Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n
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A45443
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A practicall catechisme
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Hammond, Henry, 1605-1660.
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1645
(1645)
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Wing H581; ESTC R19257
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184,627
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362
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other contrary-minded S. But what if there be on both sides great probabilities but no demonstration from Christian principles or interposing of the Church which way will my meekenesse then direct me to propend C. That which must then direct me is my owne conscience to take to that which seemes to me most probable and in that my meekenesse hath nothing to doe nor can it oblige me to beleive that which I am convinced is not true nor to disbeleive that which I am convinced is true but yet before I am thus convinced my meekenesse will give me it's directions not to rely too overweeningly on my owne judgment but to compare my selfe with other men my equalls but especially my superiours and to have great jealousies of any my owne singular opinions which being represented to others as judicious as my selfe together with the reasons that have perswaded me to them doe not to them prove perswasive nay after I am convinced my meekenesse may againe move me to hearken to other reasons that other men judge more prevailing and if occasion be to reverse my former judgment thus past upon that matter It being very reasonable for me though not to beleive what I am not convinced of yet to conceive it possible for me not to see those grounds of conviction which another sees and so to be really mistaken though I thinke I am not and then what is thus reasonable to be concluded possible my meekenesse will bid me conclude possible and having done that advise me to choose the safer part and resolve rather to offend and erre by too much flexibility then too much perversenesse by meekenesse then by selfe-love S. What is the present felicity of the meeke man C. 1. The very possession of that Grace being of all others most delightfull and comfortable both as that that adornes us and sets us out beautifull and lovely in the eyes of others and is therefore called the Ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3. 4. and as that that affords us most matter of inward comfort as for example that part of meekenesse which is opposed to revenge and consists in bearing and not retributing of injuries this to a spirituall-minded man is matter of infinite delight 1. In conquering that mad wild devillish passion of revenge getting victory over one's selfe which is the greatest act of valour the thought of which is consequently most delightfull 2. In conquering the enemy of which there is no such way as the soft answer which saith the wise man turneth away wrath and feeding the hungry enemy which saith Saint Paul is the heaping live coales upon his head and that the way that Metallists use to melt those things that will not be wrought on by putting of fire under them which he expresses by overcoming evill with good 3. In conquering or out-stripping all the foolish and heathen world which had never attained to this skill of loving of enemies which is onely taught Christians by Christ The honour of this must needs be a most pleasant thing 2. It is matter of present felicity to us in respect of the tranquillity and quiet it gaines us here within our owne breasts a calme from those stormes that pride and anger and revenge are wont to raise in us And 3. In respect of the quiet peaceable living with others without strife and debate without punishments and executions that are the portion of the seditious turbulent disobedient spirits Which is the meaning undoubtedly of the promise in the Psalmist the meeke shall inherit the earth i. e. shall generally have the richest portion of the good things of this life from whence this place in the Gospell being taken though it may be accommodated to a spirituall sence by interpreting the earth for the land of the living yet undoubtedly it literally notes the land of Canaan or Judea which is oft in the Old and New Testament called the earth and so then the promise of inheriting the earth will be all one with that annext to the fifth commandement that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee i. e. a prosperous long life here is ordinarily the meek man's portion which he that shall compare and observe the ordinary dispensations of God's providence shall find to be most remarkeably true especially if compared with the contrary fate of turbulent seditious persons S. But if this reward belong to the meeke in this life what assurance of future felicity can he have there being no other promise to him here but that he shall inherit the earth C. The temporall reward can no wayes deprive him of the eternall but as the temporall Canaan was to the Jew a type and to them that obeyed a pledge of the eternall so the earth here a reall inheritance below and a pawne of another above and this is the meeke mans advantage above many other duties a double Canaan is thought little enough for him the same felicity in a manner attending him which we beleive of Adam if he had not fallen a life in paradise and from thence a transplantation to heaven The like we read of them that part with any thing deere to them for Christs sake or in obedience to Christs command which I conceive belongs especially to the liberall minded man he shall have a hundred fold more in this life and in the world to come everlasting life and unlesse it be here to the meek or to godlynesse in generall 1 Tim. 4. 8. we meet not with any other temporall promise in the new Testament which may therefore be resolved very well to be parrallel to that other not only in the hundred fold or inheritance in this life but in that other also of another life Besides other places of Scripture there are that intimate the future reward of the meek as where it is sayd to be in the sight of God of great price and that if we learne of Christ to be meeke we shall finde rest to our souls and even here the blessednesse in the front noting present blessednesse cannot rightly do so if there were no future reward also belonging to it it being a curse no blessing to have our good things with Dives or with the Hypocrite our reward in this life and none to expect hehinde in another S. What then is the fourth grace C. Hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse S. What is that And 1. what is meant by righteousnesse C. It is of two sorts 1. Inherent then Imputed the inherent imperfect proportioned to our state consisting in the mortifying of sinnes and lusts and some degrees of holy new life the Imputed is Christ's righteousnesse accepted as ours which is in plain words the pardon of our sins and acceptation of our persons in Christ S. What is Hungring and Thirsting C. You may joyn them both together and make them one common appetite of both those kinds of righteousnesse Or if you please you may more distinctly
