kept vncerten till the time to come are thrust into the text by head shoulders and Hierome hath them not Secondly I answere that the holy Ghost doth not deny simplie the knowledge of gods loue or hatred as though there could be no certaine assurance of it in this life If wee vnderstand the wordes thus then the argument of the holy Ghost must be framed on this manner If loue or hatred were to bee knowne then it must be knowne by the outward blessings of God but it cannot be knowne by the outward blessings of God for all things come alike to all therefore loue and hatred cannot be known The proposition is false For loue may bee knowne other waies then by outward benefits and therefore the reason is not meete to be ascribed to the spirit of trueth Wherefore the true and proper sense of the wordes is that loue or hatred can not be iudged or discerned by outward blessings of God Saint Bernard speakes of this text on this manner that no man knowes loue or hatred namely by him yet that God giues most certaine testimonies thereof to men vpon earth And serm 5. de Dediâ— his words are these Who knowes if he be worthie loue or hatred who knowes the mind of the Lord Here both faith and truth must needes helpe vs that that which is hidden in the heart of the father may be reuealed vnto vs by the spirit and his spirit giuing testimony perswades our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and this perswasion is caused by his calling and iustifying vs freely by faith And S. Hierome though commonly abused to the contrarie saith no more but that men cannot knowe loue or hatred by the present afflictions which they suffer because they know not whether they suffer them for triall or punishment Obiect 3.1 Cor. 4. I iudge not my selfe I know nothing by my selfe Here Paul as not being priuie to his owne estate reâ—useth to giue any iudgement of his righteousnes Ans. It is manifest by the wordes of this epistle that certaine in Corinth boldly more then wisely censured the Apostles ministerie and withall disgraced it in respect of the ministerie of other teachers Therefore Paul in this chapter goes about to make an Apologie for himselfe speaking nothing of his owne person and the estate thereof before God but onely of his ministerie and the excellency thereof And this is the iudgement of Theodoret Aquinas Lira vpon this text And when he saith I iudge not my selfe his meaning is I take not vpon me to iudge of what value and price my ministerie is before God in respect of the ministerie of this or that man but I leaue al to God Here then Paul refuseth onely to giue iudgement of the excellencie of his owne ministerie and in other causes he refuseth not to iudge himselfe as when he said I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the saith hence sorth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shal giue me 2. Tim. 4.8 And Chrysostome on this place saith that Paul refused to iudge himselfe not simply but onely for this ende that he might restraine others and teach them modestie And where Paul saith I knowe nothing by my selfe the speech is not generall but must bee vnderstood of the negligences and offences in the compasse of his ministerie For hee was priuie to himselfe that in simplicitie and godly purenes hee had his conuersation in the worlde 2. Cor. 1.12 and he knew this by himselfe that nothing should seuer him froÌ„ the loue of God in Christ. Rom. 8.38 Obiect 4. That we may be iustified there is somewhat required in vs namely faith and repentnnce and where these are wanting a man cannot be iustified Now no man can be certen by the certaintie of faith that he repents of his sinnes with all his heart and that he hath such a faith as God requires at our hands considering there is no testimonie in the word of our faith and repentance in particular Therefore no man can be certaine by certaintie of faith that his sinnes are pardoned Ans. It is not necessarie that any man should bee certaine by faith of his faith repentance because faith is only of such things as are present whereas faith and repentance are truely preâ—ent in all that truely beleeue and repent it shall be sufficient if a man may any way be vnfallibly certaine that he hath them And though some men falsly perswade themselues that they beleeue yet he that hath true faith indeede knowes that he hath true faith euen as certainly as he that vnderstands that hee vnderstands Paul saith to the Corinthians Prooue your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no 2.13.5 hereby giuing them to vnderstand that all which beleeue haue the spirit of discerning to know certainely that they doe beleeue Againe he saith of himselfe 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe whome I haue beleeued And S. Iohn saith 1. epist. 3. 24. By this we knowe that he dwels in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs making no question of it but that he which hath the spirit knowes that hee hath the same And testimonies of men are not wanting in this case August Euery one seeth faith to be in his owne heart if hee beleeue if not he seeth it to be wanting Againe A beleeuer seeth his owne faith by which hee answereth that hee beleeueth without doubt and Hee which loueth his brother more knoweth the loue whereby he loueth then his brother whome hee loueth Againe whereas it is said that hauing faith yet we know not whether it be sufficient or no I answer that faith beeing without hypocrisie is sufficient to saluation though it be vnperfect God more respects the trueth of our faith then the perfection thereof And as the hand of the child or of the palsie man though it be feeble is able to reach out it selfe and receiue an almes of a Prince so the faith that is but weake is able to apprehend and receiue Christ with all his benefits Obiect 5. Prov. 28. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Phil. 2. Worke your saluation with feare and trembling Ans. There is threefold feare one of nature the second of grace the third of distrust Feare of nature is that wherby the nature of man is troubled with any thing that is hurtfull vnto it and therefore auoideth it Feare of grace is that excellent gift which is called the beginning of wisdome and it is a certaine awe or reuerence vnto God in whose presence we doe whatsoeuer wee doe Feare of distrust is when men tremble at the iudgements of God for their sinnes because they haue no hope of mercie Of these three the first was good by creation therefore it was in our Sauiour Christ but since the fall it is defectiue The third is a vice called slauish feare And the second is that which is commanded in these and
mysticall vnion pag. 483 The communion of Saints pag. 500 The forgiuenes of sinnes pag. 506 The Resurrection of the bodie pag. 509 Life euerlasting pag. 516 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER THE CONTENTS The exposition of the Lords prayer pag. 525 The vse of the Lords prayer pag. 561 Of the circumstances of praying pag. 562 Of Gods hearing our prayers pag. 563 The prayers of Paul pag. 564 A TREATISE TENDING VNTO a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace THE CONTENTS 1 How farre a Reprobate may goe in Christian religion pag. 574 2 The estate of a true Christian in this life which also sheweth how farre the Elect beeing called goe beyond all reprobates in Christianitie pag. 584 3 A Dialogue to the same purpose gathered out of the sauorie writings of M. Tyndal and Bradford pag. 617 4 How a Reprobate may performe all the religion of the church of Rome pag. 642 5 The conflicts of Sathan with a Christian pag. 756 6 How the word of God is to be applied aright vnto the conscience pag. 663 7 Consolations for the troubled consciences of weake Christians pag. 666 8 A Declaration of certaine spiritual Desertions pag. 674 A case of Conscience THE CONTENTS A case of conscience resolued out of the word of God How a man may know whether he be the child of God or no. pag. 685 A Discourse taken out of the writings of Hier. Zanchius wherein the aforesaid Case of conscience is disputed and resolued A Direction for the gouernment of the tongue according to Gods word THE CONTENTS 1 The generall meanes of ruling the tongue pag. 713 2 The matter of our speech pag. 714 3 The manner of our speech what must be done before our speech pag. 716 4 What is to be done in speaking and of wisdome ibid. 5 Of trueth and reuerence in speech pag. 718 6 Of modestie and meekenes pag. 722 7 Of sobrietie vrbanitie fidelitie and care of others good name pag. 725 8 Of the bonds of trueth pag. 729 9 What is to bee done when wee haue spoken pag. 730 10 Of writing ibid. 11 Of silence pag. 731 12 An exhortation to keepe the tongue TWO TREATISES I. Of the nature and practise of Repentance THE CONTENTS 1 What Repentance is pag. 738 2 Of the causes of Repentance pag. 740 3 How Repâ—ntance is wrought pag. 741 4 Of the partes of Repentance pag. 742 5 Of the degrees of Repentance pag. 743 6 Of the persons which must repent ibid. 7 Of the practise of repentance ibid. 8 Of lâ—gall motiues to Repentance pag. 752 9 Of motiues Euangelicall pag. 755 10 Of the time of Repentance pag. 756 11 Of câ—rtaine cases in repentance pag. 758 12 Of the contraries to repeÌ„tance pag. 757 13 Of corruptions in the doctrine of repentance pag. 761 II. Of the combat of the flesh and Spirit pag. 762 The treatise of Dying well p. 773. The treatise of the right knowledge of Christ crucified p. 815. A Discourse of Conscience THE CONTENTS 1 What conscience is pag. 831 2 The actions or duties of conscience where the point is handled Howe any thing is saide to binde the conscience pag. 832 3 The kinds and differences of conscience where is handled libertie of conscience and the question disputed whether a man may in conscience bee vnfallibly certain of his saluation pag. 867 4 Mans duty touching conscience which is to get and keepe it pag. 900 A Reformed Catholike OR A DECLARATION SHEWing how neare we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of Religion and wherein we must for euer depart from them THE CONTENTS 1 Of free will pag. 910 2 Of Originall sinne pag. 915 3 Assurance of saluation pag. 918 4 Iustification of a sinner pag. 925 5 Of merits pag. 940 6 Of satisfactions for sinne pag. 945 7 Of Traditions pag. 950 8 Of Vowes pag. 955 9 Of Images pag. 961 10 Of reall presence pag. 966 11 The sacrifice of the Masse pag. 972 12 Of Fasting pag. 977 13 Of the state of perfection pag. 980 13 Of the worshipping of saints departed pag. 985 15 Of Implicite faith pag. 991 16 Of Purgatorie pag. 995 17 Of the supremacie pag. 996 18 Of the efficacie of the sacraments pag. 1000 19 Of Faith pag. 1003 20 Of Repentance pag. 1006 21 The sinnes of the Romane Church pag. 1014 An aduertisement to Romane Catholikes pag. 1018 The foundation of Christian Religion gathered into sixe principles p. 1029. A Graine of Musterd-seede THE CONTENTS A man that doth but beginne to be conuerted is euen at that instant the very child of God though inwardly hee be more carnall then spirituall pag. 1046 2. Conclusion The first materiall beginning of the conuersion of a sinner or the smallest measure of renewing grace haue the promises of this life and the life to come pag. 1047 3. Conclusion A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to beleeue and to repent if it bee in a troubled heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation faith repentance it selfe pag. 1048 4. Conclusion To see and feele in our selues the want of any grace and to be grieued therfore is the grace it selfe pag. 1053 5. Conclusion He that hath begunne to subiect himselfe to Christ and his word though as yet hee be ignorant in most points of religion yet if he haue care to increase in knowledge and to practise that which he knoweth hee is accepted of God as a true beleeuer pag. 1053 6. Conclusion The aforsaide beginnings of grace are counterfeite vnlesse they encrease pag. 1054 The bodie of holy Scripture is distinguished into sacred sciences whereof One is principall Theologie is a science of liuing well and blessedly for euer Other attendants or handmaids I. Ethiques a doctrine of liuing honestly and ciuilly II. Oeconomickes a doctrine of gouerning a familie well III. Politiques a doctrine of the right administration of a common weale IIII. Ecclesiasticall discipline a doctrine of well ordering the Church V. The Iewes commonweale In as much as it differeth from Church gouernement VII Academie the doctrine of gouerning Schooles well especially those of the Prophets CHAP. 1. Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie THe bodie of Scripture is a doctrine sufficient to liue well It comprehendeth many holy sciences whereof one is principall others are handmaids or retainers The principall science is Theologie Theologie is the science of liuing blessedly for euer Blessed life consisteth in the knowledge of God Ioh. 17 3. This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Christ Iesus Esai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant viz. Christ iustifie many And therefore it consisteth likewise in the knowledge of our selues because we know God by looking into our selues Theologie hath two parts the first of God the second of his workes CHAP. 2. Of God and the nature of God THat there is a God it
forsaking Gods word and seeking other wisdome 4. Their pride in seeking to magnifie theÌ„selues and to become like God 5. Contempt of God in transgressing his commandements against their owne conscience 6. In that they preferre the diuell before God 7. Ingratitude who in as much as in them lieth expel Gods spirit dwelling in them and despise that blessed vnion 8. They murther both themselues and their progeniâ— III. The fruit or effects Out of this corrupt estate of our first parents arose the estate of infidelitie or vnbeleefe whereby God hath included all men vnder sinne that he might manifest his mercie in the saluation of some and his iustice in condemnation of others Rom. 11.32 God hath shut vp all men in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie on all Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue In this estate we must consider sinne and the punishment of sinne Sinne is threefold The first is the participation of Adams both transgression and guiltinesse whereby in his finne all his posteritie sinned Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sinne enered into the world and by sinne death so death entred vpon all men in that all men haue sinned The reason of this is ready Adam was not then a priuate man but represented all mankinde and therefore looke what good he receiued from God or euill elsewhere both were common to others with him 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all men die so in Christ all men rise againe Againe when Adam offended his posteritie was in his loynes from whoÌ„ they should by the course of nature issue and therefore take part of the guiltines with him Hebr. 7.9,10 And to say as the thing is Levi c. paied tithes to Melchisedec for he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham when Melchisedec met him CHAP. 12. Of Originall sinne OVt of the former transgression ariseth another namely Originall sinne which is corruption ingendred in our first conception whereby euery facultie of soule and bodie is prone and disposed to euil Psal. 1.1 I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me Gen. 6. 5. Tit. 33. We our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuie hatefull and hating one another Hebr. 12.1 Let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on By this we see that sinne is not a corruption of mans substance but onely of faculties otherwise neither could mens soules be immortal nor Christ take vpon him mans nature All Adams posteritie is equally partaker of this corruptioÌ„ the reason why it sheweth not it selfe equally in all is because some haue the spirit of sanctification some the spirit onely to bridle corruption some neither The propagation of sinne from the parents to the childreÌ„ is either because the soule is infected by the contagion of the body as a good ointment by a fustie vessell or because God in the very moment of creation and infusion of soules into infants doth vtterly forsake them For as Adam receiued the image of God both for himselfe and others so did he loose it from himselfe and others But whereas the propagation of sinne is as a common fire in a towne men are not so much to search howe it came as to bee carefull howe to extinguish it That wee may the better knowe originall sinne in the seuerall faculties of mans nature three circumstances must be considered 1. How much of Gods image we yet retaine 2. How much sinne man receiued from Adam 3. The increase thereof afterward I. In the minde The remnant of Gods image is certaine notions concerning good and euill as that there is a God and that the same God punisheth transgressions that there is an euerlasting life that we must reuerence our superiours not harme our neighbours But euen these notions they are both generall and corrupt and haue none other vse but to bereaue man of all excuse before Gods iudgement seat Rom. 1.19,20 That which may be known concerning God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his works to the intent they should be without excuse Mens mindes receiued from Adam 1. IgnoraÌ„ce namely a want or rather a depriuation of knowledge in the things of God whether they concerne his sincere worship or eternall happines 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can hee know theÌ„ because they are spiritually discerned Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is enimitie with God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be II. Impotencie whereby the minde of it selfe is vnable to vnderstand spirituall things though they be taught Luk. 24.45 Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures 2. Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to think any thing as of our selues but our sufficieÌ„cie is of God III. Vanitie in that the minde thinketh falsehood truth and trueth falsehood Eph. 4.7 Walke no more as other Gentiles in the vanitie of your vnderstanding 1. Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue those which beleeue 23. We preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling blocke but to the Grecians foolishnes Prou. 14.12 There is a way which seemeth good in the eies of men but the end thereof is death IV. A naturall inclâ—nation onely to conceiue and deuise the thing which is euill Gen. 6.5 The Lord saw that the wickednes of man was great vpon earth all the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart were onâ—ly euill continually Iere. 4. 22. They are wise to doe euill but to do well they haue no knowledge Hence it is apparant that the originall and as I may say the matter of all heresies is naturally ingrafted in mans nature This is worthie the obseruation of students in diuinitie The increase of sin in the vnderstanding is 1. a reprobate sense when God withdraweth the light of nature Ioh. 12.40 He hath blinded their eies and hardened their harts least they should see with their eies vnderstaÌ„d with their harts and I should heale them and they be conuerted Rom. 1.28 As they regarded not to know God so God deliuered theÌ„ vp vnto a reprobate minde to do those things which are not conuenient 2. The spirit of slumber Rom. 11.8 God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber c. 3. A spirituall drunkennesse Esay 29.9 They are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke 4. Strong illusions 2. Thess. 2.11 God shall send them strong illusions they shall beleeue lies The remnant of Gods image in the conscience is an
a queene Luk. 18.11 The Pharisie standing thus praied to himselfe I thanke thee O God that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers nor yet as this Publiâ—an vers 12. I fast twise in the weeke and giue tithe of all my possessions V. That the Gospell of Gods kingdome is meere foolishnes 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him VI. To thinke vncharitably malitiously of such as serue God sincerely Math. 12.24 When the Pharisies heard that they said he casteth not out diuels but by the prince of diuels Psal. 74.2 They said in their heartsâ— Let vs destroy them altogither VII To thinke the day of death farre off Esay 28.15 Ye haue said We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs. VIII That the paines of hell may be eschewed in the place before mentioned they say With hell haue we made agreement IX That God will deferre his both particular and last generall comming to iudgement Luk. 12. 19. I will say vnto my soule soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeres and vers 45. If that seruaÌ„t say in his heart my master will deferre his comming c. Many carnall men pretend their good meaning but when God openeth their eies they shall see these rebellious thoughts rising in their minds as sparkles out of a chimney The actuall sinne of both wil and affections is euery wicked motion inclination and desire Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit An actuall outward sinne is that to the committing whereof the members of the bodie doe together with the faculties of the soule concurre Such sinns as these are infinite Psal. 40. 12. Innumerable troubles haue compassed me my sins haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are more in number then the haires of mine head Actuall sinne is of omission or commission Again both these are in words or deedes In the sinne of commission obserue these two points The degrees in committing a sinne and the differences of sinnes committed The degrees are in number foure Iames 1. 14 15. Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth foorth death The first degree is temptation whereby man is allured to sinne This doth Satan by offering to the mind that which is euill Ioh. 13.2 The diuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne to betray him Act. 5.3 Peter said to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie c. 1. Chr. 21. 1. And Satan stood vp against Israel and prouoked David to number Israel This also is effected vpon occasion of some externall obiect which the senses perceiue Iob 31.1 I haue made a couenant with mine eyes why then should I looke vpon a maide Tentation hath two parts abstraction and inescation Abstraction is the first cogitation of committing sinne whereby the mind is withdrawne from Gods seruice to the which it should be alwaies readie prest Luk. 10.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soule with all thy thought Inescation is that whereby an euill thought conceiued and for a time retained in the minde by delighting the will and affections doth as it were lay a baite for them to draw them to consent The second degree is conception which is nothing els but a consent and resolution to commit sinne Psal. 7. 14. He shall trauaile with wickednes he hath conceiued mischiefe but he shall bring forth a lie The third degree is the birth of sinne namely the committing of sinne by the assistance both of the faculties of the soule and the powers of the bodie The fourth degree is perfection when sinne beeing by custome perfect and as it were ripe the sinner reapeth death that is damnation This appeareth in the example of Pharaoh wherefore custome in any sinne is fearefull Sinne actually committed hath fiue differences First to consent with an offendour and not actually to commit sinne Eph. 5.11 Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknes but reprooue them rather This is done three manner of waies I. When as a man in iudgement somewhat alloweth the sinne of another Numb 20.6,10 Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rocke and Moses said vnto them Heare now ye rebels shall we bring you water out of the rocke vers 12. The Lord spake to Moses and Aaron because ye beleeued me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the children of Israel into the land which I haue giuen them II. When the heart approoueth in affection and consent Hither may we referre both the Ministers and the Magistrates concealing and winking at offences 1. Sam. 2. 23. Ely said Why doe ye such things for of all this people I heare euill of you Doe no more my sonnes c. Now that Elies will agreeth with his sonnes sinnes it is manifest vers 29. Thou honourest thy children aboue me III. Indeede by counsell presence entisement Rom. 1. 31. They doe not onely doe the same but also fauour them that doe them Mark 6.25 26. Shee saide vnto her mother What shall I aske and shee said Iohn Baptists head c. Act. 22. 20. When the blood of thy Martyr Steuen was shed I also stood by and consented vnto his death and kept the clothes of them that slue him The second difference is to sinne ignorantly as when a man doth not expresly and distinctly know whether that which he doth be a sinne or not or if he knew it did not acknowledge and marke it 1. Tim. 1.23 I before was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressour but I was receiued to mercie for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe Nomb. 35.22 23 24. If he pushed him vnaduisedly and not of hatred or cast vpon him any thing without laying of waite or any stone whereby he might be slaine and saw him not or caused it to fall vpon him and he die and was not his enemie neither sought him any harme then the congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer and the auenger of blood according to these lawes 1. Cor. 4 4. I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Psal. 19 13. Cleanse me from my secret sinnes The third difference is to sinne vpon knowledge but of infirmitie as when a man fearing some imminent daunger or amazed at the horrour of death doth against his knowledge denie that truth which otherwise he would acknowledge and embrace Such was Peters fall arising from the ouermuch rashnes of the minde mingled with some feare Thus all men offend when the flesh and inordinate desires so ouerrule the will and euery good endeauour that they prouoke man to
In whome ye are also built togither to be the habitation of God by the spirit This albeit it be a most neere and reall vnion yet we must not thinke that it by touching mixture or as it were by souldring of one soule with another neither by a bare agreement of the soules among themselues but by the communion and operation of the same spirit which beeing by nature infinite is of sufficient abilitie to conioyne those things togither which are of themselues farre distant from each other the like we see in the soule of man which conioyneth the head with the foote Eph. 2.22 2. Pet. 1.4 Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Phil. 2.1 If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit c. The things vnited In this vnion not our soule alone is vnited with Christs soule or our â—lesh with his flesh but the whole person of euery faithfull man is â—erely conioyned with the whol person of our Sauiour Christ God man The manner of their vnion is this A faithfull man first of all and immediatly is vnited to the flesh or humane nature of Christ afterward by reason of the humanitie to the Word it selfe or diuine nature For saluation and life dependeth on that fulnesse of the godhead which is in Christ yet it is not coÌ„municated vnto vs but in the flesh and by the flesh of Christ. Ioh. 6 5â— Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the blood of the Sonne of man ye haue no life in you 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him The bond of this vnion This vnion is made by the spirit of God applying Christ vnto vs and on our parts by faith receiuing Christ Iesus offered vnto vs. And for this cause is it tearmed a spirituall vnion Christ because he is the head of the faithfull is to be considered as a publike man sustaining the person of all the elect Hence is it that the faithfull are â—aid to be crucified with Christ and with him to die to be buried Rom. 6.4 5,6 to be quickened Eph. 2.5 to be raised vp and placed in heauen v. 6. Col. 3.1 the which is not onely in regard of the hope of the faithful but because they are accepted of God certainely to haue done all these things in Christ euen as in Adams first sinne all his posteritie afterward was tainted of sinne A member of Christ is diuersly distinguished and is so either before men or God Before meÌ„ they are the members of Christ who outwardly professing the faith are charitably reputed by the Church as true members But such deceiuing at length both themselues and the Church may be reprobates therefore in Gods presence they are no more true members then are the noxious humours in mans bodie or a woodden legge or other ioynt cunningly fastened to another part of the bodie Againe members before God they are such as either are decreed to be so or actually are so already Such as are decreed to be so are they who being elect from all eternitie are either as yet not borne or not called Ioh. 10. 16. Other sheepe haue I which are not of this fold them also must I bring Actuall members of Christ are either liuing or dying members An actuall liuing member of Christ is euery one elected which being engraffed by faith and the spirit into Christ doth feele and shewe forth the power of Christ in him An actuall dying or decaying member is euery one truely engraffed into Christ and yet hath no feeling of the power and efficacie of the quickening spirit in him He is like vnto a benummed legge without sense which indeede is a part of mans body and yet receiueth no nourishment such are those faithfull ones who for a time doe faint and are ouercome vnder the heauie burtheÌ„ of tentations and their sinnes such are also those excommunicate persons who in regard of their engraffing are true members howesoeuer in regard of the externall communion with the Church and efficacie of the spirit they are not members till such time as they being touched with repentance doe begin as it were to liue againe God executeth this effectuall calling by certaine meanes The first is the sauing hearing of the word of God which is when the said word outwardly is preached to such an one as is both dead in his sinnes and doth not so much as dreame of his saluation And first of all the Law shewing a man his sinne and the punishment thereof which is eternall death afterward the Gospel shewing saluation by Christ Iesus to such as beleeue And inwardly the eyes of the minde are enlightened the heart and eares opened that he may see heare and vnderstand the preaching of the word of God The second is the mollifying of the heart the which must be bruised in pieces that it may be fit to receiue Gods sauing grace offered vnto it Ezech. 11. 19. I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within their bowels And I will take the stonie heart out of their bodies and will giue them an heart of flesh There are for the brusing of this stonie heart foure principal hammers The first is the knowledge of the law of God The second is the knowledge of sinne both originall and actuall and what punishment is due vnto them The third is compunction or pricking of the heart namely a sense and feeling of the wrath of God for the same sinnes The fourth is an holy desperation of a mans owne power in the obtaining of eternall life Act. 2.37 When they heard these things they were pricked in heart and said vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38. Peter said vnto them Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus into the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Luk. 15.17 Then he came to himselfe and said How many hired seruants at my fathers haue bread ynough and I die for hunger 18. I will rise and goe to my father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee 19. And am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants c. Matth. 15. 24. He answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of Israel The third is faith which is a miraculous and supernaturall facultie of the heart apprehending Christ Iesus being applied by the operation of the holy Ghost and receiuing him to it selfe Ioh. 1.1,2,6.35 Iesus said vnto them I am the bread of life he that commeth vnto me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Rom. 9.30 What shall we
say then the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnes which is of faith Christ is receiued when euery seuerall person doth particularly apply vnto himselfe Christ with his merits by an inward perswasioÌ„ of the heart which commeth none other way but by the effectuall certificate by the holy Ghost concerning the mercy of God in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of GOD that we might knowe the things that are giuen to vs of GOD. Ezech. 12.10 I will poure the spirit of grace vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem and they shall looke vnto me whome they haue wounded Rom. 8.16 His spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Eph. 1.13 In whom also ye haue trust after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospell of your saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise 2. Cor. 1.22 In the worke of faith there are foure degrees or motions of the heart linked and vnited togither and are worthy the consideration of euery Christian. The first is knowledge of the Gospell by the illumination of gods spirit Esay 53.11 By his knowledge shall my seruant iustifie many Ioh. 7.3 This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. To this in such as are truely humbled is annexed a serious meditation of the promises in the Gospell stirred vp by the sensible feeling of their owne beggerie And after the forsaid knowledge in all such as are enlightened commeth a generall faith whereby they subscribe to the trueth of the Gospell Heb. 4.2 Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it 1. Tim. 1.19 Hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put away and as concerning the faith haue made shipwracke 1. Tim. 2.4 Who will that all men should bee saued and come vnto the knowledge of the trueth This knowledge if it be more full and perfect is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the full assuraÌ„ce of vnderstâ—Ì„ding Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit togither in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to knowe the mysterie of God euen the father and of Christ. Rom. 14.14 I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe Luk. 1.1 For as much as many haue taken in hand to set forth the storie of those things whereof we are fully perswaded 1. Thes. 1.5 Our gospell was vnto you not in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance The second is hope of pardon whereby a sinner albeit he yet feeleth not that his sinnes are certainly pardoned yet he be beleeueth that they are pardonable Luk. 15.18 I will goe vnto him father and say Father I haue sinned against heâ—uen and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants The third is an hungring and thirsting after that grace which is offered to him in Christ Iesus as a man hungreth and thirsteth after meate and drinke Ioh. 6.35 and 7.37 Reu. 21.6 And he said vnto me It is done I am A and Ω the beginning and the ende I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied The fourth is the approching to the throne of Grace that there flying from the terror of the Law he may take hold of Christ and finde fauour with God Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This approching hath two parts The first is an humble confession of our sinnes before God particularly if they be knowne sinnes and generally if vnknowne this done the Lord forthwith remitteth all our sinnes Psalm 32.5 I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah 2. Sam. 12. 13. Dauid said to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord wherefore Nathan said to Dauid The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die Luk. 15.19 The secoÌ„d is the crauing pardon of some sinnes with vnspeakable sighes and in perseuerance Luk. 15.21 Act. 8.22 Repent of this wickednesse and pray God that if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Hos. 14.2,3 O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say to him take away al iniquitie and receiue vs gratiously The fift arising of the former is an especiall perswasion imprinted in the heart by the holy Ghost whereby euery faithful man doth particularly apply vnto himselfe those promises which are made in the Gospell Matth. 9.2 They brought vnto him a man sicke of the palsie and when Iesus saw their faith he saide vnto the sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in me and in that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me This perswasioÌ„ is ought to be in euery one eueÌ„ before he haue any experieÌ„ce of Gods mercies Mat. 15.22 A womaÌ„ a Canaanite came out of the same coasts and cried saying vnto him Haue mercie on me O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill c. 23,24,25,26,27 Ioh. 20.29 Iesus said vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued Hebr. 11. 1. Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene In philosophy wee first see a thing true by experience and afterward giue our assent vnto it as in naturall philosophy I am perswaded that such a water is hot because when I put mine hand into it I perceiue by experience an hot qualitie But in the practise of faith it is quite contrarie For first we must consent to the word of God resisting all doubt and diffidence and afterward will an experience and feeling of comfort followe 2. Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured beleeue his
to beleeue in this one God is in effect thus much I. To knowe and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his worde II. To beleeue him to bee my God III. From mine heart to put all mine affiance in him To this purpose Christ saith This is eternall life to knowe thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Nowe the knowledge here meant is not a bare or generall knowledge for that the deuils haue but a more speciall knowledge wherby I know God not onely to be God but also to be my God and thereupon doe put my confidence in him And thus much of the meaning of the first wordes I beleeue in God c. Nowe followe the duties which may bee gathered hence First of all if we are bound to beleeue in God then we are also bound to take notice of our naturall vnbeleefe whereby we distrust God to checke our selues for it and to striue against it Thus dealt the father of the child that had a dumme spirit Lord saith he I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe And Dauid Why art thou cast downe my soule and wâ—y art thou so diâ—quieted in me wait on God And that which our Sauiour Christ saide once to Peter men should daiely speake to themselues O thou of littlâ— faith why hast thou doubted But some may say wherein standes our vnbeleefe Answere It standes in two thinges I. In distrusting the goodnesse of God that is in giuing too litle or no affiance to him or in putting affiance in the creature For the first few men will abide to be told of their distrust in God but indeede it is a common and riâ—e corruption and though they soothe themselues neuer so yet their vsuall dealings proclaime their vnbeleefe Goe through all places it shall be found that scarse one of a thousand in his dealings makes conscience of a lie a great part of men gets their wealth by fraud and oppression and all kinde of vniust and vnmercifull dealing What is the cause that they can doe so Alas alas if there be any faith it is pinned vp in some by-corner of the heart and vnbeleefe beares sway as the lord of the house Againe if a man had as much wealth as the world comes to he could finde in his heart to wish for an other and if he had two worlds he would be casting for the third if it might be compassed the reason hereof is because men haue not learned to make God their portion and to stay their affections on him which if they could doe a meane portion in temporall blessings would be enough Indeede these and such like persons will in no wise â—eelde that they doe distrust the Lord vnlesse at some time they be touched in conscience with a sense and feeling of their sinnes and be throughly humbled for the same but the truth is that distrust of Gods goodnesse is a generall and a mother-sinne the ground of all other sinnes and the very first and principall sinne in Adams fall And for the second part of vnbeleefe which is an affiance in the creatures read the whole booke of God and we shall finde it a common and vsuall sinne in all sorts of men some putting their trust in riches some in strength some in pleasures some placing their felicitie in one sinne some in an other When King Asa was sicke he put his whole trust in the Phisitians and not in the Lord. And in our daies the common practise is when crosses and calamities fall then there is trotting out to that wise man to this cunning woman to this sorcerer to that wizzard that is from God to the deuill and their counsell is receiued and practised without any bones making And this shewes the bitter roote of vnbeleefe and confidence in vaine creatures let men smoothe it ouer with goodly tearmes as long as they will In a word there is no man in the world be he called or not called if he looke narrowly vnto himselfe he shall finde his heart almost filled with manifold doubtings and distrustings whereby he shall feele himselfe euen carried away from beleeuing in God Therefore the dutie of euery man is that will truly say that hâ— beleeues in God to labour to see his owne vnbeleefe and the fruits thereof in his life As for such as say they haue no vnbeleefe nor feele none more pitifull is their case For so much the greater is their vnbeleefe Secondly considering that we professe our selues to beleeue in God we must euery one of vs learne to know God As Paul saith How can they beleeue in him of whome they haâ—e not heard and how can they heare without a preacher therefore none can beleeue in God but he must first of all heare and be taught by the ministerie of the word to know God aright Let this be remembred of young and old It is not the pattering ouer of the beleefe for a praier that will make a man a good beleeuer but God must be knowne of vs and acknowledged as he hath reuealed himselfe partly in his word and partly in his creatures Blinde ignorance and the right vse of the Apostles Creede will neuer stand togither Therefore it standes men in hande to labour and take paines to get knoweledge in religion that knowing God aright they may come steadfastly to beleeue in him and truely make confession of their faith Thirdly because wee beleeue in God therefore another dutie is to denie our selues vtterly and to become nothing in our selues Our Sauiour Christ requires of vs to become as little children if wee would beleeue The begger depends not on the releefe of others till hee finde nothing at home and till our hearts bee purged of selfe-loue and pride wee cannot depend on the fauour and goodnesse of God Therefore hee that would trust in God must first of all be abased and confounded in himselfe and in regard of himselfe be out of all hope of attaining to the least sparke of the grace of God Fourthly in that wee beleeue in God and therefore put our whole trust and assurance in him we are taught that euery man must committe his bodie his soule goods life yea all that he hath into the handes of God and to his custodie So Paul saith I am not ashamed of my sufferings for I knowe whome I haue beleeued and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day A worthie saying for what is the thing which Paul committed vnto the Lord it was his owne soule and the eternall saluation thereof But what mooues him to trust God surely his perswasion whereby he knewe that God would keepe it And Peter saith Let them that suffer according to the will of God committe their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creatour Looke as one friende laieth downe a thing to be kept of another so must a man giue that he hath to the
Christ and we are stewards of them a while for the good of others The more the Lord giueth to a man the more he requireth at his hands and as for such as hauing good gifts abuse the same their sinne is the more grieuous and their daunger the greater Men of great gifts vnlesse they vse them aright with humbled hearts shall want Gods blessing vpon them For he giueth grace to the humble The high hills after much tillage are often barren whereas the low vallies by the streames of waters passing through them are very fruitfull and the gifts of God ioyned with a swelling heart are fruitlesse but ioyned with loue and the grace of humilitie they edifie Secondly if Christ ascend vp to heauen to giue gifts vnto men here we may see how many a man and woman in these our daies are ouerseene in that they plead ignorance and say that they hope God will haue them excused for it seeing they are not learned they haue dull wittes and it is not possible to teach them now they are past learning and hereupon they presume they may liue in grosse ignorance as blinde almost in religion as when they were first borne But marke I pray you who it is that is ascended vp to heauen namely Christ Iesus our Lord who made thee of nothing Now was he able to giue thee a beeing when thou was not and is he not likewise able to put knowledge into thy soule if so be thou wilt vse the meanes which he hath appointed and the rather seeing he is ascended for that end but if thou wilt not vse the meanes to come to knowledge thy case is desperate and thou art the cause of thine owne condemnation and thou bringest confusion vpon thine owne head Therfore let ignorant men labour for knowledge of Gods word Ignorance shall excuse none it will not stand for paiment at the day of iudgement Christ is ascended to this ende to teach the ignorant to giue knowledge and wisdome vnto the simple to giue gifts of prophecie vnto his ministers that they may teach his people Therefore I say againe let such as be ignorant vse the meanes diligently and God will giue the blessing Thirdly whereas it is thought to be a thing not possible to furnish a whole Church with preaching ministers it seemes to be otherwise For wherefore did Christ ascend to heauen was it not to giue gifts vnto his Church what is Christs hand now shortned vndoubtedly we may resolue our selues that Christ bestowed gifts sufficient vpon men in the Church but it is for our sinnes that they are not imploied The fountaines of learning the Vniuersities though they are not dammed vp yet they streame not abroad as they might Many there be in them indued with worthie gifts for the building of the Church but the couetousnes of men hindereth the comfortable entrance which otherwise might be Lastly seeing Christ ascended to giue gifts needefull for his Church as the gift of teaching the gift of prophecie the gift of tongues of wisdome and knowledge the dutie of euery man is especially of those which liue in the schooles of learning to labour by all meanes to increase cherish and preserue their gifts and as Paul exhorteth Timothie to stirre vp the gift of God that is as men preserue the fire by blowing it so by our diligence we must kindle and reuiue the gifts and graces of God bestowed on vs. Christ hath done his part and there is nothing required but our paines and fidelitie The third benefit that comes by Christs ascension is that he ascended to prepare a place for all that should beleeue in him In my fathers house saith Christ are many dwelling places if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you For by the sinne of Adam our entrance into heauen was taken away If Adam by his fall did exclude himselfe from the earthly paradise then how much more did he exclude himselfe from heauen And theâ—efore all mankind sinning in him was likewise depriued of heauen The people of Israel beeing in woe and miserie cried out that they had sinned and therefore the Lord had couered himselfe with a cloud that their praiers could not passe through And Esai saith that our sinnes are a wall betwixt God and vs. And S. Iohn that no vncleane thing must enter into the heauenly Ierusalem Now seeing we haue shut our selues out of heauen by our sinnes it was requiâ—ite that Christ Iesus our Sauiour should goe before vs to prepare a place and to make readie a way for vs. For he is king ouer all he hath the keies of heauen he openeth and no man shutteth therfore it is in his power to lâ—t vs in though we haue shut our selues out But some may say if this be the ende of his ascension to prepare a place in heauen then belike such as died before the comming of Christ were not in heauen Ans. As there are two degrees of glorie one incomplete and the other complete or perfect for the faithfull departed are in glorie but in part and there remaineth fulnesse of glory for them at the day of iudgement when soule and bodie shall be both glorified together so answerably there are two degrees of preparation of places in heauen The places of glorie were in part prepared for the faithfull from the beginning of the world but the full preparation is made by Christs ascension And of this last preparation is the place of Iohn to be vnderstood The vse of this doctrine is very profitable First it ouerthroweth the fond doctrine of the church of Rome which teacheth that Christ by his death did merit our iustification and that we beeing once iustified doe further merit saluation and purchase for our selues a place in heauen But this is as it were to make a partition betweene Christ and vs in the worke of our redemption whereas in truth not onely the beginning and continuance of our saluation but also the accomplishment thereof in our vocation iustification sanctification glorification is wholly and onely to be ascribed to the meere merit of Christ and therefore hauing redeemed vs on earth he also ascends to prepare a place in heauen for vs. Secondly this serueth to condemne the fearefull lamentable and desperate securitie of these our daies Great is the loue of Christ in that he was content to suffer the pangs of hell to bring vs out of hell and withall to goe to heauen to prepare a place for vs there and yet who is it that careth for this place or maketh any account therof who forsaketh this world seekes vnto Christ for it And further least any maÌ„ should say alas I know not the way therfore Christ before he ascended made a new liuing way with his own blood as the Apostle speaketh And to take away all excuses froÌ„ men he hath set markes and bounds in this way and hath placed guides in it
intercession his satisfaction is applied to our persons and by consequent the defect of our workes is couered and remooued and they are approued of God the father In a vision Saint Iohn saw an angel standing before the altar with a golden censer full of sweete odours to offer vp with the praiers of the Saints vpon the same And this signifies that Christ presents our workes before the throne of God and by his intercession sanctifies them that they may be acceptable to God And therefore we must remember that when we doe any thing that is accepted of God it is not for our sakes but by reason of the value and vigour of Christ his merit Fourthly the intercession of Christ made in heauen breedeth and causeth in the hearts of men vpon earth that beleeue another intercession of the spirit as Paul saith He giueth vs his spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed but he which searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Now the spirit is said to make request in that it stirres and mooues euery contrite heart to pray with sighes and grones vnspeakable to God for things needfull and this grace is a fruit deriued from the intercession of Christ in heauen by the operation of the spirit For as the Sunne though the bodie of it abide in the heauens yet the beames of it descend to vs that are on earth So the intercession of Christ made in heauen is tied as it were to his person alone yet the grones and desires of the touched heart as the beames thereof are here on earth among the faithfull And therefore if we desire to know whether Christ make intercession for vs or no we neede not to ascend vp into the heauens to learne the truth but we must descend into our owne hearts and looke whether Christ haue giuen vs his spirit which makes vs crie vnto God make request to him with grones sighes that can not be expressed and if we finde this in our hearts it is an euident and infallible signe that Christ continually makes intercession for vs in heauen He that would know whether the Sunne shine in the firmament must not clime vp into the cloudes to looke but search for the beames thereof vpon the earth which when he sees he may conclude that the sunne shines in the firmament And if we would know whether Christ in heauen makes intercession for vs let vs ransacke our owne consciences and there make search whether we feele the spirit of Christ crying in vs Abba Father As for those that neuer feele this worke of Gods spirit in them their case is miserable whatsoeuer they be For Christ as yet makes no intercession for them considering these two alwaies go togither his intercession in heauen and the worke of his spirit in the hearts of men moouing them to bewaile their owne sinnes with sighes and grones that cannot be expressed and to crie and to pray vnto God for grace and therfore all such whether they be yong or old that neuer could pray but mumble vp a few words for fashions sake can not assure themselues to haue any part in Christs intercession in heauen The duties to be learned hence are these First whereas Christ makes intercession for vs it teacheth all men to be most carefull to loue and like this blessed Mediatour and to be readie and willing to become his seruants and disciples and that not for forme and fashion sake onely but in all truth and sinceritie of heart For he ascended to heauen and there sits at the right hand of his father to make request for vs that we might be deliuered from hell and come to eternall life Wicked Haman procured letters from king Ahashuerosh for the destruction of all the Iewes men women and children in his dominions this done Hester the Queene makes request to the king that her people might be saued and the letters of Haman reuoked shee obtaines her request and freedome was giuen and contrarie letters of ioyfull deliuerance were sent in post hast to all prouinces where the Iewes were Whereupon arose a wonderfull ioy and gladnes among the Iewes and it is saide that thereupon many of the people of the land became Iewes Well now behold a greater matter among vs then this for there is the hand-writing of condemnation the law and therein the sentence of a double death of bodie and soule and Satan as wicked Haman accuseth vs and seekes by all meanes our condemnation but yet behold not any earthly Hester but Christ Iesus the sonne of God is come downe from heauen and hath taken away this hand-writing of condemnation and cancelled it vpon the crosse and is now ascended into heauen and there sits at the right hand of his father and makes request for vs and in him his father is well pleased and yeeldeth to his request in our behalfe Now then what must we doe in this case Surely looke as the Persians became Iewes when they heard of their safetie so we in life and conuersation must become Christians turne to Christ imbrace his doctrine and practise the same vnfainedly And we must not content our selues with a formall profession of religion but search our owne hearts and flie vnto Christ for the pardon of our sinnes and that earnestly as for life and death as the thiefe doth at the barre when the iudge is giuing sentence against him When we shall thus humble our selues then Christ Iesus that sit at the right hand of God will plead our cause and be our atturney vnto his father and his father againe will accept of his request in our behalfe Then shall we of Persians become Iewes and of the children of this world become the sonnes of God Secondly when we pray to God we must not doe as the blinde man doth as it were rush vpon God in praying to him without consideration had to the Mediatonr between vs and him but we alwaies must direct our prayers to God in the name of Christ for he is aduanced to power and glorie in heauen that he might be a fit patrone for vs who might preferre and present our praiers to God the father that thereby they might be accepted and we might obtaine our request So likewise we must giue thanks to God in the name of Christ for in him and for his sake God doth bestow on vs his blessings Thus much of Christs intercession the other benefit which concernes Christ kingly office is that he sits at the right hand of his father for the administration of that speciall kingdome which is committed to him I say speciall because he is our king not onely by the right creation gouerning all things created togither with the father and the holy Ghost but also more specially by the right of redemption in respect of another kingdome not
loue In these daies it is hard to finde these duties performed in any place For both practise and prouerb is commonly this Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but it is a graceles saying and the contrarie must be practised of all that desire to be guided by the spirit The seuenth fruit is faith Faith or fidelitie standeth in these two duties One to make conscience of a lie and to speake euery thing whereof we speake as we thinke it is and not to speake one thing and thinke an other A rare thing it is to finde this vertue in the world now adaies who is he that maketh conscience of a lie and is not truth banished out of our coasts considering that for gaines and outward commodities men make no bones of glosing and dissembling but alas the practise is damnable and the contrarie is the fruit of the holy Ghost namely to speake the truth from the heart he that can doe this by the testimonie of God himselfe shall rest in the mountaine of his holines euen in the kingdome of heauen The second point wherein fidelitie consisteth is when a man hath made a promise that is lawfull and good to keepe and performe the same Some thinke it is a small matter to breake promise but indeede it is a fruit of the flesh and contrariwise a fruit of the spirit to performe a lawfull promise and a mans word should be as sure as an obligation and in conscience a man is bound to keepe promise so farre forth as he will to whome the promise is made Indeede if a man be released of his promise he is then free otherwise if we promise and doe not performe we doe not onely cracke our credit before men but also sinne before God The eight fruit of the spirit is meekenesse which is a notable grace of God when a man prouoked by iniuries doth neither intend nor enterprise the requitall of the same And it stands in three duties The first is to interpret the sayings and doings of other men in better part as much as possibly may be The second when men mistake and misconsture our sayings and doings if the matter be of smaller moment to be silent patient as Christ was when he was accused before the high priests Pharises this being withal remembred that if the matter be of weight and moment we may defend our selues by soft and mild answers The third is not to contend in word or deed with any man but when we are to deale with others to speake our minde and so an ende The last fruit of the spirit is temperance whereby a man bridleth his appetite or lust in meate drinke and apparell In bridling the lust these rules must be obserued I. Eating and drinking must be ioyned with continuall fasting after this manner We must not glut our selues but rather abstaine from that which nature desireth and as some vse to speake leaue our stomackes crauing II. A man must so eate and drinke as afterward he may the better be inabled for Gods worship Creatures are abused when they make vs vnfit to serue God The common fault is on the Sabbath day men so pamper themselues as that they are made vnfit both to heare and learne Gods word and fitte for nothing but to slumber and sleepe but following this rule of temperance these faults shall be amended III. This must be a caueat in our apparell that we be attired according to our callings in holy comelinesse The Lord hath threatned to visit all those that are cloathed in strange apparrell And holy comelinesse is this when the apparell is both for fashion and matter so made and worne that it may expresse shew forth the graces of God in the heart as sobrietie temperance grauitie c. and the beholder may take occasion by the apparell to acknowledge and commend these vertues But lamentable is the time looke on men and women in these daies and you may see and read their sinnes written in great letters on their apparell as intemperance pride and wantonnesse Euery day new fashions please the world but indeede that holy comelines which the holy Ghost doth commend to vs is the right fashion when all is done And these are the nine fruits of the spirit which we must put in practise in our liues and conuersations Fourthly if we beleeue in the holy Ghost and thereupon doe perswade our selues that he will dwell in vs we must daily labour as we are commaunded to keepe our vessells in holinesse and honour vnto the Lord and the reason is good If a man be to entertaine but an earthly prince or some man of state he would be sure to haue his house in a readines and all matters in order against his comming so as euery thing might be pleasing vnto so worthy a guest well now behold we put our confidence and affiance in the holy Ghost and doe beleeue that he wil come vnto vs and â—anctifie vs and lodge in our hearts He is higher then all states in the world whatsoeuer and therefore we must looke that our bodies and soules be kept in an honourable and holy manner so as they may be fit temples for him to dwell in S. Paul biddeth vsâ— not to grieue the holy spirit where the holy Ghost is compared to a guest and ouâ— bodies and soules vnto Innes and as men vse their guests friendly and courteously shewing vnto them all seruice and dutie so must we doe to Gods spirit which is come to dwell and abide in vs doing nothing in any case which may disquiet or molest him Now there is nothing so grieuous vnto him as our sinnes and therefore we must make conscience of all manner of sinne least by abusing of our selues we doe cause the holy Ghost as it were with greefe to depart from vs. When the arke of the couenant which was a signe of the presence of God was in the house of Obed Edom the text saith that the Lord blessed him and all his house but when the holy Ghost dwels in a mans heart there is more then the arke of the Lord present euen God himselfe and therfore may we looke for a greater blessing Now then shall we grieue the holy Ghost by sinning seeing we reape such benefit by his aboad It is said that our Sauiour Christ was angrie when he came into the temple at Ierusalem and saw the abuses therein Now shall he be angrie for the abuses that are done in a temple of stone and seeing the temples of our bodies which are not made of stone but are spirituall figured by that earthly temple seeing them I say abused by sinne will he not be much more angrie Yea we may assure our selues he can not abide that And therefore if we beleeue in the holy Ghost we must hereupon be mooued to keepe our bodies and soules pure and cleane And further to perswade vs hereunto we must remember this that when
in more speciall manner they giue assent vnto the couenant of grace made in Christ that it is most certaine and sure and they are perswaded in a general and confused manner that God will verifie the same couenant in the members of his Church This is all their faith which indeede proceedeth from the holy Ghost but yet it is not sufficient to make them sound Professors For albeit they doe generally beleeue Gods promises yet herein they deceiue themselues that they neuer applie and appropriate the same promises to their own soules An example of this faith we haue Ioh. 2.24 where it is said that when our Sauiour Christ came to Ierusalem at the feast of Easter manie beleeued in his name and yet hee would not commit himselfe vnto them because he knewe them all and what was in them To come to the second thing those professors which are indued with thus much grace as to beleeue in Christ in a confused maner goe yet further for this their faith though it be not sufficient to saluation yet it sheweth it selfe by certaine fruites which it bringeth forth for as a tree or a branch of a tree that hath no deepe rooting but either is couered with a few moules or els lieth in the water at the season of the yeare bringeth forth leaues and blossomes and some fruite too and that for one or two or moe yeares so one that is an hearer of the word may receiue the word and the worde as seed by this generall faith may bee somewhat rooted in his heart and setled for a season and may bring foorth some fruites in his life peraduenture very faire in his owne and other mens eies yet indeede neither sound nor lasting nor substantiall What these fruites are it may be gathered forth of these wordes where it is said that they receiue the word with ioy when they heare it for here may be gathered First that they doe willingly subiect themselues to the ministerie of the word Secondly that they are as forward as any and as ioyfull in frequenting sermons Thirdly that they reuerence the Ministers whome they so ioyfully heare Lastly they condemne them of impietie which will not be hearers or be negligent hearers of the word Now of these and such like fruâ—ts this may be added though they are not sound yet they are void of that grosse kind of hypocrisie For the mindes of those Professors are in part enlightened and their hearts are indued with such a faith as may bring forth these fruits for a time and therefore herein they â—issemble not that faith which they haue not but rather shew that which they haue Adde hereunto that a man beeing in this estate may deceiue himselfe and the most godly in the world which haue the greatest gifts of discerning how they and their brethren stand before the Lord like as the figtree with greene leaues deceiued our Sauiour Christ as he was man for when in his hunger he came vnto it to haue had some fruit he found none If this be so it may be then required how these vnsound professours differ from true professours I answer in this they differ that they haue not sound hearts to cleaue vnto Christ Iesus for euer Which appeareth in that they are compared to stonie ground Now stonie groundes mingled with some earth are commonly hot and therefore haue as it were some alacritie and hastinesse in them and the corne as soone as it is cast into this ground it sprouteth out very speedily but yet the stones will not suffer the corne to be rooted deepely beneath and therefore when sommer commeth the blade of the corne withereth with rootes and all So it is with these professours they haue in their hearts some good motions of the holy Ghost to that which is good they haue a kind of zeale to Gods word they haue a liking to good things and they are as forwards as any other for a time and they doe beleeue But these good motions and graces are not lasting but like the flame and flashing of straw and stubble neither are they sufficient to saluation With the true professours it is farre otherwise for they haue vpright and honest hearts before the Lord Luk. 8. 15. And they haue faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5.6 And that Christian man which loueth God whatsoeuer shall befall yea though it were a thousand deaths yet his heart can neuer be seuered from the Lord and from his Sauiour Christ as the spouse speaketh vnto Christ of her owne loue Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale on thy heart as a signet vpon thy arme for loue is as strong as death iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drowne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would greatly contemne it Wherefore good Reader seeing there is such a similitude and affinitie betweene the temporarie professor of the Gospell and the true professor of the same it is the dutie of euery Christian to trie and examine himselfe whether he be in the faith or not 2. Cor. 13.5 And whereas it is an hard thing for a man to search out his own heart we are to pray vnto God that he would giue vs his spirit to discerne betweene that which is good and euill in vs. Now when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it he is further to obserue and keepe it with all diligence Prou. 4. 23. that when the houre of death or the day of triall shall come he may stand sure and not be deceiued of his hope And for this purpose I haue described the most of these small treatises which follow to minister vnto thee some helpe in this examining and obseruing of thine own heart Read them and accept of them and by the blessing of God they shall not be vnprofitable vnto thee And if they shall any whit helpe thee helpe me also with thy prayer 1595. FINIS CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW FARRE A MAN MAY goe in the profession of the Gospel and yet be a wicked man or a Reprobate I. A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain knowledge of God of common equitie among men of the difference of good from bad and this is partly from nature partly from the contemplation of Gods creatures in which the wisdome the power the loue the mercie the maiestie of God is perceiued II. This knowledge is only generall and imperfect much like the ruines of a Princes pallace it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good work For example he knoweth that there is a God and that this God must be worshipped come to particulars who God is what a one he is how he must be worshipped Here his knowledge faileth him and he is altogither vncertain what to doe to please God III. By reason of this knowledge the Reprobate doeth
giue consent and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods law as may appeare by the saying of Medea Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor That is I know what is best to be done and like it yet I doe the worst This approbation in the Reprobate commeth from constraint and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe in the elect being called the approbation of the law proceedeth from a willing and ready mind and is ioyned with loue and liking IV. And by reason of this light of nature a meere natural man and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations for example hee may be tempted of the deuill and of his owne corrupt flesh to beleeue that there is no God at all As Ouid saith of himself Eleg. 3. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I am often tempted to thinke there is no God V. The reprobate for all this knowledge in his heart may bee an Atheist as Dauid saith The foole hath said in his heart there is no God And a man may now a daies find houses and townes full of such fooles Nay this glimmering light of nature except it bee preserued with good bringing vp with diligent instruction and with good companie it will be so darkened that a man shall know verie litle and lead a life like a very beast as experience telleth and Dauid knewe very well who saith Man is in honour and vnderstandeth not he is like to beasts that perish VI. Wherefore this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature and from the creatures albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God yet before Gods iudgement seat it cutteth off all excuse which he might alleadge why he should not be condemned VII Beside this naturall knowledge the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word be illuminated by the holy ghost and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word VIII Thus when they heare the preaching of the word god profereth saluation to them and calleth them yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God For the reprobate when he is called he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes and therefore neither will he and if he would yet could he not answer and be obedient to the calling of God The elect beeing called with speed he answereth and commeth to the Lord and his heart beeing readie giueth a strong and loud eccho to the voice of the Lord. This eccho we see in Dauids heart Whē saith he thou saidst Seek ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seek thy face And god himself speaketh the same of his children Zach. 13.9 They shall call on my name and I wil heare them I wil say it is my people nowe marke the eccho and they shall say the Lord is my God IX After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word hee may acknowledge the truth of it and confesse it and if neede require be a defender of it As Iudas was and Iulian the Apostata X. The reprobate may haue a feeling of his sinnes and so acknowledge them and the punishment due vnto them as Saul did who said I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will doe thee no harme because my soule was precious in thine eies this day Behold I haue done foolishly and haue erred exceedingly Thus did Caine when he said My punishment is greater then I can beare Galerius Maximinus a vile persecutor of Christians had his bowels rotting within him so that an infinit number of wormes continually crawled forth of his bodie and such a poysoning stinke came from him that no man coulde abide him being thus plagued with the hand of God he began to perceiue his wickednes in persecuting Christians and he confessed his sinnes to the true God and assembling the chiefe rulers about him he commanded that all within his dominions should cease to trouble Christians and in all haste he made a lawe for the peace and libertie and the publike meetings of Christians XI The reprobate hath oftentimes feare and terrour of conscience but this is onlie because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God which is most terrible When Paul preached before Foelix and by the maiestie of Gods spirit did as it were thunder from heauen against his sinnes◠doubtlesse he made his heart to ake and euery ioynt of him to tremble Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople in the daies of Constantius professed Christian religion went beyond all other in zeale for the same religion yet afterward vnder Iulian he fell from that religion vnto Gentilisme But after Iulians death making meanes to bee receiued into the Church againe ouerwhelmed with the horror of his own conscience for his wicked reuolting he cast himselfe down on the groūd before the doores of the church crying aloud Calcate me salē insipidum Trample on me vnsauerie salt And the deuill beleeueth the worde of God and at his owne damnation he trembleth These seruile feares though they harden the heart of the reprobate as heate doth the yron after it hath bin in the furnace yet these feares in the children of God are very good preparations to make them fitte to receiue grace like as we see the needle which soweth not the cloath yet it maketh a passage and entrance for the thread which serueth for this vse to sowe cloath togither XII A reprobate before he commit a sin is often vexed within himselfe feareth to commit it not because he hateth and disliketh the sin for it selfe but because he cānot abide the punishment due vnto the sin When the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod and pleased him that hee might doe her a pleasure he bad her aske what she would shee asked Iohn Baptists head in a platter Herod did grant her request but yet he had a grudging in heart he was sore grieued at it In like maner Pilate was very much troubled inwardly before he condemned our Sauiour Christ. XIII After he hath committed a sin he sorroweth and repenteth yet this repentance hath two wants in it First he doth not detest his sin and his former conversation when he repenteth he doth bewaile the losse of many things which he once enioyed he crieth out through very anguish through the perplexities which God in his iudgement layeth on him yet for his life he is not able to leaue his filthy sinne if he might be deliuered he would sinne as before Esau wept before his father with great yelling and crying but after hee was gone from his fathers presence he hated his brother who had got his blessing and in contempt of his father chose him a wife against his liking Pharao as oft as the Lord laid any calamitie on him he euermore desired to be deliuered from it
no doubt because through the dulnesse of his heart he cannot trie and examine himselfe therfore truly cannnot discerne of his estate whether he be in Christ or not and it may be thought that Sathan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him For this is his propertie that vpon whome God threatneth death there Sathan is bold to pronounce life and saluation as on the contrarie to those to whome God pronounceth loue and mercie to those I say he threatneth displeasure and damnation such malice hath he against Gods children XXXI And hereby it commeth to passe that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church and obey it in the word and discipline so be taken for a true member of Christ when as a man indeed regenerate may be excommunicate and end his life before he be receiued againe for this is the end of excommunication that the flesh that is the part vnregenerate may be destroyed and the spirit that is the part regenerate may be kept aliue in the day of the Lord. Now the man in whome is spirit and flesh must needes be the childe of God because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirit of Christ. Againe Paul when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man least through the sleight of Sathan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouer much heauines giueth men to vnderstand that he might haue ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe before he had beene visibly receiued into the Church againe XXXII Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profit For they find the blessing of God to be on them by reason that they dwel together haue societie with the children of God For Noahs sake euery one in his family is saued in the flood For lots cause the men of Zoar are preserued froÌ„ the fire And God would haue spared Sodom if there had bin but ten good men in it For Rahabs cause her family and kindred are at libertie in Iericho When Ioseph was in Putiphars house al things prospered well For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistims And for Pauls cause they which were with him in the ship were preserued And againe a reprobate by meanes of the faith of either of his parents may be within Gods couenant and so may be made partaker of Baptisme one of the seales of the couenant For so God made his couenant with Abraham that he would be not onely his God but also the God of his seede after him which Paul expoundeth not of a few but of all nations Also he saith manifestly that those children either of whose parents are beleeuers are holy which holinesse is not inherent in their persons but onely outward and it is a spirituall prerogatiue graunted them of God in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his couenant whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and prophane men of the world XXXIII Besides this reprobates haue some prerogatiues of God as that lie is patient towards them that before he will destroy them he vseth many meanes to win them that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie insomuch that it is said of them in the Psalme that they goe in continual prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe But after a certain time God in his iust iudgement hardneth their hearts blindeth the eyes of their minds he maketh their heads giddy with a spiritual drunkennes by the strength of their inward lusts as also by the effectuall opâ—ration of Satan they fall to open infidelitie contempt of Gods word and so run headlong to their own damnation and perish finally And in this they are like to hauks which so long as they liue are caried on the handes of noble men but when they are dead they are cast on the dunghill Iulian the Apostata was first a man learned and eloquent and professed the religion of Christ but afterward he fel and wrote a booke against the religion of Christ answered by Cyril on a time in a battell against the Persians was thrust into the bowells with a dart no man then knew how which dart he pulled out with his owne hand presently blood followed which as it gushed out he tooke it in his hand and flung it into the ayre saying Vicisti Galilâ—e vicisti O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou art the conquerour thou art the conquerour thus he ended his daies in blaspheming Christ whom he had professed The reason of this apostasie is euident Seede that is not deepely rooted in the earth at the beginning of the yeare springeth vp it is greene and bringeth forth leaues flowers and it may be some kind of fruit too when the heat of sommer commeth it parcheth the earth and the corne wanting deepe rooting and therfore wanting moysture withereth away Gods word is like seede which that it may bring forth fruit vnto euerlasting life it must be first receiued of the ground secondly it must be rooted the receiuing of it is when the minde vnderstandeth it and remembreth it he rooting of it is when being beleeued it pierceth to the heart and taketh hold of the affections This rooting is of two sorts the first is when the word rooteth but not deepe ynough as when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart by the ioy of the heart but not with the residue of the affections The second is a deepe and liuely rooting of the word when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart by the will and all the affections of the heart The first kind of rooting of the word befalleth to a reprobate who vnderstandeth and reioyceth in the promises of saluation yet he doth not put any confidence in them he can not rest in them he doth not reioyce that his name is written in the book of life he doth not work out his saluation with feare and trembling In a word his heart is in paâ—t softened to reioyce at the preaching of the word of God yet his heart is not opened as Lydias was nor enlarged as Dauid saith to imbrace the truth but the Elect he receiueth the word not onely into his mind least it should be only an imagination but also it is deepely rooted in his heart For 1 In sure confidence he resteth himselfe on Gods promise Rom. 8.38 Heb. 10.22 2 He hopeth and longeth to see the accomplishment of it 1. Thess. 1.10 3 He heartily loueth God for making such a promise to him in Christ. 1. Ioh. 4.10 4 He reioyceth in it and therefore doth meditate on it continually Luk. 10.20 Rom. 5.2 5 He hateth all doctrines which are against it 6 He is grieued when he doth any thing that may hinder the accomplishment of it Math. 26.75 7 He vseth the meanes to come to
elect For the better knowing of it there is to bee considered First what faith is Secondly how God doth worke it in the hearts of the elect Thirdly what degrees there be of faith Fourthly what are the fruits and benefits of faith IIII. Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which the elect doe apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits vnto themselues particularly Here first it is to be coÌ„sidered that the very nature of faith staÌ„deth in a certaine power of apprehending and applying Christ. This is declared by Paul whe he saith Ye are buried with him through baptisme by whome ye are also risen againe with him by the faith of the power of God who raised him from the dead Where it appeareth that faith is made a meanes to communicate Christ himselfe his death and buriall and so all other benefits to the beleeuer Againe to beleeue in Christ and to receiue or to lay hold on Christ are put one for another by Saint Iohn which declareth that there is a speciall applying of Christ euen as we see when a man hath any thing giuen him he reacheth out his hand and pulleth it to himselfe and so makes it his owne Moreouer faith is called the putting on of Christ which cannot be vnles Christs righteousnes be specially applyed to the heart as the garment to the backe when it is put on Lastly this may appeare in that faith is called the eating and drinking of Christ for there is no eating of meat that nourisheth but first it must be tasted and chewed in the mouth then it must be coÌ„ueyed into the stomack there digested lastly it must be applyed to the parts of the bodie that are to be nourished And Paul praieth for the Ephâ—sians that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith which plainely importeth this apprehending and applying of Christ. I adde further that faith is a wonderfull grace of God which may appeare first in that Paul calleth it the faith of Gods power because the power of God is especially seene in the begetting of faith Secondly experience sheweth it to be a wonderfull gift of God when a man neither seeth nor feeleth his sinnes then to say hee beleeueth in Gods mercie it is an easie matter but when a man shall feele his heart pressed downe with the waight of his sinnes and the anger of God for them then to apply Gods free mercie to his own soule it is a most hard matter for then it is the propertie of the cursed nature of man to blaspheme God and to despaire of mercie Iudas who no doubt often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the securitie of his heart when Gods hand was vpon him and the Lord made him see the vilenesse of his treacherie he could not comfort himselfe in Christ if one would haue giuen him ten thousand worlds but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged himselfe desperately which sheweth what a wonderfull hard thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sinnes then to apply Gods mercie to himselfe Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can doe this as it may appeare in Dauid In the day of my trouble saith he I sought the Lord my sore ran and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled I praied and my spirit was full of anguish and hee addeth the word Sebah a note very likelie of some wonderfull thing Againe he being almost in the gulfes of hell euen then cried to the Lord for helpe Iob saith If God should destroy him yet he would for all that beleeue in him still Vndoubtedly strange is the band of faith knitting Christ his members togither which the anguish of spirit cannot and the strokes of Gods hand doe not vnloose V. This apprehending of Christ is not done by any corporall touching of him but spiritually by assuraÌ„ce which is wheÌ„ the elect are perswaded in their hearts by the holy ghost of the forgiueuesse of their owne sinnes and of gods infinit mercie towards them in Iesus Christ. According to that of Paul Now we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are giuen vs of God The things which the spirit of God maketh known to the faithfull particularly are their iustification adoption sanctification eternall life and thus when any are perswaded of these things concerning themselues they doe in their hearts distinctly apply and appropriate Christ and his benefits to themselues VI. The maner that God vseth in the begetting of faith is this First he prepareth the heart that it may be capable of faith Secondly he causeth faith by little and litle to spring and to breed in the heart The preparation of the heart is by humbling an softening of it to the doing of this there are foure things requisite The first of them is the knowledge of the word of God both of the lawe and of the gospel without the which there can be no faith according to that saying of Esaiah By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And that of Iohn This is eternall life that they know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The onely ordinarie meanes to attaine faith by is the word preached which must be heard remembred practised and continually hid in the heart The least measure of knowledge without which a man cannot haue faith is the knowledge of Elements or the fundamentall doctrines of a Christian religionâ— A fundamentall doctrine is that which beeing obstinately denied all religion and all obtaining of saluation is ouerthrown This knowledge hath a generall faith going with it which is an assent of the heart to the known trueth of Gods word This faith when it is grown vp to some great measure it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of vnderstanding and it is to bee seene in the martyrs who maintained Gods trueth against the persecutions of the false Church vnto death VII Although both elect and reprobate may be enlightned to know the word of God yet the elect in this thing goe farre beyond all reprobates for it is specially said of them that God is their schoole-master that he sofeteneth their stony hearts and maketh them pliable that hee draweth them that hee openeth their senses hearts eares vnderstandings that the holy ghost is their annointmeÌ„t and their eie-salue to cleare the eies of their minde to conceiue the mysteries of Gods worde And the difference of illumination in them is threefolde I. First the knowledge which the reprobate hath concerning the kingdoÌ„e of heauen is only a generall and confused knowledge but the knowledge of the elect is pure certaine sure distinct and particular for it is ioyned with a feeling and inward experience of the thing
that our Sauiour Christ teacheth euery one in his praier which he made before he craue any other thing either concerning God or himselfe to pray that Gods name may be sanctified For by this all Christians are taught that they are to ouerpasse all considerations of themselues their owne pleasure and profit their saluation or damnation and absolutely with an heartie affection to seek after the glorie of God in all their doings that as Gods glorie is most deare vnto himselfe so it may appeare also that it is most deare vnto them If any thinke it strange that Moses Paul or any other should be content to fall into miserie to loose their liues and to bee cast into eternall perdition in hell fire with reprobate and damned spirits rather then Gods honour should bee turned into dishonour and blasphemie let them consider that wonderfull is the power of true loue which makes all things easie which is as strong as the graue that ouercomes all and was neuer yet ouercome which is as a flaming fire that a whole sea of water cannot quench And the loue which these men had to God did so rauish them that they felt no feare of hell fire XXXIX The second affection is the feare of God a most excellent and wonderfull grace of God Salomon matcheth it yea and preferreth it too before all things in this world making it the end of al. Without it a man cannot be wise it is the first step to wisdome in it is assured strength also it is a welspring of life to eschew the snares of death The Churches of Iudea beeing in peace were edified and walked in the feare of GOD and were aboundantly filled with the comfort of the holy ghost In this feare of GOD there be two parts the first is a perswasion in the heart that a man is in Gods presence wheresoeuer he is and when he by infirmitie forgets GOD a drawing of himselfe into Gods presence As it was in Dauid I haue saith he set the Lord alwaies before me For he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And this his beeing in the presence of God he setteth down most excellently in the 139 Psalme Enoch walked with God Abraham is commanded to walke before God and to be vpright The second part of the feare of God is in Gods presence to stand in awe of him which is when a man takes heede to his waies least he offend God This aduise Dauid giues to Sauls Counsellers Stand in awe and sinne not Pharao commanded the Midwiues of Egypt to kill all the male children of the Israelites at their birth they did it not because they stoode in awe of God fearing to displease him And hence it is that the godly heare Gods word with feare and trembling XL. The third is the hatred and detestation of sinne because it is sinne and specially of a mans owne corruptions wherewith a Christian is so turmoyled that in regard of them and for no other cause he most hartely desireth to bee forth of this most miserable world that he may be disâ—urdened of his sinne leaue off to displease God Paul feeles in himselfe a laâ—ge masse of deadly corruption it makes him deeme himselfe most miserable and to mourne because he was not deliuered from it saying Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Againe it is sinne that makes the Church coÌ„plaine that shee is blacke that the sunne hath looked vpon her and therefore shee cries Come Lord Iesus come quickly XLI The fourth is ioy of heart in consideratioÌ„ of the neerenes of presence of the terrible day of iudgement The reprobate either trembleth at the consideration of the day of iudgement or els in the securitie of his heart hee regardeth it not And when he shall see the signes of the comming of Christ his heart shal faile him for very feare he shall call the hills to fall vpon him but contrariwise the faithfull loue the second comming of Christ and therefore wait and long for it and when they shall see the signes of it they shall lift vp their heads because the full accomplishment of their redemption is at hand XLII The sanctification of the bodie is when all the members of it are carefully preserued from beeing meanes to execute any sinne and are made the instruments of righteousnes and holines So Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that they might know howe to possesse their vessels in holinesse and in honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles doe which know not God And Iob made a couenant with his eies not to look on a woman In whose example it appeareth how euery member is to be kept pure and holy XLIII If any humbled Christian finde not this measure of sanctification in himselfe yet let him not be discouraged For if any man haue a willingnesse and a desire to obey all Gods commandements he hath the spirit and he who hath the spirit is in Christ and he who is in Christ shall neuer see damnation And though he faile greatly in the action of obedience yet God will accept his affection to obey as obedience acceptable vnto him God will approoue of thee for his owne worke which hee hath wrought in thee and not reiect thee for thine XLIV From sanctification ariseth repentance For a man cannot hate his own sins before he be sanctified and he cannot truely repent for them before hee hate them Repentance is when a man turnes to GOD and brings foorth fruits worthy amendment of life This turning vnto God hath two parts The first a purpose and resolution of heart neuer to sinne any more but to lead a newe life This was in Dauid who fully purposed to keepes Gods commandements and applied his heart to fulfill his statutes vnto the ende And vnto this did Barnabas exhort the brethren at Antioch that with full purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. The second part is an holy labour in mans life and conuersation to purifie and clense himselfe from sinne of this speaketh Iohn And euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure This did Dauid practise as may appeare in that he said Certainely I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed my handes in innocency If any maruaile how repentance followeth sanctification considering it is the first thing of all that the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of GOD preach vnto the people whome they would winne to Christ I answere that all other graces are more hidden in the heart wheras repentance is open and sooner appeareth to a mans owne selfe and to the eies of the worlde It is like the budde in the tree which appeareth before the leafe the blossome the fruite and yet in nature it is
he is neuer saued according to that of Saint Iames sinne beeing perfited bringeth forth death The fift reason Eternall life is a thing desired of all men yet none shall be made partakers of it but the true christian and the glorious estate of this life would mooue any man to be a christian First of all they which haue eternall life are freed from all paines sicknesses infirmities hunger thirst cold wearines from all sinne as anger forgetfulnes ignorance from hell death damnation Sathan and from euery thing that causeth miserie according to that of Saint Iohn And God wil wipe away al teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine for the first things are passed Secondly the faithfull shall be in the presence of Gods maiesâ—ie in heauen there to behold his face that is his glorie as our Sauiour Christ saith Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me And Dauid saith In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Thirdly they shall haue such an excellent communion with God that he shall be vnto them all in all For in the ende of the world when the whole number of the elect is accomplished Christ shall present them to his father and as he is Mediatour he shall cease to be a King a Priest a Prophet for though the efficacie of his offices be euerlasting yet the execution of them shall cease as Paul saith Then shall be the ende when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the father when he hath put downe all rule all authoritie and power Againe among the elect there shall not be king subiect father mother child master seruaÌ„t noble ignoble rich poore liuing dead Some will say what then shall be I answer one glorious and euerlasting God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost shall be in all the elect all that heart can wish and desire Men shall not be in darknes neither shall they need the light of the Sunne Moone or Starres God himselfe immediatly shall be their light as Iohn saith And the citie hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glorie of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light of it Men shall not then neede meate drinke cloathing sleepe recreation fire shade respiration or any other such like but God himselfe immediately shall be their life and all things concerning life by Christ. Which Iohn signifieth when he saith that he saw a pure riuer of water of life cleere as chrystall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe there beeing by either side of it the tree of life which bare two manner of fruits and gaue fruit euery moneth And whereas God is continually to be worshipped in heauen they neede no other tabernacle or temple thereunto but God himselfe shall be their temple as Iohn saith I sawe no temple therein for the Lord God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it Fourthly from this glorious communion which is between God and Christ as he is man and all the Saints which are his members there ariseth an vnspeakable ioy and gladnes wherewith they are filled Dauid saith that Gods children shall be satisfied with the fatnes of his house and that he shal giue them drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures This ioy vndoubtedly is infinite and the saints are not onely replenished with it but they are also swallowed vp of it as with an huge and infinite sea of waters as may appeare in Peter who at the transfiguration of Christ was so rauished out of measure with ioy at the sight of it that he quite forgot himselfe saying to Christ Master it is good beeing here let vs make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and another for Elias Lastly out of this communion ariseth a perfect loue of God whereby the Saints loue God with all their hearts with all their soules and strength and this loue sheweth it selfe in that they are eternally occupied in worshipping God by singing of songs of praise thanksgiuing vnto him Now then seeing the kingdome of heauen is so glorious and none can haue it but the true Christian let all men account the best things in this world as drosse and dung so that they may obtaine Christ and his righteousnes The last reason is the endlesse loue of Iesus Christ shewed in his death and passion Thou art by nature the childe of wrath and vengeance Sathan hath wounded thee with many a deadly wound of sinne thou liest bleeding at the heart and art like to die eternally Thou beeing in this estate there is no man on earth no Saint in heauen no Angel no creature at all is able to helpe thee Christ onely was able he therefore came downe from heauen and became man for this cause to work thy deliuerance Furthermore in the curing of the wound of sinne no hearb no water no plaister no physicke can doe thee any good onely the bodie and blood of Christ is soueraigne for this matter being stieped in the wrath of God He therefore subiected himselfe to the death euen the death of the crosse vpon which he suffered the wrath of God due to the sin of manâ—ind of his owne heart blood he tempered for them a soueraigne medicine to heale all thy woundes and sores Nowe therefore despise not this mercie seeke vnto Christ lay open all thy sores pray him that hee would vouchsafe thee if it be but one drop of his blood theÌ„ he wil come vnto thee by his holy spirit he will wash and supple thy woundes in his blood and bind them vp He is the tree of life the leaues whereof heale the nations If thou get but one leafe of him thou art well it will heale thee and restore thy dead soule that thou maist liue eternally in the kingdome of heauen If this reason will not mooue thee to be a Christian thy case is desperate It is the best reason that Peter could vse to this purpose As obedient children saith hee fashion not your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conuersation His reason followeth Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation receiued by the tradition of the Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Thus much haue I spoken to the worldling who in his heart makes no more account of Christ then of his old shooes and who had rather bee without Christ then be without his pigges with the Gaderens Nowe for the true Christians I haue
wil I shewe it you And first of al the dealing of God towards me is a good argumēt to me In the first commandement God hath commanded me to take him to be my God and in the Lords prayer he teacheth me to call him father he hath created the world generally and euery creature particularly for man and so for me to serue for my commoditie necessitie admonition Also he hath made me for his owne image hauing a reasonable soule bodie shape where hee might haue made me a Toad a Serpent a swine deformed franticke Moreouer he hath wonderfully preserued me in my infancie childhood youth middle age hitherto from manifold dangers and perils all which doe confirme in me a perswasion of Gods fatherly loue and that I should not doubt hereof where I might haue beene borne of Turkes loe it was the will of God that I should be borne of Christian parents and be brought into Gods Church by baptisme which is the Sacrament of adoption and requireth faith as well of the remission of my sinnes as of sanctification and holinesse to be wrought of God in me by his grace and holy spirit where I might haue beene borne in an ignorant time and religion God would that I should be borne in these daies and in this countrie where is more knowledge reuealed then euer was here or in many places els is Where I might haue beene of a corrupt iudgement and intangled with many errours of Papistrie and of the Familie of Loue and of the schisme of Browne by Gods goodnes my iudgement is reformed and he hath lightened mine eies to see and my heart to imbrace his sincere trueth By all which things I doe confirme my faith of this that God alwaies hath bin is and will be for euer my father and at my departing forth of this worlde will giue me the crowne of euerlasting glorie Secondly when as man is euermore doubting of the promises of God be they neuer so certaine God of his infinit mercie to preuent al occasions of doubting promiseth to giue his own spirit as a pledge pawne or earnest pennie vnto his children of their adoption election to saluation Nowe since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisie to be a member of his Church I feele that in my selfe which I neuer felt or heard of before In times past I came to praiers and to the preaching of gods word euen as a Beare commeth to the stake nowe the word of God is meate and drinke to me and praier is no burden vnto me but my ordinarie exercise If I rise in the morning I am not well till I haue praied and giuen thankes to God if I do any thing it commeth into my mind to pray In my praiers I find great ioy and comfort and exceeding fauour of God I neuer thinke I can wel take my rest or doe any thing els except first I aske it at Gods hand in Christ. Lastly when my mind and heart is wholly occupied in worldly matters I am stirred vp and as it were drawn to pray vnto god for the remission of my sins and the assurance of my saluation in praier I haue had those grones which for their greatnes cannot be expressed Now from whence commeth all this From the deuil No. In these actions I haue found him my enemie and a continuall hinderer of them For he by his craft when I haue beene heauie and weake hath assailed to prouoke me to some sinnes whereunto my cursed nature was most giuen and I hauing yeelded to him haue beene so hardened blinded by those sinnes that for a time I haue made light account of the word of God and praier Well then peraduenture this came from mine owne selfe No neither This cursed nature of mine hath beene more pleased and delighted with sinne and with the pleasures of the world then with such exercises from which it draweth me and presseth me downe as lead I cannot think that such a poysoning Cockatrice can lay such good egs or that wilde crab trees such as all men are in Adam can bring foorth sweete fruites according to the will of God except God plucke them forth of Adam and plant them in the garden of his mercie and stocke them and graft the spirit of Christ in them Wherefore these are the workes of Gods spirit and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath giuen me the spirit of adoption and therefore that his fauour and mercie shal continue towards me for euer For the gifts of God are without repentance and whome God once loueth him hee loueth for euer Thirdly there be certaine fruits of Gods children which I find in me by which I am confirmed in Gods fauour S. Iohn in his first Epistle saith that hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Truely I feele in my heart a burning loue towards them which are good Christians though I neuer knew them nor saw them and I am very desirous to doe any good for them and if drops of my heart blood would doe them good they should haue them Moreouer I hate all sinne and wickednes with a bitter hatred and I long to see the comming of my Sauiour Christ to iudgement I am grieued and disquieted because I cannot fulfil the law of god as I ought all which I haue learned forth of Gods word to be tokens of Gods children And thus you see what euidence I haue to shewe that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the fauour of God Timoth. Haue you a steadfast faith in Christ as these arguments seeme to prooue without all wauering doubting and distrusting of Gods mercy Euseb. No no. This my faith which I haue in Christ is euen fought against with doubting and euer assailed with desperation not when I sinne only but also in tentations of aduersitie into which God bringeth me to nurture me to shewe me mine owne heart the hypocrisie and false thoughts that there lie hidde my almost no faith at all and as little loue◠euen then happely when I thought my selfe most perfect of all for when temptations come I cannot stand when I haue sinned faith is feeble when wrong is done vnto me I cannot forgiue in sickenesse in losse of goods in all tribulation I am vnpatient when my neighbour needeth my helpe that I must depart with him of mine owne then loue is cold And thus I learne and feele that there is no power to do good but of god only And in al such tēptations my faith perisheth not vtterly neither my loue and consent to the law of God but they be weake sick wounded and not cleane dead As I dealt with my parents being a childe so nowe deale I towards God my louing father When I was a childe my father and mother taught me nurture and wisdome I loued my father and all his commandements and perceiued the goodnes he shewed me that my father loued me
and all his precepts are vnto my wealth and profit and that my father commandeth nothing for any need he hath thereof but seeketh my profit onely and therefore I haue a good faith vnto all my fathers promises and loue all his commandements and doe them with good will and with good will goe euery daie to the schoole And by the waie happely I sawe a company plaie and with the sight was taken and rauished of my memorie and forgot my selfe and stood and beheld and fell to plaie also forgetting father and mother and all their kindnesse all their Lawes and mine owne profit also Howbeit the knowledge of my fathers kindnes the faith of his promises and the loue that I had againe vnto my father and the obedient minde were not vtterly quenched but laie hidde as all things doe when a man sleepeth or lyeth in a trance And as soone as I had played out all my lusts or else by some had beene warned in the meane season I came againe to my olde profession Notwithstanding many tentations went ouer my heart and the law as a right hangman tormented my conscience and went nie to perswade me that my father would thrust me away and hang me if he catched me so that I was like a great while to run away rather then to returne to my father againe Feare and dread of rebuke and of losse of my fathers loue and of punishment wrastled with the trust which I had in my fathers goodnes as it were gaue my faith a fall But I rose againe as soone as the rage of the first brunt was past and my mind was more quiet And the goodnesse of my father and his olde kindnesse came vnto my remembrance either by mine owne courage or by the comfort of another And I beleeued that my father would not put me away or destroy me and he hoped that I would doe no more so And vpon that I gote me home againe dismayed but not altogether faithlesse the old kindnes would not let me despaire howbeit all the world could not set mine heart at rest vntill the paine had beene past and vntill I had heard the voice of my father that all is forgotten Timoth. Seeing that you haue thus plainely and truely shewed the weaknes of yours and consequently of all mens faith shewe me I pray you how by the weaknes of faith a Christian is not rather discomforted then comforted and assured of his saluation Euseb. God doth not so much regard the quantity of his graces as the truth of them hee approueth a little faith if it bee a true faith yea if faith in vs were no more but a grame of mustard seede which is the least of all other seedes it should be effectuall and God would haue respect vnto it The poore diseased begger with a lame hande hauing the palsie also is able neuerthelesse to reach out the same and receiue an almes of a King and so in like manner a weake and languishing faith is sufficiently able to reach out it selfe and to apprehend the infinite mercies of our heauenly king offered vnto vs in Christ. Faith in the 3. of Iohn is cōpared vnto the eie of the Israelite which although it were of dimme sight or looked a squint yet if it could neuer so little behold the brasen serpent it was sufficient to cure the stings of the fierie serpents and to saue life Timoth. Seeing that you satisfie me in euery point so fully shew me I pray you whether a man may be wicked and haue faith and whether faith entring expelleth wickednesse For I haue heard some say that a man might beleeue the word of God and yet be neuer the better in his life or holier then before he was Euseb. Many there are which when they heare or read of faith at once they consent thereunto and haue a certaine imagination and opinion of faith as when a man telleth a storie or a thing done in a strange land that pertaineth not to them at all which yet they beleeue and tell vs a true thing and this imagination or opinion they call faith Therfore as soone as they haue this imagination or opinion in their hearts they say verely this doctrine seemeth true I beleeue it is euen so then they think that the right faith is there but afterward when they feele in themselues no manner of working of the Spirit neither the terrible sentence of the Law and the horrible captiuitie vnder Sathan neither can perceiue any alteration in themselues and that any good workes followe but finde they are altogether as before and abide in their olde estate then thinke they that faith is not sufficient but that workes must be ioyned with faith to iustification but true faith is onely the gift of god is mightie in operation euer working beeing full of vertue it renueth man and begetteth him a fresh altereth him chaungeth him and turneth him altogether into a newe creature and conuersation so that a man shall feele his heart cleane chaunged and farre otherwise disposed then before and hath power to loue that which before he could not but hate delighteth in that which before he abhorred and hateth that which before he could not but loue And it setteth the soule at libertie and maketh her free to follow the will of God and is to the soule as health to the bodie After that a man is pined with long sicknes the legges can not beare him he cannot lift vp his hands to help him his tast is corrupt sugar is bitter in his mouth his stomack lōgeth after slubbersauce swash at which a whole stomacke is ready to cast his gorge when health commeth she changeth and altereth him cleane giueth him strength in all his members lust and will to do of his own accord that which before he could not do neither could suffer that any man should exhort him to doe and hath now lust in wholsom things and his members are free and at libertie haue power to do all things of his owne accord which belong to a sound and whole man to do And faith worketh in the same maner as a tree brings forth fruit of his own accord and as a man need not bid a tree bring forth fruit so is there no law put to him that beleeueth and is iustified through faith to force him to obedience neither is it needefull For the Law is written and grauen in his heart his pleasure is daily therein as without commandement euen of his own nature he eateth drinketh seeth heareth talketh goeth euen so of his own nature without any compulsion of the law he bringeth forth good works and as a whole man whē he is a thirst tarieth but for drinke when he hungreth abideth but for meat then drinketh and eateth naturally euen so is the faithfull euer a thirst and an hungred after the will of God and tarieth but for an occasion whensoeuer an occasion is giuen he worketh naturally the will
set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon a high hill whence it may be seene on euery side farre and neere to call againe them that be runne away And with this Sacrament he as it were clocketh to them as a hen doth for her chickens to gather them vnder the wings of his mercy and hath commaunded his Sacrament to be had iâ—â— continuall vse to put vs in minde of his continuall mercie laid vp for vs in Christ blood and to witneâ—â—e and teâ—tifie it vnto them and to be the seale thereof For the Sacrament doth much more liuely print the faith and make it sinke downe into the heart then doe bare wordes onely Now when the words of the testament and promises are spoken ouer the bread this my bodie that was broken for you this is my bloode that was shed for you they confirme the faith but much more when the Saâ—rament is seene with the eies and the bread broken the wine powred out looked on yet more when I taste it smell it As you see when a man maketh a promise vnto another with light words betweene themselues and so they departed he to whome the promise is made beginneth to doubt whether the other spake earnestly or mocked and doubteth whether he will remmber his promise to abide by it or no. But when any man speaketh with aduisemeÌ„t the words are more credible if he sweare it confirmeth the thing more and yet the more if he strike hands if he giue earnest if hee call record if he giue hand writing seale it so is he the more and more beleeued for the heart gathereth lo he spake with aduisement deliberation and good sadnesse he clapped hands called record and put to his hand and seale the man cannot be so faint without the feare of God as to denie all this shame shall make him abide his promise though hee were such a man as I could not compell him if hee would denie it And thus we dispute god sent his sonne in our nature made him feele our infirmities and named his name Iesus that is a Sauiour because he should saue his people from their sinnes and after his death he sent his Apostles to preach these glad tydings to thrust them in at the eares of vs set vp a Sacrament of them to testifie them and to seale them and to thrust them in not at the eares onely by rehearsing the promises of the testament ouer its neither at our eies only in beholding it but beat them in through our feeling tasting and smelling also and to be repeated daiely and to be ministred to vs. He would not thinke we make halfe so much a do with vs if he loued vs not and would not haue his Sacrament to be a witnesse and testimonie betweene him and vs to confirme the faith of his promises that wee should not doubt in them when we looke on the seales of his obligations wherewith he hath bouÌ„d himselfe and this to keepe the promises and couenants better in mind and to make them the more deepely to sinke into our hearts and bee more earnestly regarded Timoth. Considering that this which you say is too plaine great shame it is that there is such neglect of the Sacrament as there is and that it is so seldome vsed but surely want of faith and the securitie which ouerspreadeth this our countrie is the cause of it the Lord if it be his will remooue the same Now let me heare a little how you lead your life and haue your conuersation among men Euseb. I haue my conuersation among men as sincere as I can in righteousnes and holines which is after Gods commandements our Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Timoth. It is but a dim light which we can carrie before men and small are our good workes and to be esteemed of no value if wee were preachers or rich men or noble men then we might saue soules giue good counsell helpe many by your almes but you and I are poore men of base birth and of lowe degree how can we then doe any good workes Euseb. As touching good workes by that measure of knowledge that god hath giuen me I thinke that all workes are good which are done according to the obedience of Gods law in faith and with thanksgiuing to God and with a minde desirous of his glorie alone and I thinke that I or any man els in doing them please God whatsoeuer I doe within the lawe of God as when I make water And trust me if either wind or water were stopped I should feele what a pretious thing it were to doe either of both and what thankes ought to bee giuen God therefore Moreouer I put no difference betweene workes but whatsoeuer commeth into my hands that I doe as time place and occasion giueth and according to my degree For as touching to please God there is no worke better then other God looketh not first on my workes as the worlde doth or as though he had neede of them but God looketh first on my heart what faith I haue to his word how I beleeue him trust him and howe I loue him for his mercie that he hath shewed to me hee looketh with what heart I worke and not what I worke how I accept the degree he hath put me in not of what degree I am Let vs take example You are a minister and preach the word I am a kitchin boy and wash my masters dishes Of the Ministery harke what the Apostle saith If I preach I haue naught to reioice in for necessity is put vpon me If I preach not the gospel as who should say God hath made me so woe is to me if I preach not If I do it willingly saith he then I haue my reward that is then I am sure that Gods spirit is in me and that I am elect to eternall life If I doe it against my will the office is committed to me that is I doe it not of loue to God but to get a liuing thereby and for a worldly purpose and had rather otherwise liue then doe I that office which God hath put vpon me but doe not please God So then if you preached not or in preaching had not your heart aright you minisâ—er the office and they that haue the spirit of God heare his word yea though it were spoken by an Asse and the woe belongeth to you but and if you preach willingly with a true heart and conscience to God then you shall feele the earnest of eternal life and the working of the spirit of God in you and your preaching is a good worke in you Now I that minister in the kitchin and am but a kitchin boy receiue all things at the hand of God know that God hath put me in such an office submit my selfe to his wil and serue my master not as a
in their professions callings I am perswaded there would be a thousād vices cut off which in men abound and are committed without shame Timoth. I think the rest of your Christian exercises be the practising of the Commandements of the lawe Euseb. Yea they are indeede Timoth. Me thinkes it is an hard point of the law for a man to loue his enemie Euseb. It is indeede yet in the faithfull it will be so for they haue in their hearts a perswasion that wheras they are damned in themselues yet in Christ the mercie of God is most plentifull to their saluation and al this God confirmeth and sealeth vnto them by his holy spirit and therefore they cannot but loue God againe and that with a feruent loue euen aboue all things in the world and so they loue all Gods creatures and euen their enemies because they beare the image of God whome they loue like as I haue a friend loue him I loue all of his name all his kinred and all that appertain vnto him And by the way here is a good way to know whether we haue faith or not◠though faith onely iustifie and make the mariage betweene our soule and Christ and is properly the marriage garment yea and the signe Tau that defendeth vs from the smiting and power of euill angels and is also the rocke on which Christs church is built and standeth against all weather of wind and tempest yet is faith neuer seuered from hope and charitie then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect let him examine himselfe whether he loue the law and in like manner if he will know whether he loue the law that is loue God and his neighbour then let him examine himselfe whether he beleeue in Christ onely for the remission of sinne obtaining the promises made in the Scripture And euen so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith and loue and to the hatred of sinne in his life which hatred the loue of the law ingendreth in him And if they accompanie not one another all three together then let him be sure all is but hypocrisie Timoth. Yet by your leaue faith cannot make a man iust before God without hope and charitie then they also with faith hath some stroke in iustification Euseb. I answer though they be inseparable yet I praise God I doe conceiue how these three haue three separable and sundrie offices Faith which onely is an vndoubted and sure affiance in Christ and in the Father through him certifieth the conscience that the sinne is forgiuen and the damnation of the law taken away And with such perswasions mollifieth the heart and maketh it loue God againe and his law And as oft as we sinne faith onely keepeth that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterly quench not and hope faile and onely maketh the peace againe for a true beleeuer trusteth in Christ alone and not in his owne workes nor ought els for the remission of sinnes The office of loue is to powre out againe the same goodnes that it hath receiued of God vpon her neighbour to be to him as it feeleth Christ to be to it selfe The office of loue is onely to haue compassion and to beare with her neighbour the burden of his infirmities 1. Pet. 4. Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes that is to say considereth the infirmities and interpreteth all to the best taketh for no sinne at all a thousand things of which the least were enough if a man loued not to goe to law for and to trouble and disquiet an whole towne and somtime a whole realme too The office of hope is to comfort in aduersitie and to make patient that we faint not nor fall downe vnder the crosse or cast it off our backes Thus these three inseparable haue separable offices and effects as heate and drines beeing inseparable in the fire haue yet their separable operations for drines onely expelleth the moystnes of all that is consumed by fire and heate onely destroieth the coldnes And it is not all one to say the drines onely and the drines that is alone neither is it all one to say faith onely and faith that is alone Timoth. You are to be commended you are so perfect in these high points of religion but I know you speake of experience for in you faith and hope towards God and charitie towards your neighbour are inseparable Euseb. I require no commendations shame and confusion befall me eternally that all glorie may be vnto God Timoth. But let vs talke on further of our duties which wee must performe if we wil liue Christian like among men And I pray you tel me what do you meane that you giue so much vnto the poore considering you are so poore your selfe I speake my conscience if you had ability you would do more then an hundred of those rich men doe Euseb. God knowes my heart it is a hell vnto me to see my brother for whom Christ shed his blood to want if I haue any thing in the world to giue him Among Christian men loue maketh all things common euery man is others debter and euery man is bound to minister to his neighbour to supplie his neighbours lacke of that wherewith God hath indued him Christ is Lord ouer all and euery Christian is heire annexed with Christ and therfore Lord ouer all and euery one is Lord of whatsoeuer another hath if then my brother or neighbour neede I haue to helpe him and if I shewe not mercie but withdraw my hands from him then rob I him of his own am a theefe A Christian man hath Christs spirit now Christ is mercifull if I shall not bee mercifull I haue not Christs spirit if I haue not Christs spirit then am I none of his And though I shewe mercie vnto my brother yet if I doe it not with such burning loue as Christ did it vnto me I must knowledge my sinne and desire mercie in Christ. Timotheus If a man must be franke and free then a man must giue of his owne stocke to the poore members of Christ and diminish his own substance Euseb. Yea indeede if neede so require wee are made stewards of those goods which God hath giuen vs shall a steward take all vnto himselfe without reproofe I am sure that they which were conuerted at Peters first Sermō after Christs ascension diminished their substance when they sold them and gaue them to the poore I am sure that the Churches which were in Macedonia which sent reliefe vnto their Churches euen aboue their abilitie they being in extreame pouertie did diminish their possessions and God graunt our conuersatiōs may be like theirs And that we should be like them their examples of great compassion are recorded in the scriptures Timoth. Many of vs haue our selues wife children father mother kinsfolke to relieue so that it will be heard to deale after this manner Euseb.
