namely in heart to be deepely displeased with our selues the latter is not simply necessary though it be commendable in whomsoeuer it is if it be in truth for Lydia had the first but not the second II. It falleth out oftētimes that the greatnes of the grief taketh away the sensible paine and causeth a mummednesse of the heart so that the partie grieueth not III. Sometimes the complexion will not affoard teares and in such there may be true humiliation though with dric cheekes Sect. 3. The Secōd thing to be done for the attaining of Gods fauour and confequently of saluatiō is to Beleeue in Christ. In the practise of a Christian life the duties of humiliation faith cannot be seuered yet for doctrines sake I distinguish them In Faith ther are two things required and to be performed on our behalfe First to know the points of religion and namely the summe of the Gospel especially the promise of righteousnes and life eternall by Christ. Secondly to apprehend and applie the promise and withall the thing promised which is Christ vnto our selues and this is done when a man vpon the commandemēt of God sets down this with himselfe that Christ and his merits belong vnto him in particular and that Christ is his wisdome iustification sanctification and redemption This doctrine is plaine out of the sixt of Iohn for Christ is there propounded vnto vs as the bread and the water of life Therefore faith must not be idle in the braine but it must take Christ and applie him vnto the soule and conscience euen as meate is eaten The Questions of Conscience touching Faith are these First how we may truly applie Christ with all his benefits vnto our selues For wicked men applie Christ vnto themselues falsely in presumption but fewe doe it truly as they ought to doe I answer That this may be done we must remember to doe two things First lay downe a foundation of this action and then practise vpon it Our foundation must be laid in the word or else we shall faile in our application and it consists of two principles The one is As God giues a promise of life eternall by Christ so he giues commandement that euery one in particular should applie the promise to himselfe The next is that the Ministerie of the word is an ordinarie meanes wherein God doth offer and applie Christ with all his benefits to the hearers as if he called them by their names Peter Iohn Cornelius Beleeue in Christ and thou shalt be saued When we haue rightly considered of our foundation the Second thing is to practise vpon it and that is to giue our selues to the exercises of faith and repentance which stand in meditation of the Word and prayer for mercie and pardon and when this is done then God giues the sense and increase of his grace When Lydia was hearing the Sermon of Paul then God opened her heart Act. 16. v. 12. Secondly it is demaunded When faith beginnes to breede in the heart and when a man beginnes to beleeue in Christ Answ. When he beginnes to be touched in conscience for his owne sinnes and withall hungers and thirsts after Christ and his righteousnes then beginneth faith The reason is plaine As faith is renewed so it is begunne but it is renewed when a man is touched in conscience for his sinnes and beginnes a new to hunger after Christ therefore when these things first shew themselues then faith first beginnes For these were the things that were in Dauid when he renewed his repentance Sect. 4. The third dutie necessarie to saluation is Repentance In which two things are to be considered the beginning namely a godly Sorrow which is the beginning of Repentance 2. Corinth 7. and vpon this sorrow a Change which is indeede Repentance it selfe In Sorrow we consider first the nature of it secondly the properties of it Touching the nature of sorrow it is either inward or outward The inward sorrow is when a man is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes The outward when the heart declares the griefe thereof by teares or such like signes And sorrow in this case called a godly sorrow is more to be esteemed by the first of these then by the second The propertie of this sorrow is to make vs to be displeased with our selues for our sinnes directly because they are sinnes and doe displease God If there were no iudge no hel nor death yet we must be grieued because we haue offended so mercifull a God and louing father And as godly sorrow will make vs thus to doe so is it the next cause of repentance and by this is repentance discerned The next thing in Repentāce is the Change of the minde and whole man in affection life and conuersation And this standeth in a constant purpose of the minde and resolution of the heart not to sinne but in euery thing to doe the will of God Hereupon Paul exhorteth them to whome he wrote to continue in the loue of God and in the obedience of his word Barnabas when he came to Antioch and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted all that with purpose of heart they should cleaue vnto God or continue with the Lord. So the Prophet Ezckiel saith if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and shall not die In this purpose stands the very nature of repentance and it must be ioyned with humiliation and faith as a third thing auaileable to saluation and not to be seuered from them For a man in shewe may haue many good things as for example he may be humbled and seeme to haue some strength of faith yet if there be in the saide man a want of this purpose and resolution not to sinne the other are but dead things and vnprofitable and for all them he may come to eternall destruction Furthermore we must distinguish this kinde of purpose from the minde and purpose of carnall men theeues drunkards harlots vsurers for they will confesse their sinnes and be sorie for them yea and shed some teares wishing they had neuer sinned as they haue In these men indeed there is a wishing will for the time but no setled purpose And it is a propertie of nature to auoid euill but to haue a constant resolution of not sinning is a gift of grace and for this it is that we must labour otherwise our repentance is no true and sound repentance Sect. 5. The fourth and last dutie is to performe New obedience vnto God in our life and conuersation In this new obedience three things are required First it must be a fruit of the spirit of Christ in vs for when we doe any good thing it is Christ that doth it in vs. To this purpose Dauid praies vnto God Psal. 143. 10. Let thy good Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousnes And
we read Gen. 19. 1. that Lot seeing twoo Angels comming towards Sodome rose vp to meete them and bowed himselfe with his face to the ground By which example it appeareth that though Angels may be adored yet not with Religious or that which is mixed with Religious worship but with worship purely meerely ciuill Wherevpon it was that the Angell refused the worship done vnto him by Iohn saying See thou doe it not I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren c. Rev. 19. 10. I adde moreouer that sith at this day the Angels appeare not vnto vs we may not worshippe them at all either in ciuill or religious manner albeit we must euer haue a reuerent estimation of them As for liuing men Adoration meerely civill is onely due vnto them and that in respect of the gifts of God which we see to be in them as also of their authoritie and place which they haue amongst men This is expressely inioyned in the fist Commandement Honour thy father c. and confirmed also by the example of Abraham who stood vp and bowed himselfe before the people of the land of the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. Prouided alwaies that this Adoration be according to the laudable custome of the countrey where they liue But for worship either simply religious or mixt it is in no sort to be yeelded them Thus Peter when Cornelius met him and fell downe at his feete refused to accept of the honour done vnto him which notwithstanding was not a diuine but a mixed kinde of worship performed vnto Peter in a reuerent opinion of his person as beeing more then an ordinarie man Act. 10. 25 26. In like manner Mordecai the Iewe denied to worship Haman because the honour which the King appointed to be giuen vnto him was an excessiue honour hauing some diuine worship in it such as was done to himselfe Of the same sort is the kissing of the Popes feete which indeede is ciuill worship but mixed with religious For it is tendered vnto him as to the Vicar of Christ and one that cannot erre the like to which is not done to any Emperour or Potentate on earth Lastly touching dead men or Saints departed as Peter Paul and the rest all the worship we owe vnto them is no more but a reuerent estimation of their persons and imitation of their â—…es Religious or ciuill Adoration due vnto them we acknowledge none because neither we haue to deale with them nor they with vs. Therefore Romish Adoration of them we renounce as flat Idolatrie considering it giues vnto them a Diuinitie making them present in all places to know our hearts and heare our praiers at all times which is the prerogatiue of God alone Now for vnreasonable creatures no Adoration at all appertaineth to them but onely a reuerent and holy vse of them For Adoration is a signe of Subiection of the inferiour to the superiour but man is their superiour and therefore he is to doe them no worship or seruice And hereupon we iustly condemne the Adoration of the reliques of Saints of the bread and wine in the Sacrament c. The Third sort of things is the Worke of the Creature to wit Images Where if it be demanded what Adoration is due to them I answer None at all Reasons 1. We haue an expresse inhibition to the contrarie in the third Commandement Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them c. 2. The superiour must performe no adoration to the inferiour Now though it should be granted that they were the Images of God yet man is a more excellent Image then they and they are inferiour not onely to him but euen to the baser sort of creatures The woâ—…e is one of the basest creatures vpon the earth yet it is a worke of God The Image is a worke not of God but of man Man therefore may as well in all reason and better worship the worme then the Image CHAP. XII Of outward Confession THe fift Head of Gods outward worship is Confession I meane not the Ordinarie or Ecclesiasticall Confession but that which is made before the Aduersarie Concerning which there be many Questions commonly made I. Question Whether Confession of faith be necessarie and when Ans. That Confession is necessarie it appeares by manifest testimonies of Scripture 1. Pet. 3. 