is Saluation of which saith S. Paul d Ephe. 2. 8. by grace are ye saued through faith The promise of saluation is made to them that haue true faith and beleeue in the Sonne of God as saith S. Iohn e Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This was the comfortable saying of the Apostles Paul and Silas to the keeper of the Prison he said f Act. 16. 30. 31. What must I doe to besaued and they said beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thy house These are the benefites of true faith Now seeing that the benefit of true sauing faith is so Vse great seeing that such are the excellent dignities and exceeding Vse all meanes to obtaine the true faith great priuiledges thereof seeing that through true faith we are iustified and made sonnes of God by Adoption and grace seeing faith purifieth our hearts and we liue by faith seeing faith helps vs to get the victorie ouer the enticements of the flesh the allurements of the world and the temptations of the Deuill and lastly seeing true faith saues the soule from perishing and brings euerlasting life if we desire to be thus happie and blessed if of sinners we desire to be accepted iust and righteous if of sonnes of men and children of wrath we desire to be sonnes and children of God if we would haue our corrupt hearts purged and cleansed if we would so liue as to depend and waite vpon God for a blessing vpon our labours and enterprises if we would ouercome our spirituall aduersaries the flesh the world and the Deuill finally if we would saue our soules from perishing euerlastingly then let vs euery one labour for the obtaining of true sauing Faith We know that a man will labour hard and euen straine himselfe to obtaine that thing which he knowes to be of great price of great value and singular worth Such a thing is Faith it is very excellent and precious for by Faith in Iesus Christ we are g Act. 13. 39. iustified from all things from which we could not be iustified by the law of Moses And h Rom. 5. 1. being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ By true faith we are made sonnes of God which is a great priuiledge for if it be an honourable thing to be the sonnes of Nobles and Princes on earth how honourable a thing is it to be the sonnes of God yea heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ By faith we liue by faith we accomplish great victories by faith we fight against our spirituall enemies the flesh the world and the Deuill and ouercome them and by faith in Iesus Christ we saue our soules from perishing Who is he then that hath any feeling of his spiritual state who is he that hath any hope of the inheritance of the life to come that will not earnestly desire and diligently seeke so precious a lewell the rare gift of faith And if any be enflamed with a loue of this excellent grace and haue a longing desire to obtaine it the means how true sauing faith may be obtained shall be shewed in the next place CHAP. XIIII Shewing how and by what meanes true sauing Faith may be procured THe eyght generall point in the Treatise of Faith is how true sauing Faith may be procured 8 How true faith may be obtained By two meanes and obtained The meanes of obtaining true sauing Faith are two The one is the Efficient the other the Instrumentall cause of Faith Touching the first The Efficient or working cause of Faith is God who by his holy Spirit worketh that 1 The efficient cause of faith The Spirit of God grace in the heart to beleeue As witnesseth St Paul to the Philippians saying a Phil. 1. 29. vnto you it is giuen in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake To beleeue in Christ is the gift of God It is God that giues grace to beleeue When S. Peter made that heauenly confession of Christ b Mat. 16. 16. 17. Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Iesus answered and said vnto him Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in heaaen It was not of himselfe that S. Peter made that heauenly confession but of God c Ioh. 6. 44. No man can come to me saith our Sauiour except the Father which hath sent me draw him he saith d Traxerit non duxerit draw him not lead him least we should attribute any thing to mans owne power and will in his first conuersion for when God worketh this sauing grace of faith in any one at the same time he mooueth the will of man with a holy desire of faith which before was vnwilling yea God by his holy Spirit doth inlighten the mindes of men with the knowledge of Iesus Christ and prepares their hearts to receiue the gift of faith So that in the working of this grace of faith in the heart not onely the gift it selfe is of God but the verie preparation of the heart to receiue faith is of God also According to that saying of the Apostle to the Philippians e Phil. 2. 13. it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Where then is mans free will in spirituall good things Vse it is excluded For man yet remaining in his naturall Against mans free will in spirituall good things state of corruption before his conuersion is not onely like to that man in the Gospell wounded and f Luk. 10. 30. halfe dead but euen g Ephe. 2. 1. dead in trespasses and sinnes And therefore as it is impossible for a dead man to raise himselfe except the breath of life be breathed into him so it is impossible for a sinner yet being in his naturall state of ignorance and vnbeliefe of sinfulnesse and corruption to quicken and raise himselfe except God by his holy Spirit breath into his soule the life of grace and so quicken him and raise him vp It is true I confesse the Lord saith to sinners h Ioâ—l 2. 12. turne Obiect ye to me the Prophets exhort sinners to i Hos 14. 1. Ioel 2. 13. returne vnto the Lord. Iohn Baptist saith k Mat. 3. 2. Repent yee and Christ sayth l Marc. 1. 15. Repent ye and beleeue the Gospell But from hence it cannot be gathered that sinners and vnbeleeuers haue of themselues a naturall power to Answ turne to God to beleeue and repent But in these sayings the Lord sheweth rather m Non quid homines pâ—ssint prastare sed quid praestare debeant What men ought to doe then what they can doe When the Lord saith
c. 6. to them that beleeue This is called an historicall faith For they that haue this faith doe acknowledge the History of the Bible and all things contained therin to be true by this faith they acknowledge that what God hath done is true and what he hath sayd and promised shall surely come to passe they haue a generall knowledge they haue their vnderstanding inlightned with knowledge but not with renewing grace nor sauing knowledge this bare knowledge alone may bee in Reprobates and wicked men yea in the Deuils In wicked men for it is sayd of Simon that p Acts 8. 13. hee beleeued Did he beleeue what faith had hee was it a true faith No his faith was but a generall knowledge with an assent to the things which hee heard the Apostles preach that they were true but they wanted the true sauing faith as appeares by Peters sharp rebuking of him for that his q Verse 21 23. heart was not right in the sight of God but was still in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity yea this generall faith is in Deuils as S. Iames witnesseth r Jam. 2. 19. thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble That is the Deuils haue a generall knowledge of the Word of God and the things contained therein and beleeue that whatsoeuer is written in the Word of God is true they beleeue according to the Scriptures that God is a iust God and will punish sinners yea they know and beleeue that God hath prepared Hell for the tormenting not onely of wicked and vngodly men but for the euerlasting tormenting of the Deuill and his Angels this they beleeue and beleeuing tremble but they want the true faith to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Wherefore one saith of the faith of Deuils that it is Å¿ Fides in Daemonibus coacta Tho. 1. q. 64. ar 2. not voluntary but forcibly drawne from them Secondly some haue not onely a knowledge of the 2 Temporary faith Word and doctrine deliuered in the Scriptures but do giue their assent thereunto by open profession of the Gospell and that with ioy and delight but it is onely Parae explic catech Vrsin for a time and in time of trouble and temptation their faith failes and they go away and fall backe from their faith and profession This is called a Temporary faith because it is but temporary it is not permanent it continueth not These are resembled by the stony ground vpon which the seed of Gods Word falleth and they receiue it with ioy yet haue no root in themselues and therfore t Matth. 13. 10 21. dure but for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by they are offended as our Sauiour speakes in the Parable of the seede And as S. Luke hath it u Luk. 8. 13. for a while they beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Thirdly some haue had power giuen them from aboue 3 Miraculous faith to doe wonders and worke miracles and that by the gift of Faith which faith was a speciall gift of God either to doe some strange and extraordinary worke Parae which could not be done by ordinary meanes or else a gift of fore-telling things to come by diuine reuelation By this faith Peter restored the x Acts 3. 9 7. lame to his limbs And raised y Acts 9. 40. Tabitha from death to life And by this faith Paul healed the man that had beene z Acts 14. 8 9 10. a Cripple from his mothers wombe But this faith alone though it bee great in power and mighty in working doth not iustifie a sinner nor saue a soule and therefore wee finde that wicked men and such as haue not had true sauing faith haue had power to doe miracles and to worke wonders It is held that Iudas wrought miracles as did also the rest Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. of the Apostles for Christ gaue this power to the a Matth. 10. 1. twelue Disciples and yet Iudas was a Deuill and so Christ calls him b Ioh. 6. 70 71. Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill he spake of Iudas Iscariot Our Sauiour hath told vs that very Hypocrites and wicked men may doe wonders and will glory in the same and plead for themselues at that great day what wonderfull things they haue done c Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me saith Christ in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name haue cast out Deuils and in thy name done many wonderfull workes and then I will professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from mee yee that worke iniquity And S. Paul speaking of Antichrist saith that d 2 Thess 2. 9. his comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders Fourthly some haue faith whereby they doe not 4 Iustifying faith onely beleeue the Word of God to be true and giue assent thereunto with ioy for a time but the Spirit of God worketh such grace in their hearts that they doe apprehend Christ Iesus for their Iustification and are perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of their sinnes and saluation of their soules and in this faith they continue to the end these haue a true iustifying and sauing faith Of this faith and the nature of it more is to be spoken in the next place where I come to shew what the true faith is CHAP. VI. Shewing that there is but one true sauing Faith and what it is with the titles giuen vnto it and the properties belongging thereunto THe diuerse sorts and kinds of Faith being made 3 There is but one true faith knowen the order of the Treatise requires that in the third place I make it manifest that notwithstanding there bee diuerse kindes of faith yet there is but one true faith For concerning Faith we are to consider two things the one is touching the things about which faith is conuersant which is the obiect of faith the other is concerning the subiect persons in whom faith is Faith is as hath beene shewed diuersly in diuerse men some haue a great and some a little faith some haue a strong and some a weake faith some haue an effectuall working faith a liuing faith and some haue but an vnfruitfull faith a dead faith some haue a fained and some an vnfained faith some haue but an historicall some a temporary and some a true iustifying and sauing faith In regard of men therfore faith is diuerse but inasmuch as the a Cum obiectum fidei sit prima veritas fides necessario vna Tho 22 a. q. 4. ar 6. obiect of faith is as one saith the first truth because faith is conuersant about the Truth and that there is but one Truth from