sisters there if one fight with another or if any doe you wrong you may not reuenge or smite for that pertaineth to the father only But if your father giue you authoritie in his absence and command you to smite if they will not bee ruled but abuse you then you are another person Notwithstanding yet you haue not put off the first person but are a brother still and must euer loue prooue all things to rule with loue but if loue will not serue then you must vse the office of another person or sinne against your father Euen so when you are a temporall person you put not off the spirituall therefore you must euer loue but when loue will not helpe you must with loue execute the office of the temporall person You must loue your neighbour in you heart because he is your brother in the first state yet you must obey your ruler who hath power ouer you and when neede requireth at his commandement you must goe with the Constable or like officer and breake open your neighbors dore if he will not open it in the Kings name yea if hee will not yeeld in the Kings name you may smite him to the ground till he be subdued and lookâ— what harme he getteth that be vpon his owne head Timoth. I vnderstand you well As I am a member of the spiritual bodie of Christ I must in all my conuersation follow him with patience meeknes long suffering ouercomming other mens euils with well doing yet if the hurt be greater then I can beare I must take a new person on me and if I bee a ruler with loue seeke amendment if a subiect then in the feare of God coÌ„plaine to my ruler But further I pray you soyle me this doubt If I shall be taken for a souldier me thinkes that I should then shake off all loue and meeknes and then I could not practise this Christian rule Euseb. Yes if our Queene God saue her grace should send you on warfare into another countrie you must obey at Gods commandement and goe and auenge your princes quarrell which you know not but that it is right When you come thither remember the two states in which you are and knowe that in the first state that is the regiment spiritual you must loue them with whom you fight and that they are your brethren bought with Christs blood as well as you and for Christs sake hate them not yet as you are in the second state a souldier at your princes commaundement you must fight against them and maintaine your princes quarrel bring them vnder her power therwithall be content with your princes wages neither desire your aduersaries life or goods saue to aduantage your prince So then a souldier neede not cast away meekenesse for hee may fight with his enemie and sley him and yet loue him Timoth. Another thing I would know of you which now commeth to my minde I haue a Landlord he seemeth to be a very good man he countenanceth all the good preachers in our countrie and hee rideth vsually ten miles to heare sermons I holde of him a house and a little land not scarse enough to finde my poore familie my lease is come out and I haue taken a newe lease but I haue paied such a great fine and my yearely rents are so racked that I feare I and all my housholde are like to begge our bread this is it disquieteth me and almost maketh me at my wits ende what is your counsell and aduise Euseb. Surely it maketh my heart to bleed to see how many men bragge of the gospell and yet what little fruite the gospell hath in them and what little loue they shew euen they which abound in rents and lands My poore aduise is this that you would with patience depend vpon Gods prouidence It is said Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Then let all the worlde studie to doe you wrong yea let them studie to bring you to extreame miserie do it too yet if you be meek you shall haue foood and raiment enough for you and yours And no doubt God who is alwaies true of his promise shall raise vp some to helpe you And my counsel is that you giue your Landlord now and then a capon now a pigge now a goose and if you be able â— lambe or a calfe and let your wife visit your landladie now and then with spiced cakes with apples peares cherries and such like and be you readie with your oxen or horses fiue or sixe times in the yeare to fetch home their woodâ— to plow their land then no doubt God may soften their hearts and mooue them to haue some pitie and compassion on your poore estate Timoth. I haue done all this Nay may it be spoken betweene you and me I am at commaundement and am as a drudge to them to doe their busines and to leaue my owne vndone and yet haue neither meate drinke nor money Euseb. More is the pitie But remember that they which cannot come to see men deale vprightly in the world yet doe in their hearts hunger and thirst after this righteousnes are pronounced blessed Timoth. To let this passe shew me one rule how I might generally in all matters behaue my selfe among men and then for this time I will cease to trouble you Euseb. Aske your owne conscience what you may or ought to doe Would you men did so with you Then doe you it Would not be so dealt with Then doe it not You would not that men should doe you wrong and oppresse you You would not that men should doe you shame and rebuke he on you kill you hire your house from you or tice your seruant away or take against your will ought that is yours You would not that men should sell you false ware when you put them in trust to make it readie or to lay it ought for you and you would not that men should deceiue you with great othes swearing thâ—t to be good which is indeede very nought you would not that men should sell you ware that is nought and too deare to vndoe you doe no such thing then vnto your neighbours but as loath as you would be to buie false ware too deare for vndoing your selfe so loath be you to sell false ware or too deare foâ— vndoing your neighbour And in all cases how glad would you be to be holpen so glad be to helpe your neighbour So in all things aske your consciencâ— what is to be done betweene your neighbour and you and she will teach you But because you are wearie of reasoning I will also ende Desiring God to increase in vs his heauenly graces as faith and repentance and loue according to his good pleasure Amen The assertion A Reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is contained in the Religion of the Church of Rome and a Papist by his religion cannot goe beyond a Reprobate
law Sathan Be it so for all this thou art farre enough from the kingdome of heauen into which no vncleane thing shall euer enter then although that Christ hath suffered death and fulfilled the law for thee yet thou art in part vncleane thy cursed nature and the seedes of sinne are yet remaining in thee Christian. Christ in the virgins wombe was perfectly sanctified by the holy Ghost and this perfect holines of his humane nature is imputed to me euen as Iaacob put on Esaus garments to get his fathers blessing so I haue put on the righteousnes of Christ as a long white robe couering my sinnes and making me appeare perfectly righteous euen before Gods iudgement seate Sathan Indeede God hath made promise vnto mankinde of all these mercies and benefites in Christ but the condition of this promise is faith which thou wantest and therefore canst not make any account that Christs sufferings Christs fulfilling the law Christs perfect holinesse can doe thee any good Christian. I haue true sauing faith The conflicts of Sathan with the strong Christian. Sathan THou saiest that thou hast true faith but I shall sift thee and disprooue thee Christian. The gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against my faith doe what thou canst Sathan Tell me then doest thou thinke that all the world shall be saued Christian. No. Sathan What shall some be saued and some condemned Christian. So saith the word of God Sathan Thou then art perswaded that God is true euen in his merciful promises and that he will saue some men as Peter and Paul and Dauid c. and this is the onely beleefe by which thou wilt be saued Christian. Nay this I beleeue and more too that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saued by the merit of Christs death and passion and this is the beleefe that saueth me Sathan It may be thou art perswaded that God is able to saue thee but that God will saue thee that is that he hath determined to aduance this thy bodie and this thy soule into his kingdome and that he is most willing to performe it in his good time herein thou wauerest and doubtest Christian. Nay Sathan I in mine owne heart am fully perswaded that I shall be saued and that Christ is specially my redeemer and O Lord for Christs sake helpe thou my doubting and vnbeleefe Sathan This thy full perswasion is onely a phantasie and a strong imagination of thine owne head it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest Christian. It is no imagination but truth which I speake For me thinkes I am as certen of my saluation as though my name were registred in the Scriptures as Dauids and Pauls are to be an elect vessell of God and this is the testimonie of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ assuring me inwardly of my adoption and making me with boldnes and confidence in Christ to pray vnto god the Father Sathan Still thou dreamest and imaginest thou louest and likest thy selfe and therefore thou thinkest the best of thy selfe Christian. Yea but God of his goodnesse hath brought forth such tokens of faith in me that I cannot be deceiued I. I am displeased with my selfe for my manifold sinnes in which somtime I haue delighted and bathed my selfe Rom. 7.15.24 II. I purpose neuer to commit them againe if God giue me strength as I trust he will III. I haue a very great desire to be doing those things which God commandeth IV. Those that be the children of God if I doe but heare of them I loue them with my heart and wish vnto them as to my selfe 1. Ioh. 3.14 V. My heart leapeth for gladnesse when I heare of the preaching of the word VI. I long to see the comming of Christ Iesus that an end may be made of sinning and of displeasing God Apoc. 22.70 VII I feele in my heart the fruits of the spirit ioy loue peace gentlenes meeknes patience temperance the works of the flesh I abhorre them fornication adulterie vncleannes wantonnes idolatry strife enuie anger drunkennes bibbing and quaffing and all such like Gal. 5. 19,20,22 All these cannot proceede from thee Sathan or from my flesh but onely from faith which is wrought in me by Gods holy spirit Sathan If this were so God would neuer suffer thee to sinne as thou doest Christian. I shall sinne as long as I liue in this world I am sure of it because I am taught to aske remission of my sinnes continually But the manner of my sinning now is otherwaies then it hath beene in times past I haue sinned heretofore with full purpose and consent of will but now doubtles I doe not Before I commit any sinne I doe not goe to the practising of it with deliberation as the carnall man doth who taketh care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh but if I doe it it is flat beside my minde and purpose in the doing of any sinne I would not doe it my heart is against it and I hate it and yet by the tyrannie of my flesh being ouercome I doe it afterward when it is committed I am grieued and displeased at my selfe and doe earnestly with teares aske at Gods hand forgiuenes of the same sinne Sathan Indeede this is very true in the children of God but thou art solde vnder sinne and with great pleasure doest commit sinne and louest it with thy whole heart otherwise thou wouldest not fall to sinne againe after repentance and commit euen one and the same sinne so often as thou doest Thou hypocrite this thy behauiour turneth all the fauour of God from thee Christian. Indeed it is dangerous to fall againe into the same sinne after repentance yet it is the order of the Prophets to call men to repentance which haue fallen from the feare of God and from the repentance which they professed and God in thus calling them putteth them in hope of obtaining mercie And the law had sacrifices offered euery day for the sinnes of all the people and for particular men both for their ignorances and their voluntary sins which signifieth that God is readie to forgiue the sinnes of his childrē though they sinne often Abraham twise lied and swore that Sara was not his wife Ioseph sware twise by the life of Pharao Dauid committed adulterie often because he tooke vnto him Bathsheba Vriahs wife and also kept sixe wiues and ten concubines Gods will is that men forgiue till seuentie seuen times and therefore he will haue much more mercie And for my part so oft as I shal fall into the same sinne so oft I shall haue Christ my aduocate and intercessour to the Father for me who will not damne me for the infirmitie which he findeth in me I will abstaine from externall iniquitie and I will not make my members seruants vnto sinne and so long I trust my imperfections shall haue no power to damne me for Christs perfection is reputed to be mine by
and vndiscret companie that would seeme to crie out for discipline their whole talke is of it and yet they neither knowe it nor will be reformed by it and yet they are enemies to it as for the lawe of God and the promises of the Gospell they little regard they maintain vile sinnes in refusing to heare the reading or the preaching of the word and this is great contempt of Gods benefits and vnthankefulnesse to him They are full of pride thinking themselues to be full when they are emptie to haue all knowledge when they are ignorant and had neede to bee catechized the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes they refuse not to speake euill of the blessed seruants of God Well doe they aboue all things seeke the kingdome of GOD then let them be sincere seekers of it which they shall doe if in seeking Christs kingdome they seeke the righteousnesse thereof vnto which they can neuer come but by the applying of the threatnings of the lawe and the comforts of the gospel to their own consciences But whereas they seeke the one and not the other they giue all men to vnderstand with what spirit they speake CONSOLATIONS FOR THE TROVBLED consciences of repentant Sinners Sinner GOod sir I know the Lord hath giuen you the tongue of the learned to be able to minister a word in time to him that is wearie therefore I pray you helpe me in my miserie Minister Ah my good brother what is the matter with you and what aile you Sinner I liued a long time the Lord he knoweth it after the manner of the world in all the lusts of my filthie flesh then I was neuer troubled but it hath plesed GOD of his mercie to touch my heart and to send his owne sonne that good sheapheard Iesus Christ to fetch me home to his owne fold euen vpon his own necke and since that time it is a wonder to see howe my poore heart hath beene troubled my corruption so boyles in me and Sathan will neuer let me alone Minister Your case is a blessed case for not to be troubled of Satan is to be possessed of him that is to be held captiue vnder the power of darkenes and to be a slaue and vassall of Sathan for as long as the strong man keepes the hold all things are is peace Contrariwise hee that hath receiued any sparkle of true faith shall see the gates of hell that is the deuill and his angels in their full strengthâ— to stand vp against him and to fight with an endles hatred for his finall confusion Sinner But this my trouble of mind hath made me oftentimes feare least God would reiect me and vtterly depriue me of the kingdome of heauen Minister But there is no cause why it should so doe For how should heauen bee your resting place if on earth you were not troubled how could god wipe away your teares from your eies in heauen if on earth you shead them not You would be freâ— from miseries you looke for heauen vpon earth But if you will go to heauen the right waie is to saile by hel If you wil sit at Christs table in his kingdome you must bee with him in his temptations You are as Gods corne you must therefore goe vnder the fâ—aile the fanne the milstone and the ouen before you can be Gods bread You are one of Christs Lambes looke therefore to be fleeced and to haue the bloodie knife at your throat all the daie long If you were a market sheepe bought to be solde you should be stalled and kept in a fat pasture but you are for Gods owne occupying therfore you must pasture on the bare common abiding stormes tempests Sathans snatches the worlds woundes contempt of conscience and frettes of the flesh But in this your miserie I will be a Simon vnto you to helpe you to carrie your crosse so be it you will reueale your mind vnto me Christian. I will doe it willingly my temptations are either against my faith in Christ or against repentance for my sinnes Minister What is your temptation as touching faith Christian. Ah woe is me I am much afraid least I haue no faith in Christ my Sauiour Minister What causeth this feare Christian. Diuers things Minister What is one Christian. I am troubled with many doubtings of my saluation and so it comes into my minde to thinke that by my incredulitie I should quite cut off my selfe from the fauour of God Minister But you must knowe this one thing that he that neuer doubted of his saluation neuer beleeued and that hee which beleeueth in trueth feeleth many doubtings and wauerings euen as the sound man feels many grudgings of diseases which if he had not health he could not feele Christian. But you neuer knewe any that hauing true faith doubted of their saluation Minister What will you then say of the man that said Lord I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe And of Dauid who made his moane after this manner Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath he shut vp his tender mercie in displeasure Yea hee goeth on further as a man in despaire And I said this is my death Hereby it is manifest that a man indued with true faith may haue not onely assaults of doubting but of desperation This further appeareth in that he saith in an other place Why art thou cast downe my soule Why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue thankes he is my present helpe and my God And in very truth you may perswade your selfe that they are but vnreasonable men that say they haue long beleeued in Christ without any doubting of their saluation Christian. But Dauid had more in him then I haue for me thinkes there is nothing in this wicked heart of mine but rebellion against GOD nothing but doubting of his mercie Minister Let me know but one thing of you these doubtings which you feele doe you like them or doe you take any pleasure in them and doe you cherish them Christian. Nay nay they appeare very vile in mine eies and I do abhorre them from my heart and I would faine beleeue Minister In man we must consider his estate by nature and his estate by grace In the first hee and his flesh are all one for they are as man wife therfore one is accessarie to the doings of the other When the flesh sinneth the man also sinneth that is in subiection to the flesh yea when the flesh perisheth the man likewise perisheth beeing in this estate with the flesh a louing couple they are they liue and die together But in the estate of grace though a man haue the flesh in him yet hee and his flesh are diuorced asunder This diuorcement is made when a man begins to dislike and to hate his flesh and the euil fruits of it this separation
beeing made they are no more one but twaine and the one hath nothing to doe with the other In this case though the flesh beget sin perish therefore yet the Christian man shal not incurre damnation for it To come more neere the matter you say the flesh begets in you wauerings doubtings and distrustings what then it tâ—oubleth you but feare not remember your estate you are diuourced from the flesh and you are new married vnto Christ if these sins be laid at your doore account them not as your children but renounce them as Bastards say with Paul I doubt indeede but I hate my doubtings and I am no cause of these but the flesh in me which shall perish when I shall be saued by Christ. Christian. This which you haue said doeth in part content mee one thing more I pray you shew me concerning this point namely how I may be able to ouercome these doubtings Minist For the suppressing of doubtings you are to vse three meditations The first that it is gods commandemeÌ„t that you should beleeue in Christ So S. Iohn saith This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Son Iesus Christ. Thou shalt not steale is Gods commandement and you are loath to breake it least you should displease God pull his curse vpon your head This also is Gods commandement thou shall beleeue in Christ and therefore you must take head of the breach of it least by doubting and wauering you bring the curse vpon you Secondly you must consider that the promises of saluation in Christ are gâ—neral or at the least indefinite excluding no particular man as in one for all may appeare God so loued the world that he gaue his only begoten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now then so often as you shall doubt of Gods mercie you exclude your own selfe from the promise of God wheras he excludeth you not And as when a prince giues a pardon to all theeues euery one can apply the same vnto himselfe though his name be not set downe in the pardon So the King of kings hath giuen a general pardon for free remission of sinnes to them that will receiue it Beleeue therefore that God is true in his promise doubt not of your owne saluation chalenge the pardon to your selfe Indeede your name is not set down or written in the promise of grace yet let not any illusion of Sathan or the consideration of your owne vnworthines exclude you from this free mercy of God which he also hath offred to you particularly first in Baptisme then after in the Lords supper and therfore you are not to wauer in the applying of it to your selfe Thirdly you are to consider that by doubting and despairing you offend God as much almost as by any other sin You do not aboue hope beleeue vnder hope 〈◊〉 you should do Secondly you rob God of his glorie in that you make his infinit mercy to be lesse then your sinns Thirdly you make him a lier who hath made such a promise vnto you And to these three meditations adde this practise When your heart is toyled with vnbeleefe and doubtings then in all hast draw your selfe into some secret place humble your selfe before God poure out your heart before him desire him of his endlesse mercie to worke faith and to suppresse your vnbeleefe and you shall see that the Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon his name Christian. The Lord reward you for your kindnes I will hereafter doe my endeuour to practise this your counsel Now I wil make bold to shew another that makes me to feare least I haue no faith And it is because I doe not feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of my sinnes Minister Faith standeth not in the feeling of Gods mercy but in the apprehending of it which apprehending may be when there is no feeling for faith is of inuisible things and when a man once commeth to enioy the thing beleeued then he ceaseth to beleeue And this appeareth in Iobs example when he saith Lo though he sley me yet will I trust in him and I will reprooue my waies in his sight he shall be my saluation also for the hypocrite shall not come before him he declareth his faith yet when he saith presently afterward Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie he declareth the want of that feeling which you speake of Christian. Yet euery true beleeuer feeles the assurance of faith otherwise Paul would not haue said Prooue your selues whether you are in the faith or not Minister Indeede sometimes he doth but at some other times he doth not as namely at that same time when God first calleth him and in the time of temptation Christian. What a case am I in then I neuer felt this assurance onely this I â—eele that I am a most rebellious wretch abounding euen with a whole sea of iniquities me thinks I am more vgly in the sight of God then any toad can be in my sight O then what shal I doe let me heare some word of comfort from thy mouth thou man of God Minister Tel me one thing plainly you say you feele no assurance of Gods mercie Christian. No indeede Minister But doe you desire with all your heart to feele it Christian. I doe indeede Minister Then doubt not you shall feele it Christian. O blessed be the Lord if this be true Minister Why it is most true For the man that would haue any grace of God tending to saluation if he doe truly desire it he shall haue it for so Christ hath promised I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Whereby I gather that if any want the water of life hauing an appetite after it he shall haue enough of it and therefore feare you not only vse the meanes which God hath appointed to attaine faith by as earnest praier reuerent hearing of Gods word receiuing of the Sacraments and then you shal see this thing verified in your selfe Christian. All this which you say I finde in my selfe by the mercie of God my heart longeth after that grace of God which I want I know I doe hunger after the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and further though I want the feeling of Gods mercie yet I can pray for it from the very roote of my heart Minister Be carefull to giue honour to God for that you haue receiued alreadie For these things are the motionâ— of the spirit of God dwelling in you And I am perswaded of this same thing that God which hath begun this good work in you will perfect the same vnto the daie of Iesus Christ. Christian. The third thing that troubles me is this I haue long prayed for many graces of God yet I haue not receiued them whereby it comes oft to my mind that God loues me
beggers but we say that they which beleeue by a true faith doe know whether they truly beleeue or no and they are not deceiued when they say and thinke that they truly beleeue For they are like vnto them which handling a pretious stone by reason that they are indued with sense know and say that they handle it And if no man might certainly know whether he beleeued truly or not why doth the Apostle say Trie your selues whether you be in the Faith And if it be so no man can euer certenly know whether he be iustified considering that they onely which truly beleeue can be iustified And if a man giuing credit to an other mans words doth certeÌ„ly know that he beleeueth him how much more doth he know it which beeing indued with true faith by the holy Ghost beleeueth the Gospel In a word godly writers haue prooued against Schoolemen that they which are indued with true faith in Christ can not be ignorant of it But say they no man is certaine of his perseuerance in faith and therefore out of this vniuersall proposition He which beleeueth namely with a true and constant faith is elected to life no man câ—n conclude that he is elected by reason that albeit he may know that he is indued with true faith yet he can not tell whether it shall be perpetuall This collection is absurd and the learned haue fully prooued that true faith is perpetual And therfore they which certenly know that they beleeue in a true faith are also certaine that the same their true faith shall neuer perish in this world partly for the promise of God I will put my feare into their hearts that they may neuer depart from me and partly for the praier of Christ I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith doe not faile Seeing it is so it is very certaine that God by his word in which generally he saith that all the faithfull are elect doth reueale to euery man his election considering that the proposition taken out of the Gospel is most certaine and euery faithfull man may certainly assume to himselfe that he is indued with true faith in Christ. The third way by which God reuealeth to euery one of vs his Predestination is by the effects of predestination as well inward in vs as outward by which as by certaine markes imprinted in vs he doth seale vs to himselfe in Christ and doth so seale vs that if we shall giue diligent heede we may thereby euidently perceiue that we are set apart from the common sort of men which is often called by the name of the world that we are foreknowne for his sonnes and loued in Christ and predestinated to eternall life yea and that we appeâ—taine no longer to the world but to that citie which is aboue that hath his foundation as the Apostle saith And we haue a twofold reason of this argument one because these effects of which we speake and which we will afterward handle God worketh not in any but in his elect as also afterward we will shew Therefore by right a man may by a true feeling and experience of these effects in himselfe be assured of his particular election and predestination to haue fellowship with Christ in all his graces For if predestination as Augustine witnesseth be a preparation to the blessings of God by which most certainely they are made free whosoeuer are made free therefore whosoeuer feeleth himselfe freed through these graces of God may be assured and certified of his predestination The other reason is that these effects are not onely the effects simplie of predestination but also such effects they are that may also be seales of it namely in printing in vs a liuely forme and image of GOD foreknowing vs louing vs electing vs. And therefore albeit we cannot see the purpose the foreknowledge the election and predestination of God as concerning our selues in God himselfe foreknowing willing and electing vs yet wee may beholde in our selues some sure representations of all these imprinted and euen stamped in vs by the worde and so by the beholding of these formes and impressions in our selues wee shall easily be brought to the knowledge of those patterns as it were which are in the Lord himselfe The matter by reason it is verie good and comfortable may be declared by a similitude God is like vnto the sunne in regard of vs the sunne when it shineth vpon vpon vs and after a sort looketh vs in the face it doth after such a sort imprint an image of his light in our eies that wee also in like manner beeing made partakers of his light may looke againe vpon the sunne it selfe and vpon his light for the light of the sunne and his beames beeing sent downe vpon vs are beaâ—en backe and reflected againe towards the sunne So in like manner the foreknowledge of God by which he hath and would acknowledge for his from all extremitie it alwaies resteth in God and cannot of it selfe be perceiued of vs. But yet whilest God doeth acknowledge vs for his he doth portrait in vs his elect a certaine forme and image of his foreknowledge by which hee maketh vs renouncing all other gods to acknowledge him for our only true God Thus it commeth to passe through this true knowledge of God which he vouchsafeth vs and by which we do acknowledge God for our God and father we may after a sort behold in God himselfe his foreknowledge by which he hath foreknowne vs for his fonnes For first of all God doth acknowledge vs for his then the elect being made partakers of this his light and knowledge he causeth vs in like manner to acknowledge him To this purpose serueth that which our Sauiour Christ saith first saith he I know my sheep after he addeth and againe I am known of mine As though he should say whiles I acknowledge them for my sheepe I make them by meanes of this my light and knowledge that they also can acknowledge me for their pastor So the Apostle saith to the Galathians when ye shall know God or rather are known of him he teacheth therefore that God knew the Galathians because he had first acknowledged them for his in his eternall predestination by giuing vnto them this his wisdome he made them acknowledge the true God for their God The same may bee said of the loue of God by which he loued vs in Christ to euerlasting life before the foundatioÌ„ of the world god by louing vs doth print in our hearts the image of his loue by which we may loue him againe froÌ„ our hearts and as it were by the reflection of the funne beames sent down into our hearts we may be prouoked to loue againe For the loue of God to vs being eternall causing eternall life begetteth in the time appointed a certaine loue in vs seruing for his eternall glorie And to his purpose is that of S. Iohn not that
the ende in faith and a true confession of Christ ioyned with a manifest care to liue a godly life and a desire to glorifie him For this gift is bestowed vpon all the elect as the Lord promiseth by Ieremie I will put my feare into their hearts that they may not depart from me And when they shall come to the end of their liues they shall be receiued into the heauenly glorie vntill such time as their bodies also beeing raised vp they may take full possession of eternall life Thus we see that it is very certaine that those which are elected to eternall life are also predestinate to vse those meanes by which as by certaine steps and staires they climbe into that heauenly dwelling place And therefore that we were predestinate to these meanes namely Faith Iustification and good workes because we were elected to eternall life according to the purpose and grace of God Wherefore by this meanes the doctrine also of the Pelagians is confuted as touching predestination to life by our faith and workes which God foresaw we should doe Whereas on the contrarie therefore God did predestinate vs to faith and good workes because he did choose vs to eternall life For the Apostle saith not I obtained mercie because I was faithfull or because I should be faithfull but that I might be faithfull Neither saith he that we are elected in Christ because we should be holy and without blame but that we might be holy and without blame Neither doth he say that we were created in Christ because we did or should doe good works but we were created to good works which God prepared that we might walke in them Lastly he saith not that the grace of Christ appeared because we were to liue soberly iustly and godly but that it therefore appeared that we denying all vngodlines and the lusts of this world might liue soberly iustly and godly iâ— this present world We see therefore that by this doctrine that wicked opinion is ouerthrowne which teacheth that we doe preuent the grace of God by our merits which God foresaw And on the contrarie here we see how foully the bellygods of this world are deceiued which reason thus if we be predestinate to eternall life and our predestination be certaine and vnchangeable what neede wee endeauour our selues beleeue or doe good workes for howsoeuer it fall out and howesoeuer the elect doe liue vndoubtedly they cannot perish because they are predestinate to eternall life Alas poore wretches they see not that they seuer those things that are to be conioyned namely the ende and the meanes of the ende that they breake the chaine which in no wise either can or must be loosed whilst that they seuer their calling iustification yea and Faith too good workes from predestination and glorification As though God did glorifie them whome he did predestinate before he called and iustified them yea and before they can beleeue and shewe their quicke and liuely faith by workes Contrariwise let vs learne what our dutie is If any be elect to eternall life they also are predestinate to the meanes by which they come vnto it And wee beleeue as wee are bound to doe that wee are predestinate to eternall life and therefore we must also beleeue that we haue beene elected to faith and good workes that by them as by certaine steps wee might bee brought to eternall life And therefore so farre must we be from neglecting Faith and the meanes of good works of a holy life that contrariwise it is rather our dutie to keep Faith in a good conscience and to be conuersant in good workes which God hath prepared that we might walke in them And because we can neither attaine to the ende nor the meanes that bring vs therevnto of our selues Therfore it is our part to craue them at Gods hands by praier that hee would giue vs faith and a care to doe good workes and increase them in vs. Neither must we onely aske them but also certainely trust that wee shall obtaine them for Christ his cause For if for all them which are predestinated to eternall life God hath prepared faith by which they may beleeue and good workes to walke in therefore if we beleeue as by Gods commandement we are bound that we are in Christ elected to eternall glorie wee must also be perswaded that before we depart hence hee wil giue vs true repentance encrease true faith inflame vs with loue lastly that hee will minister vnto vs aboundantly all things in Christ to obtaine the ende Yea this confidence also and praier it is one effect of predestination by which wee get the rest Therefore this doctrine we must hold that predestination to eternall life doth not take away the meanes of obtaining it but rather establish them And therfore both these principles are true namely that the elect to life cannot perish and vnlesse a man beleeue in Christ and perseuere vnto the ende in this faith working by loue he shall perish The reason is because in predestination the means the end of it are so ioyned togither that the one can not be seuered from the other Wherefore whosoeuer holdeth not the meanes vnto the ende amongest which faith is one it is manifest that he was neuer predestinate and therefore must needes perish as on the contrarie he which holdeth faith must needes be saued So the truth of these propositions is euident He which beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternal life contrariwise he which beleeueth not in the sonne the anger of God remaineth vpon him because as a constant faith is a signe of election so obstinate infidelitie is a token of reprobation FINIS Bradfords answer to Careles Careles I Am troubled with feare that my sinnes are not pardoned Bradford They are for God hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue For such an one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Trin-vni Deo gloria A DIRECTION FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGVE according to Gods word Printed by Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. To the reader CHristian Reader lamentable and feâ—â—efull is the abuse of the tongue among all sortes degrees of men euerâ— where Hence daily arise manifold sinnes against God and â—nnuâ—erable scandals and grieuances to our brethren It would make a mans heart to bleede to heare and consider howe Swearing Blaspheming Cursed speaking Raâ—ling Backbiting Slandering Chiding Quarrelling CoÌ„tending Iesting Mocking Flattering Lying Dissembling Vaine and idle talking ouerflow in all placeâ— so as men which feare God had better bee any where then in the companie of most men Well thou art thou a man which hast made little conscience of thy speech and talke repent seriously of this sinne and amend thy life least for the abusing of thy tongue thou crie with Diues in hell Send
Christ. 1. Cor. 3.1 II. Conclusion The first material beginnings of the conuersion of a sinner or the smallest measure of renewing grace haue the promises of this life and the life to come The exposition THE beginnings of conuersion must bee distinguished some are beginnings of preparations some beginnings of composition Beginnings of preparation are such as bring vnder tame and subdue the stubburnenesse of mans nature without making any change at all of this sort are the accusations of the conscience by the ministerie of the lawe feares and terrors arising thence coÌ„punction of heart which is the apprehension of gods anger against sin Now these and the like I exclude in the conclusion for though they goe before to prepare a sinner to his conuersion followingâ— yet are they no graces of God but fruites of the law that is the ministerie of death of an accusing conscience Beginnings of composition I tearme all those inwarde motions and inclinations of Gods spirit that follow after the worke of the law vpon the conscience and rise vpon the meditation of the Gospel that promiseth righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ out of which motions the conuersion of a sinner ariseth and of this it consisteth what these are it shall afterward appeare Againe grace must be distinguished it is twofold restraining grace or renuing grace Restraining grace I tearme certaine common giftes of God seruing onely to order and frame the outward conuersation of men to the lawe of God or seruing to bereaâ—e men of excuse in the daie of iudgement By this kind of grace heathen men haue beene liberall iust sober valiant By it men liuing in the Church of God haue beene inlightened and hauing tasted of the good worde of God haue reioyced therein and for a time outwardly conformed themselues thereto renewing grace is not common to al men but proper to the elect and it is a gift of Gods spirit whereby the corruption of sinne is not onely restrained but also mortified and the decaied Image of God restored Now then the conclusion must onely be vnderstood of the second and not of the first for though a man haue neuer so much of this restraining grace yet vnlesse he haue the spirit of Christ to create faith in the heart and to sanctifie him he is as farre from saluation as any other Now then the sense and meaning of the conclusion is that the very least meanes of sauing grace and the very beginnings or seedes of regeneration doe declare and after a sort giue title to men of all the mercifull promises of God whether they concerne this life or the life to come and therefore are approoued of God if they be in trueth and accepted as greater measures of grace That which our Sauiour Christ saieth of the worke of miracles â—f you haue faith as a graine of Musterd seede ye shall say vnto this mountaine remooue hence to yonder place and it shall remooue must by the lawe of equall proportion be applyed to faith repentance the feare of God and all other graces if they bee truely wrought in the heart though they bee but as small as one little graine of musterd-seede they shall be sufficiently effectuall to bring forth good workes for which they were ordained The Prophet Esay 42.3 saith that Christ shall not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede Let the comparison be marked fire in flaxe must be both little and weake in quantitie as a sparke or twaine that cannot cause a flame but onely a smoake specially in a matter â—o easie to burne Here then is signified that the gifts and graces of Gods spirit that are both for measure and strength as a sparke or twaine of fire shall not be neglected but rather accepted and cherished by Christ. When our Sauiour Christ heard the young man make a confession of a practise but of outward and ciuill righteousnes he looked vpon him and loued him and when he heard the Scribe to speake discreetely but one good speach that to louâ— God with all his heart is aboue all sacrifices he said vnto him That he was not farre from the kingdome of heauen Therefore no doubt hee will loue with a more special loue and accept as the good subiects of his kingdome those that haue receiued a further mercie of God to be borne anew of water and of the spirit III. Conclusion A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to beleeue and to repent if it be in a touched heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation faith repentance it selfe The Exposition LVst or desire is twofold naturall and supernaturall Naturall is that whose beginning and obiect is in nature that is which ariseth of the naturall will of man and anecteth such things as are thought to be good according to the light of nature And this kind of desire hath his degrees yet so as they are all limited within the compasse of nature Some desire riches honours pleasures some learning and knowledge because it is the light and perfection of the minde some goe further and seeke after the vertues of iustice temperance liberalitie c. and thus many heathen men haue excelled Some againe desire true happinesse as Balaam did who wished to die the death of the righteous because it is the propertie of nature to seeke the preseruation of it selfe But here nature staies it selfe for where the minde reueales not the will affects not Supernaturall desires are such as both for their beginning and obiect are aboue nature for their beginning is from the holy Ghost and the obiect or matter about which they are conuersant are things diuine and spirituall which concerne the kingdome of heauen and of this kind are the desires of which I speake in this place Againe that we may not be deceiued in our desires but may the better discerne them from flittering fleeting motions I adde three restraints First of all the desire of reconciliation the desire to beleeue or the desire to repent c. must be constant and haue continuance otherwise it may iustly be suspected Secondly it must be earnest and serious though not alwaies yet at sometimes that we may be able to say with Dauid My soule desireth after thee O Lord as the thirstie laÌ„d And as the heart braieth after the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen the liuing god Thirdly it must be in a touched heart for when a man is touched in conscience the heart is cast down and as much as it can it withdrawes it selfe from God For this cause if then there be any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vnto God they are without doubt from the spirit of God Thus then I auouch that the desire of reconciliation with God in Christ is reconciliation it selfe the desire to beleeue is faith indeede and the desire to repent repentance it selfe But marke how A desire to be reconciled is not
reconciliation in nature for the desire is one thing and reconciliation is an other but in Gods acceptation for if we being touched throughly for our sinnes doe desire to haue them pardoned and to be at one with God God accepts vs as reconciled Againe desire to beleeue it is not faith in nature but onely in Gods acception God accepting the will for the deede That this doctrine is the will and word of God it appeares by these reasons First of all God hath annexed a promise of blessednes and of life euerlasting to the desire of grace Math. 5. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied Ioh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Reu. 21. I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Now what is this to thirst properly it is when we are in a drought or drinesse and want drinke to refresh vs to desire it And therefore by a resemblance they are saide to thirst after righteousnesse that want it and would haue it and they thirst after Christ that feele themselues out of Christ and desire yea long after the blood of Christ that they might bee refreshed with it in their consciences Here then we see that the desire of mercie in the want of mercie is the obtaining of mercie and the desire to beleeue in the want of faith is faith Though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace yet art thou not altogether void of grace if thou canst desire it thy desire is the seed conception or budde of that which thou wantest nowe is the spring time of the ingrafted worde or the immortall seede cast into the furrowes of thy heart waite but a while vsing good meanes and thou shalt see that leaues blossoms and fruites will shortly followe after Secondly the desire of any good thing is accepted of God as the liuely inuocation of his holy name Psal. 10. God heareth the desires of the poore Psal. 145. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him When Moses said nothing but onely desired in heart the helpe and protection of God at the red sea the Lord said vnto him why criest thou vnto me Exod. 14. And when wee knowe not to pray as wee oughtâ— Paul saith that the spirit maketh request by the inward groanes of the heart Rom. 8 26â— Hence I gather when a man in his weakenes praies with â—ighes and groanes for the gift of liuely faith the want whereof he finds in himselfe his very praier on this manner made is as truely in acceptation with God as the praier made in liuely faith Thirdly to the testimonie of Scripture I adde the testimonies of Godly and learned men not to prooue the doctrine in hand but to shewe a consent and to prooue thus much that the thing which I auouch is no priuat phantasie of any man Augustine saieth Let thy desire be before him and thy father which seeth in secret shall rewarde thee openly for thy deâ—ire is thy praier and if thy desire be continuall thy praier is continuall Hee addes further in the same place that the desire is a continuall voice and the crie of the heart and the inward inuocation of God which may bee made without intermission Againe The whole life of a good christian is an holy will and desire And that which thou desirest thou seest not but by desiring art as it were inlarged and made capable that when it shall come which thou shalt see thou maiest be filled Bernard saith What is not desire a voice Yea a very strong voice God heareth the desire of the poore and a continuall desire though we speake nothing is a voice continued Luther saith Christ is then truely omnipotent and then truely raignes in vs when we are so weak that we can scarce giue any groane For Paul saith that one such groane is a strong crie in the eares of God filling both heauen and earth Againe very fewe knowe howe weake and small faith and hope is vnder the crosse and in temptation For it appeares then to be as smoaking flaxe which a good blast of winde would presently put out but such as beleeue in these combates and terrours against hope vnder hope that is opposing themselues by faith in the promises of Christ against the feeling of sinne and the wrath of God doe finde afterward that this little sparke of faith as it appeares to reason which hardly perceiueth it is peraduenture as the whole element of fire which filleth all heauen and swalloweth vp all terrours and sinnes Again the more we finde our vnworthinesse and the lesse we finde the promises to belong vnto vs the more we must desire them beâ—ing assured that this desire doeth greatly please God who desireth and willeth that his grace should be earnesâ—ly desired This doeth faith which iudgeth it a pretious thing and therefore greatly hungereth and â—hirsâ—eth after it and so obtaines it For God is delighted to fill the hungrie with good things and to send the rich emptie away Theodore Beza saith If thou finde not thine heart inwardly touched pray that it may be touched for then must thou knowe that this desire is a pledge of the fathers good will to thee Kimnitius saith When I haue a good desire though it doe scarcely shewe it selfe in some little and slender sigh I must bee assured that the spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Vrsinus saith Faith in the most holy men in this life is vnperfect and weake Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer feeles in his heart an earnest desire to beleeue and a striuing against his naturall doubtings both can and mâ—st assure himselfe that he is indued with true faith Againe Wicked men doe not desire the grace of the holy spirit whereby they may resist sinne And therefore they are iustly depriued of it for hee that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it alreadie because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the spirit as it is saide Blessed are they that hunger thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Bradford saith Thy sinnes are vndoubtedly pardoned c. for god hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue for such an one is taken of him hee accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Taffine saith Our faith may be so small and weake as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be liuely felt of vs but if they which feele themselues in such estate desire to haue these feelings namely of Gods fauour and loue if thâ—y aske them at Gods hand by praier this desire and praier are testimonies that the spirit of God is in theÌ„ and that â—â—ey haue faith alreadie for is such a desire a fruite of the flesh or of the spirit It is of the
obseruing and watchfull power like the eye of a keeper reserued in man partly to reprooue partly to represse the vnbridled course of his affections Rom. 2.15 Which shewe the effect of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing That which the conscience hath receiued of Adam is the impurenes therof Titus 1.15 To them that are defiled aâ—â— vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled This impuritie hath three effects the first is to excuse sinne as if a man serue God outwardly he will excuse and cloake his inward impietie Mark 10.19,20 Thou knowest the commandements Thou shalt not c. Then he answered and said Master all these things haue I obserued from my youth Againe it excuseth intents not warranted in Gods word 1. Chron. 13.9 When they came to the threshing floore of Chidon Vzza put forth his hand to hold the Arke for the oxe did shake it The second is to accuse and terrifie for doing good This we may see in superstitious idolators who are grieued when they omit to performe counterfeit and idolatrous worship to their gods Colos. 2.21,22 Touch not tast not handle not which all perish with vsing and are after the commandements and doctrines of men Esay 29.13 And their feare toward me was taught them by the precepts of men The third is to accuse and terrifie for sinne Gen. 50. 15. When Iosephs brethren saw that their father was dead they said It may be that Ioseph will hate vs and will pay vs againe all the euill which we did vnto him Ioh. 8.9 And when they heard it beeing accused by their owne consciences they went out one by one 1. Ioh. 3. 20. If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart Though the conscience shal accuse a man truly yet that will not argue any holinesse in it which appeareth in that Adam in his innocency had a God yet no accusing conscience Impurenes increased in the conscience is first such a senseles numnesse as that it can hardly accuse a man of sinne Eph. 4.19 Who beeing past feeling haue giuen themselues to wantonnes to worke all vncleannes euen with greedines 1. Tim. 4.2 Hauing their consciences burned with an hot yron This senselesnes springeth from a custome in sinning 1. Sam. 25.37 Then in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal his wife told him those words and his heart died within him and he was like a stone II. Some grieuous horror terrour of the conscience Gen. 4.14 〈◊〉 hold thou hast cast me this day from the earth and from thy face shall I be hid And ver 13. My punishment iâ— greater then I can beare The Symptomes of this disease are blasphemies trembling of body fearefull dreames Act. 24.26 And 〈◊〉 hâ— disputed of righteousnes and temperance and the iudgement to come Felix trâ—mled c. Dan. 5.9 Then the kings coâ—ntenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against the other In the will the remnant of Gods image is a free choice First in euery naturall action belonging to each liuing creature as to nourish to engender to mooue to perceiue Secondly in euery humane action that is such as belong to all men and therefore man hath freewill in outward actions whether they concerne manners a familie or the common-wealth albeit both in the choice and refusall of them it be very weake Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the law by nature doe those things which are of the law The will receiued I. An impotencie whereby it cannot will or so much as lust after that which is indeede good that is which may please and be acceptable to God 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Rom. 5.6 Christ when wee were yet of no strength at his time died for the vngodly 2. Tim. 2.26 Phil. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure II. An inward rebellion wherby it vtterly abhorreth that which is good desiring and willing that alone which is euill By this it appeareth that the will is no agent but a meere patient in the first act of conuersion to God and that by it selfe it can neither begin that conuersion or any other inward and sound obedience due to Gods law That which the affections receiue is a disorder by which they therfore are not well affected because they eschew that which is good and pursue that which is euill Galat. 5.24 They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Rom. 1.26 Therfore God gaue them ouer to filthy lusts 1. King 22.8 The king of Israel said vnto Iehosophat yet is there one of whom thou maiest take counsell but him I hate c. and 21.4 therefore Achab came home to his house discontented and angrie for the word which Naboth spake vnto him and he laid himselfe on his bed turning away his face least he should eate meate That which the bodie hath receiued is I. fitnes to begin sinne This doth the bodie in transporting all obiects and occasions of sinne to the soule Gen. 3.6 The woman seeing that the tree was good for meate and pleasant to the eyes c. tooke of the fruit thereof and did eate II. A fitnesse to execute sinne so soone as the heart hath begun it Rom. 6. Neither giue your members as weapons of iniustice to sinne and vers 19. As you haue giuen your members as seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie c. CHAP. 13. Of actuall sinne A After original sin in Adams posteritie actuall transgression taketh place It is either inward or outward Inward is of the minde will affections The actuall sinne of the minde is the euill thought or intent thereof coÌ„trary to Gods law Examples of euill thoughts God the onely knower of the heart hath in diuers places set downe in his word I. That there is no God Psal. 10.4 The wicked is so proud that he seeketh not for God he thinketh alwaies there is no God Psal. 14. 1. The foole saith in his heart there is no God II. That there is neither prouidence nor presence of God in the world Psal. 10.11 He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will neuer see vers 13. Wherefore doth the wicked centemne God he saith in his heart thou wilt not regard III. It imagineth safegard to it selfe from all perils Psal. 10. 6. He saith in his heart I shall neuer be mooued nor be in daunger Revel 18.7 She saith in her heart I sit beeing a Queene and am no widowe and shall see no mourning IV. It esteemeth it selfe more excellent theÌ„ other Apoc. 18.7 I sit as
the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hence it is that Christ is saide to sanctifie himselfe as he is man Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifiâ— I my selfe Math. 23.17 As the altar the gift and the temple the gold Math. 23.17 Christ is the Priest as he is God and man Heb. 5.6 Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec 1. Tim. 2.5,6 One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men to be a testimonie in due time III. God the fathers acceptation of that his sacrifice in which he was wel pleased For had it beene that God had not allowed of it Christs suffering had beene in vaine Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Eph. 5.1 Euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God IV. Imputation of mans sinne to Christ whereby his Father accounted him as a transgressour hauing translated the burden of mans sinnes to his shoulders Esai 53. 4. He hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities c. and v. 12. He was counted with the transgressours and he bare the sinnes of many 2. Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him V. His wonderfull humiliation consisting of two parts I. In that he made himselfe of small or no reputation in respect of his Deitie Philip. 2.7,8 He made himselfe of no reputation c. he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse We may not thinke that this debasing of Christ came because his diuine nature was either wasted or weakened but because his Deitie did as it were lay aside and conceale his power and maiestie for a season And as Irenaeus saith The Word rested that the humane nature might be crucified and dead II. In that he became execrable which is by the law accursed for vs. Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that remaineth not in all things written in the booke of the Law to doe them This accursednesse is either inward or outward Inward is the sense of Gods fearefull anger vpon the crosse Revel 19. 15. He it is that treadeth the winepresse of the fiercenes and wrath of Almightie God Esai 53.5 He is grieued for our transgressions the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we were healed This appeared by those droppes of bloode which issued from him by his cryings to his Father vpon the crosse and by sending of Angels to comfort him Hence was it that he so much feared death which many Martyrs entertained most willingly His outward accursednes standeth in three degrees I. Death vpon the crosse which was not imaginarie but true because blood and water issued froÌ„ his heart For seeing that water and blood gushed forth together it is very like the casket or coate which inuesteth the heart called Pericardion was pierced As Columbus obserueth in his Anatomie 7. booke Ioh. 19â—4 His death was necessarie that he might confirme to vs the Testament or Couenant of grace promised for our sakes Heb. 19.15,16 For this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament that through death c. they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance for where a testament is there must be the death of him that made the testament c. ver 17. II. Buriall to ratifie the certentie of his death III. Descension into hell which we must not vnderstand that he went locally into the place of the damned but that for the time of his abode in the graue he was vnder the ignominious dominion of death Act. 2.24 Whome God hath raised vp and loosed the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it Ephes. 4.9 In that he ascended vvhat vvas it but that he also he descended first into the lowest part of the earth It was necessarie that Christ should be captiuated of death that he might abolish the sting that is the power thereof 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Thus we haue heard of Christs maruelous passion whereby he hath abolished both the first and second death due vnto vs for our sinnes the which as we may further obserue is a perfect ransom for the sinnes of all and euery one of the Elect. 1. Tim. 2.6 Who gaue himself a ransome for all men For it was more that Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God yea God himselfe for a small while should beare the curse of the Law then if the whole world should haue suffered eternall punishment This also is worthie our meditation that then a man is wel grounded in the doctrine of Christs passion when his heart ceaseth to sinne is pricked with the griefe of those sinnes whereby as with speares he pierced the side of the immaculate lambe of God 1. Ioh. 3.6 Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him Zach. 12.10 And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pierced and they shall lament for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne and be sorie for him as one is sorie for his first borne After Christs passion followeth the fulfilling of the Law by which he satisfied Gods iustice in fulfilling the whole Law Rom. 8. 3,4 God sent his owne Sonne that the righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled by vs. He fulfilled the Law partly by the holines of his humane nature and partly by obedience in the works of the Law Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Matth. 3. 15. It becommeth vs to fulsill all righteousnes c. Ioh. 17.19 Now succeedeth the second part of Christs priesthood namely intercession whereby Christ is an Aduocate and intreater of God the Father for the faithfull Rom. 8.34 Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Christs intercession is directed immediately to God the Father 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the iust Now as the Father is first of the Trinitie in order so if he be appeased the Sonne and the holy Ghost are appeased also For there is one and the same agreement and will of all the persons of the Trinitie Christ maketh intercession according to both natures First according to his humanitie partly by appearing before his Father in heauen partly by desiring the saluation of the Elect. Hebr. 9.24 Christ is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. and chap. 7. 25.
is expressed in the morall law The Morall Law is that part of Gods word which commandeth perfect obedience vnto man as well â—n his nature as in his actions and forbiddeth the contrarie Rom. 10.5 Moses thus describeth the righteousnes which is of the Law that the man which doth these things shall liue thereby 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained Luk. 16.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength Rom. 7. We know that the law is spirituall The Law hath two parts The Edict commanding obedience and the condition binding to obedience The condition is eternall life to such as fulfill the law but to transgressours euerlasting death The Decalogue or ten Commandements is an abridgement of the whole Law and the couenant of workes Exod. 34.27 And the Lord said vnto Moses Write thou these words for after the tenour of these words I haue made a covenant with thee and with Israel And was there with the Lord fourtie daies and fourtie nights and did neither eate bread nor drinke water and he wrote in the Tables the words of the covenant euen the tenne Commandements 1. King 8.9 Nothing was in the Arke saue the two Tables of stone which Moses had put there at Horeb where the Lord made a couenant with the children of Israel when he brought them out of the land of Egypt Matth. 22.40 On these two commandements hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets The true interpretation of the Decalogue must be according to these rules I. In the negatiue the affirmatiue must be vnderstood and in the affirmatiue the negatiue II. The negatiue bindeth at all times and to all times and the affirmatiue bindeth at all times but not to all times and therefore negatiues are of more force III. Vnder one vice expressely forbidden are comprehended all of that kind yea the least cause occasion or entisement thereto is as well forbidden as that 1. Ioh. 3.15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslayer Matth. 5.21 to the ende Euill thoughts are condemned as well as euill actions IV. The smallest sinnes are entituled with the same names that that sinne is which is expressely forbidden in that commandement to which they appertaine As in the former places hatred is named murther and to looke after a woman with a lusting eye is adulterie V. We must vnderstand euery commandement of the law so as that we annex this condition vnlesse God command the contrarie For God being an absolute Lord and so aboue the law may command that which his law forbiddeth so he commanded Isaac to be offered the Egyptians to be spoiled the brasen Serpent to be erected which was a figure of Christ c. The Decalogue is described in two Tables The summe of the first Table is that we loue God with our mind memorie affections and all our strength Matth. 22. 37. This is the first to wit in nature and order and great commandement namely in excellencie and dignitie CHAP. 20. Of the first commandement THe first table hath foure commandements The first teacheth vs to haue and choose the true God for our God The words are these I am Iehouah thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other God but me The Resolution I am If any man rather iudge that these words are a preface to al the commandements then a part of the first I hinder him not neuerthelesse it is like that they are a perswasion to the keeping of the first commandement that they are set before it to make way vnto it as being more hard to be receiued then the rest And this may appeare in that the three commandements next following haue their seuerall reasons Iehouah This word signifieth three things I. Him who of himselfe and in himselfe was from all eternitie Reuel 1.8 Who is who was and who is to come II. Him which giueth being to all things when they were not partly by creating partly by preseruing them III. Him which mightily causeth that those things which he hath promised should both be made and continued Exod. 6.1 Rom. 4. 17. Here beginneth the first reason of the first commandement taken from the name of God it is thus framed He that is Iehouah must alone be thy God But I am Iehouah Therefore I alone must be thy God This proposition is wanting the assumption is in these words I am Iehouah the conclusion is the commandement Thy God These are the words of the couenant of grace Ier. 32.33 wherby the Lord promiseth to his people remission of sinnes and eternall life Yea these words are as a second reason of the commandements drawne from the equalitie of that relation which is betweene God and his people If I be thy God thou againe must be my people and take me alone for thy God But I am thy God Therefore thou must be my people and take me alone for thy God The assumption or second part of this reason is confirmed by an argumeÌ„t taken from Gods effects when he deliuered his people out of Egypt as it were from the seruitude of a most tyrannous master This deliuerie was not appropriate onely to the Israelites but in some sort to the Church of God in all ages in that it was a typâ—â—f a more surpassing deliuerie from that fearefull kingdome of darkenes 1. Cor. 10.1,2 I would not haue you ignorant brethren that all our Fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the red sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea Coloss. 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Other Gods or strange gods They are so called not that they by nature are such or can be but because the corrupt and more then diuelish heart of carnall man esteemeth so of them Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their bellie 1. Cor. 4.4 Whose mindes the God of this world hath bewitched Before my face That is figuratiuely in my sight or presence to whom the secret imaginations of the heart are knowne and this is the third reason of the first commandement as if he should say If thou in my presence reiect me it is an heinous offence see therfore thou doe it not After the same manner reasoneth the Lord. Gen. 17.1 I am God almightie therefore walke vpright The affirmatiue part Make choice of Iehouah to be thy God The duties here commanded are these I. To acknowledge God that is to know and confesse him to bee such a God as he hath reuealed himselfe to be in his worde and creatures Col. 1.10 Increasing in the knowledge of God Ierem. 24. 7. And I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they
shall return vnto me with their whole heart In this knowledge of God must we glorie Ierem. 9.24 Let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnes in the earth II. An vnion with God whereby man is knit in heart with God Iosh. 23. 8. Sticke fast vnto the Lord your God as yee haue done vnto this day Act. 11.23 He exhorted all that with purpose of heart they would cleaue to the Lord. Man cleaueth vnto God three manner of waies in affiance in loue and feare of God Affiance is that whereby a man acknowledging the power and mercie of God and in him against all assaults whatsoeuer doth stedfastly rest himselfe 2. Chro. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shal prosper Psal. 27.1 God is my light and my saluation whome should I feare God is the strength of my life of whom should I be afraid v. 3. Though an hoast pitched against me mine heart should not be afraide though warre be raised against me I will be secure Hence riseth patience and alacritie in present perils Psal. 39.19 I should haue beene dumb and not opened my mouth because thou didst it 2. Sam. 16.10 the King said What haue I to doe with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah If he cursed because the Lord said Curse Dauid what is he that dare say Why doest thou so Gen. 45.5 Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruatiō v. 8. Now then you sent me not but god himselfe 2. King 6.16 Feare not for they that be with vs are moe thē they that be with thē This affiance engendreth hope which is a patient expectatiō of Gods presence assistance in all things that are to come Psal. 37.5 Cōmit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe vers 7. Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him Prou. 16.3 Commit thy worke vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed The loue of God is that wherby man acknowledging Gods goodnes and fauour towards him doth againe loue him aboue all things Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength The marks of the true loue of God are these I. To heare willingly his word II. To speake often to him III. To thinke often of him IV. To do his will without irkesomnes V. To giue bodie and all for his cause VI. To desire his presence aboue all to bewaile his absence VII To embrace al such things as appertaine to him VIII To loue and hate that which he loueth and hateth IX In all things to seeke to please him X. To draw others vnto the loue of him XI To esteeme highly of such gifts and graces as he bestoweth XII To stay our selues vpon his counsels reuealed in his word Lastly to call vpon his name with affiance The feare of God is that whereby man acknowledging Gods both mercy and iustice doth as it were a capital crime feare to displease God Psal. 103. 3. With thee is mercie that thou maist be feared Habak 3.16 When I heard it my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voice rottennes entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble when he commeth vp against the people to destroy them Psal. 4.4 Tremble and sinne not Hence ariseth the godly mans desire to approoue himselfe in all things to his God Gen. 5.22 And Henoch walked with God after that c. Gen. 17. 1. God said to him I am al-sufficient walke before me and be thou perfect Out of these three former vertues proceedeth humilitie whereby a man acknowledging Gods free bountie and prostrating himselfe before him doth ascribe vnto him all praise and glorie 1. Cor. 1.31 Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. 1. Pet. 5.5 Decke your selues inwardly with lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble v. 6. Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 1. Chro. 29. 10,11 And Dauid sayd Blessed be thou O Lord God of Israel our father for euer and thine O Lorde is greatnes and power and glorie and victorie and praise for all that is in heauen and in earth is thine c. and v. 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly on this sort for all things come of thee and of thine owne hand we haue giuen thee c. The negatiue part Account not that as God which is by nature no God In this place are these sinnes forbidden I. Ignorance of the true God and his will which is not only not to know but also to doubt of such things as God hath reuealed in his word Ierem. 4. 22. My people is foolish they haue not known me they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knoweledge Ierem. 9.3 They proceede from euill to worse and haue not knowne me saith the Lord. II. Atheisme when the heart denieth either God or his attributes as his Iustice Wisdome Prouidence Presence Psal. 14. 1. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Eph. 2. 12. Ye had no hope and were without God in the world Malach. 1.2 I loue you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein haue we spoken against thee v. 14. Ye haue said it is in vaine to serue God what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts III. Errours concerning God the persons of the Deitie or the attributs Heere is it to be reprooued Hellenisme which is the acknowledging adoring of a multiplicitie of Gods August in his 6. booke of the Citie of God chap. 7. Againe Iudaisme is here condemned which worshippeth one God without Christ. The like may be said of the heresies of the Maniches and Marcian who denie God the Father of Sabellius denying the distinction of three persons and Arrius who saith that Christ the Sonne of God is not very God IV. To withdraw and remooue the affections of the heart from the lord and set them vpon other things Esay 29.13 The Lord said this people draweth neere me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Ierem. 12.2 Thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reynes The heart is many waies withdrawne from God I. By distrust in God Heb. 10.38 The iust shall liue by faith but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him From this diffidence arise I. Impatience in suffering afflictions Ierem. 20. 14. Cursed be the day wherein I was borne and let not the
sinnes in his teeth which hee hath committed or an obiecting vnto him some inherent infirmities Matth. 5.22 Whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Raca shall be worthy to be punished by the councell â— And whosoeuer shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hel fire 2. Sam. 6.16 As the Arke of the Lord came into the citie of Dauid Michal Sauls daughter looked through a window and saw king Dauid leape and dance before the Lord and shee despised him in her heart 20. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meete Dauid and saide O how glorious was the King of Israel this day which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the maidens of his seruants as a foole vncouereth himselfe 3. Contentions when two or more striue in speech one with another for any kind of Superioritie 4. Brawlings in any conference 5. Crying which is an vnseemely eleuation of the voice against ones aduâ—rsarie Gal. 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest which are 20. emulations wrath contentions seditions Eph. 4. 31. Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all malitiousnes 32. Be courteous one to another Gen. 16. 11. He vz. Ismael shal be a wild man his hand shal be against euery man and euery mans hand against him 6. Complaints to euery one of such as offer vs iniuries Iam. 5.9 Grudge not one against another brethren least ye be condemned III. In countenance and gesture all such signes as euidently decipher the malitious affections lurking in the heart Gen. 4.5,6 His countenance fell down and the Lord said vnto Cain Why art thou so wrath Math. 27.39 They that passed by rayled on him nodding their heades Hence is it that derision is tearmed persecution Gen. 21. 9. Sarai saw the sonne of Hagar the Egyptian mocking c. Gal. 4.29 He that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit IV. In deedes 1. To fight with or to beat our neighbour and to maime his bodie Leuit. 24. 19 20. If any man cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hath done so shall it be done to him breach for breach eie for eie tooth for tooth 2. To procure any way the death of our neighbour whether it be by the sword famine or poison Gen. 4.8 Cain rose vp against his brother and slue him 3. To exercise tyrannous crueltie in inflicting punishments Deut. 25.3 Fourtie stripes shall he cause him to haue and not past least if he should exceede and beate him aboue that with many stripes thy brother should appeare despised in thy sight 2. Cor. 11. 24. Of the Iewes I receiued fiue times fourtie stripes saue one 4. To vse any of Gods creatures hardly Prouerb 12.10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell Deut. 22.6 If thou finde a birds nest in the way in any tree or on the ground whether they be young or egges and the damme sitting vpon the young or vpon the egges thou shalt not take the damme with the young but shalt in any wise let the damme goe and take the yong to thee that thou maist prosper and prolong thy daies 5. To take occasion by our neighbours infirmities to vse him discourteously and to make him our laughing stocke or tanting recreation Leuit. 19 .14 Thou shalt not curse the deafe nor put a stumbling blocke before the blinde 2. King 2. 23. Little children came out of the citie and mocked him and saide vnto him Come vp thou baldhead come vp thou baldhead 6. To iniurie the impotent feeble poore strangers fatherlesse or widowes Exod. 22.21,22 Thou shalt not doe iniurie to a straunger neither oppresse him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Yee shall not trouble any widow or fatherles childe 25. Thou shalt not be an vsurer vnto the poore We then iniurie these 1. If we pay not the labourer his hire Deut. 24.14 Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needie and poore neither of thy brethren nor of the straunger that is within thy gates 15. Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaineth his life least he crie against thee to the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee 2. If thou restore not the pledge of the poore Exod. 22.26,27 If thou take thy neighbors rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the sunne goe downe for that is his garment onely and his couering for his skin 3. If we withdraw corne from the poore Prou. 11.26 He that withdraweth the corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne Againe this law is as well transgressed by not killing when the law chargeth to kill and by pardoning the punishment due vnto murther as by killing when we should not Nomb. 35.16 If one smite another with an instrument of yron that he die he is a murtherer and the murtherer shall die the death 33. The land can not be clensed of the bloode that is shedde therein but by the bloode of him that shedde it By this place also are combates of two men hand to hand for deciding of controuersies vtterly vnlawfull 1. Because they are not equall meanes ordained of God to determine controuersies 2. In that it falleth out in such combates that he is conquerour before man who indeed is guiltie before God This also condemneth Popish Sanctuaries and places of priuiledge as Churches and the like wherein murtherers shelter and shroud themselues from the danger of the law For God expressely commandeth Exod. 21.14 that such an one shal be taken from his altar that he may die And Ioab 1. King 2.24 touching the hornes of the altar was slaine in the Temple Hitherto in like sort belong such things as concerne the soule of our neighbour 1. To be a scandale or offence to the soule of our neighbor either in life or doctrine Math. 18.7 Woe be to the world because of offences it is necessarie that offences should come but woe be to them by whome they doe come 2. To minister occasions of strife and discord The which we then doe 1. When we cannot be brought to remit somewhat of our owne right 2. When we returne snappish and crooked answers 3. When we interpret euery thing amisse and take them in the worst part 1. Sam. 25. 25. Nabal is his name and follie is with him 2. Sam. 10.3 And the Princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their Lord Thinkest thou that Dauid doth honour thy father that he hath sent comforters to thee hath not Dauid rather sent his seruants vnto thee to search the citie to spie it out and to ouerthrow it wherefore Hanun tooke Dauids seruants and shaued off the halfe of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle euen to their buttockes and sent them away 3. The
neither filthinesse nor foolish talking neither iesting which are things not comely 7. Vndecent and vnseemely pictures 1. Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all appearance of euill 8. Lasciuious dauncing of man and woman together Mark 6.22 The daughter of the same Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod c. 9. Companie with effeminate persons Prou. 7. 25. Let not thine heart decline to her waies wander thou not in her paths V. To appoint some light or sheet-punishment for adulterie such as that Romish Synagogue doth For this is nothing els but to open a gap for other lewd persons to runne headlong into the like impietie The affirmatiue part Thou shalt preserue the chastitie of thy neighbour Chastitie is the puritie of soule and bodie as much as belongeth to generation The minde is chaste when it is free or at the least freed from fleshly concupiscence The bodie is chaste when it putteth not in execution the concupiscences of the flesh 1. Thess. 4. â— This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication 4. That â—uery one of you should knowe how to possesse his vessell in holines and honour 5. And not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Cor. 7.34 The vnmarried womâ—n careth for the things of the Lord that shee may be holy both in bodie and spirit There are two especiall vertues which preserue chastitie Modestie and Sobrietie Modestie is a vertue which keepeth in each worke an holy decorum or comelines and it is seene I. in the countenance and eyes namely when they neither expresse nor excite the concupiscence of the heart Iob. 31.1 I made a couenant with mine eye why then should I thinke on a maid Gen. 24.64 Rebekah lift vp her eyes and when she saw Izhak she lighted downe from the camel 65. So she tooke a vaile and couered her face Prou. 1â— 13 Shee caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him c. II. In words when a mans talk is decent in speaking of such things we cannot but be ashamed of Gen. 4.1 Then Adam knew Heuah his wife who c. Psal. 51.1 A Psalme of Dauid when the Prophet Nathan came vnto him after he had gone into Bethsheba Esay 7.20 In that day shall the Lord shaue with a rasor that is hired euen by them beyond the riuer by the King of Ashur the head and the haire of the feete and it shall consume the beard Iudg. 3.24 When he was gone out his seruaÌ„ts came who seeing that the doores of the parlar were shut they said Surely he couereth his feete that is he doth his easement in his summer chamber Againe a mans talke must be little and submisse Matth. 12.19 Behold my seruant whome I haue chosen he shall not striue nor crie neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes Prou. 10.19 In many words there cannot want iniquitie but he that refraineth his lips is wise And it is a note of a strumpet to be a giglot and loud tongued Prou. 7.11 Shee is babling and loud In apparell we must obserue an holy comelinesse Tit. 2. â— The elder women must be of such behauiour as becommeth holinesse Holy comelinesse is that which expresseth to the eie the sinceritie that is the godlines temperance and grauitie either of man or woman This decencie wil more plainly appeare if we consider the endes of apparell which are in number fiue 1. Necessitie to the ende that our bodies may be defended against the extremity of parching heate and pinching colde 2. Honestie that that deformitie of our naked bodies might be couered which immediately followed the transgression of our first parents 3. Commoditie whereby men as their calling worke and trade of life is different so do they apparell themselues and hence it is that some apparell is more decent for certaine estates of men then other 4. Frugalitie when a mans attire is proportionable to his abilitie and calling 5. Distinction of persons as of sexe ages offices times and actions For a man hath his set attire a woman hers a young man apparelled on this fashion an olde man on that And therefore it is vnseemely for a man to put on a womans apparell or a woman the mans Deut. 22.5 The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth to the man neither shall a man put on womans raiment for all that doe so are an abomination to the Lord thy God To set downe precisely out of Gods word what apparrell is decent is very hard wherefore in this case the iudgement and practise of modest graue and sincere men in euery particular estate is most to be followed and men must rather keepe too much within the bounds of measure then to step one foot without the precincts Concerning the purging of excrements of nature care must be had that they bee cast foorth into some separate and close place and there also couered Deut. 23.12 Thou shalt haue a place without the host whither thou shalt resort 13. And thou shalt haue a paddle among thy weapons when thou wouldest sit downe without thou shalt digge therewith and returning thou shalt couer thine excrements 14. For the Lord thy God walketh in the middest of the camp to deliuer thee therefore thine host shall be holy that he see no filthy thing in thee turne away from thee 1. Sam. 24.4 And he came to the sheepe-coats by the way where there was a caue and Saul went in to couer his feete Sobrietie is a vertue which concerneth the vsage of our diet in holines For the better obseruation thereof these rules may serue I. The cheifest at the banket let him consecrate the meates to God by saying grace 1. Sam. 9.13 The people will not eate till he that is Samuel came because he wil blesse the sacrifice and then eate they that be bidden to the feast Mark 6.39 He commanded theÌ„ to make them all sit downe by companies vpon the grasse c. 41. And he tooke the fiue loaues and two fishes and looked vp to heauen and gaue thankes Act. 27.35 When he had thus said he that is Paul gaue thankes in the presence of them all when he had broken bread he began to eate II. It is lawefull to furnish a table with store of dishes not onely for necessity but also for the good entertainment of a friende and for delight Luk. 5. 29. Leui made him that is Iesus a great feast in his owne house where there was a great company of Publicans and of other that sate at tabe with him Psal. 104.15 He giueth wine that maketh glad the heart of man oyle to make the face shine bread that strengtheneth mans heart Ioh. 12.2 There they made him a supper and Martha serued but Lazarus was one of them that sate at table with him 3. Then tooke Marie a pound of oyntment of Spikenard very costly and annointed Iesus feete III.