15. Be readie to giue an answer alwaies to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Here is a flat Commandement for Confession Againe Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth and beleeue with thy heart thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation And Mark 8. 38. Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me in this adulterous generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glorie of his Father with his holy Angels This is graunted of all Diuines saue onely of some pestilent Heretikes The second part of the Question is When Confession is to be made For answering whereof this must be remembred for a Ground that there is a distinction to be made betweene Commandements affirmatiue and negatiue The Negatiue bindeth at all times and to all times For it is not lawfull at any time for a man to doe euill The Affirmatiue binds at and in all times but not to all times For it commands a dutie to be done which neuerthelesse is not at all times to be done For example To giue almes is prescribed by an affirmatiue commandement and yet almes are to be giuen onely at fit times and occasions Hereupon it pleased the Lord to propound part of the Morall Law in negatiue tearmes because negatiues are of greater force Now Confession beeing commaunded not by a negatiue but by an affirmatiue commandement we are not bound thereunto at and to all times but when iust occasion is offered What then may some say are the especiall times in which Confession is to be made before the Aduersarie Ans. There are two principally to which all the other may be reduced The first is when we are examined touching our Religion by them that are in authoritie as by Magistrates Princes Iudges c. For at such time we are lawfully called to make confession of our faith and may doe it with boldnes Thus much the place before-named importeth where we are inioyned to be readie to giue an account c. 1. Pet. 3. 15. that is not to euery Examiner but to those alone who haue power and authoritie giuen them by God for that purpose And the same is implied in Christs speech to his Apostles Math. 10. 19. And ye shall be brought before gouerners and Kings for my sake in witnes to them and to the Gentiles And in this case not to make profession of our faith is in effect to denie Christ to scandalize the Church and greatly to preiudice the truth The second time of Confession is when in
a twofold relation to God or to Man As he stands in relation to God he beares the name of a Christian that is a member of Christ or a sonne of God whose dutie is to know and to worship God according to his will reuealed in his word As he stands in relation to man he is a part of a bodie and a member of some societie Now the Questions that concerne him as a member of a societie are of three sorts according to three distinct kinds of societies For euery man is either a member of a Familie or of the Church or of the Common-wealth And answerably some Questions concerne mā as a member of a familie some as he is a member of the Church some as he is a member of the Commonwealth In a word therefore all Questions touching man may be reduced to three generall heads The first whereof is concerning man simply considered as he is a man The second touching man as he stands in relation to God The third concerning man as he is a member of one of the three societies that is either of the Familie or of the Church or of the Commonwealth QVestions of the first sort concerning man simply considered in himselfe as he is a man are especially three The first What a man must doe that he may come into the fauour of God and be saued The second How he may be assured in conscience of his owne saluation The third How he may recouer himselfe when he is distressed or fallen Of these in order CHAP. V. Of the first maine Question touching Man I. Question What must a man doe that he may come into Gods fauor and be saued FOR answer to this Question some Groundes must be laid downe before-hand The first is this That we must consider and remember how and by what meanes God brings any man to saluation For looke how God saueth others so he that would know how to be saued must vse the meanes whereby God saueth them Sect. 1. In the working and effecting of Mans saluation ordinarily there are two special actions of God the giuing of the first grace and after that the giuing of the second The former of these two works hath X. seuerall actions I. God giues man the outward meanes of saluation specially the Ministerie of the word and with it he sends some outward or inward crosse to breake and sub due the stubbornnesse of our nature that it may be made plyable to the will of God This we may see in the example of the Iaylour Act. 16. and of the Iewes that were conuerted at Peters sermon Act. 2. II. This done God brings the minde of man to a consideration of the Law and therein generally to see what is good and what is euill what is sinne and what is not sinne III. Vpon a serious consideration of the Law he makes a man particularly to see and know his owne peculiar and proper sinnes whereby he offends God IV. Vpon the sight of sinne he smites the heart with a Legall feare whereby when man seeth his sinnes he makes him to feare punishment and hell and to despaire of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe Now these foure actions are indeede no fruits of grace for a Reprobate may goe thus farre but they are onely workes of preparation going before grace the other actions which follow are effects of grace V. The fifth action of grace therefore is to stirre vp the minde to a serious consideration of the promise of saluation propounded and published in the Gospel VI. After this the sixt is to kindle in the heart some seedes or sparks of faith that is a will and desire to beleeue and grace to striue against doubting dispaire Now at the same instant when God beginnes to kindle in the heart any sparkes of faith then also he iustifies the sinner and withall begins the worke of sanctification VII Then so soone as faith is put into the heart there is presently a combat for it fighteth with doubting dispaire and distrust And in this combate faith shews it selfe by feruent cōstant earnest inuocatiō for pardon and after inuocation followes a strength and preuailing of this desire VIII Furthermore God in mercie quiets and settles the Conscience as touching the saluation of the soule and the promise of life where vpon it resteth and staieth it selfe IX Next after this setled assurance perswasion of mercy followes a stirring vp of the heart to Euangelicall sorrow according to God that is a griefe for sinne because it is sinne and because God is offended and then the Lord workes repentance wherby the sanctified heart turnes it selfe vnto him And though this repentance be one of the last in order yet it shewes it selfe first as when a candle is brought into a roome we first see the light before wee see the candle and yet the candle must needs be before the light can be X. Lastly God giues a man grace to endeauor to obey his commaundements by a new obedience And by these degrees doth the Lord giue the first grace The second worke of God tending to saluation is the giuing of the second grace which is nothing else but the continuance of the first grace giuen For looke as by creation God gaue a beeing to man all other creatures and then by his prouidence continued the same beeing which was as it were a second creation so in bringing a man to saluation God giues the first grace for example to beleeue repent then in mercie giues the second to persevere continue in faith and repentance to the end And this if we regard man himselfe is very necessary For as fire without supply of matter wherby it is fedde continued would soone goe out so vnlesse God of his goodnesse should followe his children and by new and daily supplies continue his first grace in thē they would vndoubtedly soone loose the same finally fall away The second Ground for the answere of this Question is taken from some speciall places of Scripture where the same is mooved and resolued The men that were at Peters sermon being touched with the sense of their owne miserie vpon the doctrine which had beene deliuered as the Holy Ghost saies were pricked in their hearts and cried one to an other Men brethren what shall we doe Peter mooued by the spirit of God answers them Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sinnes The like was the case of the Iaylor who after that the stubbornnesse of his heart was beaten downe by feare of the departure of the prisoners he came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and mooued this question vnto them Sirs what must I doe to be saued to whome they gaue answer Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold The young man in the Gospel sues to Christ and askes him What shall I doe to be saued Christs answers him Keepe