he saw that Christ was condemned he brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders and went and o Math. 27. 5. hanged himselfe and p Act. 1. 18. falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out such was the shamefull end of Iudas The other example is of Iulian the Emperour who by reason of his great Apostasie and falling away from the truth is called Iulian the Apostata This Iulian q Iuuenili aetate suxit lac pioe doctrinae Theo. hist Eccles l. 3. c. 1. 2. in his young age was trained vp in the true Christian religion and fauoured the Christians notwithstanding afterwards he denied the faith fell away from the truth denied Christ sacrificed to Idol became a most sore enemie to Christians and a vile reproacher of the name of Christ calling him the Galilean and Christians Galileans and many despitefull things did he against the Christians and that of very hatred and malice But what end came he to It is recorded that when he made war against the Persians he was wounded but no man knew how his wound came but so sore was the wound that he died of it and dying tooke a handfull of his owne blood and cast it vp into the ayre saying r Vicisti Galilae Theod. l. 3. c. 25. O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou hast gotten the victory Such was the miserable and fearefull end of Iulian. Be warned then all ye that know and professe Christ that ye denie not Christ Beware of backsliding and falling away from the truth Å¿ Heb. 3. 12. 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And t 1. Cor. 10. 12. let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall CHAP. XI Shewing who are partakers of the true sauing Faith whether all haue it or but some and who they are IT hath beene declared wherein true sauing Faith 5 Whether all men haue true faith or but some and who they are consisteth The next thing in order to be handled which is the first generall point in this Treatise of Faith is concerning the persons in whom true sauing Faith is to know who are partakers of it whether all men haue true Faith or but some and to discerue who they are The ground of this inquirie is from the words of the Apostle St Paul to the Thessalonians a 2 Thes 3. 2. All men haue not Faith that is aâ— learned b 〈…〉 est fides â—oc est non omnes eredunt Theo. Zanch. c. Shewed two waies Diuines expound it All men doe not beleeue And that it may appeare who are indeed partakers of the true sauing Faith who doe truly beleeue and who not I will shew first in the Negatiue part who haue not faith Secondly in the Affirmitiue who haue faith Touching the first Faith is not vniuersall nor common 1 Who haue not true faith to all All men haue not Faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall Reprobates haue not true sauing 1 In generall Faith The reason whereof is a secret iudgement of God lying vpon them being smitten with hardnesse of Reprobates heart and blindnesse of minde that they cannot beleeue as St Iohn speakes of the incredulous Iewes c Ioh. 12. 37. 38. 39 40. But though he that is Christ had done so many myracles before them yet they beleeued not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath beleeued our report And to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene reuealed Therefore they could not beleeue because that Esaias said againe he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and be conuerted and I should heale them Secondly in particular diuerse haue not faith for 2 In particular as First All that are as yet aduersaries to the truth and enemies to the Gospell of Christ haue not Faith Secondly profane people notorious wicked men in 1 Enemies of the Gospell whom sinne rules and raignes haue not faith Thirdly hypocrites haue not faith These may haue 2 Prophane people an historicall and a temporarie faith but true sauing faith they haue not The reason is because as yet and as long as they are in their naturall vnregenerate state 3 Hypocrites they are without they are not as yet in Christ they are not ingrafted into Christ they are not as yet members of the mysticall bodie of Christ they are not of the flock of Christ they are not the sheepe of Christ and therfore they do not beleeue in Christ As Christ himselfe speaks to the vnbeleeuing Iewes d Joh. 10 26. Yee beleeue not because yee are not of my sheepe All men then haue not faith for Reprobates haue not faith the enemies of the Gospell of Christ haue not faith prophane people haue not faith and Hypocrites haue not faith Thus it appeares who haue not faith Secondly for the affirmatiue who haue faith and 2 Who haue true faith who doe beleeue Though Reprobates aduersaries to the truth prophane persons and Hypocrites haue not faith yet many there are who haue true faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall the Elect and all the Elect doe beleeue 1 In generall The Elect. yea euery one of the elect Children of God hath true sauing faith and do beleeue according to that saying in the Acts of the Apostles e Acts 13. 48. as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued For this cause true sauing faith is called the * Tit. 1. 1. Faith of Gods Elect because it is peculiar to Gods Elect. The Elect haue it and all and euery one of the Elect and none but onely the Elect haue it Secondly in particular these haue faith 2 In particular First they that are effectually called inwardly by the gracious working of Gods Spirit sanctifying their 1 They that are effectually called hearts and outwardly by the preaching of the Gospel according to that saying of the Apostle to the Thessalonians f 2 Thess 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospell Where sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth are meanes whereby they that are truely called come to saluation whence it followeth that they and all they that are effectually called of God haue true sauing faith Secondly all that are truely regenerate and borne anew 2 The regenerate haue true faith for they are g Iam. 1. 18. begotten with the word of
without faith we cannot be saued True 3 Without faith we cannot be saued faith is so necessary that if a man haue the true faith he is saued he cannot perish but if he want the true faith he is damned he cannot be saued The Scripture witnesseth the truth of this Our Sauiour Christ saith g Mark 16. 16. he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall be damned Againe he saith h Joh. 3. 18. he that beleeueth on him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God So great is the necessitie of true sauing Faith The consideration of this great necessitie of Faith is Vse profitable for instruction it teacheth vs to be carefull To get faith into our hearts by all meanes to get faith into our hearts If we would haue any true assurance that we are not still dead in sin but are quickned by the Spirit and liue in Christ if we would haue our workes our seruice and sacrifices to be acceptable to God or if we would escape condemnation and come to life euerlasting then it s necessarie that we labour to haue true sauing Faith for without faith as I haue proued we are but dead in sinnes and trespasses and haue no true life of grace in vs without faith nothing that we doe can please God and without faith we cannot be saued Seeing then that faith is so necessarie how doth it stand euery one in hand to labour for true sauing faith The Apostle to the Hebrews saith i Heb. 3. 18. 19. to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeued not So we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe And hereupon he exhorteth to labour for true faith lest wanting faith we k Heb. 4. 1. 2. 3. come short of that euerlasting rest of our soules When Martha had receiued Christ into her house and was diligent in prouiding for him and her Sister Marie in the meane time was sitting at Christs feete hearing his word Martha was offended that her Sister should sit downe and not put to her helping hand whereupon Martha comes to Christ and saith l Luk. 10. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. Lord doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone bid her therefore that shee helpe me And Iesus answered and said vnto her Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her There are many both men and women like Martha verâ—e busie yea cumbred and troubled about many things the world ouercomes them and the cares of the world carrie away their minds that for the most part they neglect that which is most needfull That one needfull thing is with Mary to heare the word of Christ to get true faith that by true faith in Iesus Christ our soules may be saued and we may come to life euerlasting This one thing is needfull and whosoeuer they are that haue set their hearts to seeke the Lord to heare the word of Christ and to get true faith whereby they may saue their soules they haue made a good choice they haue with Mary chosen the better part euen that good part which shall not be taken away from them CHAP. XIII Of the benefits of Faith shewing what great good comes to a Christian through true sauing Faith HOw necessary true sauing Faith is hath beene shewed The seuenth thing in the treatise of Faith is 7 The benefits of true faith Which are diuerse concerning the benefit and good that comes thereby The benefits of true sauing Faith are exceeding great and many First I mention the benefit of Iustification True faith 1 Iustification apprehending Christ Iesus iustifieth a sinner in the sight of God acquitteth and dischargeth him from his sinnes and causeth him to bee accepted righteous not for his owne righteousnesse but for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto him So witnesseth S. Paul to the Galatiaus a Gal. 2. 16. Knowing saith hee that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might bee iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the Law The third and fourth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans stand vpon this argument affirming that we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law and proouing in the example of Abraham that righteousnesse is imputed vnto vs by Faith If it be obiected that S. Paul speaking of Iustification Obiect 1 by faith without workes speakes of workes done before a mans conuersion before he be regenerate and of those workes which goe before faith and not of those which follow after I answer that not onely the workes which are done Answ before faith are excluded from our Iustification before God but also workes done after faith euen in the state of grace for S. Paul writing both to the Romanes and Galatians writes to them that had receiued the Gospell and did now beleeue And speaking of Abrahams faith saith b Heb. 11. 17. By faith Abraham when hee was tryed offered vp Isaak Heere was a worke pleasing God namely the offering of his sonne Isaak when God commanded him and this was done by faith when Abraham had true faith it was a worke proceeding from faith and a fruit of faith But did this worke of Abraham iustifie him be fore God No c Rom. 4. 2 3. For if Abraham were iustified by workes as saith S. Paul he hath whereof to glory but not before God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse If it be further obiected out of S. Iames that workes Obiect 2 doe iustifie because S. Iames saith d Iam. 2. 21. Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaak his sonne vpon the altar And againe he saith e Verse 24. Yee see then how that by workes a man is instified and not by faith only I answer first there is a twofold Iustification the one Answ 1 before God the other before men The former Iustification before God or in the sight of God is by faith onely without workes and so we are iustified f Apprehensiuè apprehensiuely that is by apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ for our iustification for to speake properly only the Righteousnesse of Christ doth iustifie a sinner and faith is but the instrument whereby we lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ for our iustification and of this Iustification it is that S. Paul saith g Rom 4. 3. Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse There is also a Iustification before men and this is by workes
proceeding from faith and so we are iustified h Declaratiuè declaratiuely that is our workes proceeding from faith doe declare before men that wee haue faith our good workes declare the truth of our faith and manifest that our faith is not in vaine Of which later Iustification S. Iames speakes saying i Iam. 2. 21. Was not Abraham our Father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaak his sonne vpon the altar Secondly I answer that there is a true faith working by loue knowne by the fruits of good workes and there is also a false fained faith a vaine and fruitlesse faith The former of these is commended by S. Iames in Abrahams faith whose faith wrought with his workes k Vers 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his workes and this faith which is a working faith being fruitfull in good workes is that faith which we approue and allow of this is that faith which we maintaine and defend this is that faith which we preach and exhort all men to labour for And as for the other faith which is without workes wee doe with S. Iaâ—es hold that it is l Vers 17. 20. vaine yea a dead faith and therefore doth not iustifie a sinner either before God or men In breefe wee hold and teach that faith onely iustifieth but yet that faith which iustifieth is not alone but hath necessarily joyned vnto it the fruit of good workes For if faith want good wokes wee say with S. Iames that m Vers 26. as the body withâ—ut the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also And therefore I conclude with S. Paul n Rom. 3. 28. that a man is iustified by Faith without the deedes of the Law This is the first benefit of true sauing faith Iustification The second is Adoption whereas by nature wee are 2 Adoption children of wrath by grace through faith in Iesus Christ wee are made sonnes of God The Euangelist S. Iohn speakes thus of them that haue true faith in Iesus Christ o Joh. 1. 12. as many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And S. Paul to the Galatians saith p Gal. 3. 26. Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus And this is an exceeding great priuiledge for if we be children and sonnes of God then as the Apostle saith wee are q Rom. 8. 17. heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ The third is the purifying of the heart Faith purifieth 3 Purifying the heart the heart S. Peter speaking of the faith of the Gentiles saith that God r Acts 15. 9. put no difference betweene vs and them purifying their hearts by faith Å¿ Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart saith our Sauiour for they shall see God Now t Fide mundantur corda vt possit videri Deus Bern. the hearts of men are purified as one saith by faith that they may see God Man by nature is corrupt and the heart polluted with filthinesse of sinne which filth is not washed away but by Faith in Iesus Christ For true faith apprehending Christ for iustification is a meanes to purifie the heart Faith purgeth out the corruption and filthinesse of sinne it cleanseth the heart from euill thoughts earthly cogitations and fleshly Iusts it purifieth the heart from infidelitie superstition ignorance from pride hypocrisie rancour grudging hatred malice and enuie For these defile a man and make the heart vncleane from which the heart is purified by Faith The fourth is a good and happie life for we liue by 4 A happie life Faith as saith the Prophet Habakkuk u Habb 2. 4. How we liue by faith the iust shall liue by his faith Now we liue by Faith two manner of wayes First spiritually concerning the soule of which S. Paul saith x Gal. 2. 20. I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Secondly concerning the affaires of this present life for Faith doth teach and direct a man in the course of his life what to doe and how to liue As first concerning a mans vocation and calling faith teacheth a man to walke diligently in his vocation and calling and to depend vpon God for a blessing vpon his labours Secondly faith teacheth a man to commit his wayes to the Lord and to referre the successe of his affaires and businesse to God and to waite vpon God for the bringing of his things to passe Thirdly â—n afflictions and crosses faith will teach a man to rest vpon God for deliuerance to be patient and not to seeke helpe by vnlawfull meanes Fourthly faith will make a man depend vpon the prouidence of God and trust God not onely for himselfe but for his children after him Thus the iust man liues by faith The first benefit is victorie ouer the world of which S. Iohn saith y 1. Iohn 5. 4. this is the victorie that ouercoÌ„meth the world Victorie ouer the world euen our faith Now whatsoeuer is in the world is of three sorts it is either about the pleasures and delights of the world or about riches and wealth of the world or about honours and preferments in the world Which S. Iohn brings to these three heads z 1. Ioh. 2. 16. the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Now a Christian hath much adoe to striue against these that he be not intangled and ouercome either by ambitious seeking of honours or greedie desire of profits or sinfull delights of the pleasures of the world But faith helpes a man to get victory ouer all these An example whereof we haue in Moses whose faith the Apostle commending saith a Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26. By faith Meses when he was come to yeeres refused to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter here was his contempt of honour chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season here was his victorie ouer earthly pleasures and sinfull delights Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt here was his victorie ouer transitorie and deceitfull riches Thus by Faith Moses ouercame the world The sixt is victorie ouer our great aduersarie the Deuill 6 Victorie ouer the Deuill Of this S. Paul saith b Ephe. 6. 16. aboue all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked Where Faith is reckoned as a speciall part of the armour of God to defend our soules against spirituall wickednesse And S. Peter appointeth faith as a powerfull meanes to driue away the Deuill c 1. Pet. 5. 8. 9. your aduersarie the Deuill as aroaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith The last benefit which we receiue through true faith 7 Saluation