Choose the lower roome at a banquet and rather then be troublesome sit as the master of the feast assigneth thee Luk. 14.7 He spake a parable to the guests when he marked howe they chose out the chiefe roomes and said 8. When thou shalt be bidden of any man to a wedding set not thy selfe downe in the chiefest place least a more honourable man then thou be bidden of him 9. And he that bade both him and thee come and say Giue this man roome 10. But goe and sit downe in the lowest roome that when he that bade thee commeth he may say vnto thee Friend sit vp higher Prou. 25.5 StaÌ„d not in the place of great meÌ„ c. IV. Man must eate at due times not at vnseasonable houres Eccl. 10.16 Woe be to thee O land wheÌ„ thy Princes eate in the morning 17. Blessed art thou O land when Princes eate in time V. Man must eate and drinke moderately so that the body may receiue strength thereby the soule be more fresh and liuely to performe the actions of godlines Luk. 21. 34. Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse Prou. 23.29 To whome is woe c. Euen to them that tarry long at wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine 3. Looke not thou vpon the wine when it is red and when it sheweth his colour in the cup and goeth downe pleasantly c. Prou. 25.16 If thou hast found hony eate that is sufficient for thee least thou be ouer full and vomit Prou. 31.4 It is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes strong drinke 5. Least he drinke and forget the decree and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction VI. We must then especially regard these things when we eate at great mens tables Prou. 23.1 When thou sittest to eate with a ruler consider diligently what is before thee 2. Put the knife to thy throate if thou be a man giuen to thine appetite 3. Be not desirous of his dainty meates for it is a deceiueable meate VII Godly mirth at meate is tollerable Act. 2.46 They did eate their meat togither with gladnes and singlenes of heart VIII Table talke according as occasion of talke is offered must be such as may edifie Such was Christs talke at the Pharises table Luk. 14. from thâ— 1. verse to the 16. verse IX See that after the banquet ended the broken meate be not lost but reserued Iohn 6.12 When they were satisfied he said vnto his Disciples Gather vp the broken meate which remaineth that nothing be lost X. At a feast leaue somwhat Ruth 2.14 Shee did eate and was sufficed and left thereof Chastitie is double one of single life another in wedlocke They that are single must I. with great care keepe their affections and bodies in holinesse Psal. 119. 9. Howe shall a young man purge his waies by directing the same after thy word 1. Ioh. 2. 13. I write vnto you fathers because ye haue knowne him that is from the beginning I write vnto you young men because ye haue ouercome that wicked one 14. I write vnto you babes because ye haue knowne the Father Eccl. 12.1 Remember thy creator in the daies of thy youth whiles the euill daies come not nor the yeares approch wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them II. They must fast often 1. Cor. 9.27 I beate downe my bodie and bring it into subiection least by any meanes after I haue preached to others I my selfe should be reprooued III. They must take heede they burne not in lust for 1. Cor. 7.9 It is better to marry then to burne Chastitie in wedlocke is when the holy and pure vse of wedlocke is obserued Heb. 13.4 Mariage is honourable among all the bed vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge To preserue puritie in wedlocke these cautions are profitable I. Contracts must be in the Lord and with the faithful onely Malac. 2.11 Iudah hath transgressed and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath defiled the holinesse of the Lord which he loued and hath maried the daughter of a strange god 1. Cor. 7.39 If her husband be dead shee is at libertie to marrie with whome shee will onely in the Lord. II. Both parties must separate themselues in the time of a womans disease and at appointed fasts Ezech. 18.6 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except it be with consent for a time that ye may giue your selues to fasting and praier and againe come together that Satan tempt you not for your incontinencie III. Wedlocke must be vsed rather to suppresse then to satisfie that corrupt coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh and especially to enlarge the Church of God Rom. 13.14 Put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take not care of the flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof IV. It must bee vsed with prayer and thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4.3,4 CHAP. 27. Of the eight Commandement THis coÌ„mandement concerneth the preseruatioÌ„ of our neighbours goods The wordes are these Thou shalt not steale The Resolution Steale To steale is properly to conuey any thing closely from another Gen. 31. â—0 Iaakob stole away the heart of Laban the Aramite In this place it signifieth generally to wish that which is another mans to get it by fraud and any way to impaire his wealth The negatiue part Thou shalt neither be wanting to preserue nor a meanes to hinder or hurt thy neighbours goods In this plâ—ce these sinnes are forbidden I. Inordinate liuing whether it be in no â—et calling or idely wherein by neglecting their duties such persons mispend their time goods and reuenues 2. Thes. 2.11 We heare that there are some among you which walke inordinately and worke not at all but are busie bodies Gen. 3.9 In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy bread till thou returne to the earth 1. Tim. 5.8 If there be any that prouideth not for his owne especially for them of his houshold he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidel II. Vniust dealing the which is either in heart or deede Vniust dealing in heart is named couetousnesse Matth. 15.19 Out of the heart come euill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts c. Couetousnesse is idolatrie Eph. 5.5 We knowe that no couetous person which is an idolatour shall enter into the kingdome of Christ and of God Yea it is the very roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6. 9. The loue of money is the roote of all euill which whilest some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes Vniust dealing indeede is in bargaining or out of bargaining Vniust dealing in bargaining hath many branches 1. Thes. 4.6 Let no man oppresse or deceiue his neighbour in a bargaine for God is the auenger of such things I. To sell or bargaine for that which is not saleable Of this kind I. Is the gift of the holy Ghost which cannot
last remedie as a desperate medecine is the last remedie the Physitian vseth We must assay all meanes possible before we vse this especially to a brother 1. Cor. 6.7 There is vtterly a fault among you because ye goe to law one with another why rather suffer ye not wrong why rather sustaine ye not harme III. In all suites of law we must be mindfull of the law of charitie and not so much indeauour to maintaine our owne right as to recall our brother which erreth into the right way CHAP. 28. Concerning the ninth Commandement THe ninth Commandement belongeth to the preseruation of our neighbours good name The words are these Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour The Resolution Thou shalt not beare That is answer when thou art asked before a Iudge Deutr. 19.17 Then both the men which striue together shall stand before the Lord euen before the Priests and the Iudges which shall be in those daies 18. And the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition and if the witnesse be found false and hath giuen false witnesse against his brother Witnesse By a figure signifieth euery word whereby the credit and estimation of our neighbour is either impaired or diminished The negatiue part Thou shalt not diminish or hurt the good name and estimation of thy neighbour Here is forbidden I. Enuie disdaine of others desire of a mans owne glorie 1. Tim. 6.4 He is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of words whereof commeth enuie strife railings 1. Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all maliciousnes and enuie and all guile and euill speaking Math. 21.15 But when the chiefe Priests and Scribes saw the marueiles that he did and the children crying in the Temple and saying Hosanna the sonne of Dauid they disdained II. Euill suspicions 1. Tim. 6.4 1. Sam. 17.28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake vnto the men and Eliab was angrie with Dauid and said Why camest thou downe hither and with whome hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse I know thy pride and the malice of thine heart Act. 28.4 Now when the Barbarians saw the worme hang on his hand they said among themselues This man surely is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the sea yet vengeance hath not suffered to liue Here are condemned hard censures and sinister iudgements against our neighbour Matth. 7. 1. Iudge not that yee be not iudged 2. For with what iudgement yee iudge ye shall be iudged and with what measure yee mete it shall be measured to you againe These iudgements which Christ forbiddeth are priuate and reprochfull or slaunderous iudgements namely when either a good or an indifferent action is interpreted to the worse part or when a light offence is made hainous through euill will without all desire either to amend or to couer the same Act. 2.13 And other mocked and saide They are full of new wine 14. But Peter standing with the eleuen lift vp his voice and said vnto them Ye men of Iudea and all ye that inhabite Ierusalem be this knowne vnto you and hearken vnto my words 15. For these are not drunken as ye suppose since it is but the third houre of the day 1. Sam. 1.13 For Hannah spake in her heart her lips did mooue onely but her voice was not heard therfore Eli thought she had beene drunken But we must know that there are three kinds of iudgements which are not forbidden by this commandement of Christ. The first is the ministerie of the Gospel which iudgeth reprooueth sinne The secōd is the iudgement of the Magistrate The third is the iudgement of a friend admonishing vs as when he saith Abstaine from the companie of such a man for I know him to be a drunkard c. III. A relation of the bare words onely and not of the sense and meaning of our neighbour Math. 26.59 Now the chiefe Priests and the Elders and all the whole Councell sought false witnes against Iesus to put him to death 60. But they found none and though many false witnesses came yet found they none but at the last came two false witnesses 61. And said This man saide I can destroy the Temple of God and build it in three daies Indeede Christ saide some such thing in wordes as appeareth Ioh. 2.19 Iesus answered and said vnto them Destroy this temple and in three daies I will raise it vp againe IV. A lie whereby euery falshood with purpose to deceiue is signified whether in wordes or in deedes or concealing the truth or any other way whatsoeuer be it for neuer so great a good to our neighbour V. To pronounce vniust sentence in iudgement to rest in one witnesse to accuse another wrongfully to bewray a mans cause by collusion 1. King 21.12 They proclaimed a fast and set Nabaoth among the chiefe of the people 13. And there came two wicked men and sate before him and the wicked men witnessed against Nabaoth in the presence of the people saying Nabaoth did blaspheme God and the King then they caried him away out of the citie and stoned him with stones that he died Deut. 17.6 At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthie of death die but at the mouth of one witnesse he shall not die VI. Openly to raise forged and hurtfull tales and reports of our neighbour or priuily to deuise the same Rom. 1.29 Whisperers 30. Backbiters haters of God proud boasters inuenters of euill things Leuit. 19.16 Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour I am the Lord. 1. Tim. 5.13 And likewise also beeing idle they learne to goe about from house to house yea they are not onely idle but also pratlers and busi-bodies speaking things which are not comely To spread abroad flying tales or to faine and adde any thing vnto them Prou. 26.20 Without wood the fire is quenched and without a talebearer strife ceaseth 21. As a coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife 22. The wordes of a talebearer are as flatterings and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly 2. Cor. 12.20 For I feare least when I come I shall not finde you such as I would and that I shall be found to you such as I would not and least there be strife enuying wrath contentions backbitings whisperings swellings and discord among you To receiue or beleeue those tales which we heare of others Exod. 23.1 Thou shalt not receiue a false tale neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse 1. Sam. 24.10 And Dauid said to Saul Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens wordes that say Behold Dauid seeketh euill against thee VII To accuse our neighbour for that which is certaine true through hatred and with intent to hurt him 1. Sam. 22.9 Then answered Doeg the Edomit◠who was appointed
to come these shew that he is come III. They were appropriate vnto the posteritie of Abraham but these are common to the whole Church culled out of the Iewes and Gentiles CHAP. 33. Of Baptisme THere are two Sacraments 1. Cor. 10. 1. I would not haue you ignorant that all our fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the sea 2. And were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea 3. And did all eate the same spirituall meate 4. And dranke all the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ. Tertull 4. booke contra Marcion August de Symbol ad Catechum 4. booke 6. chap. The first Sacrament is that whereby Christians are initiated and admitted into the Church of God and this is Baptisme The second Sacrament whereby the Church is preserued and nourished is the Lords Supper Baptisme is a Sacrament by which such as are within the couenant are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that beeing thus engraffed into Christ they may haue perpetuall fellowship with him Matth. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Matth. 16.16 He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be condemned 1. Cor. 1.13 Is Christ deuided was Paul crucified for you â—iâ—her were ye baptized into the name of Paul 14. I thanke God I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius 15. Least any should say I had baptized into mine owne name Within the couenant are all the seede of Abraham or the seede of the faithfull These are either of riper yeares or infants Those of riper yeares are all such as adioyning themselues to the visible Church doe both testifie their repentance of their sinnes and hold the foundations of religion taught in the same Church Matth. 3. 6. And they were baptized of him in Iorden confessing their sinnes Act. 8.36 As they went they came to a water then the Eunuch saide See here is water what hindreth me to be baptized 37. Then Philip said If thou beleeue with all thine heart thou maist he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God 38. And they went downe into the water both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him Exod. 12.48 If a stranger dwell with thee and will observe the Passeouer of the Lord let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him and then let him come and obserue it and then he shall be as one that is borne in the land for none vncircumcised person shall eate thereof Infants within the Couenant are such as haue one at the least of their parents faithfull 1. Cor. 7.14 The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Rom. 11.16 If the first fruits be holy so is the whole lumpe and if the roote be holy so are the branches Gen. 17.7 I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be God vnto thee and thy seede after thee 13. He that is borne in thine house and he that is bought with money must needes be circumcised so my couenant shall be in your flesh for an euerlasting couenant Act. 16.31 They said Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole houshold Quest. How are the children of faithfull parents in the couenant Answer Holy parents are two waies to be considered First as they were the sonnes of the first Adam and so are as yet partly carnall In this estate they in like sort doe beget their sonnes the children of wrath For the father begetteth a sonne not as he is a good man but simply as a man and therefore beeing impure he must needes beget that which is impure Secondly we must consider the parents as they are the sonnes of God engraffed into the second Adam In this estate though they cannot deriue faith vnto their posteritie for the sonnes of God are not made such by naturall generation but by the adoption of God the Father yet may they beleeue both for themselues and others according to the tenour of the couenant of grace as Adam did sinne both for himselfe and others and as parents in bargaines doe couenant both for themselues and their heires after them Hence it is that Paul saith that the parents are like vnto the first fruits which doe sanctifie the whole lumpe So then the faith of the parents maketh those their sonnes to be accounted in the couenant which by reason of their age doe not yet actually beleeue To be baptized into the name of the Father c. after the receit of the outward signe of washing is to be made one of Gods familie which is his church and to be partaker of the priuiledges thereof Gen. 48.16 The Angel which hath deliuered me from all euill blesse the children and let my name be named vpon them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Izhak that they may grow as fish into multitude in the middest of the earth Esai 4. 1. In that day shall seuen women take hold of one man saying We will eate our owne bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let vs be called by thy name and take away our reproch By this it is manifest that in this washing of Baptisme there is sealed and propounded a marueilous solemne couenant and contract first of God with the baptized in that God the Father vouchsafed to receiue him into fauour the Sonne to redeeme him the holy Ghost to purifie and regenerate him secondly of the baptized with God who promiseth to acknowledge inuocate and worship none other God but the true Iehouah which is the Father Sonne and holy Ghost The externall and visible matter of baptisme is water for the minister may not baptize with any other liquor but onely with naturall water This was the iudgement of the Primitiue Church For when as a certaine minister for want of water tooke sande and baptized one with that the partie thus besanded was further baptized the former beeing esteemed of none effect Niceph. histor 3. booke 33. chapter The externall forme of baptisme is the ministers washing of the baptized according to the prescript rule of Gods word Rom. 10. 4. The ancient custome of baptizing was to dippe and as it were to diue all the bodie of the baptized in the water as may appeare in Paul Rom. 6. and the Councels of Laodicea and Neocaesarea but now especially in cold countries the Church vseth onely to sprinkle the baptized by reason of childrens weaknesse for very few of ripe yeares are now a daies baptized We need not much to marueile at this alteration seeing charitie and necessitie may dispense with ceremonies and mitigate in equitie the sharpnes of them
This is performed when as any one by the instinct of the holy Ghost doth purpose will desire and endeauour to relinquish his former sinnes and to become a new man Psal. 119.112 I haue applied my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway euen vnto the ende 1. Ioh. 3.3 Act. 11.23 Who when he was come and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted all that with purpose of heart they would cleane vnto the Lord. The fruit of Repentance is a Christian conuersation wherein are brought forth fruits worthie amendment of life Matth. 3.8 Bring yee therefore forth fruits worthie of repentance A Christian conuersation is such a course of life whereby we following Christs example doe by him performe new obedience to God Math. 11.29 Take my yoke on you and learne of me that am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules 1. Pet. 4.1 For as much as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that he which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne 1. Pet. 2.21 For hereunto are ye called for Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an ensample that we should follow his steps 1. Pet. 3.10 11. If any man long after life and to see good daies let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lippes that they speake no guile Let him eschew euill and doe good let him seeke peace and follow after it There are two parts of new obedience the deniall of our selues and the profession of Christ. Math. 16.24 If any man will follow me let him forsake himselfe take vp his crosse and follow me The deniall of our selues consisteth partly in Christian warrefare partly in the patient bearing of affliction CHAP. 40. Of Christian warfare CHristian warfare is concerning the right way of fighting in the spirituall battell The partes thereof are the preparation to battell and the combate it selfe To the preparation we must vse the complet armour of God Eph. 6.13 For this cause take vnto you the whole armour of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast The parts hereof are especially sixe I. Trueth II. Iustice. III. Euangelicall obedience IV. Faith V. The word of God VI. Continuall and feruent prayer with watching Eph. 6.14 Stand therefore and your loynes girded about with veritie and hauing on the brestplate of righteousnesse 15. And your feete shodd with the preparation of the Gospell of peace 16. Aboue all take the sheild of faith wherwith ye may quench all the fierie dartes of the wicked 17. And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God 18. And praie alwaies with all manner praier and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints 1. Pet. 5.8 Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the deuill as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whome hee may deuoure The combate is a mutuall conflict of them that fight spiritually The warriours are the tempter and the Christian souldier Ephes. 6.12 For we werestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers and against the wordly gouernours the princes of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places The Tempter is the prince or his helpers The prince is Satan and his angels which are spirituall wickednesses in high things His helpers are the flesh and the world The conflict of all these is temptation whereby man is prouoked to cōmit such wickednes as is hurtfull to the saluation of his soule 1. Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule In the Souldier two things are to be considered his resisting and his fall Resistance is an action whereby the souldier doth withstand temptation through grace working inwardly in him 1. Ioh. 2.14 I write vnto you babes because ye haue knowne the father I haue written to you fathers because ye haue known him that is from the beginning I haue written to you yong men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye haue ouercome the wicked 1. Pet. 5.8 Eph. 6.16 Psal. 91.13 Thou shalt walke vpon the lyon and aspe the young lyon and the dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete To confirme this these preseruatiues which follow are very necessarie I. When thou art tempted to sinne doe not onely abstaine from it but earnestly loue and followe after the contrarie Ioh. 8.44 II. Neuer yeeld or consent to Satans wordes whether he speake the truth accuse falsely or flatter dissemblingly Ioh. 8.44 Yee are of your father the deuil and the lusts of your father ye will doe he hath beene a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie then speaketh he of his owne for he is a lier and the father thereof Mark 1.24 And cried with a loud voice and said What haue I to do with thee Iesus the sonne of the most high God And Iesus said Hold thy peace and come out of him Act. 16.17 Shee followed Paul and vs and cried saying These men are the seruants of the most high God which shewe vnto vs the waie of saluation c. August Serm. 241. III. One temptation is to be looked for after another and then especially when our enemie after he hath set his snares is at rest for the deuill neuer maketh an ende of his malice 1. Pet. 5.8 The fall is whereby the souldier through infirmitie fainteth being subdued by the power of the enemie Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted To this appertaineth the spirituall remedie A remedie is a thing hauing aptnesse to restore him which is fallen to his former estate Gal. 6.1 And here two things must alwaies be thought on I. If there be a willing mind euery one is accepted for that grace which he hath not for that which he hath not 2. Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a mā hath not according to that he hath not II. In all these things whosoeuer will lead a godly life in Christ the power of God is to be made perfect through their infirmitie 2. Cor. 12.9 And hee said vnto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weakenesse very gladly therefore will I reioice rather in mine infirmities that the power of God may dwell in me 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in anguish for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I strong CHAP. 41. Of the first Assault ASsaults are threefold The first is about the
Christian mans effectuall calling The temptation is the enterprise of the diuell to blindfold mans minde and to harden his heart least the word of GOD should worke in him to saluation Matth. 13.4 And as he sowed some fell by the waie side and the fowles came and deuoured thē vp 5. And some fell vpon stonie ground where they had not much earth and anon they sprang vp because they had no depth of earth 6. And when the Sunne rose vp they wer parched and for lacke of rooting withered awaie 7. And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprung vp and choked them 19. Whensoeuer a man heareth the word of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not the euill one commeth and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart and this is he which hath receiued the seede by the way side A resistance in those that are called is wrought by the spirit of God that causeth men to lend their eares to heare and doth ingraffe the word in their hearts that the immortall seede of regeneration may spring in them Psal. 40.6 Ioh. 6.44 Act. 16.14 Iam. 1. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receiue with meeknes the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules 1. Pet. 1.22 Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the spirit to loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure heart feruently 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of god sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of god A resistance in those that are to be called is when in a sincere heart they doe ioyne the word which they haue heard with faith Luk. 8.15 But that which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Heb. 4.2 Here are certaine preseruatiues to be noted I. Premeditation of the power and vse of the word Eccles. 4.17 Take heede to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of the Lord and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they knowe not that they doe euill Chap. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before god for God is in the heauen and thou art on the earth therefore let thy wordes be few II. Diligent attention of the minde Act. 16.14 III. An hungring desire of the heart Ioh. 7.37 Nowe in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke IV. Integritie of life Psal. 26.6 V. The casting away of euil affectiōs Iam. 1.22 And be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules VI. The inward consent and agreement of the heart with the word preached Act. 2.37 VII An hiding of the word in the heart least we should sinne Psal. 119.11 I haue hid thy word in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee VIII A trēbling at the presence of God in the assemblie of the Church Esay 66.2 For all these things hath mine hand made and all these things haue been saith the Lord and to him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Act. 10.33 Then sent I for thee immediatly and thou hast well done to come nowe therefore are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God The fall is either a coldnesse in receiuing the word and a neglect thereof or else a falling into errours The remedie for this is subiection which must be made to the iudgement and censure of the brethren and ministers Reuelat. 3.15 I knowe thy works that thou art neither cold nor hote I would thou werest cold or hote Gal. 6.2.1 Tim. 1.20 Of whome is Hymeneus and Alexander whome I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme CHAP. 42. Of the second Assault THe second assault is concerning faith The temptation is an illusion which the diuell casteth into the hearts of godly men as when he saith Thou art not of the number of the elect thou art not iustified thou hast no faith thou must certenly be condemned for thy sinnes Mat. 4.3 Then came to him the tempter and said If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread Helpes which the deuil abuseth for the strengthening of such illusions are these I. Aduersitie as dangers losses persecutions iealousie grieuous offences c. Psal. 73.12 Loe these are the wicked yet prosper they alway and increase in riches 13. Certainely I haue clensed mine heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocency Iob. 13.23 How many are mine iniquities sinnes shew me my rebelliō and my sinne 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie 25. Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble II. The remembrance of sins past Iob. 13.26 For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth III. A feeling of death euen alreadie at hand The resistance is made by a true faith applying Christ with all his merits particularly after this manner I assuredly beleeue that I shall not be condemned but that I am elected and iustified in Christ and am out of all doubt that all my sinnes are pardoned Esai 53.11 Hee shall see the trauaile of his soule and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shal beare their iniquities Rom. 8.38 For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The preseruatiue is in temptation not to behold faith but the obiect of faith which is Christ. Philip. 3.12 Not as though I had alreadie attained vnto it either were already perfect but I follow if that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus 13. One thing I doe I forget that which is behinde indeauour my selfe to that which is before 14. And follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Ioh. 3.14 And as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lift vp that he that beleeueth in him c. The falling is doubtfulnes and distrust of our election and of Gods mercie Psal. 77.6 I called to remembrance my song in the night I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently 7. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour 8. Is his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore So Dauid
noise like to that of charriot wheeles suddenly passe away and the elements with the earth and all therein shall be dissolued with fire 2. Pet. 3. 12. Lâ—â—king for and hâ—â—sting vnto the comming of the day of God by which the heauens beeing 〈◊〉 shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt with heate 13. 〈…〉 new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein d 〈…〉 ousness At the same time when as all these things shall come to passe 〈◊〉 sound of the last trumpet shall be heard sounded by the Archangâ—â—â— And Christ shall come suddenly in the cloudes with power and glorie and a great traine of Angels III. Now at the sound of the trumpet the Elect which were dead shal arise with their bodies and those very bodies which were turned to dust and one part rent from another shall by the omnipotent power of God be restored and the soules of them shall descend from heauen and be brought againe into those bodies As for them which then shall be aliue they shall be changed in the twinckling of an eye and this mutation shall be in stead of death And at that time the bodies shall receiue their full redemption and all the bodies of the Elect shall be made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus and therefore shall be spirituall immortall glorious and free from all infirmitie IV. Last of all when they are all conuented before the tribunall seate of Christ he will forthwith place the Elect seuered from the reprobate and taken vp into the aire at his right hand and to them being written in the booke of life will he pronounce this sentence Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world Matth. 25.33 He shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left 1. Thess. 4. 17. Reu. 20. 12. whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire CHAP. 50. Of the estate of the Elect after iudgement THe last iudgement beeing once finished the Elect shall enioy immediatly blessednes in the kingdome of heauen Blessednes is that whereby God himselfe is all in all his Elect. 1. Cor. 15. 28. When all things shall be subdued to him then shall the Sonne also himselfe be subiect vnto him that did subdue all things vnder him that God may be all in all And it is the reward of good workes not because workes can merit but by reason of Gods fauour who thus accepteth workes and that in respect of the merit of Christs righteousnes imputed to the Elect. Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death but eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Reu. 22. 12. Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to giue euery man according as his worke shall be Blessednesse hath two parts Eternall life and perfect glorie Eternall life is that fellowship with God whereby God himselfe is thorough the Lambe Christ life vnto the Elect. For in the kingdome of heauen the Elect shall not neede meat drinke sleepe aire heat cold phisicke apparell or the light of the Sunne and moone b but in place of all these shall they haue in them Gods spirit by which immediatly they shall be quickned for euer Perfect glorie is that wonderfull excellencie of the Elect wherby they shal be in a farre better estate then any heart can wish This glorie consisteth in three points I. In that they shall still behold the face of God which is his glory and maiestie Reuel 22.4 And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their forheads Psal. 17.15 I will behold thy face in righteousnes and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine anger II. In that they shall be most like to Christ namely iust holy incorruptible glorious honorable excellent beautifull strong mightie and nimble 1. Ioh. 3.2 Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we knowe that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all things to himselfe III. They shall inherit the kingdome of heauen yea the newe heauens and newe earth shal be their inheritance 1. Pet. 1.4 God hath begotten you to an inheritance immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you Mat. 25.34 Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father possesse a kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid Reu. 5.10 Thou hast made vs vnto our God kings and priests and we shall raigne on the earth Reuel 21.7 Hee that ouercommeth shall inherite all things and I will be his God he shall be my sonne The fruit that commeth from both these parts of blessednes is of two sorts Eternall ioy and the perfect seruice of God Psal. 16.11 Thou wilt shewe me the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore Psal. 36.8 They shall be satisfied with the fatnes of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures 9. For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light The parts of Gods seruice are Praise and Thanksgiuing Reuel 21.3 And I heard a great voice out of heauen saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be their God with them Chap. 5.12 Saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and praise c. 13. Chap. 11.17 The foure and twentie Elders which sate before God on their seates fell vpon their faces and worshipped God saying Wee giue thee thanks Lord God Almightie which art and Which wa st and Which art to come for thou hast receiued thy great might and hast obtained thy kingdome The manner of performing this seruice is to worship God by God himselfe immediately In heauen there shall neither be temple ceremonie nor Sacrament but all these wants shal God himselfe supply togither with the LaÌ„be that is Christ. Reuel 21.22 I sawe no temple therein for the Lord God Almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it This seruice shall be daily and without intermission Reuel 7.15 They are in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his temple A Corollarie or the last conclusion THus God in sauing the Elect doeth clearely set forth his iustice and mercy His iustice in that he punished the sinnes of the elect in his Sonnes owne person His
Adam 1. Cor. 15.45 The conclusion If we should graunt this doctrine to be true then must we needes allow of these absurdities in diuinitie which follow I. That God would haue all and each singular man to be saued and withall he would haue some ordained to hatred and perdition or That in regard of God all men are elected and redeemed but in regard of the euent many perish II. The guilt of Adams sinne must not be imputed to any one of his posteritie because that God hauing mercie of all generally in Christ did take into the couenant of reconciliatioÌ„ all mankind Now if but the guiltines of Adams fall be taken away the punishment forthwith ceaseth to be a punishment and corruption it selfe is by little and little abolished in all men CHAP. 55. Of the state and condition of the Reprobates when they are dead THe death of the Reprobate is a separation of the bodie and the soule of the bodie that for a time it may lie dead in the earth of the soule that it may feele the torments of hell euen vntill the time of the last iudgement at which time the whole man shall be cast into the most terrible and feareful fire of hell 1. Pet. 3.19 By the which he also went and preached vnto the spirits that are in prison Luk. 8. 2. Pet. 2.4 For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknes to be kept vnto damnation c. The reprobate when they die doe become without sense and astonished like vnto a stone or els they are ouerwhelmed with a terrible horrour of conscience and despairing of their saluation as it were with a gulfe of the sea ouer turning them 1. Sam. 25.37 Then in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal his wife told him those wordes and his heart died within him and he was like a stone 38. And about ten daies after the Lord smote Nabal that he died Mat. 27.5 And when he had cast downe the siluer pieces in the temple he departed and went and hanged himselfe CHAP. 56. Of the condemnation of the Reprobates at the last iudgement IN the last iudgement at the sound of the trumpet the liuing beeing striken with horrour and feare shall be changed in a moment the dead shall rise againe to condemnation both the liuing and the dead shall then haue immortall bodies but without glorie and they standing vpon the earth at the left hand of Christ the Iudge shall heare the sentence of condemnation Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels Ioh. 5.29 And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Matth. 25. 41. 1. Thess. 4. 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout and with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. Then shall we which liue and remaine be caught vp with theÌ„ also in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shal we be euer with the lord CHAP. 57. Of the estate of the Reprobates in hell AFter that the sentence of condemnaâ—â—on is pronounced then followeth euerlasting death whereof this is the estate I. The Reprobates are separated from the presence and glorie of God II. They are punished with eternall confusion most bitter reproches because all their secret wickednesses and sinnes are reuealed 2. Thess. 1.9 Which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God 1. Ioh. 2.28 And now little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we may be bold and not be ashamed before him at his comming III. They haue fellowship with the diuell and his angels Math. 25.41 IV. They are wholly in bodie and soule tormented with an incredible horrour and exceeding great anguish through the sense and feeling of Gods wrath powred out vpon them for euer Esai 66. 24. And they shall goe forth and looke vpon the carkases of men that haue transgressed against me for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring vnto all flesh Hereupon is the punishment of those that are condemned called Hell fire a worme weeping and gnashing of teeth vtter darknesse c. Rev. 21.8 But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Math. 13.42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire therâ— shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Esai 66. 24. A Corollarie ANd this is the full execution of Gods decree of reprobation whereby appeareth the great iustice of God in punishing sinne from whence also commeth Gods glorie which he propoundeth to himselfe as the last chiefest end in all these things Therefore let euery Christian propound the same end vnto himselfe Rom. 9.14 What shall we say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God God forbid 15. For he said to Moses I will haue mercie on him to whome I will shew mercie and will haue compassion on him on whome I will haue compassion 16. So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie 17. For the Scriptures saith vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God CHAP. 58. Of the application of Predestination THe right applying of Predestination to the persons of men is very necessarie and it hath two parts The first is the iudgement of particular predestination and the second is the vse of it The iudgement and discerning of a mans owne predestination is to be performed by meanes of these rules which follow I. The Elect alone and all they that are elect not onely may be but also in Gods good time are sure of election in Christ to eternall life 1. Corinth 2.12 2. Cor. 13.5 II. They haue not this knowledge from the first causes of Election but rather from the last effects thereof and they are especially two The testimonie of Gods spirit and the workes of Sanctification 2. Pet. 1. 10. Romans 8.16 III. If any doubt of this testimonie it will appeare vnto them whether it come from the Spirit of God or their owne carnall presumption First by a full perswasion which they shall haue for the holy Ghost will not barely say it but perswadeth such that thay are the children of God the which the flesh can not in any
wise doe Secondly by the manner of perswasion for the holy Ghost draweth not reasons â—rom the workes or worthinesse of man but from Gods fauour and loue and this kinde of perswasion is far different from that which Satan vseth Thirdly by the effects of that testimonie For if the perswasion arise from presumption it is a dead perswasion but contrarily it is most liuely and stirring if it come from the holy Ghost For such as are perswaded that they are elected and adopted children of GOD they will loue god they wil trust in him and they will call vpon him with their whole heart IV. If the testimonie of Gods spirit be not so powerfull in the elect then may they iudge of their election by that other effect of the holy ghost namely Sanctification like as we vse to iudge by heate that there is fire when wee cannot see the flame it selfe V. And of all the effects of sanctification these are most notable I. To feele our wants and in the bitternes of heart to bewaile the offence of GOD in euery sinne II. To striue against the flesh that is to resist and to hate the vngodly motions thereof and with griefe to think them burthenous troublesome III. To desire earnestly and vehemently the grace of God and merite of Christ to obtaine eternall life IV. When it is obtained to account it a most pretious iewel Phil. 3.8 V. To loue the minister of Gods word in that he is a minister and a Christian in that he is a Christian and for that cause if neede require to be readie to spende our blood with them Mat. 10.42 1. Ioh. 3.16 VI. To call vpon God earnestly and with teares VII To desire and loue Christs comming and the day of iudgement that an ende may bee made of the daies of sinne VIII To flie all occasions of sinne and seriously to endeauour to come to newnesse of life IX To perseuere in these things to the last gaspe of life Luther hath a good sentence for this purpose Hee that will serue God must saith he beleeue that which cannot bee seene hope for that which is deferred and loue God when he sheweth himselfe an enemie and thus remaine to the ende VI. Nowe if so be all the effects of the spirit are very feeble in the godly they must know this that God trieth them yet so as they must not therewith be dismaied because it is most sure that if they haue faith but as much as a graine of mustard seede and bee as weake as a young infant is it is sufficient to ingraffe theÌ„ into Christ therefore they must not doubt of their election because they see their faith feeble and the effects of the holy Ghost faint within them VII Neither must hee that as yet hath not felt in his heart any of these effects presently conclude that hee is a Reprobate but let him rather vse the word of God and the Sacraments that hee may haue an inward sense of the power of Christ drawing him vnto him and an assurance of his redemption by Christs death and passion VIII No man may peremptorily set downe that himselfe or any other is a reprobate For God doth oftentimes preferre those which did seeme to be most of all estranged from his fauour to be in his kingdome aboue those who in mans iudgement were the children of the kingdome Hence is it that Christ saith The Publicanes and harlots goe before you and many an one is called at the eleuenth houre as appeareth by that notable example of the thiefe vpon the crosse The vses which may be made of this doctrine of predestination are very many First for our instruction we are taught these things I. That there is neither any iustification by workes nor any works of ours that are meritorious For election is by the free grace of God and therefore in like sort is iustification For as I saide before the cause of the cause is the cause of the thing caused And for this reason in the worke of saluation grace doth wholly challenge al to it selfe Rom. 11.5 At this time there is a remnant through the election of grace 2. Tim. 1.9 Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you iâ— is giuen for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake Rom. 3.24 Wee are iustified freely by grace Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Ezech. 36. 27. I will cause you to walke in my statutes Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternall life II. That Astrologie teaching by the casting of Natiuities what men will be is ridiculous and impious because it determineth that such shall be very like in life and conuersation whom God in his predestination hath made vnlike Iacob and Esau borne of the same parents and almost in the same moment of time for Iacob held Esau by the heele as he was borne were of most vnlike dispositions and had diuers euents The like may we see in all twinnes and others which are borne at the same time III. That God is most wise omnipotent iust and mercifull O the wonderfull riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! howe vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding on t Eph. 1.5 Who hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Secondly beeing the seruants of Christ we are admonished I. To fight against all doubting and diffidence of our saluation because it neither depeÌ„deth vpon workes nor faith but vpon Gods decree which is immutable Math. 24.24 Luk. 10.20 Reioice that your names are written in the booke of life Rom. 8.33 Who shall any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne 2. Tim. 2.19 This teacheth that the anker of hope must be fixed in the trueth and stabilitie of the immutable good pleasure of God so that albeit our faith bee so tossed as that it is in danger of shipwracke neuerthelesse it must neuer sinke to the bottome but euen in the middest of danger take hold vpon repentance as on a board so recouer it selfe II. To humble our soules vnder the mightie hand of God for wee are as clay in the hand of the potter Rom. 9.21 They through infidelitie are broken off but thou standest through faith Be not high minded but feare III. To giue all glorie to God 2. Thess. 2.13 We ought to giue thankes alwaie to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation IV. To beare crosses patiently Rom. 8.29 Those which he knewe before he hath also preâ—estinate to be made like to the image of his sonne This likenesse
to Christ is in bearing afflictions Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions to be made conformable to his death V. To doe good workes Eph. 2. 10. Wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to doe good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Thus much concerning Theologie AN EXCELLENT TREATISE of comforting such as are troubled about their Predestination Taken out of the second answer of M. Beza to D. Andreas in the act of their Colloquie at Mompelgart c. VNlesse saith D. Andreas regeneratioÌ„ be alwaies vnited to baptisme and remaineth in such as are baptized howe should the troubled consciences of those be eased and coÌ„forted who because they feele not in themselues any good motions of gods holy spirit finde none other refuge but the Word and Sacraments especially the Sacrament of Baptisme Now this remedie would be of small force except it be opposed against those imaginations which the diuell casteth into a troubled heart yea except it taught such that God is greater then our heart who in Baptisme hath not onely offered vs the adoption of sonnes but hath indeede bestowed the same vpon vs as it is said by Christ Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued And by Paul Ye which are baptized haue put on Christ. Dauid beeing armed with the like comfort from his circumcision feared not to ioyne battell with that great giant Goliah and if this were not so it must needs followe that Baptisme were nothing els but an idle ceremonie and also the persons of the Trinitie would be thought lyars Wherefore those afflicted men when Satan assaulteth them must resist him with these wordes Depart from me Satan thou hast neither part nor portion in the inheritance of my soule because I am baptized in the Name of the holy Trinitie and so am truely made the sonne of God by adoption And are these the strong weapons which so many times and in so many wordes haue beene obiected against me by D. Andreas and whereby he hath gotten the victorie But because this his reason is somewhat intricate I will explaine it after this sort First for the place of Scripture which he alleadgeth namely that God is greater then our hearts It is so farre from comforting an afflicted conscience that it will rather driue him to deâ—paire Neither doth Iohn 1. epist. 3.20 make mention of it to ease such as are in despaire shewing vnto them by that sentence the greatnes of Gods mercies but rather that he might therby euen bruise in peeces the hearts of proude persons when they consider the greatnesse of Gods maiestie And for the other place when as a man doubteth of his saluation and feeleth no testimonies of faith in himselfe for such an one wee here speake of what comfort thinke you can hee haue in these wordes Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued For hee would rather reason contrarily thus I indeede am baptized yet for al that I beleeue not and therefore my Baptisme is not auaileable I must needes be condemned For the saying of August in his treatise vpon Ioh. 6. is verie true who speaking of Simon Magus saith What good did it to him to be baptized bragge not therefore saith he that thou art baptized as though that were sufficient for thee to inherit the kingdome of heauen As for the place of Paul Gal. 3. I shewed plainely before how D. Andreas did violently wrest it to his purpose Neither are his reasons taken from the absurditie that would follow of more force then the former albeit he maketh them especiall pillars to vnderproppe the truth of his cause For I pray you is God of lesse truth because his truth is neglected and derided of them that contemne it Is the ceremonie of Baptisme therefore in vaine because some refuse the grace offered in Baptisme others if we may beleeue D. Andreas reiect that grace when they haue receiued it What Is not the Gospel therfore the power of God to saluation because it is to such as beleeue not the sauour of death to eternall death May not the Supper of the Lord be a pledge of Gods couenant because so may abuse these holy signes or as D. Andreas is of opinion the very bodie and blood of our Sauiour Christ And that I may reason from that which is true in the experience of euery childe can the Sunne be saide to be without light because they which are blinde and asleepe haue no benefit by the light thereof neither such as shut their eyes so close that they will not enioy the comfort of the light But amongst all this one is most childish that Dâ— Andreas will make this his principall argument namely that in vaine did men thus tempted flie at all vnto Baptisme vnlesse we conclude with him that all such as are baptized are in Baptisme adopted the sonnes of God For first if this were a good consequent from baptisme it were in vaine for such an afflicted conscience to gather vnto himselfe a testimonie from the word of God and the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper vnlesse we make all those to be in like sort regenerate and adopted vnto whome the word of God is preached and the Lords supper administred either of which for D. Andreas to affirme is a bold vntruth But to omit this what if we graunt this which D. Andreas requireth concerning Baptisme may not for all that any that is so tempted by Satans pollicie refell this great comforter by his owne argument after this sort I will grant D. Andreas your question suppose I haue beene baptized and adopted the sonne of God yet seeing you teach that the grace of God is not so sure but that I may fal froÌ„ the same as indeed I feele that I haue grieuously fallen what doe you now els but lift me vp with one hand to heauen and with the other cast me downe into hell What meane you therefore to teach me those things which are so farre from easing me as that contrarily they doe more and more lay out vnto me mine abominable and vngratefull heart See now what sure consolation consciences grieuously afflicted may reape by this doctrine of their comforter D. Andreas Now if any be desirous to know what spirituall comfort is most meete to be ministred vnto consciences so troubled I will shew them that which is grounded vpon a sure foundation and which I my selfe haue often found to be true in mine owne experience the which also I purpose to handle more largely for the benefit of the Christian reader First therefore we teach contrarily to that which D. Andreas doth most falsly obiect against vs that the eternall decree or as Paul speaketh the purpose of God must not be sought in the bottomlesse counsel of God but rather in the manifestation of it namely in his vocation by the Word and Sacraments This I speake of such as are
Creede beeing a summary collection of things to bee beleeued was gathered briefly out of the word of God for the helping of memory and vnderstanding of men I adde that this Creede is concerning God and the Church For in these two points consisteth the whole summe thereof Lastly I say that it is gathered forth of the scripture to make a difference between it and and other writings and to shew the authoritie of it which I will further declare on this manner There bee two kinde of writings in which the doctrine of the Church is handled and they are either diuine or Ecclesiasticall Diuine are the bookes of the olde and newe Testament penned either by Prophets or Apostles And these are not onely the pure word of God but also the scripture of God because not onely the matter of them but the whole disposition thereof with the style and the phrase was set downe by the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost And the authoritie of these bookes is diuine that is absolute and soueraigne and they are of sufficient credit in and by themselues needing not the testimonie of any creature not subiect to the censure either of men or Angels binding the consciences of all men at all times and beeing the only foundation of faith and the rule and canon of all trueth Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinarie writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures These may be called the word or trueth of God so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man and therefore they are in such sort the word of God as that also they are the word of men And their authoritie in defining of trueth and falshood in matters of religion is not soueraigne but subordinate to the former and it doth not stand in the authoritie and pleasures of men councels but in the consent which they haue with the scriptures Ecclesiasticall writings are either generall particular or proper Generall are the Creedes and confessions of the Church dispersed ouer the whole worlde and among the rest the Creede of the Apostles made either by the Apostles themselues or by their hearers and disciples apostolicall men deliuered to the Church and conueied from hand to hand to our times Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches Proper writings are the bookes and confessions of priuate men Nowe betweene these we must make difference For the Generall Creede of the Apostles other vniuersall Creeds in this case not excepted though it be of lesse authoritie then scripture yet hath it more authoritie then the particular priuate writings of Churches and men For it hath beene receiued and approoued by vniuersall consent of the Catholike Church in all ages and so were neuer these in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authoritie of the whole Catholike Church and if either the order of the doctrine or the wordes whereby it is expressed should vpon some occasion be changed a particular Church of any country can not do it without Catholike consent of the whole Churche yet particular writings and confessions made by some speciall Churches may be altered in the words in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholike Church Lastly it is receiued as a rule of faith among all Churches to trie doctrines interpretations of scriptures by not because it is a rule of it selfe for that the scripture is alone but because it borroweth his authoritie froÌ„ scripture with which it agreeth And this honour no other writings of men can haue Here some may demand the number of Creedes Ans. I say but one Creede as there is but one faith and if it be alleadged that wee haue many Creedes as besides this of the Apostles the Nicene Creede and Athanasius Creed c. I answer the seuerall Creedes and confessions of Churches containe not seueral faiths and religions but one and the same and this called the Apostles creede is most ancient and principall all the rest are not newe Creedes in substance but in some points penned more largely for the exposition of it that men might better auoid the heresies of their times Further it may be demanded in what forme this Creede was penned Ans. In the forme of an answere to a question The reason is this In the Primitiue Church when any man was turned from Gentilisme to the faith of Christ and was to be baptised this question was asked him What beleeuest thouâ— then he answered according to the forme of the Creede I beleeue in God c. And this maner of questioning was vsed euen from the time of the Apostles When the Eunuch was conuerted by Philip he said What doth let me to be baptised Philip said If thou doest beleeue with all thine heart thou maist Then he answered I beleede that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God By this it appeares that although all men for the most part amongst vs can say this Creede yet not one of a thousand can tell the ancient and first vse of it for commonly at this day of the simpler sort it is saide for a prayer beeing indeede no prayer and when it is vsed so men make it no better then a charme Before we come to handle the particular points of the Creede it is very requiâ—ite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature properties and kindes of faith the confession and ground whereof is set forth in the Creede Faith therefore is a gift of God whereby we giue assent or credence to Gods word For there is a necessarie relation betweene faith and Gods word The common propertie of faith is noted by the author of the Hebrewes when he saith Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the demonstration of things that are not seene For all this may be vnderstood not onely of iustifying faith but also of temporarie faith and the faith of miracles Where faith is said to be a ground the meaning is that though there are many things promised by God which men doe not presently enioy but onely hope for because as yet they are not yet faith doth after a sort giue subsisting or beeing vnto them Secondly it is an euidence or demonstration c. that is by beleeuing a man doth make a thing as it were visible beeing otherwise inuisible and absent Faith is of two sorts either common faith or the faith of the Elect as Paul saith he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect which also is called faith without hypocrisie The common faith is that which both elect and reprobate haue and it is threefold The first is historicall faith which is when a man doth beleeue the outward letter and historie of the word It hath two parts knowledge of Gods word and an
assent vnto the same knowledge and it is to be found in the deuill and his angels So Saint Iames saith the deuills beleeue and tremble Some will say what a faith haue they Ans. Such as thereby they vnderstand both the Law and the Gospell besides they giue assent to it to be true and they doe more yet in that they tremble and feare And many a man hath not so much For amongst vs there is many a one which hath no knowledge of God at all more thâ—n he hath learned by the common talke of the world as namely that there is a God and that he is mercifull c. and yet this man will say that he beleeueth with all his heart but without knowledge it can not be that any should truly beleeue and therefore he deceiuâ—th himselfe Quest. But whence haue the deuils historical faith were they illuminated by the light of the spirit Ans. No but when the Gospell was preached they did acknowledge it and beleeued it to be true and that by the vertue of the reliques of Gods image which remained in them since their fall And therefore this their faith doth not arise from any speciall illumination by his spirit but they attaine to it euen by the very light of nature which was left in them from the beginning The second kinde of faith is Temporarie faith so called because it lasteth but for a time and season and commonly not to the ende of a mans life This kinde of faith is noted vnto vs in the parable of the seede that fell in the stonie ground And there be two differences or kindes of this faith The first kinde of temporarie faith hath in it three degrees The first is to knowe the Word of God and particularly the Gospell The second to giue an assent vnto it The third to professe it but to goe no further and all this may be done without any loue to the word This faith hath one degree more then historicall faith Examples of it we haue in Simon Magus Acts 8.13 who is saide to beleeue because he held the doctrine of the Apostle to be true and withall professed the same and in the deuils also who in some sort confessed that Christ was the sonne of the most highest and yet looked for no saluation by him Mark 5.7 Act. 19.15 And this is the common faith that abounds in this land Men say they beleeue as the Prince beleeueth and if religion change they will change For by reason of the authoritie of princes lawes they are made to learne some litle knowledge of the word they beleeue it to be good and they professe it thus for the space of thirtie or fourtie yeares men heare the word preached and receiue the sacraments beeing for all this as voide of grace as euer they were at the first day and the reason is because they doe barely professe it without either liking or loue of the same The second kinde of temporarie faith hath in it fiue degrees For by it first a man knowes the word SecoÌ„dly he assenteth vnto it Thirdly he professeth it Forthly he reioiceth inwardly in it Fiftly he bringeth forth some kind of fruit and yet for all this hath no more in him but a faith that will faile in the ende because he wanteth the effectuall application of the promise of the Gospel and is without all manner of sound conuersion This faith is like corne in the house top which groweth for a while but when heate of sommer commeth it withereth And this is also set forth vnto vs in the parable of the seede which fell in a stonie ground which is hastie in springing vp but because of the stones which will not suffer it to take deepe roote it withereth And this is a very common faith in the Church of God by which many reioyce in the preaching of the word and for a time bring forth some fruits accordingly with shewe of great forwardnesse yet afterward shake off religion and all But some will say how can this be a temporarie faith seeing it hath such fruits Ans. Such a kind of faith is temporarie because it is grounded on temporarie causes which are three I. A desire to get knowledge of some straunge points of religion For many a man doth labour for the fiue former degrees of temporarie faith onely because he desires to get more knowledge in Scripture then other men haue The second cause is a desire of praise among men which is of that force that it will make a man put on a shewe of all the graces which God bestoweth vpon his owne children though otherwise he want them and to goe very farre in religion which appeareth thus Some there are which seeme very bitterly to weepe for the sinnes of other men and yet haue neither sorrow nor touch of conscience for their owne and the cause hereof is nothing else but pride For he that sheddes teares for an other mans sinnes should much more weepe for his owne if he had grace Againe a man for his owne sinnes will pray very slackly and dully when he prayeth priuately and yet when he is in the companie of others he praies very feruently and earnestly From whence is this difference surely often it springeth from the pride of heart and from a desire and praise among men The third cause of temporarie faith is profit commoditie the getting of wealth and riches which are common occasions to mooue to choose or refuse religion as the time serueth but such kinde of beleeuers embrace not the Gospell because it is the Gospell that is the gladde tydings of saluation but because it brings wealth peace and libertie with it And these are the three causes of temporarie faith The third kinde of faith is the faith of Miracles when a man grounding himselfe on some speciall promise or reuelation from God doth beleeue that some straunge and extraordinarie thing which he hath desired or foretold shall come to passe by the worke of God This must be distinguished from historicall and temporarie faith For Simon Magus hauing both these kinds of faith wanted this faith of miracles and therefore would haue bought the same of the Apostles for money Yet we must know that this faith of miracles may be in hypocrites as it was in Iudas and at the last iudgement it shall be found to haue bin in the wicked and reprobate which shall say to Christ Lord in thy name we haue prophesied and cast out deuills and done many great miracles And thus much for the three sorts of common faith Now we come to the true faith which is called the Faith of the Elect. It is thus defined Faith is a supernaturall gift of God in the minde apprehending the sauing promise with all the promises that depend on it First I say it is a gift of God Philip. 1.29 to confute the blinde opinion of our people that thinke that the faith whereby they are to be saued is
bredde and borne with them I adde that this is a gift supernaturall not onely because it is aboue that corrupt nature in which we are borne but also because it is aboue that pure nature in which our first parents were created For in the state of innocencie they wanted this faith neither had they then any neede of faith in the same God as he is Messias but this faith is a new grace of God added to regeneration after the fall and first prescribed and taught in the couenant of grace And by this one thing faith differeth from the rest of the gifts of God as the feare of God the loue of God the loue of our brethrē c. for these were in mans nature before the fall and after it when it pleaseth God to call vs they are but renewed but iustifying faith admits no renuing For the first ingrafting of it into the heart in the conuersion of a sinner after his fall The place and seate of faith as I thinke is the minde of man not the will for it stands in a kind of particular knowledge or perswasion and there is no perswasion but in the minde Paul saith indeede that we beleeue with the heart Rom. 10. but by the heart he vnderstands the soule without limitation to any part Some doe place faith in the minde and partly in the will because it hath two parts knowledge and affiance but it seemes not greatly to stand with reason that one particular and single grace should be seated in diuerse parts or faculties of the soules The forme of faith is to apprehend the promise Gal. 3. 14. that we might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith and Ioh. 1.12 to receiue Christ and to beleeue are put one for another and to beleeue is to eate and drinke the bodie and blood of Christ. To apprehend properly is an action of the hand of man which laies hold of a thing and pulls it to himselfe and by resemblāce it agrees to faith which is the hand of the soule receiuing and applying the sauing promise This apprehension of faith is not performed by any affection of the will but by a certen and particular perswasion whereby a man is resolued that the promise of saluation belongs vnto him Which perswasion is wrought in the minde by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 2.12 And by this the promise which is generall is applied particularly to one subiect By this one action sauing faith differeth from all other kindes of faith From historicall for it wanteth all apprehension and standeth onely in a generall assent From temporarie faith which though it make a man to professe the Gospell and to reioyce in the same yet doth it not throughly applie Christ with his benefits For it neuer brings with it any thorough touch of conscience or liuely sense of Gods grace in the heart And the same may be said of the rest The principall and maine obiect of this faith is the sauing promise God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeues in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life But some will say Christ is commonly said to be the obiect of faith Ans. In effect it is all one to say the sauing promise and Christ promised who is the substance of the couenant Christ then as he is set forth vnto vs in the word Sacraments is the obiect of faith And here certaine questions offer themselues to be skanned The first What is that particular thing which faith apprehendeth Answ. Faith apprehendeth whole Christ God and man For his godhead without his manhoode and his manhoode without his godhead doth not reconcile vs to God Yet this which I say must be conceiued with some distinction according to the difference of his two natures His godhead is apprehended not in respect of his essence or nature but in respect of his efficacie manifested in the manhood whereby the obedience thereof is made meritorious before God as for his manhoode it is apprehended both in respect of the substance or thing it selfe and also in respect of the efficacie and benefits thereof The second In what order faith apprehends Christ Answ. First of all it apprehendes the very bodie and bloode of Christ and then in the second place the vertue and benefits of his bodie and blood as a man that would feele in his bodie the vertue of meate and drinke must first of all receiue the substance thereof To goe forward Besides this mayne promise which concernes righteousnesse and life euerlasting in Christ there be other particular promises touching strength in temptations comfort in afflictions and such like which depend on the former and they also are the obiect of iustifying faith and with the very same faith we beleeue them wherewith we beleeue our saluation Thus Abraham by the same faith wherewith he was iustified beleeued that he should haue a sonne in his olde age Rom. 4.19,22 And Noe by that faith whereby he was made heyre of righteousnes beleeued that he and his familie should be preserued in the floode this conclusion beeing alwaies laide downe that To whome God giues Christ to them also he giues all things needefull for this life or the life to come in and by Christ. And hereupon it comes to passe that in our prayers besides the desire of things promised we must bring faith whereby we must be certenly perswaded that God will graunt vs such things as he hath promised and this faith is not a newe kind or distinct faith from iustifying faith Thus we see plainly what sauing faith is Whereas some are of opinion that faith is an affiance or confidence that seemes to be otherwise for it is a fruit of faith and indeede no man can put any confidence in God till he be first of all perswaded of Gods mercie in Christ towards him Some againe are of minde that loue is the very nature and forme of faith but it is otherwise For as confidence in God so also loue is an effect which proceedeth from faith 1. Tim. 1.5 The ende of the law is loue from a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained And in nature they differ greatly Christ is the fountaine of the waters of life Faith in the heart is as the pipes and leads that receiue in and hold the water and loue in some part is as the cocke of the conduit that lets out the water to euery commer The propertie of the hand is to hold and of it selfe it can not cut yet by a knife or other instrument put into the hand it cuts the hand of the soule is faith and his propertie is to apprehend Christ with all his benefits and by it selfe it can doe nothing else yet ioyne loue vnto it and by loue it will be effectuall in all good duties Now to proceede further first we are to consider how faith is wrought secondly what be the differences of it For the first faith is
wrought in and by the outward ministerie of the Gospell accompanied by the inward operation of the spirit and that not suddenly but by certaine steps and degrees as nature frameth the bodie of the infant in the mothers wombe 1. by making the brain and heart 2. by making veines sinewes arteries bones 3. by adding flesh to them all And the whole operation of the spirit stands in two principall actions First the enlightening of the minde the second the moouing of the will For the first the holy Ghost inlightens mens minds with a further knowledge of the law then nature can affoard and thereby makes them to see the sinnes of their hearts and liues with the ouglines thereof and withall to tremble at the curse of the law Afterward the same spirit opens the eye to vnderstand and consider seriously of righteousnes and life eternall promised in Christ. This done then comes the second worke of the holy ghost which is the inflaming of the will that a man hauing considered his fearefull estate by reason of sinne and the benefits of Christs death might hunger after Christ and haue a desire not so much to haue the punishments of sinne taken away as Gods displeasure and also might enioy the benefits of Christ. And when he hath stirred vp a mā to desire recōciliation with god in Christ then withall he giues him grace to pray not onely for life eternall but especially for the free remission and pardon of all his sinnes and then the Lords promise is Knocke and it shall be opened seeke and ye shall finde After which he further sendes his spirit into the same heart that desireth reconciliation with God and remission of sinnes in Christ and doth seale vp the same in his heart by a liuely and plentifull assurance thereof The differences degrees of faith are two I. a weake faith II. a strong faith Concerning the first this weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God namely an vnfained desire not onely of saluation for that the wicked and graceles man may haue but of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of faith in euery touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect and they which haue this haue in them also the ground and substance of true sauing faith which afterwardes in time will grow vp to greater strength Reasons I. Promise of life euerlasting is made to the desire of reconciliation Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore Psal. 143. 6. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie lande Psal. 145. 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Reuelat. 21.6 I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely II. The hungering desire after grace is a sanctified affection where one affection is sanctified all are sanctified where all are sanctified the whole man is sanctified and he that is sanctified is iustified and beleeues III. God accepts the will and desire to repent and beleeue for repenting and beleeuing indeed wherefore this desire of reconciliation if it be soundly wrought in the heart is in acceptation with God as true faith indeede But carnall men will say If faith yea true faith shew it selfe by a desire of reconciliatiō with God in Christ for all our sinnes then we are well ynough though we liue in our sinnes for we haue very good desires I answer That there be many sundrie fleeting motions and desires to doe good things which grow to no issue or head but in time vanish as they come Nowe such passions haue no soundnesse in them and must be distinguished from the desire of reconciliation with God that comes from a bruised heart◠and brings alwaies with it reformation of life therefore such whatsoeuer they are that liue after the course of this world and thinke notwithstanding that they haue desires that are good deceiue themselues Now faith is saide to be weake when a man either failes in the knowledge of the Gospell or else hauing knowledge is weake in grace to applie vnto himselfe the sweet promises thereof As for example we know that the Apostles had all true sauing faith except Iudas and when our Sauiour Christ asked them whome they thought that he was Peter in the person of the rest answered for them all and said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for which our Sauiour commended him and in him them all saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke that is vpon Christ which Peter confessed in the name of them all will I build my Church And yet about that time we shall finde in the Gospell that they are called men of little faith Now they failed in knowledge of the death of Christ and of his passion and resurrection and were caried away with a vaine hope of an earthly kingdome And therefore when our Sauiour shewed them of his going downe to Ierusalem and of his sufferings there Peter a little after his notable confession beganne to rebuke Christ and said Master haue pitie on thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee And vntill he had appeared to them after his death they did not distinctly beleeue his resurrection Again weake faith though it be ioyned with knowledge yet it may faile in the applying or in the apprehension appropriating of Christs benefits to a mans owne selfe This is to be seene in ordinarie experience For many a man there is of humble and contrite heart that serueth God in spirit and truth yet is not able to say without great doubtings and wauerings I know and am fully assured that my sinnes are pardoned Now shall we say that all such are without faith God forbid Nay we may resolue our selues that the true child of God may haue a hungering desire in his heart after reconciliation with God in Christ for all his sinnes with care to keepe a good conscience and yet be weake sometime in the apprehension of Gods mercie and the assurance of the remission of his owne sinnes But if faith faile either in the true knowledge or in the apprehension of Gods mercies how can a man be saued by it Ans. We must know that this weake faith will as truly apprehend Gods mercifull promises for the pardon of sinne as strong faith though not so soundly Euen as a man with a palsie hand can stretch it out as well to receiue a gift at the hand of a king as he that is more sound though it be not so firmely and steadfastly And Christ saith that he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe The Church of Rome beares men in hand that they are good Catholicks if they beleeue as the Church beleeues though in the meane season they can not tell what the Church beleeues And some Papists commend this faith by the example of an old deuout father
who beeing tempted of the deuill and asked how he beleeued answered that he beleeued as the Church beleeued beeing againe asked how the Church beleeued he answered as I beleeue whereupon the deuill as they say was faine to depart Well this fond and ridiculous kind of faith we renounce as being a meanes to nuzle men in blindnes superstition and perpetuall ignorance yet withall we doe not denie but that there is an implicite or infolded faith which is when a man as yet hauing but some little portion of knowledge in the doctrine of the Gospel doth truly performe obedience according to the measure thereof and withall hath care to get more knowledge and shewes good affection to all good meanes whereby it may be increased In this respect a certaine ruler who by a miracle wrought vpon his child was mooued to acknowledge Christ for the Messias and further to submit himselfe to his doctrine is commended for a beleeuer and so are in the like case the Samaritanes And thus much of weake faith which must be vnderstood to be in a man not all the daies of his life but while he is a yong babe in Christ. For as it is in the state of the bodie first we are babes and grow to greater strength as we grow in yeres so it is with a christian man First he is a babe in Christ hauing weake faith but after growes from grace to grace till he come to haue a stroÌ„g faith example wherâ—of we haue in Abraham who was strong and perfect both in knowledge and apprehension This strong faith is when a man is indued with the knowledge of the Gospell and grace to apprehend and apply the righteousnes of Christ vnto himselfe for the remission of his owne sinnes so as he can say distinctly of himselfe and truely that he is fully resolued in his owne conscience that he is reconciled vnto God in Christ for all his sinnes and accepted in him to life euerlasting This degree of faith is proper to him that beginnes to be a tall man and of ripe yeares in Christ. And it commeth not at the first calling of a man vnto grace And if any shall thinke that he can haue it at the first he deceiueth himself For as it is in nature first we are babes then as we increase in yeares so we growe in strength so it is in the life of a Christian first ordinarily he hath a weake faith and after growes from grace to grace till he come to stronger faith and at the last he be able to say he is fully assured in his heart and conscience of the pardon of his sinnes of reconciliation to God in Christ. And this assurance ariseth from many experiences of Gods fauour and loue in the course of his life by manifold preseruations and other blessings which beeing deepely and duly considered bring a man to be fully perswaded that God is his God and God the father his father and Iesus Christ his redeemer and the holy Ghost his sanctifier Now howesoeuer this faith be strong yet is it alwaies imperfect as also our knoweledge is and shall so long as wee liue in this worlde be mingled with contrarie vnbeleefe and sundry doubtings more or lesse A great part of men amongest vs blinded with grosse ignorance say they haue faith and yet indeede haue not For aske them what faith they haue they will answere they beleeue that God is their father and the Sonne their redeemer c. aske them how long they haue had this faith they will answer euer since they could remember aske them whether they euer doubt of Gods fauour they will say they would not once doubt for all the world But the case of these men is to bee pitied for howesoeuer they may perswade themselues yet true it is that they haue no sound faith at all for euen strong faith is assaulted with temptations and doubtings and God will not haue men perfect in this life that they may alwaies goe out of themselues and depend wholly on the merite of Christ. And thus much of these two degrees of faith Nowe in whome soeuer it is whether it be a weake faith or a strong it bringeth forth some fruit as a tree doth in the time of sommer And a speciall fruite of faith is this confession of faith I beleeue in God c. so Paul saith With the heart a man may beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Confession of faith is when a man in speech and outwarde profession doth make manifest his faith for these two causes I. That with his mouth outwardly he may glorifie God and doe him seruice both in body and soule II. That by the confession of his faith he may seuer himselfe from all false Christians from Atheists hypocrites and all false seducers whatsoeuer And as this is the dutie of a Christian man to make profession of his faith so here in this Creede of the Apostles wee haue the right order and forme of making confession set downe as we shall see in handling the parts thereof The Creede therefore setts downe two thinges concerning faith namely the action of faith and his obiect which also are the parts of the Creed The action in these wordes I beleeue the obiect in all the wordes following in God the Father Almightie maker c. And first let vs beginne with the action I beleeue in God Wee are taught to saie I beleeue not vvee beleeue for two causes First because as wee touched before in the Primitiue Church this Creede was made to bee an aunswere to a demaunde or question which was demaunded of euery particular man that was baptized for they asked him thus What doest thou beleeue then he aunswered I beleeue in God the Father c. And thus did euerie one of yeares make profession of his faith and it is likely that Peter alluded hereunto saying the stipulation or aunswere of a good conscience maketh request to God The second cause is howesoeuer we are to pray one for another by sayingâ— O our Father c. yet when we come to yeares we must haue a particular faith of our own no man can be saued by another mans faith but by his owne as it is said The iust shall liue by his faith But some will say this is not true because children must be saued by their parents faith the aunswere is this the faith of the parent doth bring the child to haue a title or interest to the Couenant of grace and to all the benefits of Christ yet doth it not applie the benefits of Christs death his obedience his merits and righteousnesse vnto the infant for this the beleeuer doth onely vnto himselfe and to no other Againe some may say if children doe not apprehend Christs benefits by their parents faith howe then is Christs righteousnesse made theirs and they saued Answer By the inwarde working of the holy Ghost who is the principal applier
of all graces whereas faith is but the instrument As for the places of scripture that mention iustification and saluation by faith they are to be restrained to men of yeares whereas infants dying in their infancie and therefore wanting actuall faith which none can haue without actuall knowledge of Gods will and worde are no doubt saued by some other speciall working of Gods holy spirit not knowne to vs. Furthermore to beleeue signifieth two things to conceiue or vnderstand any thing and withall to giue assent vnto it to be true and therefore in this place to beleeue signifieth to knowe and acknowledge that all the points of religion which followe are the trueth of God Here therefore wee must remember that this clause I beleeue placed in the beginning of the Creede must bee particularly applied to all and euerie article following For so the case standes that if faith faile in one maine point it faileth a man in all and therefore faith is saide to bee wholly copulatiue It is not sufficient to holde one article but hee that will holde any of them for his good must holde them all and hee which holdes them all in shewe of wordes if hee ouerturne but one of them indeede hee ouerturnes them all Againe to beleeue is one thing and to beleeue in this or that is another thing and it containeth in it three points or actions of a beleeuer I. To knowe a thing II. To acknowledge the same III. To put trust and confidence in it And in this order must these three actions of faith be applyed to euery article following which concerneth any of the persons in Trinitie And this must bee marked as a matter of speciall moment For alwaies by adding them to the wordes following we do apply the article vnto our selues in a very comfortable manner As I beleeue in the father and doe beleeue that hee is my father and therefore I put my whole trust in him and so of the rest Nowe wee come to the obiect of generall faith which is either God or the Church in handling of both which I will obserue this order I. I will speake of the meaning of euery article II. Of the duties which we ought to learne thereby III. And lastly of the consolations which may be gathered thence Concerning God three things are to be considered And first by reason of manifolde doubtings that rise in our mindes it may be demaunded whether there be a God many reasons might bee vsed to resolue those that haue scruple of conscience otherwaies wee are bounde to beleeue that there is a God without all doubting As for those Atheists which confidently auouch there is no God by Gods lawe they ought to die the death nay the earth is to good for such to dwell on Malefactours as theeues and rebells for their offences haue their rewarde of death but the offence of those which denies that there is a God is greater and therefore deserues most cruell death The second point followeth namely what God is Answer Moses desiring to see Gods face was not permitted but to see his hinder parts and therefore no man can bee able to describe God by his nature but by his effects and properties on this or such like manner God is an essence spirituall simple infinite most holy I say first of all that God is an essence to shewe that he is a thing absolutely subsisting in himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing his beeing from any other And herein hee differeth from all creatures whatsoeuer which haue subsisting and beeing from him alone Againe I say hee is an essence spirituall because hee is not any kinde of bodie neither hath hee the partes of the bodies of men or other creatures but is in nature a spirit inuisible not subiect to any of mans senses I adde also that he is a simple essence because his nature admits no manner of composition of matter or forme or partes The creatures are compounded of diuers parts and of varietie of nature but there is no such thing in God for whatsoeuer thing he is hee is the same by one and the same singular and indiuisible essence Furthermore he is infinite and that diuers waies infinite in time without any beginning and without end infinite in place because hee is euery where and excluded no where within all places and foorth of all places Lastly hee is most holy that is of infinite wisdome mercie loue goodnes c. and he alone is rightly tearmed most holy because holines is of the very nature of God himselfe whereas among the most excellent creatures it is otherwise For the creature it selfe is one thing and the holines of the creature another thing Thus wee see what God is and to this effect God describes himself to be Iehova Elohim Paul describes him to be a King euerlasting immortall inuisible onely wise to whome is due all honour and glorie for euer The third point is touching the number of Gods namely whether there be more gods then one or no. Ans. There is not neither can there be any more Gods then one Which point the Creed auoucheth in saying I beleeue in God not gods and yet more plainely the Nicene Creede and the Creed of Athanasius both of them explaining the words of the Apostles Creede on this manner I beleeue in one God Howesoeuer some in former times haue erroniously held that two gods were the beginning of all things one of good things the other of euill things others that there was one God in the old testament another in the newe others againe namely the Valentinians that there were thirty couple of gods and the heathen people as Augustine recordeth worshipped thirtie thousand gods yet we that are members of Gods Church must holde and beleeue one God alone and no more Deut. 4.39 Vnderstand this daie and consider in thine heart that Iehouah hee is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath there is none other Eph. 4.6 One God one faith one baptisme If it be alleadged that the Scripture mentioneth many gods because Magistrats are called Gods Moses is called Aarons god the deuill and all idols are called gods The answere is this They are not properly or by nature gods for in that respect there is onely one God but they are so tearmed in other respects Magistrates are gods because they be Vicegerents placed in the roome of the true God to gouerne their subiects Moses is Aarons god because he was in the roome of God to reueale his will to Aaron the deuill is a god because the hearts of the wicked would giue the honour vnto him which is peculiar to the euerliuing God idols are called gods because they are such in mens conceits and opinions who esteeme of them as of gods Therefore Paul saith an idol is nothing in the world that is nothing in nature subsisting or nothing in respect of the diuinitie ascribed vnto it To proceede forwarde
and made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the crosse he ouercame the deuill and all his angels by the power of his almightie father and by his owne power as he is God And euen so must Christian men labour to finde the same power in themselues of this almightie father by which Christ did triumph ouer Satan that by it they may tread him vnder their feete which men can neuer doe by any power in themselues Againe Christ praieth that that cup might passe from him and yet hee saith Not my will but thy will be fulfilled For it was necessary that Christ should suffer And this request was heard not because he was freed from death but because God his father Almightie gaue him power and strength in his manhood to beare the brunt of his indignation Nowe looke as this power was effectuall in Christ Iesus the head to make him able and sufficient to beare the pangs of hell so the same power of God is in some measure effectuall in al the members of Christ to make them both patient of sufficient strength to beare any affliction as Saint Paul saith beeing strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioifulnesse And this is a notable point which euery one ought to learne that whereas they confesse God to be their Almightie father they should herewithall labour to feele and haue experience in themselues that hee is almightie in the beginning and continuing of grace vnto them and in giuing them power and patience to suffer afflictions Further Christ Iesus when the worke of our redemption was accomplished was lifted vp into heauen and set at the right hand of God in heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and powers c. euen by the power of his father well as this power was made manifest in the head so must it bee in the members thereof Euery childe of God shall hereafter see and feele in himselfe the same power to translate him from this vale of misery in this life to the kingdome of heauen Wherefore to conclude we haue great cause to bee thankefull and to praise God for this priuiledge that hee sheweth his power in his childrē in regenerating thē in making them die vnto sin and to stand against the gates of hel and to suffer afflictions patiently as also that he translates them from death to life And euery one should shew his thankefulnesse in labouring to haue experience of this power in himselfe as Paul exhorteth vs in his Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians yea read all his epistles and we shal find he mentioneth no point so often as this namely the mighty power of God manifested first in Christ and secondly in his members and he accounteth all things losse that he might knowe Christ and the vertue of his resurrection This point is the rather to be marked because his power in the matter of grace is not to be seene with eye and fewe there be in respect that haue felt the vertue thereof in themselues for the diuell doth mightily shewe his contrary power in the greatest part of the world in carrying them to sinne and wickednesse Secondly hence we learne that which Paul teacheth namely to knowe that all thinges worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God God is almightie and therefore able to doe whatsoeuer he will he is also a father and therefore is willing to doe that which is for our good But some will say we are subiect to many crosses yea to sinne what can our sinnes turne to our good Ans. If God almightie be thy father he will turne thine afflictions yea thy sinnes which by nature are euil beyond all expectation vnto thy saluation And thus much God will doe to all such as be obedient vnto him yet no man must hereupon presume to sinne Thirdly whereas we beleeue that God is a mightie father it serues to confirme gods children in the promises of mercy reuealed in his word The chiefest whereof is that if men will turne from their sinnes and beleeue in Christ they shall not perish but haue life euerlasting I knowe some men will make it an easie thing to beleeue especially those which neuer knewe what faith meant But such persons neede no meanes of confirmation of faith therefore let all those which haue tasted of the hardnes of attaining vnto it learne howe to establish their wauering hearts in the promises of God by the consideration of these two points God is a father and therefore he is willing he is also almightie and therefore he is able to performe his promises He that will bee truely resolued of Gods promises must haue both these setled in his heart and build on them as on two foundations It followeth Creatour of heauen earth We haue spoken of the title of the first person and of his attributes nowe we come to speake of his effect namely the creation but before we come to it we are to answer a certaine obiection which may be made At the first it may seeme strange to some that the worke of creation is ascribed to the first person in Trinitie the father whereas in the Scripture it is common to them all three equally And first that the father is Creatour it was neuer doubted as for the second person the Sonne that hee is Creatour it is euident All things are made by it that is by the Sonne who is the substantiall worde of the father and without it was made nothing that was made And againe it is saide that God by his sonne made the worlde As for the holy Ghost the worke of creation is also ascribed vnto him and therefore Moses saith The spirit mooued vpon the waters and Iob saieth His spirit hath garnished the heauens Howe then is this peculiar to the father beeing common to all the three persons in trinitie I answer The actions of God are twofold either inward or outward The inwarde actions are those which one person doth exercise towards another as the father doth beget the sonne and this is an inward action peculiar to the father and all inward actions are proper to the persons from whome they are So the Sonne doth receiue the Godhead by communication from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both and these are inward actions peculiar to these persons So likewise for the father to send his sonne it is an inward action proper to the father and cannot be communicated to the holy ghost and the sonne to bee sent by the father onely is a thing proper to the Sonne and not common to the father or to the holy Ghost Now outward actions are the actions of the persons in the Trinitie to the creatures as the worke of creation the worke of preseruation and of redemption These and all such actions are common to al the three persons the father createth the sonne createth and the holy
wherein we must rest as it were for a night as a straunger doth in an Inne and so away but the second house is eternall in the heauens an euerlasting seate of all felicitie and happinesse And therefore our dutie is aboue al things to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse as Christ himselfe biddeth vs. And if the Lord haue there prepared such a place for vs theÌ„ we must in this world vse all good meanes whereby we may be made worthie the fruition of it and also fitte and readie at the day of death to enter into it which at the day of iudgement we shall fully possesse both in soule and bodie and there raigne eternally in all happinesse with God Almightie our creatour the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost But some may say how shall a man so prepare himselfe that hee may bee fitte for that place Answere This the holy Ghost teacheth vs for speaking of this heauenly Ierusalem he saith There shall enter into it none vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination or lies The meanes then to make our selues fitte is to seeke to bee reconciled to God in Christ for our sinnes past and withall to endeauour to haue an assurance of the free remission and pardon of them all in the blood of Christ. And as touching that part of life which is to come we must remember what Saint Iohn saith Euery one that hath this hope purifieth himselfe meaning that he which hath hope to raigne with Christ in heauen vseth the meanes whereby he may purifie and keepe himselfe from sinne as also he saith after that he which is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Signifying that all such persons as are truely iustified and sanctified carrie such a narrowe and straite watch ouer the whole course of their liues and conuersations that the deuill can neuer giue them deadly woundes and wholly ouercome them Nowe the man that iâ— resolued in his conscience of the pardon of his sinne for the time past and hath a steadfast purpose in his heart to keepe himselfe vpright continually to walke in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of his life this man I say is prepared and made fit to enter into the heauenly Ierusalem come death when it will he is readie And howesoeuer he must not looke for heauen here vpon earth yet he is as it were in the suburbes of this heauenly cittie and at the end of this life the king thereof the Lord Iesus will open the gates and receiue him into his kingdome for he is alreadie entred into the kingdome of grace To conclude this point let euery man in the feare of god be mooued hereby to set his heart to prepare himselfe that when God shall call him hence he may be fitte to enter into that glorie Secondly seeing God hath prepared the third heauen for vs it teacheth euery man in this worlde to be content with the estate wherein God hath placed him whether it bee high or lowe rich or poore why so because here he is but a pilgrime and liues in a cottage of clay and in a tent wherein he must abide but a while as a pilgrime doth oftentimes carrying his house about with him and we shall in better sort accept the afflictions which God sendes vs in this life if we remember that there is prepared for vs a place of ioy which must bee our resting place and perfect felicitie for euermore This was the practise of the chidren of God especially of Abraham for when the Lord called him out of his own country he obeyed and by faith abode in the promised land as in a straunge countrie as one that dwelt in tents with Isaac and Iaakob heires with him in the same promise and the reason followeth for he looked for a cittie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God They beleeued that these things which the Lord promised were shaddowes of better things and hereon staied themselues beeing well content with that estate whereto God had called them So Paul was coÌ„tented to beare the afflictions which God had laid vpon him and his reason was Because saith he we looke not on things which are seene but on things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall And in the next chapter We knowe saith he that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a dwelling giuen vs of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens And for this cause his desire was rather to remooue out of this body and to be with the Lord. And thus much concerning heauen Nowe followeth the second part of Gods creation in these wordes And earth Earth signifieth the huge masse or body standing of sea and land on which we liue and all things that be in or vpon the earth whatsoeuer as Paul saith For by him were created all things that are in heauen or in earth c. In other Creeds which were made since this of the Apostles beeing expositioÌ„s of that there is added maker of all things visible and invisible Here we haue occasion to speake of all creatures but that were infinite therefore I will make choice of these two good Angels and Men. I. That Angels had a beginning it is no question for Paul saith that by God all things were created in heauen and earth things visible and inuisible whether thrones principalities or powers And in respect of the creation angels are called the sonnes of God But the time day of their creatioÌ„ cannot be set down further theÌ„ this that they were created in the coÌ„passe of the sixe daies For Moses saith Thus namely in the compasse of the first sixe daies the heauens and the earth were fashioned and all the hâ—ast of them that is all varietie of creatures in heauen and earth seruing for the beauty and glory thereof whereof no doubt the Angels are the principall II. Touching the nature of Angels some haue thought that they are nothing but qualities and motions in the mindes of men as the Sadduces and the Libertines of this time but the truth is that they are spirits that is spirituall and inuisible substances created by God and really subsisting for the Scripture ascribes vnto them such kinde of actions which can not be performed by the creatures saue onely such as be substances as to stande before the throne of God to behold the face of the Father to carie mens soules to heauen c. yet must we not imagine that they are bodily substances consisting of flesh and bone And though they tooke vpon them visible shapes and formes and did eate and drinke in the companie of men and thereupon are called Men in Scripture yet they did this by diuine dispensation for a time that they might the better performe the actions
