a twofold relation to God or to Man As he stands in relation to God he beares the name of a Christian that is a member of Christ or a sonne of God whose dutie is to know and to worship God according to his will reuealed in his word As he stands in relation to man he is a part of a bodie and a member of some societie Now the Questions that concerne him as a member of a societie are of three sorts according to three distinct kinds of societies For euery man is either a member of a Familie or of the Church or of the Common-wealth And answerably some Questions concerne mā as a member of a familie some as he is a member of the Church some as he is a member of the Commonwealth In a word therefore all Questions touching man may be reduced to three generall heads The first whereof is concerning man simply considered as he is a man The second touching man as he stands in relation to God The third concerning man as he is a member of one of the three societies that is either of the Familie or of the Church or of the Commonwealth QVestions of the first sort concerning man simply considered in himselfe as he is a man are especially three The first What a man must doe that he may come into the fauour of God and be saued The second How he may be assured in conscience of his owne saluation The third How he may recouer himselfe when he is distressed or fallen Of these in order CHAP. V. Of the first maine Question touching Man I. Question What must a man doe that he may come into Gods fauor and be saued FOR answer to this Question some Groundes must be laid downe before-hand The first is this That we must consider and remember how and by what meanes God brings any man to saluation For looke how God saueth others so he that would know how to be saued must vse the meanes whereby God saueth them Sect. 1. In the working and effecting of Mans saluation ordinarily there are two special actions of God the giuing of the first grace and after that the giuing of the second The former of these two works hath X. seuerall actions I. God giues man the outward meanes of saluation specially the Ministerie of the word and with it he sends some outward or inward crosse to breake and sub due the stubbornnesse of our nature that it may be made plyable to the will of God This we may see in the example of the Iaylour Act. 16. and of the Iewes that were conuerted at Peters sermon Act. 2. II. This done God brings the minde of man to a consideration of the Law and therein generally to see what is good and what is euill what is sinne and what is not sinne III. Vpon a serious consideration of the Law he makes a man particularly to see and know his owne peculiar and proper sinnes whereby he offends God IV. Vpon the sight of sinne he smites the heart with a Legall feare whereby when man seeth his sinnes he makes him to feare punishment and hell and to despaire of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe Now these foure actions are indeede no fruits of grace for a Reprobate may goe thus farre but they are onely workes of preparation going before grace the other actions which follow are effects of grace V. The fifth action of grace therefore is to stirre vp the minde to a serious consideration of the promise of saluation propounded and published in the Gospel VI. After this the sixt is to kindle in the heart some seedes or sparks of faith that is a will and desire to beleeue and grace to striue against doubting dispaire Now at the same instant when God beginnes to kindle in the heart any sparkes of faith then also he iustifies the sinner and withall begins the worke of sanctification VII Then so soone as faith is put into the heart there is presently a combat for it fighteth with doubting dispaire and distrust And in this combate faith shews it selfe by feruent cōstant earnest inuocatiō for pardon and after inuocation followes a strength and preuailing of this desire VIII Furthermore God in mercie quiets and settles the Conscience as touching the saluation of the soule and the promise of life where vpon it resteth and staieth it selfe IX Next after this setled assurance perswasion of mercy followes a stirring vp of the heart to Euangelicall sorrow according to God that is a griefe for sinne because it is sinne and because God is offended and then the Lord workes repentance wherby the sanctified heart turnes it selfe vnto him And though this repentance be one of the last in order yet it shewes it selfe first as when a candle is brought into a roome we first see the light before wee see the candle and yet the candle must needs be before the light can be X. Lastly God giues a man grace to endeauor to obey his commaundements by a new obedience And by these degrees doth the Lord giue the first grace The second worke of God tending to saluation is the giuing of the second grace which is nothing else but the continuance of the first grace giuen For looke as by creation God gaue a beeing to man all other creatures and then by his prouidence continued the same beeing which was as it were a second creation so in bringing a man to saluation God giues the first grace for example to beleeue repent then in mercie giues the second to persevere continue in faith and repentance to the end And this if we regard man himselfe is very necessary For as fire without supply of matter wherby it is fedde continued would soone goe out so vnlesse God of his goodnesse should followe his children and by new and daily supplies continue his first grace in thē they would vndoubtedly soone loose the same finally fall away The second Ground for the answere of this Question is taken from some speciall places of Scripture where the same is mooved and resolued The men that were at Peters sermon being touched with the sense of their owne miserie vpon the doctrine which had beene deliuered as the Holy Ghost saies were pricked in their hearts and cried one to an other Men brethren what shall we doe Peter mooued by the spirit of God answers them Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sinnes The like was the case of the Iaylor who after that the stubbornnesse of his heart was beaten downe by feare of the departure of the prisoners he came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and mooued this question vnto them Sirs what must I doe to be saued to whome they gaue answer Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold The young man in the Gospel sues to Christ and askes him What shall I doe to be saued Christs answers him Keepe
the Commandements When he replied that he had kept them from his youth Christ tels him that he must goe yet further and sell all that he hath and giue to the poore And Iohn tells the Scribes and Pharises who came vnto his Baptisme and confessed their sinnes that if they would flie from the wrath to come they must repent and bring forth fruits worthie amendment of life From these places then I frame this answer to the Question in hand The man that would stand in the fauour of God and be saued must doe foure things first humble himselfe before God secondly beleeue in Christ thirdly repent of his sinnes fourthly performe new obedience vnto God Sect. 2. For the first Humiliation is indeode a fruit of faith yet I put it in place before faith because in practise it is first Faith lieth hid in the heart and the first effect whereby it appeares is the abasing and humbling of our selues And here we are further to consider three points first wherein stands humiliation secondly the excellencie of it thirdly the Questions of conscience that concerne it Touching the first point Humiliation stands in the practise of three things The first is a sorrow of heart whereby the sinner is displeased with himself ashamed in respect of his sinnes The second is a confession to god wherin also three things are to be done first to acknowledge all our maine sinnes originall and actuall secondly to acknowledge our guiltinesse before God thirdly to acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in Humiliation is supplication made to God for mercie as earnestly as in a matter of life and death and of these three things we haue in Scripture the examples of Ezra Daniel and the prodigall sonne Ezra 9. Dan. 9. Luk. 15. 18. The second point is the excellencie of Humiliation which stands in this that it hath the promises of life eternall annexed to it Esa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Psal. 51. 17. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes By all these and many other places it is manifest that in the very instant when a sinner beginnes truly in heart and conscience to humble himselfe he is then entred into the state of saluation So soone as Dauid said I haue sinned Nathan pronounceth in the name of the Lord that his sinnes were put away And Dauid himselfe saith alluding to the former place I said I will confesse my sinne and loc thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne When the Prodigall sonne had but said I will goe to my father c. euen then before he humbled himselfe his father meetes him and receiues him The third point is touching the Questions of conscience concerning Humiliation all which may be reduced to foure principall Cases I. Case What if it fall out that a man in humbling himselfe cannot call to minde either all or the most of his sinnes I answer A particular humiliation indeed is required for maine and knowne sinnes but yet there are two cases wherein generall repentance will be accepted of God for vnknowne sinnes One is when a man hath searched himselfe diligently and by a serious examination passed through all the commaundements of God and yet after such examination and search made his particular offences are yet hidden and not reuealed vnto him so as he cannot call them to remembrance then the generall repentance is accepted For this is answerable to the practise of Dauid who after long search when he could not attaine to the knowledge of his particular slippes then he addresseth himselfe to a generall humiliation saying Who knoweth the errours of this life clense me Lord from my secret faults and vpon this he was no doubt accepted Againe when a man humbleth himselfe and yet is preuented by the time so as he cannot search his heart and life as he would his generall repentance will be taken and accepted of God The truth hereof appeares in the theefe vpon the crosse who hauing no time to search himselfe made no speciall humiliation yet vpon his generall confession he was accepted Now the ground of this doctrine is this He that truly repents of one sinne in this case when he is preuented is as if he repented of all II. Case What must a man doe that findes himselfe hard hearted and of a dead spirit so as he cannot humble himselfe as he would Answ. Such persons if they humble themselues they must be content with that grace which they haue receiued For if thou be truly and vnfainedly grieued for this that thou canst not be grieued thy humiliation shall be accepted For that which Paul saith of almes may be truly said in this case that if there be a readie minde a man shall be accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not III. Case Whether the party that is more grieued for losse of his friend then for offēce of God by his sinne doeth or can truly humble himselfe Answ. A man may haue a greater griefe for an earthly losse then for the other and yet be truly greiued for his sinnes too The reason is because that is a bodily naturall and sensible losse and accordingly sorrow for it is naturall Now the sorrow for the offending of God is no sensible thing but supernaturall and spirituall and sensible things doe more affect urge the minde then the other Dauid did notably humble himselfe for his sinnes and he did exceedingly mourne for the losse of his sonne Absolom yea and more too then for his sinnes Would God I had died for thee Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne c. Againe I answer that the sorrow of the minde must be measured by the intention of the affection by the estimation of the thing for which we sorrow Now sorrow for sinne though it be lesse in respect of the intention thereof yet is it greater in respect of the estimation of the mind because they which truly mourn for their sins grieue for the offence of God as the greatest euill of all and for the losse of the fauour of God as for losse of the most excellent pretious thing in the world IV. Case Whether it be necessarie in Humiliation that the heart should be smitten with a sensible sorrow Answer I. In sorrow for sinne ther are two things first to be displeased for our sinns secondly to haue a bodily moouing of the heart which causeth crying and teares The former of these is necessarie
namely in heart to be deepely displeased with our selues the latter is not simply necessary though it be commendable in whomsoeuer it is if it be in truth for Lydia had the first but not the second II. It falleth out oftētimes that the greatnes of the grief taketh away the sensible paine and causeth a mummednesse of the heart so that the partie grieueth not III. Sometimes the complexion will not affoard teares and in such there may be true humiliation though with dric cheekes Sect. 3. The Secōd thing to be done for the attaining of Gods fauour and confequently of saluatiō is to Beleeue in Christ. In the practise of a Christian life the duties of humiliation faith cannot be seuered yet for doctrines sake I distinguish them In Faith ther are two things required and to be performed on our behalfe First to know the points of religion and namely the summe of the Gospel especially the promise of righteousnes and life eternall by Christ. Secondly to apprehend and applie the promise and withall the thing promised which is Christ vnto our selues and this is done when a man vpon the commandemēt of God sets down this with himselfe that Christ and his merits belong vnto him in particular and that Christ is his wisdome iustification sanctification and redemption This doctrine is plaine out of the sixt of Iohn for Christ is there propounded vnto vs as the bread and the water of life Therefore faith must not be idle in the braine but it must take Christ and applie him vnto the soule and conscience euen as meate is eaten The Questions of Conscience touching Faith are these First how we may truly applie Christ with all his benefits vnto our selues For wicked men applie Christ vnto themselues falsely in presumption but fewe doe it truly as they ought to doe I answer That this may be done we must remember to doe two things First lay downe a foundation of this action and then practise vpon it Our foundation must be laid in the word or else we shall faile in our application and it consists of two principles The one is As God giues a promise of life eternall by Christ so he giues commandement that euery one in particular should applie the promise to himselfe The next is that the Ministerie of the word is an ordinarie meanes wherein God doth offer and applie Christ with all his benefits to the hearers as if he called them by their names Peter Iohn Cornelius Beleeue in Christ and thou shalt be saued When we haue rightly considered of our foundation the Second thing is to practise vpon it and that is to giue our selues to the exercises of faith and repentance which stand in meditation of the Word and prayer for mercie and pardon and when this is done then God giues the sense and increase of his grace When Lydia was hearing the Sermon of Paul then God opened her heart Act. 16. v. 12. Secondly it is demaunded When faith