to sinners and vnbeleeuers turne vnto me repent and beleeue the Gospell he sheweth vnto sinners that they ought to repent and turne vnto him and that vnbeleeuers ought to beleeue but to beleeue to repent and to turne to the Lord is not of our selues it is of God it is of the grace of God as S. Paul sayth n 2. Câ—r 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God This of the Efficient and inward working cause of Faith The second is the Instrumentall cause of faith which 2 The instrumentall cause of faith The word of God is the word of God of this S. Paul saith o Rom. 10. 17. faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He had sayd before how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent And hereupon inferreth that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heer 's the ordinarie meanes of begetting faith God of his mercie sends a Preacher to a people the Preacher preacheth Christ crucified by preaching Christ the people heare of Christ and by hearing they beleeue So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Now the word preached and heard which is powerfull to beget faith is vnderstood to be the whole word of God the Law and the Gospell for And that First to the begetting of faith in the heart it 's necessary 1 The law that a sinner heare the Law to the end that he may see and know his sinnes for p Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of sinne and not onely see and know his sinnes but likewise the punishment due to him for his sinnes which in the iustice of God is the malediction and curse of the Law for it is written q Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Likewise death and condemnation for the r Rom. 6. 23. wages of sinne is death Yea and to bee depriued of the Kingdome of God for Å¿ 1 Câ—r 6. 9. the vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And this part of the Word the Law laies open a mans sinnes so plaine and euident that it prickes the heart and wounds the conscience of a sinner insomuch that being truely and throughly touched with the sence and feeling of his owne particular sinnes he hath no peace in himselfe but is disquieted in conscience and now he beginnes to thinke with himselfe what hee may doe to finde ease to his conscience and rest to his soule an example whereof wee haue in those Iewes to whom S. Peter preached Christ crucified and vrged it vpon their consciences that they had crucified Christ for hee saith t Acts 2. 36 37. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified both Lord and Christ Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethron what shall wee doe they were so touched in conscience for their great and bloudy sinnes of crucifying Christ that they knew not what to doe Now when the Law hath thus wrough vpon a sinner humbling him and bringing him vnder a sence and feeling of his sinnes and the wrath of God due to him for his sinnes when hee findes himselfe in this distressed case and vnderstands in how great neede hee stands of 2 The Gospell helpe and comfort then the other part of the Word of God the Gospell of Christ being preached and heard together with the working of the Spirit inwardly in the heart doth open the eyes of his minde and inlighten his vnderstanding and shewes vnto him Christ crucified and makes the sinner see and know that there is remedy to heale his sicke soule that there is saluation to bee had in Christ Iesus and in him alone and that t Joh. 3. 16. whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life This is that word of consolation which S. Peter gaue to those Iewes now pricked in heart wounded in conscience and groning vnder the burthen of their sinnnes u Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And now the sinner knowing that saluation is to bee had in Christ Iesus and that there is x Acts 4. 12. no saluation in any other heereupon he ficeth to Christ for helpe and succour by the eye of faith he lookes vnto Iesus by the hand of faith he takes hold on Iesus and by faith applieth the merits of the death and passion of Christ vnto his owne soule being now assured of the mercy of God through Iesus Christ for the remission of his sinnes and saluation of his soule The sinner hath y Acts 15 7. heard the Word of the Gospell and beleeueth Thus faith is ordinarily procured by the Word of God And seeing that the ordinary meanes of begetting Vse faith is the Word of God this serues to reproue those Against those that boast of their faith and yet contemne and lightly regard the hearing of the Word the ordinary meanes of obtaining faith who despise and contemne or greatly neglect the hearing of the Word and yet boast that they haue faith Diuerse there are that seldome come to the house of God and very seldome heare Sermons who if they be questioned whether they haue faith will not sticke to answer euery one for himselfe yea I haue faith and doe beleeue I haue a good faith to God I hope to bee saued aswell as the best and hope to come to Heauen as soone as they that follow Sermons But I demand of thee ô vaine man if thou hast so good a faith and so good hope of saluation how and by what meanes camest thou by this thy good faith The Scriptures tels vs plainely that the meanes of obtaining faith is by hearing the Word of God And seeing thou doest not frequent the house of God nor heare the Word of God preached except it be at some times and by starts how can it be that thou hast true faith or if thou hast it how was it wrought in thee and by what meanes hast thou obtained it it is the great blindnesse of many ignorant soules to thinke they haue faith when they haue it not And they haue it not because they doe not vse the ordinary meanes to obtaine it I know and deny not God is not tyed to any meanes and therefore can extraordinarily worke faith in the hearts of men euen in whom be will according to his good pleasure but it is not safe for any
it but cannot ouercome it Wherefore to finde in our selues a resisting of such distrustfull doubtings is a signe of Faith as appeareth in that saying of S. Peter q 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your aduersary the Deuill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith By these forenamed signes and markes of Faith wee Vse are to try and examine our selues whether we haue true Examine our selues whether we haue thâ— true faith iustifying faith whether we liue by the faith of the Son of God and whether Christ dwell in our hearts by faith This is the Apostles exhortation r 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selues whether yee be in the faith prooue your owne selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates Now then let vs euery one make a search into our hearts and try whether wee finde the good Spirit of God perswading vs indeede that wee are the children of God and that wee haue faith whether we haue a feeling of spirituall grace whether the Spirit of God hath wrought in vs a loue of God a hatred of sinne a resolued purpose to amend our liues whether we finde in our selues the spirit of grace and of supplications and whether we can truely finde that inward conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit If these things be in vs happy are we But if vpon examination had these things be wanting in any such men may speake of faith but as yet they haue it not they are farre short of true sauing faith and so come short of saluation Let the search be made a little more inwardly A man may know whether hee hath faith by the inward feeling of grace if faith be in the heart the Spirit of God will set it a working it will not lie asleep but it will stirre vp other graces of God in vs it will make vs to loue God and hate sinne more then euer we did before It will moue vs to pray and call vpon the name of the Lord. Wherefore if any one doe not feele in himselfe a gracious working of the good Spirit if he finde not in himselfe a farre greater loue of God and loathing of sinne if hee haue not a more holy purpose to obey God to do his will if he doe not nor cannot pray if in his trouble and affliction outward and inward hee doe not seeke vnto God if he doe not with the childe run to his Heauenly Father and cry Abba Father it 's an euident signe that as yet Christ doth not dwell in his heart by faith that as yet he liues not by the faith of the Sonne of God Let vs search yet a little further the vnregenerate man continues in sinne liues in the manifest transgression of the Commandements of God yet presumes hee hath faith I hope saith hee I haue a good faith but how is it ô man if thou hast true faith that thou still liuest in sinne certaine it is if faith were in thy heart it would cause a reformation of life or at least a holy purpose of amendment of life And so in time and by degrees thy heart would be renewed and thy life reformed Indeede I know I ought to reforme my wayes and amend my life and I would faine amend but it is the flesh that drawes mee to euill But I demand of thee ô man that complainest of the flesh where is the inward conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit and where is thy striuing against thy corruptions what doe euill thoughts arise in thy heart and thou makest no resistance doth thy heart swell with pride doe filthy lusts arise in thy heart doth thy heart abound with couetous desire and ouerflow with the gall of bitternesse anger hatred enuy malice and desire of reuenge and doest thou not striue against these corruptions but giuest way vnto them entertaining them and embracing them certainely heere is no good signe of grace nor of true faith For where true faith is there will be a resisting of sinne and a striuing against corruptions Wherefore if we would haue a good testimony in our selues of the assurance of true faith then wee must bee carefull to resist sinne and to striue against our corruptions and although the combate will be great to master our sinnes and to get dominion ouer our corruptions yet by little and little we shall ouercome and in the end get the victory According to that faying of S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith CHAP. XVIII Of the outward signes of true iustifying Faith and first of Patience in suffering afflictions FAith as it may be discerned by inward so also by 2 Outward signes outward signes And the outward signes of true iustifying faith are these The first is Patience in suffering of which 1 Patience S. Paul speakes thus to the Philippians a Phil. 1 29. For vnto you it is giuen in the behalfe of Christ not only to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake As if he should haue sayd now since that you beleeue there arise troubles and persecutions aduersaries rise vp against you and trouble you but bee not yee afraid of these things bee not terrified therewith for seeing God hath giuen you grace to beleeue in his Sonne Iesus Christ you must be content also to suffer for his sake and the same God that gaue you faith to beleeue in Christ will also giue you patience to suffer for Christs sake and this shall be a testimony and witnesse to all men of the truth of your faith in Christ if you haue patience to suffer for Christ's sake So then to b Pati pro Chrisâ—â— manifâ—stâ—ssimum est argumentum fides in Christum Zanch. in Philip. Two-fold suffer for Christ's sake is a manifest testimonie and good signe of faith in Christ For no man can truly suffer for Christ except it be first giuen him to beleeue in Christ Of patience in suffering I will entreate First generally of suffering all manner of afflictions inward and outward as they come from God Secondly particularly of suffering iniuries wrongs from men First of suffering afflictions in generall and therein 1 In suffering afflictions And therein two things I will shew First wherein the sufferings of a Christian consist and what things are required thereunto that his sufferings may be acceptable and well pleasing vnto God Secondly I will vse motiues to perswade vnto patient suffering For the first That the sufferings of a Christian may 1 How our sufferings may please God Three things required thereunto please God three things are required thereunto The first is to suffer for the name of Christ The second is to suffer for any righteous cause The third is to suffer patiently Touching the first Euery suffering is not commendable before men much lesse acceptable before God but that
