Paul speakes of himselfe and the rest when he saith Haue we not power to lead about a wife beeing a sister 1. Cor. 9. 5. By which it is plaine that they put not away their wiues Sixtly Mat. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfite saith Christ to the young man goe sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and followe me Here saith the Papist our Sauiour prescribes perpetuall pouertie by expresse counsell Ans. The words are no counsell but a speciall Commandement of triall directed to this yoūg man And the ende of it was to discouer vnto him his secret pride and hypocrisie in that he boasted that he had kept all the commandements when as indeed he knew not what they meant Lastly they obiect the example of the Recabites who according to the commandement of their father Ion adab would drinke no wine nor dwell in houses nor build nor plant nor sowe Ierem. 35. and the Lord approoueth their practise Ans. They did obey their fathers command in these things as beeing things indifferent but not as parts of Gods worshippe in the doing where of they placed Religion And they obeyed it carefully for this ende that they might inure themselues vnto hardshippe Secondly this their obedience touching these things stood not by any vowe much lesse was it perpetuall For then they should haue obserued all the things which they vowed equally which they did not for they dispensed with their fathers voluntarie iniunction for dwelling in Tents and as we read vers 11. They came vp for feare of the Chaldeans that were in the land and dwelt at Ierusalem And so much touching Popish Vowes whereof to conclude this may be said That they are all but a meere will-worship standing vpon no ground or warrant of Gods word and therefore of no force to bind the consciences of men but are to be holden as they are in truth wicked and abhominable CHAP. XV. Of Fasting THe eight Head of the outward worship of God is Fasting By Fasting I vnderstand the Religious Fast which is ioyned with the duties of Religion and namely the exercises of Praier and Humiliation Touching it there are three principall Questions to be handled in their order I. Question What is a