beginnes to breede in the heart and when a man beginnes to beleeue in Christ Answ. When he beginnes to be touched in conscience for his owne sinnes and withall hungers and thirsts after Christ and his righteousnes then beginneth faith The reason is plaine As faith is renewed so it is begunne but it is renewed when a man is touched in conscience for his sinnes and beginnes a new to hunger after Christ therefore when these things first shew themselues then faith first beginnes For these were the things that were in Dauid when he renewed his repentance Sect. 4. The third dutie necessarie to saluation is Repentance In which two things are to be considered the beginning namely a godly Sorrow which is the beginning of Repentance 2. Corinth 7. and vpon this sorrow a Change which is indeede Repentance it selfe In Sorrow we consider first the nature of it secondly the properties of it Touching the nature of sorrow it is either inward or outward The inward sorrow is when a man is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes The outward when the heart declares the griefe thereof by teares or such like signes And sorrow in this case called a godly sorrow is more to be esteemed by the first of these then by the second The propertie of this sorrow is to make vs to be displeased with our selues for our sinnes directly because they are sinnes and doe displease God If there were no iudge no hel nor death yet we must be grieued because we haue offended so mercifull a God and louing father And as godly sorrow will make vs thus to doe so is it the next cause of repentance and by this is repentance discerned The next thing in Repentāce is the Change of the minde and whole man in affection life and conuersation And this standeth in a constant purpose of the minde and resolution of the heart not to sinne but in euery thing to doe the will of God Hereupon Paul exhorteth them to whome he wrote to continue in the loue of God and in the obedience of his word Barnabas when he came to Antioch and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted all that with purpose of heart they should cleaue vnto God or continue with the Lord. So the Prophet Ezckiel saith if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and shall not die In this purpose stands the very nature of repentance and it must be ioyned with humiliation and faith as a third thing auaileable to saluation and not to be seuered from them For a man in shewe may haue many good things as for example he may be humbled and seeme to haue some strength of faith yet if there be in the saide man a want of this purpose and resolution not to sinne the other are but dead things and vnprofitable and for all them he may come to eternall destruction Furthermore we must distinguish this kinde of purpose from the minde and purpose of carnall men theeues drunkards harlots vsurers for they will confesse their sinnes and be sorie for them yea and shed some teares wishing they had neuer sinned as they haue In these men indeed there is a wishing will for the time but no setled purpose And it is a propertie of nature to auoid euill but to haue a constant resolution of not sinning is a gift of grace and for this it is that we must labour otherwise our repentance is no true and sound repentance Sect. 5. The fourth and last dutie is to performe New obedience vnto God in our life and conuersation In this new obedience three things are required First it must be a fruit of the spirit of Christ in vs for when we doe any good thing it is Christ that doth it in vs. To this purpose Dauid praies vnto God Psal. 143. 10. Let thy good Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousnes And
place to Timothie God would haue all men to be saued that is now in this last age of the world And thus the same Apostle 2. Cor. 6. expoundes a certaine prophecie of Isay concerning the acceptable time of grace Now saith he is the acceptable time behold Now is the day of saluation meanig the time of the new Testament And Coloss. 1. 26. The mysterie hid from the beginning is now made manifest to the Saints And Rom. 16. 26. The revelation of the secret mysterie is now opened All which and many other places about the same matter hauing this circumstance of time Now must needes be limited to this last age of the world As for the note of vniuersalitie All it must not be vnderstood of all particulars but of all kinds sorts conditions and states of men as may be gathered out of the former words I would that praiers be made for all men not for euery particular man for there be some that sinne vnto death for whome we may not pray but for all states of men as well Princes as subiects poore as rich base as noble vnlearned as learned c. But the saying of Paul is vrged 2. Cor. 5. 18. God was in Christ reconciling the World vnto himselfe therfore the promise in Christ belongs to the whole World and consequently to euery one Ans. The saine Apostle shall againe answer for himselfe Rom. 11. 15. The casting away of the Iewes is thereconciling of the world that is of the Gentiles in the last age of the world for so he said before more plainely The falling away of the Iew is the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles And so must that place to the Corinthes be vnderstood namely not of all and euery man that liued in all ages and times but of them that were by the dispensation of the Gospell to be called out of all kingdomes and nations after the death and ascension of Christ. Thus then the promise of saluation is not vniuersall without exception or restraint therfore application made by the vniuersalitie of the promise admits some falshood Secondly this way of applying is also Vnfit For the reason must be framed thus Christ died for all men but thou art a man therfore Christ died for thee The partie distressed will grant all and say Christ indeede died for him if he would haue receiued Christ but he by his sinnes hath cut himselfe off from his owne Sauiour and hath forsaken him so as the benefit of his death will doe him no good Sect. 4. The right way of ministring Comfort to a party distressed followeth In the handling whereof first I will lay down the Grounds wherby any man that belongs to God may be brought within the Couenant And then I will shew the Right Way how they must be vsed and applied For the first Recourse must not be bad to all graces or to all degrees and measures of grace but onely such as a troubled Conscience may feele and reach vnto For those that be the true children of God and haue excellent measure of grace when they are in distresse feele little or no grace at all in themselues The graces then that serue for this purpose are three Faith Repentance and the true Loue of God which is the fruit of them both And that we may the more easily and truly discerne of them and not be deceiued inquirie must be made what be the Seedes and beginnings of them all The first Ground of grace is this A desire to repent and beleeue in a touched heart and conscience is faith and repentance it selfe though not in nature yet in Gods acceptation I prooue it thus It is a principle graunted and confessed of all men that in them which haue grace God accepteth the will for the deede If there bee a willing minde saith the Apostle it is accepted not according to that a man hath not but according to that he hath Againe God hath annexed a promise of blessednes and life euerlasting to the true and vnfained desire of grace Whence it is that they are in Scripture pronounced blessed which hunger and thirst after righteousnes And who are they but such as feele themselues to want all righteousnes and doe truly and earnestly desire it in their hearts For hunger and thirst argues both a want of something and a feeling of the wāt And to this purpose the holy Ghost saith To him that is a thirst will I giue to drinke of the water of life freely Now this thirstie soule is that man which feeles himselfe destitute of all grace and Gods fauour in Christ and withall doth thirst after the blood of Christ and desires to be made partaker thereof God is wont mercifully to accept of the desire of any good thing when a man is in necessitie and stands in want therof The Lord saies Dauid heares the desire of the poore that is of them that are in distresse either of bodie or minde Yea he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him It will be said that the desire of good things is naturall and therfore God will not regard mens desires I answer Desires be of two sorts Some be of such things as men by the meere light of nature know to be good for example the desire of wisdome of ciuill vertue of honour of happinesse and such like and all these nature can desire Others be aboue nature as the desire of remission of sinnes reconciliation and sanctification and they which seriously desire these haue a promise of blessednes life euerlasting And hence it followes that desire of mercie in the want of mercie is mercie it selfe and desire of grace in the want of grace is grace it selfe A second Ground is this A godly sorrow whereby a man is grieued for his sinnes because they are sinnes is the beginning of repentance indeed for substance is repentance it selfe The Apostle Paul reioyced that he had in the worke of his Ministerie wrought this godly sorrow in the hearts of the Corinthians calling it sorrow that causeth repentance not to be repented of This sorrow may be discerned in this sort The heart of him in whome it is is so affected that though there were no conscience nor deuill to accuse no hell for condemnation yet it would be grieued in it selfe because God by sinne is displeased and offended If it be alleadged that euery one cannot reach to this beginning of repentance thus to sorrow for his sinne then I adde further If the partie be grieued for the hardnes of his heart whereby it comes to passe that he cannot grieue he hath vndoubtedly receiued some portion of godly sorrow For it is not nature that makes vs to grieue for hardnes of heart but grace The third Ground is that A setled purpose and willing minde to forsake all sinne and to turn vnto God though as yet no outward conuersion appeare
Of this Saint Paul speaks to the Corinths Iudge ye what I say 1. Cor. 10. 15. The second is the iudgement of the Prophet or minister And this is a surer kind of iudgement then the former proceeding from a greater measure of Gods grace The third is the iudgement of the Holy Ghost in scripture and this is soueraigne and absolute For the Holy Ghost iudgeth all and is iudged of none These three kinds of iudgment are set in this order The first depends vpon the second the second vpon the third and the third is absolute and iudged of none Vpon this caueat two things doe follow First that a priuate hearer though he may iudge of doctrine deliuered yet he may not censure the Teacher or his ministrie Ministers are to be iudged but their spirit is not subiect to euery priuate man but to the prophets For the spirit of the prophet that is the doctrine which the prophets bring beeing inspired by the Holy Ghost is subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 32. Secondly a priuate man is not to publish or broach any point of doctrine but that which is plainly propounded in the word and taught by the ministers thereof This is a necessarie rule and the want of obseruation thereof is the cause of many scismes and haeresies in the Church The Lord commands the people Mal. 2. 7. to require the law at the mouth of the priest in all maine points of faith and manners The second Rule to be obserued in hearing Euery hearer must haue care that the word of God be rooted and grounded in his heart like good feede in good ground which Saint Iames expresseth Iam. 1. 21. Receiue with meekenes the ingrafted word Here generally it is to be remembred that not onely ignorant people but euen the most learned ought to be hearers of the word preached For the preaching thereof serues not onely for the increasing of knowledge but also for the reformation of the affection which may be inordinate where knowledge doth abound Now for the rooting of the word of God in our hearts sundry things are required First a true right vnderstanding therof Secondly it must be mingled with faith Heb. 4. 1. For the word is as wine or water of life our faith is the sugar that sweetneth it and giues it a pleasant relish The word therfore must be tempered and mixed with our saith that it may become profitable vnto vs. Now in this mixture there is required a double faith the first generall whereby we beleeue the doctrine deliuered to be true so as we neuer call the same into question Our Gospell to you saith Paul was in much assurance 1. Thess. 1. 5. The second special whereby we apply the word preached vnto our selues for the humbling and comforting of our hearts Thirdly we must labour to be affected with the word Thus Iosiah his heart is said to melt at the reading of the law 2. Chro. 34. 27. And the people reioyced greatly because they vnderstood the word which the Leuites had taught them Neh. 8. 12. The hearts of the two disciples that went to Emmaus burned within them when Christ opened vnto them the scriptures Luc. 24. 32. And the Iewes at Peters sermon were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 2. 37. Fourthly the word of God must dwell plenteously in vs Coll. 3. 16. This is doth when it rules and beares the greatest sway in the heart and is not ouerruled by any corrupt affection III. The duties to be performed after hearing are these First the doctrine deliuered must be treasured vp in the heart and practised in life Psal. 119. 11. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Secondly a man must meditate on the word which he hath heard with lifting vp of his heart vnto God The beasts that were clouen footed and chewed the cudde were fittest both for meate vnto man and for sacrifice to God Levit. 11. It was the olde and auncient opinion of the Church that this chewing the cudde signified holy meditations And he that heares the word must doe as the beast doth fetch vp the meate out of his bellie againe and chewe it ouer a new The man that doth so is the fittest for the Lords vse Thirdly he must haue experience of the word of God in himselfe Psal. 34. 8. Tast and see how gracious the Lord is Fourthly he is to examine himselfe after he hath heard the word Thus Dauid saith of himselfe Psal. 119. 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies Fiftly he must be obedient vnto it and testifie his obediēce though not at all times yet whensoeuer occasion is offered Iam. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues II. Question touching hearers is How are they to be comforted who after long hearing of the word either profit very litle or not at all For resolution of this Question the Causes of not profiting are distinctly to be considered And they are of two sorts The first sort of Causes are the sinnes of the hearers And that sinnes are the causes of not profiting it will appeare by this signe if the memorie vnderstanding and other parts of the minde in common matters be strong and pregnant but dull and weake in apprehending and retaining the doctrine taught Now these sinnes are principally two First Hardnes of heart when a man is not inwardly mooued and affected with the word preached but remaines in the same state he was before This is set forth by the hard ground that is by the high way side and by the stonie ground Math. 13. 4 5. And such is the heart that is not mooued nor affected either with ioy sorrow feare or consolation The hardnes of heart ariseth from a custome in sinning and from that the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 13. Secondly worldly Cares that is a heart possessed with desire of profits pleasures honours preferments and such like which be as thornes that choake the seede of the word and suffer it not to grow and fructifie yea that fill the heart full of wandering imaginations which steale away the mind from attending to the word preached Those that are thus hindred from profiting are rather to be reprooued then comforted for that the cause of their non-proficiencie is in from themselues They are therefore to vse all good meanes for the remooueall of their sinnes that of hard hearted and carnall they may become good and profitable hearers of the word The meanes are these First they must labour to be touched in heart with sense and feeling of their spirituall pouertie and want of Gods fauour and mercie in the pardon of their sinnes The reason is giuen of Dauid Psal. 25. 9. The Lord teacheth the humble his waies And by Marie in her song Luk. 1. 35. He hath filled the hungrie with good things and the rich he hath sent