to the p Gen. 19. 1. c. two Angels which came to Sodome at euen in the likenesse of two men And Iob was a man giuen to hospitalitie for he saith that he did q Iob 31. 17. not eat his morsell himselfe alone but the fatherlesse did eat thereof Now vpon diligent inquirie what shouldbet he cause The cause of the decay of Hospitalitie in our Land that hospitality is much decaied in our land I can finde no other cause but Sinne and the iudgement of God vpon men and their houses for Sinne. If this be too generall 1 In generall Sinne. an answere I come to particulars and affirme that first one cause of the decay of auncient hospitalitie is contentious suing at law from whence it commeth 2 In particular to passe that both he that sueâ—h and he that is sued he that troubleth and he that is troubled is made more 1 Contentious suing a law vnable to maintaine hospitalitie It were good that such would be warned by that saying of the Apostle r Gal. 5. 15. If yee bite and deuoure one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Secondly another cause is excesse in eating drinking 2 Excesle in cating and drinking gluttonie and drunkennesse whereby many are brought to such a poore state and beggerly condition that they are not able to keepe hospitalitie Of this Solamon saith Å¿ Pro. 23. 20. 21. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to pouertie The third cause is Whoredome Iob saith of Whoredome and Adulterie t Ioh. 31. 12. it is a fire that consumeth to destruction 3 Whoredome and will root out all a mans encrease The voluptuous riotous prodigall mispends so much in reuelling banquetting drinking and whoring that all that he can rake and scrape from his poore ract-tenants is not sufficient to maintaine himselfe much lesse to keepe hospitalitie The fourth is Pride in apparell when men weare apparell 4 Pride in apparell past decencie and goe farre aboue their degree This Pride is a deuourer They carry so much wealth vpon their owne backes that the poore are robd and pincht both of backe and bellie The fift is violence and oppression when men enter 5 Oppression vniustly into the possessions and inheritance of other men this puls downe the iudgement of God vpon their owne heads u Isa 5. 8. 9. Woe vnto them sayth the Prophet Esay that ioyne house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth in mine eares saith the Lord of hosts of a truth many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant All faire and stately houses are not so happie as to enioy the end of their building habitation much lesse hospitalitie The sixt is Sacriledge worldly and vnconscionable 6 Sacriledge minded men thinke if they can with-hold and keepe any thing backe from Church-men those sheaues and those tithes will helpe well towards the maintenance of their house-keeping and make them more able to keepe hospitalitie but it s quite contrarie for the tithes and sheaues vniustly with-held and vnconscionably taken from the Church are so laid vp in the barnes and garners of those that spoile the Church that they secretly though the iust iudgement of God eat into and consume the rest of their wealth and substance Like as x Iosh 6 19. And Chap. 7. 21 24. 25. Achans wedge of gold which he tooke being consecrated vnto the Lord was the cause of the destruction of all that he had And although many Lay-men haue great yearly-profites comming in by vniust gathered tithes yet see the iudgement of God vpon them they are thereby neuer a whit the richer but rather in poorer state then their auncestours who kept as great or greater hospitalitie then they doe and yet robd no Churches So that their deuouring of consecrated things doth no whit helpe their hospitality and it hinders Church-men from keeping that hospitalitie which otherwise they might and ought Against this Sacriledge the Lord himselfe complaines by the Prophet Malachie y Mal. 3 8. 9. Will a man robbe God Yet ye haue robbed me But yee say wherein haue we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse He saith not barely ye are cursed but ye are cursed with a curse He doubleth the curse to shew the certaintie and greatnesse of the curse Whosoeuer robs God of his tithes and offerings drawes a curse vpon himselfe when he binds vp the sheafe vniustly taken he binds in the curse and when he layes it vp in his barne he layes vp the curse with it and the cursed sheafe eats in and spreads it selfe into the rest of the sheaues and corne and substance like the plague of Leprosie infecting all the rest These are the true causes of the decay and present want of Hospitalitie Now if there be no Hospitalitie then mercie and compassion is not shewed to the poore and needie to the strangers to the fatherlesse and widdowes and if mercy and charitie be not shewed at least in some sort and in some measure more or lesse as euery mans abilitie will extend I demand then Where is Faith Is that true Faith that hath no workes Can that Faith saue Nay For z Iam. 2. 17. Faith as St Iames sayth if it hath not workes is dead being alone And * Ver. 26. as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also CHAP. XXII Of confession of Christ before men and of the profession of the Gospell THe fourth and last outward signe of true sauing Faith is the Confession of Christ before men 4 Confession of Christ before men with constancy and boldnesse standing to our faith and profession for the loue of Christ S. Paul makes this a signe of his faith saying to the Corinthians * Ex his discimus confessionis matrem esse fidem Calu. We hauing the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therefore speake a 2. Cor. 4. 13. From hence we learne that faith is the mother of confession Faith breedes confession according to that saying of S. Paul to the Romanes b Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation And this Confession of Christ is two-fold Two-fold The one in time of peace 1 In time of peace Two-fold The other in time of persecution The Confession of Christ in time of peace is two-fold The first is not to be ashamed of the profession of the 1 Not to be ashamed of the profession of the Gospell For Gospell but to make an open confession and manifest profession thereof And this is necessary For First God requireth
on earth or blessed in Heauen we desire to be blessed with temporall and spirituall blessings and to be patakers of eternall happinesse For thougâ— temporall blessingâ— be common to all to good and bad yet the blessing of God vpon the outward blessings which God bestoweth is giuen onely to them that repent of their sinnes to them that feare the Lord and â—eâ—d a godly life aâ— it is said in the Psalmes n Psâ—l 34. 9. There is no want to them that feare him Againe o Psal 84. 11. No good thing will he with-hold from them that walkâ— vprightly For spirituall blessings mercie pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes these belong to none but to penitent sinners to such as hâ—ue repâ—â—ted oâ— their sinnes and are washed from their wickedâ—â—sse as appeareth in that large promise of meâ— forgâ—uenesse in Esay p Isay 1. 18. Though your sinnâ—s be as carlet they shall as white as snowe though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll But to whom is this gracious promise made but to penitent sinners Euen to such as haue washed and cleansed their â—eâ—â—ts from wickednesse to such as haue put away the euiâ—l of their doings from before the eyes of the Lord and to suâ—h â—â— haue ceased to doe euill and hâ—ue learned to doe welâ— for to such the Lord saith Comâ— nâ—w and let vs reason tâ—gâ—ther sâ—ith the Lord though your sinnes be as scarlet c. And as for eternâ—ll blessednesse and euerlasting happâ—nâ—sse none can be paâ—takers thereof but penitent sinners The kingdome oâ— heâ—uen is giuen to no wicked and vngodly man onely they which haue repented of their sinnes and are washed from their wickednesse shall enter into the kingdome of heauen As it is said in the Reuelation q Reu. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defilâ—th neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambes booke of life Againe it is said r Reu. 22. 14. 15. Blâ—ssed are they that doe his commaundements that they may haue right to the tree of lift and may enter in through the gates into the Cittie For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth and maketh a lye Wherefore it greatly stands vs in hand to repent of our sinnes to wash and cleanse our hearts from wickednesse to amend our wayes and to walke in obedience to Gods commandements to serue the Lord and to feare him if wee desire either to be happy on earth or blessed in heauen As the Apostle also exhorteth vs saying Å¿ Hâ—b 12. 28. Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot be mooued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare Vse 2 Secondly whereas true penitent sinners haue the Consolation to the righteous which are afflicted in this life promise not onely of temporall benefitâ— and spirituall blessings but also of eternall happinesse and euerlasting felicity in the kingdome of heauen this doth minister great consolation to the righteous which are afflicted and troubled in this present life for though they endure sorrow and sicknesse paine and griefe though they suffer tribulation or persecution or whatsoeuer affliction they vndergoe it is but for this present life it is but for a short time it is but for a moment it wil haue an end And then after that this short life is ended the righteous which haue patiently suffered with Christ shal also raigne with Christ and shall inherite a kingdome The time shal come that they shal haue no paine nor sorrow but shall enter into eternal ioy shall be partakers of euerlasting glory shall liue blessedly for euer in heauen So saith S. Paul t Rom. 8. 17. And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together This was Dauids comfort in his afflictions u Psal 27. 13. I had fainted saith he vnles I had belieued to see the goodnes of the Lord x Anciently expounded Heauen Aug. Hug. in the Land of the liuing This comforted S. Paul in all his tribulations and sufferings as he himselfe witnesseth saying y 2 Tim. 4 6. 7. 8 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departing is at hand I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to me onely but vnto them also that loue his appearing And this ought to be our great consolation comfort in all distresse knowing that glory in heauen will be a full recompence for all our sufferings As S. Paul also saith z Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. a 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding eternall waight of glory The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE WAY TO THE CELESTIALL PARADISE Concerning Prayer Which is the third meanes whereby a Sinner may be saued and come to life euerlasting CHAP. I. The Preface with the Partition of the whole Treatise of Prayer The order of this Treatise THe a Rom. 11. 13. Apostle of the Gentiles writing to the Romanes saith b Rom. 10. 13. 14. whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued How then shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher Which Rhetoricall gradation is adorned with these fiue beautifull ascending steps First Christ must be preached Secondly being Preached men beginne to heare of Christ Thirdly hearing of Christ they beleeue in him Fourthly beleeuing in Christ they beginne to call vpon the name of the Lord. Fiftly by calling vpon the name of the Lord they ascend vp to the highest step saluation After that a man by hearing the word preached hath gotten faith and is brought to Repentance then and not before is he sit to make an acceptable Prayer vnto God for except the heart be purified by faith and purged by Repentance God will not regard our prayers but will hide his eyes and stop his eares when we crie vnto him but a sinner hauing true faith to beleeue in Christ and through true and vnfained Repentance hauing his sinnes washed away in the bloud of Christ may boldly come to the throne of grace with assurance to preuaile with God not onely for temporall blessings but for spirituall graces and not onely for grace in this life but also for glorie and saluation in the life to come For whosoeuer shall call