the Commandements When he replied that he had kept them from his youth Christ tels him that he must goe yet further and sell all that he hath and giue to the poore And Iohn tells the Scribes and Pharises who came vnto his Baptisme and confessed their sinnes that if they would flie from the wrath to come they must repent and bring forth fruits worthie amendment of life From these places then I frame this answer to the Question in hand The man that would stand in the fauour of God and be saued must doe foure things first humble himselfe before God secondly beleeue in Christ thirdly repent of his sinnes fourthly performe new obedience vnto God Sect. 2. For the first Humiliation is indeode a fruit of faith yet I put it in place before faith because in practise it is first Faith lieth hid in the heart and the first effect whereby it appeares is the abasing and humbling of our selues And here we are further to consider three points first wherein stands humiliation secondly the excellencie of it thirdly the Questions of conscience that concerne it Touching the first point Humiliation stands in the practise of three things The first is a sorrow of heart whereby the sinner is displeased with himself ashamed in respect of his sinnes The second is a confession to god wherin also three things are to be done first to acknowledge all our maine sinnes originall and actuall secondly to acknowledge our guiltinesse before God thirdly to acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in Humiliation is supplication made to God for mercie as earnestly as in a matter of life and death and of these three things we haue in Scripture the examples of Ezra Daniel and the prodigall sonne Ezra 9. Dan. 9. Luk. 15. 18. The second point is the excellencie of Humiliation which stands in this that it hath the promises of life eternall annexed to it Esa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Psal. 51. 17. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes By all these and many other places it is manifest that in the very instant when a sinner beginnes truly in heart and conscience to humble himselfe he is then entred into the state of saluation So soone as Dauid said I haue sinned Nathan pronounceth in the name of the Lord that his sinnes were put away And Dauid himselfe saith alluding to the former place I said I will confesse my sinne and loc thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne When the Prodigall sonne had but said I will goe to my father c. euen then before he humbled himselfe his father meetes him and receiues him The third point is touching the Questions of conscience concerning Humiliation all which may be reduced to foure principall Cases I. Case What if it fall out that a man in humbling himselfe cannot call to minde either all or the most of his sinnes I answer A particular humiliation indeed is required for maine and knowne sinnes but yet there are two cases wherein generall repentance will be accepted of God for vnknowne sinnes One is when a man hath searched himselfe diligently and by a serious examination passed through all the commaundements of God and yet after such examination and search made his particular offences are yet hidden and not reuealed vnto him so as he cannot call them to remembrance then the generall repentance is accepted For this is answerable to the practise of Dauid who after long search when he could not attaine to the knowledge of his particular slippes then he addresseth himselfe to a generall humiliation saying Who knoweth the errours of this life clense me Lord from my secret faults and vpon this he was no doubt accepted Againe when a man humbleth himselfe and yet is preuented by the time so as he cannot search his heart and life as he would his generall repentance will be taken and accepted of God The truth hereof appeares in the theefe vpon the crosse who hauing no time to search himselfe made no speciall humiliation yet vpon his generall confession he was accepted Now the ground of this doctrine is this He that truly repents of one sinne in this case when he is preuented is as if he repented of all II. Case What must a man doe that findes himselfe hard hearted and of a dead spirit so as he cannot humble himselfe as he would Answ. Such persons if they humble themselues they must be content with that grace which they haue receiued For if thou be truly and vnfainedly grieued for this that thou canst not be grieued thy humiliation shall be accepted For that which Paul saith of almes may be truly said in this case that if there be a readie minde a man shall be accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not III. Case Whether the party that is more grieued for losse of his friend then for offēce of God by his sinne doeth or can truly humble himselfe Answ. A man may haue a greater griefe for an earthly losse then for the other and yet be truly greiued for his sinnes too The reason is because that is a bodily naturall and sensible losse and accordingly sorrow for it is naturall Now the sorrow for the offending of God is no sensible thing but supernaturall and spirituall and sensible things doe more affect urge the minde then the other Dauid did notably humble himselfe for his sinnes and he did exceedingly mourne for the losse of his sonne Absolom yea and more too then for his sinnes Would God I had died for thee Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne c. Againe I answer that the sorrow of the minde must be measured by the intention of the affection by the estimation of the thing for which we sorrow Now sorrow for sinne though it be lesse in respect of the intention thereof yet is it greater in respect of the estimation of the mind because they which truly mourn for their sins grieue for the offence of God as the greatest euill of all and for the losse of the fauour of God as for losse of the most excellent pretious thing in the world IV. Case Whether it be necessarie in Humiliation that the heart should be smitten with a sensible sorrow Answer I. In sorrow for sinne ther are two things first to be displeased for our sinns secondly to haue a bodily moouing of the heart which causeth crying and teares The former of these is necessarie
the breaking and the powring Applying are those that doe appropriate the same as the giuing and receiuing of the bread and wine The first sort serues properly to renew our knowledge The second to confirme the saine by application Now answerable to the scope of the Sacrament must be our right Receiuing which consisteth in renewing of our knowledge and faith in the mysterie thereof Our Knowledge is renewed principally by meditation in the vse of the Supper after this manner First when we see two signes to be receiued we must call to minde that Christ is our perfect Sauiour that is both bread and water of life Secondly when we behold the bread and wine set apart by the Minister and consecrated by repeating the promise and praiers made for that ende we must remember that Christ was ordained and appointed by God to be our Mediatour and Sauiour Ioh. 6. 27. Act. 2. 23. 36. Thirdly when we see the bread broken and wine powred out we are to meditate of Christ that was crucified for vs and broken both by the first death and paines of the second whereby life and righteousnesse was procured vnto vs. Fourthly the giuing of the elements into the receiuers hands offers vnto our meditation thus much That God doth truly and really giue Christ with his merits and efficacie to euery beleeuing receiuer On the otherside our Faith is renewed by apprehension and application in this manner When the Minister giues the bread and wine and the communicant receiues them at the same time are we to lift vp our hearts to heauen to apprehend Christ by faith beleeuing him with all his benefits to be ours that he was made man for vs that he suffered and died for the remission of our sinnes For these outward symbolicall or sacramentall actions serue to no other end but to signifie vnto vs these inward actiōs of the mind and will whereby we apprehend and receiue Christ to our saluation Here by the way two Cases are propounded I. Case What is to be done if a man after often receiuing still doubteth whether he hath faith or no Ans. He must striue against doubting and indeauour to beleeue being heartily sory for the weakenes and infirmitie of his faith And let him withall consider and remember that God hath not onely giuen his promise but set apart this Sacrament to be a special signe and pledge of his mercie contained in the promise for the vpholding strengthening of mans faith But some man will say Mine indeauour is nothing if doubting preuaile Ans. It is not so For if a man can be heartily sorie for his infirmitie if he striue to beleeue if in heart he hungreth and thirsteth after Christ faith is begunne and he in some sort doth apprehend Christ. The poore begger by the high way side enioyeth the almes that is giuen him though he receiue it with a lame and leprous hand The stomacke that lothes physicke if it receiues into it at the first but one droppe of the potion prescribed and that in very weake and fainting manner it will be able at length to take benefit by a greater quantitie and in the meane time it receiues good The man that is in close prison if he sees but one little beame of the Sunne by a small crevisse by that very beame he hath vse of the Sunne though he seeth not the whole body of the Sunne In like manner though our faith the hand of our soule be mingled with weakenes and corruption though we feele neuer so little measure of Gods grace in vs yea though our knowledge be neuer so small yet it is an argument that the Spirit of God beginnes to worke in our harts and that we haue by Gods mercie begunne to lay hold on Christ. It will be said further If I feele not Christ giuen vnto me by God I doe not nay I cannot beleeue Answ. In Nature it is true that Experience beginnes first and then followes Assurance but in Spirituall and Diuine things there is a contrary course to be taken For here we must beginne with faith and in the first place simply beleeue Gods promises and afterward we come by the goodnes of God to feele and haue experience of his mercie This point was notably practised by Iehosaphat who beeing in a great extremity and seeing no way to escape practised his faith in the first place and said Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chro. 20. 