the breaking and the powring Applying are those that doe appropriate the same as the giuing and receiuing of the bread and wine The first sort serues properly to renew our knowledge The second to confirme the saine by application Now answerable to the scope of the Sacrament must be our right Receiuing which consisteth in renewing of our knowledge and faith in the mysterie thereof Our Knowledge is renewed principally by meditation in the vse of the Supper after this manner First when we see two signes to be receiued we must call to minde that Christ is our perfect Sauiour that is both bread and water of life Secondly when we behold the bread and wine set apart by the Minister and consecrated by repeating the promise and praiers made for that ende we must remember that Christ was ordained and appointed by God to be our Mediatour and Sauiour Ioh. 6. 27. Act. 2. 23. 36. Thirdly when we see the bread broken and wine powred out we are to meditate of Christ that was crucified for vs and broken both by the first death and paines of the second whereby life and righteousnesse was procured vnto vs. Fourthly the giuing of the elements into the receiuers hands offers vnto our meditation thus much That God doth truly and really giue Christ with his merits and efficacie to euery beleeuing receiuer On the otherside our Faith is renewed by apprehension and application in this manner When the Minister giues the bread and wine and the communicant receiues them at the same time are we to lift vp our hearts to heauen to apprehend Christ by faith beleeuing him with all his benefits to be ours that he was made man for vs that he suffered and died for the remission of our sinnes For these outward symbolicall or sacramentall actions serue to no other end but to signifie vnto vs these inward actiōs of the mind and will whereby we apprehend and receiue Christ to our saluation Here by the way two Cases are propounded I. Case What is to be done if a man after often receiuing still doubteth whether he hath faith or no Ans. He must striue against doubting and indeauour to beleeue being heartily sory for the weakenes and infirmitie of his faith And let him withall consider and remember that God hath not onely giuen his promise but set apart this Sacrament to be a special signe and pledge of his mercie contained in the promise for the vpholding strengthening of mans faith But some man will say Mine indeauour is nothing if doubting preuaile Ans. It is not so For if a man can be heartily sorie for his infirmitie if he striue to beleeue if in heart he hungreth and thirsteth after Christ faith is begunne and he in some sort doth apprehend Christ. The poore begger by the high way side enioyeth the almes that is giuen him though he receiue it with a lame and leprous hand The stomacke that lothes physicke if it receiues into it at the first but one droppe of the potion prescribed and that in very weake and fainting manner it will be able at length to take benefit by a greater quantitie and in the meane time it receiues good The man that is in close prison if he sees but one little beame of the Sunne by a small crevisse by that very beame he hath vse of the Sunne though he seeth not the whole body of the Sunne In like manner though our faith the hand of our soule be mingled with weakenes and corruption though we feele neuer so little measure of Gods grace in vs yea though our knowledge be neuer so small yet it is an argument that the Spirit of God beginnes to worke in our harts and that we haue by Gods mercie begunne to lay hold on Christ. It will be said further If I feele not Christ giuen vnto me by God I doe not nay I cannot beleeue Answ. In Nature it is true that Experience beginnes first and then followes Assurance but in Spirituall and Diuine things there is a contrary course to be taken For here we must beginne with faith and in the first place simply beleeue Gods promises and afterward we come by the goodnes of God to feele and haue experience of his mercie This point was notably practised by Iehosaphat who beeing in a great extremity and seeing no way to escape practised his faith in the first place and said Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chro. 20. 12. And the like he taught the people at the same time ver 20. Put your trust in the Lord and ye shall be assured Thus Abraham is said aboue hope to beleeue vnder hope the promise of God euen against sense reason and experience Rom. 4. 18. II. Case If in the very instant of receiuing a man feele his heart so hard that he cannot lift it vp vnto God what is then to be done Ans. First hardnes of heart is two fold sensible and insensible The Insensible hardnes of heart is a great and dangerous iudgement But the Sensible and felt hardnes which is in Gods children and which they feele and bewaile in themselues is rather a blessing then a curse Of this the people of God complained Esay 63. 17. And it must not discourage any Communicant but rather comfort him because it is a signe of grace For if ther were no grace in the heart corruption hardnes could not be felt Secondly I answer that the benefit of the Sacrament is not tied to the very instant of receiuing but if before and after a man lift vp his heart to God he shall find comfort though for the present he hath not so liuely sense and feeling thereof as he desireth This alway provided that the same partie be displeased with himselfe that he cannot doe that which he would and ought nor in that measure that is required And such a one must consider this to his cōfort that though he doe not apprehend Christ yet Christ apprehendeth and accepteth him Sect. 3. In the Third place After the receiuing of the Sacraments two things are required First that Thankes be giuen vnto God not onely in word but in euery action of our life for Christ and all his benefits Secondly that not onely for the present but euer afterward still we renue our faith repentance and obedience But what is a man to doe if after receiuing he finde no cōfort Ans. First he must examine whether he hath truly beleeued and repented yea or no If he hath not then the fault is in himselfe and not in Gods ordinance If he hath let him not be dismaied for the ioy of the Spirit is sowne in his heart and though it lie hidde for a time yet at length it will shewe it selfe Psal. 97. 11. CHAP. XI Of Adoration THe Fourth Head of the outward worshippe of God is Adoration wherein we consider two things First what it is Secondly what be the Questions propounded concerning it Sect. 1.
we read Gen. 19. 1. that Lot seeing twoo Angels comming towards Sodome rose vp to meete them and bowed himselfe with his face to the ground By which example it appeareth that though Angels may be adored yet not with Religious or that which is mixed with Religious worship but with worship purely meerely ciuill Wherevpon it was that the Angell refused the worship done vnto him by Iohn saying See thou doe it not I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren c. Rev. 19. 10. I adde moreouer that sith at this day the Angels appeare not vnto vs we may not worshippe them at all either in ciuill or religious manner albeit we must euer haue a reuerent estimation of them As for liuing men Adoration meerely civill is onely due vnto them and that in respect of the gifts of God which we see to be in them as also of their authoritie and place which they haue amongst men This is expressely inioyned in the fist Commandement Honour thy father c. and confirmed also by the example of Abraham who stood vp and bowed himselfe before the people of the land of the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. Prouided alwaies that this Adoration be according to the laudable custome of the countrey where they liue But for worship either simply religious or mixt it is in no sort to be yeelded them Thus Peter when Cornelius met him and fell downe at his feete refused to accept of the honour done vnto him which notwithstanding was not a diuine but a mixed kinde of worship performed vnto Peter in a reuerent opinion of his person as beeing more then an ordinarie man Act. 10. 25 26. In like manner Mordecai the Iewe denied to worship Haman because the honour which the King appointed to be giuen vnto him was an excessiue honour hauing some diuine worship in it such as was done to himselfe Of the same sort is the kissing of the Popes feete which indeede is ciuill worship but mixed with religious For it is tendered vnto him as to the Vicar of Christ and one that cannot erre the like to which is not done to any Emperour or Potentate on earth Lastly touching dead men or Saints departed as Peter Paul and the rest all the worship we owe vnto them is no more but a reuerent estimation of their persons and imitation of their â—…es Religious or ciuill Adoration due vnto them we acknowledge none because neither we haue to deale with them nor they with vs. Therefore Romish Adoration of them we renounce as flat Idolatrie considering it giues vnto them a Diuinitie making them present in all places to know our hearts and heare our praiers at all times which is the prerogatiue of God alone Now for vnreasonable creatures no Adoration at all appertaineth to them but onely a reuerent and holy vse of them For Adoration is a signe of Subiection of the inferiour to the superiour but man is their superiour and therefore he is to doe them no worship or seruice And hereupon we iustly condemne the Adoration of the reliques of Saints of the bread and wine in the Sacrament c. The Third sort of things is the Worke of the Creature to wit Images Where if it be demanded what Adoration is due to them I answer None at all Reasons 1. We haue an expresse inhibition to the contrarie in the third Commandement Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them c. 2. The superiour must performe no adoration to the inferiour Now though it should be granted that they were the Images of God yet man is a more excellent Image then they and they are inferiour not onely to him but euen to the baser sort of creatures The woâ—…e is one of the basest creatures vpon the earth yet it is a worke of God The Image is a worke not of God but of man Man therefore may as well in all reason and better worship the worme then the Image CHAP. XII Of outward Confession THe fift Head of Gods outward worship is Confession I meane not the Ordinarie or Ecclesiasticall Confession but that which is made before the Aduersarie Concerning which there be many Questions commonly made I. Question Whether Confession of faith be necessarie and when Ans. That Confession is necessarie it appeares by manifest testimonies of Scripture 1. Pet. 3. 15. Be readie to giue an answer alwaies to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Here is a flat Commandement for Confession Againe Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth and beleeue with thy heart thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation And Mark 8. 38. Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me in this adulterous generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glorie of his Father with his holy Angels This is graunted of all Diuines saue onely of some pestilent Heretikes The second part of the Question is When Confession is to be made For answering whereof this must be remembred for a Ground that there is a distinction to be made betweene Commandements affirmatiue and negatiue The Negatiue bindeth at all times and to all times For it is not lawfull at any time for a man to doe euill The Affirmatiue binds at and in all times but not to all times For it commands a dutie to be done which neuerthelesse is not at all times to be done For example To giue almes is prescribed by an affirmatiue commandement and yet almes are to be giuen onely at fit times and occasions Hereupon it pleased the Lord to propound part of the Morall Law in negatiue tearmes because negatiues are of greater force Now Confession beeing commaunded not by a negatiue but by an affirmatiue commandement we are not bound thereunto at and to all times but when iust occasion is offered What then may some say are the especiall times in which Confession is to be made before the Aduersarie Ans. There are two principally to which all the other may be reduced The first is when we are examined touching our Religion by them that are in authoritie as by Magistrates Princes Iudges c. For at such time we are lawfully called to make confession of our faith and may doe it with boldnes Thus much the place before-named importeth where we are inioyned to be readie to giue an account c. 1. Pet. 3. 15. that is not to euery Examiner but to those alone who haue power and authoritie giuen them by God for that purpose And the same is implied in Christs speech to his Apostles Math. 10. 19. And ye shall be brought before gouerners and Kings for my sake in witnes to them and to the Gentiles And in this case not to make profession of our faith is in effect to denie Christ to scandalize the Church and greatly to preiudice the truth The second time of Confession is when in