spirit the answer is that the spirit signifies the minde whereby men conceiue and vnderstand such things as may be vnderstood and the soule is there taken for the will and affections and therefore these twaine are not two parts but onely two distinct faculties of one and the same soule The bodie of man at the first was formed by God of clay or of the dust of the earth not to be the graue of the bodie as Plato said but to be an excellent and most fit instrument to put in execution the powers and faculties of the soule And howsoeuer in it selfe considered it is mortall because it is compoūded of contrarie natures called Elements yet by the appointment and blessing of God in the creation it became immortall till the fall of man As for the soule it is no accidentarie qualitie but a spirituall and inuisible essence or nature subsisting by it selfe Which plainely appeares in that the soules of men haue beeing and continuance as well forth of the bodies of men as in the same and are as well subiect to torments as the bodie is And whereas we can and doe put in practise sundrie actions of life sense motion vnderstanding we doe it onely by the power and vertue of the soule Hence ariseth the difference betweene the soules of men and beasts The soules of men are substances but the soules of other creatures seeme not to be substances because they haue no beeing out of the bodies in which they are but rather they are certaine peculiar qualities arising of the matter of the bodie and vanishing with it And it may be for this cause that the soule of the beast is said to be in the blood whereas the like is not said of the soule of man And though mens soules be spirits as angels are yet a difference must be made For angels can not be vnited with bodies so as both shall make one whole and entire person whereas mens soules may yea the soule coupled with the bodie is not onely the moouer of the bodie but the principall cause that makes man to be a man The beginning of the soule is not of the essence of God vnlesse we will make euery mans soule to be God neither doth it spring of the soule of the parents for the soule can no more beget a soule then an angel can beget an angel And Adam is called a liuing soule and not a quickning soule And earthly fathers are called the fathers of our bodies and not of our soules It remaines therefore as beeing most agreeable to the Scriptures that the soules of men are then created by God of nothing when they are infused into the bodie And though the soule◠of men haue a beginning yet they haue no end but are eternall And when they are saide to die it is not because they cease at any time to subsist or haue beeing in nature but because they cease to be righteous or to haue fellowship with God Whereas our bodies are Gods workemanship we must glorifie him in our bodies and all the actions of bodie and soule our eating and drinking our liuing and dying must be referred to his glorie yea we must not hurt or abuse our bodies but present them as holy and liuing sacrifices vnto God And whereas God made vs of the dust of the earth we are not to glorie and boast our selues but rather to take occasion to praise the great goodnesse of God that hath vouchsafed to honour vs beeing but dust and ashes And after that man is created what is his life alas it is nothing but a little breath stoppe his mouth and his nostrells and he is but a dead man By this we are put in minde to consider of our fraile and vncerten estate and to lay aside all confidence in our selues and for this cause the Prophet Esay teacheth vs to haue no confidence in man because his breath is in his nostrills Againe let vs marke the frame and shape of mans bodie All other creatures goe with their bodies and eyes to the ground-ward but man was made to goe vpright and whereas all other creatures haue but foure muscles to turne their eyes round about man hath a fifth to pull his eyes vp to heauen-ward Now what doth this teach vs surely that howsoeuer we seeke for other things yet first of all and aboue all we should seeke for the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and that our whole desire should be set to enioy the blessed estate of Gods children in heauen Secondly it teacheth vs in receiuing Gods creatures to returne thankfulnes vnto God by lifting vp the heart to heauen for the same These are very needfull and profitable lessons in these daies for most men indeede goe vpright but looke into their liues and they might as well goe on all foure for in their conuersation they set their whole hearts vpon the earth as the beast doth and their eyes vpon the things of this world hereby they doe abase themselues and deface their bodies and beeing men make themselues as beasts we shall see great numbers of men that runne and ride from place to place to prouide for the bodie but to seeke the kingdome of heauen where their soules should dwell after this life in ioy for euer they wil not stirre one foote Thirdly mans bodie by creation was made a temple framed by Gods owne hands for himselfe to dwell in therefore our dutie is to keepe our bodies pure and cleane and not to suffer them to be instruments wherby to practise the sinne of the heart If a man had a faire house wherein he must entertaine a prince and should make hereof a swinestie or a stable would not all men say that he did greatly abuse both the house and the prince euen so mans bodie beeing at the first made a pallace for the euerliuing God if a man shall abuse it by drunkennesse swearing lying fornication or any vncleannesse he doth make it in stead of a temple for the holy Ghost to be a stie or stable for the deuill For the more filthie a mans bodie is the more fit it is to be a dwelling place for sinne and Sathan Fourthly man by creation was made a goodly creature in the blessed image of God but by Adams fall men lost the same and are now become the deformed children of wrath our dutie therefore is to labour to get againe our first image and indeauour our selues to become newe creatures If a noble man should staine his blood by treason after his death the posteritie will neuer be at rest till they haue got away that spot Man by Adams fall is become a limm of the deuill a rebell and traytor against Gods maiestie and this is the state of euery one of vs by nature we are at enmitie with God and therfore we ought to labour aboue all things in the world to be restored in Christ to our first estate and perfection that
wise from him but onely permitted againe that in actuall sinne the motion of the bodie or minde is from God but the euilnes and disorder of the motion is not from him but freely permitted to be done by others As for example in the act of murder the actions of moouing the whole bodie of stirring the seuerall ioynts and the fetching of the blowe whereby the man is slaine is from God for in him we liue mooue and haue our beeing but the disposing and applying of all these actions to this ende that our neighours life may be taken away and we thereby take reuenge vpon him is not from God but from the wicked will of man and the deuill Gods second action in the gouernment of sinne is after the iust permission of it partly to restraine it more or lesse according to his good wil and pleasure and partly to dispose and turne it against the nature thereof to the glorie of his owne name to the punishment of his enemies and to the correcting chastisement of his elect As for the second kind of euill called the punishment of sinne it is the execution of iustice and hath God to be the author of it And in this respect Esai saith that God createth euill and Amos that there is no euill in the cittie which the Lord hath not done And God as a most iust iudge may punish sinne by sinne himselfe in the meane season free from all sinne And thus the places must be vnderstood in which it is said that God giueth kings in his wrath hardeneth the heart blindeth the eies mingleth the spirit of errours giueth vp men to a reprobate sense sends straunge illusions to beleeue lies sends euill spirits giuing them commandement to hurt and leaue to deceiue c. Thus hauing seene in what manner God gouerneth all things let vs nowe come to the means of gouernment Sometimes god worketh without means thus he created all thinges in the beginning and he made trees and plants to growe and flourish without the heate of the sunne or raine sometimes hee gouernes according to the vsuall course and order of nature as when he preserues our liues by meate and drinke yet so as he can and doth most freely order al things by meanes either aboue nature or against nature as it shall seeme good vnto him As when he caused the sunne to stand in the firmament and to goe backe in Achas diall when he caused the fire not to burne the three children when he kept backe dewe and raine three yeres in Israel when hee made waters to flowe out of the rocke when he caused Elias cloake to deuide the waters of Iorden when he caused Iron to swimme when he preserued Ionas aliue three daies and three nights in the whalles bellie when he cured diseases by the strength of nature incureable as the leprosie of Naaman the issue of blood and blindnesse c. Among all the meanes which God vseth the speciall are the reasonable creatures which are no passiue instrument as the toole in the hand of the workman but actiue because as they are mooued by God so againe being indued with will and reason they mooue themselues And such instruments are either good or euill Euill as wicked men and angels And these he vseth to do his good will and pleasure euen then when they doe least of all obey him And considering that the sinning instrument which is mooued by God doth also mooue it selfe freely without any constraint on Gods part God himselfe is free from all blame when the instrument is blame-worthie In directing the instrument God sinneth not the action indeede is of him but the defect of the action from the instrument which being corrupt can it selfe doe nothing but that which is corrupt God in the meane season by it bringing that to passe which is very good The whole cause of sinne is in Satan and in vs as for God he puts no wickednes into vs but the euill which he findes in vs he mooues that is orders and gouerns and bendes it by his infinite wisdome when and in what manner it pleaseth him to the glory of his name the euil instrument not knowing so much nay intending a farre other ende As in the mill the horse blindfolded goes forward and perceiues nothing but that he is in the ordinary waie whereas the miller himselfe whips him and stirres him forward for another ende namely for the grinding of corne And this is that which we must hold touching Gods prouidence ouer wicked men and angels and it standâ—s with the tenour of the whole Bible Iosephs brethren sold him into Egypt very wickedly euen in the testimonie of their own consciences yet Ioseph hauing respect to the counsell and worke of God which he perfourmed by his brethren saith that the Lord sent him thither And the Church of Ierusalem saith that Herod and Pontius Pilate did nothing in the death of Christ but that which the hand counsell of god had determined to be done because though they wickedly intended nothing but to shewe their malice and hatred in the death of Christ yet God propounding a further matter by them then euer they dreamed of shewed forth his endles mercy to man in the worke of redemption On this manner must all the places of Scripture be vnderstood in which it is said that God gaue the wiues of Dauid to Absalom that God mooued Dauid to number the people that he commanded Shemei to raile on Dauid that the Medes and Persians are his sanctified ones that the reuolt of the tenne tribes was done by God c. By all these examples it appeares that wee must not seuer Gods permission from his wil or decree and that we must put difference betweene the euill work of man and the good worke of God which he doth by man the whole matter may yet be more clearely perceiued by this comparison A theefe at the day of assise is condemned the magistrate appoints him to be executed the hangman owing a grudge to the malefactour vseth him hardly prolongeth his punishment longer then he should Now the magistrate and the hangman doe both one and the same worke yet the hangman for his part is a murderer the magistrate in the meane season no murderer but a iust iudge putting iustice in executioÌ„ by the hangman so god though he vse euil instruments yet is he free from the euil of the instrumeÌ„ts And further we must here marke the difference which must be made in Gods vsing of all kinds of instruments When he vseth good creatures as angels he worketh his will not onely by them but also in them because hee inspires them and guides them by his spirit so as they shall will and doe that which he willeth and intendeth As for euill instruments he worketh by them only and not in them because he holds backe his grace from them and leaues them to themselues to put in
practise the corruption of their owne hearts Thus much of the parts of Gods prouidence now follow the kinds thereof Gods prouidence is either generall or speciall Generall is that which extends it selfe to the whole world and all things indifferently euen to the deuills themselues By this prouidence God continues and maintaines the order which he set in nature in the creation and he preserues the life substance and the beeing of all and euery creature in his kinde The eâ—peciall prouidence is that which God sheweth exerciseth towards his Church and â—hosen people in gathering and guiding them and in preseruing them by his mightie power against the gates of hell And therfore Gods Church here vpon earth is called the kingdome of grace in which he shewes not onely a generall power ouer his creatures but withall the speciall operation of his spirit in bowing and bending the hearts of men to his will Thus much concerning the doctrine of Gods prouidence Now followes the duties First seeing there is a prouidence of God ouer euery thing that is we are hereby taught to take good heede of the transgression of the least of Gods commandements If men were perswaded that the Prince had an eye euery where doubtlesse many subiects in England would walke more obediently to the lawes of the land then they doe and durst in no wise worke such villanies as are daily practised Well howsoeuer it is with earthly princes yet this all-seeing-presence is least wanting in God he hath an eye euery where wheresoeuer thou art there God beholdeth thee as Dauid saith God looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God Therefore except thou be brutish and past shame take heede of sinne If men had but a sparke of grace the consideration of this would make them loath the practise of any euill worke Eliah saith to Ahab As the Lord God of Israel liueth before whome I stand there shall be neither dewe nor raine these three yeares Where the Prophet confirmeth his speach with an oath saying As the Lord of hosts liueth it shal be so And least Ahab should think he made no conscience what he said he addeth this clause that he stood in the presence of God As if he should say howsoeuer thou thinkest of me yet as it stands me in hand so doe I make conscience of my word for I stand in the presence of God and therefore know it as the Lord liueth there shall be no raine now dew these three yeares So Cornelius hauing an eye to Gods prouidence doth mooue himselfe and all his houshold to a solemne hearing of the word of God deliuered by the mouth of Peter saying that they were all present before God to heare all things commanded of him As these men had regard to Gods prouidence so we likewise must behaue our selues reuerently making conscience of our behauiour both in words and works because wheresoeuer we be we are in the presence of God Secondly if there be a prouidence of God ouer euery thing then we must learne contentation of mind in euery estate yea in aduersitie vnder the crosse when all goes against vs we must be content because Gods prouidence hath so appointed So Dauid in the greatest of his griefes was dumbe and spake nothing his reason was because thou Lord didst it And when Shemei cursed Dauid Abisha would haue had the king to haue giuen him leaue to haue slaine him but Dauid would not suffer it but said He curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so In whose example we may see a patterne of quietnesse of minde When a crosse commeth it is a hard thing to bee patient but we must drawe our selues thereunto by consideration of Gods especial prouidence Thirdly when outward meanes of preseruation in this life doe abound as health wealth honour riches peace and pleasure then we must remember to be thankefull because these things alwaies come by the prouidence of God Thus Iob was thankfull both in prosperitie and aduersitie The Lord saith he gaue and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Indeede to bee patient in euery estate and thankefull to God is a very harde matter yet will it be more easie if we learne in all thinges that befall vs in this life neuer to seuer the consideration of the things that come to passe from Gods prouidence For as the bodie and the soule of man though we see only the bodie are alwaies togither as long as a man liueth so is Gods prouidence ioyned with the thing done wherefore as we looke on the thing done so we must also in it labour to see and acknowledge the good pleasure appointment of God As for example a mans house is set on fire and all his goods consumed this very sight would make him at his wits end but now as he beholds this euent with one eie so with the other eie he must at that very instant looke vpon Gods blessed prouidence When a man beholds and feels the losse of his friendes he cannot but greiue thereat vnlesse he be more senselesse then stocke or stone yet that he may not be ouerwhelmed with griefe he must euer with one eie looke at the pleasure of God herein This practise wil be an especiall meanes to stay the rage of any headstrong affection â—r all our afflictions In the world the maner of men is if healthâ— wealth and ease abound to thinke all is well but if crosâ—es come as losse of friendes losse of goods then men crie out as beeing straught of their wittes the reason is because they looke onely at the outward meanes and tie Gods prouidence to them not beeing able to see any goodnesse or prouidence of God out of ordinarie meanes Againe when a man is stored with riches honour wealth and prosperitie he must not barely looke on them but behold withal Gods goodnes and blessing in them for if that be wanting all the riches in the world are nothing Likewise in receiuing thy meate and drinke thou must looke further into the blessing of God vpon it which if it be away thy meate and thy drink can no more nourish thee then the stone in the wall And the same must wee do in euery busiâ—es of our callings which if men could learne to practise they would not so much trust to the meanes as honour wealth fauour c. but rather to God himselfe The Lord by the prophet Habaccuc reprooueth the Chaldeans for offering sacrifiâ—es vnto their nets which sinne they committed because they looked onely vpon outward things and like blind moles had no power to see further into them and to behold the worke of God in all their proceedings And this is the very cause why we are vnthankefull for Gods benefits for though we beholde the bare creatures yet are
creation that it shall spring and grow so oft as it is sowed with the stalke eare blade and all so likewise though the parents be neuer so holy the children as they come of them are conceiued and borne wholly corrupt because God tooke this order in the creation that whatsoeuer euill Adam procured he should bring it not onely on himselfe but vpon all his posteritie by vertue of which decree the propagation of sinne is continued without any interruption though parents themselues be borne anew by the spirit of God And here we must not omit to speake of the quantitie or greatnesse of originall sinne for the opening wherof we must consider three points The first that originall sinne is not diuers but one and the same in kind in euery man as the generall and common nature of man is one and the same in all men The second that this sinne is not in some men more in some men lesse but in euery man equally as all men doe equally from Adam participate the nature of maÌ„ and are equally the children of wrath Some it may be will say that this can not be true because some men are of better natures then others are some of disposition cruell and seuere some againe gentle and milde some very licentious and disordered some very ciuill Answ. The differences that be in men wanting the feare of God arise not of this that they haue more or lesse originall corruption but of the restraint and limitation of mans corruption For in some God bridleth sinne more then in others in them is found ciuilitie againe in some lesse and in such the rebellion of nature breakes forth vnto all misdemeanour And indeede if God should not keepe the vntoward dispositions of men within compasse otherwhiles more otherwhiles lesse as it shall seeme good vnto his Maiestie impietie crueltie iniustice and all manner of sinnes would breake out into such a measure that there should be no quiet liuing for men in the world and no place for Gods Church And thus it is manifest that although all men be not equall in the practise of wickednesse yet that is no hindrance but they may be equal in the corruption of nature it selfe The third point is that Originall sinne is so huge and large euery way that it may truly be tearmed the root or seede not of some few sinnes but of all sinns whatsoeuer euen of the very sinne against the holy Ghost We must not imagine it to be an inclination or pronenes to one or two faults but a pronenes to all and euery sinne that is practised in the world and that in all persons young and old high and low male and female It is a most horrible villanie for a man to kill his father or his mother or his child yet some there be that doe so at the hearing whereof we vse to wonder and to testifie our dislike by saying that the doers thereof were wicked and deuilish persons and it is truly said Neuertheles we must vnderstand that although we abstaine from such hâ—inouâ— practises yet the very roote of such sinnes that is a disposition vnto them is foâ—â—d in vs also Iulian the Apostata both liuing and dying blasphemed Christâ—â—â—rod and Pontius Pilate and the wicked Iewes crucified him and Iudas 〈◊〉 ed him Men vse to say that if Christ were now aliue they would not doâ— so for all the world But let vs better consider of the matter The same naâ—â—â—â—â— corruption of heart that was in them is also in vs we being the children of Adam as well as they and by the force of this corruption if Christ were now liuing on earth thou wouldest if like occasion were offered either doe as Iudas did in betraying him or as Pilate did deliuer him to be crucified or as the soldiers thrust him through with their speares or as Iulian pierce him with all manner of blasphemies if God withheld his graces from thee and leaue thee to thy selfe In a word let men conceiue in minde the most notorious trespasse that can be though they doe it not nor intend to doe it and neuer doe it yet the matter beginning and seede thereof is in themselues This made Ieremie say The heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it It is like a huge sea the bankes whereof can not be seene nor the bottome searched In common experience we see it come to passe that men protestants to day to morrow papists of Christians heretikes now friends but presently after foes this day honest and ciuill men the next day cruell murderers Now what is the cause of this difference surely the hidden corruption of the heart that will thrust a man forward to any sinne when occasion is offered This point must be remembred and â—ften thought vpon From originall sinne springeth actuall which is nothing â—ls but the fruit of the corrupt heart either in thought word or deede Thus much touching mans fall into sinne by Gods iust permission Now followes the good vse which we must make thereof First by this we learne to acknowledge and bewaile our owne frailtie For Adam in his innocencie beeing created perfectly righteous when he was once tempted by the deuill fell away from God what shall we doe then in the like case which are by nature sold vnder sinne and in our selues a thousand times weaker then Adam was Many men there be that mingle themselues with all companies tell them of the daunger thereof they will presently replie that they haue such a strong faith that no bad companie can hurt them But alas silly people Satan bewitcheth them and makes them to beleeue falshoode to be truth they know not their miserable estate If Adam saith Barnard had a downfal in Paradise what shall we doe that are cast forth to the dunghill Let vs therefore often come to a serious consideration of our owne weaknesse and follow withall the practise of Dauid who beeing priuie to himselfe touching his owne corruption praieth to God on this manner Knit my heart to thee O Lord that I may feare thy name Secondly we learne hereby absolutely to submit our selues to the authoritie of God and simply to resolue our selues that whatsoeuer he commands is right and iust though the reason of it be not knowne to vs. For Eue condiscended to listen to the speech of the serpent and without any calling shee reasoned with it of a most weightie matter and that in the absence of Adam her head and husband namely of the truth and glorie of God and hereby was brought to doubt of Gods word and so ouerturned Thirdly if all men by Adams fall be shut vp vnder damnation there is no cause why any of vs should stand vpon his birth riches wisdome learning or any other such gifts of God there is nothing in vs that is more able to couer our vilenesse and nakednesse then figtree leaues were able to couer the offence of Adam from
to them that are Christs Now then let vs all lay these things to our hearts and extoll the vnspeakable goodnesse of God that hath aduanced vs to the dignitie of kings priests prophets before him and hath giuen vs his spirit vnto vs to inable vs to be so indeede Now follow the duties which are to be learned hence And first whereas all Christians receiue annointing from the holy one Christ Iesus to become prophets in a sort we must doe our endeauours that the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs and for that cause we must search the Scriptures euen as hunters seeke for the game and as men seeke for gold in the very mines of the earth There is nothing more vnbeseeming a man then grosse ignorance a Christian. Therefore the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes reprooues them that whereas for the time they ought to haue bin teachers they had need againe to be taught the first principles of the word of God Againe that portion of knowledge which we haue receiued of God is further to be applied to the benefit and good of others this is that most pretious baulme that on our parts should neuer be wanting to the heads of men And here euery man that is set ouer others must remember within the compasse of his calling and charge to instruct those that be vnder him so far forth as possibly he can Gouernours of families must teach their children and seruants and their whole houshold the doctrine of true religion that they may know the true God and walke in all his waies in doing righteousnes iudgement If housholders would make conscience of this their dutie and in some sort and measure prepare their families against they come to the publike congregation the ministers of the Gospel with greater comfort and farre morâ— ease should performe their dutie and see farre more fruit of their ministerie then now they doe But whereas they neglect their dutie falsly perswading themselues that it doth not belong to them at all to instruct others it is the cause of ignorance both in townes and families in masters themselues in seruants and children and all Lastly by this we are admonished to take all occasions that possibly can be offered mutually to edifie each other in knowledge saying among our selues as it was foretolde of these times Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his paths and withall wee should confirme each others as Christ saith to Peter When thou art conuerted confirme thy brethren and be readie at all times to render an account of our faith and religion euen before our enemies when we are iustly called so to do Secondly because we are set apart in Christ to become spirituall priests vnto God we must therefore offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto him and they be in number seuen The first is an affiance whereby we rest vpon God as Dauid saith Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lord. The second is wholly to subiect our selues to the ministerie of the Gospel that we may be changed and conuerted by it as Paul saith That he ministreth the Gospel to the Gentiles that the offering vp of them might be acceptable beeing sanctified by the holy Ghost The third is all manner of praiers and supplications made vnto God Let my prayer saith Dauid be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice The fourth is praising and thanksgiuing vnto God Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruit of the lippes which confesse his name And in the Reuelation the golden vials full of odours are the praiers of the Saints The fifth is the reliefe of our poore brethren according to our abilitie as Paul saith I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice pleasant and acceptable to God The sixth is the deniall of our selues with a contrite and broken heart The seuenth is to resigne our selues bodies and soules wholly to the seruice of God Set your selues saith Paul to God as they that are aliue from the dead and your members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God In which wordes he alludes to the manner of the olde Testament when a man offred any sacrifice for himselfe he brought the beast into the temple or tabernacle and set it before the altar in token that he did resigne it vnto God and so we for our parts must not giue our bodies soules to become the instruments of sinne and satan but we must haue them alwaies in readâ—nesse freely presenting them vnto God that he may haue the whole disposition of them according to his good pleasure to the honour and glorie of his name Againe in the whole burnt offering all was consumed and turned to smoke no man hauing benefite of it to signifie that wee must giue our selues not in part but wholly to the seruice of God euen to death if neede be If this be so miserable is the practise of such that giue vp their bodies and soules to liue in licentious wantonnesse in the pleasures of their beastly sinnes in idlenes For they offer themselues a sacrifice not to God but to the deuill Thirdly considering we are annointed to be spirituall kings euen in this life we must walke worthie so great a calling That this may be so first of all such as are gouernours set ouer others must rule not according to their wills and pleasures but in the Lord withall doing homage to their head and king Christ Iesus himselfe Secondly we must euery one of vs rule and beare sway euen as kings ouer our owne thoughts wills affections ouer-mastering them as much as we possibly can by Gods word and spirit withall maintaining and proclaiming continuall warre against our corrupt natures the deuill and the world And truly he which can beare rule ouer his owne heart is a right king indeede and hauing receiued some measure of grace to raigne ouer himselfe in this life he shall raigne for euer with Christ in the life to come As for such as are carried away with the swinge of their corruptions hauing blindnes and ignorance to raigne in their minds rebellion in their wils and affections loosenes in their whole liues they may carrie the outward forme and shew of Christians as long as they will but indeede they are no spirituall kings but very bondmen the strong man Satan keepes as yet the hold of their hearts and as Lord and king holds vp his scepter there Lastly seeing Christ is annointed with the most pretious baulme that euer was and that for our sakes he must be sweete and sauourie vnto vs and all other things must be as vnsauorie drosse and
of blood but Christ as he is God cannot die For no passion can befall the Godhead Therefore it was needefull that he should become man that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfie Gods iustice for mans offence Lastly he that must make reconciliation betweene God and man must be such an one as may make request or speake both to God and man For a Mediatour is as it were a middle person making intercession betweene two other persons the one offended the other offending Therefore it is necessarie that Christ should not onely be God to speake vnto the father for vs and to present our prayers vnto him but also man that God might speake to vs and we to God by Christ. For howsoeuer before the fall man could speak to God euen face to face yet since the fall such feare possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God but flyeth from it Nowe whereas I say that it was necessarie that the sonne of God for the causes before alleadged must become man the necessitie must be vnderstood in respect of Gods will and not in respect of his absolute power For if it had so pleased God he was able to haue laid downe an other kind of way of mans redemption then by the incarnation of the sonne of God and he appointed no other way because he would not Thus much of the Incarnation in generall Nowe followe the duties which arise of it And first we are taught hereby to come to Christ by faith and with all our hearts to cleaue vnto him Great is the deadnesse and sluggishnesse of mans nature for skarse one of a thousand care for him or seeke vnto him for righteousnesse and life euerlasting But wee shoulde excite our selues euery way to drawe neare to him as much as possibly we may for when he was incarnate he came neere vnto vs by taking our nature vpon him that wee againe whatsoeuer we are might come neere vnto him by taking vnto vs his diuine nature Againe when Christ was incarnate he was made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and therefore proportionally wee must labour to become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh which we shall bee when we are mystically vnited vnto him by faith and borne anewe by his spirit Moreouer Christ by his incarnation came downe from heauen to vs that we being partakers of his grace might ascend vp to heauen by him And thus we see how the meditation of Christs incarnation should be a spurre to prick vs forward still more and more to come to Christ. Secondly Christs incarnation must be a patterne vnto vs of a most wonderfull and straunge humilitie For as Paul saith Being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to bee equall with God made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him forme of a seruant and humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen to the death of the crosse Yea so farre forth he abased himselfe that as Dauid saith he was a worme and no man And this teacheth vs to lay aside al selfe-loue and pride of heart and to practise the duties of humility as the Apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place and that shall we doe when we beginne to cast off that high opinion which euery man by nature conceiueth of himselfe and become vile and base in our owne eies Secure drowsie protestants thinke themselues blessed and say in their hearts as the Angel of the Church of Laodicea said I am rich increased with goods and haue need of nothing whereas indeed they are most miserable and wretched and poore and naked and blind And the same fond opinion possesseth the mindes of our ignorant people who chant it in the very same tune saying that God loues them and that they loue God with al their hearts and their neighbours as themselues that they haue perfect faith in Christ and euer had not once so much as doubting of their saluation that all is well with them and that they are past all danger whatsoeuer in the matter of their saluation and therefore neede not take so much care for it Thus yee may see howe men are commonly carried away with vaine and fond conceits of their owne excellencie And truely so long as this ouerweening of our owne righteousnesse raignes in our hearts let preachers speake and say what they will we can neuer become followers of Christ in the practise of humilitie Some will say peraduenture that they neuer had any such opinion of their owne righteousnes but I answere againe that there was neuer yet any man descending of Adam saue Christ but he had this proud phantasie ruling and raigning in him till such time as God gaue grace to chaÌ„ge alter his heart this inward pride the lesse we discern it the more it is and the more we discerne it the lesse it is Therefore though as yet thou see it not in thy selfe yet labour both to see it to feele it to striue against it casting down thy selfe for thy own miserie after Christs own example who being God abased himselfe to the condition of a miserable man For thou shalt neuer be filled with the good things of god till thou be emptied of selfe-loue and selfe-liking For this cause let vs purge and emptie our selues of all conceit of our own righteousnes that god may fil our hearts with his grace Furthermore the incarnation of Christ is the ground and foundation of all our comfort as the names of Christ seruing to expresse the same doe testifie Iâ—akob in his last Testament saith that the scepter shall not depart from Iudah in Shilo that is the Messias come Nowe the name Shilo signifieth the tunicle or skinne that lappeth the infant in the mothers wombe called by the Phisitians the secundine and by a kind of figure it is put for the Sonne of God in the wombe of the virgine made man And Iob to comfort himselfe in his affliction saith I knowe that my redeemer liueth Nowe the word which he vseth to signifie his redeemer by is verie emphaticall for it signifieth a kinsman neere allied vnto him of his owne flesh that will restore him to life And the Lord by the prophet Esay calleth Christ Immanuel that is God with vs which name importeth very much namely that whereas by nature we haue lost our fellowshippe with God because our sinnes are a wall of partition seuering vs from him yet neuerthelesse the fame is restored to all that beleeue by the Mediatour Christ Iesus because his diuine nature is coupled to mans nature and so the word is made flesh And this strait coniunction of two natures into one person ioynes God to men and men to God yea by Christ we are brought to God and haue free accesse vnto him and againe in him we apprehend God and are made one with him And further whereas Christ beside
his word and receiuing his sacraments and as the Prophet saith they honour God with their lipps but their hearts are farre froÌ„ him We may see daily experieÌ„ce of this euery man will say Lord Lord but in their liues and conuersations fewe there bee that denie him not both in the duties which they owe vnto God as also in duties towards their brethren Many come to heare Gods worde because they are compelled by the magistrates lawes but when they are come they worship not God in their hearts which is plainely seene by the breach of Gods holy sabboth in euery place and that they make more account of a messe of pottage with Esau then of their birth-right and of thirtie peeces of siluer then of Christ himselfe The third point to bee handled in Christs apprehension is that they lay hold on him wherein we must consider two things I. the resistance made by Christs disciples II. their flight For the first Christs disciples resisted and specially Peter drawing his sword stroke one of the high priests seruants and cut off his eare This fact our Sauiour Christ reprooues and that for these causes I. because his disciples were priuate men and they that came to apprehend him were magistrates Secondly he was to worke the worke of mans redemption nowe Peter by this fact did what he could to hinder him And from this practise of Peter we may learne that nothing in the world is so hard to a man as to take vp his crosse and followe Christ. One would thinke it should bee a hard matter for him to encounter with enemies especially they being stronger then he but Peter stoutly resisting makes nothing of it whereas a little before when Christ tolde him and the rest concerning his passion they were so heauie with griefe that they could not hold vp their heads so hard a thing it is to beare the crosse and for this very cause afterward when Christ reprooued him for striking both he and all the rest of the disciples fled away Secondly Peter in all mans reason was to be commended because he strake in the defence of his master but Christ reprooues him for it Whence we learne that if a man be zealous for Christ hee must be zealous within the compasse of his calling and not be zealous first and then looke for a calling but first looke for a calling and then be zealous Which thing if Peter had marked hee had not dealt so rashly for being without the compasse of his calling he could not but doe amisse Here it may be demaunded whether Christ and his religion may not be maintained by the sword I answer that the magistrate which is the vicegerent of the Lord is the keeper of both tables and therefore is to maintaine religion with the sword and so may put to death Atheists which holde there is no God of which sort there are many in these daies and heretiques which malitiously maintaine and holde any thing that ouerthrowes the foundation of religion in the Churches wherof they were members But some obiect that in the parable of the fielde the seruants are commanded not to pluck vp the tares from the wheat but to suffer both to growe till haruest and that therefore there must bee no separation of heretickes and true Christians before the last day of iudgement Ans. The scope of that place is not to forbidde the execution of heretiques but it speakes only of the finall separation which must be in the ende of the world For there the master of the familie doth signifie God himselfe aud the fielde the Church militant spread ouer the face of the whole earth and by tares is meant not onely heretiques but also all those that are forth of the church the seruants are Gods holy angels and the haruest is the last iudgement Here further it may bee demaunded who may vse the sword Ans. All mâ—n may vse the sword to strike and to kil into whose hands God putteth the sword Nowe God putteth it into the hand first and principally of the publike magistrate who when iust occasion serues may drawe it out And againe it is put into a priuate mans hand sometime A priuate man when he is assailed of his enemie may take the sworde in way of his owne defence and may kill his enemie therewith if there be no other helpe not doing it vpon malice but because he can no otherwise escape and saue his own life and so for want of a magistrate he is a magistrate vnto himselfe In the â—light of the disciples we may consider two things the time and the qualitie of the persons The time was at the apprehension of our Lord Sauiour And this came to passe not without the speciall prouidence of God that it might be known that Christ had no helper or fellow in the accoÌ„plishment of the work of our redeÌ„ption that wheras we for our sinnes deserued to be forsaken of all creatures he being our pledge and surety might be forsaken for vs. As for the qualitie of the persons that flie they were the chosen disciples of Christ such as had beleeued in him confessed him and preached in his name And this serueth to teach vs that God will otherwhiles forsake his owne children and seruants and leaue them to themselues in some part that they may feele their wants and miseries their weakenesse in themselues and by that meanes be humbled throughly and be touched with an hungring desire after Christ. As a mother sets down her child and hides her selfe suffering it to crie fall and breake the face not becanse shee hates it but that shee may teach it to depend vpon her and loue her so god giueth grace to his children yet againe sometime he doth in part withdrawe it from them then they faile in their duties sundrie waies and this he doth to make them ashamed of themselues and to cause them to put all their confidence out of themselues in the merits of Christ. The fourth thing to be considered in Christs apprehension is their binding of him In which action of theirs we are to obserue first of al the circumstance of time when this binding was When our Sauiour Christ had said vnto them I am he they being astonished fell to the ground and with all when Peter had smitten off Malchus eare with his sworde Christ healed the same miraculously Yet after all this though they had seene his wonderfull power both in word and deede they proceede in malice against him and lay handes on him and bind him as a malefactour In this wee note what a fearefull sinne hardnesse of heart is the danger whereof appeareth in this that if a man be ouertaken with it there is nothing that can stay or daunt him in his wicked proceedings no not the powerfull words and deedes of Christ himselfe And indeede among Gods iudgements there is none more feareful then this and yet how feareful soeuer it be it is a
people receiued the wretched and abhominable doctrine of the church of Rome And not many yeares after when it pleased God to bring againe the light of his glorious Gospel by our gracious Prince the same people turned from poperie and embraced the true religion againe And thus with the Iewes one while they crie Hosanna to Christ and receiue his Gospel and shortly after they crie Crucifie him crucifie him by embracing idolatrous poperie Let vs therefore learne in the feare of God by the ficklenes of the Iewesâ— that sing two contrarie songs in so short a space to acknowledge our inconstancie and weaknes in the matter of religion whereby if God leaue vs 〈…〉 â—itle to our selues we shall straightway forsake Christ his Gospel and all Tâ—â—â—â—â—ch of the accusation Now followeth Christs examination before â—oâ—â—â—us Pilate for when the Iewes had thus falsly accused him then Pontius Pilate tooke him and brought him into the common hall and asked him this question Art thou the King of the Iewes Now Christ beeing thus examined made as Paul also testifieth a good confession The summe thereof stands in foure heads The first is that he confesseth himselfe to be a King not such an one as they accused him to be yet a true King Whence we may learne diuers instructions first that euery Christian man in the midst of his miserie and affliction hath one that is most sufficient euery way to defend him against all his enemies the world the flesh and the deuill For this King can doe whatsoeuer he will and therefore when the legion of deuills would enter into a herd of swine they could not without his leaue And when the Centurions daughter was dead he but spake the word and shee arose And when Lazarus was dead and had lien in the graue foure daies he but saide Lazarus come forth and he came forth bound hand and foote Yea euen hell and death giue place to his word and nothing can resist his power And therefore he that is a true member of Christ needes not to feare any enemies be they neuer so great or so many And againe as Christ is able so is he readie and willing to saue and defend all that beleeue in him For he it is that gaue his life for his subiects which no King would doe and shedde his blood for their redemption which he would neuer haue done if he had not desired their saluation Secondly whereas Christ is a mightie King which can doe whatsoeuer he will let all such among vs that haue hitherto liued in ignorance and by reason of ignorance liue in their sinnes at length begin to come vnto him and doe him homage and with penitent hearts fall downe before him otherwise if they continue in their old rebellions let them know whatsoeuer they be high or low that he hath a rod of iron in his hand to bruise them in pieces their soules shall smart for it as both Pilate Caiphas and the rest of the Iewes were with a full cup rewarded for crucifying the Lord of life And if Christ cannot draw thee in this life from thy crooked waies be sure at the houre of death he will breake thee in pieces like a potters vessell This must we learne in regard of the first point that he said plainely He was a King Now follows the second part of his confession namely that his kingdome was not of this world Where he sets downe what kinde of King he is he is no earthly king his kingdome stands not in the power of men nor in earthly and outward gouernment but his kingdome is spirituall and his gouernment is in the very hearts and consciences of men His kingdome is not outward to be seene of men but inward in the heart and â—oule and therefore it is onely begunne in this life and is continued and accomplished in the world to come in the kingdome of glorie where Christ shall be all in all in the hearts and consciences of all the Elect. Now then if this be so howsoeuer Satan haue heretofore raigned in vs and made our hearts as it were his pallaces yet now let vs prepare a roome for Christ that he may come and dwell in vs let him rule our hearts wills and affections that they may become conformable to his will let vs resigne our selues wholly to be ruled by him that his spirituall kingdome may be in vs. This kingdome in the heart and conscience is the pearle and hidde treasure which when a man findeth he sells all that he hath and buieth it Let vs therefore in the feare of God esteeme it as the most pretious thing that may be and so liue in this world as that Christ may rule inwardly in vs by his word and spirit And againe seeing this regiment of Christ is heauenly and the full manifestation of it is reserued till the life to come we must therefore vse this world and all things in it as honour wealth ease and libertie as though we vsed them not As a trauailer vseth his staffe in his iourney as long as it doth further him so long he will carrie it with him but when it hindereth him then he casts it away so must we vse the things of this life namely as long as they are helps to further and make vs fitte for the kingdome of heauen but if they be any hinderance to this spirituall regiment of Christ we must renounce them and cast them away be they neuer so pretious to vs. The third point of Christs confession is concerning the meanes whereby he gouerneth his kingdome I came saith he into this world to beare witnesse of the truth that is to preach the Gospell and doctrine of saluation and hereby he teacheth that the outward administration of his kingdome stands specially in the preaching of the word which is a principall ordinance of his seruing to gather his Church from the beginning of the world to the ende thereof And for this cause he hath in all ages set apart chosen ministers for the publishing of the doctrine of the Gospell And hence it is manifest that the gift of prophecie is the greatest gift that God bestowes on his Church for the building thereof And therfore it ought to be most highly esteemed as a most pretious iewell And for this cause also the schooles of learning are to be reuerenced maintained all other meanes vsed for the furthering of them because they are vnder God the fountaines and welsprings of this gift of prophecie The last point is concerning the subiects of Christs kingdome expressed in these words They which are of the truth heare my voice In which he sets down the true marke of his seruants and subiects that they are hearers of that heauenly and sauing word which he reuealed from the bosome of his father It may be alleadged the most wicked men vpon earth yea the deuils themselues may be hearers of the truth of Christ. Ans. There be
of a little worldly pelfe oh how are we grieued but seeing our transgressions are the weapons whereby the sonne of God was crucified let vs I say it againe and againe learne to be grieued for them aboue all things and with bleeding and melting hearts bow and buckle vnder them as vnder the crosse Secondly Christ saith of himselfe as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lifted vp the comparison is excellent and worthie the marking In the wildernes of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God and thereupon he sent fierie serpents among them which stung many of them to death now when they repented Moses was commanded to make a brasen serpent and to set it vpon a pole that as many as were stung might looke vnto it and recouer and if they could but cast a glaunce of the eye on the brasen serpent when they were stung euen to death they were restored to health and life Now euery man that liueth is in the same case with the Israelites Satan hath stung vs at the heart and giuen vs many a deadly wound if we could feele it and Christ who was figured by the brasen serpent was likewise exalted on the crosse to conferre righteousnesse and life eternall to euery one of vs therefore if we will escape eternall death we must renoūce our selues and lift vp the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified and pray for the pardon of our sinnes and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the deuill and vntill such time as we haue grace to doe this we shall neuer be cured but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan and bleeding to death euen at the very heart although we feele no paine or griefe at all But some may aske how any man can see him crucified now after his death Ans. Wheresoeuer the word of God is preached there Christ is crucified as Paul saith Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome before Iesus Christ was described in your sight and among you crucified meaning that he was liuely preached among them We neede not to goe to wodden crosses or to golden crucifixes to seeke for him but where the Gospel is preached thither must we goe and there lift vp our eyes of faith to Christ as he is reuealed vnto vs in the word resting on him and his merits with all our hearts and with a godly sorrow confesse and bewaile our sinnes crauing at his hands mercie and pardon for the same For till such time as we doe this we are grieuously stung by Satan and are euery moment euen at deaths dore And if we can thus behold Christ by faith the benefits which come hereby shall be great for as Paul saith the old man that is the corruption of our nature and the bodie of sinne that raigneth in vs shall be crucified with him for when Christ was nailed on the crosse all our sinnes were laid vpon him therefore if thou dost vnfainedly beleeue all thy sinnes are crucified with him and the corruption of thy nature languisheth and dieth as he languished and died vpon the crosse Thirdly we must learne to imitate Christ as he suffered himselfe to be nayled to the crosse for our sinnes so answerably must euery one of vs learne to crucifie our flesh and the corruption of our nature and the wickednesse of our owne hearts as Paul saith They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof And this we shall doe if for our sinnes past we waile and mourne with bitternesse and preuent the sinnes to come into which we may fall by reason of the corruption of our natures by vsing all good meanes as praier and fasting and the word of God preached and by flying all occasions of offence We are not to destroy our bodies or to kill our selues but to kill and crucifie sinne that liueth in vs and to mortifie the corruption of our nature that rebels against the spirit Christianitie stands not in this to heare the word of God and outwardly to professe the same and in the meane season still to liue in our sinnes and to pamper our owne rebellious flesh but it teacheth vs alwaies to haue in readines some speare or other to wound sinne and the sword of the spirit to cut downe corruption in vs that thereby we may shew our selues to be liuely followers of Christ indeede Fourthly by this wee may learne that the wrath of God against sinne is wonderfull great because his owne Sonne bearing our person and beeing in our place was not onely crucified and racked most cruelly but also bare the whole wrath of God in his soule and therefore we must leaue off to make so little account of sinne as commonly we doe Fifthly whereas the person crucified was the sonne of God it sheweth that the loue of God which he bare vnto vs in our redemption is endlesse like a sea without banke or bottome it can not be searched into and if we shall not acknowledge it to be so our condemnation will be the greater Sixtly in this that Christ bare the curse of the law vpon the crosse we learne that those that be the children of God when they suffer any iudgement crosse or calamitie either in bodie or in minde or both doe not beare them as the curses of God but as the chastisments of a louing father For it doth not stand with the iustice of God to punish one fault twise and therefore when any man that putteth his whole confidence in God shall either in his owne person in his good name or in his goods feele the heauie hand of God God doth not as a iudge curse him but as a father correct him Here then is condemned the opinion of the Church of Rome which hold that we by our sufferings doe in some part satisfie the iustice of God but this can not stand because Christ did make a perfect fatisfaction to the iustice of his father for all punishment And therefore satisfaction to God made by man for temporall punishment is needlesse and much derogates from Christs passion In the crucifying of Christ two things specially must be considered The manner of the doing of it and his continuance aliue vpon the crosse Touching the manner the spirit of God hath noted two things The first that Christ was crucified between two theeues the one vpon his left hand the other vpon his right in which action is verefied the saying of the Prophet Esai He was numbred among the wicked and the Iewes for their parts doe hereby testifie that they esteemed him to be not some common wicked man but euen the captaine and ringleader of all theeues and malefactours whatsoeuer Nowe whereas Christ standing vpon the crosse in our roome and stead is reputed the head and prince of all sinners it serueth to teach euery one of vs
thy sight Thus laying to his owne heart and making vse of Gods iudgements he humbled himselfe and was spared with his fiftie And Habaccuk saith When I heard the voyce namely of Gods iudgements rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might be safe in the day of the Lord. Now what this feare of the Centurion was there is a further question and it is very like that it was but a sudden motion or a certaine preparatiue to better things For he was but an heathen man and had as yet no knowledge of Christ and whether he repented or not it is vncerten and we must not maruell at this for there are many suddaine motions in shew very good that vpon like occasions rise in the hearts of naturall men When God plagued the land of Egypt then Pharaoh sent for Moses and confessed that the Lord was righteous but he and his people were wicked and desired Moses to pray to God to take away the plague who did so but so soone as the hand of God was stayed he returned to his old rebellion againe And as a dogge that commeth out of the water shaketh his cares and yet returneth into it againe so is the manner of the world when crosses and calamities befall men as sicknesse losse of friends or goods then with Ahab they outwardly humble themselues and goe softly they vse to frequent the place where the word is preached and Gods name called vpon but alas common experience shewes that these things are but fittes arising of vncerten and flittering motions in the heart For so soone as the crosse is remooued they returne to their old by as againe and become as bad and as backeward as euer they were beeing like to the tree that lies in the water which for a while is greene but afterward withereth And therefore we for our parts when any good motions come into our hearts as the beginnings of further grace we I say must not quench them but cherish and preserue them remembring that the kingdome of heauen is like a graine of mustard seede which when it is sowne is the least of all seedes but afterward it groweth vp into a tree that the soules of the heauen may build their nests in it and like to this are the first motions of Gods spirit and therefore they must be cherished and maintained And thus much for the seuen signes of the power of Christs godhead Now followes the second part of the triumph of Christ which containeth signes of his victorie vpon the crosse notably expressed by Paul when he saith And putting out the hand writing of ordinances which was against vs which was contrarie to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse and hath spoiled the principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed openly in the same In which words he alludeth to the manner of heathen triumphs for it was the custome of the heathen princes when they had gotten the victorie ouer their enemies first to cause a pillar of stone or some great oke to be cut downe and set vp in the place of victorie vpon which either the names of the chiefe enemies were set or their heads were hanged or words were written in the pillar to testifie the victorie This beeing done there followed an open shew in which first the conquerour prepares for himselfe a chariot of victorie wherein he was himselfe to ride and then the chiefe of his enemies bound and pinioned were led openly after him Now on the same manner vpon the crosse there was a pitched field the Emperour on the one side was Christ his enemies on the other side were the world the flesh hell death damnation the deuill and all his angels all which banding themselues against him were all subdued by him vpon the same crosse and he himselfe gaue two signes of his triumph one was a monument of the victorie the other an open shew of his conquest Now the monument of Christs victorie was the crosse it selfe whereon he nailed the obligation or bill which was against vs whereby satan might haue accused and condemned vs before God For we must consider that God the father is as a creditour and we all debters vnto him he hath a bill of our hands which is the law in that it giueth testimonie against vs first by the legall washings which did shew and signifie that we were altogether defiled and vncleane secondly by the sacrifices that were daily offered for the propitiation for our sinnes Now Christ was our suretie and paid euery iotte of the debt which we should haue paide and requiring the acquittance taketh the ceremoniall law and the curse of the morall law and nailes them to the crosse Furthermore in the shew of conquest the chariot is the crosse likewise for it was not onely a monument of victorie but also a chariot of triumph And the captiues bound and pinioned which follow Christ are the principalities and powers that is the deuill and his angels hell death and condemnation all which are as it were taken prisoners their armour and weapons are taken frō them and they chained and bound each to other The meditation of this point serueth to admonish vs to abandon all manner of sinne and to make conscience of euery good dutie if we will aright professe the gospel of Christ for when we sinne we doe as it were pull Christ out of his chariot of triumph and vntie Sathans bonds giue him weapons and as much as we can make him valiant and strong againe Now for any man to make Sathan and sinne valiant and strong against himselfe whereas Christ hath weakned him and euen bruised his head is no better then to become an enemie to the crosse of Christ. Againe hereby we are taught to pray vnto God that our blinde eyes may be opened that we may discerne aright of the passion of Christ. It is a wonder to see howe men are carried away with a liking of vaine shewes games and enterludes how they spende euen whole daies in beholding them and their money also that they may come to the places where they are oh then how exceedingly ought our hearts to be rauished with this most admirable shew in which the sonne of God himselfe rides most gloriously in his chariot of triumph and leades his and our most cursed enemies captiue yea treades them vnder his foote This triumph is set forth vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospel and may be seene of vs all freely without money or money-worth What wretches then shall we be if we suffer our hearts to be filled with earthly delights and in the meane season haue little or no desire to behold with the eyes of our minde this goodly spectacle that is to be seene in the passion of Christ that serues to reuiue and refresh our soules to life eternall Thirdly if Christ when he was most weake and base
in the eyes of men did most of all triumph vpon the crosse then euery one of vs must learne to say with the Apostle Paul God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ Iesus our Lord. That we may say this truly first of all we must labour to haue the benefit of the crosse of Christ not onely in the remission but also in the mortification of our sinnes secondly we must not be discomforted but rather reioyce and triumph therein A Christian man can neuer haue greater honour then to suffer for the Gospel of Christ when God calleth him thereunto and therefore Saint Paul setteth forth another most glorious shew which all those must make that suffer any thing for Gods cause They must encounter with the world the flesh and the deuill and are placed as it were on a theater and in this conflict the beholders are men and angels yea the whole hoast of heauen and earth the vmpire or iudge is God himselfe who wil giue sentence of victorie on their side and so they shall ouercome We must not hereupon thrust our selues into danger but when it shall please God to call vs thereunto we must thinke our selues highly honoured of him As when God sendeth losse of friends of substance or good name or any other calamitie we must not despaire or be ouer grieued but rather reioyce and addresse our selues then with our Sauiour Christ to make a triumph Thus much of Christs triumph and the passion of his crosse Now followeth the second degree of his humiliation in these words And buried Where we must consider these points I. why it was needefull that Christ should be buried II. who was the author of his buriall III. the manner or preparation to his buriall IV. the place and time where and when he was buried Of these in order For the first the causes are many but especially foure why Christ was to be buried I. that the truth and certentie of his death might be confirmed vnto vs and that no man might so much as imagine that his death was a fantasticall death or his bodie a fantasticall bodie for men vse not to burie a liuing but a dead man or a man in shew but a true man II. that his buriall might be vnto him a passage from the estate of humiliation to the estate of exaltation which began in his resurrection and he could not haue risen againe if he had not beene first buried III. that the outward humiliation in the forme of a seruant which he tooke vpon him might be continued vpon him to the lowest degree of all and therefore it was not sufficient that he should be crucified euen to death but beeing dead he must be also buried IV. Christ was buried that he might not onely vanquish death on the crosse but euen after the manner of conquerours subdue him at his owne home and as it were plucke him out of his owne cabine or denne The authours of Christs buriall were Ioseph of Arimathea and Nichodemus who came to Iesus by night Now concerning them and this their fact there are many things worthie to be considered in this place First of all they were disciples of Christ and the difference betweene them and the rest is to be considered The other disciples though in number they were but few yet in the feast before his passion they openly followed him but when Christ was to be arraigned and the persecution of the Church of the new testament began in him then Iudas betraied him Peter denied him and the rest fled away yet euen at the same instant these two secret disciples of our Sauiour Christ Ioseph of Arimathea and Nichodemus take courage to themselues and in time of danger openly professe themselues to be Christs disciples by an honourable and solemne buriall God no doubt opening their hearts and inabling them to doe so The like is to be seene in all ages since the passion of Christ in the Church of God in which men zealous for the Gospel in peace haue beene timerous in persecution whereas weake ones haue stood out against their enemies euen vnto death it selfe The reason is because God will humble those his seruants which are oftentimes indued with great measure of graces and contrariwise exalt and strengthen the weake and feeble and the same no doubt will be found true among vs if it should please God to sende any new triall into the Church of England This serues to teach vs to thinke charitably of those which are as yet but weake among vs and withall in our profession to carrie a low saile and to thinke basely of our selues and in the whole course of our liues creepe alow by the ground running on in feare and trembling because the Lord oftentimes humbles those that be strong and giue courage and strength to weake ones boldly to confesse his name Secondly whereas these two disciples haue such care of the buriall of Christ we learne that it is our dutie to be carefull also for the honest and solemne buriall of our brethren The Lord himselfe hath commanded it Thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne Also the bodies of men are the good creatures of God yea the bodies of Gods children are the temples of the holy Ghost therefore there is good cause why they should be honestly laid in the earth And it was a curse and iudgement of God vpon Iehoiakim that he must not be buried but like a dead asse be drawne and cast out of the gates of Ierusalem And so the Lord threatens a curse vpon the Moabites because they did not burie the king of Edom but burnt his bones into lime And therefore it is a necessarie dutie one neighbour and friend to looke to the honest buriall of another Hence it followes that the practise of Spaine and Italie and all popish cuntries which is to keepe the parts of mens bodies and such like reliques of Saints vnburied that they may be seene of men and worshipped hath no warrant dust they are and to dust they ought to be returned Furthermore the properties and vertues of both these men are seuerally to be considered And first to begin with Ioseph he was a Senatour a man of great account authoritie and reputation among the Iewes It may seeme a strange thing that a man of such account would abase himselfe so much as to take downe the bodie of Christ from the crosse It might haue beene an hinderance to him and a disgrace to his estate and calling as we see in these daies it would be thought a base thing for a knight or lord to come to the place of execution and take downe a thiefe from the hand of the hangman to burie him but this noble Senatour Ioseph for the loue he bare to Christ made no account of his state and calling neither did he scorne to take vpon him so base an office considering it was for the
the vse was among the Iewes for they vsed embalming as a pledge and signe of the resurrection but now since Christs comming we haue a more certen pledge thereof euen the resurrection of Christ himselfe and therefore it is not requisite that we should vse embalming and washing as the Iewes did And the clause which is specified in Saint Matthew is not to be omitted that Ioseph wrapped Christs bodie in a cleane linnen cloath whereby we learne that howsoeuer the strange fashions fetcht from Spaine and Italie are monstrous and to be abhorred yet seeing the bodie of a man is the creature of God therefore it must be araied in cleanly manner and in holy comelines Paul requires that the minister of the Gospel in all things be seemely or comely and herein he ought to be a patterne of sobrietie vnto all men Thirdly after they haue wound the bodie of Christ they lay it in a tombe and lastly they make it sure closing it vp with a stone rolled ouer the mouth of it Also the Iewes request Pilate to seale it that none might presume to open it besides they set a band of souldiours to watch the tombe and to keepe it that his bodie be not stollen away Many reasons might be alleadged of this their dealing but principally it came to passe by the prouidence of God that hereby he might confirme the resurrection of Christ. For whereas the Iewes would neither be mooued by his doctrine nor by his works and miracles to beleeue he causeth this to be done that by the certentie of his resurrection he might conuince them of hardnesse of heart and prooue that he was the sonne of God Thus much of the manner of his buriall Now followes the place where Christ was buried In the place we are to marke three things first that Christ was laid in Iosephs tombe whereby we may gather the greatnes of Christs pouertie in that he had not so much ground as to make himselfe a graue in and this must be a comfort to the members of Christ that are in pouertie And it teacheth them if they haue no more but food and raiment to be therewith content knowing that Christ their head and king hath consecrated this very estate vnto them Secondly the tombe wherein Christ was laide was a new tombe wherein neuer any man lay before And it was the speciall appointment of Gods prouidence that it should be so because if any man had bin buried there aforetime the malitious Iewes would haue pleaded that it was not Christ that rose againe but some other Thirdly we must obserue that this tombe was in a garden as the fal of man was in a garden and as the apprehension of Christ in a garden beyond the brooke Cedron And here we must note the practise of a good man This garden was the place of Iosephs delight and holy recreation wherein he vsed to solace himselfe in beholding the good creatures of God yet in the same place doth he make his owne graue long before he died whereby it appeares that his recreation was ioyned with a meditation of his ende and his example must be followed of vs. True it is God hath giuen vs his creatures not onely for necessitie but also for our lawfull delight but yet our dutie is to mingle therewith serious meditation and consideration of our last end It is a brutish part to vse the blessings and creatures of God and not at all to be bettered in regard of our last end by a further vse thereof The time when Christ was buried was the euening wherein the Sabbath was to begin according to the manner of the Iewes which began their daies at sunne setting from euening to euening according to that in Genesis the euening and the morning was the first day Nowe Ioseph commeth a little before euening and beggeth the body of Christ and burieth it where note that howsoeuer we are not bounde to keepe the sabbath so strictly as the Iewes were yet when we haue any busines or worke to be done of our ordinarie calling wee must not take a part of the Lords sabbath to doe it in but preuent the time and doe it either before as Ioseph did or rather after the sabbath This is little practised in the worlde Men thinke if they goe to Church before and after noone to heare Gods worde then all the day after they may doe what they list and spend the rest of the time at their owne pleasure but the whole day is the Lords and therefore must be spent wholly in his seruice both by publike hearing of the word and also by priuate reading and meditation on the same To conclude the doctrine of Christs buriall Here it may bee demanded howe he was alwaies after his incarnation both God and man considering he was dead and buried and therfore bodie and soule were sundered and a dead man seemes to be no man Ans. A dead man in his kind is as true a man as a liuing man for though bodie and soule be not vnited by the bond of life yet are they vnited by a relation which the one hath to the other in the counsell good pleasure of god and that as truely as man and woman râ—maine coupled into one flesh by a couenant of marriage though afterward they be distant a thousand miles asunder And by vertue of this relation euery soule in the day of iudgement shall be reunited to his own bodie and euerie bodie to his own soule But there is yet a more straighter bond betweene the bodie and soule of Christ in his death and buriall For as when he was liuing his soule was a meane or bond to vnite his godhead and his bodie togither so when hee was dead his verie Godhead was a meane or middle bonde to vnite the bodie and soule and to say otherwise is to dissolue the hypostaticall vnion by vertue whereof Christs bodie and soule though seuered each from other yet both were still ioyned to the godhead of the sonne The vse and profit which may be made of Christs buriall is twofolde I. It serueth to worke in vs the buriall of all our sinnes Knowe ye not saith Paul that all who haue beene baptized into Christ haue beene baptized into his death are buried with him by baptisme into his death If any shall demaund howe any man is buried into the death of Christ the answere is this Euery Christian man and woman are by faith mystically vnited vnto Christ and made all members of one bodie whereof Christ is the head Nowe therefore as Christ by the power of his godhead when hee was dead and buried did ouercome the graue the power of death in his own person so by the very same power by meanes of his spirituall coniunction doth he worke in all his members a spirituall death and buriall of sinne and naturall corruption When the Israelites were in burying of a man for feare of
the souldiours of the Moabites they cast him for hast into the sepulchre of Elisha Nowe the dead man so soone as hee was downe and had touched the bodie of Elisha hee reuiued and stood vpon his feete so let a man that is dead in sinne bee cast into the graue of Christ that is let him by faith but touch Christ dead and buried it will come to passe by the vertue of Christs death and buriall that he shall be raised from death and bondage of sinne to become a newe man Secondly the buriall of Christ serues to be a sweete perfume of all our graues and burials for the graue in it selfe is the house of perdition but Christ by his buriall hath as it were consecrated and perfumed all our graues and in stead of houses of perdition hath made them chambers of rest and sleepe yea beds of downe and therefore howesoeuer to the eie of man the beholding of a funerall is terrible yet if wee could then remember the buriall of Christ and consider howe he thereby hath changed the nature of the graue euen then it would make vs to reioice Lastly wee must imitate Christs buriall in beeing continually occupied in the spirituall buriall of our sinnes Thus much of the buriall Nowe followeth the third and last degree of Christs humiliation He descended into hell It seemes very likely that these words were not placed in the Creede at the first or as some thinke that they crept in by negligence because aboue threescore Creeds of the most ancient counsels and fathers want this clause and among the rest the Nicene Creede But if the auncient and learned fathers assembled in that Counsell had beene perswaded or at the least had imagined that these words had bin set down at the first by the Apostles no doubt they would not in any wise haue left them out And an auncient writer saith directly that these wordes he descended into hell are not found in the Creede of the Romane Church nor vsed in the churches of the East and if they be that then they signifie the buriall of Christ. And it must not seeme straunge to anyâ— that a worde or twaine in processe of time should creepe into the Creed considering that the originall copies of the bookes of the olde and new testament haue in them sundrie varieties of readings and wordes otherwhiles which from the margine haue crept into the text Neuerthelesse considering that this clause hath long continued in the Creede and that by common consent of the Catholike Church of God and â—t may carrie a fitte sense and exposition it is not as some would haue it to bee put forth Therfore that we may come to speake of the meaning of it we must know that it hath foure vsuall expositions which we will rehearse in order and then make choice of that which shall be thought to be the fittest The first is that Christs soule after his passion vpon the crosse did really and locally descend into the place of the damned But this seemes not to be true The reasons are these I. all the Euangelists and among the rest S. Luke intending to make an exact narration of the life and death of Christ haue set downe at large his passion death buriall resurrection and ascension and withall they make rehearsall of small circumstances therefore no doubt they would not haue omitted Christ locall descent into the place of the damned if there had beene any such thing And the ende why they penned this historie was that wee might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and beleeuing wee might haue life euerlasting Nowe there could not haue beene a greater matter for the confirmation of our faith then this that Iesus the sonne of Marie who went downe to the place of the damned returned thence to liue in happines for euer II. If Christ did goe into the place of the damned then either in soule or in bodie or in his godhead But his Godhead could not descend because it is euery where and his bodie was in the graue And as for his soule it went not to hell but presently after his death it went to paradise that is the third heauen a place of ioy and happinesse Luk. 23.43 This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise which wordes of Christ must be vnderstoode of his manhood or soule and not of his Godhead For they are an answere to a demand and therefore vnto it they must be sutable Nowe the thiefe seeing that Christ was first of all crucified and therefore in all likelihood should first of all die makes his request to this effect Lord thou shalt shortly enter into thy kingdome remember me then to which Christs answere as the very wordes import is thus much I shall enter into paradise this day and there shalt thou bee with me Now there is no entrance but in regard of his soule or manhood For the Godhead which is at all times in all places cannot be said properly to enter into a place Againe when Christ saith thou shalt be with me in Paradise he doth intimate a resemblance which is betweene the first and second Adam The first Adam sinned against God and was presently cast forth out of paradise Christ the second Adam hauing made a satisfaction for sinne must immediately enter into paradise Nowe to say that Christ in soule descended locally into hell is to abolish this anolagie between the first second AdaÌ„ III. Auncient councels in their confessions and Creeds omitting this clause shew that they did not acknowledge any reall descent and that the true meaning of these words he desceÌ„ded was sufficieÌ„tly included in some of the former articles and that may appeare because when they set downe it they omit some of the former as Athanasius in his Creede setting downe these words he descended c. omits the buriall putting them both for one as he expoundes himselfe elsewhere Now let vs see the reasons which may be alleadged to the coÌ„trary Obiect I. Matth. 12.40 The sonne of man shall be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth that is in hell Ans. I. This exposition is directly against the scope of the place for the Pharises desired to see a signe that is some sensible and manifest miracle and hereunto Christ answers that he will giue them the signe of Ionas which cannot be the descent of his soule into the place of the daÌ„ned because it was insensible but rather his buriall and after it his manifest and glorious resurrection II. The heart of the earth may as well signifie the graue as the center of the earth For thus Tyrus bordering vpon the sea is said to be in the heart of the sea III. This exposition takes it for graunted that hell is seated in the middest of the earth whereas the scriptures reueale vnto vs no more but this that hell is in the lower parts but where these
rose with Christ are to be noted they were the Saints of God not wicked men whereby we are put in minde that the elect children of God onely are partakers of Christs resurrection Indeede both good and bad rise againe but there is a great difference in their rising for the godly rise by the vertue of Christs resurrection and that to eternall glorie but the vngodly rise by the vertue of Christ not as he is a redeemer but as he is a terrible iudge and is to execute iustice on them And they rise againe for this ende that besides the first death of the bodie they might suffer the second death which is the powring forth of the wrath of god vpon bodie and soule eternally This difference is prooued vnto vs by that which Paul saith Christ is the first fruits of them that sleepe Among the Iewes such as had corne fields gathered some little quantitie thereof before they reaped the rest and offered the same vnto God signifying thereby that they acknowledged him to be the author giuer of all increase this offering was also an assurance vnto the owner of the blessing of God vpon the rest this beeing but one handful did sanctifie the whole crop Now Christ to the dead is as the first fruits to the rest of the corne because his resurrection is a pledge an assurāce of the resurrectiō of all the faithful When a man is cast into the sea and all his bodie is vnder the water there is nothing to be looked for but present death but if he carie his head aboue the water there is good hope of a recouerie Christ himselfe is risen as a pledge that all the iust shall rise againe he is the head vnto his Church and therefore all his members must needes follow in their time It may be demaunded what became of the Saints that rose againe after Christs resurrection Answ. Some thinke they died againe but seeing they rose for this ende to manifest the quickening vertue of Christs resurrection it is as like that they were also glorified with Christ and ascended with him to heauen Thus much of the manner of Christs resurrection Now followes the time when he rose againe and that is specified in the Creede The third day he rose againe Thus saith our Sauiour Christ vnto the Pharises As Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales bellie so shall the sonne of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth And though Christ was but one day and two pieces of two daies in the graue for he was buried in the euening before the Sabbath and rose in the morning the next day after the Sabbath yet is this sufficient to verifie this saying of Christ. For if the analogie had stoode in three whole daies then Christ should haue risen the fourth day And it was the pleasure of God that he should lie thus long in the graue that in might be knowne that he was throughly dead and he continued no longer that he might not in his bodie see corruption Againe it is saide Christ rose againe in the end of the Sabbath when the first day of the weeke began to dawne And this very time must be considered as the reall beginning of the new spirituall world in which we are made the sonnes of God And as in the first day of the first world light was commanded to shine out of darknes vpon the deepes so in the first day of this new world the sonne of righteousnes riseth and giues light to them that sit in darknes and dispells the darknes that was vnder the old Testament And here let vs marke the reason why the Sabbath day was changed For the first day of the weeke which was the day following the Iewes sabbath is our sabbath day which day we keepe holy in memorie of the glorious resurrection of Christ and therefore it is called the Lords day And it may not vnfitly be tearmed Sunday though the name came first from the heathen because on this day the blessed sonne of righteousnesse rose from death to life Let vs now in the next place proceede to the proofes of Christs resurrection which are diligently to be obserued because it is one of the most principall points of our religion For as the Apostle saith He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and againe If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and our faith is also vaine The proofes are of two sorts first Christs appearances vnto men secondly the testimonies of men Christs appearances were either on the first day or on the daies following The appearances of Christ the same day he rose againe are fiue And first of all earely in the morning he appeared to Marie Magdalen In this appearance diuers things are to be considered The first of what note and qualitie the partie was to whome Christ appeared Ans. Marie Magdalen was one that had bin possessed with seuen deuils but was deliuered and became a repentant sinner and stood by when Christ suffered and came with sweete odours when he was dead to embalme him And therefore to her is graunted this prerogatiue that she should be the first that should testifie his resurrection vnto men And hence we learne that Christ is readie and willing to receiue most miserable wretched sinners euen such as haue bin vassals and bondslaues of the deuill if they will come to him Any man would thinke it a fearefull case to be thus possessed with deuills as Marie was but let all those that liue in ignorance and by reason thereof liue in sinne without repentance know this that their case is a thousand times worse then Marie Magdalens was For what is an impenitent sinner Surely nothing els but the castle and hold of the deuill both in bodie and soule For looke as a captaine that hath taken some hold or skonse doth rule and gouerne all therein and disposeth it at his will and pleasure euen so it is with all blind and impenitent sinners not one deuill alone but euen legions of deuils possesse them and rule their hearts and therefore howsoeuer they may soothe themselues and say all is well for God is mercifull yet their case is farre worse then Maries was Now then would any be freed from this fearefull bondage let them learne of Marie Magdalen to follow Christ and to seeke vnto him and then albeit the deuil and al his angels possesse their hearts yet Christ beeing the strong man will come and cast them all out and dwell there himselfe The second is what Christ in his appearance said to Marie Ans. He saide Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my father Marie no doubt was glad to see Christ and therefore looked to haue conuersed as familiarly with him as shee was wont before his death but he forbids her to touch him that is not to looke to enioy
see in the vision of the waters that ranne out of the temple First a man must wade to the ankles then after to the knees and so to the loynes then after the waters growe to a riuer that cannot be passed ouer and so the Lord conueyeth his graces by little and little till at the last men haue a full measure thereof Thirdly the resurrection of Christ serues as an argument to prooue vnto vs our resurrection at the day of iudgement Paul saith If the spirit of Christ that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies Some will say that this is no benefit for all must rise againe as well the wicked as the godly Answ. True indeed but yet the wicked rise not againe by the same cause that the godly doe They rise againe by the power of Christ not as hee is a Sauiour but as hee is a iudge to condemne them For God had said to Adam at what time he should eate of the forbidden fruite hee should die the death meaning a double death both the first and the second death Nowe then the vngodly rise againe that God may inflict vpon them the punishment of the second death which is the reward of sinne that so Gods iustice may be satisfied but the godly rise againe by the power of Christ their head and redeemer who raiseth them vp that they may be partakers of the benefit of his death which is to enioy both in bodie and soule the kingdome of heauen which he hath so deerely bought for them Thus much for the comforts Nowe followe the duties and they are also three First as Christ Iesus when he was dead rose againe from death to life by his owne power so wee by his grace in imitation of Christ must endeauour our selues to rise vp from all our sinnes both originall and actuall vnto newenesse of life This is worthily set downe by the Apostle saying Wee are buried by baptisme into his death that as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life and therefore we must endeauour our selues to shewe the same power to be in vs euery day by rising vp from our owne personall sinnes to a reformed life This ought to be remēbred of vs because howesoeuer many heare and knowe this point yet very fewe doe practise the same For to speake plainly as dead men buried would neuer heare though a man should speake neuer so loud so vndoubtedly amōg vs there be also many liuing men which are almost in the same case The ministers of God may crie vnto them daily and iterate the same thing a thousand times and tell them that they must rise vp from their sinnes and lead a newe life but they heare no more then the dead carkas that lieth in the graue Indeede men heare with their outward eares but they are so farre from practising this dutie that many iudge it to bee a matter of reproch and ignominy And those which make any conscience of this dutie how they are laden with nicknames and taunts who knoweth not I neede not to rehearse them so odious a thing nowe a daies is the rising from sinne to newnesse of life Sound a trumpet in a dead mans eares he stirs not let vs crie for amendment of life till breath go out of our bodies no man almost saith What haue I done And for this cause vndoubtedly if it were not for cōscience of that duty which mē owe vnto God wee should haue but fewe ministers in England For it is the ioy of a minister to see the vnfained conuersion of his people whereas alas men generally lie snorting in their corruptions and rather goe forward in them still then come to any amendment such is the wonderful hardnesse that hath possessed the hearts of most men He which hath but halfe an eie may see this to be true Oh! howe exceedes Atheisme in all places contempt of Gods worship prophanation of the sabbath the whordomes fornications the crueltie and oppression of this age crie to heauen for vengeance By these such like sinnes the world crucifies Christ againe For looke as Pilats souldiers with the wicked Iewes tooke Christ and stripped him of his garments buffeted him and slue him so vngodly men by their wicked behauiour strip him of al honour and slaie him againe If an infidel should come among vs yeeld himselfe to be of our religiō after he had seene the behauiour of men he would peraduenture leaue all religion for hee might say surely it seemes this God whome these men worship is not the true God but a God of licentious libertie And that which is more whereas at all times wee ought to shewe our selues newe creatures and to walke worthie of our Sauiour and redeemer and therefore also ought to rise out of our sinnes and to liue in righteousnes and true holinesse yet we for the most part goe on still forward in sinne and euery day goe deeper then other to hel-ward This hath beene heretofore the common practise but let vs nowe learne after the example of Christ beeing quickened and reuiued by his grace to endeauour our selues especially to come out of the graue of sinne and learne to make conscience of euery bad action True it is a Christian man may vse the creatures of God for his delight in a moderate and godly manner but Christ neuer gaue libertie to any to liue licentiously for he that is free is yet seruant vnto Christ as Paul saith and therefore we must not enterprise any thing but that which may be a worke of some good dutie vnto God to which ende the Apostle saith Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life If this will not mooue vs yet let the iudgements of God drawe vs hereunto Blessed is he saith the holy Ghost that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power where mention is made of a double death the first is the separation of soule and bodie the second is the eternal condemnation of soule and bodie in hell fire Would we nowe escape the second death after this life we must then labour in this life to be partakers of the first resurrection and that on this manner Looke what sinnes we haue liued in heretofore we must endeauour to come out of them all and lead a better life according to all the commandements of God But if it be so that ye wil haue no care of your own soules goe on hardly to your owne perill and so yee shall be sure to enter into the second death which is eternall damnation Secondly we are taught by the example of Saint Paul to labour aboue all things to know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection And this we shall doe when we can say by
experience that our hearts are not content with a formall and drowsie profession of religion but that we feele the same power of Christ whereby he raised vp himselfe from death to life to be effectuall and powerfull in vs to worke in our hearts a conuersion from all our sinnes wherein we haue lien dead to newenesse of life with care to liue godly in Christ Iesus And that we may further attaine to all this we must come to heare the worde of God preached and taught with feare trembling hauing heard the word we must meditate therein and pray vnto God not onely publikely but priuately also intreating him that he would reach forth his hand and pull vs out of the graue of sinne wherein we haue lien dead so long And in so doing the Lord of his mercy according as he hath promised will send his spirit of grace into our hearts to worke in vs an inward sense and feeling of the vertue of Christs resurrection So dealt he with the two disciples that were going to Emmaus they were occupied in the meditation of Christ his death and passion and whiles they were in hearing of Christ who conferred with them he gaue them such a measure of his spirit as made their hearts to burne within them And Paul praieth for the Ephesians that God would inlighten their eies that they might see and feele in themselues the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God which he wrought in Christ Iesus when he raised him from the dead Thirdly as Saint Paul saith If wee be risen with Christ then we must seeke the things that are aboue But howe and by what meanes can wee rise with Christ seeing we did not die with him Ans. We rise with Christ thus The burgesse of a towne in the parliament house beareth the person of the whole towne and whatsoeuer he saith that the whole towne saith and whatsoeuer is done to him is also done to all the towne so Christ vpon the crosse stood in our place and bare our person and what he suffered we suffered and when he died all the faithfull died in him and so likewise as he is risen againe so are all the faithfull risen in him The consideration whereof doth teach vs that we must not haue our hearts wedded to this world We may vse the thinges of this life but yet so as though we vsed them not For all our loue and care must be for thinges aboue and specially wee must seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Wee must therefore sue for the pardon of sinne for reconciliation to God in Christ and for sanctification These are the pretious pearles which we must seeke and when we haue found them we must sell all that we haue to buy them and hauing bought them wee must lay them vp in the secret corners of our hearts valuing and esteeming of them better then all things in the world beside Thus much of Christs resurrection containing the first degree of Christs exaltation Nowe followeth the second in these wordes Hee ascended into heauen in the handling whereof we are to consider these speciall points I. the time of his ascension II. the place III. the manner IV. the witnesses V. the vses thereof For the first the time of Christs ascension was fortie daies after his resurrection when he taught his disciples the things which appertaine to the kingdome of God And this shewes that he is a most faithfull King ouer his Church procuring the good thereof And therefore Esay saith The gouernment is on his shoulder and the Apostle saith hee was more faithfull in all the house of God then Moses was Hence we gather that whereas the Apostles chaunged the sabboth from the seauenth dâ—y to the eight it was no doubt by the counsell and direction of Christ before his ascension and likewise in that they planted Churches and appointed teachers and meete ouerseers for the guiding and instruction hereof we may resolue our selues that Christ prescribed the same vnto them before his ascension and for these and such like causes did he ascend no sooner Now looke what care Christ at his ascension had ouer his Church the same must all masters of families haue ouer their housholds when God shall call them out of this world They must haue care not onely that their families be well gouerned while they liue but also that after their death peace loue and good order may be continued in their posteritie And therefore the prophet Esay is sent to Ezechias King of Iudah to bid him set his house in order for he must die signifying that it is the dutie of a good master of a familie to haue care not onely for the gouernment of his house whilst he is aliue but also that it may be well gouerned when he is dead The same also must be practised of Gods ministers a part of whose fidelitie is this that they haue not onely a care to feede their particular flocks while they are aliue but also that they further prouide for the people after their departure as much as they can Example whereof we haue in Peter who saith I will endeauour alwaies that ye may be able also to haue remembrance of these things after my departure The place of Christs ascension was the mount of Oliues neere Bethanie and it was the same place from whence Christ went to Ierusalem to be crucified One place serued to be a passage both to paine and torments and also to glorie This shewes that the way to the kingdome of heauen is through afflictions There are many which haue Gods hand heauie vpon them in lingering sicknesses as the dead palsie and such like wherein they are saine to lie many yeares without hope of cure whereupon their beddes which should be vnto them places of rest and ease are but places of woe and miserie Yet may these men hence haue great comfort if they can make good vse of their sicknesses for the beddes whereon they suffer so much torment shall be places from whence they shall passe to ioy and happinesse Againe there be many that for the testimonie of the truth and for religions sake suffer imprisonment with many afflictions now if they can vse their afflictions well their prisons shall be Bethanies vnto them although they be places of bondage yet God will at length make them places of entrance to libertie Many a man for the maintaining of faith and good conscience is banished out of his countrey and is faine to liue in a strange place among a people to whome he is vnknowne but let him vse it well for though it be a place of griefe for a time as Bethanie was to Christ when he went to suffer yet God will make it one day to be his passage into heauen Thus much of the place of his ascending The third thing to be considered is the manner of Christs ascension and