Pet. 2. 20. 21. 22. If after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and ouer come the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commaundement deliuered vnto them But it is happened vnto them according vnto the true prouerbe the dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire This is a very dangerous falling away but yet heare and consider of a more dangerous backsliding and a more fearfull falling away The second vniuersall falling away is when a man 2 By sinning against the holy Ghost What it is to sinne against the holy Ghost hauing beene inlighted by the holy Ghost with the knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ and hauing made a profession of Christ doth afterwards deny the truth against his owne knowledge and conscience doth maliciously oppose himselfe against the knowne truth and euen persecute those that professe the truth This is properly called the sinne against the holy Sinne against the holy Ghost why so called Ghost not because sinne can be so committed against the holy Ghost but it is also against the Father and the Sonne and when the holy Ghost is offended the Father is offended and the Sonne is offended for the Godhead is one But it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost because this sinne is committed against the proper and immedrate working of the holy Ghost which is to inlighten the minds and vnderstandings of men with the true knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ Now when the holy Ghost hath inlightned any one with the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and afterwards he so fall away from the truth that he deny Iesus Christ and malicously persecute the knowne truth this is to sinne against God and against Iesus Christ but properly and after a speciall manner it is to sinne against the holy Ghost inasmuch as he sinneth against the immediate inlightning of the holy Ghost Of this sinne against the holy Ghost with the fearfull state of those which fall into this sinne the Scripture euidently speakes the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith i Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. It is impossible for those who were once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Againe he saith k Heb. 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes But a certaine fearfull looking for of iudgement and fieric indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries He that despised Moses law died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden vnder-foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the couenant wherewith he was sanctified an vnholy thing and hath done despite vnto the Spirit of Grace From which words of the Apostle two things may be gathered Two things herein to be considered The one is the nature and quality of the sinne against the holy Ghost The other is the punishment due to the same First the nature and qualitie of this sinne is set forth by sixe things 1 The nature qualitie of the sinne against the holy Ghost shewed in sixe things They that sinne against the holy Ghost are 1 First inlightned with the knowledge of the truth 2 Secondly they haue a taste of the heauenly gift 3 Thirdly they are made partakers of the holy Ghost 4 Fourthly they haue had a taste of the good word of God 5 Fiftly they haue had a taste of the powers of the world to come 6 Sixtly after all this they so fall away that they crucifie the Sonne of God afresh they trample and tread vnder foote the bloud of the Couenant and count it an vnholy thing and doe despite vnto the Spirit of Grace Heer 's the Sinne. The second thing is the punishment which vsually 2 The punishment of them that sinne against the holy Ghost befals those that sinne against the holy Ghost and that 's three-fold The first is finall impenitencie they that sinne against the holy Ghost are stricken with a marueilous hardnes of heart so that they cannot repent they are past repentance 1 Finall impenitencie wherefore the Apostle saith l Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. it is impossible for those who were once inlightned c if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance The second is neuer to be forgiuen they that sinne against the holy Ghost can haue no remission no forgiuenesse 2 Neuer forgiuen of sinnes they can haue no mercie shewed them m Mat. 12. 31. 32. All manner of sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen vnto men saith our Sauiour but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a word against the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him nether in this world nor in the world to come And in St Marke it s said n Mar. 3. 29. he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath neuer forgiuenesse This second punishment followeth vpon the first one is the cause of the other they that sinne against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse because they haue not grace to repent true it is the mercie of God is great aboue all our transgressions and God denieth mercie to no sinner that doth truly repent and therefore if a sinner whosoeuer or whatsoeuer he be haue grace to repent him truly of his sinnes to beleeue the remission of his sinnes and to call and cry to God for mercy he may haue mercie but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost his heart is so hardned that he cannot repent but dies without repentance and therefore cuts himselfe off from mercie and forgiuenesse and so is the cause of his own damnation The third is a miserable and fearfull end They that 3 A fearfull end sinne against the holy Ghost vsually die a fearfull and shamefull death We haue two memorable examples hereof the one is of Iudas Iscariot one of the twelue who was inlightned with the knowledge of Iesus Christ he was the Disciple of Christ he preached Christ and wrought myracles in the name of Christ and yet afterwards fell away and that fearefully for he betrayed Christ for money but what was his end He came to a shamefull end for when
people and they grudge within themselues repine and fret because the hand of God is vpon them afflicting them this was the sinne of the Israelites going out of Egypt When they came to the wildernesse and found no bread they g Exod. 16. 2. murmured against Moses and Aaron and when they wanted water they murmured h Exod. 17. 3. againe Such murmurers are likened to swine which make a great noise and grudge if they be not satisfied Secondly when men will not waite Gods leasure nor 2 Limiting God stay his good time but will appoint themselues a time and limit God this was likewise the sinne of Israel of whome its said in the Psalmes i Psal 78. 41. The turned backe and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel This was the sinne of those k Iudâ—th 7. Bethulians who when their citie was besieged would not waite the time of the Lords deliuerance but set a certaine time that if the Lord did not send them helpe within the space of siue daies then they would deliuer vp the City to the enemie But to keepe vs from this kind of impatience we ought rather to l Psal 130. 5. 6. 7. Wait for the Lord and to hope in him for with the Lord there is mercie and with him is plentuous redemtion as saith the Psalmist Thirdlycby fainting vnder the crosse being wearied 3 Fainting vnder the crosse with the burthen of afflictions hence it is that many in time of tribulation cry out of the greatnesse of their crosse and grieuosnesse of their paine nâ—uer was any so crossed neuer was any so much troubled neuer had any such paine and such like words of impatience and diuerse hereupon out of discontentment and through impatience wish themselues out of the world that they might be rid of their trouble and eased of their paine But I wish and desire that such people would first examine themselues and consider well aforehand whether they be ready and well-prepared for death before they so much desire the comming of death lest death come vnlookt for and take them vnawares And I demand of all such as are any way impatient either by murmuring against God or are not content to wait the Lords leisure or that faint vnder their afflictions and crosses where is your patience and where is your faith certaine it is if faith were in the the heart it would help to strengthen our hearts that we should not faint in tribulation and the triall of our faith would worke patience and our patience in suffering would be a testimony and a witnesse of our faith that as it is giuen vnto vs in the behalfe of Christ to beleeue in him so also to suffer for his sake CHAP. XIX Of Patience in suffering wrongs and iniuries HItherto of Patience in suffering afflictions in 2 In suffering wrongs and iniuries from men And therein two things generall There is also Patience to be shewed in suffering wrongs and iniuries from men In handling whereof I will shew First what the wrongs and iniuries are which a Christian may or can suffer from men that so hee may see how farre his patience is to extend and stretch it selfe Secondly I will make it manifest that a Christian is to suffer wrongs and iniuries from men For the first All wrongs and iniuries that one man 1 The sorts and kindes of wrongs and iniuries Three-fold may or can doe to another may bee reduced to these three heads They are either touching First a mans body and so concerne his person or Secondly a mans goods or Thirdly a mans good name And these wrongs and iniuries to others are or may Which may be done two wayes be done two waies either Secretly or Openly First Secretly by the euill imaginations thoughts 1 Secretly of the heart When an enuious or malicious minded man thinkes euill of his neighbour in his heart concerning which the Prophet Zachary hath this admonition a Zach. 8. 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your hearts against his neighbour Secondly more openly and manifestly and that 2 Openly both by Word and Two manner of wayes Deed. For both by word and deede a man may do wrong to his neighbour three wayes In regard of First his body Secondly his goods Thirdly his good name First a man may doe wrong to his neighbours body 1 To a mans body And that and that First by word discommending and disgracing his person or speaking disdainefully and scornefully of the shape and proportion of his body 1 By word Secondly by deede as smiting his neighbour hurting and wounding his body or shedding his bloud also 2 By deede by abusing the body of any through fornication or any manner of vncleannesse Secondly wrongs and iniuries may bee done to a 2 To a mans goods And that man concerning his goods First by word when any one speaks the worst of his neighbours goods dispraising his corne or cattell or wares or any thing that his neighbour hath with a purpose 1 By word to bring others in dislike with his neighbours goods and so to hinder him in the sale of them Secondly by deede when any one offers any personall 2 By deede wrong to a mans children or seruants by smiting and hurting them or when any one doth steale and purloyne any mans goods or violently take them from him when any one goeth about to hurt and hinder another of his right and when one doth trespasse against his neighbour and either spoile or hurt his neighbours corne or cattell or any thing that is his Thirdly men may doe wrong to others in regard of 3 To a mans good name And that their good name And that First by word by railing termes reuiling speeches and false accusations by slandring and back-biting 1 By word and by any manner of words which may tend to the defaming and discrediting of a mans neighbour Secondly by deede by the act of bearing false witnesse 2 By deede before a Magistrate for there not only the tongue speakes but the hand acts a part and both tongue and hand agree together to testifie an vntruth against his neighbour These are the sorts and kindes of wrongs which any man may or can doe vnto another Now in the second 2 To suffer wrong patiently place I am to prooue that it is the part of a good Christian when he is iniuried and wronged to suffer wrong and iniury and that patiently whether the wrong bee touching his body goods or good name Which I Motiues thereunto manifest First by testimonies of Scripture Secondly by example in Scripture For the first The Scripture is plentifull in precepts 1 Testimonies of Scripture and exhortations to patience in suffering wrongs Our Sauiour Christ saith b Matth. 5. 44. Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which
euen in the last dayes in which as the Apostle hath foretold d 2. Tim. 3. 1. 2. perillous times shall come wherein men shall be louers of their owne selues couetous c. And to the end that men may perceiue whether their hearts be frozen ouer with the cold ice of vncharitablenesse or whether the Sunne of righteousnesse hath shined vpon them and warmed their hearts with loue and Markes of vncharitablenesse charitie I will shew wherein this coldnesse of charitie chiefly consisteth It argueth a coldnesse of charitie First to deferre the poore to put them off and bid them come againe another time when a man hath now 1 To deferre the poore to giue them This Solamon reprooues e Pro. 3. 28. Say not vnto thy neighbour goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue when thou hast it by thee Secondly to giue an almes or beneuolence with an 2 To giue almes with an vnwilling mind vnwilling mind not with a free and chearfull heart Against this the Apostle speakes * 2. Cor. 9. 7. euery man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a chearefull giuer Thirdly to turne away the face and to stop the eare 3 To stop the eare at the cry of the poore at the cry of the poore to giue them nothing but suffer them to depart emptie not to giue them so much as scraps or crummes though they were neuer so greatly distressed This was the sinne of Diues for f Luk. 16. 20. 21 Lazarus lying at his gates full of sores desired to be fed with the crummes that fell from the rich mans cable But theâ—rs no mention that he had either bread or crummes but the dogs came and licked his sores Diues had his dogs and they were fed but the poore begger can get no reliefe Ahab the King in a great drought commaunded Obadiah his seruant to g 1. King 18. 5. goe into the land vnto all fountaines of water and vnto all brookes to see if he could find grasse to saue the horses and mules aliue Ahab had not so much care of the poore people of the land to saue them aliue from perishing in the famine as he had of the beasts to â—aâ—e his horses and mules aliue Diues is dead and Ahab iâ— dead but they haue left manie like-condition'd children behinde them For there are many whose charitie towards the poore is so frozen and icie cold that they make more account of their dogs and horses then of the poore and are more carefull to looke well to their dogs and horses to feede and pamper them then to relieue the poore that crie for hunger Fourthly to chide the poore to giue them euill 4 To chide the poore words and so to send them away emptie argues a great coldnesse of charitie Herein men are like to churlish Nabal Dauid in great necessitie sent his seruants to aske some reliefe of that rich wealthie man they aske in the name of Dauid but Nabal answered Dauids seruants and said Who is Dauid And who is the sonne of losse h 1 Sam. 25. 10. 11. There be many seruants now adayes that breake away euery man from his maister Shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue â—â— vnto mâ—n whom I know noâ— whâ—â—â—â— they be Thus with Nabal to answere the poore euen such as arâ— poore in deed and such as we are bound in charitie to relieue when they aske not in the name of Dauid but in the name of the sonne of Dauid Christ Iesus and to send them away emptie is to giue them a silly almes and argues great coldnesse of charitie By these things euery one may try what his charitie is And if any one be yet vncharitable if his heart will not be softned for all this I further offer to his consideration this meditation Diues for his coldnesse of charitie is alreadie in hell his soule is tormented in hel-fire And Diues is in hell in torments i Non ideò damnatus quod aliena tulerit sed quod egenti paâ—peri sua nâ—n tribuerit Aug. not as is obserued for taking away from the poore that which was theirs but for not giuing to the poore of his owne And at the day of the Resurrection of all flesh Diues and all the companie of vnmercifull men shall both in soule and body together be cast into euerlasting fire as is euident by the words of Christ the Iudge who hauing set all the wicked and vnmercifull men at his left hand will say vnto them k Mat. 25. 