that sinne if he proceed according to the three degrees mentioned Mat. 18. But this is in him a fault for he must not iudge in this case at his owne pleasure but his iudgement must follow the iudgement of the Church and when the Church hath giuen censure then may the priuate man proceede to censure and not before So saith our Sauiour Christ Mat. 18. 17. If he heare not the Church after the Church hath iudged him let him be vnto you as a heathen a publicane Here if the Question be made how a man may with good conscience giue iudgement of his owne selfe I answer by obseruing two Rules First a man must alwaies in the presence of God iudge himself in regard of his sinnes both of hart life 1. Cor. 11. 31. If we should iudge our selues we should not be iudged And this iudgement of a mans selfe must not be partiall but sharpe and seuere with true humiliation and lowlines of heart For this is a true ground of all charitable iudgement of others Secondly before men a man must suppresse his iudgement of himselfe and be silent no man is bound either to praise or dispraise to excuse or accuse and condemne himselfe before others and grace must teach him thus much not vainely to commend or boast of of his owne gifts and actions but rather to burie them in silence and referre them to the iudgement of others Now to conclude this point The doctrine deliuered is most necessarie for these times For the fashion of most men is to giue rash and sinister iudgement of others but themselues they will commend and that highly If any thing be euill saide or done all men must haue notice of it If a thing be doubtfull it is alway construed in the worser part If a thing be done of weaknes and infirmitie we aggrauate it and make it a double sinne We are curious in searching and inquiting into the liues of others that we may haue something to carpe and finde fault with But let this be remembred that as we iudge so we shall be iudged first of God by condemnation and then by hard and vnequal iudgement from others Againe what is it that makes men to be open mouthed in declaring and censuring our faults but this that we open our mouthes to the disgrace and defamation of others Wherefore if we would haue other men to iudge of vs and our actions in loue we must also make conscience to giue charitable iudgement of them II. Question How one man should honour an other Ans. That we may rightly honour men we must first know the causes for which men are to be honoured And that the causes of honour may be conceiued I will lay downe this Ground Honour is in the first place principally and properly to be giuen vnto God 1. Tim. 1. 17. To God onely wise be honour and glorie The reason hereof is rendered in the Lords prayer be cause his is kingdome power and glorie Againe God is goodnes it selfe his goodnes and his essence are one and the same therefore honour is due to him in the first place Now euery creature as it commeth neare vnto God so it is honourable and the more honourable by how much nearer it commeth vnto him But man especially by how much nearer he commeth to God in diuine things by so much more is he to be honoured in respect of other creatures From this Ground doe follow these Conclusions First that Man is first of all to be honoured for vertues sake because therein principally standes the internall image of God Rom. 2. 10. To euery man that doth good shal be honour glorie peaece to the Iew first c. Now whereas the Question might be Who is the Iew to whome this honour must be yeelded Paul answers vers 29. that he is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew who is one within And the circumcision is of the heart And Salomon saith that Honour is vnseemely for a foole Prou. 26. 1. And the Holy Ghost to the Hebrewes saith that by faith our Elders were well reported of The Heathen man Marcus Marcellus a Romane dedicated a TeÌ„ple to the Goddesse of Honour and the way to that temple was by the house of Vertue The Second Conclusion is That man is to be honoured not onely for vertue but also for diuine representations of other good things in a word because one man before an other heareth the image of some thing that is in God As First of his Maiestie Thus the King is honoured because in his Maiestie and state he carrieth a resemblance of the power and glorie of God so as that which is saide of God may be also spoken of him Hence it was that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar O King thou art a King of Kings and why for the God of heauen hath giuen thee kingdome power strength and glorie Dan. 2. 37. Secondly of his Dominion Thus the husband is to be honoured of the wife because he beareth before the woman the image of the glorie of God yea of his prouidence wisedome Lordship and gouernment 1. Cor. 11. 7. Thirdly of his Paternitie and so the father is honoured of the sonne because he beares in his person the image of Gods paternitie or father-hoode Fourthly of his Eternitie and hence it is that honour is giuen to the aged before the young man because he beareth the image thereof Thus we see that Diuine representations doe imprint a kinde of excellencie in some persons and consequently doe bring forth honour The third Conclusion is That men are to be honoured euen for the vertues of others Thus the sonnes of Princes are called by the honourable name of Princes The children of Nobles are esteemed by birth Noble Thus Dignities doe runne in discent and the posteritie is honoured in the name of the ancestours but principally for the vertues of the aâ—ncestours The fourth Conclusion is Men are to be honoured for their Riches I meane not for riches simply but for the right vse of riches namely as they are made instruments to vphold and maintaine Vertue If it be said that to honour rich men is to haue the faith of the Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iam. 〈◊〉 1. I answer In that place we are not sorbidden to honour rich men but the Apostles meaning is to reprooue a fault of an other kinde when men preferre riches before pietie when rich men are honoured beeing vngodly and when godly poore men are despised and reiected because they are poore Now hauing premised the Ground we come to giue Answer to the Question before propounded A man therefore is to honour euery one in his place whether he be his superiour equall or inferiour Yea there is a kinde of honour to be performed to a mans owne selfe The truth of this Answer we shall see in the particulars that follow Sect. 1. Touching the honouring of Superiours these Ruies are to be obserued
man is ingrafted into Christ and thereby becomes one with Christ and Christ one with him Eph 3. 17. Now whosoeuer is by faith vnited vnto Christ the same is elected called iustified and sanctified The reason is manifest For in a chaine the two extremes are knit togither by the middle linkes and in the order of causes of happinesse and saluation faith hath a middle place and by it hath the child of God assured hold of his election and effectuall vocation and consequently of his glorification in the kingdome of heauen To this purpose saith S. Iohn c. 3. v. 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And c. 5. v. 24. He that beleeues in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life This is the Ground Now for answer to the Question diuerse places of Scripture are to be skanned wherein this case of Conscience is fully answered and resolued Sect. 1. The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe The first is the Spirit of God dwelling in vs and testifying vnto vs that we are Gods childreÌ„ But some will happily demaund How Gods spirit giues witnesse seeing now there are no reuelations Answ. Extraordinarie reuelations are ceased and yet the holy Ghost in and by the word reuealeth some things vnto men for which cause he is called truly the Spirit of Reuelation Eph. 3. 5. Againe the holy Ghost giues testimonie by applying the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ particularly to the heart of man when the same is generally propounded in the Ministerie of the word And because many are readie presumptuously to say they are the children of God when they are not and that they haue the witnesse of Gods Spirit when in truth they want it therefore we are to put a difference between this carnall conceit and the true testimonie of the Spirit Now there be two things whereby they may be discerned one from the other The first is by the meanes For the true testimonie of the holy ghost is wrought ordinarily by the preaching reading and meditation of the word of God as also by praier and the right vse of the Sacraments But the presumptuous testimonie ariseth in the heart and is framed in the braine out of the vse of these meanes or though in the vse yet with want of the blessing of God concurring with the meanes The second is by the effects and fruits of the Spirit For it stirrs vp the heart to praier and inuocation of the name of God Zach. 12. 10. yea it causeth a man to crie and call earnestly vnto God in the time of distresse with a sense and feeling of his owne miseries and with deepe sighes and groanes which cannot be vttered to craâ—e mercie and grace at his hands as of a louing father Rom. 8. 26. Thus did Moses crie vnto heauen in his heart when he was in distresse at the red sea Exod. 14. 15. And this gift of praier is an vnfallible testimonie of Gods Spirit which cannot stand with carnall presumption The second Testimonie of our Adoption is our Spirit that is our conscience sanctified and renewed by the Holy Ghost And this also is knowne and discerned first by the greefe of the heart for offending God called Godly sorrow 1. Cor. 7. 10. secondly by a resolute purpose of the heart and endeauour of the whole man in all things to obey God thirdly by sauouring the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. that is by doing the workes of the Spirit with ioy and chearefulnesse of heart as in the presence of God and as his children and seruants Now put the case that the testimonie of the Spirit be wanting then I answer that the other testimonie the sanctification of the heart will suffice to assure vs. We knowe it sufficiently to be true and not painted fire if there be heate though there be no flame Put the case againe that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting and our sanctification be vncertaine vnto vs how then may we be assured The answer is that we must theÌ„ haue recourse to the first beginnings and motions of sanctificatioÌ„ which are these First to feele our inward corruptions Secondly to be displeased with our selues for them Thirdly to beginne to hate sinne Fourthly to grieue so oft as we fal and offend God Fiftly to auoid the occasions of sinne Sixtly to endeauour to doe our dutie and to vse good meanes Seuenthly to desire to sinne no more And lastly to pray to God for his grace Where these and the like motions are there is the spirit of God whence they proceed and sanctification is begun One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree and one good and constant motion of grace is sufficient to manifest sanctification Againe it may be demanded what must be done if both be wanting Answ. Men must not dispaire but vse good meanes and in time they shall be assured Sect. 2. The Second place is the 15. Psalme In the first verse whereof this question is propounded namely Who of all the members of the Church shall haue his habitation in heauen The answer is made in the verses following and in the second verse he sets downe three generall notes of the said person One is to walke vprightly in sincerity approuing his heart and life to God the second is to deale iustly in al his doings the third is for speech to speake the truth from the heart without guile or flatterie And because we are easily deceiued in generall sinnes in the 3 4 and 5. verses there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie iustice and trueth One is in speech not to take vp or carrie abroad false reports and slanders The second is in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour more then to our selues The third is in our companie to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned The fourth is in our estimation we haue of others that is to honour them that feare God The fift is in our words to sweare and not to change that is to make conscience of our word and promise especially if if it be confirmed by oath The sixt is in taking of gaine not to giue money to vsurie that is not to take increase for bare lending but to lend freely to the poore The last is to giue testimonie without briberie or partialitie In the fift verse is added a reason of the answer he that in his indeauour doth al these things shall neuer be mooued that is cut off from the Church as an hypocrite Sect. 3. The third place of Scripture is the first Epistle of Iohn the principall scope wherof is to giue a full resolution to the conscience of man touching the certainty of his
is a good beginning of true conuersion and repentance I thought saith Dauid I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And to this is added Selah which is not onely a musicall note but as some thinke a note of obseruation to mooue vs to marke the things that are set downe as beeing of speciall weight and moment And surely this is a matter of great consequence that vpon the very vnfained purpose of confession of sinne God should giue a pardon thereof Take a further proofe of this in the prodigall sonne whome I take not for one that was neuer called or turned to God though some doe so and seeme to haue warrant for their opinionâ— but rather for him that is the Child of God and afterward fals away Now this man beeing brought by some outward crosses and afflictions to see his owne miserie purposeth with himselfe to returne to his father againe and to humble himselfe and confesse his iniquitie and vpoÌ„ this very purpose wheÌ„ he had said I will goe to my father and say vnto him father I haue sinned c. at his returne a farre off his father receiues him as his child againe and after acceptation followes his confession The like is to be seene in Dauid who beeing reprooued by the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes of adulterie and murther presently made confession of them and at the very same time receiued by the prophet sentence of absolution euen from the Lord himâ—elfe wherein he could not erre The fourth Ground To loue any man because he is a Christian and a child of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true loue of God in Christ. Hereby saith S. Iohn we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue here is not a cause but onely a signe of gods loue to vs. And our sauiour Christ saith He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Nowe that we be not deceiued in these grounds it must be remembred that these beginnings of grace be they neuer so weak must not be â—littering and fleeting but constant and setled not stopped or staied in the way but such as daily growe and increase and then they are indeed accepted of God And he that can finde these beginnings or any of them truly in himselfe he may assure himselfe thereby that he is the child of God Sect. 5. Hauing thus laid downe the Groundes of comfort I come now to the Way by which the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of saluation This way standes in two things in making Triall and in Applying the promise First then Triall must be made whether the person distressed haue in him as yet any of the forenamed grouÌ„ds of grace or not This triall may be made by him that is the comforter in the moouing of certaine Questions to the said person And first let him aske whether he beleeue and repent The distressed partie answers no he cannot repent nor beleeue Then he must further aske whether he desire to beleeue and repent to this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart in the same sort is he to make triall of the other groundes When a man is in the fitte of tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fitte of his loue to God he will giue answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he loue a man because he is a Christian and a child of God then will he say he doth indeed Thus after triall made in this manner some beginnings of faith and repentance will appeare which at the first lay hid For God vseth out of the time of prosperitie by and in distresse and affliction to work his grace The second point followeth After that by triall some of the foresaid beginnings of grace be found out then comes the right Applying of the promise of life euerlasting to the partie distressed And that is done by a kind of reasoning the first part whereof is taken from Gods word the second from the testimonie of the distressed conscience the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner He that hath an