of Christ in feeding clothing lodging and visiting of them For we must thinke that many of those against whome this reason shall be brought did know religion and professe the same yea they prophesied in the name of Christ and called on him saying Lord Lord and yet the sentence of condemnation goeth against them because they shew no compassion toward the members of Christ and therefore it is a principal vertue and a speciall note of a Christian to shew the bowels of compassion towards his needie brethren Here againe we note that it is not sufficient for vs to abstaine from euill but we must also doe good For it is not saide I was an hungred and ye tooke from me but When I was hungrie ye gaue me no mâ—ate They are not charged with doing euill but for not doing good S. Iohn saith The axe is laid to the roote of the tree and the reason followes not because the tree bare euill fruit but because it bare not good fruite therefore it must be cast into the fire This condemnes a bad opinion of all worldly men who thinke that all is well and that God will be mercifull vnto them because they doe no man harme Thus we see how the deuill blinds the eyes of men for it will not stand for paiment at the day of iudgement to say I haue hurt no man vnlesse we further doe all the good we can The third point is the defence which impenitent sinners make for themselues in these words Lord when saw we thee an hungred or thirstie or naked or in prison or sicke and did not minister vnto thee Thus in their owne defence that which Christ saith they gainsay iustifie themselues Here marke the nature of all impenitent sinners which is to sooth and flatter themselues in sinne and to maintaine their owne righteousnes like to the proud Pharisie in his prayer who bragged of his goodnes and said Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners c. and in the very same manner ignorant persons of all sorts among vs iustifie themselues in their strong faith and bragge of their zeale of Gods glorie and of their loue to their brethren and yet indeede shew no signes thereof And truly we are not to maruell when we see such persons to iustifie themselues before men whereas they shall not be ashamed to doe it at the day of iudgement before the Lord Iesus himselfe The last point is Christs answer to them againe in these words Verily I say vnto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me This sentence being repeated againe doth teach vs the lesson which we learned before that when we are to shew compassion to any man especially if he be a meÌ„ber of Gods Church we must not consider his outward estate or his basenes in that he waÌ„ts food or raiment but behold Christ in him not respecting him as a man but as a member of Christ. This it is that must mooue vs to coÌ„passion and cause vs to make a supplie of his wants more then any respect in the world beside And surely when Christ in his members comes to our dores and complaines that he is hungrie and sicke and naked if our bowels yearne not towards him there is not so much as a sparke of the loue of God in vs. The seuenth point in the proceeding of the last iudgement is the retribution or reward in these words and they shall go into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall How doe the wicked enter into hell and the godly into heauen Answ. By the powerfull and commaunding voice of Christ which is of that force that neither the greatest rebell that euer was among men nor all the deuills in hell shall be able to withstand it And seeing that after the day of iudgement we must remaine for euer either in heauen or in hell we are to looke about vs and to take heed vnto our hearts Indeede if the time were but a thousand or two thousand yeares then with more reason men might take libertie to themselues but seeing it is without ende we must be most carefull through the whole course of our liues so to liue and behaue our selues that when the day of iudgement shall come we may auoid that fearefull sentence of euerlasting woe and condemnation which shall be pronounced against the wicked And whereas all wicked men shall goe to hell at Christs commaundement it teacheth vs willingly to obey the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the word For if we rebell against his voice in this world when in the day of iudgement sentence shall be pronounced against vs we shall heare an other voice at the giuing whereof we must obey whether we will or no and thereupon goe to euerlasting paine whither we would not Let vs therfore in time denie our selues for our sinnes past and onely relie vpon Christ Iesus for the free remission of them all and for the time to come lead a new reformed life Thus much of the order of Christ his proceeding at the day of iudgement Now follow the vses thereof which are either comforts to Gods Church or duties for all men The first comfort or benefit is this that the same person which died for vs vpon the crosse to worke our redemption must also be our iudge And hence we reape two speciall comforts I. The people of God shall hereby inioy ful redemption from all miseries and calamities which they had in this life So Christ himselfe speaking of the signes of the ende of the world saith to his disciples When you see these things lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere Then he shal wipe all teares from their eyes Secondly we shall hereby haue a finall deliuerance from all sinne Now what a ioyful thing it is to be freed from sinne may plainly appeare by the crie of S. Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And certen it is that he which knowes what sinne is seriously repents him of the same would wish with all his heart to be out of this world that he might leaue off to sinne and thereby cease to displease God The second comfort is this the godly in this world haue many enemies they are reuiled slandered and oftentimes put to death well Christ Iesus at the day of iudgement will take euery mans case into his owne hand he will then heare the complaint of the godly howsoeuer in this world they found no remedie and then he will reuenge their blood that is shed vpon the earth according to their prayer This comfort is to be coÌ„sidered especially of all those that are any way persecuted or molested by the wicked of this world Now follow the duties to be learned of euery one of vs and they are diuers First the consideration of the last iudgement serueth
to teach all ignorāt persons and impenitent sinners repentance and humiliation for their sinnes and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same When Paul preached to the Athenians he willed them to repent vpon this ground and reason because the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnes To speake plainly we can be content to heare the word and to honour him with our lipps yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake for still we liue in our old sinnes our hearts are not turned but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time when wee shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth and haue all our sinnes laide open and wee must answer for them all This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance and assuredly if this will not mooue vs there is nothing in the world will Secondly to this purpose Paul saith If wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day then in this life iudge thy selfe Nowe a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes II. he must confesse thē before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe Lastly he must plead pardon and crie vnto God as for life and death for the remission of all his sinnes and he that doth this vnfainedly shal neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come Thirdly by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another as Paul sayeth Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who lighten all things that are in darknes make the counsels of the hearts manifest And Christ saith Iudgement is mine and iudge not and ye shall not be iudged And againe Paul saith to the Romans Why doest thou iudge thy brother for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ but some will aske howe doth one iudge another Ans. Thus I. when a man doth well to saie of him that he doth euill II. when a man doth euill then to make it worse III. when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worst part And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions Fourthly wee must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men This is the practise of S. Paul who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men His example is worthie our marking and imitation for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of duty to God or to their brethren Fifthly the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God cause vs to glorifie him as the Angel saith in the Reuelation Feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come And doubtlesse if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this to remember the fearefull and terrible daie of iudgement Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father and also of the sonne it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes I beleeue in the holy Ghost In which wee may consider two things the title of the person and the action of faith repeated from the beginning The title is Holy Ghost or spirit It may here be demanded howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person which seemes to bee common to the rest for the father is holy and the sonne is holy againe the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures the third person for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse but the third person is called holy because beside the holinesse of nature his office is to sanctifie the Church of God Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie the answer is that although it be so yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit not onely because his nature is spirituall for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne in that he procedes from them both Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost Nowe the action of faith which concernes the third person is to beleeue in him Which is I. to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word II. In special to beleeue that he is my sanctifier and comforter III. To put all the confidence of my heart in him for that cause In these wordes are comprised foure points of doctrine which are to be beleeued cōcerning the holy Ghost The first that he is very God For we are not to put our affiance or confidence in any but in God alone And no doubt the penners of the Creede in that they prefixed these wordes I beleeue in before the article of the third person meant thereby to signifie that he is true God equall with the father and the sonne according to the tenour of the Scriptures themselues Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the Holy Ghost and continuing the same speech he changeth the tearme onely and saith Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God Whereby hei nsinuateth that the Holy Ghost is very God In the vision of the Prophet Isai the wordes by him set downe are thus I heard the voice of Iehoua saying Whome shall I send c. and he said God and say to this people Ye shall heare indeed but ye shall not vnderstand But Paul quoting the same place spake on this manner Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet saying Goe vnto this people and say vnto them Now these places being compared togither make it plaine that the title of Iehova agreeth to the holy Ghost But yet the enemies of this truth which thinke that the Holy
they that are the sonnes of God are led by his spirit a most notable benefit for looke where the h. Ghost dwelleth there he will be Lord gouerning both heart minde will and affections and that two waies I. by repressing all badde motions vnto sinne arising either from the corruption of mans nature from the world or from the deuil II. by stirring vp good affections and motions vpon euery occasion so it is said The flesh that is the corruption of mans nature lusteth against the spirit the spirit that is grace in the heart lusteth against the flesh that after a double sort first by labouring to ouermaster and keep down the motions thereof secondly by stirring vp good motions and inclinations to pietie and religion In Esay the holy Ghost hath most excellent titles The spirit of the Lord the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsel of strength the spirit of knowledge of the feare of the Lord. Now he is so called because he stirres vp good motions in the godly of wisdome of knowledge of strength of vnderstanding of counsell and of the feare of the Lord. And S. Paul saith that the fruits of the spirit are ioy peace loue long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenes temperance c. all which are so tearmed because where the holy Ghost ruleth there he ingendreth these good gifts and motions of grace but among all the inward motions of the spirit the most principall are these I. an vtter disliking of sinne because it is sinne And that is when a man hath an eye not so much to another mans sinnes as to his own seeing them is truely sorrowfull for them and disliketh them and himselfe for them not so much because there is a place of torment or a day of iudgement to come wherein hee must answer to God for them all but as if there were no hell or iudgement because God is displeased by them who hath beene vnto him a most louing and mercifull father in redeeming him by Christ. The second is an hungring desire aboue all things in this worlde to be at vnitie with God in Christ for the same sinnes This is a motion of the holy Ghost which no man can haue but he in whome the holy Ghost doth dwell The third the gift of hearty praier For this cause the Holy Ghost is called the spirit of supplications because it stirreth vp the heart and makes it fit to pray and therefore Paul saith that the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed This is an ordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in all that beleeue he that would knowe whether he haue the spirit dwelling truely in his heart shall knowe it by this A mother carrieth her child in her armes if it crie for the dugge and sucke the same it is aliue being obserued many daies togither if it neither crie nor stirre it is dead In like manner it is an vnfallible note of a true child of God to crie to his father in heauen by praier but he that neuer crieth nor feeleth himselfe stirred vp to make his mone to God is in a miserable case and he may well be thought to be but a dead childe and therefore let vs learne in praier vnfainedly to poure out our soules before God considering it is a speciall gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed on the children of God The fourth worke of the holy Ghost in the heart of the elect is comfort in distresse and therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth him the comforter whome he will send and in the Psalme hee is called the oyle of gladnesse because he maketh glad the heart of man in trouble and distresse There be two things that fill the heart full of endlesse griefe the first outward calamities as when a man is in any danger of death when he looseth his goods his good name his friendes and such like The second is a troubled conscience whereof Salomon saith A troubled spirit who can beare it and of all other it is the most heauie and grieuous crosse that can bee When as the hand of God was heauie vpon Iob this was the sorest of all his affliction and therefore he crieth out that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in his soule Nowe what is the comfort in this case Ans. In the middest of all our distresses the holy Ghost is present with vs to make vs reioice and to fill vs with comforts that no tongue can expresse out of the word of god and specially the promises thereof And hereupon the vngodly man when afflictions befall him is readie to make away himselfe because he wants the comfort of the holy Ghost The last benefit wrought in the hearts of the elect is the strengthening of them to doe the weightiest duties of their callings and hence the holy Ghost is called the spirit of strength There be diuers things to bee done of a Christian man that are farre beyond the reach of his power as fiâ—st when he seeth his owne sinnes and is truely humbled for them then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen and thereby to catch holde on the mercy of God in Christ is the hardest thing in the whole world and this doe all those knowe to be true in some part which knowe what it is to beleeue Secondly it is as hard a thing in the time of temptation to resist temptation as for drie wood to resist the fire when it begins to burn Thirdly when a maÌ„ is put to his choice either to loose his life goods friends and all that he hath or els to forsake religion euen then to forsake all and to sticke vnto Christ is a matter of as great diffâ—cultie as any of the former Fourthly when a man wanteth the ordinary meanes of Gods prouidence as meate drinke and cloathing then at the very same instant to acknowledge Gods prouidence to reioyce in it and to relie theron is as much as if a man should shake the whole earth It is against our wicked nature to trust God vnlesse he first lay downe some pawne of his loue mercie to vs. How then will some say shall any one be able to doe these things Ans. The holy Ghost is the spirit of strength and by him we do all things as Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Concerning these gifts of the holy Ghost two questions may be mooued First what is the measure of grace in this life Answ. Small in respect In this world we receiue as Paul saith not the tenths but the first fruits of Gods spirit the earnest of the spirit Now the first fruits properly are but as an handfull or twaine of corne to a whole corne field containing many acres furlongs of ground
ordained and sinne it selfe is no effect but onely the consequent of the decree yet so as it is not onely the antecedent but also the efficient and meritorious cause of actuall damnation The third point is the reall foundation of the execution of this decree in iust condemnation and that is the voluntarie fall of Adam and of all his posteritie in him with the fruite thereof the generall corruption of mans nature For howesoeuer God hath purposed to refuse men because it so pleased him yet when his purpose comes to execution he condemneth no man but for his sinnes and sinne though it were not in the counsel of God an impulsiue cause that mooued him to purpose a declaration of iustice and iudgement yet was it a subordinate meanes of damnation God in wonderfull wisdome ordering disposing the execution of this decree so as the whole blame and fault of mans destruction should be in himselfe And therefore the Lord in the Prophet Ose saith One hath destroyed thee but I will helpe thee that is saluation is of God and the condemnation of men is from themselues Nowe whereas many deprauing our doctrine say that wee ascribe vnto God an absolute decree in which he doth absolutely ordaine men to damnation they may here bee answered If by absolute they vnderstand that which is opposed to conditional then we hold and auouch that all the eternall decrees of God are simple or absolute and not limited or restrained to this or that condition or respect If by absolute they vnderstande a bare and naked decree without reason or cause then we denie Gods decrees to be absolute For though the causes therof be not knowne to vsâ— yet causes there be knowne to him and iust they are yea the very will of God it selfe is cause sufficient it beeing the absolute rule of iustice And though men in reason can not discerne the equitie and iustice of Gods will in this point yet may wee not thereupon conclude that therefore it is vniust The sunne may shine clearely though the blinde man see it not And it is a flatte mistaking to imagine that a thing must first of all be iust in it selfe and then afterward be willed of God Whereas contrarise God must first will a thing before it can be iust The will of God doth not depend vpon the qualitie and nature of the thing but the qualities of things in order of causes followe the will of God For euery thing is as God wills it Lastly if it be called an absolute decree because it is done without al respect to mans sinne then we still denie it to be absolute For as God condeÌ„nes man for sinne so he decreed to condemne him for and by his sinne yet so as if the question be made what is the cause why he decrees rather in his iustice to condemne this man then that man no other reason can be rendred but his will The last point is the ende of Gods decree namely the manifestation of his iustice as Salomon saith The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake and the wicked for the day of euill And Paul saith that God made vessels of wrath to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne Thus we haue seene what Reprobation is nowe followes the execution thereof for that which God decrees before time in time hee executes And here a speciall rule to be remembred is this Those which are ordained to iust daÌ„nation are likewise ordained to be left to themselues in this worlde in blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart so as they neither shall nor will repent of their sinnes The trueth of this we may see in Gods word For S. Peter speaking of the priests and Doctours and cheife of the people among the Iewes saith plainly They stumbled at the word and are disobedient Why so the reason is there set downe because they were ordained to it of olde And so Paul saith to the Corinthians that he handled not the word of God deceitfully but in the declaration of the trueth he approoued himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Nowe hereupon it might be saide howe then comes it to passe that all receiue not the Gospel in Corinth and to this hee answers with a terrible sentence If saith he our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish giuing vs to vnderstand that God leaues them to themselues in this world whome he purposeth to refuse And the Lord by the Prophet Esai saith of the Iewes By hearing they shall heare and not vnderstand and by seeing they shall see not perceiue least they should heare with their eares and see with their eies and vnderstand with their hearts and so turne and be saued The vse of this is manifolde first it serueth to ouerthrowe the opinion of carnall men which reason thus If I be ordained to damnation let me liue neuer so godly and well I am sure to be damned therefore I will liue as I list for it is not possible for me to alter Gods decree Blasâ—hemous mouthes of men make nothing of this and like speeches and yet they speake flatte contraries For whome God hath purposed in his eternal counsell to refuse them also he hath purposed for their sinnes to leaue to the blindenesse of their mindes and hardnes of their hearts so as they neither will nor can liue a godly life Secondly this rule doth as it were lead vs by the hand to the consideration the fearefull estate of many people among vs. We haue had for the space of thirtie yeares and more the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and the more plentifully by reason of the schooles of learning But what hath bin the issue of it I doubt not but in many it hath beene the meanes of their conuersion saluation but to speake generally of the greater part there is little or no fruite to be seene The most after this long preaching remaine as blinde as impenitent as heard hearted and as vnreformed in their liues as euer they were though they haue heard the Lord calling them to repentance from day to day and from yeare to yeare Well if this rule bee the trueth of God as no doubt it is then I say plainely that there is a most fearefull iudgement of God among vs. My meaning is not to determine or giue sentence of any mans person of any towne or people neuerthelesse this may be auouched that it is a terrible and dangerous signe of the wrath of God that after this long and daily preaching there is still remaining a generall hardnesse of heart impenitencie and want of reformation in the liues of men The smithes stithie the more it is beaten the harder it is made and commonly the hearts of men the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde the more dull secure and senselesse they are This beeing so it standes euery man in hand to looke to his owne estate
We are carefull to flie the infection of the bodily plague oh then how carefull should we be to flie the common blindnesse of minde and hardnes of heart which is the very plague of all plagues a thousand fold worse then all the plagues of Egypt And it is so much the more fearefull because the more it takes place the lesse it is perceiued When a malefactour on the day of assise is brought forth of the iayle with great bolts and fetters to come before the iudge as he is going all men pitie him and speake comfortably vnto him but why so because he is now to be arraigned at the barre of an earthly iudge Now the case of all impenitent sinners is farre more miserable then the case of this man for they lie fettered in bondage vnder sinne and Satan and this short life is the way in which they are going euery houre to the barre of Gods iustice who is the King of kings and Lord of lords there to be arraigned and to haue sentence of condemnation giuen against them Now canst thou pitie a man that is before an earthly iudge and wilt thou not be touched with the miserie of thine owne estate who goest euery day forward to the barre of Gods iustice whether thou be sleeping or waking sitting or standing as a man on the sea in a shippe goes continually toward the hauen though he himselfe stirre not his foote Begin now at length to lay this point to your hearts that so long as ye runne on in your blind waies without repentance as much as ye can yee make post hast to hel-ward and so long as you continue in this miserable condition as Peter saith Your iudgement is not farre off and your damnation sleepeth not Thirdly seeing those whom God hath purposed to refuse shall be left vnto themselues and neuer come to repentance we are to loue and embrace the word of God preached taught vnto vs by the ministers of the Gospell withall submitting our selues vnto it and suffering the Lord to humble vs thereby that we may come at length out of the broad way of blindnes of mind and hardnes of heart leading to destruction into the strait way of true repentance and reformation of life which leadeth to saluation For so long as a man liues in this world after the lusts of his owne heart he goes on walking in the very same broad way to hell in which all that are ordained to condemnation walke and what a fearefull thing is it but for a little while to be a companion in the way of destruction with them that perish and therefore I say once againe let vs all in the feare of God lay his word vnto our hearts and heare it with reuerence so as it may be in vs the sword of the spirit to cut downe the sinnes and corruptions of our natures and worke in vs a reformation of life and true repentance The third point concerning the decree of Reprobation is the Iudgement to be giuen of it This iudgement belongeth to God principally and proâ—erly because he knoweth best what he hath determined concerning the estate of euery man and none but he knowes who they be which are ordained to due and deserued damnation And againe he onely knoweth the hearts and wills of men and what grace he hath giuen them what they are and what all their sinnes be and so doth no angel nor creature in the world beside As for men it belongs not to them to giue iudgement of reprobation in themselues or in others vnlesse God reueale his will vnto them and giue them a gift of discerning This gift was bestowed on sundrie of the Prophets in the olde testament and in the newe testament on the Apostles Dauid in many psalmes makes request for the confusion of his enemies not praying onely against their sinnes which we may do but euen against their persons which we may not doe No doubt he was guided by Gods spirit and receiued thence an extraordinarie gift to iudge of the obstinate malice of his aduersaries And Paul praies against the person of Demetrius saying The Lord reward him according to his doings And such kind of praiers were lawful in them because they were carried with pure and vpright zeale and had no doubt a speciall gift whereby they were able to discerne of the finall estate of their enemies Againe God sometimes giues this gift of discerning of some mens finall impenitencie to the Church vpon earth I say not to this or that priuate person but to the bodie of the Church or greater part thereof S. Iohn writing vnto the Churches saith There is a sinne vnto death that is against the holy Ghost I say not that thou shouldest praie for it in which wordes he takes it for graunted that this sinne might be discerned by the Church in those daies And Paul saith If any man beleeue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration Mara-natha that is pronounced accursed to euerlasting destruction Whence it appeares that the Church hath power to pronounce men reiected to euerlasting damnation vpon some speciall occasions though I dare not say ordinarily and vsually The primitiue Church with one consent praied against Iulian the Apostata and the praiers made were not in vaine as appeared by the euent of his fearefull ende As for priuate and ordinarie men for the tempering and rectifying of their iudgements in this case they must followe two rules The one is that euery member of the Church is bound to beleeue his owne election It is the commandement of God binding the very conscience that wee should beleeue in Christ. Nowe to beleeue in Christ is not onely to put our affiance in him and to be resolued that we are iustified and sanctified and shall be glorified by him but also that we were elect to saluation in him before the beginning of the worlde which is the foundation of the rest Againe if of things that haue necessarie dependance one vpon another we are to beleeue the one then we are to beleeue the other Nowe election and adoption are things conioined and the one necessarily depends vpon the other For all the elect as Paul saith are predestinate to adoption and wee are to beleeue our owne adoption and therefore also our election The second rule is that concerning the persons of those that be of the Church we must put in practise the iudgement of charitie and that is to esteeme of them as of the elect of God till God make manifest otherwise By vertue of this rule the ministers of Gods worde are to publish and preach the gospel to all without exception It is true indeed there is both wheate and darnell in Gods fielde chaffe and corne in Gods barne fish and drosse in Gods net sheepe and goates in Christs folde but secret iudgements belong vnto god the rule of loue which is to think wish the best of others is to be followed
benefits which God bestoweth on it which are in number foure The first is expressed in these words The communion of Saints Where communion signifieth that fellowship or societie that one hath with an other and by Saints we vnderstand not dead men inrolled in the Popes calender but all that are sanctified by the blood of Christ whether they be liuing or dead as Paul saith Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus to them that are sanctified in Iesus Christ Saints by calling And God is the God of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Now if we adde the clause I beleeue vnto these words the meaning is this I confesse and acknowledge that there is a spiritual fellowship societie among all the mēbers of Christ beeing the faithfull seruants and children of God and withall I beleeue that I am partaker of the same with the rest This communion hath two parts fellowshippe of the members with the head and of the members with themselues The communion of the members with their head is not outward but altogether spirituall in the conscience and for the opening of it we must consider what the Church receiueth of Christ and what he receiues of it The Church receiues of Christ foure most worthy benefits The first that Christ our Mediatour God and man hath truely giuen himselfe vnto vs and is become our lot and portion and withall God the father and the holy spirit in him as Dauid saith Iehoua is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot the lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea I haue a faire heritage And My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer The second is the Right of adoption whereby all the faithfull whether in heauen or earth are actually made the children of God The benefit is wonderfull howsoeuer carnall men esteeme not of it If a mā should either by election or birth or any waie else be made the sonne and heire of an earthly prince he would thinke himselfe highly aduanced how highly then are they extolled which are made the sonnes of God himselfe The third benefit is a title and right to the righteousnes of Christ in his sufferings and his fulfilling of the lawe The excellencie of it is vnspeakable because it serues to award the greatest temptations of the deuill When the deuill replieth thus thou art a transgressour of the lawe of God therefore thou shalt be damned by means of that communion which wee haue with Christ wee answere againe that Christ suffered the curse of the lawe to free vs from due and deserued damnation and when he further replies that seeing we neuer fulfilled the lawe we can not therefore enter into heauen we answer againe that Christs obedience is a fulfilling of the law for vs and his whole righteousnesse is ours to make vs stand righteous before God The fourth benefit is a right to the kingdome of heauen as Christ comforting his disciples saith Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome and hence it is sundrie times called the inheritance and the lot of the Saints Furthermore for the conueiance of these benefits vnto vs God hath ordained the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments specially the Lords supper and hath commanded the solemne and ordinarie vse of them in the Church And hereupon the Lordes supper is called the Communion The cuppe of blessing saith Paul which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ that is a signe and seale of the communion Againe the things which Christ receiueth of vs are two our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by application or imputation and our afflictions with all the miseries of this life which he accounts his owne and therefore doth as it were put vnder his shoulders to beare the burden of them And this communion betweene Christ and vs is expressed in the scriptures by that blessed and heauenly bargaine in which there is mutuall exchange betweene Christ and vs he imparts vnto vs milke and wine without siluer or money to refresh vs and gold tried by the fire that we may become rich and white raiment that we may be cloathed and eye-salue to annoint our eies that wee may see and we for our parts returne vnto him nothing but blindenes and nakednes and pouertie and the loathsome burden of our filthy sinnes The second part of the communion is that which the Saints haue one with an other And it is either of the liuing with the liuing or of the liuing with the dead Nowe the communion of the liuing standes in three things I. the like affection II. in the gifts of the spirit III. in the vse of temporall riches For the first communion in affection is whereby all the seruants of God are like affected to God to Christ to their owne sinnes and each to other They are all of one nature and heart alike disposed though they bee not acquainted nor haue any externall fellowship in the flesh As in a familie children are for the most part one like another brought vp alike euen so it is in Gods familie which is his Church the members thereof are all alike in heart and affection and the reason is because they haue one spirit to guide them all and therefore Saint Peter saith The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his own but they had al things cōmon And the Prophet Esay foretelling the vnity which should be in the kingdome of Christ saith The woolfe shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie with the kidde and the calfe and the lyon aud the fat beast togither and a little childe shall leade them The cowe and the beare shall feede and their young ones shall lie togither and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke The sucking child shall plaie vpon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand into the cockatrice hole By these beasts are signified men that be of a wicked and brutish nature which when they shall be brought into the kingdom of Christ shall lay aside the same and become louing gentle curteous and all of one minde And S. Peter requires of the Church the practise of brothely loue and that is to carrie a tender affection to men not becanse they are of the same flesh but because they are ioyned in the bond of one spirit with vs. Furthermore by reason of this that all the children of God are of one heart there follows another dutie of this communion whereby they beare one the burdens of another and when one member is grieued
without it euery man is more miserable and wretched then the most vile creature that euer was We loâ—th the serpent or the toad but if a man haue not the pardon of his sinns procured by the death and passion of Christ he is a thousand fold worse then they For when they die there is the ende of their woe and miserie but when man dieth without this benefit there is the beginning of his For first in soule till the day of iudgement and then both in bodie and soule for euermore he shall enter into the endlesse paines and torments of hell in which if one should continue so many thousand yeares as there are drops in the Ocean sea and then be deliuered it were some ease but hauing continued so long which is an vnspeakable length of time he must remaine there as long againe and after that for euer and euer without release and therefore among all the benefits that euer were or can be thought of this is the greatest and most pretious Among all the burdens that can befall a man what is the greatest Some will say sicknesse some ignominie some pouertie some contempt but indeede among all the heauiest and the greatest is the burden of a mans owne sinnes lying vpon the conscience and pressing it downe without any assurance of pardon Dauid beeing a king had no doubt all that heart could wish and yet he laying aside all the royalties and pleasures of his kingdome saith this one thing aboue all that he is a blessed man that is eased of the burden of his sinnes A lazar man full of sores is vgly to the sight and we can not abide to looke vpon him but no lazar is so lothsome to vs as all sinners are in the sight of God and therfore Dauid counted him blessed whose sinnes were couered It may be some wil say there is no cause why a man should thus magnifie the pardon of sinne considering it is but a common benefit Thus indeede men may imagine which neuer knew what sinne meant but let a man onely as it were but with the tip of his finger haue a little feeling of the smart of his sinnes he shall finde his estate so fearefull that if the whole world were set before him on the one side and the pardon of sinnes on the other he would choose the pardon of his sinne before ten thousand worldes Though many drousie Protestants esteeme nothing of it yet to the touched conscience it is a treasure which when a man findes he hides it and goes home and sells all that he hath and buies it Therefore this beneâ—it is most excellent and for it the members of Gods Church haue great cause to giue God thankes without ceasing The duties to be learned hence are these And first of all here comes a commoÌ„ fault of men to be rebuked Euery one wil say that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes yet no man almost laboureth for a true and certen perswasion hereof in his owne conscience and for proofe hereof propound this question to the common Christian Doest thou perswade thy selfe that God giues remission of sinnes vnto his Church The answer will be I know and beleeue it But aske him further Doest thou beleeue the pardon of thine owne sinnes then comes in a blind answer I haue a good hope to God-ward but I can not tell I thinke no man can say so much for God saith to no man thy sinnes are pardoned But this is to speake flat contraries to say they beleeue and they can not tell it bewraies exceeding negligence in matter of saluation But let them that feare God or loue their owne soules health giue all diligence to make sure the remission of their owne sinnes withall auoiding hardnesse of heart and drowsines of spirit the most fearefull iudgements of God which euery where take place The foolish virgins went forth to meete the bridegroome with lamps in their hands as well as the wise but they neuer so much as dreamed of the horne of oyle till the comming of the bridegroome So many men liue in the Church of God as members thereof holding vp the lampe of glorious profession but in the meane season they seeke onely for the things of this life neuer casting how they may assure themselues in conscience touching their reconciliation with God till the day of death come Secondly if we be here bound to beleeue the pardon of all our sinnes then we must euery day humble our selues before God and seeke pardon for our daily offences for he giues grace to the humble or contrite he fills the hungrie with good things when the rich are sent emptie away When Benhadad the King of Syria was discomfited and ouercome by the king of Israel by the counsell of his seruants who told him that the kings of Israel were mercifull men he sent them cloathed in sackcloath with ropes about their neckes to intreat for peace and fauour Now when the king saw their submission he made couenant of peace with him We by our sinnes most iustly deserue hell death and condemnation euery day and therefore it standeth vs in hand to come into the presence of God and to humble our selues before him in sackcloath and ashes crauing and intreating for nothing in the world so much as for pardon of our sinnes and that day by day without ceasing till the Lord giue this blessed answer to our consciences that all our sinnes are put out of his remembrance We must not thinke that God putteth grace into mens hearts when they lie snurting vpon their elbowes and either not vse or despise the meanes but we must first vse the meanes partly by making confession of our sinnes to God and partly by crying to heauen for pardon and then when by his grace we beginne to desire grace he giues further grace Lastly if we beleeue the pardon of our sinnes then we must change the tenour and course of our liues and take heede of breaking Gods commandements by doing any of those things whereof our consciences may accuse vs and tell vs that by them we haue displeased God heretofore A man that for some misdemeanour hath beene cast into prison and lien there many yeares winter and sommer in cold irons when he obtaines libertie he will often bethinke himselfe of his old miserie and take heede for euer least he fall into the same offence againe and he which hath seene his owne sinnes and â—elt the smart of them and withall by Gods goodnes obtained assurance touching the pardon of them will neuer wittingly and willingly commit the like sinneâ— any more but in all things change the course of his life As for such as say that they haue the pardon of their sinnes and yet liue in them still they deceiue themselues and haue no faith at all Thus much for the second benefit which God bestoweth on his Church namely remission of sinnes now followeth the third in these wordes The resurrection of the
that by reason of this confusion men can not possibly rise with their owne bodies Ans. Howesoeuer this is impossible with men yet it is possible with God For he that in the beginning was able to create all things of nothing is much more able to make euery mans bodie at the resurrection of his owne matter and to distinguish the dust of mens bodies from the dust of beasts and the dust of one mans bodie from another The goldsmith by his art can sunder diuers mettals one frō another some men out of one mettall can drawe another why then should we thinke it vnpossible for the almightie God to doe the like It may bee further obiected thus A man is eaten by a woolfe the woolfe is eaten by a Lyon the Lyon by the foules of the aire the foules of the aire eaten againe by men againe one man is eaten of another as it is vsuall among the Cannibals Nowe the bodie of that man which is turned into so many substances especially into the bodie of another man cannot rise againe and if the one doeth the other doeth not Ans. This reason is but a cauill of mans braine for wee must not thinke that whatsoeuer entreth into the bodie and is turned into the substance thereof must rise againe and become a part of the bodie at the daie of iudgement but euery man shall then haue so much substance of his owne as shall make his bodie to be entire and perfect though another mans flesh once eaten bee no part thereof Againe it is vrged that because flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdome of God therefore the bodies of men shall not rise againe Ans. By flesh and blood is not meant the bodies of men simply but the bodies of men as they are in weaknesse without glorie subiect to corruption For flesh and blood in Scripture signifies sometime the originall sinne and corruption of nature and sometime mans nature subiect to miseries and infirmities or the bodie in corruption before it be glorified and so it must bee vnderstood in this place Lastly it is obiected that Salomon saith The condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition Nowe beasts rise not againe after this life and therefore there is no resurrection of men Ans. In that place Salomon expoundeth himselfe They are like in dying for so he saith as the one dieth so dieth the other he speaketh not of their estate after death The second point to be considered is the cause of the resurrection In mankind we must consider two parts the Elect and the Reprobate and they both shall rise againe at the day of iudgement but by diuers causes The godly haue one cause of their resurrection and the vngodly another The cause why the godly rise againe is the resurrection of Christ yea it is the proper cause which procureth and effecteth their resurrection In the scripture Adam and Christ are compared togither and Christ is called the second Adam these were two rootes The first Adam was the roote of al mankinde and he conueieth sinne and by sinne death to all that sprang of him Christ onely excepted the second Adam which is the roote of all the Elect conueieth life both in bodie and soule to all that are vnited to him and by the vertue of his resurrection they shal rise againe after this life For looke as the power of the godhead of Christ when he was dead in the graue raised his bodie the third day so shall the same power of Christ his godhead conuey it selfe vnto all the faithfull which euen in death remaine vnited vnto him and raise them vp at the last daie And for this cause Christ is called a quickening spirit Nowe the cause why the wicked rise againe is not the vertue of Christs resurrection but the vertue of Gods curse set downe in his word In the daie that thou shalt eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death that is a double death both of bodie and soule And therefore they arise onely by the power of Christ as hee is a iudge that this sentence may be verified on them and that they may suffer both in bodie and soule eternall punishment in hell fire Furthermore S. Iohn setteth downe the outward meanes whereby the dead shal be raised namely the voice of Christ The houre shall come saith he in which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth For as hee created all things by his word so at the day of iudgement by the same voice all shall be raised againe This may bee a good reason to mooue vs to heare the ministers of God reuerently for that which they teach is the very word of God and therefore we are to pray that it may be as effectuall in raising vs vp from the graue of sinne in this life as it shall bee after this life in raising vs vp from the graue of death vnto iudgement Thirdly we are to consider what manner of bodies shall rise at the last day Ans. The same bodies for substance this Iob knew well when he said I shall see him at the last daie in my flesh whome I my selfe shall see and none other for me with these same eies Neuerthelesse the bodies of the elect shall be altered in qualitie being made incorruptible and filled with glorie The last point to be considered is the ende why these bodies shall rise againe The principall end which God intendeth is his owne glorie in the manifestation of his iustice and mercie Nowe at the last daie when all men shall be raised to iudgement by the voice of Christ the godly to life and the wicked to condemnation there shal be a full manifestation both of his mercy and iustice and therefore by consequent a full manifestation of his glorie Thus much for the doctrines touching the Resurrection now followe the vses First it serueth wonderfully for the comfort of all Christian hearts Dauid speaking not onely of Christ but also of himselfe saith most notably Mine heart is glad my tongue reioiceth and my flesh also doth rest in hope Why so For saith he thou shalt not leaue my soule in graue neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Though the daies of this life be daies of woe and miserie yet the day of the resurrection shall bee vnto all the children of God a time of reioicing and felicitie as Peter saith it is the time of refreshing Whosoeuer is now an hungred shall then eate and be filled with the fruite of the tree of life and whosoeuer is now naked shall be then cloathed with the white garments dipped in the blood of the Lambe and whosoeuer is nowe lame shall haue all his members restored perfectly And as this daie is ioyfull to the godly so on the contrarie it is a daie of woe and
die that originall corruption may be vtterly abolished for no man liuing on earth is perfectly sanctified and originall sinne is remaining for speciall causes to the last moment of this life and then it is abolished and not before II. The godly die that by death as by a straight gate they may passe from this vale of miserie to eternall life And thus Christ by his death makes death to be no death and turnes a curse into a blessing And to proceede It is not here said the resurrection of the soule but of the bodie onely what then will some say becommeth of the soule Diuers haue thought that the soules then though they doe not die yet are still kept within the bodie beeing as it were asleepe till the last day But Gods word saith to the contrarie For the soules of the godly lie vnder the altar and crie How long Lord Iesus Diues in soule did suffer the woe and torments of hell and Lazarus had ioy in Abrahams bosome Again some others thinke that mens soules after this life doe passe from one mans bodie to an other and Herod may seeme to haue beene of this opinion for when newes was brought him of Christ he saide that Iohn Baptist beeing beheaded was risen againe thinking that the soule of Iohn Baptist was put into the bodie of some other man And for proofe hereof some alledge the example of Nebuchadnezzar who forsaking the societie of men liued as beasts and did eate grasse like a beast they imagine that his owne soule went out of him and that the soule of a beast entred in the roome thereof But this indeede is a fond conceit for euen then he had the soule of a man when he liued as a beast beeing onely stricken by the hand of God with an exceeding madnesse whereby he was bereft of common reason as doth appeare by that clause in the text where it is said that his vnderstanding or knowledge returned to him againe Again some other thinke that the soule neither dieth nor sleepeth nor passeth out of one bodie into an other but wandereth here on earth among men and oftentimes appeareth to this or that man and this is the opinion of some hereticks and of the common people which think that dead men walke for proofe hereof some alleadge the practise of the witch of Endor who is said to make Samuel to appeare before Saul but the truth is it was not Samuel in deed but onely a counterfait of him For not all the witches in the world nor all the deuils in hell are able to disquiet the soules of the faithfull departed which are in the keeping of the Lord without wandring from place to place For when men die in the faith their soules are immediatly translated into heauen and there abide till the last iudgement and contrariwise if men die in their sinnes their soules go straight to the place of eternall condemnation and there abide as in a prison as Peter saith In a word when the breath goeth out of the bodie the soule of euery man goeth straight either to heauen or hell and there is no third place of aboad mentioned in Scripture To conclude the resurrection of the bodie is expressely mentioned in the Creede to shew that there is no resurrection of the soule which neither dieth nor sleepeth but is a spirituall and inuisible substance liuing and abiding for euer as well forth of the bodie as in the same Thus much of the third prerogatiue or benefit now followeth the fourth and last in these words And life euerlasting To handle this point to the full aâ—d to open the nature of it as it deserueth is not in the power of man For both the prophet Esai and Saint Paul say that the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither came it into mans heart to thinke of those things which God hath prepared for those that loue him Againe Paul when hee was rapt into the third heauen saith that he sawe things not to be vttered Neuertheles we may in some part describe the same so farre forth as God in this case hath reuealed his will vnto vs. Wherefore in this last prerogatiue I consider two things the first is Life it selfe the second is the Continuance of life noted in the worde euerlasting Life it selfe is that whereby any thing acteth liueth and mooueth it selfe and it is twofolde vncreated or created Vncreated life is the very godhead it selfe whereby God liueth absolutely in himselfe from himselfe and by himselfe giuing life and beeing to all things that liue and haue beeing and this life is not meant here because it is not communicable to any creature Created life is a qualitie in the creature and it s againe two-fold naturall spirituall Naturall life is that whereby men in this world liue by meate and drinke and all such meanes as are ministred by Gods prouidence Spirituall life is that most blessed and happie estate in which all the Elect shall raigne with Christ their head in the heauens after this life and after the day of iudgement for euer and euer And this alone is the life which in the Creede we confesse and beleeue and it consisteth in an immediate coniunction and communion or fellowship with God himselfe as Christ in his solemne praier to his father a litle before his death signifieth I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through thy word that they all may be one as thou O father art in me and I in thee eueÌ„ that they may be one also in vs. And wheÌ„ S. Iohn in the RevelatioÌ„ saith Beholde the tabernacle of God is with men he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be their God with them he sheweth that the very foundation of that happines which god hath prepared for his seruants stands in a societie betweene God and them whereby God shall dwell with them in heauen and they againe shall there enioy his glorious presence Touching this Communion three points must be considered The first is in what order men shall haue fellowship with God Ans. This communion shall be first of all with Christ as he is man and by reason that the manhoode of Christ is personally vnited to the godhead of the sonne it shall also be with Christ as he is God and consequently with the father and the holy Ghost The reason of this order is because Christ though he be the author and the fountaine of eternall life as he is God yet he conueies the same vnto vs onely in and by his flesh or manhood Yet must we not here thinke that life proceedeth froÌ„ the maÌ„hood it selfe as from a cause efficient for the flesh quickeneth not by any vertue froÌ„ it selfe but by the Word to which it is personally vnited it beeing as it were a pipe eternally to conuey life from the godhead vnto vs. The
meditation of life eternall must be as sugar in our pockets to sweeten the cup withall Lastly if this be true that God of his goodnesse and endles mercy towards mankind hath prepared life euerlasting yet not for all men but for the elect whose names are written in the booke of life we must aboue all things in this world seeke to be partakers of the same Let vs receiue this as from the Lord and lay it to our hearts whatsoeuer we doe euening or morning day or night whether we be young or old rich or poore first we must seeke for the kingdome of heauen and his righteousnes If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church lesse care might be had but seeing it is proper to some alone for this very cause let all our studies be to obtaine the beginnings of liâ—e euerlasting giuen in this life For if we haue it not whosoeuer we be it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or that we had beene borne dogges and toades then men for when they die there is an ende of their miserie but man if he loose euerlasting happinesse hath ten thousand millions of yeares to liue in miserie and in the torments of hell and when that time is ended he is as farre from the end of his miserie as he was at the beginning Wherefore I pray you let not the deuill steale this meditation out of your hearts but be carefull to repent of all your sinnes and to beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them all that by this meanes yee may come to haue the pawne and earnest of the spirit concerning life euerlasting euen in this world What a miserable thing is it that men should liue long in this world and not so much as dreame of another till the last gaspe Let vs not suffer Satan thus to abuse and bewitch vs for if we haue not eternall life in this world we shall neuer haue it Hitherto by Gods goodnes I haue shewed the meaning of the Creede now to draw to a conclusion the generall vses which are to be made of it follow And first of all we learne by it that the Church of Rome hath no cause to condemne vs for heretickes for we doe truly hold and beleeue the whole Apostolicall Symbole or Creede which is an epitome of the Scriptures and the very key of faith It will be said that we denie the Popes supremacie iustification by workes purgatorie the sacrifice of the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead the inuocation and intercession of Saints c. which arâ— the greatest points of religion It is true indeede we denie and renounce them as doctrines of deuills perswading our selues that if they indeede had beene Apostolicall and the very grounds and pillars of religion as they are now auouched to be they should in no wise haue beene left forth of the Creede For it is an ouersight in making a confession of faith to omit the principall points and rules of faith It will be further saide that in the Creede we beleeue the Church and so consequently are to beleeue all these former points which are taught and auouched by the Church but this defence is foolish For it takes this for graunted that the Church of Rome is the Church here meant which we denie vnlesse they can prooue a particular Church to be vniuersal or Catholike Nay I adde further that the principall grounds of popish faith for which they contend with vs as for life and death are not mentioned in any other Creedes which were made by the Churches and Councells for many hundred yeares after Christ. Secondly the Creede serues as a storehouse of remedies against all troubles and temptations whatsoeuer I. If a man be grieued for the losse of earthly riches let him consider that he beleeues God to be his Creatour who will therefore guide and preserue his owne workmanship and by his prouidence minister all things needefull vnto it And that he hath not lost the principall blessing of all in that he hath God to be his father Christ to be his redeemer and the holy Ghost to be his comforter and that considering he lookes for life eternall he is not to be ouer much carefull for this life and that Christ being our Lord will not forsake vs beeing the seruants in his owne house but will prouide things needefull for vs. II. If any man be grieued in respect of outward disgrace and contempt let him remember that he beleeues in Christ crucified and that therefore he is to reioyce in contempt for righteousnes sake III. They which are troubled for the decease of friendsâ— are to comfort theÌ„selues in the communion of Saints and that they haue God the Father and Christ and the holy Ghost for their friends IV. Against bodily captiuitie let men consider that they beleeue in Christ their Lord whose seruice is perfect libertie V. Against the feare of bodily diseasesâ— we must remember the resurrection of the bodie in which all diseases and infirmities shall be abolished VI. If a man feare death of the bodie let him consider that he beleeues in Christ which died vpon the crosse who by death hath vanquished death VII The feare of persecution is restrained if we call to remembrance that God is a Father Almightie not onely able but also willing to represse the power of the aduersarie so farre forth as shall be for the good of his children VIII Terrours arising of the consideration of the last iudgement are delaied by remembrance of this that Christ shall be our iudge who is our redeemer IX Feare of damnation is remedied by consideration that Christ died to make satisfaction for vs and now sitts at the right hand of his father to make intercession for vs and by the resurrection of the bodie to life euerlasting X. Terrours of conscience for sinne are repressed if we consider that God is a Father and therefore much in sparing and that it is a prerogatiue of the Church to haue remission of sinnes Trin-vni Deo gloria AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER In the way of Catechising seruing for ignorant people Corrected and amended Hereunto are adioyned the prayers of Paul taken out of his Epistles By W. Perkins Printed for Iohn Porter and Ralph Iackson 1600. To the right Honourable Edward Lord Russell Earle of Bedford Grace and peace be multiplied RIght Honourable if you consider what is one of the chiefest ornaments of this Noble state vnto which God hath aduanced you it wil appeare that there is none more excellent then the spirit of grace and prayer For what doth your heart affect would you speake the languages Behold by prayer you may speak the most heauenly tongue that euer was euen the language of Canaan Would you haue the valor of knighthood By prayer you may stand in place where Gods hande hath made a breach and doe as much as all the chariots and
to passe Ans. As God determines what things shall come to passe so hee doeth with all determine the meanes whereby the same things are effected Before all worlds God decreed that men should liue vpon earth and he decreed likewise that meate drinke and cloathing should be vsed that life might be preserued Now prayer is one of the most excellent meanes whereby sundry things are brought to passe therefore Gods eternall counsell touching things to come doth not exclude praier and like meanes but rather include and implie the same The second question is what kind of actioÌ„ praier is Ans. It is no lip-labour it is the putting vp of a suite vnto God and this action is peculiar to the very heart of a man Rom. 8.26 The spirit makes request for vs. But how with grones in the heart Exod. â—4 15 The Lord saith to Moses Why criest thou yet there is no mention made that Moses spake any word at all the Lord no doubt accepted the inward mourning and desire of his heart for a crie Psal. 38.10 and 11.4 The third question is what is the forme or rule according to which wee are to pray Ans. It is the reuealed will and word of God A man in humbling his soule before God is not to pray as his affections carrie him and for what he list but all is to be done according to the expresse word So as those things which God hath commanded vs to aske we are to aske those things which he hath not commanded vs to aske we are in no wise to pray for 1. Iohn 5.14 This is the assurance which we haue of him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. This then is a speciall clause to be marked that men must pray in knowledge not in ignorance Here weigh the case of poore ignorant people they talke much of praying for themselues and others they imagine that they pray very deuoutly to God but alas they doe nothing lesse because they know not what to aske according to gods will They therfore must learn Gods word and pray according to the same els it will prooue in the end that all their praying was nothing but as mocking and flat dishonouring of God The fourth question is with what affection a man must praie Ans. Praier must proceede from a broken and contrite heart This is the sacrifice which God accepteth Psal. 51. 17. When Ahab abased himselfe though hee did â—â— in hypocrisie yet God had some respect vnto it 1. King 21.29 saith the Lord to Eliah seest thou how Ahab is huÌ„bled before me This contrition of heart stands in two things The first of them is a liuely feeling of our owne sinne miserie and wretched estate how that we are compassed about with innumerable enemies euen with the deuill and his angels and within abound euen with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptions whereby we most grieuously displease God and are vile in our owne eyes Beeing therefore thus beset on euery side we are to be touched with the sense of this our great miserie And he that will pray aright must put on the person and the very affection of a poore wretched begger and certenly not beeing grieued with the rufull condition in which we are in our selues it is not possible for vs to pray effectually Psal. 130.1 Out of the deepest called vpon thee O Lord that is when I was in my greatest miserie and as it were not farre from the gulfes of hell then I cried to God Esay 26.16 Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 1. Sam. 1.15 I am a woman saith Anna of an hard spirit that is a trouble soule and haue powred my soule before the Lord. Hence it appeareth that the ordinarie praiers of most men grieuously displease God seeing they are made for fashion onely without any sense and feeling of their miseries commonly men come with the Pharise in ostentation of their integritie and they take great paines with their lippes but their hearts wander from the Lord. The second thing required in a contrite heart is a longing desire and hungring after Gods graces and benefits whereof we stand in neede It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were and to goe crooked vnder his sinnes and miseries but also he must haue a desire to be eased of them and to be enriched with graces needfull Thus Hezekias the King and the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amos prayed against Senacharib and cried vnto heauen 2. Chr. 32.10 Where we may see what a marueilous desire they had to obtaine their request So also Rom. 8.16 The spirit maketh request with grones so great that they can not be vttered as they are felt Dauid Psal. â—43 6 saith that he desireth after the Lord as the thirstie land Now we know that the ground parched with heate opens it selfe in riâ—ts and cranies and gapes towards heauen as though it would deuoure the clouds for want of moysture and thus must the heart be disposed to Gods grace till it obtaine it The people of Israel beeing in grieuous aâ—fliction how doe they pray They powre out their soules like water before the face of the Lord. Lament 2. 1â— The fift question is in whose name prayer must be made Ans. It must not be made in the name of any creature but onely in the name and mediation of Christ. Ioh. 14.14 If yee aske any thing in my name I will doe it A man is not to present his prayers to God in any worthines of his owne merits For what is he to make the best of himselfe what can he make of himselfe by nature he is no better then the very firebrand of hell and of all Gods creatures on earth the most outragious rebell to God and therefore can not be heard for his owne sake As for Saints they can be no mediatours seeing euen they themselues in heauen are accepted of God not for themselues but onely for the blessed merits of Christ. If any man sinne saith Saint Iohn 1. epist. chap. 2.1 we hâ—â—e an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ. But howe prooues he this It followes then And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes His reason stands thus hee which must be an advocate must first of al be a reconciliation for vs no saints can be a reconciliation for vs therefore no Saints can be aduocates Therefore in this place is manifest an other fault of ignorant people They crie often Lord helpe me Lord haue mercie vpon me But in whose name pray they poore soules like blind bayards they rush vpon the Lord they knowe no mediatour in whose name they should present their praiers to him Litle do they consider with themselues that God is as well a most terrible Iudge as a mercifull father The sixt question is Whether faith be requisite to praier or not Ans. Prayer is to be made with faith whereby a man must
haue certen assurance to be heard For he that praieth must steadfastly beleeue that God in Christ will grant his petition This affiance being wanting it maketh praier to be no praier For how can he pray for any thing effectually who doubteth whether hee shall obtaine it or no. Wherefore it is an especiall point of praier to be perswaded that God to whome praier is made not onely can but also will grant his request Mar. 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye praie beleeue that yee shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto you Here wee see two things required in praier the first a desire of the good things which we want the second is faith whereby we beleeue that God will grant the things desired The ground of this faith is reconciliation with God and the assurance thereof For vnlesse a man bee in conscience in some measure perswaded that all his sinnes are pardoned and that he standes reconciled to God in Christ he cannot beleeue any other promises reuealed in the word nor that any of his praiers shall be heard Thus much of the definition of praier nowe let vs see what vse may beâ— made of â—his commandement Pray ye thus Seeing our Sauiour commands his diâ—â—iplesâ— and so euen vs also to pray to God it is our dutie not onely to present our praiers to God but also to doe it cheerefully and earnestly Rom. 15. 30. Also brethren I beseech you that yee would striue with me by prayers to God for me What is the cause why the Lord doth oft deferre his blessings after our prayers No cause but that he might stirre vs vp to be more earnest to crie vnto the Lord. Exod. 32. 10. When Moses praied to God in the behalfe of the Israelites the Lord answers Let me alone as though his praiers did binde the Lord and hinder him from executing his iudgements Wherfore this is good aduise for all Christian men to continue and to bee zealous in praier If thou be an ignorant man for shame learn to praie seeing it is Gods coÌ„mandement make conscieÌ„ce of it We see that there is no man vnles he be desperately wicked but will make some conscience of killing and stealingâ— and why is this Because it is Gods commaundement Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not â—teale Well then this also is Gods commandement to pray Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this dutie and although thy corrupt nature shall draw thee away from it yet striue to the contrarie and know it certainly that â—he breach of this commandement makes thee as well guilty of damnation before God as any other Furthermore this must be a motiue to pricke thee forward to this dutie that as God commands vs to praie so also he giues the spirit of praier whereby the commandement is made easie vnto vs. If the Lord had commaunded a thing impossible then there had beene some cause of discouragement but commaunding a thing through the grace of his spirit very easie and profitable how much more are we bound to obedience of the same Againe praier is the key whereby we open the treasures of GOD and pull down his mercies vpon vs. For as the preaching of the word serues to declare and to conuey vnto vs Gods graces so in praier wee come to haue a liuely feeling of the same in our hearts And further this must mooue vs to praier seeing in that we haue familiaritie with Gods maiestie It is an high fauour for a man to be familiar with a prince howe much more then to bee familiar with the king of kings the mightie Iehoua This then can be no burthen or trouble vnto vs being one of the many prerogatiues that god bestows on his church For in the preaching of the word it pleased God to talke to vs and in praier God doth vouchsafe vs this honour to speake and as it were familiarly to talk with him not as to a fearefull Iudge but as to a louing and mercifull God Consider also that praier is a worthy meanes of defence not only to vs but also to the Church theÌ„ that are absent By it Moses stood in the breach which Gods wrath had made into the people of Israel and staied the same Psal. 106. 23. By this Christian men fight as valiant champions against their owne corruptions and all other spirituall enemies Eph. 6. 18. Infinite were it to shewe how many blessings the Lord had bestowed on his seruants by praier In a word Luther whom it pleased God to vse as a worthie instrument for the restoring of the gospel testifieth of himselfe that hauing this grace giuen him to call vpon the name of the Lord he had more reuealed vnto him of gods truth by praier then by reading and studie The second point of the commandement is to praie after the manner propounded in the Lords praier Where it is to be noted that the Lords praier is a direction and as it were a samplar to teach vs how and in what manner wee ought to praie None is to imagine that we are bound to vse these words only none other For the meaning of Christ is not to bind vs to the word but to the matter and to the manner and to the like affections in praying If this were not so the praiers of Gods seruants set downe in the bookes of the olde and new Testament should all be faultie because they are not set downe in the very same words with the Lords praier nay this praier is not set downe in the same words altogither by Matthew and Luke And whereas sundrie men in our Church hold it vnlawfull to vse this very forme of words as they are set downe by our Sauiour Christ for a praier they are farre deceiued as will appeare by their reasons First say they it is scripture and therefore not to bee vsed as a prayer I answer that the same thing may be the scripture of God also the praier of man els the praiers of Moses Dauid and Paul being set downe in the scriptures cease to be prayers Againe say they that in praier we are to expresse our wants in particular the graces which we desire now in these words all things to be praied for are only in generall propounded I answere that the maine wantes that are in any mâ—n and the principall graces of God to be desired are set downe in the petitions of this praier in particular Thirdly they plead that the patterne to make all praiers by should not be vsed as a praier I answer that therefore the rather it may be vsed as a prayer and sure it is that ancient and worthy Diuines haue reuerenced it as a prayer choosing rather to vse these wordes then any other as Cyprianus Sermone de orat Dominic And Tertullian lib. de fuga in persequntione And August Sermone 126. de tempore Wherefore the opinion is full of ignorance and errour Well whereas our Sauiour first giues a
they are distinguished and the order of them how the Father is the first the Sonne the second the holy ghost the third and therefore how the father is to be called vpon in the name of the sonne by the holy Ghost By this the praiers of Gods Church and the praiers of heathen men are distinguished who inuocate God as creator out of the father Sonne holy Ghost And hence it is manifest that ignorant and silly people which doe not so much as dreame of the vnion distinction and order of the persons in Trinitie make but a cold and slender kind of praying 2. Secondly we may learne hereby that we are not in any wise to inuocate Saints and Angels but onely the true Iehoua The reason standes thus This praier is either a perfect platforme for all praiers or not to say it were not were an iniurie to our Sauiour Christ to say it is so is also to graunt that it doth fully set downe to whome all praiers are to be made Now in these words there is set downe no inuocation but of God alone For in praier to be tearmed Our father is proper to God Esai 64.16 Thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and redeemer Papists therefore that are the great patrons of inuocation of Saints in their reformed breuiaries missals deale very fondly for first they pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ for them and when they haue so done like iuglers they come to Christ and pray vnto him that he would accept Maries praier for them 3. Thirdly we learne that there can be no intercessour betweene God and vs but onely Christ. For here we are taught to come to God not as to a iudge but as to a kind and louing father Now he is a father to vs onely by Christ as for Angels and Saints and all creatures they are not able to procure by any meanes that God should become a father no not so much as to one man 4. Againe if the God to whome we pray be a father we must learne to acquaint our selues with the promises which he hath made in his word to quicken our hearts in all our praiers vnto him and thereby to gather affiance to our selues and perswasion that he wil graunt our requests For this word Father implies a readines and willingnes in God to heare and be mercifull to our praiers And a father can not but must needes make promise of fauour to those that be his children and therefore it can not be that he should call God his father truly which hath not in his heart this assurance that God will fulfill all his promises made vnto him Promises made to praier as these and such like are to be marked as follow 2. Chron. 7.14 If my people among whome my name is called vpon doe humble themselues and pray and seeke my presence turne from their wicked waies then I will heare in heauen and be mercifull vnto their sinnes 2. Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seeke him he will be found of you Esai 65. 34. Before they call I will answer and whiles they speake I will heare Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened Luke 11.13 If ye which are euill can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him Rom. 10. 12. He that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Iam. 4.8 Draw neere vnto God and he will draw neere vnto you 5. If God be a father who is called vpon then praier is the note of Gods child Saint Luke and S. Paul set out the faithfull seruants of God by this note Act. 9.14 He hath authoritie to bind all that call on thy name 1. Cor. 1.2 To them that are sanctified by Iesus Christ Saints by calling with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. And contrariwise Psal. 14.4 it is made one of the properties of an Atheist Neuer to call on the name of God And such persons as neither will nor can or vse not heartily to pray to God they may say that they are perswaded there is a God but in their doings they beare themselues as if there were no God 6. He which would pray aright must be like the prodigall child that is he must not onely confesse his sinne saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee c. but also haue a full purpose neuer after to offend his father For how can a child call him father whome he cares not continually to displease through his lewd conditions He can not doe it neither can any father delight in such a child therefore in praier we must call to minde our lewdnes and rebellions against our heauenly father and with the Publicane in heauines of soule say Lord be mercifull to be a sinner He which can truly doe this is a kinde childe If we consider our selues as we are by nature we are the children of the deuill no child so like his father as we are like him and in this estate we continually rebell against God for the deuill hath all the heart our whole ioy is to serue and please him A man that is to pray must thinke on this and be grieued thereat And happie yea a thousand times happie are they who haue grace giuen them to see this their state and to bewaile it And further it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes against our mercifull Father but we must set downe with our selues neuer in such sort to offend him againe to lead a new life This point is very profitable for these times For many there be when any crosse or sicknesse comes on them wil pray and promise repentance and all obedience to Gods word if it shall please God to deliuer them but this vsually is but in hypocrisie they dissemble with God and men For when their sicknes is past like a dogge that hath bin in the water they shake their eares and runne straight with all greedines to their former sinnes Is this to call God Father No he that doth this shal not haue God to be his father but the man that is wounded in his soule for his offences past and carrieth a purpose in his heart neuer wittingly and willingly to offend God againe 7. Lastly here we are to obserue that he which would pray must be indued wiâ—h the spirit of adoption the actions whereof in the matter of praier are twofold The first to mooue the heart to crie and call on God as a father It is no easie thing to pray for to a man of himselfe it is as easie to mooue the whol earth with his hand how then comes it that we pray It is a blessed worke of the spirit Rom. 8.15 We
of God and according to the tenour thereof must we frame and square our petitions Things promised absolutely as all graces necessarie to saluation may be asked absolutely and things promised with condition as graces lesse necessarie and temporall blessings are to be asked with condition namely so farforth as they shal be for Gods glorie in vs and for our good except it be so that God promise any temporall blessing absolutely as he promised issue to Abraham in his old age The kingdome to Dauid after Saul A deliuerance from captiuitie in Babylon after 70. yeres to the Israelites Againe the preface serues to stirre vp loue and feare in the hearts of them that are about to pray Loue because they pray to a father feare because he is full of maiestie in heauen Hallowed be thy Name 1. The Coherence THus much of the preface now follow the petitions They be sixe in number the three first concerne God the three last our selues The three former petitions are again deuided into two parts the first concernes Gods glorie it selfe the other two the meanes whereby Gods glorie is manifested and inlarged among men For Gods name is glorified among men when his kingdome doth come and his will is done Quest. Why is this petition Hallowed be thy name set in the first place Ans. Because Gods glorie must be preferred before all things because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill And from the order of the petitions here ariseth a worthie instruction namely that euery one in all things they take in hand are to propound to themselues and to intend the glorie of God The reason is this The ende which God hath appointed to all our doings we are to propound to our selues but God hath appointed that the highest ende of all his doings should be his glorie therefore our hearts must be set to seeke it first of all That God will haue his name glorified by vs appeareth in this that he punisheth those which of obstinacie set themselues to dishonour him or by negligence did not sanctifie him when they should haue done so Herod sitting in his royaltie made such an oration that the people cried The voice of a god and not of a man and immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gaue not glorie to God Act. 12. 12. And Moses because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel therefore he came not into the land of promise yet he did not altogether faile in doing of it Thus we may see by these punishments and also by the order of the petitions that it is our duties to preferre the glorie of God before all thing els Quest. Whether are we to preferre the glorie of God before the saluation of our soules Ans. If the cause stand thus that Gods name must be dishonoâ—red or our soules condemned we must account the glorie of God more pretious then the saluation of our soules This is manifest in the order of the petitions The petitions that concerne Gods glorie is first and the petitions that concerne directly our saluation are the fift and sixt Whereby we are taught that before God should want any part of his glorie we must let bodie and soule and all goe that God may haue all his glorie This affection had Moses Exod. 32.32 when he said Either forgiue them or if thou wilt not blot my name out of thy booke In this petition as also in the rest we must obserue three things the first is the meaning of the wordes the second the wants which men must learne to bewaile the third the graces of God which are to be desired 2. The meaning VEry few among the people can giue the right meaning of the wordes of this prayer They pretend that seeing God knowes their good meaning it is sufficient for them to say the wordes and to meane well But faith beeing one of the grounds of praier and there beeing no faith without knowledge neither can there be praier without knowledge and therefore ignorant men are to learne the right meaning of the words Name Name in this place signifieth 1 God himselfe 1. King 5.5 He shall build an house to my Name 2 His attributes as his iustice mercie c. 3 His workes creatures and iudgements 4 His word 5 His honour and praise arising from all these For God is knowne to vs by all these as men are knowne by their names and as all a mans praise and glorie lies in his name so all the glorie of God is in these Hallowed TO hallow is to seuer or set apart any thing from the common vse to some proper and peculiar end as the Temple was hallowed that is set apart to an holy vse and the Priests were sanctified that is set apart to the seruice of God And all that beleeue in Christ are sanctified that is set apart from sinne to serue God In like manner Gods name is hallowed when it is put apart froÌ„ obliuion contempt prophanation pollution blasphemie and all abuses to an holy reuerent and honorable vse whether we thinke speake of it or vse it any manner of way Leuit. 10.3 Ezech. 38.23 Quest. How can a sinfull man hallow Gods name which is pure and holy in it selfe Ans. We doe not here pray that we might make Gods name holy as though we could adde something vnto it to make it holy but that we might be meanes to declare and make manifest to the world by the right vsage of it that it is holy pure and honourable The like phrase is vsed Luke 7. 9. Wisdome is iustified by her children that is acknowledged and declared to be iust Ezech. 38.23 The scope therefore of the first petition is an earnest desire that we might set forth Gods glory whatsoeuer become of vs and it may be expressed thus O Lord open our eyes that we may aright know thee and acknowledge the greatnes of thy power wisdome iustice and mercy which appeares in thy titles words creatures iudgements and grant that when we vse any of these we may therein honour thee and vse them reuerently to thy glorie 3. The wants which are to be bewailed 1. THE wants which we in this place are taught to bewaile are specially foure The first is an inward and spirituall pride of our hearts a sinne that none or very fewe can see in themselues vnlesse the Lord open their eies When our first parents were tempted in paradise the deuill told them they should be as Gods which lesson not onely they but we haue learned and wee conceiue of our selues as little gods though to the world we shew it not This hidden pride when other sinnes die it begins to get strength and to shewe it selfe and appeares in vaine thoughts continually on euery occasion ascending in the mind As may appeare
in the Pharisie whose thoughts were these when he praied thus within himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican c. And as this was in him so it is in vs till God giue grace for so that men may haue praise glory in the world they care not for Gods glory though it be defaced We must therefore learne to discerne this hidden corruption and to mourne for it for it doth poison and hinder al good desires of glorifying god so long as it doth or shall preuaile in the heart 2. Secondly wee are taught here to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts whereby we are hindred from knowing God aright and from discerning the glory and maiestie of God in his creatures Mark 6.52 The disciples through the hardnes of their hearts could not see Gods power in the miracle of feeding many thousands with a few loaues though themselues were instruments of it and the foode did increase in their hands Our redemption what a wonderful worke is it but how few consider of it or regard it If we see a man haue more wit wealth or honour then we haue wee straight wonder at him but beholding Gods creatures we see nothing in them because we doe not goe higher to acknowledge the loue power wisdome and iustice of the Creator And this is the cause why Gods name is so slenderly honoured among men 3. The third corruption is our great ingratitude for the Lord hath made heauen and earth and all other creatures to serue man yet he is the most vnthankfull of all creatures Bestow many iewels or a kings raunsome on a dead man he wil neuer returne any kindnes so men being dead in sinne deale with God Commonly men are like the swine that run with their groines and eate vp the mast but neuer looke vp to the tree from whence it falleth But the godly are with Dauid to feele this want in themselues and to beseech God to open and as it were to vnlocke their lips that they may indeauour to be thanfull to God Psal. 51.15 4. The fourth is the vngodlines the innumerable wāts that be in our liues and the sinnes committed in the world Psal. 119.136 Mine eies saith Dauid gush out with riuers of water because men keepe not thy lawes The reason is because he which liues in sinne reproches Gods name euen as an euill childe dishonours his father Now some will say that this cannot be because our sinnes cānot hurt God True indeed yet are they a cause of slādering Gods name among men for as we honour him by our good workes so we dishonour him by our offences Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 4. Graces to be desired 1. THe graces to be desired and to bee praied for at Gods hand are three The first is the knowledge of God that is that we might knowe him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word works and creatures For how shall any glorifie God before he know him Our knowledge in this life is imperfect Exod. 23. Moses may not see Gods face but his hinder parts 1. Corin. 13.12 We may see God as men doe through spectacles in his word sacraments and creatures And therefore as Paul praied for the Colossians Col. 1.10 That they might increase in the knowledge of God so are wee taught to pray for our selues in this petition 2. We desire that a zeale of Gods glorie may be kindled in our hearts and that we may be kept from prophaning and abusing of his name Psal. 69.9 The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp Psal. 45.1 My heart shall vtter or cast vp a good matter I will speake in my workes of the king Here the spirit of God borrowes a comparison from men thus As hee which hath somewhat lying heauie in his stomacke is neuer quiet till he haue cast it vp euen so the care desire to glorifie Gods name must lie vpon a mans heart as an heauie burden and he is not to be at ease and quiet with himselfe till he bee disburdened in sounding forth Gods praise Luther saith well that this is Sancta crapula that is an holy surfet and it is no hurt continually to haue our hearts ouercharged thus 3. A desire to lead a godly and vpright life before God and men We see men that in some great calling vnder honourable personages will so order behaue themselues as they may please and honour their masters euen so must our liues be well ordered and we are to labour to walke worthie of the Lord as Paul speaketh that we may honour our heauenly father Thy kingdome come 1. The Coherence THis petition dependes on the former most excellently For in it is laide downe the meanes to procure the first Gods name must bee hallowed among men but howe is it done by the erecting of Gods kingdome in the hearts of men We cannot glorifie God vntil he rule in our hearts by his word and spirit 2. The meaning Thy This word doth put vs in minde that there is two kingdomes one Gods and that is the kingdome of heauen the other the deuils called the kingdome of darknesse Coloss. 1.13 For when all had sinned in Adam God laide this punishment on all that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator they should be in bondage vnder satan so that by nature we are all the children of wrath and the deuill holds vp the scepter of his kingdome in the hearts of men This kingdome is spirituall and the pillars of it are ignorance errour impietie and all disobedience to God in which the deuill wholly delights which also are as it were the lawes of his kingdome Blind ignorant people can not abide this doctrine that the deuill should rule in their hearts they spit at the naming of him and say that they defie him with all their hearts but whereas they liue in sinne and practise it as occasion is offered though they cannot discerne of themselues yet they make plaine proofe that they liue in the kingdome of sinne and darknesse and are flatte vassels of Satan and shall so continue till Christ the strong man come and binde him and cast him out And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselues Wherefore our Sauiour in this petition teacheth vs to consider our naturall estate and to pray that he would giue vs his spirit to set vs at libertie in the kingdome of his owne sonne Kingdome Gods kingdome in Scripture is taken two waies First generally and so it signifieth that administration by which the Lord gouerneth all things yea euen the deuils themselues Of which kingdome mention is made in the ende of this prayer And in the Psalme 97. vers 1. The Lord raigneth let the earth reioyce Againe it is taken more specially and then it signifieth
the administration of Christ the head of the church in which he frameth men by his word and spirit to the subiection of the same word And so it is taken in this petition In a kingdome there are foure things to be noted 1. There must be a king 2. There must be subiects 3. There are lawes 4. Authoritie In this kingdome Christ is the king it is he to whom the father hath giuen all authoritie in heauen and earth In this kingdome all are not subiects but such as are willing to giue free and franke obedience to Gods word or at the least though their hearts be not sound make an outward profession of it The lawes of this kingdome is the word of God in the bookes of the olde and new Testament Therefore it is called the kingdome of heauen Matth. 13. The Gospell of the kingdome Mark 1.13 The rodde of his mouth Esay 11.4 The arme of God Esay 53.1 As a king by his lawes brings his people in order and keepes them in subiection so Christ by his word and the preaching of it as it were by a mightie arme drawes his elect into his kingdome and fashions theÌ„ to all holy obedience The power and authoritie is that whereby Christ conuerts effectually those which are to be conuerted by the inward operation of his spirit and glorifies himselfe in the confusion of the rest Kingdome being taken thus specially is also twofold The first is the kingdome of grace of which mention is made Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God standes not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse that is the assurance of our iustification before God in the righteousnesse of Christ Peace of conscience which proceedes from this assurance and ioy in the holy Ghost which comes from them both In this kingdome all men liue not but onely those that are subiect to Christ obedient to the lawes of his kingdome and ruled by his authoritie and are continually taught in his word by his spirit But those that refuse to liue according to the lawes of this king and choose to liue at their owne libertie are in the kingdome of darkenesse that is sinne and Satan The second is the kingdome of glorie in heauen which is the blessed estate of all Gods people which God himselfe shall be all in all vnto them And the former kingdome of grace is an entrance and preparation to this kingdome of glorie Come Gods kingdome comes when it takes place and is established and confirmed in mens hearts and made manifest to all people the impediments beeing remooued Quest. This comming implies a stopping but how should Gods kingdome be hindred Ans. Kingdome in this place is not taken for that absolute and soueraigne power of God whereby he rules all things for that can not be hindred but for the kingdome of grace which in the vsing of the outward meanes as ministers word and Sacraments may be hindred by the deuill the world and mans corruption 3. The wants which are to be bewailed The wants which we in this petition are to mourne for are of two sorts some concerne our owne selues some others That which concerns our owne persons is a bondage and slauerie vnder sinne and Satan This bondage indeede is weakned in Gods seruants but none is wholly freed from it in this life Paul complaines that he is sold vnder sinne and cries pitifully O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Question What difference is then betweene the godly and the wicked Ans. The euill and vngodly man in the very middest of his bondage hath a merrie heart sinne is no trouble to him nay it is meat drinke to him But the godly man is otherwise minded who considering the power of the deuill and hiâ— craft in manifold fearefull temptations and seeing the pronenesse of his rebellious nature euer and anon to start away from God is grieued and confounded in himselfe and his heart bleedes within him that he doth offend so mercifull a father Many men liue in this world and that many yeares and yet neuer feele this bondage vnder Satan sinne Such vndoubtedly cannot tell what this praier meanes but he that would haue the right vse of this petition must be acquainted with his owne estate and be touched in his conscience that the flesh and the deuill beare such sway in him As the poore captiue is alwaies creeping to the prison doore alwaies labouring to get off his bolts and fetters and to escape out of prison so must we alwaies crie to the Lord for his spirit to free vs out of this bondage and prison of sinne and corruption and euery day come nearer the prison doore looking when our blessed Sauiour will vnbinde vs of all the fetters of sinne and Satan and fully erect his kingdome in vs. 2. The wants which concerne others are twofold The former is the want of the good meanes which serue for the furthering of the kingdom of Christ as preaching sacraments and discipline When we shall see a people without knowledge and without good guides and teachers or when we see one stand vp in the congregation not able to teach here is matter for mourning This petition puts vs in minde to bewaile these wants Our Sauiour when he sawe the Iewes as sheepe without a sheepheard he had compassion on them and he wept ouer Ierusalem because they knew not the things which belong to their peace Luk. 9.11 Therfore when preachers want to hold vp the scepter of GOD before the people and to hold out the word which is as it were the arme of God to pull men from the bondage of the deuill to the kingdome of Christ. Then it is time to say Lord let thy kingdome come 3. The third want which we are to bewaile is that there bee so many impediments and hinderances of the kingdome of grace as the deuil and all his angels their instruments the Pope the Turke and all the rest of the professed wicked of the world which by subtile intisements and tyrannie keepe backe and repell the meanes whereby Christ ruleth as a king in his Church When the deuill sees one that was sometime of his kingdome but to cast a looke towards the heauenly Ierusalem he straightway rageth against him and labours quite to ouerthrow him Wherefore in regard of all these impediâ—ents weâ— must pray Thy kingdome come 4. Graces to be desired 1. IN this petition we are taught first that we are to haue a feruent desireâ— and to hunger that god would giue vs his spirit to raigne and rule in our harts and to bow them to all obedience and subiection of his wil and further wheras our hearts haue beene as it were filthie sties and stables of the deuill that he would renue them and make of them fit temples to entertaine his holy spirit Psal. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit in me c. Stablish me with thy free
spirit If we shall consider the conuersation of the wicked and the godly and their corrupt hearts togither we shall see little difference but in this that the wicked is delighted and glad to sinne but the godly doe wrestle as for life and death with their temptations and doe resist the deuill and doe desire the grace of Gods spirit and crie to heauen to bee freed from this bondage howesoeuer their hearts are alwaies readie to rebel against God 2. Forasmuch as the kingdome of grace is erected in Gods Church here vpon earth in this petition we are coÌ„manded to pray for the Chruch of God and the parts thereof Psal. 122.6 Praie for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Esay 62.7 Ye which are the Lords remembranceâ—s giue him no rest vntill he set vp Hierusalem the praise of the world And that Gods Church may flourish and be in good estate we are to pray for Christian Kings and Princes that God would blesse them and increase the number of them For they are as nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church And wee especially are bound to pray for the Queenes most excellent maiestie as also for the French king that they may be blessed and Gods kingdome by them aduanced And againe because ministers are the Lords watchmen in the Church we are here also put in minde to seeke their good and to praie that their hearts may be set for the building of Gods kingdome for the beating downe of the kingdome of sinne and Satan and for the sauing of the soules of his people And the rather because the deuill laboureth night and daie to ouerthrow theÌ„ in this glorious worke and to resist them in their ministerie as appeareth in Zachaâ—ie 3.1 When Ioshua the high priest stood before the Angell of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand namely to resist him Therefore also wee are to praie for them that the Lord would keepe them and furnish them with gifts and with all make them faithfull For where vision faileth the people are left naked saith Salomon 2. Thess. 3. 1. Brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue a free passage and be glorified Thirdly we must pray for all Christian Schooles of learning Howsoeuer some thinke but basely of them yet they are the ordinarie meanes to maintaine the ministerie and so the Church of God A man that hath diuers orchards wil also haue a seminarie ful of young plants to maintaine it Schooles they are as Seminaries to Gods church without which the Church falles to decay because they serue to make supplie of ministers 3. Thirdly we are to desire that the Lord would hasten the second comming of Christ as the Saints in heauen praie Come Lord Iesus come quicklie and therefore the godly are said to loue the comming of Christ. 2. Tim. 4.8 A penitent sinner so abhors his own corruptions and the irkesome temptations of Satan that in this respect he desires that Christ would hasten his particular comming to him by death for no other cause but that he might make an end of sinning and displeasing of God Thy will be done 1. The Coherence IN the second petition we desired that God would let his kingdome come vz. That he would rule in our hearts If he then must raigne we must be his subiects and therefore here we craue that beeing his subiects wee may obey him and doe his will Mal. 1.6 If I be a father where is my honour If I be a master where is my feare 2. The meaning VVIll Here it signfieth Gods word written in the olde and new Testament For in his word his will is reauealed Of the whole will of God there be three speciall points which are in this place meant 1. To beleeue in Christ Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life 2. Sanctification of body soule 1. Thess. 4.3 This is the will of God euen your sanctification c. 3. The bearing of affliction in this life Rom. vers 29. Those which he knew before he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his owne sonne Phil. 3.10 That I might knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death Thy will Not mine for mans owne will is wicked and corrupt yea it is flat enmitie to God Rom. 8. v. 5. Done That is obeyed and accomplished of men Then the effect of the prayer is this O Lord seeing thou art our King giue vs grace to shewe our selues good subiects in obeying thy will 3. The wants to be praied against 1. HEre first we are to bewaile this that our hearts are so prone to rebellioÌ„ and disobedience of Gods commandements Put a match to a heape of gun-powder on a sudden it will be all on a flame and as long as we adde matter to the fire it burnes so by nature we are most readie to sinne so soone as the least occasion is giuen Dauid had experience of this when hee praied Knit my heart to thee O Lord c. Psal. 86. 11. and incline my heart to thy commandements Psal. 119.37 Those which finde not this want in themselues and the like affection to bewaile it are in a miserable and dangerous case euen as a man that hath a great disease vpon him and knowes not of it 2. Againe wee must here bewaile the sinne of the worlde as ignorance schismes hipocrisie pride ambition contempt of Gods word couetousnes oppression want of loue of God and his word c. 2. Peter 2.7 Lot was vexed and his righteous heart was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites from day to day so ought our soules to bee vexed and grieued continually at the wickednesse of our time and we are to send vp our praiers to God for vnbeleeuing vnrepentant sinners that they may be brought to the obedience of Gods will Ezech. 9.4 In a common iudgement vpon Ierusalem They are marked in the forhead that mourne and crie for all the abominations that be done in the middest of it 3. Here also we must humble our selues for our vnquietnesse of mind impatience wheÌ„ god laies any crosse on vs. It is Gods wil that we should suffer affliction and withall humble our selues vnder his mightie hand Our Sauiour praied that the cup might be taken away but with submission to his Fathers will Luk. 22.42 And this Dauid had learned when he said But if he thus say behold I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies 2. Sam. 15.26 4. Graces to be desired 1. THe first thing which we are here to desire is that we may haue grace to denie our selues wils and affections because herein wee are vnlike to God and like the deuill This is the first lesson that our Sauiour doth