12. And the like he taught the people at the same time ver 20. Put your trust in the Lord and ye shall be assured Thus Abraham is said aboue hope to beleeue vnder hope the promise of God euen against sense reason and experience Rom. 4. 18. II. Case If in the very instant of receiuing a man feele his heart so hard that he cannot lift it vp vnto God what is then to be done Ans. First hardnes of heart is two fold sensible and insensible The Insensible hardnes of heart is a great and dangerous iudgement But the Sensible and felt hardnes which is in Gods children and which they feele and bewaile in themselues is rather a blessing then a curse Of this the people of God complained Esay 63. 17. And it must not discourage any Communicant but rather comfort him because it is a signe of grace For if ther were no grace in the heart corruption hardnes could not be felt Secondly I answer that the benefit of the Sacrament is not tied to the very instant of receiuing but if before and after a man lift vp his heart to God he shall find comfort though for the present he hath not so liuely sense and feeling thereof as he desireth This alway provided that the same partie be displeased with himselfe that he cannot doe that which he would and ought nor in that measure that is required And such a one must consider this to his cōfort that though he doe not apprehend Christ yet Christ apprehendeth and accepteth him Sect. 3. In the Third place After the receiuing of the Sacraments two things are required First that Thankes be giuen vnto God not onely in word but in euery action of our life for Christ and all his benefits Secondly that not onely for the present but euer afterward still we renue our faith repentance and obedience But what is a man to doe if after receiuing he finde no cōfort Ans. First he must examine whether he hath truly beleeued and repented yea or no If he hath not then the fault is in himselfe and not in Gods ordinance If he hath let him not be dismaied for the ioy of the Spirit is sowne in his heart and though it lie hidde for a time yet at length it will shewe it selfe Psal. 97. 11. CHAP. XI Of Adoration THe Fourth Head of the outward worshippe of God is Adoration wherein we consider two things First what it is Secondly what be the Questions propounded concerning it Sect. 1.
saluation And the principall grounds of assurance which are there laid downe may be reduced to three heads The first is this He that hath communion or fellowship with God in Christ may be vndoubtedly assured of his saluation This conclusion is propounded Chap. 1. v. 3 4. Where the Apostle tels the Church that the end of the preaching of the Gospell vnto them was that they might haue fellowship not onely mutually among themselues but also with God the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. And further that hauing both knowledge assurance of this heauenly communion to be begun in this life and perfected in the life to come their ioy might be full that is they might thence reape matter of true ioy and sound comfort vnto their soules and consciences Now whereas it might be haply demaūded by some beleeuers how they should come to this assurance S. Iohn answeres in this Epistle that the certainty therof may be gathered by foure infallible notes The first is Remission of sinnes For though God be in himselfe most holy and pure and no mortall man being vncleane and polluted by sinne can haue fellowship with him yet God hath shewed his mercy to those that beleeue in him and hath accepted of the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne whereby they are clensed from all their corruptions v. 7. If here it be asked how this pardon and forgiuenes may be knowne It is answered by two signes One is Hūble and heartie Confession of our sins vnto god for so saith the Apostle If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to clense vs from all iniquitie v. 9. The other is the pacified Conscience for being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and If our heart condemne vs not that is if our conscience in respect of sinne doth not accuse vs then haue we boldnesse towards God Chap. 3. v. 21. The second note of fellowship with God is the sanctifying Spirit wherby we are renewed in holines righteousnes Hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Chap. 3. v. 24. The third is holinesse and vprightnes of heart and life To this end the Apostle saith If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenes we lie and doe not truly but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with an other c. Chap. 1. 6 7. The fourth is perseuerance in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel So the same Apostle exhorteth the Church Let therefore abide in you that same doctrine concerning Christ which ye haue heard from the beginning If that which ye haue heard from the beginning remaine in you that is if ye beleeue and obey it you also shall continue in the same and in the father Chap. 2. 24. The second Ground He that is the adopted sonne of God shall vndoubtedly be saued This point the Apostle plainly declareth when he saith Be loued now are we the sonnes of God And we knowe that is we are vndoubtedly assured by faith that when Christ shall appeare in glory we shal be like vnto him for wee shall see him as he is That the latter part of these words is thus to be expounded I gather out of Chap. 2. 28. as also by comparing this text with that of S. Paul where he saith When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie And againe If we be sonnes we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Nowe put the case that the conscience of the beleeuer will not rest in this but desires to be further resolued touching the certaintie of his adoption Then I answer that he must haue recourse vnto the signes wherby a sonne of God may be discerned from a child of the deuill and these are principally three First is truly to beleeue in the name of the sonne of God for those that haue God for their father are made the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And this faith snewes it selfe by obedience For hereby we are sure that we knowe Christ that is that we beleeue in him and apply him with all his benefits vnto our soules If we keepe his commandemēts Nay further He that saies I know him and keepes not his commandements is a liar and the trueth is not in him chap. 2 3 4. The second signe is a heartie desire and earnest in deauour to be cleansed of his corruptions Euery sonne of God that hath this hope purifieth himselfe euen as Christ is pure chap. 3. vers 3. The third is the loue of a Christian because he is a Christian for hereby saies the Apostle are the children of God knowne from the children of the deuill because the sonnes of Satan doe hate their brethren as Cain did his brother Abel euen for the good workes which they doe On the other side Gods adopted sonnes may hereby know themselues to be translated from death to life because they loue the brethren Chap. 3. 10 11 12 c. The third Ground They that are assured of the loue of God to them in particular may also be certainly assured of their owne saluation This doctrine follows necessarily vpon the Apostles words chap. 4. v. 9. For those whome God hath loued from all eternitie to them he hath manifested his loue by sending his onely begotten Sonne into the world that they might liue through him eternally But how may a man be assured of Gods speciall loue and fauour The same Apostle answers by two notes The first is the loue of our brethren and that according to Gods commandement wherein it is commanded that he that loues God should loue his brother also 4. 21. And if any man say I loue God and hate his brother he is a liar For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene 4. 20. Now that a man deceiue not himselfe in the loue of his brother Saint Iohn giues three rules One that Christian brotherly loue should not be for outward respects or considerations but principally because they are the sonnes of God and members of Christ Euery one that loueth him which did beget that is God the father loueth him also which is begotten of him 5. 1. Another is that it must not be outward in shew onely but inward in the heart Let vs not loue in word or in tongue onely but in deede and in truth 3. 18. Lastly that it be not onely in time of prosperitie but when hee stands in most neede of our loue For whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp the bowels of cōpassiō from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 3. 17. The second note