vnfainod desire to repent and beleeue hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ. Therefore remission of sins and life euerlasting is thine And here remember that it is most conuenient this Application be made by the Minister of the Gospell who in it must vse his ministeriall authority giuen him of God to pronounce the pardon For in distresse it is as hard a thing to make the conscience yeild to the promise as to make fire and water agree For though men haue signes of grace and mercie in them yet will they not acknowledge it by reason of the extremitie of their distresse In this manner vpon any of the former grounds may the troubled and perplexed soule be assured that mercie belongs to it And this I take to be the onely generall and right way of comforting a distressed conscience Nowe that the promise thus applyed may haue good successe these sixerules must necessarily be obserued I. One is that the comfort which is ministred be alaied with some mixture of the Law that is to say the promise alone must not be applyed but withall mention is to be made of the sinnes of the partie and of the grieuous punishmeÌ„ts due vnto him for the same The reason is because there is much guile in the hart of man in so much as oftentimes it falleth out that men not throughly humbled beeing comforted either too soone or too much doe afterward become the worst of all In this respect not vnlike to the yron which beeing cast into the fire vehemently hot and cooled againe is much more hard then it would haue bin if the heate had bin moderate And hence it is that in the ministring of comfort we must somewhat keepe them downe and bring them on by litle and litle to repentance The sweetenesse of comfort is the greater if it be delaied with some â—artnesse of the Law II. An other rule is this If the distressed partie be much possessed with griefe of himselfe he must not be left alone but alwaies attended with good companie For it is an vsuall practise of the Deuill to take the vantage of the place and time when a man is solitarie and depriued of that helpe which otherwise he might haue in societie with others Thus he tempted Eue when shee was apart from her husband And in this regard Salomon pronounces a woe to him that is alone But herein doth his malice most appeare in that he is alway readiest when a man is in great distresse and withall solitarie then vpon the
of God Againe they must let them goe as they come they are not to striue against them for the more they labour to resist them the more shall they be intangled with them The second thing to be vsed in way of remedy for the staying of the mind in this tentation is that though it should be graunted that the foresaid euill and blasphemous thoughts are our sinnes yet we are to remember that they may through the mercie and goodnesse of God be pardoned if they be heartily and vnfeinedly repented of yea further that neither they nor any other sins except that against the Holy Ghost doe condemne him that praieth against them is heartily sorrie for them It was Pauls complaint Rom. 7. 19. That he did not the good which he would doe speaking of the inward indeauour of his heart and againe that he did the euill which he would not meaning in respect of the corruption of his nature Now vpon this that he indeauoured to doe that which was agreable to the will of God that he loathed and detested the contrarie and stroue against his corruptions how did he comfort himselfe Marke the wordes following v. 20. If I doe that I would not that is to say if against my generall purpose I sinne against God if I be sorrie for it if I be displeased with my selfe because I can not obey God in that perfectiō I desire It is no more I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me Frō this example of Paul I gather that if any man haue in his minde euill thoughts and doeth as Paul did grieue because he therby offendeth God if he doe abhorre them and pray against them he shall not be condemned for them they shall neuer be laid to his charge The partie then that is troubled with with these thoughts may vpō these grounds stay his minde and comfort himselfe For if he shall not be condemned for them then let him not feare them aboue measure The third point to be remembred is that the partie must not be alone For this Tentation beginnes and is confirmed and increased by solitarinesse and the parties thus distressed loue to be apart by themselues from the societie of others And for that cause in case they be lyable to this distresse they must vse to converse with such company as may afford them matter of speech and conference meete for them and may exercise their mindes with heauenly meditations in the word and singing of Psalmes and such like fitte and conuenient recreations Our first parent Eue was tempted by Satan when shee was apart from Adam and our Sauiour Christ when he was alone out of companie and societie then did the Deuill most malitiously assault him with strong and powerfull tentations in the wildernes The fourth point to be remembred of the partie troubled is that he must as heartily and earnestly repent him of those his euill thoughts as of euill wordes and deedes For the truth is because men are loose-minded and haue no more care of their thoughts then commonly they haue therefore the Lord iustly suffers the Deuill to plague and torment them by conuaying into their hearts most vile and damnable cogitations Furthermore the said partie must labour to be renued in the spirit of his minde that is to haue his minde inlightened by the spirit whereby he may know and vnderstand the will of God in his word After repentance for euill thoughts there must follow watchfulnesse and a carefull circumspection ouer all his waies but principally he must haue an eye vnto his heart the fountaine of all Keepe thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon that is aboue all things see that thou countergard thy thoughts desires motions and affections That the heart of a man may be guarded two rules are to be obserued First that the word of God dwell plentifully in it by daily meditation of the commandements promises and threatnings reuealed in the same It is noted by Dauid as a propertie of a blessed man that he exerciseth himselfe in meditatiō of the Law of God day and night Psal. 1. By this meanes the heart will be clensed and purged from vncleane and polluted motions and so guided directed that it swarue not from God This rule is of speciall vse For therefore doe men hatch and breed euill thoughts in their hearts because they are not taken vp with holy meditations and hence it is that the heart of man is made euen a pray vnto the Deuill because the word of God is not lodged therein Excellent was the practise of Dauid in this case who kept the word of God in his heart that he might not sinne against him The second Rule of the keeping of the heart is to establish our thoughts by counsell It is the wise mans aduise in so many words Prov. 20. 18. wherein he would teach vs that it is the propertie of a worldly wise man in matters of waight not to trust to his owne wit but to follow the direction and counsell of wise and skilfull men And if this be a sound course in matters of the world much more ought it to be taken in the maine matters of religion and conscience concerning the heart and soule of man And therefore by the lawe of proportion it giues vs direction not once to thinke or conceiue so much as a thought but vpon aduice and direction taken at God and his word Thy testimonies saith Dauid are my delight and my counsellers And what benefit had he by taking such a course surely by the word of God which was his continuall meditation he gat vnderstanding he became wiser then the auncient it made him to hate all the waies of falshood it kept him from declining from God either to the right hand or to the left The same rule must be practised of vs in the vse of our senses our speeches and actions and then shall the heart be kept cleane and free from these temptations And seeing this temptation is so daungerous and fearefull as hath beene said doth often befall men our dutie is to make conscience of practising the foresaid rules continually And thus much concerning the third kinde of distresse of Conscience CHAP. XI Of the fourth Speciall Distresse arising from a mans owne sinnes THE Fourth Distresse of minde is that which ariseth from a mans owne sinnes or rather from some one speciall sinne committed And this kind of Tentation is twofold For either it is more violent and lesse common or lesse violent and more common Sect. 1. The violent Distresse of minde shewes it selfe by feares and terrours of the Conscience by doubtings of the mercie of God by lamentable and fearefull complaints made to others Now Question is mooued Howe this violent distresse of minde arising from our owne sinnes is to be cured Answ. That it may be cured by the blessing of God three things must be done First that particular sinne must be known
sense Hence followes the first effect strange imaginations conceits and opinions framed in the minde which are the first worke of this humour not properly but because it corrupteth the instrument and the instrument beeing corrupted the facultie cannot bring forth good but corrupt actions Examples hereof are well knowne I will onely touch one or two One is called the Beastiall or Beastlike Melancholie a disease in the braine whereby a man thinkes himselfe to be a beast of this or that kind and carries himselfe accordingly And here with haue all those beene troubled which haue thought themselues to be wolues and haue practised woluish behauiour Againe it is said of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 30. that he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the oxen that is behaued himselfe and fed as a beast Now some are of opinion that his humane shape was taken from him and that he was transformed into a beast at least that he had the soule of a beast in stead of an humane soule for a time But they are deceiued For there is no such transportation of soules into bodies either of men or beasts Others thinke that Nebuchadnezzar was smitten in the braine with this disease of beastlike Melancholy whereby he was so bereft of his right minde that he carried himselfe as a beast And this interpretation is not against the text for in the 31. verse of that chapter it is said that his minde came to him againe and therefore in the disease his vnderstanding and the right vse of his reason was lost And the like is true in historie by diuers examples though it were not true in Nebuchadnezzar Againe take another example that is common and ordinarie Let a Melancholike person vpon the sudden heare or see some fearfull thing the strength of his imagination is such that he will presently fasten the thing vpon himselfe As if he see or heare that a man hath hanged himselfe or is possessed with a Deuil it presently comes to his mind that he must doe so vnto himselfe or that he is or at least shall be possessed In like manner vpon relation of fearefull things presently his phantasie workes and he imagineth that the thing is alreadie or shall befall him And this imagination when it enters once and takes place it brings forth horrible and fearefull effects The second effect or worke of Melancholy is vpon the heart For there is a concord and consent betweene the heart and the braine the thoughts and the affections the heart affecting nothing but that which the minde conceiueth Now when the minde hath conceiued imagined and framed within it selfe fearefull thoughts then comes affection and is answerable to imagination And hence proceede exceeding horrours feares and despaires euen of saluation it selfe and yet the Conscience for all this vntouched and not troubled or disquieted 3. Thirdly it may be demanded whether there be any difference betweene the trouble of Conscience and Melancholy for many hold that they are all one Ans. They are not all one but differ much Affliction of Conscience is one thing trouble by Melancholy is an other and they are plainly distinguished thus First when the Conscience is troubled the affliction it selfe is in the Conscience and so in the whole man But in Melancholy the imagination is disturbed and not the Conscience Secondly the Conscience afflicted hath a true and certen cause whereby it is troubled namely the sight of sinne and the sense of Gods wrath but in Melancholy the imagination conceiueth a thing to be so which is not so for it makes a man to feare and despaire vpon supposed and fained causes Thirdly the man afflicted in Conscience hath courage in many other matters but the Melancholike man feares euery man euery creature yea himselfe and hath no courage 〈◊〉 all but feares when there is no cause of feare Fourthly imaginations in the braine caused by Melancholy may be cured taken away and cut off by meanes of Physicke but the distresse of Conscience cannot be cured by any thing in the world but one and that is the blood of Christ and the assurance of Gods fauour 4. Fourthly the way to cure Melancholy is this First the person troubled must be brought to this that he will content himselfe to be aduised and ruled by the iudgement of others and cease to rest vpon himselfe touching his owne estate and by this shall he reape much quiet and contentation Secondly search and triall must be made whether he hath in him any beginnings of grace as of faith and repentance o◠no. If he be a carnall man and wanteth knowledge of his estate then meanes must be vsed to bring him to some sight and sorrow for his sinnes that his melancholy sorrow may be turned into a godly sorrow If he want faith and true repentance some good beginnings thereof must be wrought in his heart Thirdly when he is brought to faith in Gods mercie and an honest purpose not to sinne any more then certaine mercifull promises of God are to be laid before him and he must be exhorted to rest vpon these promises and at no time to admit any imagination or thought that may crosse the saide promises Now the promises are these and such like Psal. 34. 9. No good thing shall be wanting to them that feare God Psal. 91. 10. No euill shall come neere the godly man 2. Chr. 15. The Lord is with you while you are with him and if you seeke him he will be found of you Iam. 4. 8. Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you And the best meanes to cause any man thus diseased to be at peace with himselfe is to hold beleeue and know the truth of these promises and not to suffer any bythought to enter into his heart that may crosse them Moreouer though the former promises may stay the mind yet will they not take away the humour except further helpe be vsed Therefore the fourth and last helpe is the arte of Physick which serues to correct and abate the humour because it is a meanes by the blessing of God to restore the health and to cure the distemper of the bodie And thus much touching the trouble of mind caused by Melancholy Sect. 3. The Second meanes whereby the bodie annoies the minde is when it occasions trouble to the minde by strange alterations incident to the body When a man beginnes to enter into a Phrensie if the braine admit neuer so little alteration presently the minde is troubled the reason corrupted the heart terrified the man distracted in the whole bodie Thus from the trembling of the heart come many fearefull imaginations and conceits whereof a man knowes not the cause The same is procured by the swelling of the splene by the rising of the entrals by strange crampes convulsions and such like The remedie hereof is this First it is still to be considered whether the partie thus troubled hath the beginnings of true faith repentance or