41. 42. 43. depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels For I was an hungred and yee gaue me no meat I was thirstie and ye gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sicke and in prison and ye visitted me not So that not onely the committing of great sinnes of vnrighteousnesse against our brethren as taking away from them by violence or any manner of wrong-dealing their lands liuings houses fields or oppressing them with heauie burdens c. but the verie omitting of the necessarie duties of charitie not giuing part of that portion which God hath giuen vs to the relieuing of the poore the verie stopping of our eares at the cry of the poore the closing of out hands against the poore and the shutting vp of the bowels of compassion from them that are in miserie and distresse is able to cast soule and bodie into hell Secondly seeing that workes of mercie and deedes 2 Against the neglect and want of Hospitalitie of charitie are testimonies of true iustifying and sauing faith this iustly reprooues the want of hospitalitie and the great decay of auncient house-keeping In these daies we may see many great and faire houses but in few of them any good house-keeping Great houses haue both strait and wide gates but seldome open many chimnies but few fires Now that Hospitalitie ought to be maintained the Scripture is verie plaine for it S. Paul exhorteth all Christians generally as their abilitie will reach to l Rom. 12. 13. distribute to the necessitie of Saints and to be giuen to hospitalitie St Peter also exhorteth vs to m 1 Pet. 4. 9. vse hospitalitie one to another without grudging And in particular a Byshop is charged by S. Paul to be n 1. Tim. 3. 2. giuen to hospitalitie If we looke into the liues of the Patriarches and holy men in former Ages we shall find them giuen to hospitalitie Abraham sitting in his tent dore seeth three men trauelling on their iourney seeing them he o Gen. 18. 2. c. ranne to meete them and intreated them earnestly to come into his tent to eat meat with him So did Lot vse hospitalitie he gaue intertainment
the writers inkehorne by his side is appointed to b Ezech 9 4. goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke vpon the foreheads of the men that sigh that cry for all the abhominations that were done in the midst thereof Giuing vs to vnderstand that there were some in the city which sighed and mourned for the abhominations that were done in the citie For the second what we are to mourne and weepe 2 For what for That which we are specially to weepe for is sinne In generall we are to mourne for all our sinnes great small knowne and vnknowne secret and manifest In particular for some one sinne by which we haue offended or doe still more grieuously offend God The Israelites hauing offended God by asking a King when the Lord God was their King and being reprooued for it by Samuel they sorrowed and lamented and said to Samuel c 1 Sam. 12 19. Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not For we haue added vnto all our sinnes this â—uill to aske vs a King So Dauid with great feeling of his sinnes and with great sorrow and mourning confesseth his sinneâ— to the Lord and craueth mercy d Psal 51. 1. haue mercy vpon me O God c. Yet is most sorrowfull for his heinous bloody sinne points that out in particular and praies against it e ver 14. deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse ô God The third thing herein is the time when we ought chiefely to mourne for our sinnes It is not vsuall with 3 The time wheÌ„ men to mourne for their sinnes till the hand of God be vpon them aâ—â—lâ—ctâ—ng them visiting and scourging them for their sinnes But the chiefest time of mourning for sinne is when we haue sinned that thereby we may preuent the iudgement of God iudging our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord. For as the Apostle saith f 1 Cor. 11. 31. Mâ—roris tempus non tunc est cum aliquid pâ—â—imur aduersi sed cum malè operamur Chrys de prouident l. 3. If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged g The timâ— of sorrowing and mourning for sinne is not as a Father saith when we are vnder the crosse and suffer aduersity but when we doe euill then it behooues vs to mourne for the euill that we haue done As when a man hath committed adultery murther or any other grieuous crime for which 4 The measure of mourning for sinne and therein these rules are to be obserued his soule is in danger to be depriued of the kingdome of heauen then is it a fit time for him to mourne and sorrow for his sinne that he may be reconciled to God winne the fauour of God againe When affliction is vpon vs for our sinnes necessity constraineth vs to weepe and mourne because the affliction calls our sinne to remembrance 1 Sorrow for sinne must be greater then for any woâ—â—dly want or losse For. but it had bene much better for vs to haue wept and mourned for the euill of sinne before the euill of punishment fell vpon vs for sinne The fourth thing herein to be considered is the measure of our outward mourning and weeping for sinne 1 Sinne is the cause of all euill Concerning which these rules must be obserued First that our sorrow for sinne be greater then for any wordly want or temporall losse for First Sinne is the cause of all euill that befalleth vs in 2 A man may be saued without riches but not without repentance the course of our life Secondly a man that hath want of wordly things or sustaineth losse in temporall things may notwithstanding be saued come to life euerlasting but sinne not repented of is able to cast soule and body into hell Thirdly wordly wealth may be procured and temporall 3 The soule once lost cannot be recouered losses may be recouered againe but the soule being once lost cannot be recouered The losse of the soule is irrecouerable and therefore farre greater cause haue we to mourne and weepe for our sinnes then for any wordly want or temporall losse whatsoeuer Secondly greater sinnes must haue greater sorrow 2 For great sinns we must haue great sorrow more mourning and more weeping Dauid was sorrie for his lesser sinnes but was exceedingly sorrowfull for his great transgressions h 1 Sam. 24. 5. Dauids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls skirt but for his adultery and bloodshed he afflicted himselfe sore he i 2 Sam. 12. 16. psal 51. fasted and mourned he lay vpon the earth and made great lamentation Thirdly mourning weeping for sinne must haue 3 There must be a moderation in mourning for sinne it moderation that it exceed not As S. Paul speakes in the behalfe of that incestuous Corinthian whom he had excommunicated but vpon his repentance had forgiuen saying k 2 Cor 2. 7. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow After this manner a sinner expresseth his godly sorrow outwardly by mourning lamenting and weeping for his sinnes There remaine the motiues which may perswade vs 2 Motiues to mourning and weeping for sinne to this Godly sorrow which is outward in mourning weeping for sinne and they are foure First God requireth it So saith the Prophet Esaias l Isa 22. 12 In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and to 1 God requireth it mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackloth The prophet Ioel also saith m Ioel 2. 12. Therefore now saith the Lord turne ye euen vnto me with all your heart and with weeping and with mourning S. Iames saith n Iam. 4. 9. be afflicted and mourne and weepe Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your ioy to beauinesse Secondly penitent sinners haue wept and mourned 2 Penitent sin ners haue wept mourned â—or their sinâ—es for their sinnes Dauid saith o Psal 6 6. I am weary of my groaning all the night make I my bed to swime I water my couch with my teares That penitent woman mentioned by S. Luke held by diuerse to be Mary Magdalen wept so abundantly for her sinnes that those two little fountaines her eies yeilded her water sufficient to p â—uk 7. 38. wash her Sauiours fâ—ete when Peter remembred himselfe how he had sinned in denying his master Christ he went out and q Luk. 22. 62. Wept â—â—tterly Yea Christ Iesus the head of the Saints though he himselfe had no sinnes to lament and weepe for yet he oftentimes wept Comming to Ierusalem r Luk. 19 41. he wept ouer it At the raising of Lazarus Å¿ Ioh 11. 35. Iesus wept At his passion he wept sore for the Apostle saith that
t Heb 5. 7. In the deyes of his flesh he offered vp praiers supplications with strong crying and teares u Fâ—entem illum frequenter â—nue nias nuâ—quam verò â—identem Chrys in Math. 2. Hom. 6. we may often finde him weeping as a Father saith but seldome or neuer laughing Yet he wept not for himselfe and for his owne sinnes for x 1. Pet. 2. 22. he did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth But for vs and for our sinnes to teach vs to weepe and mourne for our selues and for our owne sinnes Thirdly to consider the necessity of outward sorrowing 3 The necessity of mourning for sinne and mourning for sinne First our sinns haue bene the cause of crucifying Christ as saith the Prophet Esay y Isa 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions 1 In regaâ—d of our sinnes which were the cause of crucifying Christ he was bruised for our iniquities The serious consideration of this should moue vs to lament mourne this should cause vs to sheede abundance of teares to consider the grieuousnesse of our sinnes how by them we haue crucified and pierced Christ and certaine it is the remembrance hereof will so worke with true penitent sinners that they will breake forth into mourning as saith the Prophet Zacharie z Zach. 12. 10. I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon and the land shall mourne euery family apart c. Secondly our eyes conuey much euill to the heart 2 Our eies conuay much euill to the heart and therefore must weepe much as they let in sinne so they must as much as they can let it out In worldly griefe the heart is eased by weeping so by teares shedde for sinne the soule is eased Thirdly Sinne is the cause of affliction and miserie 3 Sinne is the cause of misery the cause of trouble and calamitie that befals vs in the course of our life Wherefore as we mourne and weepe for the paine and miserie so ought we much more to mourne to lament and weepe for sinne which is the cause of our miserie Fourthly consider that now euen in this present life 4 Either now we must mourne weepe or we shall hereafter we must mourne and weepe for our sinnes least we be constrained to mourne and weepe in that dolefull and heauie place of mourning where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And they that will not now weepe and mourne for their sinnes shaâ—l hereafter As our Sauiour saith a Luk 6. 25. Woe to you that laugh now for ye shall mourne and weepe And yet more to perswade vs to this godly sorrow to 4 Benefits of mourning and weeping for sinne weepe and mourne for our sinnes consider the Benefits that come thereby Weeping and mourning may weaken and hurt the bodie but it strengthens and helpes the soule it may harme the bodie for a time but it doth the soule good for euer And the Benefits thereof are these First outward sorrow for sinne arising from the inward 1 Mourning weeping for sinne is a meanes to obtaine mercy sorrow of the heart is a meanes to obtaine mercie with God It is said of Hezekiah that b Isa 38. 3. he wept sore But his sore weeping was a meanes of obtaining mercie and fauour with the Lord. For praysing the Lord he saith c ver 17. Thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backs Marie Magdalene weepes and sheeds teares in abundance but this her mourning and weeping for her sinnes is a meanes of obtaining mercy with the Lord for the Lord saith vnto her d Luk. 7 38. 48. thy sinnes are forgiuen Secondly * Mitigâ—ntâ—ram Dei lachrymae Teares of grace are a meanes to pacifie Gods 2 A meanes to pacifie Gods anger anger against vs for our sinnes and to turne away his wrath from vs. The Lord by the Prophet Ioel sayth turne ye euen to mâ— with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for e Ioel 2. 12. 13. he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill As if he should haue said If you will be sorrie for your sinnes after a godly sort and if you will turne to the Lord by renting the heart and with fasting and weeping and mourning then the Lord will turne away â—is wrath from you then the Lord will be gracious and mercifull vnto you Thirdly teares shed for sinne are not shed in vaine 3 Teares shed for sinne are pleasing to God delightfull to the Angels but they are respected of the Lord they are well pleasing both to God and Angels they are acceptable and well pleasing to God God maketh reckoning and account of them for though they be shed yet they are not lost f Psal 56. 8. Put thou my teares into thy bottle saith Dauid Teares of grace and not as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe but the Lord hath a vessell to receiue the teares that we sheede for our sins not one of them iâ— lost This heauenly dew of deuotion neuer fals but the Sunne of righteousnesse drawes it vp And the teare of penitent sinners are delightfull to the Angels who reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Insomuch that the deuout Father cals the g Lâ—chrymâ— pâ—â—nitentium Angelâ—rum vinum Bern. teares of penitent sinners the Angels wine Fourthly they that mourne and weepe for sinne though they haue sorrow and heauinesse for a time in the end shall be comforted their sorrow shall be turned 4 They that mourne shall be comforted into ioy Christ is sent as saith the Prophet Esay to h Isa 61. 2. 3. comfort all that mourne to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse And Christ when he was come sayth i Mâ—â— 5. â— Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted k 〈◊〉 â— 6. 5. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy saith the Psalmist They that now weepe and sheede teares for sinne shall hereafter be truly comforted For l Reâ— 21. 4. God shall wipe away aâ—l teares from their eyes As after much raine and great stormes the heauens waâ—e cleare the ayre is more milde and the Sunne breakes forth comfortably to refresh the things that are vpon the earth so after much weeping mourning