place to Timothie God would haue all men to be saued that is now in this last age of the world And thus the same Apostle 2. Cor. 6. expoundes a certaine prophecie of Isay concerning the acceptable time of grace Now saith he is the acceptable time behold Now is the day of saluation meanig the time of the new Testament And Coloss. 1. 26. The mysterie hid from the beginning is now made manifest to the Saints And Rom. 16. 26. The revelation of the secret mysterie is now opened All which and many other places about the same matter hauing this circumstance of time Now must needes be limited to this last age of the world As for the note of vniuersalitie All it must not be vnderstood of all particulars but of all kinds sorts conditions and states of men as may be gathered out of the former words I would that praiers be made for all men not for euery particular man for there be some that sinne vnto death for whome we may not pray but for all states of men as well Princes as subiects poore as rich base as noble vnlearned as learned c. But the saying of Paul is vrged 2. Cor. 5. 18. God was in Christ reconciling the World vnto himselfe therfore the promise in Christ belongs to the whole World and consequently to euery one Ans. The saine Apostle shall againe answer for himselfe Rom. 11. 15. The casting away of the Iewes is thereconciling of the world that is of the Gentiles in the last age of the world for so he said before more plainely The falling away of the Iew is the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles And so must that place to the Corinthes be vnderstood namely not of all and euery man that liued in all ages and times but of them that were by the dispensation of the Gospell to be called out of all kingdomes and nations after the death and ascension of Christ. Thus then the promise of saluation is not vniuersall without exception or restraint therfore application made by the vniuersalitie of the promise admits some falshood Secondly this way of applying is also Vnfit For the reason must be framed thus Christ died for all men but thou art a man therfore Christ died for thee The partie distressed will grant all and say Christ indeede died for him if he would haue receiued Christ but he by his sinnes hath cut himselfe off from his owne Sauiour and hath forsaken him so as the benefit of his death will doe him no good Sect. 4. The right way of ministring Comfort to a party distressed followeth In the handling whereof first I will lay down the Grounds wherby any man that belongs to God may be brought within the Couenant And then I will shew the Right Way how they must be vsed and applied For the first Recourse must not be bad to all graces or to all degrees and measures of grace but onely such as a troubled Conscience may feele and reach vnto For those that be the true children of God and haue excellent measure of grace when they are in distresse feele little or no grace at all in themselues The graces then that serue for this purpose are three Faith Repentance and the true Loue of God which is the fruit of them both And that we may the more easily and truly discerne of them and not be deceiued inquirie must be made what be the Seedes and beginnings of them all The first Ground of grace is this A desire to repent and beleeue in a touched heart and conscience is faith and repentance it selfe though not in nature yet in Gods acceptation I prooue it thus It is a principle graunted and confessed of all men that in them which haue grace God accepteth the will for the deede If there bee a willing minde saith the Apostle it is accepted not according to that a man hath not but according to that he hath Againe God hath annexed a promise of blessednes and life euerlasting to the true and vnfained desire of grace Whence it is that they are in Scripture pronounced blessed which hunger and thirst after righteousnes And who are they but such as feele themselues to want all righteousnes and doe truly and earnestly desire it in their hearts For hunger and thirst argues both a want of something and a feeling of the wāt And to this purpose the holy Ghost saith To him that is a thirst will I giue to drinke of the water of life freely Now this thirstie soule is that man which feeles himselfe destitute of all grace and Gods fauour in Christ and withall doth thirst after the blood of Christ and desires to be made partaker thereof God is wont mercifully to accept of the desire of any good thing when a man is in necessitie and stands in want therof The Lord saies Dauid heares the desire of the poore that is of them that are in distresse either of bodie or minde Yea he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him It will be said that the desire of good things is naturall and therfore God will not regard mens desires I answer Desires be of two sorts Some be of such things as men by the meere light of nature know to be good for example the desire of wisdome of ciuill vertue of honour of happinesse and such like and all these nature can desire Others be aboue nature as the desire of remission of sinnes reconciliation and sanctification and they which seriously desire these haue a promise of blessednes life euerlasting And hence it followes that desire of mercie in the want of mercie is mercie it selfe and desire of grace in the want of grace is grace it selfe A second Ground is this A godly sorrow whereby a man is grieued for his sinnes because they are sinnes is the beginning of repentance indeed for substance is repentance it selfe The Apostle Paul reioyced that he had in the worke of his Ministerie wrought this godly sorrow in the hearts of the Corinthians calling it sorrow that causeth repentance not to be repented of This sorrow may be discerned in this sort The heart of him in whome it is is so affected that though there were no conscience nor deuill to accuse no hell for condemnation yet it would be grieued in it selfe because God by sinne is displeased and offended If it be alleadged that euery one cannot reach to this beginning of repentance thus to sorrow for his sinne then I adde further If the partie be grieued for the hardnes of his heart whereby it comes to passe that he cannot grieue he hath vndoubtedly receiued some portion of godly sorrow For it is not nature that makes vs to grieue for hardnes of heart but grace The third Ground is that A setled purpose and willing minde to forsake all sinne and to turn vnto God though as yet no outward conuersion appeare
is a good beginning of true conuersion and repentance I thought saith Dauid I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And to this is added Selah which is not onely a musicall note but as some thinke a note of obseruation to mooue vs to marke the things that are set downe as beeing of speciall weight and moment And surely this is a matter of great consequence that vpon the very vnfained purpose of confession of sinne God should giue a pardon thereof Take a further proofe of this in the prodigall sonne whome I take not for one that was neuer called or turned to God though some doe so and seeme to haue warrant for their opinionâ— but rather for him that is the Child of God and afterward fals away Now this man beeing brought by some outward crosses and afflictions to see his owne miserie purposeth with himselfe to returne to his father againe and to humble himselfe and confesse his iniquitie and vpoÌ„ this very purpose wheÌ„ he had said I will goe to my father and say vnto him father I haue sinned c. at his returne a farre off his father receiues him as his child againe and after acceptation followes his confession The like is to be seene in Dauid who beeing reprooued by the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes of adulterie and murther presently made confession of them and at the very same time receiued by the prophet sentence of absolution euen from the Lord himâ—elfe wherein he could not erre The fourth Ground To loue any man because he is a Christian and a child of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true loue of God in Christ. Hereby saith S. Iohn we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue here is not a cause but onely a signe of gods loue to vs. And our sauiour Christ saith He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Nowe that we be not deceiued in these grounds it must be remembred that these beginnings of grace be they neuer so weak must not be â—littering and fleeting but constant and setled not stopped or staied in the way but such as daily growe and increase and then they are indeed accepted of God And he that can finde these beginnings or any of them truly in himselfe he may assure himselfe thereby that he is the child of God Sect. 5. Hauing thus laid downe the Groundes of comfort I come now to the Way by which the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of saluation This way standes in two things in making Triall and in Applying the promise First then Triall must be made whether the person distressed haue in him as yet any of the forenamed grouÌ„ds of grace or not This triall may be made by him that is the comforter in the moouing of certaine Questions to the said person And first let him aske whether he beleeue and repent The distressed partie answers no he cannot repent nor beleeue Then he must further aske whether he desire to beleeue and repent to this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart in the same sort is he to make triall of the other groundes When a man is in the fitte of tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fitte of his loue to God he will giue answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he loue a man because he is a Christian and a child of God then will he say he doth indeed Thus after triall made in this manner some beginnings of faith and repentance will appeare which at the first lay hid For God vseth out of the time of prosperitie by and in distresse and affliction to work his grace The second point followeth