endes and hath power to bring them thereunto and who is this but God II. The second sort of arguments drawn from the light of nature are taken from the preseruation and gouernment of the world created and these are touched by the Holy Ghost when he saith that God left not himself without witnesse in that in his prouidence he did good and gaue raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with ioy and gladnesse The particulars drawne from the gouernment of the world are these First our food whereby we are nourished is in it selfe a dead foode void of life and yet it serues to maintain and preserue life wheras in reason it is more fit to choke and stuffe our bodies then to feede them Secondly our garments which we weare are in themselues cold and voide of heate and yet they haue this vse to preserue heate and to sustaine life in the extremitie of cold Therefore there must needes be an omnipotent and diuine power that giues vnto them both such a vertue to feed and preserue the life and health of man Thirdly the raine falling and the sunne shining vpon one the same plot of grouÌ„d causeth it to bring forth in his season a hundred seuerall kindes of hearbes and plants wherof euery one hath a seuerall and distinct â—â—ower colour forme and sauour whence comes this Not from the raine for it hath no life in it selfe and besides it is in it selfe all one nor from the sunne or the earth for these also in their kind are all one hauing in them no such power wherby they should be the authors of life therefore the differences of plants in one ground may convince our iudgements and teach vs thus much that there is a diuine and heauenly power aboue and beside the power of these creatures Fourthly take an example of the bird and the egge The bird brings forth the egge the egge againe brings forth the bird This egge considered in it selfe hath in it neither life nor soule and the bird can giue it neither for all that the bird can doe is to giue it heat and no more Within the shell of this egge is made a goodly creature which wheÌ„ it comes to some perfection it breakes the shell In the shell broken we shall see the nibbe the wing the legge and all the parts and members of a bird Now let this be considered that the egge brought not forth this goodly creature nor yet the henne For the egge had no such power or vertue in it selfe and the hen gaue but her heat neither did man doe it for that which was done was within the egge and within the shell It therfore was some other wonderfull power and wisedome that made it and brought it forth that surpasseth the power of a creature Again consider the generation of the silk-worme one of the least of the creatures and from it we haue a notable demonstration of a divine providence This little worme at the first is but a small seede like vnto linseed The same small seed breeds it and brings it forth The worme brought forth and growing to some bignesse at length weaues the silke hauing woven the silke it winds it selfe within it as it were in a shell there hauing lodged for a time it conceiues a creature of another forme which being within a short space pâ—rfited breakes the shell and comes forth a flie The same flie like a dutifull creature brings forth the seed againe and so continues the kind thereof from yeare to yeare Here let it be remembred that the flie hauing once brought forth the seede leaues it and dies immediately and yet the seede it selfe though exposed to wind and weather and vtterly neglected of man or any creature at a certaine time within few moneths becomes a worm WheÌ„ce should al this proceede but from a creator infinitely powerfull and wise who by his admirable power and prouidence dispenseth life beeing and propagation euen to the least things in their particular sorts and kinds III. The third sort of Arguments from thâ— light of nature are taken from the soule of man This soule is endued with excellent gifts of vnderstanding and reason The vnderstanding hath in it from the beginning certaine principles whereby it knowes and discernes good and bad things to be done and things to be left vndone Now man cannot haue this gift to discerne between good and euill of or from himselfe but it must needes proceede from another cause which is power wisedome and vnderstanding it selfe and that is God Againe the conscience another gift of the soule of man hath in it two principall actions testimony and iudgement by both which the trueth in hand is evidently confirmed Touching the testimonie of conscience let it be demaunded of the Atheist whereof doth conscience beare witnesse he cannot denie but of all his particular actions I aske then against whome or with whome doth it giue testimony the aÌ„swer wil easily be made by the heart of any man that it is with or against himselfe Furthermore to whome is it a witnes Neither to men nor to angels for it is vnpossible that any man or angel should either heare the voice of coÌ„scieÌ„ce or receiue the testimonie thereof or yet discerne what is in the heart of man Hereupon it followes that there is a substance most wise most powerfull most holy that sees and knowes all things to whome conscience beares record and that is God himselfe And touching the iudgement of conscience let a man commit any trespasse or offence though it be done in secret and concealed from the knowledge of any person liuing yet Conscience that knoweth it will accuse him terrifie him cite him before God and giue him no rest What or where is the reason man knowes not the trespasse committed and if there be no God whome shall he feare and yet he feares This also necessarily prooueth that there is a iust and mightie God that will take vengeance vpon him for his sinne IV. The fourth argument from nature is this There is a ground or principle written in euery mans heart in the world none excepted that there is a God Reasons for proofe hereof may be these First the Gentiles worshipping Idoles made of stocks and stones doe acknowledge herein thus much that there is something whereunto honour and seruice is due For man by nature is proud and will neuer yeeld to bow the knee of his bodie before a stocke or a stone to adore it vnlesse he thinke and acknowledge that there is in them a diuine power better then himselfe Secondly the oath that is taken for Confirmation commonly tearmed the assertorie oath is vsed in all countries And it is for the most part generally taken to be a lawfull meanes of confirming a mans word when it is bound by the oath taken Iacob and Laban beeing to make a couenant Iacob sweares by the true God Laban by his false gods and by that both were bound to
stand to their agreement and not to goe backe therefore neither of them did or durst breake their oath And among the Gentiles themselues there are fewe or none to be found that will falsifie their word giuen and auowed by oath Whereupon it is a cleare case that they acknowledged a Godhead which knowes and discernes their hearts yea that knowes the truth and can and will plague them for disgracing the truth by lying Thirdly we are not lightly to passe ouer the vsuall tearmes and ordinarie speech of all nations who are woont vpon occasion to say it raines it thunders it snowes it hailes For saying this one while they reioyce and are thankefull otherwhiles they feare and are dismaied They say not nature or heauen raines or thunders for then they would neither reioyce nor tremble In that therefore they speake this commonly sometimes reioycing sometimes fearing it may probably be thought that they acknowledge a diuine power which causeth the raine to fall and the thunder to be so terrible Againe for better proofe hereof it is to be considered that since the world began there could not yet be found or brought forth any man that euer wrote or published a discourse more or lesse to this purpose that there was no God If it be said that some histories doe make mention of sundrie that haue in plaine tearmes denied there is a God and that this is no lesse daungerous then if a treatise of that subiect should be written and set forth to the open view of all I answer indeede in the writings of men we doe read of some that blasphemed God and liued as without God and they haue alwaies beene properly and deseruedly tearmed Atheists Others haue denied that made and faigned gods that is Idols are gods And amongst the heathen that liued onely by the light and direction of nature all that can be brought is this that some men in their writings haue doubted whether there were a God or no but none did euer positiuely set downe reasons to prooue that there was none V. The fifth and last argument from nature is that which is vsed by all Philosophers In the world there is to be seene an excellent wise frame and order of all things One creature depends vpon an other by a certaine order of causes in which some are first and aboue in higher place some are next and inferiour some are the basest and the lowest Now these lowest are mooued of those that are superiour to them and alwaies the superiour is the cause of the inferiour and that whereof the inferiour depends Something then there must be that is the cause of all causes that must be caused by none and must be the cause of all For in things wherein there is order there is alway some first and soueraigne cause and where there is no first nor last there the Creatures are infinite But seeing all creatures are finite there must be somewhat first as well as last Now the first and the last cause of all is God which mooueth all and to whome all creatures doe tend as to their ende and which is mooued of none Notwithstanding all these reasons grounded in nature it selfe it may be some man wil say I neuer saw God how then shall I know that there is a God Ans. Why wilt thou beleeue no more then thou seest Thou neuer sawest the winde or the aire and yet thou beleeuest that there is both Nay thou neuer sawest thine owne face but in a glasse and neuer out of a glasse and yet this contenteth thee Why then may not this content thy heart and resolue thee of the Godhead in that thou seest him in the glasse of the creatures True it is that God is a spirit inuisible that cannot be discerned by the eie of flesh and blood yet he hath not left vs without a meanes whereby we may behold him For looke as we are woont by degrees to goe from the picture to the painter and in the picture to behold the painter himselfe euen so by the image of God written as it were in the face and other parts of the creatures in the world may we take a view of the wisdome power and prouidence of the Creator of them all who is God himselfe And these are the principall proofes of the Godhead which are reuealed in the booke of nature Sect. 2. The second ground of proofes is taken from the light of grace And it is that light which God affordeth to his Church in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this giues a further confirmation then nature doth For the light of nature is onely a way or preparation to faith But this light serues to beget faith and causeth vs to beleeue there is a God Now in the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles we shall see amongst the rest three distinct proofes of this point First expresse testimonies that doe in plaine tearmes note vnto vs the Godhead Secondly expresse prophecies and reuelations of things to come euen many hundred and thousands of yeares before they came to passe Yea things that are to come are foretold in the word of God so and in that very manner that they shall be in the time wherein they are to be fulfilled Now there is no man able of himselfe to know or foresee these things to come therefore this knowledge must rest in him alone who is most wise that perfectly vnderstandeth and beholdeth things that are not and to whom all future things are present and therefore certain Thirdly the word of God reuealeth many miracles which doe exceede and surpasse whole nature yea all naturall causes the doing and working whereof is not in the power of any meere creature in the world As for example the making of the sunne against his naturall course to stand still in the firmament of the waters which are naturally flowing to stand as a wall and the bottome of the sea to be as drie land The maine ende whereof is to shew that there is an absolute and almightie power which is the author of nature it selfe and all naturall things and ordereth both it and them according to his pleasure Sect. 3. The third ground of proofes is fetched from the light of glorie And this is that light which God affords vnto his seruants after this life ended in the kingdome of heauen wherein all imperfection of knowledge being taken away they shal see God face to face and haue a full and perfect knowledge of the Godhead To this purpose the Apostle saith that in the world we know in part we see as it were in a glasse The cōparison is worth the marking For there he compareth our knowledge of God that we haue in this life to a dimme sighted man that can see either very little or nothing at all without his spectacles And such is our sight comprehension of God darke and dimme in that we cannot behold him as he is but onely as he hath
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
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