deserued punishment of sinne St Paul saith of the Gentiles p Rom. 1. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. they changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure footed beasts and creeping things wherefore God gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts c. For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections c. And God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient Againe in his Epistle to the Ephesians he sheweth that the q Ephe. 4. 17. 18. 19. Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minde hauing the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorace that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Pharaoh's r Exod. 4. 21. heart was hardned that he would not let Israell goe And to the sinner that hath despised the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering which should haue led him to repentance the Apostle saith Å¿ Rom. 2. 5. after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath shewing thereby that when God hath shewed his patience and long-suffering towards a sinner and the sinner repenteth not but still deferreth his repentance in the end the Lord will lay a heauie and sore iudgement vpon him hardnesse of heart so that now his heart is hardned he hath an impenitent heart a heart that cannot repent And sometimes the impenitent sinner is so forsaken of God and left to himselfe that he growes to desperation and then through the strong temptations of the Deuill he workes meanes to bring himselfe to some vntimely death as t 2 Sam. 17. 23. Ahitophel and u Mat. 27. 5. Iudas Now whereas the Lord doth iustly punish impenitent Vse sinners with such spirituall iudgements blinding To pray that God would soften our hard hearts their minds hardning their hearts and leauing them to themselues this should teach vs to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs grace to lay aside all pride of heart and stubbornnesse of minde and that the Lord would take away from vs our hard and stonie hearts and that by his good Spirit he would soften our hard hearts that we might be mooued to repentance when God calleth vs to repentance and that we might humble our selues before the Lord and tremble at his word For x Isa 66. 2. to this man will I looke faith the Lord euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word To this end let vs heare and receiue the exhortation of the Apostle to the Hebrewes y Heb. 3. 12. 13 take heede brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is called To day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne CHAP. XXII Of the eternall punishment of impenitent sinners and of the paines of hell And how this ought greatly to mooue vs to Repentâ—nce THe third punishment belonging to impenitent 3 Eternall Herein Two things sinners is eternall punishment concerning which I consider these two things First the place of their punishment Secondly the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of their punishment The place of punishment appointed for the wicked 1 The place of eternall punishment Two fold eternally to be punished and tormented is two-fold The one is the place from whence they shall be excluded The other is the place whither they shall be cast Touching the first The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded is the kingdome of God a 1 Câ—r 6. 9. The 1 The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded vnrighteous saith S. Paul shall not inherite the kingdome of God The wicked shall haue no possession or inheritance in heauen they shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they shall be cast from the glorious presence of God they shall be depriued of the cleare vision of God and they shall not see the face of God but shall be b 2 Thes 1. 9. punished as the Apostle saith with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And this losse of the kingdome of heauen to be depriued of the glorious presence of God neuer to see God to be excluded from the fellowship of the holy Angells and blessed Saints in heauen in a word to be thrust out of the place of happinesse neuer to see good day neuer to haue comfort any more is an vnspeakeable punishment yea a very hell In so much that a Father saith c Nâ—â—i autem quâ—a 〈◊〉 pâ—rtâ—â—escanâ— Gelienâ—â—nt ego tâ—men gloriae amissiâ—nem multo amarius 〈◊〉 ipsius Gelâ—enâ—â—â— dicâ—â—sse supplicium Chrysâ—n Math. Hom. 24. I know that many doe greatly stand in feare of hell but I say that the losse of glory in heauen is more bitter and grieuous then the punishment of hell it selfe This of the place from whence the wicked shall be excluded For the second the place whither they shall be cast 2 The place whither the wicked shall be cast is into vtter darkenesse as our Sauiour saith d Mat. 25. 30. cast ye the vnprofitable seruant into outer darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And of this place our Sauiour againe saith e Mat. 13. 49. 50. at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and seuer the wicked from among the iust and shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth This is that f Isa 30. 33. Tophet which is ordeined of old yea for the king it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it as saith the Prophet Isaiah And this place is said in the Reuelation to be a g Reu. 19. 20. lake of fire burning with brimstone And the h Reu. 20. 10. lake of fire and brimstone Now if the place prepared for the tormenting of the wicked and vngodly after this life be a place of outer darknesse where there is weeping gnashing of teeth if it be a furnace of fire if there be fire and much wood if the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone 2 The greatnesse and grieuousnesse of the punishment of the wicked in hell Their torment shall be doth kindle it and if it be a lake of fire and brimstone O then sure this must needs be a most fearefull place a place full of intollerable paine and torment And such is the place whither all impenitent sinners euen all wicked and vngodly men which haue liued wickedly and haue
dye in impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Secondly this is profitable for instruction to all that know there is a hell and heare of the paines and torments Vse 2 To feare God of hell that they learne to feare God to stand in awe of him and not to sinne against him to this our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs vpon the consideration of the paines and torments of hell saying Feare not them which c Mat. 10. 28. kill the body but are not able to kill the soule But rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Because there is a hell and because that God is able to cast the soules and bodies of all impenitent sinners into hell for this cause see that ye feare God stand in awe of God tremble before him and sinne not against him for as God is mercifull to penitent sinners and will pardon the iniquitie and transgressions of them that repent and turne from their sinnes and returne vnto God So also is he a God oâ— iustice and fierce wrath for as the Apostle saith d Heb. 12. 29. God is a consuming fiâ—r and he will cast both the bodies and soules of all impenitent sinners into hell-fire there to be tormented for euermore as it is also written e Reu. 21. 8. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhomminable and murderers and whore-mongers sorcerers and idolaters and all lâ—ers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death O then sinfull man who soeuer thou art now betimes repent and returne vnto the Lord least death vnawares seize vpon thee and suddenly thou be cast downe into hell and there shalt finde thy case to be remedilesse and thy torment endlesse CHAP. XXIII Of the benefit of Repentance how it remooueth Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall Which may perswade vs to Repentonce HItherto of the motiues to Repentance taken from the necessitie thereof The fourth and last motiue to Repentance 4 The benefit of Repentance I take from the benefit thereof Repentance brings much good to the penitent sinner he shall be blessed with manie blessings I reduce them to these two heads True Repentance Two-fold First remooueth iudgements Secondly procuteth blessings First Repentance remooueth iudgements and those 1 It remooueth iudgements Three fold three-fold Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Touching the first Repentance is a meanes to remooue 1 Temporall temporall iudgements either threatned against sinners or else deseruedly drawne vpon them for their sinnes The Lord sendeth Ieremie the Prophet to the people of Israell saying a Ier. 3. 12. Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe anger for euer Isaiah the Prophet is sent to King Kezekiah with this message b Isa 38. 5. 6. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares beholde I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres and I will deliuer thee and this Cittie out of the hand of the King of Assyria and I will defend this Cittie Ionah the Prophet is sent to Niniueh to threaten them and their Cittie with destruction and ouerthrow except they did repent within the space of fortie dayes c Joh. 3. 4. Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall he ouerthrowne But vpon this threatning Niniueh did repent for the King and the whole Cittie put on sackcloth and fasted and cryed mightily vnto God and repented of their euill wayes and d Ver. 10. God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes And God repented of the euill that he had said hee would doe vnto them and he did it not When God saw the people repent of their sinnes he repented of the iudgement which he had threatned against them According to that saying of the Lord in Ieremie e Ier. 18. 7. 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it if that nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them Thus Repentance remooueth temporall iudgements Secondly Repentance remooueth spirituall iudgements 2 Spirituall as blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart and horrour of conscience It remooues blindnesse of mind When God giueth the grace of illumination for before that a sinner beleeueth and repenteth he liues in blindnesse and darknesse but beleeuing and repenting he is inlightned with the knowledge of the truth and walkes no more in darkenesse but in light as the Apostle speakes f Ephe. 5. 8. ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Repentance also remooueth hardnesse of heart when God giueth the sinner true contrition softning the hard heart For when God giueth grace to repent he giueth also a mollified and melting heart as it is said in Ezechiel g Ezek. 36. 25. 26. I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idoles will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh Yea Repentance also remooueth horrour of conscience and the intollerable burden of sinne when God giueth to the penitent sinner peace of conscience and rest to the soule h Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me saith our Sauiour all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Now the conscience neuer hath true peace neither doth the soule euer enioy quiet rest til sinne be done away by Repentance Thirdly Repentance remooueth eternall iudgements 3 Eternall so that neither death nor hell nor condemnation can hurt them that doe truly beleeue in Christ and haue vnfainedly repented of their sinnes and doe now lead a new life So saith St Paul to the Romanes i Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And St Iohn saith k Reu. 20. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Thus it is apparent that great benefit commeth by Repentance for it remooueth from the penitent sinner punishments temporall concerning the bodie and outward state it deliuereth from spirituall iudgements and it Vse freeth from eternall condemnation That may escape the iudgements of God we must repent of our sinnes The consideration of which benefit of Repentance in remoouing Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall serues for instruction to teach and admonish euery one that would escape these iudgements that would haue temporall iudgements remooued from
vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued After Faith and Repentance then Order requires that I entreate of Prayer In handling whereof I will shew The partition of this Treatise First what Prayer is Secondly the sorts and kinds of Prayer Thirdly the persons whom Prayer doth concerne Fourthly the subiect or matter of Prayer Fiftly the time of Prayer Sixtly the place of Prayer Seauenthly the manner how we are to pray aright Eightly the efficacie and power of Prayer Ninthly the helpes and furtherances of Prayer Tenthly I will vse motiues to perswade vnto Prayer These are the things whereof by the guiding of Gods holy Spirit I purpose to entreate And first I will shew what Prayer is CHAP. II. Shewing what Prayer is with the diuerse sorts and kinds thereof PRayer is a religious worship of God whereby we 1 What Prayer is doe with all humilitie and lowlinesse of heart make knowne vnto God the secrets of our heart through the direction of the Spirit of God calling vpon God in the name of Christ in faith according to his will First I say that Prayer is a religious worship of God for it is a a Inâ—â—â—â—tiâ— potissima est pars cuâ—tus Dei Bucan de orate principall part of the worship of God in so much that in the Scriptures it is sometimes vsed for the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro toto Dei cultu accipitur Buca ibid. whole worship of God So St Paul describes the worshippers of God by their inuocation and calling vpon God saying c 1. Câ—r 1. 2. vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called to be Saints with all that in euery place call vpon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord. So Ananias saith of Saul d Act. 9. 13. 