After that by triall some of the foresaid beginnings of grace be found out then comes the right Applying of the promise of life euerlasting to the partie distressed And that is done by a kind of reasoning the first part whereof is taken from Gods word the second from the testimonie of the distressed conscience the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner He that hath an vnfainod desire to repent and beleeue hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ. Therefore remission of sins and life euerlasting is thine And here remember that it is most conuenient this Application be made by the Minister of the Gospell who in it must vse his ministeriall authority giuen him of God to pronounce the pardon For in distresse it is as hard a thing to make the conscience yeild to the promise as to make fire and water agree For though men haue signes of grace and mercie in them yet will they not acknowledge it by reason of the extremitie of their distresse In this manner vpon any of the former grounds may the troubled and perplexed soule be assured that mercie belongs to it And this I take to be the onely generall and right way of comforting a distressed conscience Nowe that the promise thus applyed may haue good successe these sixerules must necessarily be obserued I. One is that the comfort which is ministred be alaied with some mixture of the Law that is to say the promise alone must not be applyed but withall mention is to be made of the sinnes of the partie and of the grieuous punishmeÌ„ts due vnto him for the same The reason is because there is much guile in the hart of man in so much as oftentimes it falleth out that men not throughly humbled beeing comforted either too soone or too much doe afterward become the worst of all In this respect not vnlike to the yron which beeing cast into the fire vehemently hot and cooled againe is much more hard then it would haue bin if the heate had bin moderate And hence it is that in the ministring of comfort we must somewhat keepe them downe and bring them on by litle and litle to repentance The sweetenesse of comfort is the greater if it be delaied with some â—artnesse of the Law II. An other rule is this If the distressed partie be much possessed with griefe of himselfe he must not be left alone but alwaies attended with good companie For it is an vsuall practise of the Deuill to take the vantage of the place and time when a man is solitarie and depriued of that helpe which otherwise he might haue in societie with others Thus he tempted Eue when shee was apart from her husband And in this regard Salomon pronounces a woe to him that is alone But herein doth his malice most appeare in that he is alway readiest when a man is in great distresse and withall solitarie then vpon the
sense Hence followes the first effect strange imaginations conceits and opinions framed in the minde which are the first worke of this humour not properly but because it corrupteth the instrument and the instrument beeing corrupted the facultie cannot bring forth good but corrupt actions Examples hereof are well knowne I will onely touch one or two One is called the Beastiall or Beastlike Melancholie a disease in the braine whereby a man thinkes himselfe to be a beast of this or that kind and carries himselfe accordingly And here with haue all those beene troubled which haue thought themselues to be wolues and haue practised woluish behauiour Againe it is said of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 30. that he was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the oxen that is behaued himselfe and fed as a beast Now some are of opinion that his humane shape was taken from him and that he was transformed into a beast at least that he had the soule of a beast in stead of an humane soule for a time But they are deceiued For there is no such transportation of soules into bodies either of men or beasts Others thinke that Nebuchadnezzar was smitten in the braine with this disease of beastlike Melancholy whereby he was so bereft of his right minde that he carried himselfe as a beast And this interpretation is not against the text for in the 31. verse of that chapter it is said that his minde came to him againe and therefore in the disease his vnderstanding and the right vse of his reason was lost And the like is true in historie by diuers examples though it were not true in Nebuchadnezzar Againe take another example that is common and ordinarie Let a Melancholike person vpon the sudden heare or see some fearfull thing the strength of his imagination is such that he will presently fasten the thing vpon himselfe As if he see or heare that a man hath hanged himselfe or is possessed with a Deuil it presently comes to his mind that he must doe so vnto himselfe or that he is or at least shall be possessed In like manner vpon relation of fearefull things presently his phantasie workes and he imagineth that the thing is alreadie or shall befall him And this imagination when it enters once and takes place it brings forth horrible and fearefull effects The second effect or worke of Melancholy is vpon the heart For there is a concord and consent betweene the heart and the braine the thoughts and the affections the heart affecting nothing but that which the minde conceiueth Now when the minde hath conceiued imagined and framed within it selfe fearefull thoughts then comes affection and is answerable to imagination And hence proceede exceeding horrours feares and despaires euen of saluation it selfe and yet the Conscience for all this vntouched and not troubled or disquieted 3. Thirdly it may be demanded whether there be any difference betweene the trouble of Conscience and Melancholy for many hold that they are all one Ans. They are not all one but differ much Affliction of Conscience is one thing trouble by Melancholy is an other and they are plainly distinguished thus First when the Conscience is troubled the affliction it selfe is in the Conscience and so in the whole man But in Melancholy the imagination is disturbed and not the Conscience Secondly the Conscience afflicted hath a true and certen cause whereby it is troubled namely the sight of sinne and the sense of Gods wrath but in Melancholy the imagination conceiueth a thing to be so which is not so for it makes a man to feare and despaire vpon supposed and fained causes Thirdly the man afflicted in Conscience hath courage in many other matters but the Melancholike man feares euery man euery creature yea himselfe and hath no courage 〈◊〉 all but feares when there is no cause of feare Fourthly imaginations in the braine caused by Melancholy may be cured taken away and cut off by meanes of Physicke but the distresse of Conscience cannot be cured by any thing in the world but one and that is the blood of Christ and the assurance of Gods fauour 4. Fourthly the way to cure Melancholy is this First the person troubled must be brought to this that he will content himselfe to be aduised and ruled by the iudgement of others and cease to rest vpon himselfe touching his owne estate and by this shall he reape much quiet and contentation Secondly search and triall must be made whether he hath in him any beginnings of grace as of faith and repentance o◠no. If he be a carnall man and wanteth knowledge of his estate then meanes must be vsed to bring him to some sight and sorrow for his sinnes that his melancholy sorrow may be turned into a godly sorrow If he want faith and true repentance some good beginnings thereof must be wrought in his heart Thirdly when he is brought to faith in Gods mercie and an honest purpose not to sinne any more then certaine mercifull promises of God are to be laid before him and he must be exhorted to rest vpon these promises and at no time to admit any imagination or thought that may crosse the saide promises Now the promises are these and such like Psal. 34. 9. No good thing shall be wanting to them that feare God Psal. 91. 10. No euill shall come neere the godly man 2. Chr. 15. The Lord is with you while you are with him and if you seeke him he will be found of you Iam. 4. 8. Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you And the best meanes to cause any man thus diseased to be at peace with himselfe is to hold beleeue and know the truth of these promises and not to suffer any bythought to enter into his heart that may crosse them Moreouer though the former promises may stay the mind yet will they not take away the humour except further helpe be vsed Therefore the fourth and last helpe is the arte of Physick which serues to correct and abate the humour because it is a meanes by the blessing of God to restore the health and to cure the distemper of the bodie And thus much touching the trouble of mind caused by Melancholy Sect. 3. The Second meanes whereby the bodie annoies the minde is when it occasions trouble to the minde by strange alterations incident to the body When a man beginnes to enter into a Phrensie if the braine admit neuer so little alteration presently the minde is troubled the reason corrupted the heart terrified the man distracted in the whole bodie Thus from the trembling of the heart come many fearefull imaginations and conceits whereof a man knowes not the cause The same is procured by the swelling of the splene by the rising of the entrals by strange crampes convulsions and such like The remedie hereof is this First it is still to be considered whether the partie thus troubled hath the beginnings of true faith repentance or