hearts of all his servants and Subjects or Disciples that give up their names unto him 1. Here in this imperfect Kingdome of grace where the mortifying of every unruly affection is erecting of a Throne for Christ 2. At the famous much expected calling of the Jewes those greatest enemies of Christ so often prophecyed of when Christs Kingdome in the hearts of men shall be much more illustrious then now it is more holinesse more obedience more sincere perfect subjection and lesse resistance of enemies whether Satan or wicked men in what manner we doe not yet know 3. In the great finall doome of all enemies and crownning of all Saints which shall be attended with a Kingdome which shall have none end Christ giving up the Kingdome to his Father and all his Saints taken in to reigne with him for ever S. What doe you meane by praying that this Kingdome of God may come C. I pray that God by his grace inspired into my heart and the hearts of all men and by his other blessed disposall of all things below will so begin to set up his Kingdome in our hearts immediately so weaken the power of the adversary and the malice of opposers that it may by degrees of flourishing daily encrease his ancient people the Jewes be effectually called and all other things which are in his purpose orderly completed till at last this mortall compounded Kingdome which hath so much mixture of infirmity and sinne and rebellion in it be turned into a Kingdome of perfect holinesse and immortality S. O come Lord Jesus quickely into thy Kingdome of Grace here for the illuminating and preventing for the purging and cleansing for the regenerating and sanctifying of our soules for the bestowing on us that precious blessed grace of perseverance and in the Kingdom of thy glory for the perfecting and accomplishing of us hereafter Proceed we to the third petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven What is meant by Gods will C. His commands whatsoever they are but especially those which are delivered to us in the Gospell by Christ S. How is his will done in Heaven C. It is performed by the Angels who are his Ministring spirits doing those things in the governing of the world below and of every of us which he appointeth them to do And this which they are thus appointed they do willingly chearefully speedily and without neglecting any part of it S. What doe you meane by the doing it on earth C. The obedience of all men here below S. What then is the full importance of the whole petition C. We pray to God that he will so inspire his grace into all our hearts and so direct by his providence and assist to performance that we may obey him in all his commands here on earth willingly readily cheerfully speedily impartially or sincerely without indulgeing our selves to any kind of sinne in the omission of any part of our duty to him as his Angels dayly obey his commands in Heaven S. Blessed Lord give us this grace to will and assist us to performe From the petitions that respect God we may non proceed to those that respect our selves more particularly though by your explication I perceive that in those which respect God weare neerely concerned also C. It is true in some kind but not immediately and particularly as in the latter three of which one thing you may observe in generall which yet I cannot conveniently declare to you till I have explained to you the particulars S. Be pleased then to do that first in the former of then Give us this day our dayly bread to tell me what is meant by Dayly Bread C. By bread is meant all the necessaries of life By dayly somewhat which the word in English doth not distinctly signifie yet well enough expresseth the sence of For thus it is The word in Greeke comes from a word which signifies the day approaching or the morrow or in the scripture sence of the Hebrew answerable to it the remainder of our lives how long or short soever it is which because it is uncertaine men ordinarily make this an excuse for their covetousnesse that they may lay up for their age and so the older they are grow the more covet ous From hence the word rendred dayly denotes so much as shall be sufficient or proportionable for the remainder of our lives which in our prayers we beseech God to take into his care and to distribute unto us this day i. e. as Saint Luke interprets it or dayly day by day So that the prime importance of this petition is Lord give us day by day that which shall be sufficient for the remainder of our lives S. You said this was the prime importance of it which seemed to imply that there was another What is that C. The most obvious sence I call the prime sense because the words do first yeild it that is as I told you to the bodily necessaries of this life food and rayment but a secondary sence there is which though the word yeild but in the second place yet is a more weighty considerable sence to wit as bread imports in a spirituall acception the food of the soule the grace of God without which that can as little susteine it selfe as the body without food and then the dayly bread is that measure of continuall grace which will suffice for the remainder of our warfare here which we beseech God day by day to bestow upon us to assist and uphold us in all our wants and referre the care thereof unto God who we are confident careth for us S. I beseech God thus to care for us all and give us day by day for the remainder of our lives all things necessary for our soules and bodies You may now please to proceed to the next i. e. the fifth petition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us C. There will be little difficulty found in that to forgive is to absolve pardon free from punishment and the word trespasses signifies all manner of offences against God the word in Greeke is debts which is a Syriack expression to signifie sinnes Thus occasioned every man is bound to perfect exact obedience to God by the condition of the first covenant and that under an heavy penalty if he faile he then which hath so failed is thus God's debter to punishment which if it be not forgiven him will fetch out a writ against him cast him into prison and there leave him till he hath payed the utter most i. e. eternally We therefore pray to God to remit these debts of ours the payment of which would go so deepe with us and whereas we adde as we forgive them c that is only a mention of a qualification in us made necessary by Christ to make us capable of that remission of God's and as an argument to enforce that grant by professing our selves freely