the want thereof Gods glorie is directly impeached the saluation of men hindered and our neighbour offended And then we are necessarily to confesse though no examination be made If it be here asked How we may be able to discerne of this time The answer is by Christian wisdome which teacheth vs that when by our silence wicked men are emboldened to speake euill of Gods word and weake ones occasioned to fall from the faith then is the fittest time to stand in the defence and maintenance of the truth Out of these two times and cases Christians haue libertie not to confesse but may lawfully conceale their faith nay which is more their persons by changing their habit and attire vppon this ground because the affirmatiue commandement doth not alwaies binde Here it is obiected First that we are saued onely by faith and therefore confession is not necessarie Ans. We must consider faith two waies First as an instrument created in the heart whereby we apprehend and apply Christ with his benefites to our selues for our iustification and saluation Secondly faith must be considered more largely as it is a way to bring vs to life euerlasting Nowe in the first acceptiō it may truly be said that we are saued by faith alone For there is no grace of God where by we take hold of Christ but faith But if we take it in the second sense as a way to life then we may truly say that it alone saueth not but hope loue repētance good works and all diuine vertues In this sense Paul saith we are saued by hope Rom. 8. 24. because by it we wait for our saluation and hope is the way in which all must walke that looke to be saued Againe he saith Momentany afflictions doe work vnto vs an eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4. 17. But how Not as causes but as waies signes and markes that giue vs direction to our iourneies ende And thus The woman is said to be saued by bearing of Children 1. Tim. 2. 15. Which bearing and bringing vp of children is no cause but onely a way wherein she must constantly walke to glory And though in mans iudgement that may seeme a way of misery and death yet indeede it is otherwise if the Children continue in faith loue and holinesse with modestie Againe the Apostle Iames saith that Abrahams faith wrought together with his workes Iam. 2. 2. which are likewise not to be vnderstood as working causes but as testmonies and euidences declaring and manifesting that he was iust in the sight of God Secondly it is obiected that confession of our faith to God is sufficiēt For so Saint Paul seemes to say Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith haue it with thy selfe before God Therefore confession before man is not needefull Ans. The Apostle speakes not of that faith wherby we are iustified and saued but of that which standeth in a perswasion of the vse or not vse of things indifferent And this a man may keepe to himselfe that is he may so vse it as he shall not thereby offend his brother That commandement was giuen by Paul for those times when men were not fully perswaded of the vse of God creatures as meates drinkes c. but to these times it is not II. Question Whether it be lawfull for a man being vrged to goe to Idol-seruice and heare Masse so as he keepe his heart to God Ans. It is not and I proue it by the scope of the eigth and tenth Chapters of the first Epistle to the Corinthians where the Apostle disputes the Question whether the Corinthians might goe into the temples of Idols and eate of meat offered vnto them in the meane time not partaking with Idolaters in the worship of the Idols This he auoucheth to be vtterly vnlawfull for that purpose tells the Corinthians That they cannot drinke of the cuppe of the Lord and of the cuppe of Deuills Now as this was vnlawfull for them so it is vnlawfull for any Protestant to goe to any Popish assembly to heare Masse Again God is the Creator of the Body and Soule therefore he is to be worshipped in both cōsequently we robbe him of his due when we reserue our hearts to him and giue our bodies to Idolls To this purpose Paul exhorteth the Romanes to giue vp their bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Rom. 12. 1. Which place vtterly condemneth the errour of some who thinke that God wil be content with the soule and that they may bestowe there bodie in the seruice of the Devill But against this Doctrine sundrie things are alledged The first is the example of Naaman 2. Kings 5. 18. 19. who said to the Prophet when I bowe my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord be mercifull to me in this thing To whom Elisha answered goe in peace Here say some the Prophet giues leaue to Naaman to worshippe in an Idols Temple To this there be sundrie answers giuen Some affirme that Naaman speakes only of Ciuill and Politique worship and not of Religious For his office was to kneele down in the Temple that the King might leane vpon his shoulder when he worshipped the Idoll And Naaman makes open protestation v. 7. that he will worshippe no God but the God of Israel Others answere and that more truly that Naaman doth acknowledge it a sinne to goe to the house of Rimmon and therefore he craues pardon for it at the hands of God twice togither ver 18. and withall makes a vowe that he will thenceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to any other God saue onely to the Lord and hereunto Elisha answereth Goe in peace Yet further it is answered that Naaman requesteth the Prophet to pray for him that he might be constant in the seruice of the true God And in case he were drawne against his purpose by humane frailtie to bow againe before Rimmon with his King that the Lord in mercie would pardon his offence And to this the Prophet yeeldeth saying Goe in peace As if he should say Goe to I will pray for thee to this ende and purpose This text therefore giues no warrant for bodily presence in Idolatrous assemblies The second Obiection Iehu openly professed the worship of Baal and yet he dissembled meaning nothing lesse 2. king 10. 18. And the Lord commends him for his diligent execution of that which was right in his eies vers 30. Ans. Iehu is commended not for his dissembling but for his diligence in destroying Achabs house his religion the Priests with all that belonged vnto them though in other matters belonging to the seruice of God he departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam The third obiection Dan. 3. 6. Nebuchad-nezzar made a decree that whosoeuer would not fall downe and worshippe the golden Image should the same houre be cast into the middest of an hotte fierie furnace Now we doe not read that any moe refused to obey but three and therefore it seemes that
pray and heare the word cheerefully when their stomacks are emptie These persons may eate in the day of a solemne fast so that they obserue the caueats before remembred It is not with vs in these countries as it was with the Iews They could fast one two or three daies together without any inconvenience we cannot doe the like And the reason is plaine Men that liue in those hotte countries haue colde stomackes and so may fast the longer but in colder climates such as ours is in respect of theirs men beeing of hotter stomackes are not able to continue fasting so long as they Sect. 3. The third point is concerning the Right endes of a religious fast and they are foure The first is to subdue the flesh that is to bring the body and so the bodily lusts into subiection to the will and word of God By eating and drinking the body is made heauie the heart oppressed the senses dull and the whole man vnfit for the duties of humiliation praier and hearing of the word Luk. 21. 24. That therfore this vnfitnesse may be taken away not onely the body it selfe but the vnruely lusts of the flesh are to be mortified and subdued by this exercise of fasting The second end is to stirre vp our deuotion and to confirme the attention of our mindes in hearing and in praier To this purpose in the Scripture fasting and prayer are for the most part if not alwaies ioyned togither because when the stomacke is full the body and minde are lesse able to doe any good dutie and contrariwise when abstinence is vsed the heart is lighter the affections in better order the whole man more quicke and liuely in the seruice of God For this very cause Anna is saide to worshippe God night and day with fasting and praier Luk. 2. 37. And the intent of the Holy Ghost there is to commend her for the feruencie of her praier which shee testified in that by such exercises shee stirred vp and increased the attention of her minde The third ende is to testifie the humilitie and contrition of our hearts that is to say our inward sorrow and griefe for sinne and our repentance and effectuall turning vnto God Without this ende the fast is but a vaine ceremonie And therefore the Prophet Ioel calls vpon the people to turne vnto the Lord with all their hearts with fasting weeping and mourning to rent their hearts and not their garments c. Ioel 2. 12 13. The Prophet Esay in like manner reprooveth the Iewes because when they fasted they would afflict their soules for a day and how downe their heads as a buâ—rush and lie downe in sackcloath and ashes But made no conscience to turne from their euill waies Esay 58. 5 6. Therefore their outward humiliation was but hypocrisie The fourth end of a fast is to admonish vs of our guiltines before the Lord and to put vs in mind of the acknowledgement of our sinnes wherby we become vnworthy of any blessing gift or mercie yea vnworthy to goe vpon the ground to breath in the aire to eate drinke sleepe or inioy any other benefit In a word that we haue deserued by our sinnes all the plagues and punishments threatued in the Law against sinners The Malefactor in the day of Assises cannot giue greater testimonie of the true confession of his guiltines then by comming before the Iudge with the rope about his neck neither can we bring a more notable signe of our true humiliation before God then by comming before him in the day of the solemne fast with open confession and Proclamation of our guiltinesse both of sinne and punishment Hence it was that in the fast of Nineueh not onely men but euen the beasts were forbidden to feede or drinke water for this very end that the Niuevites might acknowledge their sinnes to be so great and heinous in the sight of God that in regard therof not onely the reasonable creatures themselues but also the beasts of the field for their sakes were vnworthy of life and nourishment III. Question Whether Popish Fasts be lawfull and approoued of God Ans. They are wicked and therefore neither approoued of God nor to be obserued by man and that for three speciall causes First the patrons maintainers of them doe appoint set times of fasting which are necessarily to be kept vpon paine of mortall sinne And abstinence from flesh with them is made a matter of conscience Now to prescribe set times necessarily to be obserued is contrarie to that libertie which the Church of God and the gouernours thereof haue for this purpose onely vpon speciall occasion When the question was mooued to our Saviour by Iohns Disciples Why they and the Pharises fasted often whereas his fasted not Answer was giuen in this manner Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne as long as the bridegrome is with them But the daies will come when the bridegrome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast Mat. 9. 15. From whence we may gather that times of fasting must be according to the times of mourning For Christ giues them to vnderstand that they were to fast as occasions of mourning were offered As therefore there can be appointed no set time for mourning no more can there be enioyned a set time for fasting but must be left to the libertie of the Church to be prescribed as God shall giue occasion Againe the Apostle reprooueth the Church of Galatia for obseruing set daies and moneths times and yeares in way of Religion Gal. 4. 10. Montanus the Hereticke is thought in Ecclesiasticall stories to haue beene the first that made lawes for set-fasting And the Churches of God in ancienter times fasted of their own accords freely not inforced by law or commandement but as time and occasion serued It is alleadged that this doctrine seemes to chalenge the Church of England of Heresie for it appointeth and obserueth set times of fast Ans. Nothing lesse For our Church inioyneth and approoueth these times not vpoÌ„ necessity or for religions sake but for ciuill and politicke respects whereas the Romish church holds it a mortal sinne to put off a set fast appointed so much as till the next day following The second reason They of the Church of Rome make a distinction of meates For they wholly forbid flesh to be eaten vpon daies of fast and allow whit-meates onely then to be vsed and that of necessitie Now this difference of meates is partly impious partly absurd and foolish Impious it is because they make it for Religions sake For since the coÌ„ming of Christ there is a libertie giuen to all men whatsoeuer to eate of all kindes of meates without any distinction commanding abstinence froÌ„ nothing which God hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing It is true indeede we hold a difference betweene meate and meate but how not in way of religion but in regard of temperance health for ciuill and politike
and contēpt of God so to prophanes in the vse of our meates and drinkes as the Israelites did which sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play Now besides these Reasons we haue also the Examples of holy men This blessing of the meat was so knowne a thing of auncient times that the poore maides of Ramath-zophim could tell Saul that the people would not eate their meate before the prophet came and blessed the sacrifice 1. Sam. 9. 13. Christ in his owne family would not eate of the fiue loaues and two fishes till he had looked vp to heauen and geuen thankes Mar. 6. 41. Paul tooke bread in the shippe and gaue thanks in the presence of all that were with him Act. 17. 35. The Vse of the first point is I. By this doctrine all persons are taught but specially gouerners of others as Masters of families Parents neuer to vse either meates or drinkes or any other blessing that they receiue at the hands of God but with praise thanksgiuing For this which is said of meates and drinkes must be inlarged also to the vse of any benefite blessing or ordinance that we take in hand to vse or inioy II. Though we doe not simply condemne but allow of Hallowing of Creatures yet we detest Popish consecration of salt creame ashes and such like First because Papists halow them for wrong endes as to procure by them remission of sinnes to driue away deuills c. Secondly because they sanctifie creatures without the word yea though they doe it by praier yet it is praier without the word which giueth no warrant thus to vse the creatures or to these endes and therefore of the same nature with magical inchantments Thirdly if the creature must be sanctified for our vse before we can vse it then we our selues must be sanctified both in soule and bodie before we can be sitte for the vse and seruice of God Looke as the creature by the hand and prouidence of God is presented before vs to serue vs so must we beeing strengthned and nourished by the same giue vp our-selues soules and bodies to serue and honour him Yea our sanctifying of the creature to our holy vse should put vs in minde of sanctifying our selues to his glorie So soone as the Prophet Esay was sanctified by God vnto his office then he addressed himselfe and not before and said Lord I am here Esa. 6. 8. and so we our selues before we can performe any acceptable dutie vnto God must be purged and clensed The sonnes of Aaron would not doe this honour vnto God by sanctifying his name before the people and therefore God glorified himselfe in their death and temporall destruction Leuit. 10. 2. And when Moses the seruant of God failed in the sanctification of his name by the circumcision of his sonne Gods hand was vpon him to haue destroied him This point is duely to be obserued of all but principally of such as are appointed to any publike office if they will serue God therein with comfort and incouragement they must first labour to be sanctified before him both in their soules and bodies §ect 2. I come now to the second thing required for the right and lawfull Vse of meates and drinkes namely a Christian behauiour while we are in vsing them For the better vnderstanding whereof we are to consider two points First what we may doe and then what we must doe in vsing the creatures I. Touching the former We may vse these gifts of God with Christian libertie and how is that not sparingly alone and for meere necessitie to the satisfying of our hunger and quenching of our thirst but also freely and liberally for Christian delight and pleasure For this is that libertie which God hath graunted to all beleeuers Thus we read that Ioseph and his brethren with him did eate and drinke together of the best that is liberally Gen. 43. 34. And to this purpose Dauid saith that God giueth wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make the face to shine as well as bread to strengthen the bodie Psal. 104. 15. And the Lord threatneth to bring a punishment vpon his people Agg. 1. 6. in that he would giue them his creatures indeede but such a portion of the as should onely supplie their present necessities and no more Ye shall eate saith he but ye shall not haue enough ye shall drinke but ye shall not be filled Againe we read that Levi the Publican made our Sauiour Christ a great feast in his owne house Luk. 5. 29. At the marriage in Caua a towne of Galile where Christ was present the guests are said according to the manner of these countries to haue drunke liberally Ioh. 2. 10. And at an other place in supper time Marie is saide to haue taken a boxe of pretious and costly oyntment and to haue annointed his feete there with so as the whole house was filled with the sauour of the ointment Ioh. 12. 3. Iudas indeede thought that expense which shee had made superstuous but Christ approoues of her act and commendeth her for it I adde further that by reason of this libertie purchased vnto vs by Christ we may vse these and the like creatures of God with Ioy and reioycing This is the profit that redoundeth vnto man in the vse of them that he eate and drinke and delight his soule with the profit of his labours Eccles. 2. 24. The practise hereof we haue in the Acts ch 2. v. 46. where they of that Church that beleeued are saide to eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart And yet this reioycing in the creatures must be limited with this clause that it be in the Lord that is to say a hurtlesse and harmelesse ioy tending to the glorie of God and the good of our neighbour This condemneth the common practise of the world who solace and delight themselues in the vse of Gods creatures but so as with their ioy is ioyned the ordinarie traducing of the Magistrate Minister and those that feare God and will not run with them to the same excesse of riot 1. Pet. 4. 4. II. The second point is what we must doe when we take the benefit of Gods creatures a matter of great consequent in the liues of men And it is this that we vse our libertie in the Lord and whether we eate or eate not we must doe both to the Lord. Rom. 14. 6. This is done by labouring both in eating and in abstinence to approoue the same vnto God vnto his Saints and vnto our own consciēces Wherein appeareth a manifest differēce between the wicked the godly man For the one when he eateth or drinketh he doth it in the Lord and to the Lord the other doth it not to the Lord but to himselfe that is to the satisfaction contentment of his owne carnall delight and pleasure That a man may eate to the Lord there are foure things