stand to their agreement and not to goe backe therefore neither of them did or durst breake their oath And among the Gentiles themselues there are fewe or none to be found that will falsifie their word giuen and auowed by oath Whereupon it is a cleare case that they acknowledged a Godhead which knowes and discernes their hearts yea that knowes the truth and can and will plague them for disgracing the truth by lying Thirdly we are not lightly to passe ouer the vsuall tearmes and ordinarie speech of all nations who are woont vpon occasion to say it raines it thunders it snowes it hailes For saying this one while they reioyce and are thankefull otherwhiles they feare and are dismaied They say not nature or heauen raines or thunders for then they would neither reioyce nor tremble In that therefore they speake this commonly sometimes reioycing sometimes fearing it may probably be thought that they acknowledge a diuine power which causeth the raine to fall and the thunder to be so terrible Againe for better proofe hereof it is to be considered that since the world began there could not yet be found or brought forth any man that euer wrote or published a discourse more or lesse to this purpose that there was no God If it be said that some histories doe make mention of sundrie that haue in plaine tearmes denied there is a God and that this is no lesse daungerous then if a treatise of that subiect should be written and set forth to the open view of all I answer indeede in the writings of men we doe read of some that blasphemed God and liued as without God and they haue alwaies beene properly and deseruedly tearmed Atheists Others haue denied that made and faigned gods that is Idols are gods And amongst the heathen that liued onely by the light and direction of nature all that can be brought is this that some men in their writings haue doubted whether there were a God or no but none did euer positiuely set downe reasons to prooue that there was none V. The fifth and last argument from nature is that which is vsed by all Philosophers In the world there is to be seene an excellent wise frame and order of all things One creature depends vpon an other by a certaine order of causes in which some are first and aboue in higher place some are next and inferiour some are the basest and the lowest Now these lowest are mooued of those that are superiour to them and alwaies the superiour is the cause of the inferiour and that whereof the inferiour depends Something then there must be that is the cause of all causes that must be caused by none and must be the cause of all For in things wherein there is order there is alway some first and soueraigne cause and where there is no first nor last there the Creatures are infinite But seeing all creatures are finite there must be somewhat first as well as last Now the first and the last cause of all is God which mooueth all and to whome all creatures doe tend as to their ende and which is mooued of none Notwithstanding all these reasons grounded in nature it selfe it may be some man wil say I neuer saw God how then shall I know that there is a God Ans. Why wilt thou beleeue no more then thou seest Thou neuer sawest the winde or the aire and yet thou beleeuest that there is both Nay thou neuer sawest thine owne face but in a glasse and neuer out of a glasse and yet this contenteth thee Why then may not this content thy heart and resolue thee of the Godhead in that thou seest him in the glasse of the creatures True it is that God is a spirit inuisible that cannot be discerned by the eie of flesh and blood yet he hath not left vs without a meanes whereby we may behold him For looke as we are woont by degrees to goe from the picture to the painter and in the picture to behold the painter himselfe euen so by the image of God written as it were in the face and other parts of the creatures in the world may we take a view of the wisdome power and prouidence of the Creator of them all who is God himselfe And these are the principall proofes of the Godhead which are reuealed in the booke of nature Sect. 2. The second ground of proofes is taken from the light of grace And it is that light which God affordeth to his Church in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this giues a further confirmation then nature doth For the light of nature is onely a way or preparation to faith But this light serues to beget faith and causeth vs to beleeue there is a God Now in the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles we shall see amongst the rest three distinct proofes of this point First expresse testimonies that doe in plaine tearmes note vnto vs the Godhead Secondly expresse prophecies and reuelations of things to come euen many hundred and thousands of yeares before they came to passe Yea things that are to come are foretold in the word of God so and in that very manner that they shall be in the time wherein they are to be fulfilled Now there is no man able of himselfe to know or foresee these things to come therefore this knowledge must rest in him alone who is most wise that perfectly vnderstandeth and beholdeth things that are not and to whom all future things are present and therefore certain Thirdly the word of God reuealeth many miracles which doe exceede and surpasse whole nature yea all naturall causes the doing and working whereof is not in the power of any meere creature in the world As for example the making of the sunne against his naturall course to stand still in the firmament of the waters which are naturally flowing to stand as a wall and the bottome of the sea to be as drie land The maine ende whereof is to shew that there is an absolute and almightie power which is the author of nature it selfe and all naturall things and ordereth both it and them according to his pleasure Sect. 3. The third ground of proofes is fetched from the light of glorie And this is that light which God affords vnto his seruants after this life ended in the kingdome of heauen wherein all imperfection of knowledge being taken away they shal see God face to face and haue a full and perfect knowledge of the Godhead To this purpose the Apostle saith that in the world we know in part we see as it were in a glasse The cōparison is worth the marking For there he compareth our knowledge of God that we haue in this life to a dimme sighted man that can see either very little or nothing at all without his spectacles And such is our sight comprehension of God darke and dimme in that we cannot behold him as he is but onely as he hath
Of this Saint Paul speaks to the Corinths Iudge ye what I say 1. Cor. 10. 15. The second is the iudgement of the Prophet or minister And this is a surer kind of iudgement then the former proceeding from a greater measure of Gods grace The third is the iudgement of the Holy Ghost in scripture and this is soueraigne and absolute For the Holy Ghost iudgeth all and is iudged of none These three kinds of iudgment are set in this order The first depends vpon the second the second vpon the third and the third is absolute and iudged of none Vpon this caueat two things doe follow First that a priuate hearer though he may iudge of doctrine deliuered yet he may not censure the Teacher or his ministrie Ministers are to be iudged but their spirit is not subiect to euery priuate man but to the prophets For the spirit of the prophet that is the doctrine which the prophets bring beeing inspired by the Holy Ghost is subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 32. Secondly a priuate man is not to publish or broach any point of doctrine but that which is plainly propounded in the word and taught by the ministers thereof This is a necessarie rule and the want of obseruation thereof is the cause of many scismes and haeresies in the Church The Lord commands the people Mal. 2. 7. to require the law at the mouth of the priest in all maine points of faith and manners The second Rule to be obserued in hearing Euery hearer must haue care that the word of God be rooted and grounded in his heart like good feede in good ground which Saint Iames expresseth Iam. 1. 21. Receiue with meekenes the ingrafted word Here generally it is to be remembred that not onely ignorant people but euen the most learned ought to be hearers of the word preached For the preaching thereof serues not onely for the increasing of knowledge but also for the reformation of the affection which may be inordinate where knowledge doth abound Now for the rooting of the word of God in our hearts sundry things are required First a true right vnderstanding therof Secondly it must be mingled with faith Heb. 4. 1. For the word is as wine or water of life our faith is the sugar that sweetneth it and giues it a pleasant relish The word therfore must be tempered and mixed with our saith that it may become profitable vnto vs. Now in this mixture there is required a double faith the first generall whereby we beleeue the doctrine deliuered to be true so as we neuer call the same into question Our Gospell to you saith Paul was in much assurance 1. Thess. 1. 5. The second special whereby we apply the word preached vnto our selues for the humbling and comforting of our hearts Thirdly we must labour to be affected with the word Thus Iosiah his heart is said to melt at the reading of the law 2. Chro. 34. 27. And the people reioyced greatly because they vnderstood the word which the Leuites had taught them Neh. 8. 12. The hearts of the two disciples that went to Emmaus burned within them when Christ opened vnto them the scriptures Luc. 24. 32. And the Iewes at Peters sermon were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 2. 37. Fourthly the word of God must dwell plenteously in vs Coll. 3. 16. This is doth when it rules and beares the greatest sway in the heart and is not ouerruled by any corrupt affection III. The duties to be performed after hearing are these First the doctrine deliuered must be treasured vp in the heart and practised in life Psal. 119. 11. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Secondly a man must meditate on the word which he hath heard with lifting vp of his heart vnto God The beasts that were clouen footed and chewed the cudde were fittest both for meate vnto man and for sacrifice to God Levit. 11. It was the olde and auncient opinion of the Church that this chewing the cudde signified holy meditations And he that heares the word must doe as the beast doth fetch vp the meate out of his bellie againe and chewe it ouer a new The man that doth so is the fittest for the Lords vse Thirdly he must haue experience of the word of God in himselfe Psal. 34. 8. Tast and see how gracious the Lord is Fourthly he is to examine himselfe after he hath heard the word Thus Dauid saith of himselfe Psal. 119. 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies Fiftly he must be obedient vnto it and testifie his obediēce though not at all times yet whensoeuer occasion is offered Iam. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues II. Question touching hearers is How are they to be comforted who after long hearing of the word either profit very litle or not at all For resolution of this Question the Causes of not profiting are distinctly to be considered And they are of two sorts The first sort of Causes are the sinnes of the hearers And that sinnes are the causes of not profiting it will appeare by this signe if the memorie vnderstanding and other parts of the minde in common matters be strong and pregnant but dull and weake in apprehending and retaining the doctrine taught Now these sinnes are principally two First Hardnes of heart when a man is not inwardly mooued and affected with the word preached but remaines in the same state he was before This is set forth by the hard ground that is by the high way side and by the stonie ground Math. 13. 4 5. And such is the heart that is not mooued nor affected either with ioy sorrow feare or consolation The hardnes of heart ariseth from a custome in sinning and from that the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 13. Secondly worldly Cares that is a heart possessed with desire of profits pleasures honours preferments and such like which be as thornes that choake the seede of the word and suffer it not to grow and fructifie yea that fill the heart full of wandering imaginations which steale away the mind from attending to the word preached Those that are thus hindred from profiting are rather to be reprooued then comforted for that the cause of their non-proficiencie is in from themselues They are therefore to vse all good meanes for the remooueall of their sinnes that of hard hearted and carnall they may become good and profitable hearers of the word The meanes are these First they must labour to be touched in heart with sense and feeling of their spirituall pouertie and want of Gods fauour and mercie in the pardon of their sinnes The reason is giuen of Dauid Psal. 25. 9. The Lord teacheth the humble his waies And by Marie in her song Luk. 1. 35. He hath filled the hungrie with good things and the rich he hath sent
and contēpt of God so to prophanes in the vse of our meates and drinkes as the Israelites did which sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play Now besides these Reasons we haue also the Examples of holy men This blessing of the meat was so knowne a thing of auncient times that the poore maides of Ramath-zophim could tell Saul that the people would not eate their meate before the prophet came and blessed the sacrifice 1. Sam. 9. 13. Christ in his owne family would not eate of the fiue loaues and two fishes till he had looked vp to heauen and geuen thankes Mar. 6. 41. Paul tooke bread in the shippe and gaue thanks in the presence of all that were with him Act. 17. 35. The Vse of the first point is I. By this doctrine all persons are taught but specially gouerners of others as Masters of families Parents neuer to vse either meates or drinkes or any other blessing that they receiue at the hands of God but with praise thanksgiuing For this which is said of meates and drinkes must be inlarged also to the vse of any benefite blessing or ordinance that we take in hand to vse or inioy II. Though we doe not simply condemne but allow of Hallowing of Creatures yet we detest Popish consecration of salt creame ashes and such like First because Papists halow them for wrong endes as to procure by them remission of sinnes to driue away deuills c. Secondly because they sanctifie creatures without the word yea though they doe it by praier yet it is praier without the word which giueth no warrant thus to vse the creatures or to these endes and therefore of the same nature with magical inchantments Thirdly if the creature must be sanctified for our vse before we can vse it then we our selues must be sanctified both in soule and bodie before we can be sitte for the vse and seruice of God Looke as the creature by the hand and prouidence of God is presented before vs to serue vs so must we beeing strengthned and nourished by the same giue vp our-selues soules and bodies to serue and honour him Yea our sanctifying of the creature to our holy vse should put vs in minde of sanctifying our selues to his glorie So soone as the Prophet Esay was sanctified by God vnto his office then he addressed himselfe and not before and said Lord I am here Esa. 6. 8. and so we our selues before we can performe any acceptable dutie vnto God must be purged and clensed The sonnes of Aaron would not doe this honour vnto God by sanctifying his name before the people and therefore God glorified himselfe in their death and temporall destruction Leuit. 10. 2. And when Moses the seruant of God failed in the sanctification of his name by the circumcision of his sonne Gods hand was vpon him to haue destroied him This point is duely to be obserued of all but principally of such as are appointed to any publike office if they will serue God therein with comfort and incouragement they must first labour to be sanctified before him both in their soules and bodies §ect 2. I come now to the second thing required for the right and lawfull Vse of meates and drinkes namely a Christian behauiour while we are in vsing them For the better vnderstanding whereof we are to consider two points First what we may doe and then what we must doe in vsing the creatures I. Touching the former We may vse these gifts of God with Christian libertie and how is that not sparingly alone and for meere necessitie to the satisfying of our hunger and quenching of our thirst but also freely and liberally for Christian delight and pleasure For this is that libertie which God hath graunted to all beleeuers Thus we read that Ioseph and his brethren with him did eate and drinke together of the best that is liberally Gen. 43. 34. And to this purpose Dauid saith that God giueth wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make the face to shine as well as bread to strengthen the bodie Psal. 104. 15. And the Lord threatneth to bring a punishment vpon his people Agg. 1. 6. in that he would giue them his creatures indeede but such a portion of the as should onely supplie their present necessities and no more Ye shall eate saith he but ye shall not haue enough ye shall drinke but ye shall not be filled Againe we read that Levi the Publican made our Sauiour Christ a great feast in his owne house Luk. 5. 29. At the marriage in Caua a towne of Galile where Christ was present the guests are said according to the manner of these countries to haue drunke liberally Ioh. 2. 10. And at an other place in supper time Marie is saide to haue taken a boxe of pretious and costly oyntment and to haue annointed his feete there with so as the whole house was filled with the sauour of the ointment Ioh. 12. 3. Iudas indeede thought that expense which shee had made superstuous but Christ approoues of her act and commendeth her for it I adde further that by reason of this libertie purchased vnto vs by Christ we may vse these and the like creatures of God with Ioy and reioycing This is the profit that redoundeth vnto man in the vse of them that he eate and drinke and delight his soule with the profit of his labours Eccles. 2. 24. The practise hereof we haue in the Acts ch 2. v. 46. where they of that Church that beleeued are saide to eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart And yet this reioycing in the creatures must be limited with this clause that it be in the Lord that is to say a hurtlesse and harmelesse ioy tending to the glorie of God and the good of our neighbour This condemneth the common practise of the world who solace and delight themselues in the vse of Gods creatures but so as with their ioy is ioyned the ordinarie traducing of the Magistrate Minister and those that feare God and will not run with them to the same excesse of riot 1. Pet. 4. 4. II. The second point is what we must doe when we take the benefit of Gods creatures a matter of great consequent in the liues of men And it is this that we vse our libertie in the Lord and whether we eate or eate not we must doe both to the Lord. Rom. 14. 6. This is done by labouring both in eating and in abstinence to approoue the same vnto God vnto his Saints and vnto our own consciēces Wherein appeareth a manifest differēce between the wicked the godly man For the one when he eateth or drinketh he doth it in the Lord and to the Lord the other doth it not to the Lord but to himselfe that is to the satisfaction contentment of his owne carnall delight and pleasure That a man may eate to the Lord there are foure things