14. Lord I haue heard by many of this name how much euill he hath done to thy Saints at Ierusalem and here he hath authoritie from the chiefe Priests to binde all that call on thy name That is all that beleeue in Christ all that professe the Gospell of Christ all that worship God and call vpon God in the name of Christ Secondly I say that in Prayer we make knowne vnto God the secrets of our hart for Prayer is a diuine speech a holy and heauenly talking with God whereby we open our minds vnfold our thoughts and reueale our griefes vnto God yea manie secret things lie hid in the heart which we will not and are afraid or ashamed to make knowne vnto men yet we may safely and doe securely make manifest vnto God by Prayer and as God vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs by preaching so he is pleased to suffer vâ—to speake vnto him and to vtter the secrets of our heart by praying Wherefore one saith e Oratio tuâ— locâ—tio est ad Deum Quando legis Deus tibi lequitur quando oras cum Deo loqueris Aug. in Psal 85. thy Prayer is a speaking vnto God When thou readest the Scriptures God speaketh vnto thee when thou prayest thou speakest with God Thirdly in Prayer I mention the Spirit of God as our guide our teacher and helper Fourthly I say that in praying we must call vpon God for our prayers must be made and directed vnto God and to him alone Lastly our prayers vnto God must be made in humilâ—tie in the name of Christ in faith and according to Gods will which because they belong to the manner of framing our Prayers aright the handling of them more at large with diuerse other things also belonging thereunto I referre to their proper places in the Treatise following and come to the Second thing propounded in this Treatise which is 2 The diuerse sorts and kinds of Prayer Three-fold concerning the diuerse sorts and kindes of Prayer For Prayer is diuerse in regard of First the subiect matter of Prayer Secondly the affection of him that prayeth Thirdly the place of Prayer First Prayer in regard of the subiect matter thereof In regard of is foure-fold 1 The matter of Prayer Foure-fold The first is a Prayer made for the remouing of euils these kinde of Prayers are called deprecations or supplications 1 Supplications The second is a Prayer made for the procuring of good things for the obtaining of blessings needfull for 2 Prayers our soules or bodies Such Prayers are called precations petitions and by a generall name Prayers The third is a Prayer made for the good of others 3 Intercessions when we come vnto God by prayer in the behalfe of others as we would doe for our selues in the like case These kinde of Prayers are called intercessions The fourth is a calling vpon God with an acknowledgement 4 Thanksgiuings of Gods goodnesse towards vs for blessings and benefits receiued These kinde of Prayers are called Thankesgiuings These foure sorts of Prayers St Paul setteth downe in his first Epistle and second Chapter to Timothie saying f 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men Secondly Prayer in regard of the affection of him 2 The affection of him that prayeth Fourefold that prayeth is foure-fold The first is a fearefull Prayer when he that prayeth feareth and doubteth lest he shall not be heard this is not a godly Prayer neither is the partie that prayeth so 1 A fearefull Prayer well affected in Praying because St Iames bids vs g Iam. 1. 6. aske in Faith nothing wauering The second is a luke-warme Prayer such a Prayer as commeth from one that hath little deuotion in praying 2 A luke-warme Prayer and small feeling of what he prayeth for neither is this a good Prayer because S. Paul saith h 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the vnderstanding also The third is a rash Prayer when any one prayeth vnaduisedly 3 A rash Prayer not considering aforehand to whom he prayeth nor for what he prayeth onely he rashly casteth out words which come from his lips and were not first in his heart Neither is this a good kind of Prayer because Salomon saith i Eccles 5. 2. be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy words be few The fourth is a feruent Prayer when one prayeth 4 A feruent Prayer with zeale and feruencie of spirit without fainting and without ceasing This is the best kinde of Prayer This is that which St Iames so commends k Iâ—m 5. 16. The effectuall feruent 3. The place of Prayer Two fold Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Thirdly Prayer in regard of the place is two-fold The one publique in the Church before the Congregation 1 Publique and assemblie of the people The other priuate and that 2
the Sea-shore and of Ionah in the Whales belly in the depth of the sea And for those that lie sicke on their beds or are diseased with any infirmitie and paine of bodie so that they cannot come to the Church but necessarily remaine at home herein is their comfort the Lord can heare and doth heare in secret in the house and chamber as well as in the Church as the Lord seeth in all places so doth he also heare at all times and in all places and if they lift vp as the Apostle saith holy pure hands without wrath and doubting no doubt but the Lord heareth their prayers though through necessitie they pray at home The place hinders not euerie place is pure if the heart be pure it is the mind the heart and the affection of him that prayeth which God regardeth more then the place where he prayeth And this concerning the place of Prayer CHAP. XIII Of the manner how we are to pray aright and First of preparation before we pray and of Attention in praying THE Seuenth thing in the treatise of Prayer is concerning the manner how we may pray aright 7 The manner how we may pray aright Nine things required therevnto that our praiers may be acceptable and well pleasing vnto almighty God And in the framing of our praiers aright their are nine things required all of absolute necessitie to the making of a good and acceptable prayer The first whereof is Preparation 1 Preparation Standing in two things And the preparing of our selues aright for prayer stands specially in these two things First in withdrawing the minde from the buisie cares 1 A with drawing the mind from the world of the world Secondly in setting the heart vpon God thinking with our selues and seriously meditating both of the Lord God to whom we pray as also for what we pray 2 A drawing the heart vp vnto God considering with our selues in whose presence we are to appeare when we fall downe to praier praying to the Lord to direct vs by his holy spirit that we may pray aright and aske such things as are agreeable to his will Now when the minde is not buâ—ie about the cares of the world and the thoughts of the heart are thus drawne vp vnto God then is the soule more fit and better prepared to pray vnto God To this preparation Salomon exhorteth vs saying a Eccles. 5. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God to which agreeth the saying of the sonne of Syrach b Ecclus 18. 23. Before thou praiest prepare thy selfe and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. Where the wise man sheweth two things the one is the dutie required namely to prepare our selues for praier before we pray the other is the necessitie of this preparation for if we doe not prepare our selues before we pray we are to be reckoned in the number of those that tempt God This serues to reprooue all rash suddaine and hastie manner of praying when men come to pray and doe Vse Against hastie rash praying not prepare themselues before hand but come to the performance of that dutie rashly without meditation and due preparation Consider with me if a man haue a petition to preferre to the Kings Maiesty and hath that fauour granted him that he may haue accesse into the Kings presence or if his suite be but to some great Lord and honourable person what preparation will that man make before hand how carefull will he be to looke to his apparrell that it be handsome to see to his hands and face that they be cleane and how carefull will he be of his gesture and behauiour thinking with himselfe how shall I behaue my selfe when I come into the presence of so great a man and how circumspect will he be of his words to place his words aright that so he may receiue a good answere And if a man be thus carefull and circumspect to prepare himselfe when he shall come into the presence of an earthly King or before some great Lord ô how carefull and how circumspect ought euery one to be when we come to appeare before the Lord the great God and King of â—â—â—he earth when we come to tread in the courts of the 〈◊〉 house and to call vpon his holy name either publiquely or priuatly how carefull ought we to be to looke to the inward garment of our conscience that it be white and cleane to wash our hands in innocency before we come to the altar of the Lord to looke to our gesture and behauiour that it be with all reuerence and to be watchfull ouer our words that we be not rash with our mouth nor hastie to vtter any thing before God and this of preparation before we pray The Second thing required in the framing of our 2 Attention in praying praiers aright is Attention in praying Before we pray we must make preparation for prayer and in praying we must be carefull to pray with attention to pray with the heart affection lest we be in the number of those who c Isa 29. 13. Standing in three things draw neere to God with their mouth and with their lips doe honour him but haue remooued their heart farre from him And this attention in praying stands specially in three things 1 Attending the matter of prayer First in praying wee must carefully attend to the words which we vtter lest we erre in the matter of praier and so may pray amisse Secondly in praying wee must haue regard to the 2 Hauing respect to the sence vnderstanding what we pray sence and meaning of the words which we vtter vnderstanding what we pray that we may pray as the Apostle saith d 1 Cor. 14. 15. With the Spirit and pray with the vnderstanding also Thirdly in praying our mind must be aboue and 3 The heart must be fixed vpon God our heart so fixed vpon God that it do not wander from God through by-thoughts These three things are requisite for our attention in praying The consideration of this attention in praying reprooues Vse those who in time of praying either publiquely Against those who in praying giue liberty to their wandring thoughts or priuately haue many wandring thoughts and worldly cogitations So that although they bow their knees yet their hearts are little mooued though their bodies be in the Church their minds are abroad and though their mouths vtter words and their lips mooue apace yet their hearts are on the world and the things on the world either on the profits or pleasures of the world Here some may say it is true I confesse in praying whether in publique or priuate I haue sundry distractions Quest and many wandring thoughts which trouble mee and hinder my deuotion how should I be rid of them or what remedie is to be vsed against them I answere the best remedy is earnestly to
that we should haue accesse vnto the throne of grace and should haue communication with the Lord. For as a meane subiect would count himselfe a happie man if he might finde such fauour with his Soueraigne Lord the King as that he might haue free accesse into his presence and libertie to make any lawfull request vnto the King with assurance that the King would heare him and grant his petition so a poore Christian whatsoeuer his estimation be in the world concerning his spirituall state is a happie man for he may haue free accesse into the presence of the King of heauen earth he may f Heb. 4. 16. come boldly to the throne of grace may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This exhortation to be deuoutly giuen to call vpon the name of the Lord and to be instant in prayer and supplication vnto God is verie necessarie to be practised of all high and low rich and poore one and other and verie expedient it is for Ministers to call vpon the people euerie where and to exhort them to be frequent and feruent in prayer especially in these euill dayes wherein deuotion with many is waxen colde and with some is fallen asleepe and had need to be awaked I haue shewed by the Scriptures that Moses Dauid Daniel Cornelius with diuers others that the Apostles of Christ yea and Christ himselfe haue beene all much giuen to prayer and I read of Iames g Gal. 1. 19. the Lords brother that with praying much and often h Geâ—ua ipsius in morem camelâ— sensum coâ—tactus amiserint Euseb l. 2 c. 23. his knees were waxen so hard by reason of kneeling much that they were as hard as camels knees so that he had no feeling of any paine when he prayed kneeling vpon his knees That was a happie age and those were blessed times for then men had hard knees and soft hearts but in these euill dayes its contrarie for manie in these our daies haue soft knees and hard hearts In those better times good men were as Cornelius was i Act. 10. 2. deuout men fearing God giuing much almes to the people and praying to God alway But in these dayes manie of vs come farre short of Cornelius his deuotion for he gaue much almes to the people and prayed to God alway I feare it may be truely said of manie amongst vs that they giue few almes to the people and pray to God seldome Wherefore if any haue hitherto beene negligent and slacke in performing this religious dutie of Prayer either publiquely or priuately let them pray and the Lord grant they may pray that the Lord would enflame their hearts with zeale and deuotion that hee would k Zach. 12. 10. powre vpon them the spirit of grace and of supplications and that hee would send his holy Spirit into their hearts to l Rom. 8. 26. helpe their infirmities To teach them to pray as they ought and to m Ver. 15. crie Abba Father And whosoeuer they are that haue alreadie addicted themselues to this holy and heauenly dutie of prayer let them bee encouraged to perseuere and pray that they may haue grace to be constant and to continue therein And now I conclude with the exhortation of Saint Paul n Coless 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing ioyning thereunto the like exhortation of Saint Peter o 1. Pet. 4. 7. the end of all things â—s at hand be ye therefore sober and watch vnto Prayer Now the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation confirme and strengthen our faith till the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and grant that through his grace we may be brought to true and vnfained Repentance and that by the guiding of his holy Spirit we may walke in holy obedience to his heauenly will all the dayes of our life that we may sincerely deuote our selues to Prayer and calling vpon the name of the Lord that so at our last end we may be receiued into the Celestiall Paradisc through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen ⸪ Deus qui dedit velle dedit etiam perficere Benedictus Deus FINIS