mindfull of others For a man that hath wealth is made a steward to distribute his goods to the poore and the good of Gods Church True loue seekes not her owne things the branches of the vine are loden with clusters of grapes not for themselues but for others the candle spends it selfe to giue others light Giue If bread be ours wherefore are we to aske it it may seeme needlesse Answ. Not so for hereby we are taught to waite on God who is the fountaine and the giuer of all blessings Men vsually driuen to any distresse vse euill meanes as robbing deceiuing consulting with wizzards c. 2. Againe here we learne that though a man had all the wealth in the world all is nothing without Gods blessing Question The rich neede not say Giue vs c. for they haue abundance already and what neede they aske that which they haue Answer Let a man be neuer so rich and want nothing that can be desired yet if he want Gods blessing in effect he wants all Wherefore euen Kings and the greatest personages that be are as much bound to vse this petition as the poorest Gods blessing is riches saith Salomon Prou. 10.22 Thou maist eate and not haue enough be clothed and not warme earne wages and put it in a broken bagge Hag. 1. 6. if God doe not blesse thee This blessing of God is called the staffe of bread Esay 3. 1. In bread there bee two things the substance and the vertue thereof proceeding from gods blessing this second that is the power of nourishing is the staffe of bread For take away from an aged man his staffe and he falls and so take away Gods blessing from bread the strength thereof it becomes vnprofitable and ceaseth to nourish Lastly here we see that all labour and toile taken in any kind of calling is nothing and auailes not vnlesse God still giue his blessing Psal. 127.1 3. The wants which are to be bewailed SInnes which we are taught in this petition to bewaile are two especially I. Couetousnesse a vice which is naturally engrafted in euery mans heart it is when a man is not content with his present estate This desire is vnsatiable men that haue enough would still haue more Wherefore he which shall vse this petition must be grieued for this sinne and pray with Dauid Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy commandements and not to couetousnes And he must sorrowe not so much for the act of this sinne as for the corruption of nature in this behalfe Couetous people will plead that they are free from this vice but marke mens liues and we shall see it is a common disease as Dauid noted Psal. 4.6 where he brings in the people saying who shall shew vs any good This then is a common sinne that we are taught to mourne for 2. The second want is diffidence and distrustfulnes in Gods prouidence touching the things of this life Men also will shift this off and say they would be sorrie to distrust God But if we doe but a little looke into the corruption of our nature we shall see that we are deceiued For beeing in prosperitie wee are not troubled but if once we be pressed with aduersitie then we howle and weepe and as Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.10 Men peirce themselues through with many sorrowes If a man shall loose a part of his goods what then doth he straight hee goes out to the wise man is this to beleeue in God No it is to distrust God and beleeue the deuill 4. Graces to be desired THe grace to be desired is a readines in all estates of life to rest on Gods prouidence whatsoeuer fall out Psal. 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe Prou. 16. 3. Commit or role thy workes vpon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed Whereby we are admonished to take paines in our callings to get meate and drinke c. If the Lord blesse not our labour we must be content if he doe we must giue him thankes Now for this cause we are further to pray to God that hee would open our eies and by his spirit teach vs in all his good creatures to see his prouidence and when meanes faile and are contrarie then also to beleeue in the same and to followe Pauls example Phil. 4.12 5. Errours confuted PApists teach that men by workes of grace may merit life eternall and increase of iustification in this life But howe can this be for here we see that euery bit of bread which we eate is the free gift of God without any merit of ours Now if we can not merit a peece of bread what madnes is it to thinke that we can merit life euerlasting 2. They also are deceiued who thinke that any thing comes by meere chance or fortune without Gods prouidence Indeede in respect of men who know not the causes of things many chances there are but so as that they are ordered and come to passe by Gods prouidence Luk. 10.31 By chance there came downe a certaine priest that way Forgiue vs our debts 1. The Coherence THis is the fift petition and the second of those which concerne our selues in the former we craued temporall blessings in this and the next which followeth we craue spirituall blessings Where we may note that seeing there is two petitions which concerne spirituall things and but one for temporall that the care for our soules must be double to the care of our bodies In the world men care for their bodies their hearts are set for wealth and promotion they can be content to heare the word on the Sabbath yet neither then nor in the weeke day doe they lay it vp in their hearts and practise it which argues that they haue little or no care for their soules Question What is the cause that first we craue things for the bodie and in the second place those which concerne the soule Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull for the Lord considers the dulnes and backwardnes of mens natures and therefore he traines them vp and drawes them on by little euen as a schoolemaster doth his yong schollers propounding vnto them some small elements and principles and so carrying them to higher points For the former petition is a step or degree to these two following The ruler by the healing of the bodie of his child is brought to beleeue in Christ. Ioh. 4.53 He then that will rest on Gods mercie for the pardon of his sinnes must first of all rest on Gods prouidence for this life and he that can not put his affiance in God for the prouision of meate and drinke how shall he trust Gods mercie for the saluation of his soule Here we may see the faith of worldlings they say that God is mercifull and that they beleeue in Christ which can not be true seeing in lesser matters as meate and drinke they
For in this word is contained the testification of our faith whereas the petitions are only testifications of our desires And as it is in the end so also it is the seale of our praiers to make them authenticall and it is to be vsed as men coÌ„monly take it not onely for this end to answer the minister praying in the coÌ„gregation but also to testifie our faith for the thing desired 2. Graces to be desired HEreby we are taught what grace we are to shewe in praier Wee must labour to giue assent to Gods promises when wee pray and striue against doubting and vnbeleefe Mat 9.11 Lord I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleefe Psal. 42.11 Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted in me waite on God Many there are that will stand vpon the strength of their faith plead for themselues that they neuer doubted but they are farre wide for true faith beeing imperfect is alwaies accompanied with doubting more or lesse Wherefore the heart that neuer felt doubting is not filled with faith but with presuÌ„ption As for them which are molested with doubtings and complaine of theÌ„ they haue lesse cause to feare for as fire and water doeth neuer striue till they meete no more doth doubting and faith till faith be wrought in the heart To conclude we see what an excellent worke praier is in which two most excellent graces of a Christian man be shewed forth hungring after mercie faith wherby we beleeue the obtaining of it This might mooue men to learn to praie praier being the exercise of grace Of the vse of the Lords praier THe principall vse of the Lords praier is to direct gods Church in making their praiers in all places at all times and vpon all occasions though their praiers should be innumerable and vnlesse they be framed after this praier they cannot be acceptable vnto God In the vsing of it for direction there bee three things required 1. The first is the knowledge of the Lords praier and al the parts therof He that would pray by it must vnderstand the meaning therof the wants therein to be bewailed the graces to be desired for which ende it hath beene expounded 2. Knowing this there is in the second place required thus much skill that hee be able to referre euery want and grace to one of the sixe petitions for example feeling in himselfe pride of heart he must be able to say this is a want in the first petition and feeling a rebellion and slownes in doing Gods commandements he must be able to say this is a sinne to be praied against in the third petition Thus euery want he must refer to his proper head againe he must referre euery grace to be desired to one of the sixe petitions as strength in temptation to the sixt affiance in Gods prouidence to the fourth knowledge of God to the first c. and so in the rest 3. In the third place hee must before he pray consider what bee his wants and imperfections which most trouble him as also the graces which he would obtaine then for the helping of his memorie he must goe to the petitions hee must set those things first in his minde which concerne the first petition and those which concerne the second petition must haue the second place in his mind and so he must proceede in order as he shall haue occasion Thus a man keeping in mind the order of the petitions as they stand shall be able by referring euery grace and want to his proper head to make distinct praier and to varie it as time place and other occasions shall mooue him Quest. Must we of necessitie follow all the petitions in conceiuing a praier Ans. No but onely those which doe principally belong to the time place and occasion as Paul maketh a praier Coloss. 1.9,10 And all the points of it may be referred to the third and last petitions Againe a Christian man may make an excellent confession of his sinnes by this praier if he shall keeping the order of the petitions confesse and bewaile the sinnes which euery petition requires vs to pray against And it serues to make a thankesgiuing to God thus let a man remember all the graces which he hath receiued from God let him then referre them to the petitions giue thankes to God after the order of them turning euery petition into a thanksgiuing Of the circumstances of praier Quest. 1. VVHether a man is to vse a voice in praier Answ. In publike praier it is requisite that there be a voice for the minister iâ— the mouth of the people and to the praier which he conceiues they giue assent For priuat praier vsing of a voice is conuenient yet so as it may be donâ— in silence I. The Lord gaue vs the voice as wel as the heart to blesse him withall Iam. 3.9 II. God created the tongue as well as the heart and so will bee praised by both III. The voice often stirres vp the heart and againe the vehemencie of affection doth often draw out a voice the voice then in priuate praier is requisite yet in some cases may be omitted for it is not absolutely necessarie Moses and Anna praied in silence Quest. 2. What gesture is to be vsed in praier Ans. The worde doeth not affoard any particular direction Our Sauiour and his disciples praied in diuers gestures kneeling staÌ„ding groueling looking to heauen looking down to the earth sitting lying c. Luk. 11.41 Act. 7. god respects not the gesture but the affection of the heart yet two things must alwaies be in gesture first that it bee comely secondly that it doe fitly expresse the affection of the heart as when we aske mercie to look to heauen when we bewaile our sinnes to looke downward and to humble our bodies c. Question 3. What place must we praie in Ans. The place is set downe 1. Tim. 2.8 We may pray in all places of which there is no difference Some wil say that in the time of the lawe the tabernacle and temple were places of diuine praier Ans. The temple and tabernacle were types of Christ and his Church and the vnitie of it but nowe wee hauing the thing it selfe signified thereby may pray in all places Our Sauiour praied in the wildernesse on the Mount Peter on the house toppe Paul by the sea shore yet so that publique praier must be vsed in publike places as Churches Chappels c. not because in them is more holines but for order sake Quest. 4. What is the time appointed for praier Ans. Pray continually 1,5,7 that is vpon all occasions or when a man beginnes any businesse whether it be in word or deede Coloss. 3. 17. or as Daniel who praied thrise euery day Dan. 6.11 or as Dauid who praied at euening and morning and noone-tyde Psal. 55. 18. and seuen times a â—aie that is many Psal. 119.140 Thus wee shall pray continually Euery day affoards three speciall
yet afterward alwaies he returned to his old by as againe Foelix trembled before Paul for all that he could not leaue his couetousnesse but euen then he sought for a bribe Secondly the reprobate◠when he repenteth he cannot come vnto God seeke vnto him he hath no power no not so much as once to desire to giue one litle sob for the remissiō of his sinnes if he would giue all the world he cannot so much as giue one rap at gods mercie gate that he may open to him He is very like a man vpon a racke who crieth roreth out for very paine yet cannot desire his tormentor to ease him of his paine Caine would haue bin void of his trembling but he could not aske pardon of his sinne from his heart neither could Saul or Iudas or now can the deuill XIV The reprobate may humble himselfe for some sinnes which he hath committed and may declare this by fasting and teares When Eliah reprooued Ahab for his Idolatrie and threatned him from the Lord it is said that when he had heard these words he rent his cloaths and put sackcloath vpon him and fasted and went softly in token of mourning and this humiliation stayed Gods wrath for a time XV. He may confesse his sinnes euen his particular sinnes before men but this is onely then when his soule is tormented for them and can find no ease For then he sticketh not to vtter his secret filthines to the hearing of all men to the open shaming of himselfe When God smote all that was in the fieldes of Egypt with haile then Pharao sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said vnto them I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for it is enough that there be no more mightie thunders c. So Iudas when he saw that Christ was condemned and felt an hell in his conscience brake out and said I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood And the experience of these daies giueth fearefull examples for the proofe of this point XVI He hath often a desire to be like the children of God in happinesse and to be saued not because he hath any loue to the kingdom of God but because he is afraid of hell As Balaam ouerpressed with the feare of Gods iudgement praied thus Oh that my soule might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his XVII The wicked in their distresse may pray to God and God may heare their praiers and grant them their request as the Israelites wickedly murmuring against God desired flesh in the wildernes God heard their crie and rained Quailes among them But god heareth the wicked after one sort them that feare him after another them that feare him he granteth their requests of loue and mercy to the other of indignation and anger As may appeare in the Israelites who when they were in eating of their Quailes and the meate was within their teeth God in his anger stroke thē with a sore plague And which is more strange then this God hath performed that which he hath promised to the vnbeleeuers though they refused to aske it at his hands euen then whē they were particularly commanded of this thing we haue a worthie example in King Achas who vtterly refused to haue a signe of his deliuerance and the confusion of his enemies when God offered it to him and yet the Lord deliuered him XVIII The reprobate may go further in the profession of religion◠and may seeme for a time to bee planted in the Church for he doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus yet so that he cannot apply them to himselfe In this thing the elect and the reprobate differ The reprobate generally in a confused manner beleeueth that Christ is a Sauiour of some men he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The elect beleeueth that Christ is a Sauiour of him particularly The reprobates faith may perish in this life but the faith of the elect cannot The reprobate may be perswaded of the mercy and goodnes of God towards him for the present time in the which he feeleth it the elect is not onely perswaded of the mercies he presently enioyeth but also he is perswaded of his eternal election before the foūdation of the world and of his euerlasting life which yet he doth not enioy Yea if God would confound him and he saw nothing but present death and hell fire yet such is his nature that still hee would beleeue for faith and hope are not grounded vpon sense and feeling but are the euidence of those thing◠which were neuer yet seene or felt The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ as the sap in the root of the tree their life is not in sense feeling but in hoping and beleeuing which oftentimes are contrarie to mans sense and feeling XIX After that he hath receiued a generall and a temporarie faith in Gods heauenly word his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life cōtained therin by the power of the spirit of God he commeth to haue a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies and a reioycing in consideration of the election adoption iustification and sanctification of Gods children But what is this taste I expresse it thus after the meaning of Gods word Suppose a banquet prepared in which are many sweet and pleasant and daintie meats At this banquet such as are the bidden guests they must be set downe they see the meates they taste them they chaw them in their mouthes they digest them they are nourished fed and strengthened by them they which are not bidden to this feast may see the meats handle them and taste of them to feele how good they are◠but they must not eate and feede of them The first resemble the elect which truly eate digest are nourished by Christ vnto euerlasting life because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heat of Gods holy spirit in them and doe feele sensibly his grace vertue in them to strengthen them guide them The second sort truly resemble the reprobates which neuer in truth enioy Christ or any of his benefits appertaining to saluation but only see them and haue in their hearts a vanishing but no certen or sound feeling of them so that they may be changed and strengthened and guided thereby To vse another similitude The reprobates haue no more feeling and enioying of Christ and his benefits then those men haue of the sunne which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day before it riseth Contrariwise the elect they haue the day-starre euen the Sunne of righteousnes Iesus Christ rising in their hearts the day spring from an high doth visit them the glorie of God doth rise vpon them they haue their eyes annointed
saluation but with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 8 He burneth with zeale of the spirit c. And so the rest of the affections are exercised about the promises of God in Christ and by this meanes is the deepe rooting of the word in the heart Thus it commeth to passe that the Reprobate falleth away from faith in the day of triall and temptation but the Elect cannot be changed XXXIIII Thus it appeareth how farre a reprobate may proceed in religion the consideration of this point I direct vnto two sorts of men Carnall gospellers and Papists Carnall gospellers are such among vs as know the word but obey it not or such as bearing a profession neither know it nor obey it And the best of these come short of reprobates in two points 1. In faith they come short of the deuill most of them The deuill beleeueth and trembleth but they contrariwise liuing in their sinnes beleeue and hope How comes this to passe The deuill knoweth the Gospel and the points of it and withall he beleeueth the terrible threatnings of the law and therefore trembleth Drowsie Protestants beleeue the Gospel as the deuill doth though he conceiues the points of it better then they doe as for the law and the threatnings thereof they doe not beleeue them and that makes them euen when they liue in their sinnes to hope and presume of mercie Therefore the deuill beleeues more of Gods word then they doe Secondly they come short of wicked men in outward obedience The young man not yet conuerted to Christ when he was bidden to keepe the commaundements of the second Table answered that he had kept them from his youth and therefore our Sauiour Christ looked vpon him and loued him although this externall obedience was not sufficient for Christ telleth him that one thing is wanting vnto him And in another place he saith except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies you cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the carelesse Gospeller is farre from performing this in so much that commonly he makes an open practise of sinne one way or other The causes of their carelesnes are first a perswasion that a man may repent when he will because the Scripture saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart God will put all their wickednesse out of his remembrance But indeed late repentance is seldome true repentance and it may be iustly feared least that repentance which men when they are dying frame to themselues die also with them Secondly they flatter themselues imagining that the best man that is hath seuen falles euery day into grosse sinnes whereas the place which they abuse out of the Prouerbs The righteous man falleth seuen times in a day and riseth againe it is rather to be vnderstood of falls into affliction then falls into actuall sinnes Thirdly they deceiue themselues most falsly thinking small sinnes or hidden sinnes to be no sinnes and grossest sinnes in which they liue and lie most dangerously to be but sinnes of infirmitie XXXV By this which hath bin said the professours of Christian religion are admonished of two things First that they vse most painfull diligence in working their saluation in attaining to faith in dying to sinne in liuing to newnesse of life and that their hearts be neuer at rest till such time as they goe beyond all reprobates in the profession of Christ Iesus Seest thou how farre a reprobate may goe presse on to the straight gate with maine and might with all violence lay hold on the kingdome of heauen Slial Herod feare and reuerence Iohn Baptist and heare him gladly and wilt thou neglect the Ministers and the preaching of the word shall Pharao confesse his sinne nay shall Satan beleeue and tremble And wilt not thou bewaile and lament thy sinnes and thy wicked conuersation It behooueth thee to feare and take heed least wicked men and the deuill himselfe rise in iudgement and condemne thee For if thou shalt come short of the duties of a reprobate and doe not goe beyond him in the profession of the Gospel sure it is thou must looke for the reward of a reprobate The second thing is that the professour of the Gospell diligently trie and examine himselfe whether he is in the state of damnation or in the state of grace whether he yet beare the yoke of Satan or is the adopted child of God Thou wilt say this need not thou professest the Gospell and art taken for a Christian yet marke and consider that this often befalleth reprobates to be esteemed Christians and they are often so like them that none but Christ can discerne the sheepe from the goates true Christians from apparant Christians Wherefore it behooueth all men that shew themselues to be Christians to lay aside all pride and all selfeloue and with singlenes of heart to put themselues into the ballance of Gods word and to make iust triall whether in thē repentance faith mortification sanctification c. giue waight answerable to their outward profession which if they doe let them praise God if not let them with all speede vse the meanes that they may be borne anew to the lord and may be inwardly guided by his holy spirit to giue obedience to his will least in the day of Gods trial they start aside from him like a broken bow and fall againe to their first vncleannesse XXXVI To come to the second sort of men and to conclude let the most zealous Papist that is trie himselfe and his whole estate with a single heart as in the presence of Gods maiestie and he shall finde that by his whole religion and profession he doth come short of a reprobate or at the least not goe beyond him in these points before named The Lord open their eyes that they may see it Amen THE ESTATE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN IN this life which also sheweth how farre the Elect may goe beyond the Reprobate in Christianitie and that by many degrees I THe Elect are they whome God of the good pleasure of his will hath decreed in himselfe to choose to eternall life for the praise of the glorie of his grace For this cause the Elect onely are saide to haue their names written in the booke of life II Whome God electeth them he calleth in the time appointed for the same purpose This calling of the Elect is nothing els but a singling and a seuering of them out of this vile world and the customes thereof to be citizens of the kingdome of glorie after this life And the time of their calling is tearmed in Scriptures the day of visitation the day of saluation the time of grace III. This seuering and choosing of the elect out of the worlde is then performed when God by his holy spirit indueth them with true sauing faith a wonderfull gift peculiar to the
known though indeed the minde of man is able to conceiue more then any Christian heart can feele and this is to be seene in Paul who vseth not only to deliuer the points of Gods word in a generall manner but also setteth them downe specially in his own experience So that the enlightning of the reprobate may be compared to the sight of the blind man who saw men walking like vnto trees that is in motion like men but in forme like trees and the elect are like the same blind man who afterward saw men a farre off cleerely II. Secondly the knowledge of the wicked puffeth them vp but the knoweledge of the godly humbleth them III. Lastly the elect besides the knowledge of Gods worde haue a free and franke heart to performe it in their liues and conuersations which no reprobate can haue for their illumination is not ioyned with true and sincere obedience By this it is easie to discerne of the illumination of Anabaptistes or Familists and many other which brag of the spirit VIII The second is the sight of sinne arising of the knowledge of the lawe To this Ieremie exhorteth the Iewes of his time saying Know thine iniquitie for thou hast rebelled against the Lord thy God c. The chiefe cauie of the sight of sinne is Christ by his holy spirit who detecteth the thoughts of many heartes iudgeth the world of sinne The manner of seeing our sinnes must bee to knowe them particularlie for the vilest wretch in the world can generally and confusedly say he is a sinner but that the sight of sinne may be effectuall to saluation it must be more special distinct euen in particular sinnes so that a man may say with Dauid My sinnes haue taken such hold of me that I am not able to look vp they are more in number then the haires of mine head therefore my heart hath failed me Againe a man must not barely see his particular sinnes but hee must also see the circumstances of them as namely the fearefull curses and iudgements of God which accompanie euerie sinne for the consciences of many tell of their sinnes in particular yet they cannot be humbled for them leaue them because they haue not seene that ougly taile of the curse of God that euery sinne draweth after it IX The meanes to attaine to the sight of sinne is by a diligent examination of a mans own selfe This was the practise of the children of Israel in affliction Let vs trie say they and search our waies and turne againe to the Lord. And Dauid giueth the same counsell to Sauls Courtiers Tremble and sin not examine your own heart on your bed be still This examination must be made by the commandements of the Law but specially by the tenth which ransacketh the heart to the very quick was the meanes of Pauls conuersion For he being a proud pharisie this commandement shewed him some â—innes which otherwise he had not knowne and it killed him that is it humbled him If so bee it that after examination a man cannot find out his sinnes as no man shal find out all his sinnes for the heart of man is a vast gulfe of sinne without either bottom or bank and hath infinit hidden corruptions in it then hee must in a godly iealousie suspect himselfe of his vnknowne sinnes as Dauid did saying Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret faults And as Paul did I know nothing by my selfe yet I am not thereby iustified And good reason it is why men should suspect themselues of those sinnes which as yet they neuer sawe in themselues For that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God and the very Angels are not cleane in his sight X. The third is a sorrowe for sinne which is a paine and pricking in the heart arising of the feeling of the displeasure of god of the iust damnation which followeth after sinne This was in the Iewes after Peters first sermon and in Habacuck at the hearing of Gods iudgements When I heard saith he my belly trembled my lips shooke at thy voice rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the daie of trouble This sorrow is called the spirit of bondage to feare because when the spirit hath made a man see his sins he seeth further the curse of the Law and so he findes himselfe to bee in bondage vnder satan hell death and damnation at which most terrible sight his heart is smitten with feare and trembling through the consideration of his hellish and damnable estate This sorrow if it continue and increase to some great measure hath certain Symptomes in the bodie as burning heate rowling of the intralls a pining and fainting of the solide parts XI In the feeling of this sorrowe three things are to bee obserued The first all men must looke that it be seriously and soundly wrought in their hearts for looke as men vse to breake hard stones into many small peeces and into dust so must this feeling of Gods anger for sinne bruise the heart of a poore sinner and bring it to nothing And that this may be so sorrow is not to bee felt for a brunt but very often before the end of a mans life The godly man from his youth suffereth the terrors of god Iacob wrestling with the Angel gets the victorie of him but yet he is faine to goe halting to his graue and traile one of his loynes after him continually The paschall Lamb was neuer eaten without sowre hearbs to signifie that they which wil be free from the wrath of God by Iesus Christ must feele continually the smart and bitternesse of their owne sinnes The second all men must take heede least when they are touched for their sinnes they besnare their owne consciences for if the sorrowe bee somewhat ouer sharp they shall see themselues euen brought to the gates of hell and to feele the pangs of death And when a man is in this perplexitie he shall find it a most hard matter to be freed from it without the marueilous power and strength of Christ Iesus who only is able to helpe him and comfort him yea many when they are once plunged in this distresse and anguish of soule shall neuer escape it as may appeare in Cain Saul Achitophel Iudas now of late in Iohn Hoffmeister a Monke and Latomus who for the space of certaine daies neuer left crying that he was damned because that he had wilfully persecuted the Gospell of Christ and so he ended his life Therefore most worthie is Pauls counsell for the moderating of this sorrow It is sufficient saith he vnto the incestuous man that he was rebuked of many so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least he should be
hath a disease or sore in his bodie before he can be cured of it he must see it feele paine of it and bee in a feare least it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of phisicke and he longeth till he be with the phisitian when hee is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him and to shewe the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then hee yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and wil help him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euery man is wounded with the deadly wounde of sinne at the very heart and he that would be saued and escape damnation must see his sinne be sorrowfull for it and vtterly despaire of his own strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stand in neede of Christ the good Phisitian of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and groanes for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart blood which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I knowe mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly he vtterly despaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying thereby vnlesse the Lord would stay him with his glorious power he should runne headlong to his owne confusion Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercy wil not content him he praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to be bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his prayer for the forgiuenesse of his sinne are set downe in the whole Psalme And in his prayer he gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towards himselfe in that he saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Againe the like appeareth in Dauid Psal. 32.3 When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day 4. For thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night my moisture was turned into the drought of sommer Sela. 5. I confessed my sinnes vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquities I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne To this purpose is the example of R. Glouer Martyr who being somwhat troubled at his entrance into prison testifieth thus of himselfe So saith he I remained without any further conference of any man by the space of eight daies and till the bishops comming in which time I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the mercifull promises of God made to all without exception of persons that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daiely amendment of health of bodie increase of peace of conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his spirit and sometimes as it were a tast and glimmering of the life to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christs sake XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the Church trauelling of them some are newe borne babes feeding on the milke of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seed the least of all seeds and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heat nor light but only maketh a smoke and is called by the name of a little faith and it may bee thus described When a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his own sinnes and yet he is perswaded that they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned and therefore praieth to God that he would pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A little faith may more plainely be knowne by considering of these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne For the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which he is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it bee in the heart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times My God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shew that thē he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of man as in the spring time the fruite is in the bud which yet appeareth not but onely hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seedes of this faith or at the least signes and effects thereof are three The first is a perswasion that a mans own sinnes are pardonable this perswasion though it be not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith for the wicked cut themselues off quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauour and mercie of God in Christ and of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balaam did yet they cannot sincerely desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification reconciliation c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but only for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes with great sighes groanes from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Now this heartie praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirit who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee belloweth vpon his
Christs wine seller shall fall into a swowne and not feele any refreshing there Yet the beleeuer is not to be dismayd if he feele not alwaies comfort presently after the Sacrament A sicke man feeles no comfort or nourishment when he eateth meate and yet it preserueth his life So the weake christian though he feele himselfe not nourished at the Sacrament by Christs bodie and blood yet he shall see in time that his soule shall be preserued thereby vnto euerlasting life Furthermore when a christian feeleth no comfort by the Sacrament let him then humble himselfe before the Lord more heartily then euer before confessing his sinnes and praying for increase of grace and then he shall feele the fruit of the Sacrament XLIX The third worke is a relieuing of the poore brethren in Christ proceeding of a brotherly kindnes towards them This is a speciall worke not to be done to all men alike as Saint Paul saith Doe good to all men but especially to them of the houshold of faith Directions for this matter are the faithfull of Hierusalem Who were all in one place and had all things common namely in vse And they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede Also the brethren at Corinth in their extreame pouertie relieued the churches of Macedonia liberally not onely according to their power but also straining theÌ„selues beyond their power Yea this reliefe must goe further euen to the bestowing of a mans life if neede so require as Saint Iohn saith Hereby we haue perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therefore we ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren L. The fourth worke is true praier and Saint Luke setteth out the faithfull the children of God by this description That they call on the name of the lord As on the contrarie it is said of the wicked That they call not vpon God The true Christian calleth on the Lord in truth For the spirit of adoption which is the spirit of prayer is his Schoolemaster to teach him to doe it In praier he is thus disposed first before he praieth he is stricken with some feare and reuerence in regard of Gods maiestie for he considereth that praier is a familiar talking with God Secondly he is inwardly touched with a liuely feeling of his owne wants but especially he is vexed and grieued at his owne sinne and rebellion and this sense of his miserie is as a spurre to quicken his benummed heart Thirdly he humbleth himselfe before his God and laieth open his heart before the Lord shewing a feruent and longing desire to obtaine those things of which he findeth an extreame want in himselfe as the Prophet Dauid did whose desire was like the yawning of the drie ground and this proceedeth from the spirit of God which stirreth vp groanings in the heart which a man oftentimes for his life cannot expresse Fourthly when he maketh his request he doubteth not but by faith he beleeueth that God will grant his requests which he maketh according to his word The ground of his perswasion is double the first is Christ Iesus by whose merits as he hath obtained remission of sinnes so he looketh to obtaine all things else The other ground is the comfortable promises of God which he hath made that he will heare them who truely call vpon him Fiftly he praieth not for a brunt or two but he continueth in praier And although God seeme not to heare him at the first yet hee patiently waiteth on the Lord and still calleth vpon him LI. The fift worke is to walke in some lawefull calling with painefulnesse and vprightnesse so that in performing all the duties of it a man may keepe a good conscience before God and men Thus Dauid determined to walke in the gouernment of his house and kingdome I will doe wisely saith he in the perfect way till thou commest to me I will walke in the vprightnesse of mine heart in the middest of mine house I will set no wicked thing before mine eies I hate the work of them that fall away it shall not cleaue vnto me This sinceritie of Dauids behauiour in his calling made him bolde to offer himselfe to be tried not onely by men but much more by the Lord God himselfe and to bee punished accordingly Iudge me O Lord saith he for I haue walked in mine innocencie Prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my reines and mine heart So vpright and cleere was he in all his doings LII Thus much of faith and the benefits that come by faith Nowe followeth the spirituall exercise of a Christian in his manifold temptations which are in this life inseparable companions of grace The reason is because the deuil hateth Christ with a deadly hatred and sheweth this hatred in a continual persecution of his members as Saint Iohn saith the dragon was wroth with the woman and went and made warre with the remnant of her seede which kept the commandements of god and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Now therfore as soone as Christ Iesus beginneth to shewe any token of his loue to any man the deuil contrariwise sheweth forth his enmitie and stirs vp his fellow champions the flesh and the world to warre against him for his confusion And furthermore the Lord in great wisdome permits temptations to the last ende of a Christian man life to trie his faith to purge him of sinne to humble him and to make him depend of his Maiestie to quicken and reuiue the graces of his spirit which otherwise would be dead and decay LIII The temptations of a Christian are specially sixe The first is when inwardly in his heart he is drawn away and intised by his owne concupiscence vnto any sinne The Christians exercise in temptation is a fight and battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit And this fighting standeth in foure things First the flesh stirs vp euil thoughts and desires as a burning furnace continually sendeth vp smoake and sparkes of fire and it eggeth a man forward to euil words and deeds according to that of S. Marke For from within euen from the heart of a man proceede euill thouâ—hts adulteries fornications murders thefâ—s couetousnesse wickednesse deceit vnâ—leannes a wicked eye backbiting pride foolishnesse II. The flesh hindereth and choketh the good motions and desires of the heart as Paul saith I see another law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading me captiue to the lawe of sinne which is in my members Againe the same flesh mingleth euery good motion and desire with some corruptions so that the godly mislike the best thing they doe Esay saith of his owne and the peoples righteousnesse that it is but a menstruous cloute The praiers of the Saints must be
perfumed with sweete odours before they can assend vp sweete and sauorie into the nosthrils of God And Paul said of himselfe he did that which he disliked not that hee was ouertaken with grosse sinns but because when he was to do his dutie the flesh hindred him that he could not do that which he did exactly soundly according to his wil desire euen as a man who hath a iourney to goe his mind is to dispatch it in all haste yet when he is in his trauell he goes but slowely by reason of a lamenesse in his ioynts III. The spirit on the contrary kindles in the heart good motions and desires and puts a man forward to good words and deedes as it was in Dauid I will praise the Lord saith he who hath giuen me counsell my reines also teach me in the night season IV. The spirit rebukes a man for his euil intents and desires represseth the force of theÌ„ as it were nips them in the head Thus Esay describeth the inward motions of the spirit And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying this is the way walke ye in it when thou turnest to the right hand when thou turnest to the left And Saint Iohn saith The spirit iudgeth the worlde of sinne This was in Dauid who when he did any euill his heart smote him 2. Sam. 24. 10. Out of this doctrine issueth a notable difference betwixt the wicked and the godly In the godly when they are tempted to sinne there is a fight betweene the heart and the heart that is betweene the heart and it selfe In the wicked also there is a fight when they are tempted to sinne but this fight is onely betweene the heart and the conscience The wicked man whatsoeuer he is hath some knowledge of good and euil and therefore when he is in doing any euil his conscience accuseth checketh and controuleth him and hee feeles it stirring in him as if it were some liuing thing that crauled in his body gnawed vpon his heart and therupon he is very often grieued for his sins yet for all that he liketh his sinnes very well and loueth them and could finde in his heart to continue in them for euer so that indeed when he sinneth hee hath in his heart a striuing and a conflict but that is onely betweene himselfe and his conscience But the godly haue an other kind of battel and conflict for not only their consciences pricke them and reproue them for sinne but also their hearts are so renewed that they rise in hatred and detestation of sinne when they are tempted to euill by their flesh and Satan they feele a lust and desire to doe that which is good LIV. The second temptation is a disquietnes in the heart of a Christian because he cannot according to his desire haue fellowship with Christ Iesus he is exercised in this temptation on this manner I. Christ lets him see his excellency and howe he is affected towards him II. Then the Christian considering thisâ— desireth Christ his righteousnesse III. He delighteth himselfe in Christ and hath some enioying of his benefits IV. Then he comes into the assemblie of the Church as into Gods wine-seller that in the word and Sacraments he may feele a greater measure of the loue of Christ. V. But he falls loue-sicke that is hee becomes troubled in spirit because he cannot enioy the presence of Christ in the sayd manner as he would VI. In this his spiritual sicknes he feeles the power of Christ supporting him that the spirit be not quenched and he heares Christ as it were whispering in his heart as a man speakes to his friend when hee is comming towards him a farre off VII After this Christ comes neerer but the Christian can no otherwise enioy him then a man enioyes the company of his friend who is on the other side of a wall looking at him through the grate or latteise VIII TheÌ„ his eies are opened to see the causes why Christ so withdraws himselfe to be his owne securitie and negligence in seeking to Christ his slacknes in spirituall exercises as in prayer and thanksgiuing the deceitfulnes and malice of false teachers IX Then he comes to feele more liuely his fellowship with Christ. X. Lastly he prayeth that Christ would continue with him to the end LV. The third temptation is trouble of minde because there is no feeling of Christ at all who seemeth to be departed for a time The exercise of a Christian in this tentation is this 1 The poore soule lying as a man desolate in the night without comfort seekes for Christ by priuate praier and meditation but it will not preuaile 2 He vseth the helpe counsell and prayer of godly brethren yet Christ cannot be found 3 Then he seekes to godly ministers to receiue some comfort by them by their meanes he can feele none 4 After that all meanes haue bin thus vsed and none will preuaile then by Gods great mercie when he hath least hope he findes Christ and feeles him come againe 5 Presently his faith reuiueth and laieth fast hold on Christ. 6 And he hath as neere fellowship with Christ in his heart as before 7 Then comes againe the ioy of the holy Ghost and the peace of conscience as a sweete sleepe falls vpon him 8 Then his heart ariseth vp into heauen by holy affections and praiers which do as pillars of smoake mount vpward sweete as myrrhe and incense 6 Also he is rauished therâ—â—ith the meditation of the glorious estate of the kingdome of heauen 10 Hee labours to bring others to consider the glorie of Christ and his kingdome 11 After all this Christ reueales to his seruant what his blessed estate is both in this life and in the life to come more cleerely then euer before and makes him see those graces which he hath bestowed on him 12 Then the Christian praieth that Christ would breath on him by his holy spirit that he may bring forth the fruits of those graces which are in him 13 Lastly Christ granteth him this his request LVI The fourth temptation is securitie of heart rising of ouermuch delight in the pleasures of the worlde The exercise of a Christian in this temptation is this 1 He slumbers and is halfe asleepe in the pleasures of this world 2 Christ by his word and spirit labours to withdrawe him from his pleasures and to make him more hartily receiue his beloued 3 But he delayeth to doe it beeing loath to leaue his â—ase and sweete delights 4 Then Christ awakes him and stirres vp his heart by making him to see the vanitie of his pleasures 5 He then begins to be more earnestly affected towards Christ. 6 With sorrowe he sets his heart to haue fellowship with Christ after his old manner and this
nothing to say but this The Lord increase the number of them And the Lord fullfill them with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding that they may walke worthie of him and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of God And wheras they are at continual warre against the flesh the world and the deuil Lord Iesus strengthen them with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnes And deare father of all mercie plant that gouernment in thy Church euery where which thou hast reuealed in thy worde that thy Saints may worship thee in those means in that order and comelines which thou hast appointed abounding in righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy of the holy ghost Amen Amen A DIALOGVE OF THE STATE OF A CHRISTIan man gathered here and there out of the sweet and sauorie writings of Master Tindall and Master Bradford TImotheus Because of our ancient acquaintance and familiaritie deare friend Eusebius I will make bold with you to aske such questiōs as may be for my edification cōfort and of no other matters but euen of religion whereof I see you are an olde professour And the first of all let me bee bold to aske this question of you howe it pleased God to make you a true Christian and a member of Christ Iesus whome I see you serue continually with a feruent zeale Eusebius For that old acquaintance that was betweene vs and for that you are desirous to liue a godly life in Christ Iesus I will not conceale the good worke of my God in me therfore I pray you marke a little what I shall say I will declare vnto you the trueth euen forth of the feeling of mine own conscience The fall of Adam did make me the heire of vengeance and wrath of God and heire of eternall damnation and did bring mee into captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuil and the deuill was my Lord my ruler my head my gouernour and my prince yea and my God And my will was locked knit faster vnto the will of the deuil then could a hundred thousand chaines binde a man vnto a poast Vnto the deuils will did I consent with all my heart with all my mind with all my might power strength will and life so that the Lawe and will of the deuil was written as well in my heart as in my members and I ran headlong after the deuill with full saile and the whole swing of all the power I had as a stone cast into the aire commeth downe naturally of it selfe with all the violent swing of his own weight O with what a deadly and venemous heart did I hate mine enemies With how great malice of mind inwardly did I sley and murther With what violence and rage yea with what feruēt lust committed I adulterie fornication and such like vncleannes With what pleasure and delectation like a glutton serued I my bellie With what diligence deceiued I How busily sought I the things of the world Whatsoeuer I did work imagine or speake was abominable in the sight of God for I could referre nothing vnto the honour of God neither was his law or will written in my members or in my heart neither was their any more power in me to followe the will of God then in a stone ascend vpward of it selfe And besides that I was asleep in so deep blindnes that I could neither see nor feele in what miserie thraldome and wretchednesse I was till Moses came and awaked me and published the lawe When I heard the law truely preached howe that I ought to loue and honour God with all my strength and might from the lowe bottome of the heart because he did create me Lord ouer it and my neighbor yea mine enemies as my selfe inwardly from the groūd of my heart because God hath made them after the likenesse of his owne image and they are his sonnes as well as I and Christ hath bought them with his blood and made them heires of euerlasting life as wel as I and how I ought to do whatsoeuer God biddeth and to abstaine from whatsoeuer God forbiddeth with all loue and meekenes with a feruent and burning lust from the center of the heart Then began my conscience to rage against the Lawe and against God No sea be it neuer so great a tēpest was so vnquiet for it was not possible for me a naturall man to consent to the Law that it should bee good or that God should be righteous which made the law in as much as it was contrarie vnto my nature and damned me and all that I could doe and neuer shewed mee where to fetch helpe nor preached any mercie but onely set me at variance with God prouoked stirred me to raile on god and to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant And indeed it was not possible to doe otherwise to thinke that God made me of so poysoned a nature and gaue me an impossible law to performe I being not borne againe by the spirit and my wit reason and will being so fast glewed yea nailed and chained vnto the will of the deuil This was the captiuitie and bondage whence Christ deliuered me redeemed and loosed me His blood his death his patience in suffering rebukes wronges and the full wrath of God his prayers and fastings his meekenes fulfilling the vttermost points of the law appeased the wrath of God brought the fauour of god to me againe obtained that God should loue me first and bee my father and that a mercifull father that would consider my infirmitie and weaknes would giue me his spirit againe which he had taken away in Adam to rule gouerne and strengthen me and to breake the bands of Satan wherein I was so straight bound When Christ was on this wise preached and the promises rehearsed which are contained in the booke of God which preaching is called the Gospell or glad tydings and I had deepely considered the same then my heart began to waxe soft and melt at the bounteous mercie of God and kindnes shewed of Christ. For when the gospel was preached the spirit of God mee thought entred into my heart and opened my inwarde eies and wrought a liuely faith in me and made my woofull conscience feele and tast how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is and how mercifull and louing God is through Christs purchasing and merits and made me to beginne to loue againe and to consent to the lawe of God how that it is good ought so to be and that God is righteous that made it lastly it wrought in me a desire to be whole and to hunger and thirst after more righteousnesse and more strength to fulfill the law more perfectly and in all that I do or leaue vndone to seeke Gods honour and his will with meekenesse euermore condemning the imperfectnes of my deedes
Lord to reach vnto thee his mercifull and a helping hand Againe in the Scriptures we finde examples of men conuerted vnto the Lord without any vehement sorrow of their sinns What anguish of conscience had the theefe vpon the crosse for his former life in his present conuersion at the houre of death How was Lydia dismaied and cast downe in respect of her wickednesse like as Dauid was or Iob whose heart God onely is said to haue opened to giue attendance to the preaching of Paul and Silas who also euen presently after was readie to entertaine them and to make them a feast in her house which shee could not haue done if she had beene in the perplexities of Ezechias or Dauid The same may be spoken of the Iayler and of them which heard Peters sermon at Ierusalem who for all that they had murdred our Sauiour Christ yet in their conuersion their hearts were onely for the time pricked So then God in preparing vs which in truth are nothing but fleshly and stinking dunghills of sinne nay very vncleannesse and pollution it selfe I say in preparing vs to be the Temples of his holy Spirit to dwell in and the storehouses to hoord vp his heauenly graces in doth otherwhiles vse a milde and gentle remedie and maketh the Law to looke vpon vs though with no louing and gentle yet with no fearefull countenance and otherwhiles in some he setteth a sharp edge vpon the Law and maketh it to wound the heart very deepe and as a strong corrasiue to torment them and to frette and gnawe vpon their consciences And we see by experience◠that a botch or a byle in a mans bodie is as well eased of the corruption that is in it by the pricking of the point of a small needle as by the launcing of a great raser Wherefore if God by his spirit haue wrought in you sorrow for sinne in any small measure though not in as great measure as you desire you haue no cause to complaine and in that you are grieued with a godly sorrow for your sinnes it is a good token of the grace of God in you Timoth. Surely this is a great comfort you giue me God make me thankefull for it And I pray you more plainly shew me the state of your life till this houre that I and all other may take warning by it Euseb. That which may doe good vnto other men I will neuer conceale though it be to my perpetuall shame As I was conceiued and borne in sinne so my parents brought me vp in ignorance and neuer shewed me my shame and miserie by Gods law liued a long time euen as a man in a dead sleepe or trance and in trueth I liued as though there were neither heauen nor hell neither God nor deuil And the deuill himselfe as I nowe perceiue did often perswade my secure conscience that I was the child of god should be saued as well as the best man in the world and I yeelded to his perswasion and did verily thinke it so that when the preacher for wickednes securitie denoūced Gods iudgements and hel fire I haue said vnto my neighbours that I hoped I should be saued and he should goe to hell and when I was asked whether I could keep all the commandements of the law I said that I could and beeing asked whether I neuer sinned I said I thought that otherwhiles I did but for them which were but fewe I hoped God would haue mercie and haue mee excused and all my neighbours were glad of my company they spoke wel of me and I was taken for an honest man when as indeede before God I was a vile beast the child of wrath inspired with the spirit of the deuil continually Wel after I heard the Law preached I saw and remembred many fearfull iudgements of God vpon men whome I in reason thought were as good men as I then I began to consider mine owne estate and to perceiue my sins and my cursednes and vpon a time aboue all other the curse of the lawe made me inwardly afraide and my flesh then began to tremble and quake then I could not sleepe in the night season I was afraid of euery thing If I were in my house I thought the house would fall on my head if abroad I thought euery crannie of the earth would open it selfe wider and swallowe me I started at euery straw and at the moouing of a flie my meat was loathsome vnto me and I thought I was not worthie of so good a creature of God and that God might iustly turne it to my bane the griefe of my heart for my life past made me shed abundance of teares and vpon that I remembred in Dauids Psalms that his teares were his drinke and that he did wet his bed with teares And nowe the deuill changed both his coate and his note and in fearefull manner cryed in my eares that I was a reprobate his childe that none of Gods children were as I am that this griefe of my soule was the beginning of hell And the greater was my paine because I durst not open my minde vnto any for feare they should haue mocked me and haue made a iest of it Wherefore I was faine to goe to a godly learned preacher I shewed mine estate vnto him after I had cōtinued with him the space of two or three daies I receiued comfort both by the promises of mercie which hee shewed me in the booke of God and by his feruent godly and effectuall praiers and I thanke God euer since I haue had some assurance in spite of the deuil that I doe appertaine to the kingdome of heauen and am nowe a member of Iesus Christ and shall so continue for euer Timoth. How know you that God hath forgiuen your sinne Euseb. Because I am a sinner and he is both able and willing to forgiue me Timoth. I grant that he is able to forgiue you but how knowe you that he◠will◠you know your sinnes are very great Euseb. I graunt but Christs passion is far greater and although my sinnes were as red as scarlet and as purple yet they shall be as white as snowe and as soft as wooll Timoth. Oh but you haue sinned very often Euseb. Tell me not I pray you what I haue done but what I will doe Timoth. What will you doe Euseb. By Gods grace it is my full purpose and my earnest prayer to God is hereafter to take better heed and to amend my former life Timoth. Is that enough thinke you Euseb. What lacketh Timoth. The fauour and mercie of God that may cleane forsake you Euseb. Nay that I will neuer grant for I am certainly perswaded of the fauour and mercie of God euen to the saluation of my soule Timoth. Oh shewe me that that is the thing I earnestly desire to be assured of Gods speciall goodnes euen by your experience Euseb. According as God hath giuen me to feele the same so
man but as Christ himselfe with a pure heart according as Paul teacheth me putting my trust in God of him seeke my reward Moreouer there is not a good deede done but mine heart reioyceth therein yea when I heare that the word of God is preached by you and see the people turne vnto God I consent to this deede my heart breaketh out in me yea it springeth and leapeth in my breast that God is honoured and in my heart I do the same that you doe with the like delectation and feruency of spirit Now he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a prophet receiueth a prophets reward that is hee that consenteth to the deede of a prophet and maintaineth it the same hath the spirit and earnest of euerlasting life which the prophet hath and is elect as the prophet is Now if we compare worke to worke there is a difference betwixt washing of dishes and preaching the word of God but as touching to please God none at all For neither that nor this pleaseth God but as farre forth as God hath chosen a man and hath put his spirit in him and purified his heart by faith and trust in Christ. As the scriptures call him carnall which is not renued by the spirit and borne againe in Christs flesh all his works like euen the very motions of his heart mind as his learning doctrine and contemplation of hie things his preaching teaching and studie in the scripture building of Churches founding of Colledges giuing of almes and whatsoeuer he doeth though they seeme spiritual after the law of God neuer so much So contrariwise hee is spirituall which is renued in Christ and all his workes which spring from faith seeme they neuer so grosse as the washing of the disciples feete done by our Sauiour Christ Peters fishing after the resurrection yea deedes of matrimony are pure spirituall if they proceede of faith and whatsoeuer is done within the lawes of god though it be wrought by the body as the wiping of shoes and such like howsoeuer grosse they appeare outwardly yet are sanctified Timoth. What bee the speciall things in which you leade your conuersation Euseb. One thing is the reading of the scripture Timoth. It is dangerous to read the scriptures you that haue no learning may easily fall into errors and heresies Euseb. As he which knoweth his letters perfectly and can spell cannot but read if he be diligent and as he which hath cleere eies without impediment or let and walketh thereto in the light and open day cannot but see if hee attend and take heede euen so I hauing the profession of my Baptisme onely written in my heart and feeling it sealed vp in my conscience by the holy Ghost cannot but vnderstand the scripture because I exercise my selfe therein and compare one place with another and marke the manner of speech and aske here and there the meaning of a sentence of them that bee better exercised then I for I feele in my heart and haue a sensible experience of that inwardly which the spirit of God hath deliuered in the scriptures So that I find mine inward experience as a commentarie vnto me Timoth. We are all baptized belike then we shall all vnderstand the Scripture Euseb. But alas very fewe there be that are taught and feele their ingrafting into Christ their iustification their inward dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse which is the meaning of their Baptisme And therefore we remaine all blind generally as well the great Rabbins which brag of their learning as the poore vnlearned lay man And the scripture is become so darke vnto them that they grope for the doore and can finde no way in and it is become a maze vnto them in which they wander as a mist or as as wee say led by Robbin goodfellow And their darknes cānot comprehend the light of the Scriptures but they read them as men doe tales of Robbin hood as riddles or as olde Priests read their Ladies Mattins which they vnderstoode not And vntill a man be taught his Baptisme that his heart feele the sweetnes of it the scriptures are shut vp from him and so darke that hee could not vnderstand it though Peter Paul or Christ himselfe did expound it vnto him no more then a man starke blind can see though thou set a candle before him or shew him the sunne or point with thy finger vnto that thou wouldst haue him looke vpon As for heresie there is no danger if a man come to the scripture with a meeke spirit seeking there to fashion himselfe like vnto Christ according to the profession and vowe of his baptisme but contrariwise he shall there find the mightie power of God to alter and change him in the inner mā by little and little till in processe he be ful shapen after the image of our Sauiour in knowledge and loue of all trueth and power to worke thereafter Heresies spring not of Scripture no more then darkenesse of the Sunne but are darke cloudes which spring out of the blinde hearts of hypocrites giuen to pride and singularitie and doe couer the face of the Scripture and blind their eies that they cannot behold the bright beames of the scripture Timoth. By this I also can gather that the Papists which cannot reade the Scriptures except they fall into errors haue not the spirit of Christ working in them and teaching them but the lying spirit of Antichrist the deuill that if God would giue them any true feeling and open their eies they would quite change their mindes But what other exercises haue you Euseb. Praier and thanksgiuing to God For God hath promised very boūtifully vnto them which praie in trueth and it is one of the greatest comforts I haue at all times Againe God which commanded me not to steale commandeth me also to praie and his will is that one commandement should bee as well kept as another and therefore I am perswaded that condemnation will befall a man as well for the one as for the other And that prayer ought to bee continually euen in euery busines a man doth me thinketh it most agreeable to Gods will For if I should come into my neighbours house and take his goods and vse them not borrowing them or asking any leaue they would lay handes on me and make me a theefe The worlde and all the things in the world are the Lords not mine so then if I shall daily vse them neuer seeking to the Lord by praier for the vse of them before God I am an vsurper nay a ranke theefe therefore I desire of God hartely that I may vse all his good creatures with feare and reuerence and that I may sanctifie his name in them which Paul sheweth me to be done by the word of God and praier the word shewing me the lawefull vse of his creatures praier obtaining at Gods hands that I may vse them aright If this practise were vsed of men
The first argument HE which may in truth be made partaker of the chiefe points of the Popish religion may be made partaker of all but a Reprobate may be made partaker of the chiefe poinâ—s of the Popish religion therefore a Reprobate may be made partaker of all The proofe of the Argument THe proposition is plaine and euery Papist will graunt it all the controuersie is of the assumption wherefore I prooue it thus The Sacrament of Pennance as they call it is one of the chiefe things in the religion of the Church of Rome for it is such a Sacrament that by the power efficacy of it the blood of Christ is deliuered to vs to wash away our sins they say it hath such vertue that the kingdome of heauen is promised to it in the Scriptures and that it is not regeneration but an healing of a man regenerate and that it pardoneth sinne as baptisme And as touching Contrition Papists write it hath power to doe away sinne and to obtaine pardon at Gods hand the same they speake of Confession which they say deliuereth from death openeth paradise and giueth hope of saluation and hereby it may appeare that pennance is one of the greatest points of the popish religion But a reprobate may be truly made partaker of the popish sacrament of penance and indeede performe all in it There be three parts of penance Contrition of the heart Confession of the mouth Satisfaction in the deede All these three Iudas performed first he had Contrition for when he saw that our Sauiour was condemned then he saw his owne finne and was stricken with a griefe for his owne treacherie and repented and presently after he confessed his sinne openly vnto the chiefe Priests and Elders Also he made Satisfaction when he brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer which he tooke to betray his master Againe Contrition of the heart is the ground of penance and Papists say it is not an act of the holy Ghost but an act of mans free wil proceeding from it and therefore a reprobate may haue it And as for Satisfaction if a reprobate cannot doe it by himselfe yet he may performe it by another for so they say that one may satisfie by anothâ—r wherefore for any thing I can see a reprobate may haue all that is contained in the popish sacrament of penance Faith is another of the chiefest points that is in the religion of the Church of Rome for they say it is the foundation and ground worke of Iustification But reprobates may haue that faith which they meane For they say that it is nothing els but a gift of God and a certaine light of the minde wherewith a man beeing enlightened giuâ—th sure and certen assent to the reuealed word of God And the Rhemists say it is onely an act of the vnderstanding and Andradius saith that Faith is onely in generall actions and cannot come to the particular applying of any thing now all this reprobates may haue for their minds are inlightned to know the truth and to be perswaded of it and therefore they haue this act of the vnderstanding this is a generall faith yea the deuill himselfe can doe thus much who beleeueth and trembleth And their implicite faith which saueth the lay man what reprobate cannot haue it for there is nothing els required but to beleeue as the Church beleeueth though he know not how the Church beleeueth And the Papists themselues say as much for their Councels hold that a wicked man and an heretike may haue confidence in Christ and that an heathen man by the naturall knowledge of God and by the workes of creation might haue faith and in a generall maner beleeue in Christ. The second argument THat religion whose precepts are no directions to attaine peace of conscience leaueth a man still in a damnable case but the precepts of the religion of the Churcâ— of Rome are not directions to attaine peace of conscience therefore it leaueth a man in a damnable case which if it be true a reprobate may be as sound a professour of â— as any other The proofe THe proposition is certen because as long as any man hath his conscience to accuse him of sinne before God he is in state of damnation as Saint Iohn saith If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart knoweth all things And this is peculiar and proper to the elect children of God to receiue these gifts and graces from God the enioyning of which bringeth peace of conscience True it is indeede that reprobates receiue many graces and gifts at Gods hand but they are no other then such as may be ioyned with the trembling of the conscience as the deuill is said to beleeue but withall to tremble The assumption namely that the religion of the church of Rome can not pacifie the conscience may be easily prooued on this wise A man whose conscience must be truely quieted must first of all be truely humbled Come vnto me saith our Sauiour Christ all ye which are wearied and burdened and I will ease you Whereby it appeareth that they who are to haue their consciences refreshed in Christ must first of all be afflicteâ— with the sense of Gods iudgement yea they must be pressed downe to helward with the weight and burden of their sinnes that they may see and from their hearts confesse that in themselues there is no way to escape damnation The good Phisitian Christ Iesus cannot heale vs before he hath lanced our woundes to the very bottome he neuer can finde any of his sheepe before they be quite lost he neuer powreth into vs the liuing waters of his spirit before we be barren and drie ground void of all moysture and that man must condemne himselfe that would not haue Christ to pronounce sentence of damnation against him Now this true humiliation of a sinner can not be wrought in any mans heart by the religion of the Church of Rome True and sound humiliation is wrought by two means first by making a man to see the greatnes of his sinne and wickednesse secondly by making him to acknowledge that he is destitute and quite bereft of all goodnes For if a man either see not the greatnes of his sinne or haue confidence of any thing in himselfe he can not be humbled but neither of these two things are performed in the church of Rome As touching the first the Romish religion is so farre from amplifying enlarging the greatnes of mens sinnes that it doth extenuate them and lessen them out of measure for it maketh some sinnes to be venial when as the least sinne that can be against Gods law deserueth damnation it teacheth that lesser sinnes are done away by an humble accusation of a mans selfe by saying the Lords praier by knocking vpon the breast and by such like the greater sinnes may be
done away by almes deeds and such like satisfactions But how can any sinne be great that may be done away with such easie and sleight meanes Furthermore it teacheth that euill thoughts and desires and motions of the heart without consent are no sinnes and this opinion cutteth off all true humiliation for Paul neuer repented before he vnderstood the meaning of the last commaundement and perceiued thereby that the desires and lusts of his heart to which he did not yeeld his consent were sinnes damnable before God and knowing this he then saw himselfe to be most miserable and renouncing his owne righteousnes he sought for righteousnes in Christ. Lastly it teacheth that originall sinne is done away in Baptisme and that it is the least sinne of al other What is this but to extenuate mans corruption for whē the roote of corruption is taken away and it is made so little a sinne actuall sinnes cannot be taken for such heinous matters And for the second point the Church of Rome doth too too much extoll the power of man and his naturall strength It saith that all actions of men vnregenerate are not sinnes and that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man hath some freewill to doe spirituall things that a man by meere naturals may loue God aboue all things feare God beleeue in Christ if we respect the very act of the worke that the Gentiles might gather out of philosophie knowledge sufficient for saluation that a man without the helpe of the holy Ghost may performe things acceptable to God that the minde of man vnderstandeth of it selfe many things which be spirituall and heauenly that a man regenerate may fulfill the whole law of God that a man may prepare himselfe to receiue grace and after preparation merit grace at Gods hand that he may doe workes of supererogation c. By this it appeareth that the church of Rome ascribeth too much to man which in himselfe is onely and altogether euill dead in sinne chained vp in miserable bondage vnder Sathan the prince of darknes and therefore it is euident that all the preaching that is vsed in that church will not humble a sinner and make him deny himselfe and therefore their preaching may peraduenture benumme a corrupt conscience and make it secure but it cannot pacifie the troubled conscience nor disquiet it by the threatning of the law that by the promises of the gospel it may be quieted Againe this religion teacheth that a man must doubt of his saluation as long as he is in this life behold a Racke or gybbet erected by the Church of Rome for the tormenting of tender consciences for when a man doubteth of his saluation he also doubteth of Gods loue and mercie to him and he which doubteth of Gods loue cannot loue God againe for how can any man loue him of whose good will he doubteth and when a man hath not the loue of God in him he hath no grace in him and therfore his conscience must needs be defiled and voyd of true peace yea he must needes be a wicked man and that saying of Salomon must needes agree to him The wicked flieth when no man pursueth by reason of the guiltines of his conscience but the godly is bold as a Lyon Againe Blessed is the man saith Dauid whose sinnes are pardoned where he maketh remission of sinnes to be true felicitie now there is no true felicitie but that which is enioyed and felicitie can not be enioyed vnlesse it be felt and it cannot be felt vnlesse a man know himself to be in possession of it and a man cannot know himselfe to be in possession of it if he doubt whether he hath it or not and therefore this doubting of the remission of sinnes is contrarie to true felicitie and is nothing els but a torment of the conscience For a man cannot doubt whether his sinnes be pardoned or not but straite way if his conscience be not feared with an hote yron the very thought of his sinne will strike a great feare into him for the feare of eternall death and the horror of Gods iudgements will come to his remembrance the cōsideration of which is most terrible Vndoubtedly this religion must needs be comfortlesse Alas poore soules we are no better then passengers in this world our way it is in the middle of the sea where we can haue no sure footing at all and which way soeuer we cast our eyes we see nothing but water euen opening it selfe to deuoure vs quicke the deuill and our rebellious flesh raise vp against vs infinite thousands of tempests stormes to ouerthrow vs but behold God of his great endles mercie hath brought vs to Christ as to a sure anchor-hold he biddeth vs to vndo our gables fling vp our anchors within the vaile and fasten them in Christ we doe it as we are commaunded but a sister of ours I meane the Church of Rome passing in the ship with vs as it seemeth who hath long taken vpon her to rule the helme dealeth too too vnkindly with vs she vnlooseth our anchors and cutteth in pieces our gables she telleth vs that we may not presume to fastē our anchor on the rock she will haue vs freely to roue in◠the middle of the sea in the greatest fogges and the fearefullest tempests that be if we shall follow her aduise we must needes looke for a shipwracke for the least flaw of wind shall ouerturne vs and our poore soules shall be plunged in the gulfes of hell Lastly Iustification by works causeth trouble and disquietnes to the conscience No mans conscience can be appeased before Gods wrath be appeased and Gods wrath can not be appeased by any workes for the best works the regenerate can doe are imperfect and are stained with some blemish of corruption as may appeare both in the prophet Esay in Paul both which had a great misliking of that good which they did because it was mingled with sinne And againe euery man is bound by dutie to keepe the whole law so that if a man could keepe it perfectly he should doe no more then he is by dutie inioyned to doe and therefore he which looketh to merit eternall life at Gods hand by keeping the law trusteth but to a broken staffe and is like the bankrout that will pay one debt by another for by his sinne euery man is indebted to the Lord and is bound to answer to the Lord the full punishment of all his sinnes this debt the Papist saith we may discharge by obedience to the law that is by a new debt which we are as well bound to pay to our God as the former To ende this point let a man looke to be saued by works and therefore let a man imploy himselfe to doe the best workes he can yet he shall neuer come to know when he hath done sufficient to satisfie Gods wrath and this
vncertaintie all his life but especially in the houre of death must needes disquiet him And truly when a man shall haue done many thousand workes yet his heart can neuer be at quiet as it appeareth in the yong man who though he had laboured all his life to fulfill the law thereby to be saued yet distrusting all his doings he asketh further of our Sauiour Christ what he might doe to be saued Furthermore it is the doctrine of the church of Rome that there is nothing in the regenerate that God can hate and that they are inwardly pure and without spot A doctrine that will make any Christian conscience despaire For if a man shall fall to examine himselfe he shall find that he is solde vnder sinne compassed about of sinne he shall see his particular sinnes to be as the haires of his head at the sight and feeling of which he shall finde that there is much matter in him worthie of hatred and damnation too He beeing in this case will beginne to doubt whether he be the child of God or not and perseuering in this doubting he shall be driuen to despaire of Gods loue towardes him considering that he cannot find any such purenesse in himself as the doctrin of the church of Rome requireth Lastly experience it selfe teacheth that the Romish religion can bring no peace to the conscience in that some for the maintaining of it haue despaired As Francis Spira who against his owne conscience hauing abiured the truth and subscribed to the doctrine of the Romish Church most fearefully despaired of his saluation which could not haue beene if that doctrine had beene agreeable to Gods word which is spirit and life to the receiuer For the same cause Latomus a doctor of Louane despaired crying that he was damned because he had opposed himselfe to the knowne truth This also befell Gardner at his death as the booke of Acts and Monuments declareth The third argument THat religion which agreeth to the corruption of mans nature a Reprobate may truly professe it the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of mans nature therefore a reprobate may truly professe it The proofe I Neede not stand to prooue the proposition the assumption is rather to be confirmed which first I will prooue by induction of particulars First that a man should be iustified by works is an opinion setled in nature as may appeare in them that crucified our Sauiour Christ for when they were pricked in their hearts at Peters sermon they saide Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued and this said the yong man before named not what should I beleeue but what should I doe to be saued So then in them it appeareth that it is a naturall opinion of all men to thinke that they must be saued by doing of somewhat A Papist will say though this be naturall thus to thinke yet it may be good for there is some goodnes in nature I answer that the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to Gods wisdome Rom. 8.7 and aâ—l men by nature are nothing but flesh for naturally they are the children of wrath Secondly the worshipping of god in images is a great matter in the Church of Rome but this manner of worshipping is nothing but a worke of the flesh which thus I prooue Idolatrie is naturall and a worke of the flesh but to worship God in images is idolatrie The children of Israel when they erected the golden calfeâ— they did commit idolatrie and yet they did not worship the calfe it selfe bâ—â— God in the calfe For when the calfe was made they proclaimed an holy day not to the calfe but to the Lord. And Baal that detestable idol was nothing but the image of God as appeareth in Hosea the prophet At that day saith the lord thou shalt calme no more Baal It remaineth therfore that to serue God in an image is a work of the flesh and altogether agreeth to the vile corruption of nature Thirdly pride and a desire to be a aduanced aboue other is a naturall corruption to this agreeth the Popes primacie his double sword and triple crown yet the outragious pomp of that seate is as a paire of bellowes to kindle the concupiscence and to make the hidden sparkes of pride to breake out into a great flame Fourthly Doubting of Gods prouidence mercie is a naturall corruption in all men to this agreeth and from hence issueth that foolish and vaine opinion concerning doubting of our saluation and of the remission of sinnes Fiftly selfe-loue and selfe-liking are naturall corruptions to this agreeth that doctrine of the Papists not ouermuch to abase our selues but to maintaine freewill by nature and to thinke that we haue so much goodnes that we are able to prepare our selues to receiue and in some sort to merit grace Sixtly idlenes and riotousnes is a naturall corruption and to it very fitly answereth the great number of feasts of holy daies of halfe holy daies which the Church of Rome vseth Seuenthly Couetousnes is a naturall corruption and to the feeding of this vice serueth Purgatorie a fire of great gaine which in very truth if it had not burned very hot the fire in the Popes kitchin had burned very colde hitherto serue Pilgrimages saying of Masses and selling of pardons for money Eightly to be at libertie is the desire of nature answerable to this is that opinion that the spiritualtie is to be exempted from subiection to Magistrates Ninthly to commit adulterie is naturall to this agreeth the Stewes and the permission of simple fornication Tenthly ignorance is a filthy corruption in nature this the Church of Rome maketh the mother of deuotion and it is inioyned the lay man as a meanes of his saluation for he must beleeue as the church beleeueth he is not bound to know XI Infidelitie is naturall and to this agreeth that they call vpon Saints and Angels the Lord hauing commanded them to call vpon him in the name of Christ what argueth this els but hearts distrusting Gods goodnes and guiltie consciences XII Images in the Church of Rome came from infidelitie because men in reason could not perswade themselues that God was present vnlesse that were made manifest by some signe and image Which thing the Israelites declared when they said to Aaron in the wildernes in Moses absence Make vs gods to goe before vs. XIII Satisfactions for sinne are naturall for wicked men when they haue offended God they haue alwaies vsed some ceremonies to pacifie God with which when they haue performed then they thinke they haue done enough XIV The church of Rome saith that the Scriptures are darke obscure the blind man findeth fault with the darknes of the sunne If the Scriptures appeare to any to be obscure the fault is not in the Scriptures but in the blindnes of the minde of him which readeth and heareth them XV. Lastly pardons open
body They obiect that God is omnipotent True indeede but there bee some things the doing of which agreeth not with Gods power as to make contradicentia things contradictorie to be both true of which sort these are For that Christs bodie is a true bodie and that it is in many places at once are flatte contrarie beccause as hath bin shewed it is essential to all magnitudes to be in one place and therefore to a bodie And God cannot take away that which is essentiall to a thing the essence remaining whole 2. Againe transubstantiation maketh the Accidents of bread and wine to remaine without the substance Here also is another contradiction as impossible as the former for it is a common saying in schooles Accident is esse est inesse It is of the essence of an Accident to bee in the substance Now therefore if the Accidents bee there is also the bread and wine and if there bee no substance of bread or wine neither can there be any accidents 3. It holdeth that bread is turned into the bodie of Christ and therfore it must needs holde that Christs bodie is made of bakers bread and yet it holdeth and teacheth that Christs bodie is onely made of the seede of Marie quite ouerthrowing the former Transubstantiation V. It teacheth that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation and likewise it teacheth that in praying we are to cal GOD father which are things quite contrarie For who can truly call GOD father vnlesse hee haue the spirit of adoption and be assured that he is the child of God For if a man shall call god father yet in his heart doubt whether he be his father or not he playeth the dissembling hypocrite wherefore to doubt of saluation and to say Our father c. in truth are contrarie VI. The Church of Rome maketh praier to bee one of the chiefe meanes to satisfie for sinnes But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne Now asking of pardon satisfaction for sinne are contrarie therfore by the iudgement of the Papists praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfactiō And indeed let vs consider what madnes is contained in this popish diuinitie the poore begger commeth very hungrie to the rich mans doore to craue his almes and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it The same doeth the papist he prayeth verie poorely for the thing which he wanteth yet he looketh very proudly to merit no lesse then the kingdome of heauen by it VII Doubting of saluation hope cannot agree together for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed that is it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast which entereth into that which is within the vaile So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe togither VIII True praier and iustification by works cannot stand togither For hee which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie and of the want of that grace whereof he standes in neede Now this cannot be in the heart of that man that looketh to merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes for he that can doe this may iustly conceiue somewhat of his owne excellencie IX Papists teach that it is great boldnes to come immediately vnto God without the intercession of Saints and therefore they vse to pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ to helpe them yet on the contrarie when they haue so done they pray to God immediatly that he would receiue the intercession of Marie for them And thus they are become intercessors betweene Marie and God Yea when they offer vp Christ praying God to accept their gifts and sacrifices the humble priest that wil not pray to God but by the mediation of Saints is then a mediator between Christ Iesus God the father X. It holdeth that in the masse the Priest offereth vp Christ to his father an vnbloodie sacrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the masse be sacrificed for sin then he must die his blood must be shed Heb. 9.22 And in the Scriptures these two sayings Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in Sacrifice are all one So then the Papist when he supposeth that there may be an vnbloodie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much There is a sacrifice which is no sacrifice And it is not possible that a bloodie sacrifice should be offered in an vnbloodie manner XI In the Canon of the masse the Church of Rome praieth on this wise We humbly beseech thee most merciful father by Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord that that thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations and these holy Sacrifices which thy Church offer to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the father in the name of Christ and so they make Christ to be his owne mediatour Againe they desire God to blesse and to accept his own sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his father they make Christ a weake and imperfect Christ if he need not the blessing of his father their praier is needelesse Also they desire God to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs bodie is one only bodie and therefore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues XII Papists in word they say that they beleeue put thei◠trust in God yet whereas they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hearts in truth vpon their owne doings XIII They put such holines in matrimonie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments which conferre grace to the partakers of them yet they forbid their Cleargie to marrie because to liue in marriage is to liue according to the flesh and the Councell of Trent opposeth marriage and chastitie XIV It teacheth that soules kept in purgatorie may be redeemed by Sacrifices and Suffrages Against this is a Canon of their lawe taken out of Saint Hierome we know that in this life we may help one another either by praiers or by good counsell but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe may intreat for any but euery mā is to beare his own burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne XV. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1 The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon him 2 Peter and Paul were two of the chiefe Apostles and it is hard to say which was aboue the other 3 Leo the fourth
in the â—orrest which feedeth on the mast but neuer looketh vp to the tree whence it falleth Thirdly he vseth Gods gifts to euiâ—l endes because either he makes an idol of them by setting his heart on them or els he imploieth them to riot pride and the oppression of godly men A master of musick hath his house furnished with musicall instruments of all sorts and he teacheth his owne schollers artificially to vse them both in right tuning of them as also in playing on them there comes in straungers who admiring the faide instruments haue leaue giuen them of the master to handle them as the schollers doe but when they come to practise they neither tune them aright neither are they able to strike one stroke as they oughtâ— so as they may please the master and haue his commendation This world is as a large sumptuous pallace into which are receiued not onely the sonnes and daughters of God but also wicked and vngodly men it is furnished with goodly creatures in vse more excellent then all musicall instruments the vse of them is common to all but the godly man taught by Gods spirit and directed by faith so vseth them as that the vse thereof is acceptable to God as for the impure and vnbeleeuing indeede they enioy the creatures and gifts of God but the pure vse is wanting for they cannot but abuse them and therefore the wicked and the reprobate though they should commit no other sinnes in the world yet for the vse of their wealth and honour for their very eating and drinking which in themselues are most lawful shal be damned II. Concerning spirituall blessings first God ceaseth to graunt so much as an outward calling to many men For how many nations since the beginning of the world much more particular men haue their bin are shall be which neuer heard the preaching of the Gospell nay not so much as the name of Christ God is knowne in Iurie saith Dauid and he hath not done so to any nation And often in Moses and the Prophets it is mentioned that the couenant was in former times made peculiar to the Iewes And Paul in the Acts saith that God suffered the Gentiles in former times to walke in their owne waies and of the Ephesians before their calling he saith that they were strangers from the promises and without God in the world III. He graunts the outward meanes of saluation namely the Word Praier Sacraments Discipline abundantly but yet he quite withdraweth the operation of his spirit whereby a conuersion might be wrought For they neuer haue that pearcing of the eare which Dauid mentioneth nor the opening of the heart with Lydia nor that teaching of God when they are drawne of the father to Christ. And in so doing indeed onely he offreth grace but doth not exhibite and conferre it not that he mocketh any but that in so doing he may euery way conuince and bereaue them of excuse As the Lord speaketh to Esay Goe and say to this people ye shall heare indeede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainly see but not perceiue make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale them If our Gospell be hid saith Paul it is hid in them that perish Men that haue long liued vnder the preaching of the Gospel and yet still remaine ignorant and impenitent let them beware and take heede of this desertion and they are with trembling to lay to their hearts that which the holy Ghost speaketh of Hophni and Phinehas They obeyed not the voice of their father because the Lord would destroy them IIII. To goe further he bestoweth on them many worthie properties of faith As first a knowledge of the diuine truth in the Law and the Gospel Secondly an assent to the said truth Thirdly a ioyfull reioycing and boasting in speaking and hearing of it Fourthly an outward profession of it for a time But he doth not bestow that qualitie and vertue of faith which is as it were the very soule of it without which faith is dead and saueth none namely the inward assurance and certificate of his loue and fauour in Christ with a sense and feeling of the same in heart Neither are the former duties of faith perpetuall and sound in them for the reprobate is not induced to them by any assurance of Gods mercie but by other sinister occasions as are First desire of knowledge in diuine mysteries Secondly a delight in it Thirdly praise and commendation among men Fourthly the maintaining of wealth and honor Fiftly the getting of wealth or honour Sixtly a desire to be at vnitie and concord with the Nation or people where the Gospell is preached Therefore when these ends and occasions of their beleeuing cease then also their faith profession cease In this kind of desertion it is to be feared that most men are All in our Church will professe faith in Christ yet seeing the sound conuersion to God and the sinceritie of life and doctrine is very rare we may presume that that maine propertie of faith which is the receiuing and apprehension of Christ is wanting in most therefore let euery man looke to himselfe and betime labour to turne his temporarie faith if he finde it in himselfe into a true sauing faith wherfore he must striue first to feele his extreame need of Christ and his merits Secondly to hunger and thirst after him as after meate and drinke Thirdly to be nothing in himselfe that he may be all in all out of himselfe in Christ. Fourthly to be able to say that he liueth not but Christ liueth in him by faith Fifthly to loathe his owne sinnes with a most vehement hatred and to prize and value Christ and the least drop of his blood aboue a thousand worlds V. Againe in repentance he bestoweth first a sight of sinne secondly a kinde of sorrow for it thirdly a confession of it fourthly a resolution for a time to sinne no more But that part of repentance which hath the promise of mercie annexed that is a conuersion of the whole man to God he neuer giueth it VI. Lastly God giueth to the reprobate his spirit but so farre forth as it shall not any whit regenerate or renew his nature but onely in the outward action represse the act of sinne so as thereby without any inward change he shall be as ciuily iust vpright in outward conuersation as any in the world Thus much of those desertions which befall the deuill and his angels and all reprobates now follow those wherewith God exerciseth euen his owne elect children for the blessings that God bestoweth on them are of two sorts either positiue or priuatiue positiue are reall graces wrought in the heart by the spirit of God priuatiue are such meanes whereby God
another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from this bodie of death The second maner of Gods forsaking his Elect is when he hides his graces for a time not by taking them quite away but by couering them and by remoouing all sense and feeling of them And in this case they are like the trees in the winter season that are beaten with winde and weather bearing neither leafe nor fruit but looke as though they were rotten and dead because the sap doth not spread it selfe but lies hid in the roote Dauid often was in this case as namely when he saith Will the Lord absent himself for euer And will he shew no more fauour is his mercie cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure Selah This comes to passe because the Lord very often in and by one contrarie works another Clay and spittle tempered togither in reason should put out a mans eies but Christ vsed it as a meanes to giue sight to the blinde Water in reason should put out fire but Elias when he would shew that Iehoua was the true God poures water on his sacrifice and fils a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burne The like appeareth in the worke of grace to saluation A man that hath liued in securitie by Gods goodnes hath his eyes opened to see his sinnes and his heart touched to feele the huge and loathsome burden of thē and therefore to bewaile his wretched estate with bitternes of heart Hereupon he presently thinkes that God will make him a firebrand of hell whereas indeede the Lord is now about to worke and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance neuer to be repented of The man which hath had some good perswasions of Gods fauour in Christ comes afterward vpon many occasions to be troubled and to be ouerwhelmed with distrustfulnes grieuous doubtings of his saluation so as he iudgeth himselfe to haue beene but an hypocrite in former times and for the time present a cast-away But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth fashioneth and increaseth his weake faith In one word marke this point That the graces of God peculiar to the elect are begunne increased and made manifest in or by their contraries A man in this desertion cap discerne no difference betweene himselfe and a cast-away and the rather if with this desertion be ioyned a feeling of Gods anger for then ariseth the bitterest temptation that euer befell the poore soule of a Christian man and that is a wrastling and strugling in spirit and conscience not with the motions of a rebelling flesh nor the accusations of the deuill which are oftentimes very irksome and terrible but against the wrath of a reuenging God This hidden and spirituall temptation more tormenteth the spirit of man then all the rackes or gibbets in the world can doe And it hath his fittes after the manner of an ague in which euen Gods own seruants ouercarried with sorrowe may blaspheme God and crie out that they are dāned Iob was in this estate as he testifieth Oh that my griefe were waied saith he and my miseries were laid togither in the ballance for it would be heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my words are swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me the venome therof doth drink vp my spirit and the terrours of god fight against me And further he complaines that the Lord is his enemie that he writes bitter things against him and that he sets him as a But to shoote at This was Dauids tēptation when he said O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger neither chastise me in thy wrath haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is also sore troubled but Lord howe long wilt thou delay Returne O Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Hence it follows that when any that hath beene a professour of the gospel shall despaire at his end that men are to leaue secret iudgements to God and charitably to iudge the best of them For example one Master Chambers at Leicester of late in his sicknes grieuously despaired and cried out that he was damned and after died yet it is not for any to note him with the blacke marke of a reprobate One thing which hee spake in his extremitie O that I had but one drop of faith must mooue all men to conceiue well of him For by this it seemeth that he had an heart which desired to repent beleeue therefore a repentant and beleeuing heart indeed For God at all times but especially in temptation of his great mercy accepts the will for the deed Neither is it to be regarded that he said he was damned for mē in such cases speak not as they are but as they feele themselues to be Yea to goe further when a professour of the gospell shall make away himselfe though it be a fearfull case yet stil the same opiniō must be carried First Gods iudgements are very secret Secondly they may repent in the very agony for any thing we know Thirdly none is able to comprehend the bottomlesse depth of the graces and mercies which are in Christ. Thus much of the manner which God vseth in forsaking his elect Nowe followe the kindes of desertion which are two desertion in punishment desertion in sinne Desertion in punishment is when God deferreth either to mittigate or to remooue the crosse and chastisement which hee hath laid vpon his children This befell Christ on the crosse My God saith he my God why hast thou forsaken me This was the complaint of Gedeon Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egypt But now the Lord hath forsaken vs and deliuered vs into the hands of the Midianites Iudg. 6. 13. Master Robert Glouer Martyr at Couentrie after he was condemned by the Bishop and was nowe at the point to bee deliuered out of the worlde it so happened that two or three daies before his death his heart beeing lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation felt in himselfe no aptnesse nor willingnesse but rather a heauinesse and dulnesse of spirit full of much discomfort to beare the bitter crosse of martyrdome ready now to be laid vpon him whereupon he fearing in himselfe least the Lord had withdrawn his wonted fauour from him made his mone to one Austine his friend signifying vnto him how earnestly he had praied day night vnto the Lord and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from him vnto whome the said Austine answered againe willing him patiently to waite the Lords pleasure and howesoeuer his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was iust and true he