vnto Rebecca a golden abiliment or earing of halfe a shekel weight and two bracelets of tenne shekels weight of gold Gen. 24. 22. And it is said that when shee receiued it she ware the Iewell of gold in her forehead and the bracelets vpon her hands vers 47. Ioseph beeing advanced in Pharaohs Court had the signet of Pharaoh put vpon his hand and a chaine of gold about his necke and was arayed in fine linnen all which were the ornamēts of Princes in those countries Gen. 41. 42. Againe all the Israelites did were earings of gold which afterward they tooke off from their eares and gaue them to Aaron to make thereof the golden calfe Exod. 32. 3. And they are not blamed for wearing them but because they put them to Idolatrous vses So it is said of king Salomon that he had siluer in such abundance that according to his state he gaue it in Ierusalem as stones 2. Cron. 9. 27. And Christ speaketh of the royaltie of Salomon as of a rare and excellent thing which himselfe approoued howsoeuer he preferres the glorie of the Lilies of the field before it Matt. 6. 29. The daughter of Pharaoh is said to be brought vnto Salomon in a vesture of gold of Ophir that is in a garment of the finest beaten gold Psal. 45. 10. All these examples doe shewe thus much that there is a lawfull vse of these things in them to whom they appertaine Against this doctrine some things are obiected Obiect I. In some places of Scripture women are forbidden to weare costly apparell and gold For Paul willeth Timothie that the women aray themselues in comly attire not with broidored haire or gold or pearles or costly apparell 1. Tim. 2. 9. And to the same purpose Peter speaketh I Pet. 3. 3. Ans. First these ornaments are not by Paul and Peter simply forbidden but the abuse of them in riot and excesse For persons that were in those times called were of meaner estate and the Churches in the daies of the Apostles cōsisted for the greater part of poore base and meane men and women 1. Cor. 1. 28. These things therefore are forbidden them because the vse of golde and pretious ornaments is nothing els but meere riot in those that are but of a meane condition Secondly I answer that the Apostles in the places alleadged doe reprooue a great fault which was common and ordinarie in those daies For men and weomen desired affected the outward adorning and trimming of their bodies accounting the outward ornament which consisted of gold pearle and costly apparell to be the principall whereas indeede the chiefe ornaments of a Christian should be the vertues of Modestie and Humilitie seated in the minde and restified in the outward carriage Obiect II. The Prophet Esay condemneth these things in particular For it seemeth that he had viewed the wardrobes of the Ladies of the court in Ierusalem Chap. 3. 18. c. where he makes a Catalogue of their speciall attires and ornaments and pronounceth the iudgements of God against them all Ans. Some of the ornaments which the Prophet there mentioneth are indeed meere vanities that were of no moment and serued to no necessarie or conuenient vse or ende at all Againe others of them were in themselues things lawfull and the Prophet doth not condemne thē at all as they haue meete and conuenient vse but he condemnes them in this regard because they were made the instruments and signes of the pride wantonnesse vanitie and lightnes of those women The truth of this answer will appeare if we consider the 16. v. of that Chapter where the prophet shews what his drift was in speaking of those things not to condemne all ornaments but the pride of the daughters of Ierusalem and their hautines and wantonnesse testified by diuers particular behauiours there mentioned Againe some of the things there named were the like if not of the same kind with those which Abraham sent to Rebecca and which shee did weare Gen. 24. 22. And therefore we may not thinke that the Prophet intendeth to condemne all things there specified but onely the abuse of them as they were then misapplied to wrong endes and serued to proclaime to the world the pride and wantonnes of the hearts of that people II. Question What is the right lawfull and holy vse of apparell Answ. In the vse of Apparell two things are to be considered the Preparation of it when it is to be worne the Wearing when it is prepared §ect 1. In the right Preparation of our apparell two Rules are propounded in Scripture for our direction I. Rule Our care for apparell and the ornaments of our bodies must be very moderate This our Sauiour Christ teacheth at large Math. 6. from the 28 to the 31 v. Where commanding men to take no thought for apparell he forbids not all care but the curious and immoderate care The reason is added because they which walke in their callings and doe the duties thereof with diligence shall haue by Gods blessing all things needfull prouided and prepared for them He that dwells in a borrowed house will not fall a trimming of it and suffer his owne hard by to become ruinous In like manner our bodie is the house of our soule borrowed of God and by him lent vnto vs for a time and we are but his Tenants at-will for we must depart out of it at his commandement And therefore our greatest care must be emploied vpon our soules and the other which concerneth the adorning of our bodie must be but moderate Againe God in his prouidence clotheth the very hearbs of the field therefore much more is he carefull for man And Paul saith If we haue foode and rament we must therewith be content 1. Tim. 6. 8. that is if we haue foode and rayment necessarie for vs and ours we ought to quiet our hearts and haue no further care for our apparell It will be saide How shall we know what is Necessarie Answ. A thing is Necessarie two waies first in respect of nature for the preseruation of life and health secondly in respect of place calling and condition for the vpholding and maintenance thereof Now we call that Necessarie rayment which is necessarie both these waies For example That apparell is necessarie for the Scholer the Tradesman the Countrey-man the Gentleman which serueth not onely to defend their bodies frō cold but which belongs also to the plāce degree calling and condition of them all If it be asked who shall determine and iudge what is necessarie to these persons and purposes I answere Vaine and curious persons are not to be competent iudges hereof but in these things we must regard the iudgement and exāple of modest graue and frugall persons in euery order and estate who vpon experience and knowledge are best able to determine what is necessarie and what is not Againe though we must not seeke for more then necessarie apparell yet if God of his goodnes
your selues to the practise of iniustice and oppression and thereby you desile your selues and all your actions For redresse hereof I propound you this Rule Practise Charitie in giuing of your almes let your outward good actions proceede from the inward syncere affection of your hearts towards your brethren and then shall you attaine to a holy and pure vse of your goods The counsell of Daniel to King Nebuchadnezar Dan. 4. 24. to breake off his sinnes by the practise of iustice and his iniquities by mercie to the afflicted may be a good Commentarie to this Text. In the words I consider two things A remedie Therefore giue almes of those things you haue and the fruit that followes vpon the remedie and behold all things shall be cleane vnto you Sect. 1. The Remedie is the vertue of Christian Liberalitie consisting principally in the practise of Loue and mercie in giuing of Almes For the better vnderstanding whereof fiue Questions are briefly to be propounded and resolued I. Question Who or what persons must giue Almes Ans. There be two sorts of men that are and ought to be giuers of Almes The first sort are Rich men who besides things necessarie haue superflâ—â—tle and abundance yea much more then things necessarie These are such as haue the worlds good as S. Iohn saith whereby they are inabled to giue and bestow releefe vpon others out of their abundance Thus Saint Paul saith that the abundance of the Corinthians must supplie the want of other Churches 2. Cor. 8. 14. Many other proofes might be brought but these are sufficient in a knowne and confessed truth A second sort of giuers are men of the poore sort that haue but things necessarie and sometime want them too And because this point is not so easily graunted therefore I will prooue it by the Scriptures The man that liues by his work is commaÌ„ded to labour in his calling that he may haue something to giue to them that want â—ph 4. 28. The poore widow that cast into the Lords treasurie of her penurie but two mites that is the eight part of a pennie is commended and Christ preserreth her almes before the great gifts of the richer sort luk 21. 2. The Church of Macedonia beeing poore and in extreame necessitie doth yet send reliefe to other Churches and is commended for it by Paul 2. Cor. 8. 2. Their povertie excused them not froÌ„ liberalitie but they were liberall not onely according to but even beyond their abilitie Our Sauiour Christ himselfe liued of almes for Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward SusaÌ„na ministred vnto him of their substance Luk. 8. 3. Where by the way we note that he did not liue by begging as the Papists affirme but by the voluntarie ministration and contribution of some to whom he preached Now though he was so poore himselfe yet he vsed to giue aimes of that he had Ioh. 13. 29. The oblations of the Old Testament for the maintenance of the Altar were a matter of great cost and charge in sacrifices such like ceremonies yet al were charged with them the poore as well as the rich Now in the new Testament the materiall Altar is taken away yet we haue something in the roome therof namely those that are poore and destitute which all men are bound in conscience to releeue and maintaine as once they were to maintaine the Altar Saint Iohn commends vnto vs Charitie not that which consisteth in words onely but which shewes it selfe in actions 1. Ioh. 3. 18. teaching that the one is no way sufficient without the other Lastly all mankind is distinguished into these two sorts some are givers some are receiuers of aimes there is not a third kind to be found in the Scriptures Yet here an exception must be added that this doctrine be not mistakeÌ„ There are some persons exempted from this dutie they be such as are in subiection to others and are not at their owne disposition Of this sort are children vnder the gouernement of their parents and seruants subiect to the authoritie and dominion of their Masters For the goods which they haue are not their owne neither may they dispose of them as they list they therefore must not be giuers It may be asked whether the wife may giue almes without the consent of her husband considering that she is in subiection to another and therfore all that she hath is anothers not her own Ans. The wife may giue almes of some things but with these cautioÌ„s as first she may giue of those goods that she hath excepted from marriage Secondly she may giue of those things which are commoÌ„ to them both provided it be with her husbands consent at least generall and implicite Thirdly she may not giue without or against the consent of her husband And the reason is because both the law of nature and the word of God commands her obedience to her husband in all things If it be alleadged that Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herodes steward with others did minister to Christ of their goods Luk. 8. 3. I answer It is to be presumed that it was not done without all consent Againe if it be said that Abigail brought a present to Dauid for the releife of him and his young men whereof she made not Nabal her husband acquainted 1. Sam. 25. 19. I answer it is true but marke the reason Nabal was generally of a churlish and vnmercifull disposition wherevpon he was altogether vnwilling to yeeld releife to any in howe great necessitie soeuer whence it was that he â—ailed on the young men that came to him and droâ—e them away ver 14. Againe he was a foolish man and giuen to drunkennesse so as he was not fitte to gouerne his house or to dispense his almes Besides that Abigail was a woman of great wisedome in all her actions and that which she now did was to saue Nabals and her owne life yea the liues of his whole family for the case was desperate and all that they had were in present hazard That example therefore is no warrant for any woman to giue almes vnlesse it be in the like case II. Question To whome must almes be giuen Ans. To them that are in neede Eph. 4. 28. For the better conceiving of this answer we must remember that there be three degrees of need The first is extreame necessitie when a man is vtterly destitute of the meanes of preseruation of life The second is great need when a man hath very little to maintaine himselfe and his The third is common necessitie when he hath something but yet not sufficient or competent Now those that are in the first and second degree of neede they are the persons that must be sâ—â—coured and releeued For proofe hereof consider these places Mat. 25. 35. 36. I was hungry and ye gaue me meat I thirsted ye gaue mâ— drinke I was naked and ye clothed mee I was sicke and ye visited me I was