the foole whereof the scripture often speaketh is the vngodly person that maketh no conscience of any sinne And indeede such an one is the most sensles foole of all He that shall euer and anon be casting himselfe into the fire and water and run vpon dangerous places to breake his legges armes necke and further shal take pleasure in doing all this is either a foole or a mad man Now the vngodly man as oft as he sinneth he endeuoureth as much as in him lieth to pitch his soule into hell and whereas he taketh pleasure in sinne he sports himselfe with his owne destruction Furthermore the man fearing god must haue two things in his heart a perswasion of Gods presence and Awe The perswasion of Gods presence is whereby a man is continually resolued that whersoeuer he is he standeth before God who doth see eueÌ„ into the secrets of his heart This was in Cornelius Now therfore saith he we are in gods presence to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Awe in regard of God is that whereby a man behaueth himselfe reuerently because he is in Gods presence Awe is either in regard of sinne or of chastisements Awe in respect of sinne is when one is afraid to sinne fearing not so much the punishment as sinne it selfe because it is sinne For he feareth God indeed which is of this minde that if there were no Iudge to condemne him no hel to torment him no deuil nor conscience to accuse him yet hee would not sinne because Gods blessed Maiestie is by it offended and displeased and if hee had it in his choice whether he would sinne or loose his life he had rather die theÌ„ willingly and wittingly sinne against God This awe being in Ioseph was the cause that moooued him not to commit folly with Putiphars wife How then saith he can I doe this great wickednes and sinne against God Awe in chastisements is when one humbleth himselfe vnder the mightie hand of God with all meekenes and patience when God laieth his hand on him more or lesse When Shemi came foorth and cursed Dauid and flung stones at him what did he truely he stood in awe of God and therefore said What haue I to doe with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah for hee curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid who dare then say Wherefore hast thou done so When a man is thus made wise that is righteous and fearing God he is so guided by the spirit of feare that he can not but speake wisely Salomon saith The lippes of the righteous know what is acceptable but the mouth of the wicked speaketh froward things And againe The heart of the wise guideth the mouth wisely Contrarie to this is fonde and foolish talke an example hereof we haue in Luke where Pilate wanting the feare of God saith I finde no fault in Christ let vs therefore chastise him and send him away Whereas he ought to haue reasoned thus I finde no fault in him therefore let vs send him away without chastisement CHAP. V. Of Truth and of Reuerence in speech TRuth of speech is a vertue whereby a man speaketh as he thinketh and so consequently he speaketh as euery thing is so farre forth as possibly he can It is made a note of a righteous man to speake the truth from the heart and they that deale truly are Gods delight This is alwaies required in all our doctrines accusations defences testimonies promises bargainings counsels but especially in Iudges and Magistrates sitting on iudgement seat because then they stand in Gods stead who is truth it selfe To this place belongeth Apologie which is when a Christian called before a Magistrate and straightly examined of his religion confesseth Christ boldly and denieth not the truth Contrarie to this is lying cogging glosing smoothing dissembling as for example Gehazi after he had receiued money and garments of Naaman the Syrian against Elishas will he went and stood before his master who said vnto him Whence commest thou Gehazi who making it nothing to lie for a vantage smoothed it ouer finely and said Thy seruant went no whither To the like effect and purpose report is made of a rich man that had two chests the one whereof he calleth all the world the other his friend In the first he putteth nothing in the second he putteth all his substance When his neighbour came to borrow money he vseth to answer truly I haue neuer a pennie in all the world meaning his emptie chest but I will see saith he what my friend can doe looking thereby for interest by the money out of his other chest This vice is very common and it is a rare thing to finde a man that maketh a conscience of a lie Lying is when a man speaketh otherwise then the truth is with a purpose to deceiue Here note that there is great difference betweene these two speeches It is an vntruth and It is a lie The first may be vsed when a man speaketh falshoods But in vsing the second we must be heedie and sparing for when a man is chalenged for a lie three things are laid to his charge I. That he speaketh falsly II. That he is willing to doe so III. That he hath a desire and purpose to deceiue Quest. Whether may not a man lie if it be for the procuring of some great good to our neighbour or to the whole countrey where we are Ans. No Reasons are these I. Lying is forbidden as an abomination to the Lord. II. We are not to doe any euill that good may come thereof III. He which lieth in so doing conformeth himselfe to the deuil who is a lier and the father thereof Obiect I. Such lying is for our neighbours good and not against charitie Ans. No for charitie reioyceth in the truth Obiect II. The holy Scriptures haue mentioned the lies of the Patriarkes Ans. We must not liue by examples against rules of Gods word Obiect III. Rahab and the midwiues of Egypt in sauing the spies and in preseruing the Israelites infants vsed lying and are commended for their facts Ans. They are commended for their faith not for their lying The workes which they did were excellent works of mercie and theâ—efore to be allowed and the doers failed onely in the manner of performing them As truth is required in speech so also reuerence to God and man Reuerence to God is when we so speake of God and vse his titles that we shew reuerence our selues and more reuerence in others If thou wilt not keepe saith the Lord and doe all the wordes of this law that are written in this booke and feare the glorious and fearefull name THE LORD THY GOD then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull Here take heede of all maner of blaspheming which is when men vse such speeches of God as doe either detract any thing from his Maiestie or ascribe any thing to him
fall daily either more or lesse so the graces of God are proportionally weakened day by day Wherefore the continuall reparation therof must be made by a daily renuing of repentance A christian mā is the tēple and house of Gods spirit he must therefore once a day sweep it that it may be fit to entertaine so worthy a guest Extraordinarie repentance is the same in nature with the former it differs onely from it in degree and measure of grace And this is to be put in practise when men fal into any enormous capital or grieuous offences whereby they doe verie grieuously wound their owne consciences and giue great offence to the Church Of this sort was the repentance of Peter when he went forth and wept bitterly Dauids repentance after he had committed adulterie and murdered Vriah CHAP. VI. Of the persons which must repent MEn be of two sorts the natural man and the regenerate Repentance is needefull for both For the naturall man that he may be brought from his sinnes and the image of God renued in him Some may say that many naturall men liue ciuilly abstaining from all outragious behauiour and therfore neede no repentance I graunt indeede they doe so yet repentance must goe withall For ciuil life without grace in Christ is nothing els in Gods sight but a beutifull abhomination The Pharises were ciuill yet Christ saith of them Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall not see the kingdome of heauen Repentance is also required in the regenerate because they haue may vnknown and hidden corruptions in them which must be mortified and otherwhiles they fal grieuously and therfore that they may rise againe they must be daily practised in the spirituall exercises of repentance CHAP. VII Of the practise of Repentance IN the practise of Repentance foure speciall duties are required The first is a diligent and serious examination of the conscience by the lawes and commandements of God for all manner of sinnes both originall and actuall Example of the children of Israel Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe to the Lord. Of Dauid I considered my waies and turned my feete to thy testimonies Touching Originall sinne this must be well remembred that one mā hath not one part onely of originall sinne and another man another one man this corruption another that but euery mā as he receiued from Adam the whole nature of man so also he receiued originall sinne wholly And therefore euery man not one accepted sauing Christ who was extraordinarily sanctified by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin hath in him from his parents the corruption and seede of all sinne which is a naturall disposition and pronenes to commit any sinne whatsoeuer Take a viewe and consider all the horrible sinnes that be practised in any part of the worlde either against the first or second table whatsoeuer they are the spawne and seede of them all is euen in that man that is thought to be best disposed by nature Some may say that experience shewes the contrarie because among men that want all manner of religion some are more ciuill and orderly some againe more lewdly disposed I answer that this comes to passe not because some men are by nature lesse wicked then others but because God by his prouidence doth limit and restraine mens corruption more or lesse which hee doth for the good of mankind For if men might be wholly left to themselues corruption would so exceedingly breake out into all manner of sinnes that there should be no liuing in the world In examination of actuall sinnes three rules must be followed The first that we must search out not onely our grosse sins but euen the very thoughts of our hearts For repentance is not only a change of the speech apparell and outward behauiour but also of the inward and secret thoughts of the heart Therefore the prophet Ioel bids the Iewes rend their hearts and not their garments and Paul tels the Ephesians that they must be renued in the spirit of their mindes and Peter bids Simon Magus to repent and pray God that the thought of his heart may be forgiuen him The second that the very circumstances of sinnes done must be considered as the time when the place where and the maner how as namely whether they were done of ignorance or knowledge of weakenesse or presumption or obstinate malice Thirdly in examination it is very meete and conuenient that wee passe through all the commandements of the morall lawe laying them as most absolute rules to our hearts and liues and by this meanes we shall be able to make large bills and Catalogues of all our sinnes euen from the very cradle to any part of our age following as the seruants of God haue alwaies done Thus it will come to passe that wee shall plainely see our wretched estate and acknowledge that our sinnes be in number as the haires of our head as the sands by the sea shore A DIRECTION FOR EXAMINATION of the conscience I. COM. Thou shalt haue none other Gods c. He breakes this commandement TThat knowes not the true God Ier. 4.22 That denies God in his heart by denying his presence iustice mercie c. Psal. 14.1 That hates God and shewes it by disobedience Exod. 20.5 Rom. 1.30 That doth not feare God and stand in awe of him That feareth men or other creatures more then God Math. 10.31 Apoc. 2.8 That liues in open sinnes securely not fearing Gods word or iudgements 1. Thes◠5.6,7 That is sorrowfull for his sinnes onely in respect of the punishment 2. Cor. 7.10 That feares God by mens traditions Esa. 29.13 That doth not beleeue Gods word but calls the Canonicall Scripture in question That despaires of Gods mercie That hath a dead faith without workes Iam. 2. That puts his confidence in the deuill and his workes as seekers to wizzards doe That loues the creatures as riches and honour and his owne filthie pleasures more then God Eph. 5.5 That puts confidence in his strength wisdome riches phisitians 2. Chron. 16.9,11 That is impatient vnder the crosse Matth. 10.38 That tempts God Math. 4.7 That seekes for the things of this life more then for Gods kingdome Matth. 6.33 That murmures against God 1. Cor. 10.10 That disputes and holds there is no God That holdes and maintaines opinions against the auncient faith set downe in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles As did the Maniches Donatists Arrians Anabaptists c. That so holds one religion as he is ready to follow an other 1. King 18.21 That is full of presumption of Gods mercie Esa. 7.12 That falls away from the knowne truth 2. Pet. 2.20 That addes to Canonicall Scripture Deut. 12. last verse II. COM. Thou shalt make to thy selfe no grauen Image c. He breakes this commandement THat represents God in
to me a sinner As for confession of sinne to men it is not to be vsed but in two cases First when some offence is done to our neighbour secondly when ease and comfort is sought for in trouble of conscience The third dutie in the practise of Repentance is Deprecation whereby we pray to God for the pardon of the sinnes which haue beene confessed with contrition of heart with earnestnes and constancie as for the weightiest matter in the world And here we must remember to behaue our selues to God as the poore prisoner doth at the barre who when the iudge is about to giue sentence cries vnto him for fauour as for life and death And we must doe as the cripple or lazar man in the way sit downe vnlappe our legges and armes and shew the sores of our sinnes crying to God continually as they doe Looke with your eye and pitie with your heart that we may find mercie at Gods hands as they get almes at the hands of passengers Thus Oseah instructeth the people O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie take vnto you wordes and turne vnto the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so we will render thee the calues of our lippes Of Daniel We doe not present our supplication before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne names sake O my God Of Dauid Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnes according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities The last dutie is to pray to God for grace and strength whereby we may be inabled to walke in newnesse of life Of Dauid Behold I desire thy commandements quicken me in thy righteousnesse And Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse CHAP. VIII Of legall motiues to Repentance MOtiues to Repentance are either Legall or Euangelicall Legall are such as are borrowed from the law and they are three especially The first is the miserie and cursed estate of euery impenitent sinner in this life by reason of his sinnes His miserie that I may expresse it to the conceit of the simplest is seuen-fold 1. within him 2. before him 3. behind him 4. on his right hand 5. on his left hand 6. ouer his head 7. vnder his feete His miserie within him is two-fold The first is a guiltie conscience which is a very hel vnto the vngodly man For he is like a silly prisoner the conscience like a gayler which followes him at the heeles and dogges him whither soeuer he goes to the end he may see and obserue all his sayings and doings It is like a register that sits alwaies with the pen in his hand to record and inroll all his wickednes for euerlasting memorie It is a little iudge that fittes in the middle of a man euen in his very heart to arraigne him in this life for his sins as he shall be arraigned at the last iudgement Therefore the pangs terrours and feares of all impenitent persons are as it were certaine flashings of the flames of hell fire The guiltie conscience makes a man like him which lies on a bedde that is too strait and the couering too short who would with all his heart sleepe but can not Belshazzar when he was in the midst of his mirth seeing the hand writing on the wall was smitten with great feare so as his coūtenance changed and his knees smote together The second euill within man is the fearefull slauerie and bondage vnder the power of Satan the prince of darknesse in that his minde will and affectictions are so knit and glued to the will of the deuill that he can doe nothing but obey him and rebell against God And hence Satan is called the prince of this world which keepes the hold of the heart as an armed captaine keepes a skonse or castle with watch and ward The miserie before man is a dangerous snare which the deuill laies for the destruction of the soule I say it is dangerous because he is in setting of it twentie or fourtie yeares before he strikes when as God knowes men doe little thinke of it It is made of three cordes with the first he brings men into his snare and that he doth by couering the miserie and the poison of sinne and by painting out to the eye of the minde the deceitfull profits and pleasures thereof With the second he hopples and insnares them for after that a man is drawne into this or that sinne the deuill hath so sugered it ouer with fine delights that he cannot but needes must liue and lie in it By the third he drawes the snare and indeauours with all his might to breake the necke of the soule For when he seeth a fit opportunitie especially in grieuous calamities and in the houre of death he takes away the vizar of sinne and shewes the face of it in the true forme as ougly as himselfe then withall he begins as we say to shew his hornes then he rageth in terrifying and accusing that the soule of man may be swallowed vp of the gulfe of finall despaire The miserie behind him is the sinnes past The Lord saith to Cain If thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore Where sinne is compared to a wilde beast which followes a man whither soeuer he goeth and lieth lurking at his heeles And though for a time it may seeme to be hurtlesse because it lies asleepe yet at length vnlesse men repent it will rise vp seaze on them rende out the very throates of their soules Iob in his affliction saith Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possesse the sinnes of my youth And Dauid praieth Forgiue me the sinnes of my youth If the memorie of sinnes past be a trouble to the godly man oh what a racke what a gybbet will it be to the heart of him that wants grace The miserie on the right hand is prosperitie and ease which by reason of mans sinnes is an occasion of many iudgements In it men practised the horrible sinnes of Sodome it puffes vp the heart with deuillish pride so as men shall thinke themselues to be as God himselfe as Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar Antiochus Alexander Herod Domitian did It steales away mans heart from God and quenches the sparkes of grace As the Lord complaineth of the Israelites I spake vnto thee when thou wast in prosperitie but thou saidest I will not hear this hath beene thy manner from thy youth It is like the Iuie that embraces the tree and windes round about it but yet drawes out the iuice and life of it Hence is it that many turne it to an occasion of their destruction Salomon saith Prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them
he was This consideration may serue as an iron scourge to driue men from their wicked liues Chrysostome would haue men in their meetings in tavernes and feasts to talke of hell that by often thinking on it they might auoide it A graue and chast matrone being mooued to commit follie with a lewd ruffian after long discourse shee called for a panne of coales requesting him for her sake to holde his finger in them but one houre he answered that it was vnkinde request to whome shee replied that seeing he would not hold so much as one finger in a fewe coales for one small houre shee could not yeeld to doe the thing for which shee should be tormented bodie and soule in hell fire for euer And so should all men reason with themselues when they are about to sinne None will be brought to doe a thing that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake if a man be but to snuffe a candle he will first spitte on his finger because he can not abide the heate of a small and tender flame Therefore we ought to haue great care to leaue our sinnes whereby we bring endlesse torment to bodie and soule in hell fire to which our fire is but yee in comparison CHAP. IX Of motiues Euangelicall EVangelicall Motiues are two especially The first is taken from the consideration of mans redemption He that redeemed mankind is God himselfe as Paul saith that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe Mans sinne is so vile and haynous in the eyes of God that no Angel nor creature whatsoeuer was able to appease the wrath of God for the least offence But the sonne of God himselfe must come downe from heauen and take mans nature on him and not onely that but he must also suffer the most accused death of the crosse and shed his most pretious heart bloode to satisfie the iustice of his Father in our behalfe If a father should be sicke of such a disease that nothing would heale him but the heart bloode of his owne child he would presently iudge his owne case to be dangerous and would also vow if euer he recouered to vse all meanes whereby he might auoid that disease So likewise seeing nothing could cure the deadly wound of our sinne but a plaister made of the heart blood of Christ it must make vs acknowledge our pitifull â—ase and the haynousnesse of the least of our sinnes and stirre vs vp to newnes of life Againe considering the end of the redemption wrought by Christ was to deliuer vs from our euill conuersation in sinne and vnrighteousnes we are not to continue and as it were lie bathing our selues in sinne for that were as if a prisoner after that he had bin ransomed and had his bolts taken off and were put out of the prison to goe whither he would should returne againe and desire to lie in the dungeon still The second motiue is that God hath made a promise to such as truly repent I. Of remission of sinnes Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe euill c. Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And Seeke the Lord while he may be found call vpon him while he is neere Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie on him for he is very plentifull in forgiuing II. Of life euerlasting I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue And Thus saith the Lord vnto the house of Israel Seeke ye me and ye shall liue III. Of mitigating or remoouing temporall calamities Stand in the court of the Lords house and speake vnto all the cities of Iudah c. If so be they will hearken and turne euery man from his euill way that I may repent me of the plague which I haue determined to bring vpon them because of the wickednes of their workes And If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged that is afflicted with temporall punishments I ioyne with the remoouing of temporall calamities the mitigating of theÌ„ because they are not alwaies taken away when the partie repenteth After Dauids repentance the childe dieth and the sworde departes not from his house And the Prophet Micha brings in the people humbling themselues before God vnder a temporall punishment saying I will beare thy wrath because I haue sinned against thee And it is Gods pleasure that the chastisement shall remaine after the partie is reconciled to him that he may by that mearies be admonished of his sinne and be an example to others As God hath made these mercifull promises to penitent sinners so he hath faithfully performed them so soone as they haue but begun to repent Example of Dauid Then Dauid said vnto Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord And Nathan said to Dauid Thy sin is forgiuen thee Of Manasses When he was in tribulation he praied vnto the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the Lord God of his fathers and praied vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier Of the Publicane The Publicane c. smote his breast saying O God be mercifull to me a sinner I tell you this man departed iustified to his house rather theÌ„ the other Of the thiefe He said vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest to thy kingdome Then Iesus said vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradise Hauing such notable promises made to Repentance no man is to drawe backe from the practise of it because of the multitude of his sinnes but rather to do it The Pharises said to Christs disciples Why eates your master with Publicans and sinners When Iesus heard it he said vnto them The whole neede not the phisition but they that are sicke And I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And Verily I say vnto you that Publicanes and harlots shall goe before you into the kingdome of God CHAP. X. Of the time of Repentance THe time of repentance is the time present without any delay at all as the holy Ghost saith To daie if ye will heare his voice And Exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne Reasons hereof are these I. Life is vncertaine for no man knowes at what houre or moment and after what manner he shall goe foorth of this world Be ye also prepared therefore for the sonne of man will come at an houre when ye think not This one thing should make a man to hasten his repentance and the rather because many are dead who purposed with themselues to repent in time to come
restore Ans. Let him acknowledge the fault and God will accept the will for thee deede As Paul sayeth in the like case If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that which a man hath not Quest. When a man by restoring shall discredit himselfe howe shall he restore and keep his credit Ans. Let him if the thing to be restored be of small moment make choice of some faithfull or honest friend who may deliuer the thing in the behalfe of the partie concealing his name Quest. Howe if the parties bee dead Ans. Let him restore to the heires and successors if there be none let him restore to God that is the Church and the poore IV. Case of teares VVHether doth repentance alwaies goe with teares or not Answer No For verie pride and hypocrisie will drawe foorth teares And some there are that can weep for their sins in the presence of others whereas being alone they neither will nor can Some againe are of that constitution of bodie that they haue teares at commaund And a godly man with drie cheekes may mourne to God for his sinnes and intreat for pardon and reâ—â—ue iâ— Yet in all occasions of deeper griefe for sin teares will follow vnles men haue stonie flinty hearts And yet againe though the greatest cause of sorrowe be offered the softest heart that is sheds not teares at the first but afterwards it wil. When the bodie receiues a deepe wounde at the first ye shall see nothing but a white line or dint made in the flesh without any blood staie but a while then comes blood from the wound in great aboundance So at the first the minde is astonished giues no teares but after some respite or consideratioÌ„ teares follow V. Case of death VVHether the repentant sinner can alwaies shewe himselfe comfortable on his death bed Ans. Though the comfort of Gods spirit shal neuer be abolished from his heart yet he can not alwaies testifie it For he may die of a burning ague and by reason of the extremitie of his fits bee troubled with idlenesse of head and breake out into raging speeches and blasphemies Likewise he may die of a sicknesse in the braine and be troubled with grieuous convulsions so as his mouth shall be writhen to his eares his necke turned behind him and the verie place where he lies shall shake through his treÌ„bling as daily experience will testifie Neither is any to thinke this straunge for Salomon saith All things in outward matters come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not CHAP. XII Of the contraries to Repentance COntrary to repentance is Impenitencie whereby men continue in one estate neither sorrowing for sinne nor turning from it It is one of the most grieuous iudgements that is if it be final For as a sicke man then is most sicke when he feeles the least sicknes and saith he is well so miserable man is in most miserie when he feeles no miserie and thinkes himselfe in good estate This sin befalls them that iudge themselues righteous needing no repentance As the Pharises in the daies of Christ the Catharists in the primitiue Church the Anabaptists in our age Adde vnto these such as haue hardened their hearts so as they can discerne betweene good and euill nor tremble at Gods iudgements but rather fret rage against them till God in his wrath either destroy them or cast them to final despaire As it befell Iulian the Apostata who died blaspheming and casting his owne blood into the aire Betweene the two extreames Repentance and Impenitencie is placed couÌ„terfeit repentance For the wicked nature of man can dissemble and counterfeit Gods grace as the Lord complaines of the Iewes Her rebellious sister Iudah hath not returned vnto me with her whole heart but fainedly saith the Lord Ier. 3.10 Counterfeit repentance is either ceremoniall or desperat Ceremoniall wheÌ„ meÌ„ repeÌ„t in outward shew but not in the truth of heart As Saul Then said Saul to Samuel I haue sinned for I haue transgressed the commandemeÌ„ts of the Lord thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice Now therfore I pray thee take a way my sin turne again with me that I may worship the Lord c. Again I haue sinned but honour me I pray thee before thâ— elders of my people Of Ahab When Ahab heard these words he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath and fasted and went softly And the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me Dissembled repentance may be discerned because men after a time returne to their old byas againe Pharao king of Egypt saide vnto Moses and Aaron Pray vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people And When Egypt was smitten with hayle he said I haue now sinned and the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Pray yee vnto the Lord that there be no more mightie thunders and hayle Again troubled with grashoppers he saide I haue sinned against the Lord your God and against you and now forgiue me my sinne onely this once c. Now marke the issue of all when Pharao saw that he had rest giuen him he hardened his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said This is the ordinarie and common repentance that most men practise in the world Desperate repentance commonly called Penitencie is when a man hauing onely Gods iudgements before his eyes is smitten with horror of conscience and wanting assurance of Gods mercie despaires finally This was Iudas repentance who when he had brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer confessed his fault and went and hanged himselfe CHAP. XIII Of corruptions in the doctrine of Repentance THe Church of Rome at this day hath corrupted the ancient doctrine of Repentance beeing one of the speciall points of religion The corruptions are specially sixe The first that they make repentance or penance to be a sacrament which cannot be because it wants an outward signe And though some say that the words which the priest rehearseth in absolution are the signe yet that can not be because the signe must be not onely audible but also visible The second that a sinner hath in him a naturall disposition which beeing stirred vp by Gods preuenting grace he may and can worke together with Gods spirit in his owne repentance But indeed all our repentance is to be ascribed to Gods grace wholly The soule of man is not weake but starke dead in sinne and therefore it can no more prepare it selfe to repentance then the bodie beeing dead in the graue can dispose it selfe to the last resurrection The third corruption that contrition in
God a member of Christ in respect of coniunction with him and shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance And God permits these foiles for weightie causes first that men might be abashed and confounded in themselues with the consideration of their vile natures and learne not to swell with pride because of Gods grace Paul â—aith thâ—t after he had beene rapt into the third heauen the angel Satan was sent to buâ—fet him and as we say to beate him blacke and blew that he might not be exalted out of measure The second that we may learne to denie our selues cleâ—ue vnto the Lord froÌ„ the bottom of our hearts Paul saith that he was sick to death that he might not trust in himselfe but in God who raiseth the dead Thus much of the manner of the combat now followes the cause of it The cause is the contrarietie that is betweene the flesh and the spirit As Paul saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to God Hence we are taught that since the fall there is no free-will in man in spirituall matters concerning either the worship of God or life euerlasting For flesh is nothing else but our naturall disposition and man is nothing else but flesh by nature for the spirit comes afterward by grace and the flesh is flatte contrarie to the spirit which makes vs doe that which is pleasing vnto God Wherefore the will naturally is a flat bondslaue vnto sinne Againe hence we may learne that it is not an easie matter to practise religion which is to liue according to the spirit to which our naturall disposition is as contrarie as fire to water wherefore if we will obey God we must learne to force our natures to the duties of godlines yea euen sweate and take paines therein Lastly here we may learne the nature of sinne The spirit is not a substance but a qualitie and therefore the flesh which is nothing else but originall sinne and is contrarie to the spirit must also be a qualitie for such as the nature of one contrarie is such is the other There is in euery man the substance of bodie and soule this can not be sinne for then the spirit also should be the substance of man There is also in the substance the faculties of bodie and soule and they can not be sinne for then euery man should haue lost the faculties of his soule by Adams fall Lastly in the faculties there is a contagion or corruption which carieth them against the law and that is properly sinne and the flesh which is contrarie to the spirit The fourth point is touching the persons in whome this combate is Paul shewes who they are when he saith So that ye can not c. where it appeares that such as haue this combat in them must be as the Galatians men iustified and sanctified and yet not all such but onely they that be of yeares for the infants of the faithfull howsoeuer we must repute them to belong to the kingdome of heauen and therefore to be iustified and sanctified yet because they doe not commit actuall sinne they want this combat of the flesh and spirit which stands in action As for those which be vnregenerate they neuer felt this fight If any say that the worst man in the world when he is about to commit any sinne hath a strife and fight in him It is true indeede but that is an other kinde of combat which is betweene the conscience and the heart The conscience on the one part terrifying the man from sinne the will and the affections hailing and pulling him thereunto the will and the affections wishing and desiring that sinne were no sinne and Gods commandement abolished whereas contrariwise the conscience with a shrill voice proclaimes sinne to be sinne This fight was in Pilate who by the force of his conscience feared to condemne Christ and yet was willing and yeelded to condemne him that he might please the people Furthermore this combat is in the regenerate but during the time of this life For they which are perfectly sanctified feele no strife If any shall say that this combat was in Christ when he said Father if it be thy will let this cuppe passe from me yet not my will but thine be done Indeede here is a combat but of an other sort namely the fight of two diuerse desires the one was a desire to doe his fathers will in suffering the death of the crosse the other a naturall desire which was no sinne but a meere infirmitie of humane nature whereby he in his manhood desires as the manner of nature is to seeke the preseruation of it selfe to haue the cursed death of the crosâ—e remooued from him The fifth point is the effect of this combat which is to make the man regenerate that he can not doe the things which he would and this must be vnderstood in things both good and euill And first he can not doe the euill which he would for two causes First because he can not commit sinne at what time soeuer he would Saint Iohn saith He that is borne of God sinneth not neither can he sinne because he is borne of God that is he can not sinne at his pleasure or when he will Ioseph when he was assaulted by Putiphars wife to adulterie because the grace of God abounded in him whereby he answered her saying Shall I doe this and sinne against God he could not then sinne Lot because his righteous heart was grieued in seeing and hearing the abominations of Sodom could not then sinne as they of Sodom did Hence it appeares that such persons as liue in the daily practise of sinne against their own consciences though they be professours of the true religion of Christ haue no soundnes of grace in them Secondly the man regenerate can not sinne in what manner he would and there be two reasons thereof First he can not sinne with full consent of will or with all his heart because the will so farre forth as it is regenerate resisteth and and draweth backe yea euen then when a man is carried headlong by the passions of the flesh he feeles some contrarie motions of a regenerate conscience It is a rule that sinne doth not raigne in the regenerate For so much grace as is wrought in the minde will affections so much is abated proportionally of the strength of the flesh Wherefore when he commits any sinne he doth it partly willingly and partly against his will As the marriners in the tempest cast Ionas into the sea willingly for otherwise they had not done it and yet against their wills too which appeares because they praied and cast their goods out of the shippe and laboured in the rowing against the tempest and that very long before they cast him out And herein lies the difference betweene two men committing one and the same sinne the one of them beeing regenerate the other vnregenerate For the latter sinnes
with all his heart and with full consent and so doth not the first Secondly though he fall into any sinne yet he doth not lie long in it but speedily recouers himselfe by reason of grace in his heart Hence it is manifest that sinnes of infirmitie are committed onely of such as are regenerate As for the man vnregenerate he can not sinne of infirmitie whatsoeuer some falsly thinke For he is not weake but starke dead in sinne And sinnes of infirmitie are such onely as rise of constraint feare hastinesse and such like sudden passions in the regenerate And though they sin of weaknes often by reason of this spirituall combat yet they doe not alwaies for they may sinne against knowledge and conscience of presumption To come to the second point the regenerate man can not doe the good which he would because he can not doe it perfitly and soundly according to Gods will as he would Paul saith To will is present with me but I finde no meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfitly to doe that which I would In this point the godly man is like a prisoner that is gotten forth of the gayle and that he might escape the hand of the keeper desires and striues with all his heart to runne an hundred miles in a day but because he hath straight and waightie bolts on his legges cannot for his life creepe past a mile or twaine and that with chasing his flesh tormenting himselfe So the seruants of God doe heartily desire and endeauour to obey God in all his commaundements as it is saide of King Iosias That he turned to God with all his heart with all his soule with all his might according to all the lawes of Moses c. yet because they are clogged with the bolts of the flesh they performe obedience both slowly and weakely with diuers slippes and falls Thus much of the combat now let vs see what vse may be made of it First of all by it we learne what is the estate of a Christian man in this life A Christian is not one that is free from all euill cogitations from rebellious inclinations and motions of will and affections from all manner of slips in his life and conuersation for such an one is a meere deuise of mans brain and not to be found vpon earth But indeed he is the sound Christian that feeling himselfe laden with the corruptions of his vile and rebellious nature bewailes them from his heart and with might and maine fights against them by the grace of Gods spirit Againe here is ouerthrowne the Popish opinion of merit and iustification by workes of grace on this manner Such as the cause of workes is such are works themselues The cause of works in man is the mind will and affections sanctified in which the flesh and the spirit are mixt together as hath beene shewed before Therefore works of grace euen the best of them are mixt workes partly holy and partly sinnefull Whereby it is euident to a man that hath but common sense that they are not answerable to the righteousnes of the law and that therefore they can neither merit life or any way iustifie a man before God If any reply that good works are the works of Gods spirit and for that cause perfectly righteous I answer it is true indeede they come from the H. Ghost that can not sinne but not onely or immediatly For they come also frō the corrupt minde will of man and in that respect become sinnefull as sweete water issuing out of a pure fountaine is by a filthy channell made corrupt Thirdly we doe hence learne that concupiscence or originall sinne is properly and indeede sinne after baptisme though it please the Councill of Trent to decree otherwise For after baptisme it is flat contrarie to the spirit and rebells against it Papists obiect that it is taken away by baptisme Answ. Originall sinne or the flesh is taken away in the regenerate thus In it there be three things the guilt the punishment the corruption the first two are quite abolished by the merit of Christs death in baptisme the third that is the corruption remaines still but marke in what manner it remaines weakned it remains not imputed to the person of the beleeuer Lastly hereby we are taught to be watchfull in praier Watch and pray saith Christ c. for the spirit is readie but the flesh is weake Rebecca when two twins stroue in her wombe was troubled and saide Why am I so wherefore shee went to aske the Lord namely by some Prophet So when we feele this inward fight the best thing is to haue recourse to God by praier and to his word that the spirit may be strengthened against the flesh As the children of Israel by compassing the citie of Ierico seuen daies and by sounding rammes hornes ouerturned the walls thereof so by serious inuocation of Gods name the spirit is confirmed and the turrets and towres of the rebellious flesh battered The voice of a man 1. Carnall of Euill I doe that which is euill and I will doe it Good I do not that which is good and I will not do it 2. Regenerate of Euill I doe the euill which I would not Good I doe not doe the good which I would 3. Glorified of Euill I doe not that which is euill and I will not doe it Good I doe that which is good and I will doe it A salue for a sicke man OR A TREATISE CONTAINING THE NATVRE DIFFERENCES AND KINDES OF DEATH AS ALSO THE right manner of dying well And It may serue for spirituall instruction to 1. Marriners when they goe to sea 2. Souldiers when they goe to battell 3. Women when they trauell of child PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT PRINTER to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS LAdie the Ladie Lucie Countesse of Bedford THe death of the righteous that is of euery beleeuing and repentant sinner is a most excellent blessing of God and brings with it many worthie benefits which thing I proue on this maner I. God both in the beginning and in the continuance of his grace doeth greater things vnto his seruants then they do commonly aske or thinke and because he hath promised aide and strength vnto them therefore in wonderfull wisdome hee casteth vpon them this heauie burden of death that they might make experience what is the exceeding might power of his grace in their weakenes II. Iudgement beginnes at gods house the righteous are laden with afflictions temptations in this life therefore in this worlde they haue their deaths and hells that in death they might not feele the torments of hell and death III. When Lazarus was dead Christ said He is not dead but sleepeth hence it followeth that the christian man can say My graue is my bedde my death is my sleepe in death I die not but onely sleepe It is thought that of all terrible things death is most
conscience with other gifts of Gods spirit which are the earnest of their saluation The second degree is in this life when the bodie goes to the earth and the soule is carried by the Angels into heauen The third is in the ende of the world at the last iudgement when bodie and soule reunited doe ioyntly enter into eternall happines in heauen Now of these three degrees death it selfe being ioyned with the feare of God is the second which also containeth in it two worthie steppes to life The first is a freedome from all miseries which haue their ende in death For though men in this life are subiect to manifold daungers by sea and land as also to sundrie aches paines and diseases as feauers and consumptions c. yet when death comes there is an ende of all Againe so long as men liue in this world whatsoeuer they be they doe in some part lie in bondage vnder originall corruption and the reâ—nants thereof which are doubtings of Gods prouidence vnbeleefe pride of heart ignorance couetousnesse ambition enuie hatred lust and such like sinnes which bring forth fruits vnto death And to be in subiection to sinne on this manner is a miserie of all miseries Therefore Paul when he was tempted vnto sinne by his corruption calls the very temptation the buffets of Sathan and as it were a pricke or thorne wounding his flesh and paining him at the very heart Againe in another place wearied with his owne corruptions he complaines that he is sold vnder sinne and he cries out O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Dauid saith that his eyes gushed out with riuers of teares when other men sinned against God how much more then was he grieued for the sinnes wherewith he himselfe was ouertaken in this life And indeede it is a very hell for a man that hath but a sparke of grace to be exercised turmoiled and tempted with the inborne corruptions and rebellions of his owne heart and if a man would deuise a torment for such as feare God and desire to walke in newnesse of life he can not deuise a greater then this For this cause blessed is the day of death which brings with it a freedome from all sinne whatsoeuer For when we die the corruption of nature is quite abolished and sanctification is accomplished Lastly it is a great miserie that the people of God are constrained in this world to liue and conuerse in the companie of the wicked as sheepe are mingled with goates which strike them annoy their pasture and muddie their water Hereupon Dauid cried out Woe is me that I râ—maine in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Keâ—ar When Elias saw that Ahab and Iesabel had planted idolatrie in Israel and that they sought his life also he went apart into the wildernes and desired to die But this miserie also is ended in the day of death in as much as death is as it were the hand of God to sort and single out those that be the seruants of God from all vngodly men in this most wretched world Furthermore this exceeding benefit comes by death that it doth not onely abolish the miseries which presently are vpon vs but also pâ—euent those which are to come The righteous saith the Prophet Esay perisheth and no man considereth it in his heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away for the euill to come Example of this we haue in Iosias Because saith the Lord thine heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place c. behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill whiâ—h I will bring vpon this place And Paul saith that among the Corinthians some were asleepe that is dead that they might not be condemned with the world Thus much of freedome from miserie which is the first benefit that comes by death and the first steppe to life now followes the second which is that death giues an entrance to the soule that it may come into the presence of the euerliuing God of Christ and of all the Angels and Saints in heauen The worthines of this benefit makes the death of the righteous to be no death but rather a blessing to be wished of all men The consideration of this made Paul to say I desire to be dissolued but what is the cause of this desire that followes in the next wordes namely that by this dissolution he might come to be with Christ. When the Queene of Sheba saw all Salomons wisdome and the house that he had built and the meate of his table and the sitting of his seruants and the order of his ministers and their apparrell c. shee saide Happie are thy men happie are these thy seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy wisdome much more then may we say that they are ten thousand folde happie which stand not in the presence of an earthly King but before the King of kings the Lord of heauen and earth and at his right hand inioy pleasures for euermore Moses hath beene renowmed in all ages for this that God vouchsafed him but so much fauour as to see his hinder parts at his request O then what happinesse is this to see the glorie and maiestie of God face to face and to haue eternall fellowship with God our father Christ our Redeemer and the holy Ghost our comforter and to liue with the blessed Saints and Angels in heauen for euer Thus now the third point is manifest namely in what respects death is more excellent then life It may be here the mind of man vnsatisfied will yet further replie and say that howsoeuer in death the soules of men enter into heauen yet their bodies though they haue bin tenderly kept for meate drink and apparrell and haue slept many a night in beddes of doune must lie in darke and loathsome graues and there be wasted and consumed by wormes Answ. All this is true indeede but all is nothing if so be it we will but consider aright of our graues as we ought We must not iudge of our graues as they appeare to the bodily eye but we must looke vpon them by the eie of faith and consider them as they are altered and changed by the death and buriall of Christ who hauing vanquished death vpon the crosse pursued him afterward to his own den and foyled him there and depriued him of his power And by this means Christ in his owne death hath buried our death and by the vertue of his buriall as sweete incense hath sweetned and perfumed our graues and made them of stinking and loathsome cabbines to become princely pallaces and beddes of most sweete and happie rest farre more excellent then beddes of doune And
in that respect may be saide to be the cause of euery mans death So saith Anna The Lord killeth and maketh aliue The Church of Ierusalem confessed that nothing came to passe in the death of Christ but that which the foreknowledge and eternall counsell of God had appointed And therefore the death also of euery member of Christ is foreseene and ordained by the speciall decree and prouidence of God I adde further that the very circumstances of death as the time when the place where the maner how the beginnings of sicknes the cōtinuance and the ende euery fit in the sicknes and the pangs of death are particularly set down in the counsell of God The very hayres of our heads are numbered as our Sauiour Christ saith and a sparrow lights not on the ground without the will of our heauenly father Dauid saith excellently My bones are not hidde from thee though I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth thine eyes did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned when there was none of them before And he praies to God to put his teares into his bottle Now if this be true that God hath bottles for the very teares of his seruants much more hath he bottles for their blood and much more doth he respect and regard their paines and miseries with all the circumstances of sicknes and death The carefull meditation of this one point is a notable meanes to arme vs against feare and distrust and impatience in the time of death as some examples in this case will easily manifest I held my tongue and saide nothing saith Dauid but what was it that caused this patience in him the cause follows in the next wordes because thou Lord diddest it And Ioseph saith to his brethren Feare not for it was the Lord that sent you before me Marke here how Ioseph is ariued against impatience and griefe and discontentment by the very consideration of Gods prouidence and so in the same manner shal we be confirmed against all feares and sorrowes and say with Dauid Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints if this perswasion be once setled in our hearts that all things in sicknes and death come to passe vnto vs by the prouidence of God who turnes all things to the good of them that loue him The second meditation is to be borrowed from the excellent promise that God made to the death of the righteous which is Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them The author of truth that can not lie hath spoken it Now then let a man but throughly consider this that death ioyned with reformed life hath a promise of blessednes adioyned vnto it and it alone will be a sufficient meanes to stay the rage of our affections and all inordinate feare of death and the rather if we mark◠wherein this blessednes consists In death we are indeed thrust out of our old dwelling places namely these houses of clay and earthly tabernacles of our bodies wherein we haue made long aboad but what is the end surely that liuing and dying in Christ we might haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in heauens which is vnspeakable and immortall glorie If a poore man should be commaunded by a Prince to put off his torne and beggerly garments and in stead thereof to put on royall and costly robes it would be a great reioycing to his heart oh then what ioyfull newes must this he vnto all repentant and sorrowfull sinners when the King of heauen and earth comes vnto them by death and biddes them lay downe their bodies as ragged and patched garments and prepare themselues to put on the princely robe if immortalitie No tongue can be able to expresse the excellencie of this most blessed and happie estate The third meditation is borrowed from the estate of all them that are in Christ whether liuing or dying He that dieth beleeuing in Christ dieth not forth of Christ but in him hauing both his bodie and soule really coupled to Christ according to the tenour of the couenant of grace and though after death bodie and soule be seuered one from an other yet neither of them are seuered or disioyned from Christ. The coniunction which is once begun in this life remaines eternally And therefore though the soule goe from the bodie and the bodie it selfe rotte in the graue yet both are still in Christ both in the couenant both in the fauour of God as before death and both shal againe be ioyned togither the bodie by the vertue of the former coniunction beeing raised to eternall life Indeede if this vnion with Christ were dissolued as the coniunction of bodie and soule is it might be some matter of discomfort and feare but the foundation and substance of our mysticall coniunction with Christ both in respect of our bodies and soules enduring for euer must needs be a matter of exceeding ioy and comfort The fourth meditation is that God hath promised by his speciall blessed comfortable presence vnto his seruants when they are sick of dying or any way distressed When thou passest through the water I will be with thee saith the Lord and through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shal the flame kindle vpon thee Now the Lord doth manifest his presence three waies the first is by moderating and lessening the paines and torments of sicknesse and death as the very wordes of the former promise doth plainly import Hence it comes to passe that to many men the sorrowes and pangs of death are nothing so grieuous and troublesome as the afflictions and crosses which are laid on them in the course of their liues The second way of Gods presence is by an inward and vnspeakable comfort of the spirit as Paul saith We reioyce in tribulation knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience c. but why is this reioycing because saith he in the next words the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Againe Paul hauing in some grieuous sicknes receiued the sentence of death saith of himselfe that as the sufferings of Christ did abound in him so his consolation did abound through Christ. Here then we see that when earthly comforts faile the Lord himselfe drawes neere the bed of the sicke as it were visiting them in his owne person and ministring vnto them refreshing for their soules With his right hand he holds vp their heads and with his left hand he embraceth them The third meanes of Gods presence is the ministery of his good Angels whome the Lord hath appointed as keepers and nources vnto his seruants to hold them vp and to
families must principally bestowe their goods vpon their owne children and them that be of their own kindred This man saith God to Abraham of Eleazar a stranger shall not bee thine heire but the sonne which shall come of thy loynes And this was Gods commandement to the Israelites that when any man dies his sonne should bee his heire and if hee had no sonne then his daughter if he haue no daughter then his brethren and if he haue no brethren then his fathers brethren if there be none then the next of his kinne whosoeuer And Paul saith If ye be sonnes then also heires And againe He that prouides not for his owne and namly for them of his houshold is worse then an infidel Therefore it is a fault for any man to alienate his goods or landes wholly and finally from his blood and posteritie It is a thing which the verie lawe of nature it selfe hath condemned Againe it is a fault to giue all to the eldest and nothing in respect to the rest as though the eldest were born to be gentlemen and yonger brethren borne to beare the wallet Yet in equitie the eldest must haue more then any euen because hee is the eldest and because stockes and families in their persons are to bee maintained and because there must alwaies be some that must be fit to doe speciall seruice in the peace of the common-weale or in the time of warre which could not bee if goods should bee equally parted to all The fourth and last rule is that no Will is of force till the testatour bee dead for so long as hee is aliue hee may alter and change it These rules must bee remembred because they are recorded in Scripture the opening of other points and circumstances belongeth to the profession of the law The second dutie of the master of the family concerneth the soules of such as be vnder his gouernmēt and that is to giue charge to them that they learn beleeue and obey the true religion that is the doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Lord himselfe commends Abraham for this I know Abraham saith he that he will command his sonnes his houshold after him that they keepe the waie of the Lord to doe righteousnes and iudgement And Dauid giues Salomon on his death bed a most notable and solemne charge the summe and substance whereof is to knowe the God of his fathers and to serue him which being done he further commends him to God by praier for which purpose the 72. psalme was made This practise of his is to be followed of all Thus gouernours whē they shall carefully dispose of their goods and giue charge to their posteritie touching the worship of God shall greatly honour God dying as well as liuing Hitherto I haue intreated of the two-folde preparation which is to goe before death nowe follows the second part of Dying-wel namely the disposition in death This disposition is nothing else but a religious and holy behauiour specially towards God when wee are in or neere the agonie or pang of death This behauiour containes three special duties The first is to die in or by faith To die by faith is when a man in the time of death doeth with all his heart relie himselfe wholly on Gods speciall loue and fauour and mercie in Christ as it is reuealed in the word And though their bee no part of mans life voide of iust occasions whereby we may put faith in practise yet the speciall time of all is the pang of death when friendes and riches and pleasures and the outward senses and temporall life and all earthly helps forsake vs. For thē true faith maketh vs to goe wholly out of our selues and to despaire of comfort and saluation in respect of any earthly thing and with all the power and strength of the heart to rest on the pure mercie of God This made Luther both thinke and say that men were best Christians in death An example of this faith wee haue in Dauid who when hee sawe nothing before his eies but present death the people intending to stone him comforted him at that very instant as the text saieth in the Lord his God And this comfort he reaped in that by faith he applied vnto his owne soule the mercifull promises of God as hee testifieth of himself Remember saith he the promise made to thy seruant wherin thou hast caused me to trust It is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickened me Againe My flesh failed and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Now looke what Dauid here did the same must euery one of vs doe in the like case When the Israelites in the wildernes were stung with fierie serpents and lay at the point of death they looked vp to the brasen serpent which was erected by the appointment of God and were presently healed euen so when any man feeles death to drawe neere and his fiery sting to pierce the heart he must fixe the eye of a true and liuely faith vpon Christ exalted crucified on the crosse which beeing done he shall by death enter into eternall life Nowe because true faith is no dead thing it must bee expressed by speciall actions the principal whereof is Inuocation whereby either praier or thanksgiuing is directed vnto God When death had seazed vpon the bodie of Iacob he raised vp himselfe and turning his face towards the beds head leaned on the toppe of his staffe by reason of his feeblenesse and praied vnto God which praier of his was an excellent fruite of his faith Iobs wife in the midst of his affliction saide vnto him to very good purpose Blesse God and die I know and grant that the words are commonly translated otherwise Curse god and die but as I take it the former is the best For it is not like that in so excellent a family any one person much lesse a matrone and principall gouernour thereof would giue such lewd and wretched counsell which the most wicked mā vpon earth hauing no more but the light of nature would not once giue but rather much abhorre and condemne And though Iob cal her a foolish woman yet he doth it not because shee wēt about to perswade him to blaspheme God but because shee was of the mind of Iobs friends and thought that hee stood too much in a conceit of his owne righteousnes Nowe the effect and meaning of her counsell is this Blesse God that is husband no doubt thou art by the extremitie of thine affliction at deaths dore therefore beginne nowe at length to lay aside the great ouerweening which thou hast of thine owne righteousnes acknowledge the hand of God vpon thee for thy sinnes confesse them vnto him giuing him the glorie pray for the pardon of them and end thy daies This counsell is very good and to be
that Christ crucified is thine beeing really giuen thee of God the father euen as truly as houses and land are giuen of earthly fathers to their children this thou must firmely hold and beleeue and hence is it that the benefits of Christ are before God ours indeede for our iustification and saluation The third point in liuely knowledge is that by all the affections of our hearts we must be carried to Christ and as it were transformed into him Whereas he gaue himselfe wholly for vs we can doe no lesse then bestow our hearts vpon him We must therefore labour aboue all following the Martyr Ignatius who said that Christ his loue was crucified We must value him at so high a price that he must be vnto vs better then ten thousand worldes yea all things which we enioy must be but as drosse and dung vnto vs in respect of him Lastly all our ioy reioycing comfort and confidence must be placed in him And that thus much is requisite in knowledge it appeares by the common rule of expounding Scripture that words of knowledge implie affection And indeede it is but a knowledge swimming in the braine which doth not alter and dispose the affections and the whole man Thus much of our knowledge Now follows the second point how Christ is to be knowne He must not be knowne barely as God or as man or as a Iew borne in the tribe of Iudah or as a terrible and iust iudge but as he is our Redeemer and the very price of our redemption and in this respect he must be considered as the common Treasurie and storehouse of Gods Church as Paul testifieth when he saith In him are all the treasures of knowledge and wisdome hid and againe Blessed be God which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ. And S. Iohn saith that of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Here then let vs marke that all the blessings of God whether spirituall or temporall all I say without exception are conuaied vnto vs from the Father by Christ and so they must be receiued of vs and no otherwise That this point may be further cleared the benefits which we receiue from Christ are to be handled and the manner of knowing of them The benefits of Christ are three his Merit his Vertue his Example The merit of Christ is the value and price of his death and Passion whereby any man is perfectly reconciled to god This recōciliation hath two parts Remission of sinnes and acceptation to life euerlasting Remission of sinnes is the remoouing or the abolishing both of the guilt and punishment of mans sinnes By guilt I vnderstand a subiection or obligation to punishmēt according to the order of diuine iustice And the punishment of sinne is the malediction or curse of the whole lawe which is the suffering of the first and second death Acceptation to life euerlasting is a giuing of right and title to the kingdome of heauen and that for the merit of Christs obedience imputed Now this benefit of reconciliation must be knowne not by conceit and imagination nor by carnall presumption but by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit certifying our consciences thereof which for this cause is called the spirit of Reuelation And that we may attaine to infallible assurance of this benefit we must call to mind the promises of the gospel touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting this beeing done we must further striue and indeauour by the assurance of Gods spirit to apply them to our selues and to beleeue that they belong vnto vs and we must also put our selues often to all the exercises of inuocatiō and true repentance For in and by our crying vnto heauen to God for recōciliation comes the assurance thereof as Scriptures and Christian experience makes manifest And if it so fall out that any man in temptation apprehend and feele nothing but the furious indignation and wrath of God against all reason and feeling he must hold to the merit of Christ and knowe a point of religion hard to be learned that God is a most louing father to thē that haue care to serue him euen at that instant when he shewes himselfe a most fierce and terrible enemie From the benefit of reconciliation proceede foure benefits First that excellent peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding which hath sixe parts The first is peace with God the blessed Trinitie Rom. 5.1 Being iustified we haue peace with God The second peace with the good angels Ioh. 1. 51. Ye shall see the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man And that Angels like armies of souldiers in campe about the seruants of God and as nources beare them in their armes that they bee neither hurt by the deuill and his angels nor by his instruments it proceedes of this that they beeing in Christ are partakers of his merits The third is peace with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ. This Esai foretold when hee saide that the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard with the kidde and the calfe and the lyon and a fatte beast togither and that a little child should lead them c. 11. v. 6. The fourth is peace with a mans owne selfe when the conscience washed in the blood of Christ ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and when the will affections and inclinations of the whole man are obedient to the mind enlightned by the spirit word of God Coloss. 3. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts The fifth is peace with enemies and that two waies First in that such as beleeue in Christ seeke to haue peace with all men hurting none but doing good to all secondly in that God restraines the malice of the enemies and inclines their hearts to be peaceable Thus God brought Daniel into loue and fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuches The last is peace with all creatures in heauen and earth in that they serue for mans saluation Psal. 91.13 Thou shalt walke vpon the lyon the Aspe the yong lyon the dragō shalt thou tread vnder foot Hos. 2.18 And in that day will I make a couenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the foules of heauen Now this benefit of peace is knowne partly by the testimonie of the spirit and partly by a daily experience thereof The second benefit is a recouerie of that right and title which man hath to all creatures in heauen and earth and all temporall blessings which right Adam lost to himselfe and euery one of his posteritie 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether it be the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come all are yours Nowe the right way of knowing this one benefit is this When God vouchsafeth meate drinke apparell houses lands c. we must not barely cōsider them as blessings of God for that very heathen men which knowe not Christ can doe but we must
most notable meanes to breede repentance and reformation of life in time to come For when wee begin to thinke that Christ crucified by suffering the first and second death hath procured vnto vs remission of all our sinnes past and freed vs from hellâ— death and damnation then if there be but a sparke of grace in vs we begin to be of another mind and to reason thus with our selues What hath the Lord bin thus mercifull vnto me that am in my selfe but a firebrand of hell as to free me from deserued destruction to receiue me to fauour in Christ yea no doubt he hath his name be blessed therefore I will not therefore sinne any more as I haue done but rather indeauour hereafter to keep my selfe from euery euill way And thus faith purifies both heart and life Thirdly when thou art in any paine of bodie or sickenes thinke how light these are compared to the agonie and bloodie sweat to the crown of thornes and nailes of Christ. When thou art wronged in worde or deede by any man turne thine eie to the crosse consider howe meekely he suffered all abuses for the most part in silence praied for them that crucified him When thou art tempted with pride or vaine-glorie consider how for thy proper sins Christ was despised and mocked and condemned among theeues When anger and desire of reuenge inflame thine heart think how Christ gaue himself to death to saue his enemies euen then when they did most cruelly intreat him shed his blood and by these meditations specially if they be mingled with faith thy minde shall be eased Thus we see how Christ crucified is to be known and hence ariseth a threefold knowledge one of God the second of our neighbours the third of our selues Touching the first if we would know the true God aright and know him to our sahiation we must knowe him only in Christ crucified God in himselfe and his owne maiestie is inuisible not onely to the eies of the bodie but also to the vere minds of men and he is reuealed to vs only in Christ in whom he is to be seene as in a glasse For in Christ he setteth forth and giues his iustice goodnes wisdome and himselfe wholly vnto vs. For this cause he is called the brightnes of the glorie and the ingrauen forme of the person of the father Heb. 1. 3. and the image of the inuisible God Coloss. 1.15 Therfore we must not know god and seeke him any where else but in Christ and whatsoeuer out of Christ comes vnto vs in the name of God is a flat idol of mans braine As for our neighbours those especially that are of Christs Church they are to be known of vs on this manner When we are to doâ— any dutie vnto them we must not barely respect their persons but Christ crucified in them them in Christ. When Paul persecuted such as called on the name of Christ he theÌ„ fâ—om heaueÌ„ cried Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Here then let this be marked that when the poore comes to vs for releefe it is Christ that comes to our dores and saith I am hungrie I am thirstie I am naked and let the bowels of compassion be in vs towards them as towards Christ vnles we wil heare that fearefull sentence in the day of iudgement Go ye cursed into hell c. I was hungrie and ye fed me not I was naked and ye did not cloath me c. Thirdly the right knowledge of our selues ariseth of the knowledge of Christ crucified in whom and by whome we come to know fiue speciall things of our selues The first how grieuous our sinnes are and therefore howe miserable we are in regard of them If we consider our offences in themselues as they are in vs we may soone be deceiued because the conscience being corrupted often erreth in giuing testimonie and by that meanes maketh sinne to appeare lesse then it is indeede But if sinne be considered in the death passion of Christ whereof it was the cause and the vilenes thereof measured by the vnspeakable torments endured by the sonne of God and if the greatnesse of the offence of man be esteemed by the endlesse satisfaction made to the iustice of God the least sinne that is will appeare to bee a sinne indeed and that most grieuous and ougly Therefore Christ crucified must bee vsed of vs as a myrrour or looking glasse in which we may fully take a view of our wretchednes and miserie and what we are by nature For such as the passion of Christ was in the eies of men such is our passion or condition in the eies of God and that which wicked men did to Christ the same doeth sinne and Satan to our very soules The second point is that men beleeuing in Christ are not their owne or lords of themselues but wholly both bodie and soule belong to Christ in that they were giuen to him of God the father and he hath purchased them with his owne blood 1. Cor. 3. Ye are Christs and Christs Gods Hence it commeth to passe which is not to be forgotten that Christ esteemeth all the crosses and afflictions of his people as his own proper afflictions Hence againe we must learne to giue vp our selues both in body and soule to the honour and seruice of Christ whose we are The third is that euery true beleeuer not as he is a man but as hee is a newe man or a Christian hath his being and subsisting from Christ We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bone Eph. 5.30 In which words Paul alludes to the speech of Adam Gen. 3. Thou art bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh thereby he teacheth that as Eue was made of a ribbe taken out of the side of Adam so doeth the whole church of God and euery man regenerate spring and arise out of the blood that streamed from the heart and side of Christ crucified The fourth is that all good workes done of vs proceede from the vertue and merit of Christ crucified he is the cause of them in vs and we are the causes of them in and by him Without me saith he ye can do nothing and Euery branch that beareth no fruite in me marke well he saith in me he taketh away Ioh. 15.2 The fift point is that we owe vnto Christ an endles debt For he was crucified onely as our suretie and pledge in the spectacle of his passion we must consider our selues as the chiefe debters and that the very discharge of our debt that is the sinnes which are inherent in vs were the proper cause of all the endles paines and torments that Christ endured that he might set vs most miserable bankrupts at libertie from hell death and damnation For this his vnspeakable goodnes if we doe but once thinke of it seriously we must needs confesse that we owe our selues our soules and bodies and all that we haue as a
debt due vnto him And so soone as any man beginnes to know Christ crucified he knowes his owne debt and thinks of the paiment of it Thus we see howe Christ is to be knowne nowe wee shall not neede to make much examination whether this manner of knowing and acknowledging of Christ take any place in the world or no for fewe there be that knowe him as they ought The Turke euen at this verie daie knowes him not but as he was a prophet The Iewe scorneth his crosse and passion The Popish Churches though in word they confesse him yet doe they not knowe him as they ought The Friers and Iesuits in their sermons at this daie commonly vse the Passion as a meanes to stirre vp pietie and compassion towards Christ who beeing so righteous a man was so hardly intreated and to inflame their hearts to an hatred of the Iewes and Iudas and Pontius Pilate that put our blessed Sauiour to death but all this may be done in any other historie And the seruice of God which in that Church stands nowe in force by the Canons of the Councill of Trent defaceth Christ crucified in that the passions of martyrs are made meritorious and the very wood of the crosse their only help and the virgin Marie the Queene of heauen and a mother of mercie who in remission of â—innes may command her sonne and they giue religious adoration to dumme crucifixes made by the hand and art of man The common protestant likewise commeth short herein for three causes First whereas in word they acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour that hath redeemed them from their euill conuersation yet indeede they make him a patrone of their sinnes The thiefe makes him the receiuer the murderer makes him his refuge the adulterer be it spoken with reuerence vnto his maiestie makes him the baud For generally men walke on in their euill waies some liuing in this sinne some in that and yet for all this they perswade themselues that God is mercifull and that Christ hath freed them froÌ„ death and damnation Thus Christ that came to abolish sinne is made a maintainer thereof and the common pack-horse of the worlde to beare euery mans burden Secondly men are content to take knowledge of the merit of Christs passion for the remission of their sinnes but in the meane season the vertue of Christs death in the mortifying of sin and the blessed example of his passion which ought to be followed and expressed in our liues conuersations is little or nothing regarded Thirdly men vsually content themselues generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their redeemer neuer once seeking in euery particular estate and condition of life and in euery particular blessing of God to feele the benefit of his passion What is the cause that almost all the world liue in securitie neuer almost touched for their horrible sinnes surely the reason is because they did neuer yet seriously consider that Christ in the garden lay groueling vpon the earth sweating water blood for their offences Againe all such a by fraud and oppression or any kind of hard dealing sucke the blood of poore men neuer yet knewe that their sinnes drewe out the heart blood of Christ. And proud men and women that are puffed vp by reason of their attire which is the badge of their shame and neuer cease hunting after strange fashions doe not consider that Christ was not crucified in gay attire but naked that he might beare the whole shame and curse of the lawe for vs. These and such like whatsoeuer they say in word if we respect the tenour of their liues are flat enemies of the crosse of Christ and tread his pretious blood vnder their feete Now then considering this so weightie and speciall a point of religion is so much neglected O man or woman high or lowe young or olde if thou haue beene wanting this waie begin for verie shame to learne and learning truly to knowe Christ crucified And that thou maiest attaine to this behold him often not in the wooden crucifix after the Popish manner but in the preaching of the word and in the Sacraments in which thou shalt see him crucified before thine eies Gal. 3.1 Desire not here vpon earth to beholde him with the bodily eie but looke vpon him with the eie of true and liuely faith applying him and his merits to thy selfe as thine owne and that with broken and bruised heart as the poore Israelites stung with fierie serpents euen to death behelde the brasen serpent Againe thou must looke vpon him first of all as a glasse or spectacle in which thou shalt see Gods glorie greater in thy redemption then in thy creation In the creation appeared Gods infinite wisdome power and goodnesse in thy redemption by the passion of Christ his endlesse iustice mercie In the creation thou art a member of the first Adam and bearest his image in thy redemption thou art a member of the second Adam In the first thou art indued with naturall life in the second with spirituall In the first thou hast in the person of Eve thy beginning of the rib of Adam in the secoÌ„d thou hast thy beginning as thou art borne of God out of the blood of Christ. Lastly in the first god gaue life in commanding that to be which was not in the second he giues life not by life but by death euen of his owne forme This is the mysterie vnto which the angels themselues desire to looke into 1. Pet. 1.12 Secondly thou must behold him as the full price of thy redemption and perfect reconciliation with God and pray earnestly to God that hee would seale vp the same in thy verie conscience by his holy spirit Thirdly thon must behold Christ as an example to whome thou must conforme thy selfe by regeneration For this cause giue diligence that thou maist by experience say that thou art dead and crucified and buried with Christ and that thou risest againe with him to newnesse of life that he enlightens thy minde and by degrees reforms thy will and affections and giue thee both the wil and the deed in euery good thing And that thou maist not faile in this thy knowledge read the historie of Christs passion obserue all the parts and circumstances thereof apply them to thy selfe for thy full conuersion When thou readest that Christ went to the garden as his custome was where the Iewes might soonest attach him consider that he went to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes willingly and not of constraint and that therefore thou for thy part shouldst doe him all seruice freely and frankely Psal. 110. 3. When thou hearest that in his agonie his foule was heauie vnto death know it was for thy sinnes and that thou shouldest much more conceiue heauines of heart for the same againe that this sorrow of his is ioy and reioycing vnto thee if thou wilt beleeue in him therefore Paul saith I say againe reioyce
thinke it not and that their consciences can tell what they think Neither must this seeme strāge For there be two actions of the vnderstanding the one is simple which barely conceiueth or thinketh this or that the other is a reflecting or doubling of the former whereby a man conceiues or thinks with himselfe what he thinks And this action properly pertaines to the conscience The minde thinkes a thought now conscience goes beyond the minde and knowes what the mind thinkes so as if a man would goe about to hide his sinfull thoughts frō God his conscience as it were another person within him shall discouer all By meanes of this second action conscience may beare witnes euen of thoughts and from hence also it seemes to borrow his name because conscience is a science or knowledge ioyned with an other knowledge for by it I conceiue and knowe what I knowe Againe conscience beares witnesse what the wills an affections of men bee in euery matter Rom. 9.1 I say the trueth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnes by the holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart for I could wish my selfe to be seperate from Christ for my brethren Lastly it witnesseth what be mens actions Eccl. 7.24 Oftentimes also thine heart knoweth that is conscience witnesseth that thou likewise hast cursed others The maner that conscience vseth in giuing testimony stands in two things First it obserues and takes notice of all things that wee doe secondly it doeth inwardly and secretly within the heart tell vs of them al. In this respect it may fitly be compared to a Notarie or a Register that hath alwaies the penne in his hand to note and record whatsoeuer is said or done who also because hee keepes the rolles and recordes of the court can tell what hath beene said or done many hundred yeares past Touching the third point Howelong conscience beares witnes it doeth it continually not for a minut or a day or a moneth or a yeare but for euer when a man dies conscience dieth not when the bodie is rotting in the graue conscience liueth and is safe and sound and when we shall rise againe conscience shall come with vs to the barre of Gods iudgement either to accuse or excuse vs before God Rom. 2.15,16 Their conscience bearing witnes at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. By this first dutie of conscience we are to learne three things The first that there is a god and we may be led to the sight of this euen by common reason For conscience beares witnes Of what Of thy particular doings But against whome or with whome doth it giue testimonie thou maiest feele in thy heart that it doth it either with thee or against thee And to whome is it a witnesse to men or angels that cannot be for they cānot heare the voice of conscience they cannot receiue consciences testimonie nay they cannot see what is in the heart of man It remaines therefore that there is a spirituall substance most wise most holy most mightie that sees all things to whome conscience beares record and that is God himselfe Let Atheists barke against this as long as they will they haue that in them that will conuince them of the trueth of the godhead will they nill they either in life or death Secondly we learne that God doth watch ouer all men by a speciall prouidence The master of a prison is knowne by this to haue care ouer his prisoners if he send keepers with them to watch them and to bring them home againe in time conuenient and so Gods care to man is manifest in this that whē he created man and placed him in the worlde he gaue him conscience to bee his keeper to follow him alwaies at his heeles and to dogge him as we say to prie into his actions and to beare witnesse of them all Thirdly hence we may obserue Gods goodnesse and loue to man If hee doe any thing amisse he sets his conscience first of all to tell him of it secretly if then he amend God forgiues it if not then afterward conscience must openly accuse him for it at the barre of Gods iudgement before all the Saints and angels in heauen The second worke of conscience is to giue iudgement of things done To giue iudgement is to determine that a thing is well done or ill done Herein conscience is like to a Iudge that holdeth an assise and takes notice of inditements and causeth the most notorious malefactour that is to hold vp his hand at the barre of his iudgement Nay it is as it were a little God sitting in the middle of mens hearts arraigning them in this life as they shall be arraigned for their offences at the tribunal seat of the euerliuing God in the day of iudgement Wherefore the temporarie iudgement that is giuen by the conscience is nothing els but a beginning or a fore-runner of the last iudgement Hence we are admonished to take speciall heede that nothing past lie heauie vpon vs and that we charge not our conscience in time to come with any matter For if our conscience accuse vs God will much more condemne vs saith S. Iohn 1. Ioh. 3. 18. because he seeth all our actions more clearely and iudgeth them more seuerely then conscience can It shall bee good therefore for all men to labour that they may say with Paul 2. Cor. 4. I knowe nothing by my selfe that they may stand before God without blame for euer Here we must consider two things first the cause that makes conscience giue iudgement secondly the manner howe The cause is the Binder of the conscience The binder is that thing whatsoeuer which hath power and authoritie ouer conscience to order it To bind is to vrge cause and constraine it in euery action either to accuse for sinne or to excuse for well doing or to say this may be done or it may not be done That we may knowe what this phrase meaneth to be bound in conscience we must in minde consider conscience a part by it selfe from the binding power power of Gods commandement For then it hath libertie and is not bound either to accuse or excuse but is apt to doe either of them indifferently but whē the binding power is set once ouer the conscience then in euery action it must needes either accuse or excuse euen as a man in a citie or towne hauing his libertie may goe vp and downe or not goe where and when he will but if his bodie be attached by the magistrate and imprisoned then his former libertie is restrained he is bound and can goe vp and downe but within the prison or some other allowed place The binder of conscience is either proper or improper Proper is that thing which hath absolute and soueraigne power in it selfe to binde the conscience And that is the word of God written in the book
as giue themselues to swearing want religion and good conscience and that those families in which there is rifenesse of oathes abandon all care of religion and banish God out of their houses And indeede it is a very hard thing for the common swearer to auoide common periurie If we see a man hold vp his hand at the barre of an earthly iudge wee pitie him and are sorrie for him oh then why doe we not pittie blasphemers and common swearers For with God they are no better then rebels that hold vp their hands at the barre of his iudgement seat as guiltie malefactours Exod 20.7 Augustine saith well They that worship stocks stones feare to sweare fasly by stones and doest thou not feare God that is present God that liueth God that knoweth God that taketh reuenge of contemners but of bad custome when thou art beleeued thou swearest when none requires it thou swearest and when men cannot abide it thou swearest Thus much of an Oath nowe followes a promise which is either to God or man the first is called a vowe the second a single promise A vowe is taken three waies First generally for a promise of morall obedience and this vowe is first made in Baptisme and continued in the Lords supper as also in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance It is called of Peter 1. epist. 3.21 the stipulation which a good conscience makes to God This kinde of vowe bindes all and euery member of the Church of God And the not keeping of it is the common sinne of the world for most men make not conscience to performe that which they haue promised to God in Baptisme and therefore their Baptisme is become vnto them the sacrifice of fooles Eccl. 4.17 But considering we are bound in conscience by this vow let vs hereafter indeauour to be as good as our word and that shall bee when we begin to die to our sinnes and rise to newnesse of life There is no man almost but will seeme to haue care to keepe touch with men what a shame is it then for vs not to keepe couenant with God Againe a vowe is taken for a promise of ceremoniall obedience whereof read Num. 6. and 30. and Leuit. 27. This vow is peculiar to the old testament and did not bind all men but onely such as had peculiar occasion to vow and thereupon bound themselues as the Nazarites and others Thirdly a vowe is taken for the performance of some outward and bodily exercises taken vp of a mans owne accord as beeing things in a mans owne libertie without any commandement of god as the keeping of set times of fast of praying or reading the performance of set taskes almes giuing abstinence from certaine meates and drinkes in the vse whereof through our own weaknesse we feare any occasion of sinne And this kind of vowe is more peculiar to the new testament dieth but alwaies lies gnawing and grabbling and pulling at the heart of man Mark 9.24 causeth more paine and anguish then any disease in the world can doe The time when conscience performes these actions is not before the sinne or in the act of sinning but especially after the sinne is done and past Reason I. Before a man sinneth the deuill doth extenuate the fault and make sinne to be no sinne II. Corrupt affections doe for a time so blind and ouercast iudgment that it doeth not see or at the least consider what is good or badde till afterward Neither doth conscience accuse and condemne onely for time present but also long after a thing is done The consciences of Iosephs brethren accused them 2â— yeares after they had sold him into Egypt Gen. 42.21 The effect of the accusing and condemning conscience is to stirre vp sundrie passions and motions in the heart but specially these fiue The first is shame which is an affection of the heart whereby a man is grieued and displeased with himselfe that he hath done any euill and this shame sheweth it selfe by the rising of the blood from the heart to the face Yet wee must here remember that euen such as haue the pardon of their sinnes and are not guiltie may be ashamed and blush Rom. 6. 21. What fruite had ye in those things whereat yee nowe blush or hee ashamed Yet for all this euen those which are most guiltie may be without all shame Ier. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay nay they were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame because they are growne to some great height in sinne Eph 4.18 The second passion is sadnes and sorrowe which is commonly thought to be nothing else but melancholie but betweene them twaine there is great difference Sorrow that comes by melancholy ariseth only of that humour annoying the bodie but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes for which his coÌ„science accuseth him Melancholly may be cured by physicke this sorrow can not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ. The third is feare in causing whereof conscience is very forcible If a man had all the delights and pleasures that heart can wish they can not doe him any good if conscience be guiltie Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights and sawe the hand writing vpon the wall his countenance changed his thoughts troubled him his ioynts loosed and his knees smote togither Dan. 5.9 Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground or a silly creature to goe crosse his way or if hee see but his owne shadow on a suddain or if he doe but forecast an euil with himselfe Prou. 28.1 The wicked flieth when no man pursueth him Terrours of conscience when they are more vehement cause other passions in the body as exceeding heate like that which is in the fitte of an ague the rising of the entralls towardes the mouth and souning as experience hath often shewed And the writer of the booke of wisdome saith truely cap. 17.10 It is a fearefull thing when malice is condemned by her owne testimony and a conscience that is touched doeth euer forecast cruell things For feare â—â— nothing else but the betraying of the succours that reason offereth c. they that did endure the might that was intollerable c. sometimes were troubled with monstrous visions and sometimes they swouned as though their owne soules should betray them for a sudden feare not looked for came vpon them The fourth is desperation whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes This made Saul Achitophel and Iudas to hang themselues this makes many in these daies to doe the like as appeareth by the declarations of such as haue beene preuented when they were about to hang or drowne theÌ„selues or to cut their owne throates The last is a perturbation or disquietnesse of the
whole man whereby all the powers and faculties of the whole man are forth of order Esa. 57.20 The wicked are like the raging of the sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Thus much of the two first actions of conscience which are to accuse and condemne the second followeth to excuse and absolue To excuse is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done To absolue is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free and cleare from fault and so from punishment From these two actions arise some speciall affections I. boldnes and confidence Prou. 28.1 The righteous are bold as a lyon II. Ioy and reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testimonie of my conscience that in all simplicitie and godly purenes I haue had my conuersation in the world Hence it is said that a good conscience is a continuall feast Hitherto I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past now followeth hir iudgement of things to be done Conscience giues iudgement of things to come by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart that the thing may be well done Of this kind of iudgement euery man may haue experience in himselfe when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or bad By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way and all the turnings thereof he could not but take it for a point of curtesie Well we are pilgrimes in this world our life is our iourney God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not And here it must be noted that in all things to be done conscience is of great force and beares a great stroke For this is the beginning of a good worke that the conscience first of all giue her iudgement truly that the thing may be done and is acceptable to God Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer is not done of a setled perswasion in iudgement conscience out of Gods word howsoeuer men iudge of it is sinne Againe God regards not the outward pompe of the action of the doer but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart therfore vnles the coÌ„science first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will it can be nothing els but a sinne And he that shall doe a thing because it is good in his owne eyes not knowing that God doth allowe of it preferres himselfe before God disobeies as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will From this former rule arise three other the first whatsoeuer is done with a doubting conscience is a sinne For example some beleeuers in the Primitiue Church held that still after the ascension of Christ there remained a differeÌ„ce betweene meate and meate and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kind of meates now put the case that by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden this done there is no question but they haue sinned as Paul prooueth Rom. 14. 14. I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him tâ—at iudgeth any thing vncleane it is vncleane and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith The second whatsoeuer thing is done in or with an erronious conscience it is a sinne For example in the Primitiue Church diuers of the gentiles held this errour that fornication was a thing indifferent and therefore conscience tolde them that they might doe it and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinne because conscience erred in her iudgement And euill remaines euill though conscience say the contrarie a thousand times The third what is done against conscience though it erre and bee deceiued it is sin in the doer Example An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawful to sweare is brought before a magistrate and vrged either through feare or some like cause takes an oath and that against his owne conscience nowe the question is whether he hath sinned or no Ans. Hee hath indeede sinned not so much because hee hath taken an oath for that is the ordinance of God but because hee hath taken an oath in a bad manner that is against his conscience therfore not in faith Thus it is manifest that conscience beares a great stroke in all things that are to be said or done And hereby we are aduertised of many things First if a thing done without good direction of conscience bee a sinne then much more that which is done without good direction of Gods word is a flat sinne for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction And if God will hold that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer so as if a man be but to receiue a morsel of bread into his mouth it can so farre forth direct him that in doing of it hee shall be able to please God If this were not true maÌ„s case were most miserable For then we should sinne in manifold actions and that without remedie And hereby the Word I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and newe testament which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all actions As for the lawe of nature though it affoard indeede some direction yet is it corrupt imperfect vncerten whatsoeuer is right and good therein is contained in the written word of god And as for the best vnwritten traditions let all the Papists in the world answer if they can howe I may in conscience be perswaded that they are the word of God If they say that the auncient fathers of the Primitiue Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions I aunswer againe howe shall I knowe and be certaine in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour in saying so haue not erred Againe we learne hence that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good work vnles withall conscience giue iudgement that God doth approue the action This shewes the ignorance of our people that when as in their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning then alwaies they thinke they do well and please God Thirdly hence it appeares that all things deuised by man for the worship of God are flat sinnes because conscience cannot say of them that they please God Esay 29.13 Mar. 7.7 Lastly we learne here that ignorance of Gods will and word is a dangerous thing and makes the life of man to abound yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God Men commonly thinke that if
ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 2. Cor. 1.21 It is God that hath sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts Here the words of sealing and earnest are to be considered For things that passe too and fro among men though they be in question yet when the seale is put too they are made out of doubt and therefore when God by his spirit is saide to seale the promise in the heart of euery particular beleeuer it signifieth that he giues vnto them euident assurance that the promise of life belongs vnto them And the giuing of earnest is an vnfallible token vnto him that receiueth it that the bargaine is ratified and that he shall receiue the things agreed vpon And it were a great dishonour vnto God to thinke that the earnest of his owne Spirit giuen vnto vs should be an euidence of eternall life not vnfallible but coniecturall Arg. 2. The faith of the Elect or sauing faith is a certen perswasion and a particular perswasion of remission of sinne and life euerlasting Touching the first of these twaine namely that faith is a certen perswasion yea that certentie is of the nature of faith it appeares by expresse testimonie of Scripture Mat. 14.31 O thou of little faith why hast thou doubted and â— 1. v. 21. If ye haue faith and doubt not Iam. 1.6 Let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea â—ust of the wind and carried away Rom. 4.20 Neither did be doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in faith I will not stand longer on this point which is not denied of any Touching the second part of my reason that faith is a particular perswasion applying things beleeued I prooue it thus The property of faith is to receiue the promise Gal. 3.14 and the thing promised which is Christ with his spirit Joh. 1.12 Now Christ is receiued by a particular application as will appeare if we doe but marke the ende and vse of the ministerie of the word and of the Sacraments For when God giues any blessing to man it is to be receiued by man as God giueth it Now God giues Christ or at the least offereth him not generally to mankind but to the seuerall and particular members of the Church In the Lords Supper as in euery sacrament there is a relation or analogie betweene the outward signes and the things signified The action of the minister giuing the bread and wine to the hands of particular communicants representeth Gods action in giuing Christ with his benefits to the same particular communicants Againe the action of receiuing the bread and wine particularly representeth an other spirituall action of the beleeuing heart which applieth Christ vnto it selfe for the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting Papists yeeld not to this yet if they refuse to maintaine this analogie they ouerturne the sacrament and dissent from antiquitie Augustine saith The bodie of Christ is ascended into heauen some may answer and say How shall I hold him beeing absent how shall I reach vp mine hand to heauen that I may lay hold of him sitting there Send vp thy faith and thou hast laid hold of him And what is more common then an other saying of his What meanest thou to prepare thy bellie and teeth Beleeue and thou hast eaten Againe Eph. 3.12 Paul saith By Christ we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him In which words are set downe two notable effects and fruits of faith boldnes and confidence Boldnes is when a poore sinner dare come into the presence of God not beeing terrified with the threatnings of the law nor with the consideration of his owne vnworthines nor with the manifold assaults of the deuill and it is more then certentie of Gods fauour Now whereas Papists answer that this libertie or boldnes in comming vnto God proceedes of a generall faith they are farre wide It is not possible that a generall perswasion of the goodnes and truth of God and of his mercie in Christ should breed confidence and boldnes in the heart of a guiltie sinner and no example can be brought thereof This generall faith concerning the articles of our beleefe was no doubt in Caine Saul Achitophel Iudas yea in the deuill himselfe and yet they despaired and some of them made away themselues and the deuill for all his faith trembleth before God Wherefore that faith which is the roote of these excellent vertues of boldnes and confidence must needes be a speciall faith that is a large and plentifull perswasion of the pardon of a mans owne sinnes and of life euerlasting Againe Heb. 11. 1. faith is called hypostasis that is a substance or subsistance of things hoped for where faith in the matter of our saluation and other like things is made to goe beyond hope for hope waites for things to come till they haue a beeing in the person hoping but faith in present giues a subsisting or beeing vnto them This can not be that generall faith of Papists tearmed Catholicke for it comes short of hope but it must needes be a speciall faith that makes vs vndoubtedly beleeue our owne election adoption iustification and saluation by Christ. And to this purpose haue some of the fathers said excellent well Augustine saith I demand of thee O sinner doest thou beleeue Christ or no thou saiest I beleeue What beleeuest thou that he can freely forgiue thee all thy sinnes Thou hast that which thou hast beleeued Ambrose saith This is a thing ordained of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued without any worke by faith alone freely receiuing remission of sinnes And with Ambrose I ioyne the testimonie of Hesichius vpon Leuiticus who saith God pitying mankind when he saw it disabled for the fulfilling of the works of the law willed that man should be saued by grace without the workes of the law And grace proceeding of mercie is apprehended by faith alone without workes Whereas in the two last testimonies faith is opposed generally to all works and is withall said to apprehend and receiue yea alone to apprehend and receiue grace and remission of sinnes they can not be vnderstood of a generall but of a special applying faith Bernard hath these words If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes can not be blotted out but by him against whome thou hast sinned thou dost well but goe yet further and beleeue that he pardoneth thy sinnes This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost giueth in our hearts saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For so the Apostle thinketh that a man is iustified freely by faith Papists beeing much choked with this place make answer that S. Bernard doth not say that we must beleeue the pardon of our sinns absolutely without respect of works but that he requires the condition of our conuersation and repentance as signes whereby
liue here we are in the fight and as long as we are in the fight we haue no certaine victorie V. Some places speaks of the vncertentie of other mens saluation which we grant The author of the booke de vocat Gent. 1. clast saith We can pronounce of no man before his ende that he shall be in the glorie of the elect August lib. de perseuer cap. 13. Men are not with any certaine asseueration to auouch that others belong to this calling VI. Some speake of that certaintie which comes by reuelation without the word Greg. lib. 6. epist. 22. to Gregoria Whereas you adde in your epistles that you will be earnest with me till I write that it hath beene made known vnto me that your sinnes are forgiuen you haue required a hard and vnprofitable thing Hard because I am vnworthie to whome a releuation should be made Vnprofitable because you must not be made sure touching your sinnes vnlesse it bee in the last day of your life for then you should not be able to bewaile the same sinnes VII Some places denie vnto man that certentie which is proper to God which is to discerne in himselfe all things to come plainely as they shall come to passe without helpe of testimonie and outward signes Bernard â—erm 1. de Septuages Who can say I am of the Elect I am of the predestinate to life certenly we haue none as yet but the affiance of our hope comforteth vs. Conferre these words with those that follow For this cause certaine signes and manifest tokens of saluation are giuen that it may bee a thing out of doubt that hee is in the number of the elect in whome these signes are Thus I haue in some part made manifest that an vnfallible certentie of pardon of sinne and life euerlasting is the propertie of euery renued conscience Now therefore I will proceede further to consider howe this certentie is caused and imprinted in the conscience The principall agent and beginner thereof is the holy Ghost inlightning the mind and conscience with spiritual and diuine light and the instrument in this action is the ministerie of the Gospel whereby the word of life is applied in the name of God to the person of euery hearer And this certaintie is by little and little conceiued in a forme of reasoning or practicall syllogisme framed in the mind by the holy Ghost on this manner Euery one that beleeues is the child of God But I doe beleeue Therefore I am the child of God The proposition is made by the minister of the word in the publike congregation and it is nothing else but the promise of eternall life applied to the particular hearers The second part or the assumption is the voice of conscience regenerate or the voice of Gods spirit in the same Nowe Papists write and auouch that the assumption is false but the reasons which they vse to prooue the same are of small moment First they alleadge that many are deceiued in their perswasions thinking they haue that which they haue not I answer againe that many doe falsly presume of Gods mercie and imagine they haue that faith which they haue not and in all such the assumption is false yet in all them that are chosen to saluation and truely called it is vnfallibly true For such as haue receiued the gift of true faith haue also another gift of discerning whereby they see and knowe their own faith It is further obiected that Ieremie saith 17.9 The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who caÌ„ know it But the intent of this place is only to shew that no man can search his heart to the very bottome to see all and euery want infirmitie and wicked inclination that is therein For originall sin wherewith the heart of man is tainted is a pronnes or dispositioÌ„ to all the sinnes that are or may be And though men can not discerne all their sinnes yet many of them are certenly knownâ—â— why may not then many of the graces of God be certenly knowne especially those which be of the principall as faith sanctification repentance Againe it is alleadged that Peter beleeued that hee was able to lay downe his life for Christs sake and yet indeede was not as the euent declared for when the time came he denied Christ. Ans. Peter at that time was but weake in faith and hee was much carried away with a confidence of his owne strength which made him speake those wordes of presumption and though he failed in this one particular action yet failed he not in the principall that is in the perswasion of the pardon of his owne sinnes and of life euerlasting In a word it is certaine that many perswade themselues of Gods mercie and yet are deceiued neuerthelesse all such as doe truely beleeue are not deceiued The holy Ghost making them to see that in themâ—elues which by nature they cannot discerne as Paul signified when hee said I speake the trueth I lie not my conscience bearing me witnes by the holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 Againe the same testimonie is giuen otherwise thus Euery child of God hath the pardon of his sinnes saith Gods word But I am Gods child and therefore haue the pardon of my sinnes saith the renued conscience by the direction of Gods spirit Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 After that this testimony is once begun it is confirmed by the same means as also by praier and the Sacraments But it may be demanded howe a bodily element as bread wine water should be able to confirme a perswasion of our adoption that is in the conscience Answ. The element in the sacrament is an outward seale or instrument to confirme faith not as a medicine restores and confirmes health whether we thinke on it or not whether we sleepe or wake and that by his owne inherent vertue but by reasoning in a syllogisme made by the good conscience that medium thereof beeing the outward signe in the Sacrament By meanes of which syllogisme the holy Ghost mooues and stirres the minde yea cherisheth and increaseth faith on this manner He which vseth the elements aright shall receiue the promises But I doe or I haue vsed the elements aright Therefore I shall receiue the promises Whereas presumption and the illusion of Satan vse as wel to tel a man that he is the child of God as the true testimonie of regenerate conscience the way to put difference between them is this I. Presumption is natural and from the very wombe but this testimonie of conscience is supernaturall II. Presumption is in them that make no account of the ordinarie meanes of saluation This testimonie comes by the reuerent and carefull hearing of Gods worde III. Presumption is in them that vse not to call on the name of God but this testimonie of conscience is ioyned with the spirit of adoption which is the spirit of praier IV. Presumption is ioyned with loosenes of life this testimonie brings with it alwaies an happy change
thus Though Christ hath freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuer didst fulfil the law The conscience answereth I know that Christ is my righteousnes and hath fulfilled the law for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefits belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the Spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeue And though it be the office of the conscience after it is renued principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had numbred the people his heart smote him 2. Sam. 24.10 Iob saith in his affâ—iction that God did write bitter things against him and made him possesse the sinnes of his youth Iob 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Neither must it seeme straunge that one and the same conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respect It excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person stands righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it onely to excuse the answer is this God doth it for the preuenting of great misâ—hiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananites were not at the first wholly displacedâ— Why Moses rendreth the reason least wild beasts come and inhabit some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like manner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beasts would make hauocke of the soule Thus much of good conscience now follows euill conscience and that is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne partly because it is euill that is troublesome and painefull in our sense and feeling as all sorrowes calamities and miseries are which for this very cause also are called euills And though conscience be thus tearmed euill yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in as much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it serues to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spread it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therefore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinarie generation The propertie of it is with all the power it hath to accuse and condemne and thereby to make a man afraid of the presence of God and to cause him to flie from God as from an enemie This the Lord signified when he said to Adam Adam where art thou When Peter saw some little glimbring of the power and maiestie of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinnefullman Euill conscience is either dead or stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can doe nothing but accuse yet commonly it lies quiet accusing little or nothing at all The causes why conscience lieth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or vnderstanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud doe ouercast the minde and as a gulfe of water swallow vp the iudgement and reason and thereby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For example some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a madde man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is downe he beginnes to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed beginnes to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will and errours in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate heretikes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the seared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall and not alwaies for that but onely in the time of some grieuous sicknes or calamitie Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villanie in selling their brother till afterward when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Gen. 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie Protestants of all carnall and lukewarme gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparant integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of vs as beeing most daâ—gerous It is like a wild beast which so long as he lies asleepe seemes very tame and gentle and hurts no man but when he is roused he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lie still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most doe that it were a good conscience indeede but when sicknes or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hand of God beginnes to stand vp on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rend out euen the very throat of the soule And heathen Poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4.2 to the part of a mans bodie which is not onely bereft of sense life and motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes be vtterly past all feeling This kind of conscience is not in all men but in such persons as are become obstinate heretikes and notorious malefactours And it is not in them by nature but by an increase of the corruption of nature and that by certaine steppes and degrees For naturally euery man hath in him blindnes of minde and obstinacie or frowardnes of heart yet so as with the blindnes and ignorance of minde are ioyned some remnants of the light of nature shewing vs what is
sinne in no man after baptisme is voluntarie and therefore no sinne Ans. The proposition is a polliticke rule pertaining to the courts of men and must be vnderstood of such actions as are done of one man to another and it doth not belong to the court of conscience which God holdeth and keepeth in mens hearts in which euery want of conformitie to the lawe is made a sinne Secondly I answer that originall sin was voluntarie in our first parent Adam for he sinned brought this miserie vpon vs willingly though in vs it be otherwise vpon iust cause Actual sinne was first in him and then originall corruption but in vs originall corruption is first and then actuall sinne Obiect III. Where the forme of any thing is taken away there the thing it selfe ceaseth also but after baptisme in the regenerate the forme of originall sinne that is the guilt is quite remooued and therefore sinne ceaseth to be sin Answ. The guilt or obligation to punishment is not the forme of originall corruption but as we say in schooles an accident or necessarie companion thereof The true forme of originall sinne◠is a defect and depriuation of that which the lawe requireth at our hands in our minde will affections and in al the powers both of soule and bodie But they vrge this reason further saying where the guilt punishment is taken away there is no fault remaining but after baptisme the guilt and punishment is remooued and therefore though originall corruption remaine it is not as a fault to make vs guiltie before God but onely as a weakenes Ans. Guilt is remooued and not remooued It is remooued from the person regenerate which stands not guiltie for any sinne originall or actuall but Guilt is not remooued from the sin it selfe or as some answer there bee two kindes of guilt actuall and potentiall The actuall guilt is whereby sinne maketh man stand guiltie before God and that is remooued in the regenerate But the potentiall guilt which is an aptnesse in sin to make a man stand guiltie if he sinne that is not remooued and therefore still sinne remaineth sinne To this or like effect saith Augustine Wee say that the guilt of concupiscence not whereby it is Guiltie for that is not a person but that whereby it made man guiltie from the beginning is pardoned and that the thing it selfe is euill so as the regenerate desire to be healed of this plague Obiect III. Lastly for our disgrace they alleadge that we in our doctrine teach that originall sinne after baptisme is onely clipped or pared like the haire of a mans head whose roots still remaine in the flesh growing and increasing after they are cut as before Answ. Our doctrine is abused for in the paring of any thing as in cutting of the haire or in lopping a tree the roote remaines vntouched and thereupon multiplieth as before But in the mortification of originall sinne after baptisme we hold no such paring but teach that in the very first instant of the conuersion of a sinner sinne receiueth his deadly wound in the roote neuer afterward to be recouered The third point Certentie of saluation I. Our Consent I. Concl. We holde and beleeue that a man in this life may be certain of saluation and the same thing doth the Church of Rome teach and holde II. Concl. We hold and beleeue that a man is to put a certaine affiance in Gods mercie in Christ for the saluation of his soule and the same thing by common consent holdeth the foresaid Church this point maketh not the difference betweene vs. III. Concl. We hold that with assurance of saluation in our hearts is ioyned doubting and there is no man so assured of his saluation but he at sometime doubteth thereof especially in the time of temptation and in this the Papists agree with vs and we with them IV. Concl. They goe further and say that a man may be certaine of the saluation of men or of the Church by Catholike faith and so say we V. Concl. Yea they hold that a man by faith may be assured of his own saluation through extraordinarie reuelatiō as Abrahā others were so doe we VI. They teach that we are to be certaine of our saluation by speciall faith in regard of God that promiseth though in regard of our selues and our indisposition we can not and in the former point they consent with vs. II. The dissent or difference The very maine point of difference lies in the manner of assurance I. Concl. We hold that a man may bee certaine of his saluation in his owne conscience euen in this life and that by an ordinarie aud speciall faith They hold that a man is certaine of his saluation onely by hope both of vs holde a certainty we by faith they by hope II. Concl. Further we hold and auouch that our certainety by true faith is vnfallible they say their cetaintie is onely probable III. Conclus And further though both of vs say that we haue confidence in Gods mercy in Christ for our saluation yet we doe it with some difference For our confidence commeth from certen and ordinarie faith theirs from hope ministring as they say but a coniecturall certentie Thus much of the difference now let vs see the reasons too and fro III. Obiections of Papists Obiect I. Where there is no word there is no faith for these two are relatiues but there is no word of God saying Cornelius beleeue thou Peter beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued And therefore there is no such ordinarie faith to beleeue a mans owne particular saluation Ans. The proposition is false vnlesse it be supplied with a clause on this manner Where there is no word of promise nor any thing that doth counteruaile a particular promise there is no faith But say they there is no such particular word It is true God doth not speak to men particularly Beleeue thou thou shalt be saued But yet doth he that which is answerable hereunto in that he giueth a generall promise with a commandement to applie the same and hath ordained the holy ministerie of the word to applie the same to the persons of the hearers in his owne name and that is as much as if the Lord himselfe should speake to men particularly To speake more plainely in the Scripture the promises of saluation be indefinitely propounded it saith not any where if Iohn will beleeue he shall be saued or if Peter will beleeue he shall be saued but whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued Now then comes the minister of the word who standing in the roome of God and in the stead of Christ himselfe takes the indefinite promises of the Gospel and laies them to the hearts of euery particular man and this in effect is as much as if Christ himselfe should say Cornelius beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued Peter beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued It is answered that this applying of the
vs our debts and to it we say Amen that is that our petitions shall without doubt be graunted vnto vs. Aug. serm de Temp. 182. And here note that the Church of Rome in the doctrine of iustification by faith cuts off the principall part and propertie thereof For in iustifying faith two things are required first Knowledge reuealed in the word touching the meanes of saluation secondly an Applying of things knowne vnto our selues which some call affiance Nowe the first they acknowledge but the second which is the very substance and principall part thereof they denie III. Reason The iudgement of the auncient Church August I demande nowe doest thou beleeue in Christ O sinner Thou saiest I beleeue What beleeuest thou that all thy sinnes may freely be pardoned in him Thou hast that which thou beleeuest Bernard The Apostle thinketh that a man is iustified freely by faith If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot bee remitted but by him alone against whome they were committed but goe further and beleeue this too that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost giueth in the heart saying thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Cyprian God promiseth thee immortalitie when thou goest out of this world and doest thou doubt This is indeed not to know God and this is for a member of the Church in the house of faith not to haue faith If wee beleeue in Christ let vs beleeue his wordes and promises and wee shall neuer die and shall come to Christ with ioyfull securitie with him to raigne for euer The II. difference touching faith in the act of iustification is this The Papist saith we are iustified by faith because it disposeth a sinner to his iustification after this manner By faith saith he the mind of man is inlightened in the knowledge of the lawe and gospell knowledge stirs vp a feare of hell with a consideration of the promise of happines as also the loue feare of God hope of life eternall Now when the heart is thus prepared God infuseth the habit of charitie other vertues wherby a sinner is iustified before god We say otherwise that faith iustifieth because it is a supernaturall Instrument created by God in the heart of man at his conuersion whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification In this their doctrine is a twofold error I. that they make faith which iustifieth to goe before iustification it selfe both â—or order of nature as also for time whereas by the worde of God at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then iustified and sanctified For he that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and blood of Christ and is alreadie passed from death to life Ioh. 6.54 The second is that faith beeing nothing else with them but an illumination of the minde stirreth vp the will which beeing mooued helped causeth in the heart many spirituall motions and thereby disposeth man to his future iustification But this indeed is as much as if we should say that dead men onely helped can prepare themselues to their future resurrection For we are all by nature dead in sinne and therefore must not onely be inlightened in mind but also renued in will before we can so much as wil or desire that which is good Nowe we as I haue said teach otherwise that faith iustifieth as it is an instrument to apprehend and apply Christ with his obedience which is the matter of our iustification This is the trueth I prooue it thus In the couenant of grace two things must be considered the substance thereof and the condition The substance of the couenant is that righteousnes and life euerlasting is giuen to Gods Church and people by Christ. The condition is that we for our parts are by faith to receiue the foresaid benefits and this condition is by grace as well as the substance Now then that we may attaine to saluation by Christ he must be giuen vnto vs really as he is propounded in the tenour of the foresaid couenant And for the giuing of Christ God hath appointed speciall ordinances as the preaching of the word and the administration oâ—â—â—e Sacraments The word preached is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeues and the end of the sacraments is to communicate Christ with all his benefits to them that come to be partakers thereof as is most plainely to be seene in the supper of the Lord in which the giuing of bread and wine to the seuerall communicants is a pledge and signe of Gods particular giuing of Christs bodie and blood with all his merits vnto them And this giuing on Gods part cannot be effectuall without receiuing on our parts and therfore faith must needes be an instrument or hand to receiue that which God giueth that we may find comfort by this giuing The III. difference concerning faith is this the Papist saith that a man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as hope loue the feare of God c. The reasons which are brought to maintaine their opinion are of no moment I. Reason Luke 7.47 Many sinnes are forgiuen her because shee loued much Whence they gather that the woman here spoken of was iustified and had the pardon of sinnes by loue Ans. In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to mooue God to pardon her sinnes but onely a figne to shew and manifest that God had alreadie pardoned them Like to this is the place of Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethreÌ„ where loue is no cause of the chaÌ„ge but a signe consequent therof II. Reason Gal. 5.6 Neither circumcision nor vncircumeision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue Hence they gather that faith doeth iustifie togither with loue Ans. The propertie of true faith is to apprehend and receiue something vnto it selfe and loue that goes alwaies with faith as a fruite and an vnseparable companion thereof is of another nature For it doeth not receiue in but as it were giue out it selfe in all the duties of the first and second table towards God and man and this thing faith by it selfe cannot doe and therefore Paul saieth that faith worketh by loue The hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe to lay hold of any thing and to recâ—â—ue a gift but the hand hath no propertie to cut a peece of wood of it selfe without saw or knife or some like instrument yet by help of theÌ„ it can either deuide or cut Euen so it is the nature of faith to goe out of it selfe to receiue Christ into the heart as for the duties of the first and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can deuide or cut yet ioyne loue to faith then can it practise duties commended concerning God and man
worship God in by or at any image for this is the thing which as I haue prooued before the second commandement forbiddeth And the fact of the Israelites Exod. 32. in worshipping the golden calfe is condemned as flat idolatrie albeit they worshipped not the calfe but God in the calfe for v. 5. Aaron saith Tomorrow shall bee the solemnitie of Iehouah whereby he doth giue vs to vnderstand that the calfe was but a signe of Iehouah whome they worshipped Obiect It seemes the Israelites worshipped the calfe For Aaron saith v. 4. These bee thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of Egypt Ans. Aarons meaning is nothing else but that the golden calfe was a signe of the presence of the true God And the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as vpon a stage he is called a king that represents the king And Augustine saith that images are woont to be called by the names of things whereof they are images as the counterfeit of Samuel is called Samuel And we must not esteeme them all as madde men to thinke that a calfe made of their earings beeing but one or two daies old should bee the God that brought them out of Egypt with a mightie hand many daies before And these are the points of difference touching images wherein we must stand at variance for euer with the Church of Rome For they â—rre in the foundation of religion making indeed an idol of the true God and worshipping another Christ then we doe vnder new tearmes maintaining the idolatrie of the heathen And therefore haue we departed from them and so must we still doe because they are Idolaters as I haue prooued The X. point Of reall presence Our Consent I. We hold and beleeue a presence of Christs bodie and blood in the sacrament of the Lords supper and that no fained but a true and reall presence which must be considered two waies first in respect of the signes secondly in respect of the communicants For the first we hold and teach that Christs bodie and blood are truely present with the bread and wine beeing signes in the Sacrament but how not in respect of place or coexistence but by sacramentall relation on this manner When a word is vttered the sound comes to the eare and at the same instant the thing signified comes to the mind and thus by relation the word and the thing spoken of are both present togither Euen so at the Lords table bread and wine must not be considered barely as subsistaÌ„ces and creatures but as outward signes in relation to the bodie and blood of Christ and this relation arising from the very institution of the Sacrament standes in this that when the elements of bread and wine are present to the hand and to the mouth of the receiuer at the very same time the bodie and blood of Christ are presented to the minde thus and no otherwise is Christ truely present with the signes The second presence is in respect of the communicants to whose beleeuing hearts he is also really present It will bee said what kind of presence is this Ans. Such as the communion in the sacrament is â—uch is the presence and by the communion must we iudge of the presence Nowe the communion is on this manner God the father according to the tenour of the Euangelicall couenant gives Christ in this sacrament as really and truely as any thing can bee giuen to man not by part and peecemeale as wee say but whole Christ God and man on this sort In Christ there be two natures the godheadâ— manhood The godhead is not giuen in regard of substance or essence but only in regard of efficacie merits operatioÌ„ coÌ„ceiued thence to the manhood And further in this sacrament Christs whole manhood is giuen both bodie and soule in this order First of all is giuen the very manhood in respect of substance and that really secondly the merits and benefits thereof as namely the satisfaction performed by and in the manhood to the iustice of God And thus the intire manhood with the benefits thereof are giuen wholly and ioyntly togither For the two dislinct signes of bread and wine signifie not two distinct giuings of the bodie apart and the blood apart but the full and perfect nourishment of our soules Againe the benefits of Christs manhood are diuersly giuen some by imputation which is an action of God accepting that which is done by Christ as done by vs and thus it hath pleased God to giue the passion of Christ and his obedience Some againe are giuen by a kind of propagation which I cannot fitly expresse in tearmes but I resemble it thus As one candle is lighted by another and one torch or candle-light is conueied to twentie candles euen so the inherent righteousnes of euery beleeuer is deriued from the storehouse of righteousnesse which is in the manhood of Christ for the righteousnes of all the members is but the fruit thereof euen as the naturall corruption in all mankinde is but a fruit of that originall sinne which was in Adam Thus we see howe God for his part giues Christ and that really To proceede when God giues Christ he giues withall at the same time the spirit of Christ which spirit creates in the heart of the receiuer the instrument of true faith by which the heart doeth really receiue Christ giuen of God by resting vpon the promise which God hath made that he will giue Christ and his righteousnesse to euery true beleeuer Now then when God giues Christ with his benefits man for his part by faith receiues the same as they are giuen there riseth that vnion which is betweene euery good receiuer and Christ himselfe Which vnioÌ„ is not forged but a reall true and neere coniunction nearer then which none is or can be because it is made by a solemne giuing and receiuing that passeth betweene God and man as also by the bond of one and the same spirit To come then to the point considering there is a reall vnion and consequently a reall communion betweene vs and Christ as I haue prooued there must needes bee such a kind of presence wherein Christ is truely and really present to the heart of him that receiues the sacrament in faith And thus farre doe wee consent with the Romish Church touching reall presence The dissent We differ not touching the presence it selfe but onely in the maner of presence For though we hold a reall presence of Christs bodie and blood in the sacrament yet doe we not take it to be locall bodily or substantiall but spirituall and mysticall to the signes by sacramentall relation and to the communicants by faith alone On the contrarie the Church of Rome maintaines transubstantiation that is a locall bodily and substantiall presence of Christs bodie and blood by a change and conuersion of the bread and wine into the said bodie and blood Our reasons I. This corporall presence ouerturnes sundrie articles
daies lastly in pilgrimages vnto their reliques and images We likewise distinguish adoration or worship for it is either religious or ciuill Religious worship is that which is done to him that is Lord of all things the searcher and trier of the heart omnipotent euery where present able to heare and helpe them that call vpon him euery where the author and first cause of euery good thing and that simply for himselfe because he is absolute goodnes it selfe And this worship is due to God alone beeing also commanded in the first and second commandement of the fist table Ciuill worship is the honour done to men set aboue vs by God himselfe either in respect of their excellent gifts or in respect of their offices authoritie whereby they gouerne others The right ende of this worship is to testifie and declare that we reuerence the gifts of God and that power which hee hath placed in those that be his instruments And this kind of worship is commanded onely in the second table and in the first commandement thereof Honour thy father and mother Vpon this distinction wee may iudge what honour is due to euery one Honour is to bee giuen to God and to whome hee commandeth He commandeth that inferiours should honour or worshippe their betters Therefore the vnreasonable creatures and among the rest images are not to be worshipped either with ciuill or religious worship being indeede far baser then man himselfe is Againe vncleane spirits the enemies of God must not be worshipped yea to honour them at all is to dishonour god Good angels because they excell men both in nature and gifts when they appeared were lawfully honoured yet so as when the least signification of honour was giuen that was proper to god they refused it And because they appeare not now as in former times not so much as ciuil adoration in any bodily gesture is to be done vnto them Lastly gouernours and Magistrates haue ciuill adoration as their due and it can not be omitted without offence Thus Abraham worshipped the Hittites Gen. 23. and Ioseph his brethren Gen. 50. To come to the very point vpon the former distinction we denie against the Papists that any ciuil worship in the bending of the knee or prostrating of the bodie is to be giuen to the Saints they being absent from vs much lesse any religious worship as namely inuocation signified by any bodily adoratiō For it is the very honour of God himselfe let them call it latria or doulia or by what name they will Our reasons Reason I. All true inuocation and praier made according to the will of God must haue a double foundation a commandement and a promise A commandement to mooue vs to pray and a promise to assure vs that we shall be heard For all and euery praier must be made in faith and without a commandement or promise there is no faith Vpon this vnfallible ground I conclude that we may not pray to Saints departed for in the scripture there is no word either commanding vs to pray vnto them or assuring vs that wee shall be heard when we praie Nay we are commanded only to cal vpon God him only shalt thou serue Mat. 4.10 And How shall we call vpon him in whom we haue not beleeued Ro. 10.14 And we haue no promise to be heard but for Christs sake Therefore praiers made to Saints departed are vnlawefull Answere is made that inuocation of Saints is warranted by miracles and reuelations which are answerable to commandements and promises Ans. But miracles reuelations had an end before this kind of inuocation tooke any place in the Church of God and that was about three hundred yeares after Christ. Again to iudge of any point of doctrine by miracles is deceitfull vnlesse three things concur the first is doctrine of faith and pietie to be confirmed the second is praier vnto God that some thing may be done for the ratifying of the said doctrine the third is the manifest edification of the Church by the two former Where any of these three are wanting miracles may be suspected because otherwhiles false prophets haue their miracles to trie men whether they will cleaue vnto God or no Deut. 13.1,3 Againe miracles are not done or to bee done for them that beleeue but for infidels that beleeue not as Paul saith 1. Cor. 14.22 Tongues are a signe not to thē that beleeue but to vnbeleeuers And to this agree Chrysostom Ambrose Isidore who saith Behold a signe is not necessarie to beleeuers which haue alreadie beleeued but to infidels that they may bee conuerted Lastly our faith is to be confirmed not by reuelations and apparitions of dead mē but by the writings of the Apostles prophets Luk. 16.29 Reason II. To pray vnto Saints departed to bowe the knee vnto them while they are in heauen is to ascribe that vnto them which is proper to God himselfe namely to knowe the heart with the inward desires and motions thereof and to know the speeches and behauiours of all men in all places vpon earth at all times The Papists answer that Saints in heauen see and heare all things vpon earth not by themselues for that were to make them Gods but in God and in the glasse of the Trinitie in which they see mens praiers reuealed vnto them I answer first that the Saints are still made more thē creatures because they are said to knowe the thoughts and all the doings of all mē at all times which no created power can well comprehend at once Secondly I answer that this glasse in which all things are said to be seene is but a forgerie of mans braine and I prooue it thus The angels themselues who see further into God then men can do neuer knewe all things in God which I confirme on this manner In the temple vnder the lawe vpon the arke were placed two Cherubins signifying the good angels of god they looked downward vpon the mercieseat couering the arke which was a figure of Christ their looking downward figured their desire to see into the mystery of Christs incarnation and our redemption by him as Peter alluding no doubt to this type in the olde Testament saith 1 Pet. 1.12 which things the angels desired to beholde and Paul saith Eph. 3.10 The manifold wisdome of God is reuealed by the Church vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places that is to the angels but howe and by what meanes by the Church and that two waies first by the Church as by an example in which the angels saw the endlesse wisdome and mercie of God in the calling of the Gentiles Secondly by the Church as it was founded and honoured by the preaching of the Apostles For it seemes that the Apostolicall ministerie in the new testament reuealed things touching Christ which the angels neuer knewe before that time Thus Chrysostome vpon occasion of this text of Paul saith that the angels learned some things by the preaching
report and relation of the miracles done in the land of Egypt whereby she was mooued to ioyne hir selfe vnto the people of God and to beleeue as they did By these examples then it is manifest that in the very seruants of God there is and may be for a time an implicite faith For the better vnderstanding of this point it is to be considered that faith may be infolded two waies fiâ—st in respect of knowledge of things to be beleeued secondly in respect of the apprehension of the obiect of faith namely Christ and his benefits Now faith is infolded in respect of knowledge when as sundrie things that are necessarie to saluation are not as yet distinctly knowne Though Christ commended the faith of his disciples for such a faith against which the gates of hell should not preuaile yet was it vnexpressed or wrapped vp in regard of sundrie points of religion for first of all Peter that made confession of Christ in the name of the rest was at that time ignorant of the particular meanes whereby his redemption should be wrought For after this he went about to disswade his master from the suffering of death at Ierusalem whereupon Christ sharply rebuked him saying Come behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me Againe they were all ignorant of Christs resurrection till certaine women who first saw him after he was risen againe had told them and they by experience in the person of Christ had learned the truth Thirdly they were ignorant of the ascension for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome at the very time wheÌ„ he was about to ascend saying Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israelâ— Act. 1.6 And after Christs ascension Peter knew nothing of the breaking downe of the partition wall betweene the Iewes and Gentiles till God had better schooled him in a vision Act. 10.14 And no doubt we haue ordinarie examples of this Implicit faith in sundrie persons among vs. For some there be which are dull and hard both for vnderstanding and memorie and thereupon make no such proceedings in knowledge as many others doe and yet for good affection and conscience in their doings so farre as they know they come not short of any hauing withall a continuall care to increase in knowledge and to walke in obedience according to that which they know And such persons though they be ignorant in many things yet haue they a meaning of true faith and that which is wanting in knowledge is supplied in affection and in some respects they are to be preferred before many that haue the glibbe tongue and the braine swimming with knowledge To this purpose Melancthon said well We must acknowledge the great mercie of God who puts a difference betweene sinnes of ignorance and such as are done wittingly and forgiues manifold ignorances to them that know but the foundation and be teachable as may be seene by the Apostles in whome there was much want of vnderstanding before the resurrection of Christ. But as hath bin saide he requires that we be teachable and he will not haue vs to be hardned in our sluggishnesse and dulnesse As it is saide psal 1. he meditateth in his law day and night The second kind of implicite faith is in regard of Apprehension when as a man can not say distinctly and certenly I beleeue the pardon of my sinnes but I doe vnfainedly desire to beleeue the pardon of them all and I desire to repent This case befalls many of Gods children when they are touched in conscience for their sinnes But where men are displeased with themselues for their offences and doe withall constantly from the heart desire to beleeue and to be reconciled to God there is faith and many other graces of God infolded as in the little and tender budde is infolded the leafe the blossome and the fâ—uit For though a desire to repent and to beleeue be not faith and repentance in nature yet in Gods acceptation it is God accepting the will for the deede Isa. 42.3 Christ will not quench the smoking flaxe which as yet by reason of weakenesse giues neither light nor heate Christ saith Math. 6. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied where by persons hungring and thirsting are meant all such as feele with griefe their owne want of righteousnesse and withall desire to be iustified and sanctified Rom. 8.26 God heares regards the very grones and sighes of his seruants yea though they be vnspeakable by reason they are oftentimes little weake and confused yet God hath respect vnto them because they are the worke of his owne spirit Thus when we see that in a touched heart desiring to beleeue there is an infolded faith And this is the faith which many of the true seruants of God haue and our saluation stands not so much in our apprehending of Christ as in Christs comprehending of vs and therefore Paul saith Phil. 3. 12. he followeth namely after perfection if that he might comprehend that for whose sake he is comprehended of Christ. Now if any shall say that without a liuely faith in Christ none can be saued I answer that God accepts the desire to beleeue for liuely faith in the time of temptation and in the time of our first conuersion as I haue saide Put case a man that neuer yet repented falls into some grieuous sicknes and then beginnes to be touched in conscience for his sinnes and to be truly humbled hereupon he is exhorted to beleeue his owne reconciliation with God in Christ and the pardon of his owne sinnes And as he is exhorted so he endeauoureth according to the measure of grace receiued to beleeue yet after much striuing he can not resolue himselfe that he doth distinctly and certenly beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes onely this he can say that he doth heartely desire to beleeue this he wisheth aboue all things in the world and he esteemes all things as dung for Christ and thus he dies I demaund now what shall we say of him surely we may say nothing but that he died the child of God and is vndoubtedly saued For howsoeuer it were an happie thing if men could come to that fulnesse of faith which was in Abraham and many seruants of God yet certen it is that God in sundrie cases accepts of this desire to beleeue for true faith indeede And looke as it is in nature so is it in grace in nature some die when they are children some in olde age and some in full strength and yet all die men so againe some die babes in Christ some of more perfect faith and yet the weakest hauing the seedes of grace is the child of God and faith in his infancie is faith All this while it must be remembred I say not there is a true faith without all apprehension but without a Distinct apprehension for some space of time for this very desire by faith to apprehend Christ and
all things were cheape 20 That drinking and bezeling in the alehouse or tauerne is good felowship and shewes a good kind nature and maintaines neighbourhoode 21 That a man may sweare by the Masse because it is nothing now and by r Ladie because shee is gone out of the countrie 22 That euery man must be for himselfe and God for vs all 23 That a man may make of his owne whatsoeuer he can 24 That if a man remember to say his praiers in the morning though hâ— neuer vnderstand them he hath blessed himselfe for all the day following 25 That a man praieth when he saith the ten Commandâ—ments 26 That a man eates his maker in the Sacrament 27 That if a man be no adulterer no thiefe nor murderer and doe no man harme he is a right honest man 28 That a man neede not haue any knowledge of Religion because he is not booke-learned 29 That one may haue a good meaning when he saith and doth that which is euill 30 That a man may goe to wizards called wisemen for counsell because God hath prouided a salue for euery sore 31 That ye are to be excused in all your doings because the best men are sinners 32 That ye haue so strong a faith in Christ that no euill companie can hurt you These and such like sayings what argue they but your grosse ignorance Now where ignorance raigneth there raignes sinne and where sinne raignes there the deuill rules and where he rules man are in a damnable case Ye will replie vnto me thus that ye are not so bad I would make you if neede be you can say the Creede the Lords prayer and the ten Commandements and therefore ye will be of Gods beleefe say all men what they will and you defie the deuill from yours hearts I answer againe that it is not sufficient to say all these without booke vnlesse ye can vnderstand the meaning of the words and be able to make a right vse of the Commandements of the Creede of the Lords prayer by applying them inwardly to your hearts and consciences and outwardly to your liues and conuersations This is the very point in which ye faile And for an helpe in this your ignorance to bring you to true knowledge vnfained faith and sound repentance here I haue set downe the principall point of Christian religion in sixe plaine and easie rules euen such as the simplest may easily learne and hereunto is adioyned an exposition of them word by word If ye doe want other good direction then vse this my labour for your instruction In reading of it first learne the sixe principles and when ye haue them without the booke and the meaning of them withall then learne the exposition also which beeing well conceiued and in some measure felt in the heart ye shall be able to profit by Sermons whereas now ye cannot and the ordinarie parts of the Catechisme namely the ten Commaundements the Creede the Lords prayer and the institution of the two Sacraments shall more easily be vnderstood Thine in Christ Iesus William Perkins The foundation of Christian religion gathered into sixe Principles The first Principle Question VVHat doest thou beleeue concerning God A. There is one God creator and gouernour of all things distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Prooues out of the word of God 1. There is a God For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world beeing considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnes 2. This God one Concerning therefore meat sacrificed to idols we knowe that an idol is nothing in the worlde and that there is none other God but one 3. He is creatour of all things In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Through faith wee vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare 4. He is gouernour of all things The eies of the Lord in euery place behold the euill and the good Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred 5. Distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Iesus when he was baptized came straight out of the water and loe the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn sawe the spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him And loe a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the word and the holy Ghost and these three are one The second Principle Q. What dost thou beleeue coÌ„cerning man coÌ„cerning thine own selfe A. All men are wholly corrupted with sinne through Adams fall and so are become slaues of Sathan and guiltie of eternall damnation 1. All men are corrupted with sinne As it is written there is none righteous no not one 2. They are wholly corrupted Nowe the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde Hauing their cogitation darkened and beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart When the Lord sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually 3. Through Adams fall Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went went ouer all men for so much as all men haue sinned 4. And so are become slaues of Sathan Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of the worlde and after the prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuill In whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them 5. And guiltie of eternall damnation For as many as are of the workes of the Lawe are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Likewise then as by the offence of
hand depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels The Scriptures for proofe were onely quoted by the author to moue thee to search them the wordes themâ—elues I haue expressed at the earnest request of many that thou maiest more easily learne them if yet thou wilt be ignoraÌ„t thy malice is euident if thou gaynest knowledge giue God the glorie in doing of his will Thine T. S. THE EXPOSITION OF THE PRINCIPLES The first Principle expounded Question WHat is God A. God is a spirit or a spirituall substance most wise most holy eternall infinite Q. How doe you perswade your selfe that there is such a God A. Besides the testimonie of the Scriptures plaine reason will shew it Q. What is one reason A. When I consider the wonderfull frame of the world me thinks the silly creatures that be in it could neuer make it neither could it make it selfe and therefore besides all these the maker of it must needes be God Euen as when a man comes into a strange country and sees faire and sumptuous buildings and yet findes no liuing creatures there besides birds and beasts he will not imagine that either birdes or beasts reared those buildings but he presently conceiues that some men either were or haue beene there Q. What other reason haue you A. A man that commits any sinne as murder fornication adulterie blasphemie c. albeit he doth so conceale the matter that no man liuing know of it yet oftentimes he hath a griping in his conscience and feeles the very flashing of hell fire which is a strong reason to shew that there is a God before whose iudgement seat he must answer for this fact Q. How many Gods are there A. No more but one Q. How doe you conceiue this one God in your minde A. Not by framing any image of him in my minde as ignorant folks doe that thinke him to be an old man sitting in heauen but I conceiue him by his properties and workes Q. What be his chiefe properties A. First he is most wise vnderstanding all things aright and knowing the reason of them Secondly he is most holy which appeareth in that he is most iust and mercifull vnto his creatures Thirdly he is eternall without either beginning or ende of daies Lastly he is infinite both because he is present in all places and because he is of power sufficient to doe whatsoeuer he will Q. What be the workes of God A. The creation of the world and of euery thing therein and the preseruation of them beeing created by his speciall prouidence Q. How know you that God gouerneth euery particular thing in the world by his speciall prouidence A. To omit the Scriptures I see it by experience Meate Drinke and clothing beeing void of heate and life could not preserue the life of man vnlesse there were a speciall prouidence of God to giue vertue vnto them Q. How is this one God distinguished A. Into the Father which begetteth the Sonne into the Sonne who is begotten of the Father into the holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father the Sonne The second Principle expounded Q. Let vs nowe come to ours selues and first tell me what is the naturall estate of man A. Euery man is by nature dead in sin as a loathsome carrion or as a dead corps lyeth rotting and stincking in the graue hauing in him the seede of all sinnes Q. What is sinne A. Any breach of the Lawe of God if it be no more but the least want of that which the Lord requireth Q. Howe many sortes of sinne are there A. Sinne is either the corruption of nature or any euill actions that proceede of it as fruites therof Q. In whome is the corruption of nature A. In all men none excepted Q. In what part of man is it A. In euery part both of body and soule like as a leprosie that runneth from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote Q. Shew me howe euery part of man is corrupted with sinne A. First in the minde there is nothing but ignorance and blindenes concerning heauenly matters Secondly the conscience is defiled being alwaies either benummed with sinne or else turmoyled with inward accusations and terrors Thirdly the will of man onely willeth and lusteth after euil Fourthly the affections of the heart as loue ioy hope desire c. are mooued and stirred to that which is euill to imbrace it and they are neuer stirred vnto that which is good vnlesse it be to eschewe it Lastly the members of the body are the instruments and tooles of the mind for the execution of sinne Q. What be those euill actions that are the fruites of this corruption A. Euill thoughts in the minde which come either by a mans owne conceiuing or by the suggestion of the deuill euill motions and lusts stirring in the heart and froÌ„ these arise euill words and deeds when any occasion is giueÌ„ Q. Howe commeth it to passe that all men are thus defiled with sinne A. By Adams infidelitie and disobedience in eating the forbidden fruite euen as we see great personages by treason doe not only hurt themselues but also staine their blood and disgrace their posteritie Q. What hurt comes to man by his sinne A. He is continually subiect to the curse of God in his life time in the end of his life and after this life Q. VVhat is the curse of God in this life A. In the bodie diseases aches paines in the soule blindnesse hardnesse of heart horrour of conscience in goods hinderances and losses in name ignominie and reproach lastly in the whole man bondage vnder Sathan the prince of darkenes Q. VVhat manner of bondage is this A. This bondage is when a man is the â—laue of the deuill and hath him to raigne in his heart as his God Q. How may a man know whether Sathan be his God or not A. He may knowe it by this if he giue obedience to him in his heart expresse it in his conuersation Q. And howe shall a man perceiue this obedience A. If he take delight in the euill motions that Sathan puts into his heart doe fulfill the lusts of the deuill Q. What is the curse due to man in the ende of this life A. Death which is the seperation of bodie and soule Q. What is the curse after this life A. Eternal damnation in hel fire whereof euery man is guiltie and is in as great danger of it as the traitour apprehended is in danger of hanging drawing and quartering The third principle expounded Q. If damnation be the reward of sinne then is a man of all creatures most miserable A dog or a toade when they die all their miserie is ended but wheÌ„ a man dieth there is the beginning of
his woe A. It were so indeede if there were no meanes of deliuerance but GOD hath shewed his mercie in giuing a Sauiour to mankind Q. Howe is this Sauiour called A. Iesus Christ. Q. What is Iesus Christ A. The eternall sonne of God made man in all things euen in his infirmities like other men saue onely in sinne Q. Howe was he made man void of sinne A He was conceiued in the womb of a Virgine and sanctified by the holy Ghost at his conception Q. Why must our Sauiour be both God and man A He must be a man because man hath sinned and therfore a man must die for sinne to appease Gods wrath he must be God to sustaine and vphold the manhood to ouercome and vanquish death Q What be the offices of Christ to make him an al-sufficient Sauiour A He is a priest a prophet a King Q VVhy is he a priest A To worke the meanes of saluation in the behalfe of mankind Q Howe doth he worke the meanes of saluation A First by making satisfaction to his father for the sinne of man Secondly by making intercession Q How doth he make satisfaction A By two meanes and the first is by offering a sacrifice Q VVhat is this sacrifice A Christ himselfe as he is man consisting of body and soule Q VVhat is the Altar A Christ as he is God is the Altar on which he sacrificed himselfe Q VVho was the priest None but Christ and that as he is both God and man Q How oft did he sacrifice himselfe A Neuer but once Q VVhat death did he suffer when he sacrificed himselfe A A death vpon the crosse peculiar to him alone for besides the separation of bodie and soule he felt also the pangâ—s of hell in that the whole wrath of God due to the sinne of man was powred forth vpon him Q. What profit commeth by his Sacrifice A. Gods wrath is appeased by it Q. Could the suffering of Christ which was but for a short time counteruaile euerlasting damnation and so appease Gods wrath A. Yea for seeing Christ suffered God suffered though not in his godhead that is more thaÌ„ if all men in the world had suffered for euer euer Q. Now tell me the other meanes of satisfaction A. It is the perfect fulfilling of the lawe Q. Howe did he fulfill the lawe A. By his perfect righteousnes which consisteth of two parts the first the integritie and purenesse of his humaine nature the other his obedience in performing all that the lawe required Q. You haue shewed how Christ doth make satisfaction tell mee likewise howe he doth make intercession A. He alone doth continually appeare before his father in heauen making the faithfull and all their praiers acceptable vnto him by applying of the merits of his owne perfect satisfaction to them Q. Why is Christ a prophet A. To reueale vnto his Church the waie and meanes of saluation this he doth outwardly by the ministerie of his word and inwardly by the teaching of his holy spirit Q. Why is he also a King A. That he might bountifully bestowe vpon vs and conuey vnto vs all the aforesaid meanes of saluation Q. How doth he shewe himselfe to be a King A. In that beeing dead and buried hee rose from the graue quickened his dead bodie ascended into heauen and nowe sitteth at the right hand of his father with full full power and glory in heauen Q. How else A. In that he doeth continually inspire and direct his seruants by the diuine power of his holy spirit according to his holy word Q. But to whome will this blessed King communicate all these meanes of saluation A. He offereth them to many and they are sufficient to saue all mankind but all shall not be saued thereby because by faith they will not receiue them The fourth principle expounded Q. What is faith A. Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which a man doth apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits vnto himselfe Q. Howe doth a man apply Christ vnto himselfe seeing we are on earth and Christ in heauen A. This applying is done by assurance when a man is verely perswaded by the holy spirit of Gods fauour towards himselfe particularly and of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes Q. How doth God bring men truely to beleeue in Christ A. First he prepareth their hearts that they might bee capable of faith and then he worketh faith in them Q. Howe doth God prepare mens heartes A. By bruising them as if one would breake an hard stone to powder and this is done by hambling them Q. How doth God humble a man A. By working in him a sight of his sinnes and a sorrowe for them Q. How is this sight of sinne wrought A. By the morall lawe the summe whereof is the ten commandements Q. What sinnes may I finde in my selfe by them A. Ten. Q. What is the first A. To make something thy God which is not God by fearing it louing it so trusting in it more then in the true God Q. What is the second A. To worship false Gods or the true God in a false manner Q. What is the third A. To dishonour God in abusing his titles wordes and workes Q. What is the fourth A. To breake the Sabboth in doing the works of their calling and of the flesh and in leauing vndone the workes of the spirit Q. What be the sixe latter A. To doe any thing that may hinder thy neighbours dignitie life chastitie wealth good name though it be but in the secret thoughts and motions of the heart vnto which thou giuest no liking nor consent Q. What is sorrowe for sinne A. It is when a mans conscience is touched with a liuely feeling of Gods displeasure for any of these sinnes in such wise that hee vtterly despaires of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe acknowledging that he hath deserued shame and confusion eternally Q. Howe doth God worke this sorrowe A. By the terrible curse of the Lawe Q. What is that A. He which breakes but one of the commandements of God though it be but once in all his life time and that onely in one thought is subiect to and in danger of eternall damnation thereby Q. When mens hearts are thus prepared howe doth God ingraft faith in them A. By working certaine inward motions in the heart which are the seedes of faith out of which it breedeth Q. What is the first of them A. When a man humbled vnder the burden of his sinnes doth acknoweledge and feele that he standes in great neede of Christ. Q. What is the second A. An hungring desire and a longing to be made partaker of Christ all his merits Q. What is the third A. A flying to the throne of
in them which are chosen to saluation but vnto them that perish it is by reason of their corruption an occasion of their further damnation Q. How must we heare Gods word that it may be effectuall to saluation A. We must come vnto it with hunger-bitten hearts hauing an appetite to the word we must marke it with attention receiue it by faith submit our selues vnto it with feare and trembling euen then when our faults are reprooued lastly we must hide it in the corners of our hearts that we may frame our liues and conuersations by it Q. What is a Sacrament A. A signe to represent a seale to confirme an instrument to conuey Christ and all his benefits to them that doe beleeue in him Q. Why must a Sacrament represent the mercies of God before our eies A. Because we are dull to conceiue and to remember them Q. Why doth the Sacrament seale vnto vs the mercies of God A. Because we are full of vnbeleefe and doubting of them Q. Why is the Sacrament the instrument of the Spirit to conuey the mercies of God into our hearts A. Because we are like Thomas we will not beleeue till we feele them in some measure in our hearts Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two and no more Baptisme by which we haue our admission into the true Church of God and the Lords Supper by which we are nourished and preserued in the Church after our admission Q. What is done in Baptisme A. In the assemblie of the Church the couenant of grace betweene God and the partie baptized is solemnly confirmed and sealed Q. In this couenant what doth God promise to the partie baptized A. Christ with all blessings that come by him Q. To what condition is the partie baptized bound A. To receiue Christ and to repent of his sinne Q. What meaneth the sprinkling or dipping in water A. It seales vnto vs remission of sinnes and sanctification by the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Q. How commeth it to passe that many after their Baptisme for a long time feele not the effect and fruit of it and some neuer A. The fault is not in God who keepes his couenants but the fault is in themselues in that they doe not keepe the condition of the couenant to receiue Christ by faith and to repent of all their sinnes Q. When shall a man then see the effect of his baptisme A. At what time soeuer he doth receiue Christ by faith though it be many yeares after he shall then feele the power of God to regenerate him and to worke all things in him which he offered in baptisme Q. How if a man neuer keepe the condition to which he bound himselfe in baptisme A. His damnation shall be the greater because he breaketh his vowe made to God Q. What is done in the Lords Supper A. The former couenant solemnly ratified in Baptisme is renued in the Lords supper betweene the Lord himselfe and the receiuer Q. What is the receiuer A. Euery one that hath beene baptized and after his baptisme hath truly beleeued in Christ and repented of his sinnes from his heart Q. What meaneth the bread and wine the eating of the bread and drinking of the wine A. These outward actions are a second seale set by the Lords owne hand vnto his couenant And they doe giue euery receiuer to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and wine to preserue and strengthen the bodie of the receiuer so Christ apprehended and receiued by faith shall nourish him and preserue both bodie and soule vnto eternall life Q. What shall a true receiuer feele in himselfe after the receiuing of the Sacrament A. The increase of his faith in Christ the increase of sanctification a greater measure of dying to sinne a greater care to liue in newnesse of life Q. What if a man after the receiuing of the Sacrament neuer finde any such thing in himselfe A. He may well suspect himselfe whether he did euer repent or not and thereupon to vse meanes to come to sound faith and repentance Q. VVhat is an other meaues of increasing faith A. Prayer Q. What is praier A. A familiar speech with God in the name of Christ in which either we craue things needfull or giue thankes for things receiued Q. In asking things needfull what is required A. Two things an earnest desire and faith Q. What things must a Christian mans heart desire A. Sixe things especially Q. What are they A. 1. That he may glorifie God 2. That God may raigne in his heart and not sinne 3. That he may doe Gods will and not his lusts of the flesh 4. That he may relie himselfe on Gods prouidence for all the meanes of this temporall life 5. That he may be iustified and be at peace with God 6. That by the power of God he may be strengthened against all temptations Q. What is faith A. A perswasion that these things which we truly desire God will grant them for Christs sake The sixth Principle expounded Q. After that a man hath led a short life in this world what followeth thē A. Death which is the parting asunder of bodie and soule Q. Why doe wicked men and vnbeleeuers die A. That their bodies may goe to the earth and their soules may be cast into hell fire Q. Why doe the godly die seeing Christ by death hath ouercome death A. They die for this ende that their bodies may rest for a while in the earth and their soules may enter into heauen immediatly Q. What followeth after death A. The day of iudgement Q. What signe is there to know this day from other daies A. Heauen and earth shall be consumed with fire immediatly before the comming of the iudge Q. Who shall be the iudge A. Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Q. What shall be the comming to iudgement A. He shall come in the cloudes in great maiestie and glorie with infinite companie of Angels Q. How shall all men be cited to iudgement A. At the sound of a trumpet the liuing shall be changed in the twinckling of an eye and the dead shall rise againe euery one with his owne bodie and all shall be gathered together before Christ and after this the good shall be seuered from the bad these standing on the left hand of Christ the other on the right Q. How will Christ trie and examine euery mans cause A. The bookes of all mens doings shall be laide open mens consciences shall be made either to accuse them or excuse them and euery man shall be tried by the workes which he did in his life time because they are open and manifest signes of faith or vnbeleefe Q. What sentence will he giue A. He will giue sentence of saluation to the elect and godly but he will pronounce
Augustine againe saith That the vertue which is now in a iust man is thus far forth perfect that vnto the perfection thereof there belongs a true acknowledgemeÌ„t and an humble confession of the imperfection thereof A broken and a contrite heart after an offence is as much with God as if there had beene no offence at all and therefore so soone as Dauid after his grieuous fall in heauinesse of heart confessed his sinne saying in effect but thâ—s much I haue sinned the prophet in the name of the Lord pronounceth tâ—â— pardon of his sinne in heaueÌ„ and that presently V. Conclusion He that hath begun to subiect himselfe to Christ and his word though as yet he be ignorant in most points of religion yet if he haue a care to increase in knowledge to practise that which he knoweth he is accepted of God as a true beleeuer The Exposition SVndrie persons by the Euangelists are said to beleeue which had onely seene the miracles of Christ and as yet had made no further proceedings but to acknowledge Christ to be the Messias to submit themselues to him and his doctrine which afterward should be taught On this maner the woman of Samaria beleeued and many of the Samaritans vpon her report a certaine ruler by reason of a miracle wrought vpon his son is said to beleeue all his houshould Ioh. 4.42.52 when our Sauiour Christ commendeth the faith of the Apostles tearming it a rock against which the gates of hel should not preuaile it was not for the pleÌ„tiful knowledge of the doctrine of saluatioÌ„ for they were ignorant of many articles of faith as namely of the death resurrection ascension and kingdome of Christ but because they beleeued him to be the sonne of God and the Sauiour of mankind and they had withall resolued themselues to cleaue vnto him and the blessed doctrine of saluation which he taught though as yet they were ignorant in many points The holy Ghost commendeth the faith of Rahab when shee receiued the spies Now this her faith was indeede but a seede and beginning of liuely faith for then shee had onely heard of the miracles done in Egypt and of the deliuerance of the Israelites and was thereupon smitten with a feare and had conceiued a resolution with her selfe to ioyne her selfe to the Israelites and to worship the true God Now these and the like are tearmed beleeuers vpon iust cause for though they be ignorant as yet yet their ignorance shall be no continuing or lasting ignorance and they haue excellent seedes of grace namely a purpose of heart to cleaue to Christ and a care to profit in the doctrine of saluation VI. Conclusion The foresaid beginnings of grace are counterfait vnlesse they encrease The Exposition THe wickednesse of mans nature and the depth of hypocrisie is such that a man may and can easily transforme himselfe into the counterfeit and resemblance of any grace of God Therefore I put downe here a certen note whereby the gifts of God may be discerned namely that they grow vp and increase as the graine of Musterd-seede to a great tree and beare fruit answerably The grace in the heart is like the grain of Musterd-seed in two things First it is small to see to at the beginning secondly after it is cast into the ground of the heart it increaseth speedily and spreads it selfe Therefore if a man at the first haue but some little feeling of his wants some weake and faint desire some small obedience he must not let this sparke of grace goe out but these motions of the spirit must be encreased by the vse of the word sacrameÌ„ts and prayer and they must daily be stirred vp by meditating indeuouring striuing asking seeking knocking The master deliuering his talents to his seruants saith vnto them occupie till I come and not hide them in the earth Math. 25.26 Paul vseth an excellent speech to Timothie I exhort thee to stirre vp the gift of God which is in thee namely as fire is stirred vp by often blowing and by putting to of wood 2. Tim. 1.6 As for such motions of the heart that last for a weeke or moneth and after vanish away they are not to be regarded and the Lord by the Prophet Osea complaineth of them saying O Ephraim thy righteousnes is like the morning dewe Therefore considering grace vnlesse it be confirmed and exercised is indeede no grace I will here adde certaine rules of direction that we may the more easily put in practise the spirituall exercises of inuocation faith and repentance and thereby also quicken and reuiue the seedes and beginnings of grace 1 In what place soeuer thou art whether alone or abroad by day or by night and whatsoeuer thou art doing set thy selfe in the presence of God let this perswasion alwaies take place in thy heart that thou art before the liuing God and doe thy indeauour that this perswasion may smite thy heart with awe and reuerence and make thee afraid to sinne This counsell the Lord gaue Abraham Gen. 17.1 Walke before me and be vpright This thing also was practised by Enoch who for this cause is saide to walke before God 2 Esteeme of euery present day as of the day of thy death and therefore liue as though thou were dying and doe those good duties euery day that thou wouldest doe if thou wert dying This is Christian watchfulnes and remember it 3 Make catalogues and bills of thine own sinnes specially of those sinnes that haue most dishonoured God and wounded thine owne conscience set them before thee often specially then when thou hast any particular occasion of renuing thy repentance that thy heart by this doleful sight may be further humbled This was Dauids practise when he considered his waies and turned his feete to Gods commandements Psal. 119.57 and when he confessed the sinnes of his youth Psal. 25. This was Iobs practise when he saide he was not able to answer one of a thousand of his sinnes vnto God Iob 9.1 4 When thou first openest thine eies in a morning pray to God and giue thanks heartily God then shall haue his honour and thy heart shall be the better for it the whole day following For we see in experience that vessells keepe long that tast of that liquour wherewith they are first seasoned And when thou liest downe let that be the last also for thou knowest not whether falne asleepe thou shall euer rise againe aliue Good therefore it is that thou shouldest giue vp thy selfe into the hands of God whilst thou art waking 5 Labour to see and feele thy spirituall pouertie that is to see the want of grace in thy selfe specially those inward corruptions of vnbeleefe pride selfe-loue c. Labour to be displeased with thy selfe and labour to feele that by reason of them thou standest in neede of euery droppe of the bloode of Christ to heale and clense thee from these wants and let this practise take such place with
possibly haue knowne that he had made satisfaction for any of them if he had not risen againe The vses which concerne our selues are of two sorts comforts to the children of God and duties that are to be learned and practised of vs all The comforts are especially three First Christs resurrection serueth for the iustification of all that beleeue in him euen before God the father as Paul saith Christ was giuen to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification which wordes haue this meaning when Christ died we must not consider him as a priuate man as we haue shewed before but as one that stoode in the stead and roome of all the elect in his death he bare our sinnes and suffered all that we should haue suffered in our owne persons for euer and the guilt of our offences was laide vpon him and therefore Esai saith he was numbred among the wicked Now in his rising againe he freed and disburdened himselfe not from any sinnes of his owne because he was without sinne but from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes imputed vnto him And hence it comes to passe that all those which put their trust and affiance in the merit of Christ at the very first instant of their beleeuing haue their owne sinnes not imputed vnto them and his righteousnes imputed Secondly the resurrection of Christ serueth as a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification as S. Peter saith We are regenerate to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And S. Paul We are then saith he buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of his father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death we shall be also to the similitude of his resurrection Which words import thus much that as Christ by the power of his owne Godhead freed his manhood from death and from the guilt of our sinnes so doth he free those that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead that they may liue vnto God In the naturall bodie the head is the fountaine of all the senses and of motion and therefore by sundrie nerues dispersed through the bodie the power of moouing and of sense is deriued euen to the least parts so as the hands and the feete mooue by meanes of that power which comes from the head and so it is in the spirituall bodie of Christ namely the church he is the head and the fountaine of life and therefore he conueyeth spirituall life to euery one of his members and that very power of his Godhead whereby he raised vp himselfe when he was deade he conueyeth from himselfe to his members and thereby raiseth them vp from the death of sinne to newnes of life And looke as in a perfect body when the head hath sense and motion the hand that is of the same bodie hath also the sense and motion conuenient for it so likewise Christ beeing the resurrection and the life as there is spirituall life in him so euery member of his shall feele in it selfe spirituall sense and motion whereby it is raised vp from sinne and liueth vnto God For the better coÌ„ceiuing of this we must consider two things the outward means of this spirituall life and the measure of it For the meanes if we wil haue common water we must goe to the well and if we would haue water of life wee must goe vnto Christ who saith If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Now this well of the water of life is very deepe and we haue nothing to draw with therefore we must haue our pipes and conduits to conuey the same vnto vs which are the word of God preached and the administration of the sacraments Christ saith The dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue where by the dead is meant not the dead in the graue but those that are dead in sinne And againe Christ saith the wordes which I speake are spirit and life because the word of God is the pipe whereby he conueieth into our dead hearts spirit and life As Christ when he raised vp dead men did oneâ—y speake the word and they were made aliue and at the day of iudgement by his very voice when the trumpe shall blow all that are dead shall rise againe So it is in the first resurrection they that are dead in their sins at his voice vttered in the ministerie of the word shall rise againe To goe further Christ raised three from the dead Iairus daughter newly dead the widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying on the hearse Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the graue and all this he did by his very voice so also by the preaching of his word he raiseth all sorts of sinners euen such as haue lien long in their sinnes as rotting and stinking carrion The sacraments also are the pipes and conduits whereby God conueieth grace into the heart if they be rightly vsed that is if they be receiued in vnfained repentance for all our sinnes and with a true liuely faith in Christ for the pardon of the same sinnes And so I take it they are compared to flagons of wine which reuiue the Church beeing sicke and fallen into a swound As for the measure of life deriued from Christ it is but small in this life and giuen by little and little as Ose saith The Lord hath spoiled vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp After two daies he will reuiue vs and in the third he will raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight The prophet Ezechiel in a vision is carried into the midst of a field full of dead bones and he is caused to prophecy ouer them and say O ye drie bones heare the word of the Lord at the fiâ—st there was a shaking and the bones came togither bone to bone and then sinewes and flesh grewe vpon them and vpon the flesh grewe a skinne Then he prophecied vnto the windes the second time and they liued and stood vpon their feete for the breath came vpon them and they were an exceeding great army of men Hereby it signified not onely the state of the Iewes after their captiuitieâ— but in them the state of the whole Church of God For these temporall deliuerances signified further a spirituall deliuerance And wee may here see most plaâ—nely that God worketh in the hearts of his children the gifts graces of regeneration by little and little First he giueth no more then flesh sinewes and skin then after he giueth them further graces of his spirit which quickeneth them and maketh them aliue vnto God The same also we may
disarme him make him altogither vnable to preuaile against vs. Now to finde out this matter we neede not to vse the counsell of any Delilah for wee haue the worde of God which teacheth vs plainly where the strength of death consists namely in our sinnes as Paul saith The sting of death is sinne Well then we knowing certainly that the power and force of euery mans particular death lies in his owne sinnes must spend our time and studie in vsing good meanes that our sinnes may be remooued and pardoned And therefore wee must daily inure our selues in the practise of two duties One is to humble our selues for all our sins past partly confessing them against our selues partly in prayer crying to heauen for the pardon of them The other is for time to come to turne vnto god and to carrie a purpose resolution and indeauour in al things to reforme both heart and life according to Gods worde These are the verie principall and proper duties whereby the strength of death is much rebated and he is made of a mightie and bloodie enemie so farre forth friendly and tractable that we may with comfort incounter with him and preuaile too Therefore I commend these duties to your Christian considerations and carefull practise desiring that ye would spend your daies euer hereafter in doing of them If a maÌ„ were to deale with a mightie dragon or serpent hand to hand in such wise as he must either kill or bee killed the best thing were to bereaue him of his sting or of that part of his bodie where his poyson lies nowe death it selfe is a serpent dragon or scorpion and sinne is the sting or poison whereby hee woundes and kills vs. Wherefore without any more delay see that yee pull out his sting the practise of the foresaid duties is as it were a fitte and worthie instrument to doe the deede Hast thou beene a person ignorant of Gods wil a contemner of his word and worship a blasphemer of his name a breaker of his sabbaths disobedient to parents and magistrates a murderer a fornicator a railer a slanderer a couetous person c. reforme these thy sinnes and all other like vnto them pull them out by the rootes from thy heart and cast them off So many sinnes as bee in thee so many stings of death bee also in thee to wound thy soule to eternall death Therefore let no one sinne remaine for which thou hast not humbled thy selfe and repented seriously When death hurts any man it takes the weapons whereby he is hurt from his owne hand It cannot doe vs the least hurt but by the force of our owne sinnes Wherefore I say again againe lay this point to your hearts spend our strength life and health that ye may before ye die abolish the strength of death A man may put a serpent in his bosome when the sting is out and wee may let death creepe into our bosoms and gripe vs with his legs and stab vs at the heart so long as he brings not his venime and poison with him And because the former duties are so necessarie as none can be more I wil vse some reasons yet further to enforce them Whatsoeuer a man would doe when he is dying the â—ame he ought to doe euerie daie while he is liuing now the most notorious and wicked person that euer was when hee is dying will praie and desire others to praie for him and promise amendement of life protesting that if he might liue he would becom a practitioner in al the good duties of faith repentance and reformation of life Oh therefore bee carefull to doe this euerie daie Againe the saying is true hee that would liue when hee is dead must die while he is aliue namely to his sinnes Wouldest thou then liue eternally sue to heauen for thy pardon and see that now in thy life time thou die to thine owne sinnes Lastly wicked Balaam would faine die the death of the righteous but alas it was to smal purpose for he would by no meanes liue the life of the righteous For his continuall purpose and meaning was to followe his old waies in sorceries and couetousnesse Nowe the life of a righteous man standes in the humbling of himselfe for his sinnes past and in a careful reformation of life to come Wouldest thou then die the death of the righteous then look vnto it that thy life be the life of the righteous if ye will needs liue the life of the vnrighteous yee must looke to die the death of the vnrighteous Remember this and content not your selues to heare the word but bee doers of it for ye learne no more indeede what measure of knowledge soeuer ye haue then ye practise The third dutie in our generall preparation is in this life to enter into the first degree of life eternall For as I haue said there bee three degrees of life euerlasting and the first of them is in this present life For he that would liue in eternall happinesse for euer must begin in this world to rise out of the graue of his owne sinnes in which by nature hee lies buried and liue in newnesse of life as it is said in the Reuelation Hee that will escape the second death must bee made partaker of the first resurrectioÌ„ And Paul saith to the Colossians that they were in this life deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the kingdome of Christ. And Christ saith to the Church of the Iewes the kingdome of heauen is amongst you Nowe this first degree of life is when a man can say with Paul I liue not but Christ liues in me that is I finde partly by the testimonie of my sanctified conscience and partly by experience that Christ my redeemer by his spirit guideth and gouerneth my thoughts will affectionsâ— all the powers of body and soule according to the blessed direction of his holy will Now that we might be able to say this we must haue three gifts graces of God wherein especially this first degree of life consists The first is sauing knowledge wherebâ— we doe truely resolue our selues that God the father of Christ is our fatherâ— Christ his sonne our redeemer and the holy ghost our comforter That this knowledge is one part of life eternall it appeares by the saying of Christ in Iohn This is life eternall that is the beginning and entrance into life eternall to know thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The second grace is peace of conscience which passeth al vnderstanding and therefore Paul saith that the kingdome of heauen is righteousnes peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost The horror of a guiltie conscience is the beginning of death destruction therefore peace of conscience deriued from the death of Christ is life and happinesse The third is the regiment of the spirit whereby the heart and life of man is ordered according to the
word of God For Paul saith that they that are the childreÌ„ of god are led by the spirit of Christ. Nowe seeing this is so that if wee would liue eternally wee must begin to liue that blessed and eternall life before we die here we must be carefull to reform two common errors The first is that a man enters into eternall life when hee dies and not before which is a flat vntruth Our Sauiour Christ said to Zacheus This day is saluation come to thy houseâ— giuing vs to vnderstand that a man then begins to be saued when God doeth effectually call him by the ministery of his Gospell Whosoeuer then will bee saued when hee is dying and dead must begin to be saued while he is nowe liuing His saluation must beginne in this life that would come to saluation after this life Verely verely saith Christ he that heareth my word and â—eleeueth in him that sent me hath eternall life namly in this present life The second error is that howsoeuer a man liue if when he is dying he can lift vp his eies and say Lord haue mercie vpon me hee is certainly saued Behold a verie dangerous and foolish conceit that deceiues many a man It is all one as if an arrant theife should thus reason with himselfe and say I will spend my daies in robbing and stealing I feare neither arraignment nor exequution For at the verie time when I am to bee turned off the ladder if I doe but call vpon the iudge I knowe I shall haue my pardon Behold a most dangerous and desperate course the verie same is the practise of carelesse men in the matter of their saluation For a man may diâ— with Lord haue mercie in his mouth and perish eternally except in this world he enter into the first degree of eternall life For not euerie one that sayeth Lord Lord shall enter into heauen but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen The fourth dutie is to exercise and inure our selues in dying by little little so long as we liue here vpon earth before we come to die indeede And as men that are appointed to runne a race exercise themselues in running that they may get the victorie so should we begin to die now while we are liuing that we might die well in the end But some may say how should this be done Paul giues vs direction in his owne example when he saith by the reioycing which I haue in Christ I die daily And he died daily not onely because hee was often in danger of death by reason of his calling but also because in al his dangers and troubles he inured himselfe to die For when men do make the right vse of their afflictions whether they bee in bodie or minde or both and doe with all their might endeauour to beare them patiently humbling themselues as vnder the correction of God then they begin to die well And to doe this indeede is to take an excellent course He that would mortifie his greatest sins must begin to doe it with small sinnes which when they are once reformed a man shall be able more easily to ouercome his master-sinnes So likewise he that would be able to beare the crosse of all crosses namely death it selfe must first of all learne to beare small crosses as sicknesses in bodie and troubles in minde with losses of goods and of friendes and of good name which I may fitly tearme little deaths and the beginnings of death it selfe and we must first of all acquaint our selues with these little deaths before we can wel be able to beare the great death of al. Againe the afflictions and calamities of this life are as it were the harbingers and puruiers of death and we are first to learne how to entertaine these messengers that when death the lord himselfe shall come we may in better manner entertaine him This point Bilney the martyr well considered who oftentimes before hee was burned put his finger into the flame of the candle not onely to make triall of his abilitie in suffering but also to arme and strengthen himselfe against greater torments in death Thus ye see the fourth dutie which ye must in any wise learne and remember because wee cannot be able to beare the pangs of death well vnles we bee first well schooled and nurtered by sundrie trials in this life The fifth and last dutie is set down by Salomon All that thine hand shall find to doe doe it with all thy power And marke the reason For there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisdome in the graue whither thou goest To the same purpose Paul saith Doe good to all men while ye haue time Therefore if any man be able to doe any good seruice either to Gods church or to the common wealth or to any priuate man let him doe it with all speede and with all might least death it selfe preuent him He that hath care thus to spende his daies shall with much comfort and peace of conscience ende his life Thus much of generall preparation Now followeth the particular which is in the time of sicknes And here first of all I will shew what is the doctrine of the Papists and then afterward the truth By the popish order and practise when a man is about to die he is inioyned three things First to make sacramentall confession specially if it be in any mortall sinne secondly to receiue the Eucharist thirdly to require his annoyling that is the sacrament as they call it of extreame vnction Sacramentall confession they tearme a rehearsall or enumeration of all mans sinnes to a priest that he may receiue absolution But against this kinde of confession sundrie reasons may be alleadged First of all it hath no warrant either by commandement or example in the whole word of God They say yes and they indeauour to prooue it thus He which lies in any mortall sinne is by Gods law bound to doe penance and to seeke reconciliation with God now the necessarie meanes after baptisme to obtaine reconciliation is the confession of all our sinnes to a priest Because Christ hath appointed priests to be iudges vpon earth with such measure of authoritie that no man falling after baptisme can without their sentence and determination be reconciled and they can not rightly iudge vnlesse they know all a mans sinnes therefore all that fall after baptisme are bound by Gods word to open all their sinnes to a priest Ans. It is false which they say that priests are iudges hauing power to examine and take knowledge of mens sinnes and iurisdiction whereby they can properly absolue pardon or retaine them For Gods word hath giuen no more to man but a ministerie of reconciliation whereby in the name of God and according to his word he doth preach declare and pronounce that God doth pardon or not pardon his sinnes Againe pardon may truly be pronounced
giue good counsell to doe the ordinarie works of their callings The fourth Things indifferent must be vsed within compasse of our callings that is according to our abilitie degree state and condition of life And it is a common abuse of this libertie in our daies that the meane man will be in meate drinke apparell building as the gentleman the gentleman as the knight the knight as the lord or Earle Now then things indifferent are sanctified to vs by the word when our consciences are resolued out of the word that we may vse them so it be in tâ—e manner before named and according to the rules here set downe They are sanctified by praier when we craue at Gods hands the right vse of them and hauing obtained the same giue him thanks therefore Coloss. 3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the father by him Thus much of Christian libertie by which we are admonished of sundrie duties I. to labour to become good members of Christ of what estate or coÌ„dition so euer we be The libertie of the citie of Rome made not onely Romanes borne but euen the men of other countries seeke to be citizens thereof Act. 22.28 The priuiledges of the Iewes in Persia made many become Iewes Hest. 8.17 O then much more should the spirituall libertie of conscience purchased by the blood of Christ mooue vs to seeke for the kingdome of heauen and that we might become good members thereof II. Againe by this we are taught to studie learne and loue the Scriptures in which our liberties are recorded We make account of our charters whereby we hold our earthly liberties yea we gladly read them and acquaint our selues with them what a shame then will it be for vs to make no more account of the word of God that is the law of spirituall libertie Iam. 2. 16. III. Lastly we are aduertised most heartily to obey and serue God according to his word for that is the end of our libertie the seruant doth all his busines more chearefully in the hope and expectation he hath of libertie Againe our libertie most of all appeares in our seruice and obedience because the seruice of God is perfect freedome as on the contrarie in the disobedience of Gods commandements stands our spirituall bondage The second propertie of conscience is an vnfallible certentie of the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting That this point may be cleared I will handle the question betweene vs and Papists touching the certentie of saluation And that I may proceede in order we must distinguish the kinds of certentie First of all Certentie is either Vnfallible or Coniecturall Vnfallible wherein a man is neuer disappointed Coniecturall which is not so euident because it is grounded onely vpon likelihoods The second all Papists graunt but the first they denie in the matter of saluation Againe certentie is either of faith or experimentall which Papists call morall Certentie of faith is whereby any thing is certenly beleeued and it is either generall or speciall Generall certentie is to beleeue assuredly that the word of God is truth it selfe and this both we and Papists allow Speciall certentie is by faith to applie the promise of saluation to our selues and to beleeue without doubt that remission of sinnes by Christ and life euerlasting belongs vnto vs. This kinde of certentie we hold and maintaine and Papists with one consent denie it acknowledging no assurance but by hope Morall certentie is that which proceedes from sanctification and good workes as signes and tokens of true faith This we both allow yet with some difference For they esteeme all certentie that comes by works to be vncerten and often to deceiue but we doe otherwise if the works be done in vprightnes of heart The question then is whether a man in this life may ordinarily without reuelation be vnfallibly certen of his owne saluation first of all and principally by faith and then secondly by such workes as are vnseparable companions of faith We hold this for a cleare and euident principle of the word of God and contrariwise the Papists denie it wholly I will therefore prooue the truth by some few arguments and then answer the common obiections Arg. 1. That which the spirit of God doth first of all testifie in the heart and conscience of any man and then afterward fully confirme is to be beleeued of the same man as vnfallibly certen but the spirit of God first of all doth testifie to some men namely true beleeuers that they are the sonnes of God and afterward confirmes the same vnto them Therefore men are vnfallibly to beleeue their owne adoption Now that the Spirit of God doth giue this testimonie to the conscience of man the Scripture is more then plaine Rom. 8. 15. Ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Answer is made that this testimonie of the Spirit is giuen onely by an experiment or feeling of an inward delight or peace which breedes in vs not an infallible but a coniecturall certentie And I answer againe that this exposition is flat against the text For the Spirit of adoption is saide here not to make vs to thinke or speake but to crie Abba Father and crying to God as to a father argues courage confidence and boldnes Againe the same Spirit of adoption is opposed to the spirit of bondage causing feare and therefore it must needs be a Spirit giuing assurance of libertie and by that meanes driuing away distrustfull feares And the ende no doubt why the holy Ghost comes into the heart as a witnes of adoption is that the truth in this case hidden therefore doubtful might be cleared and made manifest If God himselfe haue appointed that a doubtfull truth among men shall be confirmed and put out of doubt by the mouth of two or three witnesses it is absurd to thinke that the testimonie of God himselfe knowing all things and taking vpon him to be a witnesse should be coniecturall Saint Bernard had learned better diuinitie when he said Who is iust but he that beeing loued of God returnes loue to him againe which is not done but by the Spirit of God reuealing by faith vnto man the eternall purpose of God concerning his saluation in time to come which reuelation vndoubtedly is nothing else but an infusion of spirituall grace by which whilest the deedes of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of God receiuing withall that whereby he may presume that he is loued and loue againe Furthermore that the Spirit of God doth not onely perswade men of their adoption but also confirme the same vnto them it is most manifest Eph. 4. 30. Grieue not the Spirit whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption and 1. v. 13. After ye beleeued